Wind of change - Mercedes-Benz

www.mercedes-benz.de | July 2009
Mercedes-Benz
Unimog
1|2009
The magazine for multi-functional applications
Wind of change
WIND POWER_Enercon, one of the leading
manufacturers of power generation systems,
relies on the Unimog road-railer system.
DEMOPARK WITH THREE WORLD PREMIERES | FIELD ASSETS | CUSTOMERS SWEAR BY THE UNIMOG
Product Division Special-Purpose Vehicles
04
Shining example_ Sales record
New developments_ U 20 with enhanced technology
05
News_ Another step into the future with Euro 5 / Innovative semitrailer rig / Once more: Unimog
Change at the top_ “Ideal candidates”
Road-railer
06
Wind power_ Wind of change with ecofriendly drives
10
Versatility_ Unimog expertise and three world premieres
Showtime
Energy industry
12
Oil production_ Field assets
14
Pipework_ Lifelines for energy customers
16
Trailblazing_ Top of the class
18
Plus points_ Customers swear by the Unimog
20
Snow-clearing operations_ Start of spring on the Riedberg Pass
22
Bulk goods_ Technology leader
23
Shaping Future Transportation_ Hybrid tippers
06
Cover story_ U 400 transports
ENERCON rotor blades measuring
over 40 m in length
Energy industry
Technology
Contractors
Road-maintenance services
18
Daimler Worldwide
Engine development_ Economical, powerful, reliable
News_ Training programme, Canter for Vietnam
Courier, express and parcel services_ On expansion course
International
24
Forest fires_ Blessed Unimog in the fight against fire
History
26
20
Museum_ 60 years of the Unimog and agriculture
Publisher‘s data
Publisher: Daimler AG, Product Division Special-Purpose Vehicles
Responsible at publisher: Benjamin Syring, Product Division Special-Purpose Vehicles
Editorial committee: Benjamin Syring, Marion Weisenburger, Thomas Bach, Dieter Mutard, Dieter Sellnau, Claws E. Tohsche
Contributors to this issue:
Texts and photographs: Dieter Mutard, Ute Risché, Henrik Morlock, Product Division Special-Purpose Vehicles
Editorial office address: Daimler AG, Product Division Special-Purpose Vehicles,
Sales and Marketing, D-76742 Wörth, Germany
Production: Dieter Mutard DWM Pressebüro und Verlag, Söflinger Straße 100, D-89077 Ulm, Germany
The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited copy or photographs · The next issue will appear in autumn 2009
Printed on paper bleached without chlorine · Printed in the Federal Republic of Germany
24
UniMoGUniMoG
1 · 2009 1· RuNNINghEaDER
· 2009 · CONTENTS
Technology
16
groundbreaking_ The Unimog with
BlueTec technology complies with the
strictest of emission standards
3
4
PRODuCT DIVISION SPECIal-PuRPOSE VEhIClES · UniMoG 1 · 2009
U 20 with enhanced technology
Barely two years after its launch, the Unimog U 20 compact implement carrier has benefited from further
technical innovations aimed at enhancing ride comfort and widening the range of applications.
NEW DEVElOPMENTS — The U 20 features a
range of attractive technical modifications for
2009. From the second quarter of this year onwards, the vehicles will also be available with
a permissible GVW of 9.3 tonnes – in addition
to the 7.5-tonne and 8-5-tonne load ratings. The
corresponding axle loads – 4.8 tonnes front and
rear – have each been increased by 200 kg to 5.0
tonnes. The benefits to the user are obvious: the
extra load – 200 kg per axle – is an advantage in
terms of implement mounting as it extends the
range of applications for the U 20 considerably,
particularly in the case of snow-clearing operations, but also when it comes to agricultural, horticultural and landscaping work. In
addition to this, the increase in gross weight
makes the U 20 a viable option for fire brigades.
Some fire-brigade bodybuilders have already
started and completed projects based on the
Easily accessible:
the controls for the
airsprung driver‘s seat
More payload:
the new 9.3-tonne variant
can carry larger and heavier implements, e.g. for
snow-clearing operations
U 20 platform. The second new development concerns ride comfort in the Mercedes-Benz Unimog
U 20. An air-sprung driver‘s seat with pneumatic
lumbar support, adjustable backrest and head
restraint adjustment options will likewise be
available from the second quarter of this year
onwards. It further enhances the vehicle‘s alrea-
dy impressive seating comfort, ride comfort and
workplace comfort. In addition, this innovation
based on the latest occupational health standards
and requirements provides all that is needed for
ergonomic and efficient work as the driver can
climb out of the cab without any risk to injury,
even after working for long periods.
Sales record
For the first time, annual unit sales of the Mercedes-Benz Econic have
topped the 1500 mark. Vehicle number 1500 was handed over to
“Die Stadtreiniger Kassel”.
ShININg EXaMPlE — In its eleventh year of
production, the Mercedes-Benz Econic – the lowfloor vehicle for municipal, collection and distribution operations, drink suppliers, fire brigades,
airports and tanker applications – has notched
up a landmark success. Some 1500 models based on this innovative vehicle concept were sold
in 2008. The Econic is the market leader in its
segment and a role model in its competitive environment. Since the Econic premiered at the
“Entsorga 1998” show, over 8000 vehicles have
been supplied to customers in various sectors. By
way of example, the town of Kassel in northern
Hesse has switched to the Mercedes-Benz Econic
for all of its waste-disposal vehicles. With a per-
The complete vehicle fleet: Niels Kowollik hands over the landmark vehicle to the Mayor of
Kassel, Thomas-Erik Junge (right), with workshop manager Stefan Weiland in the background
missible GVW of 26 tonnes and an engine output
of 240 kW (326 hp), the Econic can collect more
than ten tonnes of waste paper on each trip. In
addition to this, the vehicle is equipped with sophisticated, ecofriendly BlueTec diesel technology, and it already meets the requirements of the
Euro 5 emission standard due to come into force
in October 2009. Further exemplary features in-
clude the Econic‘s ergonomic design, including a
practical cab for the driver and three co-drivers.
Easy entry and exit is assured thanks to the low
frame at a height of just 847 mm. The cleverly
conceived cab also has a flat floor throughout and
a wide-opening folding door.
5
Another step into the
future with Euro 5
Europe‘s Euro 5 emission standard comes into force on
1 October of this year. Euro 5 means even lower nitrogen oxide limits of 2.00 g/kWh – a further 40 percent
lower than Euro 4. This reduction is achieved thanks
to a new barrier coating in the catalytic converter and
optimisation of the AdBlue injection into the exhaustgas stream. Production with the new engines will
commence on 1 July for all Unimog U 20, U 300/
U 400/U 500 and U 4000/U 5000 models. All of
which means that the Unimog – the most economical
implement carrier in its class – is taking another giant
step Into the future.
Group photo at the farewell gathering: Martin Daum
(left), Hubertus Troska (middle), Head of Mercedes-Benz
Trucks, and Yaris Pürsün, the new Wörth plant manager
“Ideal candidates”
in 2003, Martin Daum took over at the helm of the Product Division Special-Purpose Vehicles.
Innovative semitrailer rig
A long-standing Mercedes-Benz truck customer, the
Tengelmann trading company – incorporating Kaiser‘s
and the Tengelmann supermarkets – is based in Viersen, Germany. When it comes to purchasing trucks,
Tengelmann abides by its ecological and socio-political
principles. Together with the Mercedes-Benz Product
Division Special-Purpose Vehicles in Wörth, the company agreed to take part in a goods-transport test involving the Mercedes-Benz Econic with natural-gas drive
(NGT). This means that an innovative Econic semitrailer
tractor (photo) which already meets the requirements
of the Euro 5 emission standard is already on the road,
saving up to 40 percent on fuel costs compared to a
comparable diesel vehicle. This truck is even CO2-neutral when filled with biogas.
Once more: Unimog
For the fifth time in succession, the Mercedes-Benz
Unimog for extreme off-road conditions (U 4000/U
5000 series) has been crowned off-roader of the year
in the ”Special-purpose vehicles“ category by the
readers of OFF ROAD magazine. The awards are based
on vehicles from eight categories put forward by the
tradition-steeped all-wheel-drive magazine based in
Munich. In the ”Special-purpose vehicles“ category,
the Unimog secured top spot with a resounding 42.3
percent of the readers‘ votes.
Then, in 2006, he assumed dual responsibility by also becoming manager of the Wörth truck
plant in Germany. He is now taking over as head of Daimler Trucks north America, effective
1 June 2009. His successor in both of his previous functions is Yaris Pürsün, formerly head of
Finance & Controlling Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
ChaNgE aT ThE TOP — On 29 April, Martin
Daum was given a fitting send-off by Hubertus Troska, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks,
in the customer centre at the Wörth plant,
with his successor, Yaris Pürsün, being introduced at the same time. The event – attended by the Rhineland-Palatinate Chief
Minister Kurt Beck, representatives of the
Germersheim administrative district and
the town of Wörth, and many of Daum‘s
colleagues – was a resounding success.
The trust Hubertus Troska has placed in
Martin Daum, and now also in Yaris Pürsün,
Daum‘s successor, was clearly evident in
Hubertus Troska‘s speech. “Martin Daum
was my ideal candidate to be plant manager
in Wörth when he was appointed, and now
so is Yaris Pürsün,” said Troska, underlining
his esteem for the new Wörth manager and
his predecessor. Yaris Pürsün spoke about
his new role as plant manager and head of
Special-Purpose Vehicles: “I start my new
job with the greatest of respect and recog-
nition for what Martin Daum has achieved.
I will continue my work in the same vein
and, where necessary, bring something new
to the job.”
Walter Eisele (Development and Production
Special-Purpose Vehicles) and Ernst Wünstel (Production Manager Trucks) reflected
on Martin Daum‘s six years as manager in
Wörth, citing a series of unique production
records. Eisele referred to several outstanding achievements in the Product Division
Special-Purpose Vehicles during this time,
including the moving of Unimog activities
from Gaggenau to the Wörth truck factory,
further development of the Econic – notably
the version with natural-gas engine – new
developments such as the Unimog U 20 and
the all-wheel-drive Zetros truck, and the armoured Actros. “With his decisions, Martin
Daum helped to create many new jobs and
product lines in the Product Division Special-Purpose Vehicles,” said the Division‘s
Chief Engineer.
New product developments during the Daum era in Wörth (from left): Zetros, Unimog U 20, armoured Actros,
Econic with gas engine
6
ROaD-RaIlERS · UniMoG 1 · 2009
7
Wind of change with
ecofriendly drives
EnERCon from Aurich in East Frisia is one of the world‘s leading manufacturers of wind energy plants.
The Unimog road-railer is an indispensible link in the logistics chain, in terms of both economy and
ecology.
Precision work:
great care is taken when
positioning the rotor
blades, some of which
measure over 40 metres
in length, on the special
wagons
WIND POWER— In view of the rising global demand for energy and ever-diminishing fossil-fuel
resources, the energy sector is without doubt one
of the world‘s key industries. Wind energy plant
manufacturer ENERCON – based in Aurich in
Lower Saxony and celebrating its 25th birthday
this year – is ideally equipped to face the challenges in this industry. Company founder and owner Aloys Wobben started in 1984 with a small
team of engineers and developed the first wind
energy plant with an output of 55 kW. Today the
company is the market leader in Germany with a
market share of over 50 percent. With more than
14,500 wind energy plants installed in over 30
countries, ENERCON is also a leading manufacturer on the international stage and is posting
double-digit growth rates in the current economic
crisis. The latest development – the E-126 – has
a rotor diameter of 126 metres, a hub height of
135 metres and a rated output of six megawatts,
making it the world‘s most powerful wind energy plant at this moment in time. “The innovative
drive concept forms the heart of the ENERCON
wind energy plants,” explains Klaus Peters, the
company‘s Global Production Manager. “A gearless system comprising a small number of rotating components allows a practically frictionless
flow of energy, thus reducing mechanical loads,
operating costs and maintenance expenditure
whilst maximising output and reliability.” To
meet the high demand, ENERCON produces at its
Aurich headquarters in East Frisia and also has
two further production sites in Magdeburg and
Emden as well as international sites in Sweden,
Portugal, Turkey, Brazil and India, employing a
total of more than 12,000 people.
In recent years, the overwhelming success of
the ENERCON products has posed increasingly
stiff challenges, not least in the logistics domain.
“Many components of wind energy plants, especially the rotor blades, some of which are over 40
metres long, call for complex transport solutions
that require special permits and involve a number of disadvantages, such as only being able to
transport the products when there are low volumes of traffic on the road and the need for escort vehicles,” explains Ulrich Neundlinger. “The
reopening of the long disused rail link between
Aurich and Abelitz in April 2008 was therefore
an important milestone in our quest to safeguard
the future of our company‘s headquarters in East
Frisia.” Neundlinger, responsible for transferring
consignments to the railways, continues: “Now
that the around 15-kilometre long single-track
8
Wide range of applications: as well as professional shunting duties, the Unimog also performs vegetation control and cleaning work
rail link has been reactivated, we have access to the German national rail rotor blades are loaded onto low-platform wagons using a 64-tonne crane.
network as far as the North Sea port of Emden, where the majority of our The Unimog road-railer shunts together lines of wagons for collection by
plants destined for export are forwarded by sea. We ultimately shouldered the long-distance locomotive or can easily be used to take the wagons to the
the investment for reactivating the rail infrastructure together with the transfer station in Georgsheil. Locomotive driver Thorsten Saathoff is thrilGerman state of Lower Saxony, the administrative district of Aurich, and led about his new vehicle: “On the route to Abelitz, we have to cross over
the towns of Aurich and Emden, thus creating the basis for further invest- several unguarded railway crossings, many of them within communities. I
ment at the Aurich site.”
have an ideal view from the Unimog cab and can spot all the danger areas
The crucial importance of the railways as a means of transport for very easily.” Saathoff is also highly satisfied with the performance of the
ENERCON can also be seen by the fact that, in order to establish a rail Mercedes-Benz U 400: “When unloading wagons with gravel at our plant
transport link between Aurich and Emden, ENERCON took over the railway for prefab concrete towers in Emden, we regularly have to transport loads
company Eisenbahngesellschaft Ostfriesland-Oldenburg mbH (e.g.o.o.), of around 800 tonnes. The Unimog takes this all in its stride without any
founded by rail enthusiasts and based in Aurich, back in 2007. Johann Ub- problems whatsoever!”
ben, local operations manager for e.g.o.o., explains: “Operating our own rail The range of applications covered by the vehicle supplied by Unimog getransport link with our own vehicles gives us a high degree of flexibility, neral distributor Schelling in conjunction with road-railer specialist “Zwiemeaning we can always react to changing transport requirements at short hoff Zweiwege-Fahrzeuge” includes shunting among many other tasks. The
notice. In the first year alone, we completed around 2000 train journeys, Unimog is fitted with a Dammann track spraying system as a swap body
exceeding our originally planned total by a considerable margin.”
at the rear. As vegetation growth in the track bed leads to considerable
Following the takeover of e.g.o.o. and the start of rail transport, a Mercedes- damage to the infrastructure, the Unimog is used for vegetation control
Benz Unimog U 400 was drafted into service
twice a year on the reopened rail route. A
in April 2008. Equipped with a powerful 6grooved rail and surface cleaning implecylinder diesel engine featuring Euro 4 techment made by Dücker, which is mounted
■ FuTuRE-COMPaTIBlE ENERgY MIX
nology and a torque converter and clutch
on the Unimog‘s front mounting plate and
Renewable energies are now responsible for
unit, the vehicle is used mainly for shunting.
driven by a mechanical front PTO shaft, can
generating a vast amount of power in many
To this end, rail specialist ZAGRO equipped
be used to clean crossings or to sweep the
countries. In order to combat the already
the vehicle with rail gear, a railway wagon
company grounds. The selection of implediscernable effects of climate change and
braking system designed for 800 tonnes
ments is completed by a snowplough and a
reduce dependence on imported energy, the
or 52 axles, radio remote control, and foldgritting trailer, which ENERCON uses itself
importance of wind power for a future-compatible energy mix will continue to increase.
up drawbars front and rear. Johann Ubben
in winter to clear snow and black ice from
Industry leader ENERCON will continue to
continues: “One of the locations at which
the company grounds and important access
bring about change and implement innovawe use the Unimog is our loading station,
roads. “Our Unimog is a true all-rounder,”
tive ideas to aid this development!
which is still under construction, although
says Ubben.” But the things he appreciates
parts of it are already operational. It is due
most are the Unimog‘s mobility and cost-efto be completed in September 2009.” Here
fectiveness: “We use the Unimog at various
UniMoG 1 · 2009 · ROaD-RaIlERS
locations. It has huge advantages over the locomotive in that we can transfer goods between two
locations on the road both quickly and easily,”
explains Ubben. “What‘s more, the fact that the
machine consumes far less fuel than a shunting
locomotive totally won us over. Being a company
in the renewable energy sector, this is particularly important to us, not only on a cost level but
also in terms of environmental protection.”
There remains plenty of work ahead for the
Unimog road-railer. In late summer 2009, a new
plant for castings in Georgsheil, Aurich will commence operations. Here ENERCON will be producing high-quality nodular cast iron parts such
as rotor blade adapters, rotor hubs and kingpins,
nearly 100 percent of which will be loaded onto
rail vehicles. ENERCON is therefore consistently
following its strategy of ensuring a high vertical
range of manufacture and investing sustainably
in the company‘s headquarters in East Frisia. ■
Container loading: the Unimog puts together the wagons for forward transport to the North Sea port of Emden
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9
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MESSE · UniMoG 1 · 2009
Unimog expertise and three
world premieres
A wide range of Mercedes-Benz Unimog vehicles added an extra-special ingredient to the “demopark” open-air show in Eisenach in June of this year:
no fewer than 15 different Unimog vehicles were either exhibited or demonstrated to highlight their professionalism and versatility, including three world
premieres!
VERSaTIlITY— The main focus of the Unimog
demonstration was the Unimog U 20 and new
implement combinations. Not to mention the
U 300, U 400 and U 500 implement carriers,
which displayed their vast range of applications.
Great interest was also shown in the U 5000 series
for extreme off-road conditions.
This was the most effective way to demonstrate
the unique Unimog expertise – high-performance,
versatile, cost-effective and ecofriendly applications – in unison with a sophisticated range of
implements during the three show days, and the
impact of such a line-up on the demopark show
is immense. As Europe‘s largest open-air show of
its kind, it provides an ideal platform for visitors
representing municipalities or private service
providers. Landscape preservation, rural conservation, work in green spaces, road construction
and a wide range of services are the ideal focal
points for exhibiting the range of applications and
versatility of the Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 20,
U 300/U 400/U 500 and U 5000. Over 30,000 visitors attended the event, primarily to experience at
first hand the 370 or so vehicles and implements
on display. The Unimog exhibition area was vast:
some 3700 square metres were available to exhibit
and demonstrate a total of 15 Unimog vehicles, ten
of which visitors were able to witness in action during the course of a series of demonstrations.
Three Unimog world firsts signal an even wider
range of applications for the various Unimog models. A Komtec hook-lift implement was mounted
on a U 20 with extended wheelbase. Also extended
at the rear, the vehicle features air suspension so
that it can be lowered to a loading height of 900
millimetres. The fact that the U 20, the most compact Unimog series, can now be fitted with a hooklift implement increases its multiple-use capability by an substantial margin. Demonstrations were
performed to show how to mount the implement
and how to swap it for an automatic gritter.
A U 300 unit with a Holzer road grader showed
just what the Unimog is capable of in impressive
style. It is attached in front of the implement carrier and is used for grading, for other earth-moving
work and, in longitudinal position, also for cutting
small ditches or trenches. It replaces self-propelled
graders, which can be used solely for this one pur-
pose. A further premiere – not just as a Unimog
combination but also as a stand-alone mounted implement – was the Feind earth cutter (developed
by Söder). It sits on the side of the vehicle – the
2200-millimetre wide Unimog is narrow enough
to carry such an implement without exceeding the
permissible dimensions – and cuts slit-type trenches into the soil whilst inserting a special foil or
film – all in a single operation. This process is effected in the soil on the verge beside the road and
is designed to prevent fine root systems from working their way under the road surface and causing
damage there. The Unimog unit‘s dual-mode steering system ensures that the operator is always
positioned on the verge side, which is imperative
for precision work in this area.
Another new development is the Jotha skip loader,
custom-designed for the Unimog U 20. Featuring
a flat skip in this case, the skip loader is designed
for high tipping by means of the telescopic lifting
arm. Furthermore, the rear wall can be used either as a tipping or a swinging rear gate. Customers
have had the option of uprating the Unimog U 20
to a permissible GVW of 9.3 tonnes since spring
UniMoG 1 · 2009 · ShOWTIME
Invitation happily
accepted: scores of
visitors flocked to the
demonstrations at the
Unimog stand
(large photo on left)
A new Unimog look:
the U 300 has a grader
mounted at the front
2009. A vehicle of this type, equipped with a
UNA 450 uni-arm and mower head from Dücker,
took part in the demonstrations at the show.
Visitors to the event were also keen to learn about
an independent survey, which concluded that the
Unimog implement carriers are far more cost-effective transporters than tractors of a comparable
size. Using a standardised test procedure, the German Agricultural Society (DLG) determined that
the Unimog U 400 reduced fuel consumption by
13 litres per operating hour, equivalent to a fuel
and emission saving of around 40 %. This advantage also makes a significant difference in the case
of labour-intensive implement use, as highlighted
by a further test conducted by the DLG. Combined
with a verge and embankment mower, the Unimog
U 400 easily achieved the better fuel consumption
figures, even when mowing, which in all cases results in a considerable fuel saving thanks to the
inexpensive transport costs. Using less fuel means
not only lower costs but also better environmental compatibility thanks to the lower CO2 emissions. Together with the fact that the Unimog range
switched to the Euro 5 emission standard ahead of
schedule on July 1, these were all key points in the
intensive discussions between the Unimog experts
■
and the visitors to the demopark show..
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runningheader · unimog 1 · 2009
Power pack: the U 500 with Werner/Palfinger crane body at work on the “Rühlermoor” oilfield
Wet habitat: typical fen landscape in Emsland
Field assets
The requirements specified by Exxonmobil Production Deutschland when it came to purchasing a unimog with Werner/Palfinger crane body almost went
beyond squaring the circle. “We need a vehicle that is not too heavy, has off-road capability and can carry as large a crane as possible,” says georg Stülen,
engineer for the crude oil exploration company in Rühlermoor near meppen (in the Emsland administrative district).
OiL PrOduCTiOn — On the Rühlermoor
fens, ExxonMobil and Gaz de France Suez extract crude oil and natural gas from an area
covering more than 30 square kilometres.
Fens are defined as „wet habitats“, meaning
that the underground conditions are problematic when it comes to extracting resources.
The Rühlermoor fens have around 120 km of
partially gravelled or tarred roads and 105
km of tracks for various vehicles and transport trains, The entire area is interspersed
with typical oilfield landmarks in the shape
of the pumping units that draw the crude oil
upwards to the surface.
In this terrain, despite its gross weight of 15
t, the Unimog is a true asset for ExxonMobil
Production Deutschland GmbH‘s oil production operations in Rühlermoor and Osterwald.
Each day around 700 cubic metres of crude
oil are obtained in Rühlermoor and a further
350 cubic metres in Osterwald, all of it ex-
unimog 1 · 2009 · energY induSTrY
tremely viscous. For this reason, it has to be
heated using pressed-in high-pressure steam
so that it can flow more easily from the pores
of the stone to the oil-well bore. Pumps are
then used to draw the oil upwards to the surface. And this is precisely where the Unimog
comes in.
The range of tasks performed by the Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 500 includes all repair
and service work on the pumping units requiring heavy parts. It is also used to help install
and remove submersible centrifugal pumps,
a likewise heavy-duty task. „The Unimog
U 500 with a wheelbase length of 3350 mm is
ideal for our application requirements,“ says
Alwin Asman, Team Field Lead at the Rühlermoor site. For these requirements on the fens,
ExxonMobil has opted for the Palfinger crane
(PK 44002 with 44 m/t, two articulated levers
and crane winch) with an unladen weight of
7.9 t. This is the largest crane to have ever
been mounted on a two-axle Unimog. The
advantages of this Unimog-Werner/Palfinger
configuration are clear: thanks to the impressive range of the crane jib, heavy components
can be lifted from surfaced roads to the areas
where they are needed on the site. ExxonMobil has a total of four Mercedes-Benz Unimog
units (U 400, U 500, U 1200 and U 1300) in
service at its Rühlermoor site, all of which
were supplied by Unimog general representative RKF-Bleses GmbH in Münster. These vehicles are serviced and maintained by authorised workshop Hermann List Kraftfahrzeuge
in nearby Uelsen.
■
Meppen
Rühlermoor fens
Osterwald
Overview
Emsland
Lingen
administrative district
Netherlands
Bad Bentheim
um · 9/09 · SE
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Karl-Müller-Str. 18 - 42
72270 Baiersbronn-Mitteltal
Germany
Phone +49 (0) 74 42 / 4 96-0
www.mueller-mitteltal.de
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runningheader · unimog 1 · 2009
Pipe-laying vehicle: off to the construction site with two
pipes on the side jib
Martin Tank: swears by the Unimog and its cost-effectiveness
Lifelines for energy customers
Around 90,000 households in Düsseldorf, capital of the german state of north Rhine-Westphalia, count on the reliable supply of electricity, water and gas
every day. The basis for this is provided by a network of underground pipes and cables measuring over 13,000 km in length, maintained and developed by
the department responsible for project implementation at Stadtwerke Düsseldorf Ag (SWD Ag), the local public utility company.
PiPeWOrK— This network, constituting the
“lifelines” for the energy customers, ensures a
safe and efficient supply of electricity, water and
gas for the general public. A specialist department – in this case Project Implementation III
at SWD AG – is needed to look after pipeline
production, mast installations, cable installation
and overhead line dismantling on a daily basis.
All work for which two Unimog U 500 vehicles
have been used for the past one-and-a-half years
or so. Given the specific requirement profile in
question, the vehicles had to be checked right
down to the last detail by the head of the specialist department before they were purchased.
The length of the gas and water network alone
(not including connecting lines) is a staggering
3230 km.
A compact vehicle with off-road capability is
needed to ensure safe and efficient movement of
the standard 12-metre long pipes or the lighting
masts measuring up to 18 metres in length, with
weights of up to 1.5 tonnes, on the construction
sites. This is why the department responsible
for “Workshops and Transport” within SWD AG
purchased two Unimog U 500 vehicles with Hiab
166 E-3 HiDuo crane with cable winch or 166
E-4 HiPro crane as well as an HPC front cable
winch with a tensile load of 5 tonnes. The other
well-known benefits of the Mercedes-Benz Unimog system – such as short wheelbase, permanent all-wheel drive, high towing capacity, high
payload, hydrostatic drive system, PTO for hydraulics, electrical interfaces and serviceability
– were likewise major plus points in the eyes of
this customer.
Many years of expertise and a vast pool of knowhow in the field of pipework, coupled with the
aforementioned fleet modernisation, ultimately
allowed SWD AG to perform a large share of the
work previously carried out solely by outside
companies itself, both independently and economically. In addition to this, SWD AG is often
successful in public tenders for similar work
across the entire Düsseldorf region on account of
its sophisticated technical equipment and wealth
of experience. The two Unimog vehicles successfully complete the line-up of ten pipework installation convoys with 20 staff and play a major part
in ensuring that around 30 kilometres of new
gas and water pipes are added to the network
each year. Graduate engineer Martin Tank, group
leader in the specialist department, is quick to
emphasise one particular aspect: “We are increasingly switching to mechanisation with the
appropriate vehicles and implements in order
to make better use of our staff potential and increase the cost-effectiveness of our activities.”
unimog 1 · 2009 · energY induSTrY
Easily visible: the axle lock with additional hydraulic
cylinder (left)
Manoeuvrability: the Unimog comes into its own when
space is at a premium on construction sites (right)
As far as the technical equipment for the two
Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 500 vehicles is concerned, this strategy can be clearly understood
as the vehicles and implements allow a high
degree of efficiency. Each of the Hiab cranes
is installed as a rear body with 17 m/t, and all
their functions can be controlled by radio. Tasks
performed by the HPC cable winches include
salvaging masts from near-impassable terrain
when dismantling overhead lines or extracting
old lines from protective pipes when performing
pipework. The pipe loading system on the righthand side of the vehicle is suitable for pipe and
mast lengths of up to 18 metres and a weight
of 1.5 tonnes. In conjunction with this, an axle
lock with additional hydraulic cylinder has been
incorporated. For safety reasons, the vehicle
can only be driven by means of hydrostat when
Unimog 09_U20:Layout 1 30.09.2009
laden, and the speed is limited to max. 10 km/h.
Furthermore, optimised power hydraulics have
been installed. Thanks to this equipment, both
Unimog U 500 vehicles can be used as heavyduty pipe laying vehicles on construction sites,
either with or without a trailer, or as mobile hydraulic stations. Thanks to their exceptional ma10:24 Uhr Seite 2
noeuvrability, the compact vehicles get the job
done quickly. The fact that the Unimog general
representative Fasieco GmbH, which looks after
this customer and also takes care of servicing
for Hiab, has a branch in nearby Neuss completes what has been a successful partnership
■
for many years.
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15
16
runningheader · unimog 1 · 2009
Ecofriendly:
Unimog with Euro 5. Job done!
Top of the class
in times of strict economic criteria, expensive raw materials and high demand for ecofriendly vehicles,
the unimog comes out on top when compared with either tractors or trucks equipped with engines
featuring exhaust gas recirculation and diesel particulate filters – mainly on account of its leading
engine technology and universal application possibilities.
TraiLBLaZing — The Unimog – with Daimler
Bluetec® engine technology and a drive concept
that has proven itself hundreds of thousands
of times over for several decades – is now even
more future-compatible and innovative than ever.
Bluetec® ensures that fewer nitrogen oxides and
particles are produced as well as reducing fuel
consumption. The Mercedes-Benz Unimog is
therefore the most economical and ecofriendly
implement carrier in its class. As proven by independent tests conducted by relevant institutions
and confirmed by the statements and positive
experiences of Unimog drivers covering an extremely wide range of applications.
The Unimog system has many benefits. The
unique implement carrier concept, with up to
four attachment and mounting areas, makes the
Unimog efficient and effective as well as saving
the need for additional vehicles and operations.
Unimog vehicles can be used flexibly for many
tasks all year round and are more mobile on any
terrain. These advantages pay off as it is ultimately not just the purchase price that is a deciding
factor for the operator. Equally important are the
system and lifecycle costs, which are much lower
for the Unimog than for agricultural tractors, for
example. Mercedes-Benz was keen to find out the
exact figures and so commissioned the technology and equipment testing centre at the German
Agricultural Society (DLG) to conduct an independent analysis. The tests – fuel consumption
when performing transport work and when mowing roadside vegetation – revealed the MercedesBenz Unimog to be the clear winner:
•Ifacomparabletractorisdrivenatthesame
speed as a Unimog U 400, the tractor consumes 13 litres more fuel per hour on average.
•Ifthevehiclesareoperatedfor10,000hours,
the tractor costs approx. 195,000 more than a
Unimog (13 l x 10,000 h x 1.50/litre of diesel).
Superior: the Unimog system – easily the most economical
solution when compared to trucks with engines featuring
exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and a diesel particulate
filter (DPF) as well as when compared to tractors, many of
which are still fitted with conventional drive systems
Agricultural
tractors
Old diesel technology with
Mercedes-Benz Unimog
Trucks with
with BlueTec®
EGR + DPF
Up to 40 % lower fuel con-
much higher emissions
sumption and CO2 emissions
Slower operating speed
Higher transport speed
Higher tyre costs
Higher costs for adapting
up to 90 km/h
Better transport performance
Fuel saving of up to 5 %
Soot accumulation due to lower
No ban on Sunday driving when
combustion temperature means
used as tractor unit
Off-road capability thanks to single
implements for road
Capable of transporting up to 3
tyres and chassis concept
maintenance services
people with a much higher level
Compact dimensions for improved
No platform for payload
or grit
of ride comfort
High capacity utilisation thanks
to all-season deployment
Higher fuel consumption
Optimised “clean” combustion
manoeuvrability when space is tight
High capacity utilisation thanks to
all-season deployment
frequent replacement of
particulate filter
High levels of stress
on the engine
Sulphur-free diesel required in
most cases
Low-ash oil required
unimog 1 · 2009 · TeChnOLOgY
The Unimog is therefore more ecological and more economical.
This result is down to benefits such as:
– low fuel consumption (up to 40 % lower)
– long service intervals and long service life
– high resale value
– low tyre wear
– multi-functional all-season deployment, saving the need
to use other vehicles
– fast and easy implement changes thanks to integrated and
standardised interfaces
– high operating and transport speeds
– unique environmental and safety standards that are already
included in the purchase price
– costs incurred for adapting commonly used additional implements
to the tractor are not a factor as the Unimog is generally already
designed for these.
The facts and figures drawn from the comparisons therefore speak in
favour of the Mercedes-Benz Unimog, which proves unbeatable on an
almost daily basis.
Further information about this topic can be obtained from:
Daimler AG, Product Division Special-Purpose Vehicles,
Marketing/Communication, 76742 Wörth am Rhein, Germany
1992/
1990 1993 1995/ 2000/
1996 2001
2006
2009
g/kWh
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Euro 0
Euro 1
Euro 2
Euro 3
Euro 4
Euro 5
The percentage drop between 1990 and 2009 is more
than impressive
Nitrogen oxides (NO2)
Reduction of 86 %
Carbon monoxide (CO)
Reduction of 87 %
Hydrocarbons (HC)
Reduction of 81 %
Particle emissions (PM)
Reduction of 94 %
Highly impressive: emissions reduced drastically by up to 94 percent since 1990
■
Advertisement


Our comprehensive range
of with a
versatile range of is the optimum solution for an allyear use of the Unimog. Please ask for our general
folder about professional mowing equipment.
17
Ideally equipped: the Unimog U 400 with trailer.
Against the backdrop of the Upper Bavarian mountains,
the mown grass is chopped and transported to the
collecting point
18
runningheader · unimog 1 · 2009
Customers swear by the Unimog
Contractors who work for the public sector or in agriculture have to be precise with their calculations. So it‘s good if the unimog can be factored into the
equation – in terms of both economy and ecology – not least thanks to BlueTec®. it is ideally equipped to meet all statutory requirements regarding reduced emissions.
PLuS POinTS — The first look in the morning is
out of the window. What will the weather be like
today? The answer to this question determines
how the day will pan out. If it stays dry, it‘ll be
wage work on fields and meadows. If it‘s wet,
transport work will be on the agenda, for example. Each activity has to be planned precisely so
that it pays off. Franz Aigner is an independent
haulage contractor from Chiemsee in Upper Bavaria. Four employees, a Unimog U 400, wheel
loader, excavator, truck – his operation is well
prepared for work in this mountainous region.
The 42-year-old is pleased to have the Unimog on
his side: for transport logistics and jobs in the
agricultural sector. The advantages, he laughs,
are obvious: with a top speed of up to 90 km/h,
the Unimog is much faster than any tractor. Then
there is the high level of versatility. Aigner: “We
can offer a lower price, just because we are quicker – it‘s simply a winning argument.” In agriculture, Aigner has regular customers who swear
by the Unimog. Firstly because of the impres-
sive tyre pressure control system, which allows
Aigner to vary the inflation pressure between 1.8
bar for driving unladen and 3.5 bar: “It protects
the turf”. Some farmers watch him closely when
he silages the mown grass laid in rows. Some 41
blades rotate to pick up the grass and cut it down
to just four centimetres. His trailer holds 54 m3.
Aigner gets through some 90 daily tasks per day,
although this number can be as high as 120. In
this case, one hectare is equivalent to around 3.3
daily tasks. To work efficiently and make the job
pay, the Bavarian starts at 6 a.m. if the weather
is fine, sometimes carrying on until midnight.
There are no set working times in agriculture.
Nor for the Unimog, grins Aigner. There‘s just no
downtime. He looks up to the skies again. Will
there be rain? That would be frustrating for the
farmers but no problem for Aigner, who could
switch to the next job: transporting excavators
and cranes for an earthworks company as well
as taking away excavated earth. Of course, says
Aigner, a truck could theoretically do all of this
as well. But most trucks are too long, too wide,
too high and too unmanoeuvrable for his jobs.
Plus their driving speeds are not variable enough
to operate the implements. The decision to buy a
new Unimog two years ago was an easy one: “I
grew up with the Unimog. It‘s a bond that will
never be broken.” It was in 1959 that his father
purchased his first Unimog for working on roads,
among other things for grading the road to the
family‘s own alpine pasture. Now, around 50
years on, Aigner junior has continued the family tradition by spending six weeks filling exactly
the same road, which now leads to the mountain
cabin managed by his sister, with gravel. Helping him with this job was another Unimog driver
from the Traunstein area: Hubert Haßlberger, a
bio farmer based in nearby Oberwössen. Likewise with a Euro 4-compliant Unimog U 400 purchased in 2008. The ecofriendly philosophy and
the technical attributes of the Unimog are perfectly in keeping with his own ecological stance,
says the owner of 20 dairy cows. He spends two
unimog 1 · 2009 · COnTraCTOrS
thirds of his working hours on his farm, the remainder on contract jobs, primarily municipal
services. When working, the man from Upper
Bavaria appreciates the Unimog‘s efficient transport capability and sees only benefits in using
AdBlue with the BlueTec® diesel technology. The
SCR exhaust gas aftertreatment system converts
the nitrogen oxides (NOx) into harmless nitrogen and water – a crucial factor for bio farmers.
The performance of the ecofriendly technologies
in the Mercedes-Benz Unimog is also doubtless
appreciated by his customers in the public sector, especially in the case of work on river beds.
After all, he does exactly what the legislation demands, with first-class results, and he displays
the green badge allowing the vehicle to be driven
in inner-city low-emission zones. As an ecologically aware farmer, Haßlberger likes to keep pace
with technological developments, such as the
Euro 5 standard, which calls for the removal of
up to 80 percent of all nitrogen oxides and up to
40 percent of particulate emissions compared to
Euro 4 through optimised and clean combustion.
Driving and working with BlueTec® diesel technology: haulage contractor Franz Aigner (left)
and bio farmer Hubert Haßlberger
Aigner is also pleased with the much lower fuel
consumption: when working, on the farm in particular, he can reckon on 17 to 20 litres per hour.
When performing transport work, meanwhile,
his Unimog U 400 developing 280 hp consumes
26 to 28 litres per 100 kilometres. “A truck drinks
40 litres and has an output of 480 hp, but I don‘t
need this extra power for my trips, so the Unimog
is definitely the better option for me.” Another
plus point: with 1500 operating hours per year,
the purchase price for the Unimog only accounts
■
for 10 to 15 percent of the lifecycle costs.
Advertisement
Winch, compressor, hydraulic outrigger,
Platforms or crane? Or all together?
Werner arranged that all devices are perfectly
be installed and perfectly matched.
Ehranger Straße 101
Postfach 8051
Unimogstraße 1
Tel.: +49 (0) 651 6867-124
[email protected]
D-54293 Trier
D-54181 Trier
76571 Gaggenau
Fax.: +49 (0) 651 64146
www.werner-trier.com
19
20
runningheader · unimog 1 · 2009
Spring welcome: snowflakes dancing in Obermaiselstein (Oberallgäu)
Start of spring on the Riedberg Pass
“The Riedberg Pass is only passable with snow chains.“ This message is often heard on the regional radio stations, even in march. obermaiselstein in the administrative district of oberallgäu, the starting point of germany‘s highest mountain pass, gets another heavy snowfall on 20 march, the beginning of astronomical spring. The oA 9 district road is wet with rain, but severe winter conditions are encountered just after the tunnel.
SnOW-CLearing OPeraTiOnS — Hardly sur-
prising as this road with an uphill gradient of
up to 16 percent and surrounded by mountains
leads to the Balderschwang valley – “Bavarian
Siberia”. From Balderschwang, the highest permanently inhabited community in Germany, the
road continues to Hittisau in the Bregenzerwald
region of Austria. It wasn‘t all that long ago – at
the beginning of the 20th century – that the area
was still only inhabited in the summer, when cattle grazed on the surrounding alpine pastures.
You turn onto the Oberallgäu (OA) No. 9 district
road – measuring around 28 km in length and
traversing the Hörnergruppe mountains – from
the B 19 road at Fischen in the Allgäu region.
This road links Illertal in Germany with the Austrian section of the Bregenzer Ach river, which
flows into Lake Constance. There are just five
Power pack: the Unimog U 1650 with Schmidt snow
blower “eats” through the well over one-metre high blanket
of snow at the pass summit (bottom right)
View of the Alpine world from the Riedberg Pass:
the imposing, almost 2000-metre high Gottesackerwände
mountain at the border with the Bregenzerwald region with
the 2533-metre high Widderstein mountain in Kleinwalsertal (right)
Alpine passes in Germany: Ammersattel 1118 m,
Oberjoch Pass 1178 m, Riedberg Pass 1420 m,
Spitzingsattel 1128 m and Sudelfeld Pass 1097 m.
Most of the more than 210 Alpine passes (above
1000 m) that are passable by vehicle are in Italy,
although France has the highest with the Col de
l’Iseran (2770 m).
The height and history of the Riedberg Pass may
seem modest compared to this hitlist of Alpine
passes, but it is very important for the small region in the Allgäu Alps. Construction work on
a 5-metre wide Alpine route began on 1 August
1956. The building contractor back then was
the privately owned Alpine Road Association of
Obermaiselstein-Balderschwang. Those using the
road therefore had to pay a toll for many years. It
was to take a further 15 years before it became a
public district road leading to Balderschwang. In
the beginning, of course, the times at which this
Alpine pass could be crossed by vehicle were limited as it only remained open if its owners (farmers, forest owners, cattle owners) arranged to have
the snow cleared in winter. When its status was
elevated to that of a public district road, mean-
unimog 1 · 2009 · rOad-MainTenanCe SerViCeS
Construction in several stages
The construction work, on both the Obermaiselstein side and the Balderschwang side, was
completed in several stages. On 5 November 1961,
a Mercedes-Benz truck with V-type snowplough
was able to cross the pass for the first time. On 21
December of the same year, the Oberstdorf–Balderschwang mail bus line was opened, followed
by the official opening on 16 September 1962,
marked by a traditional mountain mass at the
summit of the pass. Immediately after this, the
Obermaiselstein–Balderschwang Alpine Road
Association purchased a Mercedes-Benz Unimog
U 411 vehicle developing 32 hp (U 32) for use on
the Riedberg Pass which, at 1420 metres, is Germany‘s highest pass open to public traffic.
In an “SOS appeal” 40 years ago, the 350 inhabitants of Balderschwang – also acting on behalf of
the 600 to 700 tourists who visited the area at
the time – turned to the authorities in the former
administrative district of Sonthofen, which is
now part of the Oberällgäu administrative district. Their appeal was worded as follows: “You
are aware that our community of Balderschwang
has limited access. From the two access roads to
Balderschwang, a very narrow road in absolutely
terrible condition leads into Austria, crossing the
state and customs borders twice. Furthermore,
the turnpikes are all closed during the night
hours.” The EU and its Schengen Agreement had
not even been envisaged at this time.
Friday, 20 March 2009, 7.30 a.m.: it has been
snowing extremely heavily for several hours.
An employee of the Sonthofen Roads Authority
working at the Obermaiselstein support point
remarks resignedly: “Snow is beautiful, but not
all year round.” Even the people of the Allgäu
region, who are well used to snow, have clearly
had enough of the bright white blanket. The
Mercedes-Benz Axor 1833, equipped with a Küpper-Weiser gritter extension and Beilhack snowplough, has already come back from a second trip
along the pass to Balderschwang 20 km away.
Powerful snow-clearing trio
The road, used by more than 3000 vehicles
every day, is already “cleared”. Now a complete
snow-clearing team in a powerful trio of vehicles
– an Axor 1833, a Unimog U 1650 and a Unimog
U 400, both of the latter with snowplough and gritter extension – will set off towards the Riedberg
Pass, Balderschwang and the Vorarlberg/Austrian border to finish off the job and battle against
the masses of snow that are falling on this first
day of spring. Here, the Mercedes-Benz Unimog
vehicles perform the special task of clearing the
car parks at the ski lifts and the bus stops. Over
two hours later, the road is clear enough for two
cars to drive past each other without having to
pull into passing places and wait. A long overdue
and well-earned snack is taken in a cosy Allgäu
inn, where a TV crew from a German broadcasting organisation – there by pure coincidence – is
quick to recognise that “the huge trucks in front
of the door do such a vital job.”
Spring 2009 begins at exactly 12.43 p.m. As if
the weather god had thought better of it, it suddenly stops snowing. There are even patches of
blue sky. The fine weather gives a clear view of
the almost 2000-metre high Gottesackerwände
mountain, behind which is the Bregenzerwald
region, while the Kleinwalsertal valley lies further to the south.
Overview
Bavaria
Kempten
Allgäu
Sonthofen
Lake
Constance
Switzerland
ing that road-maintenance services became an
obligation, the Mercedes-Benz municipal trucks
operated by the Sonthofen Roads Authority and
the Unimog, already a legendary snow clearer on
mountain passes, were called into action.
Michael Stetter from Obermaiselstein, now deputy manager for the Roads Authority, where he
has worked since 1975, still clearly remembers
when road-maintenance services first started
on the Riedberg Pass. “This task was always a
challenge for us as the Hörnergruppe mountains
– including the Riedberghorn, Bleicher Horn,
Hochschelpen, Sipplinger Kopf and Piesenkopf
(all between 1500 and 1800 metres high) – and
the Balderschwang valley were known to be very
snowy. There was hardly any alternative to the
Unimog and its design with unique interfaces for
the all-year-round tasks on the Riedberg Pass.”
21
Balderschwang
Bregenz
Hittisau
Dornbirn
1420
Hindelang
Füssen
Oberjoch Pass
1180
Fischen
Obermaiselstein
Riedberg Pass
Oberstdorf
Tirol
Austria
Second Alpine pass leading to Tirol
Just a short while later, with spring 2009 barely an hour old, a Mercedes-Benz Actros from the
Roads Authority leaves the depot laden with grit
bound for the Oberjoch Pass. It is just beginning
to snow heavily on this high ground... This second Alpine pass, for which the team in Sonthofen
is also responsible, forms part of the German
Alpine Road and leads from Hindelang upwards
to Oberjoch via around a hundred bends before
continuing into the Tannheim valley and on to
Tirol. For the team at the Roads Authority, this
pass is nothing out of the ordinary. Bends, climbs
and a sometimes difficult but always beautiful
mountain world is part of the everyday for them.
It gives you a totally different view of things:
when will the tough daily routine of snow clearing, which for them began in October of last year,
finally end? Today is the start of spring but, for
the moment, the weather makes it seem like it is
still winter.
■
22
daiMLer WOrLdWide · unimog 1 · 2009
Technology leader
The Right mix leads the competition with tipper road trains on an Actros base
BuLK gOOdS — By buying five Actros tippers
with top specifications the South African transport company The Right Mix is responding to the
growing need for coal transporters in and around
the Mpumalange Mine. The Actros 3344s have
state-of-the-art technology, fitted with Mercedes
PowerShift, Voith retarders and Telligent Lane
Assist. Shaun Sajiawan, Operations Director at
The Right Mix: “We have decided to push our
business further ahead through quality. The Actros is the best vehicle in its class. Mercedes PowerShift, for example, will help us to save fuel.”
The Right Mix is also moving in new directions
in the field of fleet management and is the first
South African company to build on FleetBoard.
The FleetBoard system is supplemented by the
in-cab camera DriveCam. “This combination of
FleetBoard and DriveCam enables us to develop
driver programmes for individual advancement,”
says Sajiawan.
Economical, strong, reliable
Detroit Diesel presents new DD13 engine for heavy vocational applications
engine deVeLOPMenT— A new engine completes the modernised product spectrum of Detroit
Diesel, a leading heavy-duty engine brand in the American market. Detroit Diesel already launched,
the DD15 for heavy-duty commercial vehicles in 2008, and now the DD13 is also available for heavy
vocational applications. It benefits in many respects from the technological innovations of the global
Heavy-Duty Engine Platform. One of the main features: its fuel economy is up to five per cent better
than its predecessor. “We have taken all of the experience from our 70 years of building engines and
applied it to the DD13,” says David Siler, Director of Marketing for Detroit Diesel. “It gives our customers what they want: economy, serviceability and performance.”
www.detroitdiesel.com
Training programme
With the initiative “Finish First”, Daimler Trucks
north America is launching a new training programme in order to help meet the future need for
technicians. Students who have completed their
basic training can participate in Finish First.
in the twelve-week programme, they learn how
to maintain, diagnose and repair vehicles of the
brands Freightliner and Western Star. Following
the successful completion of the course, the technicians are offered an attractive entry package.
Promoting
quality
Through the First
Finish initiative,
Daimler Trucks
North America
strengthens the
company loyalty
of the technicians
of tomorrow
Hybrid tipper
mitsubishi Fuso presents pioneering concept study Canter Eco-D
ShaPing fuTure TranSPOrTaTiOn — With the concept study Canter Eco-D,
Mitsubishi Fuso shows its powers of innovation and point the way to the light-duty
truck of tomorrow. The tipper presented at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show has
a parallel hybrid drive, which makes it both economical and environment-friendly.
The concept is based on the Canter Eco Hybrid, which has already been successfully operated by companies since 2006 in more than 350 vehicles. The basis is a
diesel engine with 92 kW (125 hp). It is connected to an electric motor with 35 kW,
which serves as an alternator for charging the lithium-ion batteries during braking operations. Furthermore, the electric motor of the Canter Eco-D takes on the
lifting and lowering of the tipping body as a power take-off. This function substantially lowers exhaust and noise emissions during construction-site operations. The
principle opens up additional possibilities for Mitsubishi Fuso to operate further
vehicles with special-purpose bodies, such as lifting platforms or crane systems.
Canter for Vietnam
The launch of the Canter in Vietnam was celebrated with a major event in Ho Chi Minh City.
The light-duty truck is based on the predecessor
model that is well established there and was
further improved with respect to safety, reliability,
comfort and economy. In 2007, Vietnam was the
fastest growing market for Mitsubishi Fuso with
a growth of 119 percent to over 3,000 vehicles.
What is more, Mitsubishi Fuso is a market leader
for commercial vehicles in Southeast Asia.
www.mitsubishifuso.com
On expansion course
uPS South Africa builds on the mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Customised specification: For courier,
express and parcel delivery service (CEP)
operations, the UPS Sprinters are fitted with
numerous additional features
CeP SerViCe — UPS SCS South Africa has chosen the Sprinter for its
fleet expansion. Already on the market since 1995, UPS has been able
to continuously extend its business and now plans to move into door-todoor delivery with the new vehicles. Thanks to extensive conversions,
all 19 Sprinters are exactly tailored to UPS requirements. These include,
among other things, additional compartments for the driver’s equipment, an automatic illumination of the load area, and a special shelf
extension.
www.ups.com
24
runningheader · unimog 1 · 2009
Blessed Unimog in the fight
against fire
Thousands of pilgrims visit the Vatopedi monastery on mount Athos in greece every year. only men are allowed to enter the monastery,
often prominent personalities such as Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, or King Juan Carlos of Spain. Since the end of last year, the
holy site has had a new attraction which, when needed, proves to be a blessing: a mercedes-Benz unimog u 5000 with Schlingmann firebrigade body.
unimog 1 · 2009 · inTernaTiOnaL
Tricky access: hilly forest area for as far as the eye can see around the Vatopedi monastery on the Chalkidiki peninsular in
northern Greece (large photo on left)
Ceremonial Unimog handover: with a gift from the monastery – represented by abbot Efrem, project manager Timotheos,
and workshop staff Agapios and Nikolaus – to the representatives of Daimler AG, Hermann Radke and Wilfried Benz, and
to Thorsten Schlingmann from bodybuilder Schlingmann, with Lazarus Politis and Zissis Ziogas from the Unimog general
representative in northern Greece (bottom left)
Ready for action: the Unimog U 5000 in front of the monastery gates on Mount Athos (bottom right)
fOreST fireS — The island and the monastery
are legendary, as are the notorious forest fires in
Greece. The Unimog, equipped with a 5000-litre
water tank and a 400-litre foam tank, is designed
to fight fire attacks and encroaching forest fires.
The monks, all declared Unimog fans, have welcomed the special-purpose vehicle with open
arms, according to Zissis Ziogas, Service Director
for the Unimog general representative Lainopoulos in northern Greece. A further 20 vehicles are
due to be purchased by the start of 2010.
The importance of the Unimog on the Chalkidiki
peninsular in northern Greece was highlighted
at the moving vehicle handover ceremony. Alongside archimandrite Efrem, abbot of the Vatopedi
monastery, other Athos monks also came to attend the blessing of the U 5000. A moving moment, even for experienced Unimog experts
such as Wilfried Benz, Unimog Service Regional
Manager, Hermann Radke, Unimog Service Sales
Manager, Thorsten Schlingmann, representing
the bodybuilder, and Lazaros Politis, managing
director of the Unimog general representative in
northern Greece. At the ceremony, the abbot presented the guests with the figure of a shepherd
with a sheep on his shoulder. An affectionate
gesture, which signifies that the highly capable
Unimog is more than just a vehicle in the eyes of
the orthodox clergymen.
The monasteries on Mount Athos have many
years of experience with a further 50 or so Unimog vehicles, including U 416, U 3000, U 4000
and U 400 units. But for this special assignment, the specifications book stipulated special
requirements, namely as large a water tank as
possible, a low vehicle centre of gravity and a
high degree of off-road capability. After all, the
highest mountain on the peninsular has an alti-
tude of around 2033 metres and is dominated by
inhospitable terrain. Mount Athos, from which
the entire peninsular takes its name, is separated from the mainland by a wall and can only be
reached by boat. A special visa is required in order to enter the republic. There are no roads from
the mainland to the island. Because the orthodox
monastic republic with autonomous status under
Greek sovereignty is effectively cut off from the
rest of the world, the monks need to know how to
help themselves. And for this they count on the
reliable technology and off-road capability of the
Unimog from Germany.
The basis of the vehicle is provided by the U 5000
chassis with a permissible GVW of 14 tonnes, while
the body is kept as low as possible so that the vehicle‘s centre of gravity remains below 1.50 metres.
The compact dimensions of the vehicle – width
2.37 metres, overall height 3 metres and length
6.60 metres – ensure the necessary manoeuvrability on the peninsular and in the surrounding forest areas. In addition to the aforementioned tanks,
the Schlingmann body also incorporates two front
spray nozzles and a foam/water cannon with an
output of 2400 l/min at 8 bar. The 5000-litre water tank is T-shaped so as to ensure improved axle
load distribution.
These features meet the monks‘ requirements to
the letter. Those who wish to enter the grounds
of the over 1100-year-old monastery have to pass
through a narrow gate where they walk past the
Unimog U 5000. The extinguisher vehicle, equipped
by Lower Saxony family company Schlingmann,
stands in front of the largest monastery on Mount
Athos like a sentry. The other 19 monasteries in
the autonomous republic covering 336 square kilometres could likewise be counting on the Unimog
■
as a fire-fighting vehicle very soon.
25
26
hiSTOrY · unimog 1 · 2009
Unimog with mounted chopper near the river Murg in
Gaggenau (top)
Historical shot from the “Tillage of yesteryear” series by
agricultural journalist Wolfgang Schiffer, on display at the
museum until 26 October (above)
Always an attraction: the Unimog Museum in Gaggenau
(left)
60 years of Unimog and agriculture
in August 1948, the unimog made by Boehringer in göppingen was unveiled to the wider general public as a universally applicable motorised implement at
the DLg (german Agricultural Association) exhibition in Frankfurt/main.
MuSeuM — The Unimog was presented with
front- and rear-mounted implements. Rabe supplied the plough, Holder provided a vehiclemounted sprayer for treating crops and Schmotzer
contributed a front-mounted hoe. The response to
this vehicle was resoundingly positive.
The relevant authorities initially categorised this
new type of vehicle as a “Special-purpose vehicle
for agriculture”. But people could not quite make
up their minds: was it a tractor, a truck or something else? So this first newly developed tractor
following the end of World War II did not get recognised as an “agricultural tractor” until after
almost 10 years of wrangling about registration,
road tax, vehicle and liability insurance (use of
exchangeable implements), and cheaper diesel,
although the vehicle looked completely different
to a normal tractor developed for agricultural and
forestry work: all-wheel drive with four samesize wheels, frame-type design, sprung axles, an
auxiliary loading area, a cab for two people, three
attachment and mounting areas, and a top speed
of over 50 km/h etc.
Some 60 years have passed since then, making it
a fitting time to stage “Unimog and 60 years of agriculture” as part of an exhibition at the Unimog
Museum in Gaggenau. There are many Unimog
vehicles on show, from prototype No. 6 (1948) to
the latest addition to the Mercedes-Benz Unimog
line-up, the Unimog U 20 (2008). The variety of
A look inside the Unimog Museum during the opening of the “60 years of Unimog & agriculture” exhibition
application and usage options for the Unimog
are impressively presented by the combination
of Unimog units and implements from the early
days as well as the very latest developments in
agricultural technology. Exhibits include developments and applications such as cage wheels
and twin tyres for reducing the ground pressure,
mowers, implements driven by flat belts, mineral
fertilizer spreaders, seed drills, ploughs, cultivators, the Binger cable pull with implements
used predominantly for wine-growing on steeps,
and vehicle-mounted sprayers for treating crops
– still a highly professional Unimog agricultural
■
application to this day.
The principal topic in the Unimog-Museum
from April 26th until October 25th 2009
Historic and modern agricultural engineering with respect
to the Unimog
•TheUnimogincomparisonwitha“Standard-Tractor”
•Thedevelopmentof“couple-systems”withgear
•The“Bingerseilzug”intheviniculturewithhistoricgear
•Presentationofa“potatoepleatingmachine”,refurbished
ataUniversityinBerlin
•Furthernumerousexhibitsandinformation
Historic presentation of fotos,takenbyWolfgangSchiffer,
journalistinthefieldofagriculture
“Exhibition of Dioramas”ofToonVersnick
Lecturesandbookpresentations
Peasant-and Handcraft market,October11th2009
2nd MBtrac Meeting,October24thand25th2009
Ourpromotionalpartners:
April 26th until
October 25th 2009
Next to the highway B 462 · exit Schloss Rotenfels · 76571 Gaggenau
Tram from Karlsruhe or Freudenstadt, stop Bad Rotenfels Schloss
Telephone +49 (0) 72 25/9 81 31-0 · www.unimog-museum.de
Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday 10 am – 5 pm
agentur-exakt.de
60 years Unimog and agriculture
Its greatness: narrow streets
The new Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 20
A Daimler Brand
Compact, manoeuvrable and low in purchase and maintenance costs, this is a vehicle that
comes into its own especially, when the going gets tight. With up to 9.3 tonnes gross vehicle
weight, a wheelbase of just 2.7 metres and a turning circle of only 12.6 metres, the Unimog U 20
will always clear the way. A clearing width of 2.5 metres in combination with a pre-wetted
salt spreader with a capacity of 1.4 cubic metres makes for long-distance gritting runs.
Now available from your Unimog dealer or at: www.mercedes-benz.com/new-U20