Pre owned PistenBully direct from the manufacturer

Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG
Customer magazine
Issue 02/2005
02/2005
Editorial
Quality has no sell-by date
Pre owned PistenBully direct from
the manufacturer
With more than 300 vehicles sold, last season
was one of the most successful ever for the
PistenBully used vehicles segment. Pre owned
PistenBully are highly sought-after,particularly
in East Europe.
There are always some 60 to 80 PistenBully on show
in Laupheim.There are also used machines at the
branches and subsidiaries themselves. Interested
parties can thus be confident of finding the model of
their choice in Kässbohrer’s stock of machines.
In addition to their traditional applications in winter
sport resorts,pre owned PistenBully are also purchased
specifically for special applications.Whether for mowing,
mulching or refuse tip construction, around 90 % of
these vehicles are “used”.The reasons for this are
simple. Firstly, in these applications too, PistenBully
are used during high summer temperatures, which in
itself puts them under a particular strain. Secondly, the
machines used for these special tasks are driven not
on snow but,in many cases,on sand,gravel and debris,
where they put to extremely heavy-duty use. As a
result, operating new machines would often be wholly
uneconomical.
Pre owned PistenBully are sold in three variants.
“Economy” machines have only been tested technically; repairs can be carried out by the buyer.The
“Standard” model is already “partially repaired”.
www.pistenbully.com
Dear Customers and Readers
The beginning of winter season 2005/2006
will shortly be upon us.We are hard at work,
happily anticipating the coming months.The
enthusiasm for PistenBully and BeachTech
machinery is reflected in the articles in this
K-info. I would like to say a big thank you for
your interest and for the overwhelming
response to the new, international K-info.
This is because in countries such as the Czech
Republic and Russia, tourism and winter sports are
taking on an ever greater role in the economy, and
winter sports fans too are becoming more and more
demanding.Pre owned PistenBully offer a comparatively
inexpensive starting-off point in locations where
having high-quality machines with a corresponding
equipment level is important.At around 60 %,the
share of the East European market is the biggest
in the used vehicle segment.The remaining 40 % is
spread between a further 25 countries worldwide,
led, of course, by Germany,Austria and Switzerland.
During recent years, there has been an increased tendency for customers not wanting to wait until the end
of September to purchase their new used PistenBully.
As a result, Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG has
decided to start selling pre owned vehicles from an
earlier date this year.This is why, after 7 years, the pre
owned vehicle show and the PistenBully Parade will
not be held in 2005. Nevertheless, as ever, you will still
find the biggest selection of pre owned PistenBully at
Kässbohrer.
Moving into the new season with gusto!
We have been able to further consolidate
our position as a global market leader, particularly in Europe and North America. Our
positive and solid business development
during the past financial year is allowing us
to make investments in the future.With new
vehicles such as the PistenBully 200, the
PistenBully 300 Kandahar and a wealth of
model improvement measures, our goal is to
continue offering our customers the best
products.
“Then as now: giving faithful service“
This means that all major functions required for operation have been restored.“Premium” machines have
been fully overhauled,technically and visually,starting
with the engine and finishing with the paintwork.
After repairs therefore, Premium machines are as new
and also come with the relevant guarantee, valid for
six months or 500 operating hours.A quarter of all
used machines are now ordered as Premium models.
The percentage of Standard models is around 40 %
and some 35 % of all buyers prefer to repair their
Economy machine themselves.“In this context, both
the concept of “Premium”and that of “Standard”have
now become synonymous with quality around the
world.This is because Kässbohrer reconditions the
vehicles throughout in its own workshop – only new
or generally overhauled and fully tested Kässbohrer
original spare parts are used.This gives us a major
lead over other manufacturers”, says Marc Celewitz,
responsible for used vehicle sales, summarising the
success of Kässbohrer’s quality standards.
vehicles reflects the company’s awareness of the
importance of the used vehicle segment.
For Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG, the used vehicle
segment has become an important target market.The
principal reason for this is the extremely high number
of trade-ins.While the trade-in figure is only 20 to
25 % in the car segment, for example, 70 to 75 %
of all PistenBully customers trade in their old machine
when buying a new vehicle.The range of pre owned
vehicles available is correspondingly wide, and between 160 and 180 PistenBully models are normally
available. Kässbohrer’s recent investment of
€ 300,000 in a new hall for reconditioning pre owned
Contact: [email protected]
The other areas of Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG
also benefit from the heavy demand for used
PistenBully machines. Firstly, spare parts sales, for the
reason that Economy customers consider quality and
reliability to be important and usually order original
spare parts.The used vehicle business also creates
more work during the summer months in areas such
as chain manufacture and the paintshop.This has now
become the established order of things for the workshop team.The “used vehicle season” now begins at
the end of March for these employees – shortly after
the end of the season.The number of vehicles that
must be reconditioned and repaired before autumn is
now so high that the workshop team works virtually
around the clock between September and March and
is also at work on Saturdays.
Internet: www.pistenbully.com/usedvehicles
Kässbohrer’s first-class customer service
agents can be found on every continent and
can access almost every corner of the globe.
Together with our customers, we want to
develop visions and remain an efficient and
reliable partner – the leader in technology
and cost effectiveness.We are looking forward
to the coming season and are working hard
for our products and customers.
We would like to wish you all a successful
winter 2005/2006!
Gebhard Schwarz
Page 2
Contents
Pre owned PistenBully
direct from the manufacturer
Front page
PistenBully FunPark Camps:
Long runners for trendsetters
Page 2
Cooperation with IVECOMagirus Page 2
The driver’s cab with ROPS
certification: An absolute
must. Page 3
For the sake of the
environment.
For us all! Page 3
Karl Kessler – 40 years on the
slope and elsewhere Page 3
Prize-winning pictures from
the 04/05 season photography competition Page 4/5
BeachTech: Winning tests at
ECOPLAYAS 2005 Page 6
Excellent opportunities for
school-leavers Page 6
PistenBully clears the way!
Page 6/7
The PistenBully tour of
Eastern Europe meets huge
interest Page 7
One of the “fathers”
of PistenBully
Page 7
PistenBully FunPark Camps:
Long runners for trendsetters
Whether in the Swiss Alps or South Korea,
PistenBully FunPark Camps have become a
well-established meeting place for the international FunPark community.The fact that
these meetings are no longer an insider’s tip
is reflected in the huge interest shown in the
FunPark event each year.This year, forty
drivers from eleven countries took part in
the 6th FunPark Camp in Saas Fee, held
between 13 and 17 June. Switzerland was
not the only FunPark Camp venue: the South Korean
FunPark Camp held at the end of February in Young
Pyong was attended this year by 35 drivers from all
25 of the country’s skiing areas.
The PistenBully Professional’s Camp is an attractive
combination of advice, training and plenty of fun,
information and communication.A combination that
enthralled not only drivers from the Central Alps in
Saas Fee, but also participants from Sweden, Finland,
Spain, the Czech Republic and the USA. One participant even came from as far away as New Zealand to
see the latest “FunPark” trends and technologies.
This strong international participation is a clear sign
of the importance which the trend for FunParks has
now assumed throughout the world. Parks of this
kind are an almost indispensable feature in winter
sports resorts, regardless of whether the resort is
located in the European Alps, in America’s Rocky
Mountains, or in the skiing resorts of Japan and
New Zealand. For the young generation in particular,
HalfPipes, BoarderCross, BankTurns, Jumps and Rails
are the attractive alternative to classic skiing on the
slopes.The ParkBully was again at the centre of
attention during the FunPark
Camp.Thanks to its special equipment, it not only saves a great
deal of time when building the
various FunPark features, it is also
the only vehicle on the market
able to cope with even the most
extreme requirements. In addition
to ParkBully training, practical
exercises with the PipeMagician
were on the agenda. Demonstrations were given of the individual
applications of a PipeMagician for
building FunPark elements such
as Pipes or a BoarderCross. Even small quantities of
snow enable work to be carried out efficiently and
without difficulty.
Participants at the Saas Fee FunPark
Camp also had the opportunity to test
the new ParkBlade for the first time.The
ParkBlade allows easy and rapid relocation or transport of objects of all kinds.
This feature makes the ParkBlade the
perfect solution when FunParks must be
redesigned on a regular basis.Whether
FunBoxes, RainbowRails or FlatRails,
all elements which are currently used in
FunParks can be repositioned using the
ParkBlade.As a result, the FunPark can be
Shortening a winch rope –
Getting the hang of it
Page 8
The Kässbohrer team
celebrates its success in the
Dreiländergiro event Page 8
Fan mail
Page 8
PistenBully-Shop
Page 8
given a facelift at regular intervals, ensuring
it remains varied and attractive.The ParkBlade
was realised in the form of a PistenBully 12way clearing blade with fork-lift truck prongs
for relocating objects.This makes both moving
rails and fun boxes and transporting other
objects with the relevant attachment points a
one-man job. Lashing straps are only necessary in extreme cases in order to secure the
load.The ParkBlade has been designed to carry
heavy loads: loads weighing as much as 1,000 kg do
not pose a problem.The ParkBlade is a standard
feature of the ParkBully, and can also be fitted as an
optional extra to all PistenBully models of the 200
series for the 2005/2006 season and to 300 models.
The ParkBlade will certainly come into use in far-away
South Korea within a short period of time. Interest in
PistenBully is growing rapidly in this country.Today,
around 100 machines are at work on the ski slopes
of South Korea, among them eight ParkBully 300
vehicles.Around the world, there are more than 300
ParkBully machines in use – is there any better confirmation of their capabilities?
Contact: [email protected]
Service numbers
Technical Customer Services
Gerhard Strähle
Tel.: +49 (0) 7392/900-103
Fax: +49 (0) 7392/900-100
Spare parts sales
Reinhard Kristen
Tel.: +49 (0) 7392/900-135
Fax: +49 (0) 7392/900-130
Credits
Publisher
A fire service PistenBully
Cooperation with IVECO-Magirus
The PistenBully 100 Flexmobil with a fire services
attachment celebrated a high-profile premiere during
the summer at the Interschutz fire safety trade fair in
Hanover. Since the beginning of the year, Kässbohrer
Geländefahrzeug AG and IVECO-Magirus have been
working together in the field of fire and disaster protection. A high number of specialists from Germany
and abroad were enthralled by the concept and
requested to see the vehicle at work.
As a result, further demonstrations were
given during August following the fair
premiere. One such demonstration took
place at Cologne/Bonn Airport, where
the terrain around the runway is often
boggy, preventing the use of allwheel
drive vehicles.
Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG
Kässbohrerstraße 11, D-88471 Laupheim
Tel.: +49 (0) 7392/900-0
Fax: +49 (0) 7392/900-556
E-Mail: [email protected]
Published half-yearly. The next
issue of K-info will be published in
spring 2006.
Print run: 3.000 copies
Editor: Sabine Denzler
www.pistenbully.com
In these applications, the new
PistenBully 100 Fireflex is an
all-terrain alternative for extinguishing fires and rescuing
injured persons should an aircraft leave the runway. Other
possible applications are oil spillages in areas that allwheel vehicles cannot access from land and
watercraft cannot access
from the sea.The new
vehicle’s tried and tested
capabilities were demonstrated during a presentation held on the shores of
Lake Constance in
Friedrichshafen. It was
attended by numerous
specialists from fire services in Friedrichshafen,
Konstanz, Radolfzell and Achstetten as well as from
the Office for the Prevention of Water and Soil
Pollution.
Contact: [email protected]
Page 3
The driver’s cab with ROPS certification:
An absolute must!
CE certification – what’s that?
If a machine has CE certification, its operators can rest assured that it
offers a level of reliability and safety recognised by European authorities.The machine satisfies EU directives and can be used under the
conditions recommended in the relevant directives. Only
CE certification permits a machine to be used. Since September
2002, it has been strictly forbidden to operate a machine without CE
certification that does not correspond to EU directives.
As people, we try to protect themselves from any dangers as much
as possible.Today’s rigorous standards are the result of this need for
safety. Opting for a PistenBully is also a decision for an exemplary
safety concept: our PistenBully high-stability safety driver’s cab provides all vehicle occupants with optimal protection.
Appendix I of Article R 233-84 of the (French) Employment Law Code
states:“If there is a risk of the vehicle overturning during use, it must
be designed in such a way (...) that it can be fitted with a roll-over
protection system.”This requirement is fulfilled by the ROPS safety
standard which has been adopted in EU directives. PistenBully not
only ensure perfectly prepared pistes throughout an entire skiing
region; they also ensure the driver’s safety.What’s good to know is
that our PistenBully have borne the CE symbol since 1993. The driver’s
cab of all PistenBully 100, 200, 300 and 300 Polar models built
For the sake of the environment.
For us all!
Kässbohrer is investing significant capital and resources in
the development of new technologies in order to consolidate
its pioneering position to lasting effect.
Adherence to new European directives
aimed at further reducing exhaust
emissions is always ensured
before the legislation actually
comes into force.This is, of
course, what you would
rightly expect from us as a global
market and innovation leader.
The permissible emissions values are
governed by emissions standards which
specify the emission of pollutants such as
nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and particulates.The rulings in the
countries subject to certification (Europe, the
USA and Japan) in the non-road segment
conform with one another in terms of time
scales.This is advantageous because, after
all, PistenBully are used around the world.
Scarcely had the new emissions standard
Tier 3a (Euro-4) taken effect at the
beginning of the year but the new Tier
3b (Euro-5) emissions standard was
ready for adoption. It is to be passed by
the EU committees by the end of the
year and should come into force by
2010 at the latest.Instead of 0.2 grams
of soot particles per kilowatt-hour,
diesel engines will then only be
allowed to emit 0.02 g/kWh.
Using state-of-the-art engine
technology from DaimlerChrysler,
Kässbohrer will ensure compliance with this standard in good
time too.All vehicles built from
2006 onwards can already be
supplied compliant with the Tier
www.pistenbully.com
3a standard (corresponds
to Euro-4 in the on-road sector). Kässbohrer is compensating
the drastic reductions in accelerating behaviour and engine
operation at high speeds entailed by the new emissions
standards through better tuning of the drive train: the same
output with less emissions.
In the USA, testing and inspection standards are stipulated
by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).According
to EPA directives, an engine must adhere to the
exhaust emissions limit values for a period of use
of up to 8,000 working hours or 10 years. Special
operation manuals and type plates are also
stipulated.The type plates include an EPA
engine family number, thereby testifying that
the engine concerned is duly certified. On
PistenBully machines, this proof of certification can be found as a black sticker on
the engine valve cover.
Clean engines have long been a
“must” for Kässbohrer. Companies
like Kässbohrer that operate in ecologically sensitive areas such as high
mountains must provide efficient
emissions protection measures.The
fully electronic engine management
system in PistenBully models ensures
that the engine develops the optimal
output at all times. Both the quantity
and time of fuel injection are harmonised exactly to the engine load and
the environmental conditions.This
has a positive effect not only on the
vehicles’ cost effectiveness, but
also on emissions: an active contribution to climate protection.
since 2002 is ROPS-certified.This certification is made known to all
via a sticker located on the vehicle windscreen.
Trust is good. Control is better.
How do you know if a vehicle is ROPS-certified? To find out,
go to the HVBG website at www.hvbg.de/e/bgp/pz. Click on
“open database” and enter the manufacturer’s name in
the field entitled “Name of the certificate owner”.All the
manufacturer’s ROPS-certified products will then be
displayed.
Portrait
Karl Kessler – 40 years on
the slope and elsewhere
South America and
Africa are two places
to which he hasn’t
travelled on business,but those are
the only two continents that Karl
Kessler has not visited on behalf of
PistenBully during
the past 40 years.
Otherwise,he has been almost everywhere:North America and New Zealand,
Japan,Greenland and even the Antarctic.He travelled there twice during the
Antarctic summer to work at the Indian Antarctic Station Dakshin Gangotri.
Karl Kessler’s Kässbohrer career began in 1965 when,at the age of 14,he began
an apprenticeship as a vehicle mechanic.At that time,omnibuses and PistenBully
machines were still serviced together in the omnibus repairs department in NeuUlm.It was there that he soon discovered his passion for PistenBully.His first
assignments came during the early 1970s,when his work covered both PistenBully
groomers and SETRA omnibuses.Nevertheless,his enthusiasm was strongly
defined by the PistenBully assignments,which took him to different countries near
and far.
Mr Kessler finally said goodbye to omnibuses in 1975 in order to concentrate
fully on the PistenBully.This was the start of what,for him,was the most interesting
period of his working life.The first thing on the agenda was to polish up his English
skills as a basis for international assignments.Then he went on his travels. A pioneering spirit was called for in those days,as building up the worldwide PistenBully
organisation was not always easy.“On-site we often had to be self-sufficient when
it came to training customers and establishing service support locations.It was
hard work but also very interesting”,he recalls happily.Mr Kessler no longer
travels around the world,but works in the Allgäu region.Here he knows every
mountain,every customer and every slope – and he’s still out and about during the
day with the same enjoyment in his work as he had 40 years ago.Karl’s motto is “
customer satisfaction is my top goal.”
Karl’s Allgäu customers join us in congratulating Karl Kessler on his
40th anniversary with the company.
Page 4
Prize-winning pictures from the 04/05 season
photography competition
A big thank you to all the entrants. We look forward to the next competition during the coming winter season.
Fabian Walter
Switzerland
Marco Escher
Austria
Taken in Galtür-Silvretta
Peter Wartner
Germany
Taken in Rothwald-Wasenalp
Michael Koch/Thomas Geisler
Taken in Waakirchen - Marienstein
Thomas Krippgans
Nicolas Marduel
Germany
“Master Baker“
Taken on the Hintertuxer Glacier
Taken in Les Diablerets, Switzerland
www.pistenbully.com
Austria
Page 5
Tobbe Nilsson
Special prize:
Josef Irlacher
Sweden
Germany
So much enthusiasm has to be rewarded!
Taken in Fjätervålen
Victor Torrecillas
Jonas Carlson
Spain
Sweden
Taken in the Sierra Nevada
Taken in Val Thorens, France
Paul Hawkings New Zealand
Andrés Más
Spain
Taken on Mount Ruapehu
Taken in Baqueira Beret
Page 6
BeachTech: Winning tests at ECOPLAYAS 2005
Professional beach management and the sustainable development
of coastal areas were the subjects of the ECOPLAYAS 2005 specialist
conference, which was held in the spring in Santander, Spain.
However, not only theory was on the agenda this year; practice also
had its place! This year for the first time, a large test circuit was at the
heart of the international congress,which takes place every two years.
This was where all the suppliers in the who’s who of beach cleaning
technology had to demonstrate the capabilities of their products.
The tasks was clearly specified: an area of beach some 50 metres in
length had to be clean after being swept twice.At the first day, the
efficiency of the beach cleaning machines was tested on dry sand
strewn with a wide variety of different types of rubbish, cigarette
stubs, bottle tops and similar materials. On the second day, the sand
was wet. Here the main objective was to effectively remove seaweed
and plant debris.The
individual participants were assessed
on the basis of the
quantity of rubbish
removed by the individual vehicles and
the amount of sand
swept up. BeachTech took the lead in all disciplines, and proved the
clear favourite when it comes to keeping beaches and coastal areas
clean, even under difficult conditions. Successful competitors were
the BeachTech Marina, the BeachTech 2000, the BeachTech 2800
and the BeachTech 3000.
The concept of the ECOPLAYAS congress is hitherto unique in the
world: the event addresses a wide spectrum of specialist topics.
Indeed, a huge variety of issues are dealt with, ranging from current
tsunami-related matters through subjects such as erosion, protection of the environment on beaches, and maintaining and equipping
beaches, to the development of beach tourism and ISO certification.
In attendance were experts from every area of beach management,
from local authorities, contractors and tourism associations, as well
as from solutions suppliers like Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG.As
a consequence, this congress comes to the attention of both specialists in the field and the general public. ECOPLAYAS is an approach
that could well set a benchmark for events in coastal countries.
sustainable coastal development,as refuse and rubbish are removed
efficiently from the ecological cycle.
Contact: [email protected]
The primary goal of many BeachTech users is, naturally, to attract
holidaymakers to scenic, clean beaches and to ensure these customers’ loyalty. In the medium and long term, the use of professional
cleaning technologies also helps the environment and supports
Apprenticeships and training at Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG
Shifting the snow from
Excellent opportunities for school-leavers
Swiss mountain passes
Any company that tailors its objectives, products and resources as
purposefully as Kässbohrer to the future is naturally highly committed
to training young people. Only qualified employees will enable the
company’s current position to be upheld and further consolidated.
In the commercial sector, training as an industrial clerk is not the
only option:each year,one place is also offered on the Dipl.-Betriebswirt/in (Masters in Business Administration) course, specialising in
industry.This programme is delivered in collaboration with Heidenheim Vocational College.As a result, each semester, the young
students are taught theoretical principles during a period of three
months at the Vocational College in Heidenheim and then spend the
next three months at Kässbohrer in Laupheim, where they learn how
these principles are applied in practice.This course lasts three years
and focuses on materials management and production, marketing,
production logistics, finance and accounting, organisation and data
processing as well as personnel management.After the course,these
young employees are highly qualified and able to carry out a wide
range of tasks.
The Dipl.-Betriebswirt/in course receives many applications on
account of its numerous advantages, such as its short duration of
three years, its strong focus on practical work and the monthly payment. Daniel Maier, a student in the second semester at Kässbohrer,
is all too aware of this, because, two years ago, his application to
Kässbohrer was only one out of a total of around 40 applications.
According to the Institute of German Industry in Cologne, an average of 48 school-leavers now apply for each place on the course.
Indeed it is the programme’s practical relevance that makes it so
varied and interesting, says Matthias Pfitzer, who is in his fourth
semester.“After three months of pure theory, you look forward to
the practical phase and vice versa.”
In the technical sector, the
job of a production mechanic
is at the focal point of the
apprenticeships offered by
Kässbohrer.The special feature of this course is that the
apprenticeship is conducted
in partnership with the company Uhlmann.Also situated in Laupheim,
Uhlmann specialises in the manufacture of packaging machines
used by the pharmaceuticals industry for packaging tablets and
ampoules. In the Uhlmann training workshop, the Kässbohrer
apprenticeships not only learn how to lathe, file and mill correctly,
they also study mechanical engineering. In return, Kässbohrer trains
the Uhlmann apprentices in all areas of hydraulics, giving them the
know-how they need to design the pneumatically-operated components used in Uhlmann machinery.This is an example of a successful
apprentice training agreement between two medium-sized companies.Two to three apprentices are taken on each year.The training
courses for production mechanics and mechatronic engineers
in the vehicle industry are thus enhanced and meaningfully
consolidated at both companies.Working together offers a
wealth of opportunities!
Kässbohrer offers school-leavers a variety of opportunities
to ensure a good start to their working lives and a future
with prospects!
www.beach-tech.com
PistenBully
clears the way!
Mountain passes are crucial in the Alps. Not only for tourism but
also and primarily for through-traffic. In spring, the Grimsel Pass in
Switzerland, which connects the canton of Valais with the Bernese
Oberland, is buried beneath a thick blanket of snow. Employees of
the Oberland East Roads Inspectorate are responsible for clearing
the road of snow, ice and scree and for keeping the two passes, the
Grimsel and the Susten, open during the summer and autumn
months. Happily, the
times when this task
was achieved using
muscle power and
shovels alone are
gone.Today, snow
ploughs are used to
help clear the road,
and, for some time
now, a PistenBully 300
has also been used.
When Heini Bürgi,
Co-coordinator of the
snow-clearing team,
helped to clear a pass
Clearing the snow from mountain roads used
to be an arduous task
for the first time in
1989, he realised that,
“the work could be carried out more efficiently with the aid of a
PistenBully.”The pioneer in using PistenBully groomers on Swiss
mountain passes was Sepp Inderkum, President of the Swiss
Representatives Association for Alpine Passes. Inderkum carried out
the first trials in the framework of this project at the Furka Pass. One
of the Association’s primary objectives is to open the Swiss passes as
Page 7
The PistenBully tour of Eastern
Europe meets huge interest
More than 250 participants from 110
skiing resorts attended the Kässbohrer
demonstration
event in the Czech
resort of Rokytnice,
just one stop on this
year’s tour through
the skiing regions of
Eastern Europe.This
event was the highlight of a journey
through the Czech Republic,Poland and Slovakia.The
PistenBully 300 Polar with winch was at the centre of attention during the tour,while the other PistenBully models
were also put to the test by the participants.
occasions,the quality
of on-site service,
provided Ziva and
Jindrisek,partner companies in the Czech
Republic,received
special praise.
www.pistenbully.com
Buildings and machines are not the sum total of a company’s value.
Of immense value to any organisation are the people who work for it
and the spirit in which they do so.
From left: Robert Back, Karl Kromer, Otto Kässbohrer, Heinrich Kässbohrer,
Erwin Wieland,Walter Haug, Hermann Mader, Karl Kässbohrer, Ludwig Koch
Our former Chief Designer and authorised signatory Mr Walter Haug died
on 7 July 2005 at the age of 73. Mr Haug was employed at Karl Kässbohrer
Fahrzeugwerke GmbH for more than 40 years. Until his retirement in 1995, he
successfully headed the Design department responsible for our PistenBully
models.
early as possible in April or May.The
PistenBully proved its capabilities and Sepp
Inderkum began to promote his idea.As a
result, Heini Bürgi’s vision became reality in
1995 at the Grimsel and Susten Passes.
Heini Bürgi is impressed by the PistenBully performance:
working with the PistenBully is “more economical, more
efficient and quicker“. It clears away much more snow per
hour than any other vehicle and has significantly lower
fuel consumption.”High pushing power is called for when
it comes to moving great masses of snow.The manoeuvrability of a PistenBully enables snow to be removed up to
the rocks, thereby eliminating walls of snow.“If required,
even the snow above the road can be removed and hard
avalanche snow and spears of ice can be cleared effortlessly”, reports Bürgi, pleased.The huge snowfalls not
only block passes but also obstruct entire tunnel mouths.
“On the Berne side, the Susten road has 13 tunnels.Three
tunnel mouths facing down into the valley and,depending
on the snowfall, further tunnel entrances on the mountain
side too are normally blocked by avalanches.There are
seven to eight metres of snow on the roadway in these
locations.” Not a problem for Heini Bürgi and his team.
The use of a ParkBully with its extremely manoeuvrable
blade has proven the machine’s ability in these situations
in particular. Bürgi values this feature:“The vertical adjustability of the blade through 72 degrees means that the
One of the “fathers”
of PistenBully
In neighbouring
Slovakia,where
Kässbohrer is also a
leading supplier of
piste machinery,a
total of 120 specialists attended the PistenBully presentation in Jasna.Here once again,the PistenBully 300 Polar
with winch was at the centre of attention. It was also
evident that the demand for used vehicles is still very high
in Slovakia and in the Czech Republic and Poland.
The Kässbohrer team received an excellent response at
its other stop-off locations on the tour. In Pustevny for
example,where,despite bad weather conditions,more
than 80 people made their way to the event.On both
The prerequisite for such a trial is a skiing
resort willing to provide a PistenBully each
year.In this case,the Hasliberg resort provided
a PistenBully, a huge boon for mountain pass
clearance. Prior to this, snow ploughs worked
through the snow layer by layer until they
finally came to the road.This time-consuming
method is now a thing of the past.As far as
possible, removal of the layers of snow is left to the
PistenBully, and the snow ploughs are used only when
the break-through to the road is in sight or the terrain
becomes too narrow for a PistenBully.
In memoriam Walter Haug
Mr Haug was one of our original employees. He played a significant role in establishing the All Terrain vehicle section within Kässbohrer. His ideas proved
themselves on the market and underpinned the success of the PistenBully
range. Responsible for the development of the very first PistenBully,Walter
Haug quickly saw that making improvements to products already on the market
was not the right solution, and that it was necessary to develop a new concept.
A high pushing power is needed to tackle hard avalanche
snow and these snow masses.
machine is optimally suited to digging out tunnel openings.
The ParkBully was able to clear these entrances without
the use of a snow plough.”
Clearing snow several metres deep from a mountain pass
is not without its dangers.Air and water pockets form in
the thick blanket of snow.The areas of snow that are the
most dangerous are those on turf and ledges of rock where
they have no hold.Thus it has happened that a PistenBully
has drifted away together with the snow mass and taken
an unwanted dip in a lake, as Bürgi recalls from his many
years of experience. Ground or wet avalanches, blocks of
ice, rock falls, snowdrifts and falling ice are other unanticipated incidents that can surprise even an experienced
driver from above. Here too the advantages of using a
PistenBully are evident:“Using a PistenBully, there is only
one machine in the danger zone, and it can also get out of
any danger situation more quickly than other machines.”
After approximately 100 working hours, the PistenBully
has completed its snow clearance job at the Grimsel Pass.
Unless, of course, winter suddenly returns and transforms
the Haslital mountain region into a snowy winter wonderland once again.
Walter Haug (wearing a white coat) during a test with other Kässbohrer employees
The expertise of Kässbohrer employees in the manufacture of omnibuses and
commercial vehicles led to the development of a basic principle that is still definitive today and that has become the standard for all snow groomers.The most
important components of this concept are the hydrostatic drive for unproblematic power transmission,wheel steering for sure manoeuvring,a low centre of
gravity for extreme inclines and slopes,the platform as a means of transportation
and, of course, the diesel engine.The first PistenBully were finally delivered to
customers in the winter of 1969.
Mr Haug’s made an outstanding contribution to the development and ongoing
improvement of our success product, the PistenBully. He set standards in the
preparation of ski slopes that are still applicable around the world today.We
are indebted to his expertise and intuition, and to his high standards of further
development and innovation.We are grateful to him for so much.We deeply
regret the passing of a man we remember with esteem and respect, and we
offer our deepest sympathy to his family.
Page 8
Practical tips:
Shortening a winch rope –
Getting the hang of it
News
PistenBully-Shop
PistenBully multi-functional tool
Original Leatherman multi-functional tool
with needle-nose pliers,knife,wire cutters,
extra-strong wire cutters,clockmaker’s
screwdriver,small screwdriver,medium
and large screwdriver,Phillips screwdriver,
tin/bottle opener,corkscrew and an eye for
easy attachment.
€ 69,50
6. After a short time, the rope will break at the
intended location.
1. Clamp the winch rope in the vice.
2. Position the loose end in the lathe and secure.
3. Using a welding torch, heat the winch rope
along a length of 100 millimetres.
7. Leave the break point to cool down properly.
PistenBully backpack
Backpack comprising a spraywater-resistant
main compartment with a front-loading
system, a zipped front compartment, adjustable
padded shoulder straps with chest and waist
belts and a padded, breathable rear section.
Further features are a belt attachment for a
sleeping bag, straps for attaching an ice pick
and cross-country skis, a rubber base, attachment eyes for carabiners and two open side
pockets.
€ 29,90
Prices include statutory VAT and exclude a flat delivery charge of € 5.90.
The minimum order value is € 25.00.
These items can be ordered from the PistenBully Shop at www.pistenbully.com.
4. When the winch rope begins to glow, slowly
turn it anticlockwise three to four times on the
lathe (turn the rope).
5. When turning the rope, the force applied must
be increased slowly and uniformly to ensure as
smooth a break as possible.
8. The uniform force applied when turning the rope
on the lathe ensures a smooth break, meaning that
the end of the winch rope should not require much
finishing work.
The Kässbohrer team celebrates its
success in the Dreiländergiro event
It’s not only during the winter that Kässbohrer employees
are out and about in the Alps; in summer too they enjoy
spending time in the mountains.And, to all intents and
purposes, at demanding events such as the Dreiländergiro
competition in Nauders in July.
Eight sports-mad mountain bikers entered, trying to
conquer the high passes in as short a time as possible.
And what an outstanding performance!
Route A 172 kilometres / Ascent of 3,300 metres
Dieter Münz
8:32:52 hours
Andreas Winter
9:02:58 hours
Other finishers:
Hans-Peter Feeß
Josef Wegerer
Route B 137 kilometres / Ascent of 2,000 metres
Gerhard Strähle
6:30:57 hours
Werner Seethaler
6:31:01 hours
Stephan Mayer
6:45:25 hours
Joachim Laible
6:45:28 hours
Your details
Please let us know if you have changed address.
E-mail: [email protected] or Fax: +49 (0) 7392/900-556
www.pistenbully.com
Fan mail
My name is Silas Ketterer, I am
eight years old and I will be
going into Year 4 at Hans-Jakob
School in Titisee-Neustadt after
the summer holidays. My hobbies include playing the piano
and athletics. But my biggest
hobby is PistenBully.
Two years ago, my Mum was
working at weekends during
the winter at the Herzogenhorn
Winter Sports Performance
Centre at Feldberg.That was
how I got to know my friend
Roland Butz (Butzi) and how I
came to love PistenBully!!! Through Butzi, I became more and more keen on
this snow vehicle, as I was often allowed to ride in the cab. For my birthday this
year, Butzi gave me an invitation to spend a whole day with him and Christoph
Duffner (ex-ski-jumper, Duffi) at Kässbohrer in Laupheim. During the day,
I was able to look at everything going on, and I got a surprise present of two
Kässbohrer models. Naturally they have been given pride of place in my
PistenBully bedroom.
Of course I’m looking forward to going to the open-air swimming pool this
summer, but I’m even happier when the first flakes of snow fall again and my
friend Butzi takes me onto the slopes at Feldberg. Until then, I will lie in my
home-made PistenBully bed and dream about wintertime and a trip in a Polar
300 with cable winch. Maybe I will get another opportunity to visit Kässbohrer.
It would be great to be a PistenBully driver!!!
Best wishes from PistenBully fan SILAS and family