Unimog - Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
Kulmbach – a town and its Unimogs
Plenty – that’s new in Eastern Germany
Film star on the Salt Lake
1/2002
Experts meet on the racing circuit
UNIMOG HOMEPAGE:
www.mercedes-benz.com/unimog
Editorial
Our title pictures
Tradition and progress
3
Sales organisation
Reference client with varied activities
4-5
Backbone of a modern service provider
5-6
Ideal in combination
7
Signs of a new era
Contract service provider and genuine Unimog fan
8-9
10-11
Unimog ‘Added Value Weeks’:
customer proximity and service
The German town of
Kulmbach in the Upper
Franconia region, celebrated for brewing the
world’s strongest beer,
bought its first Unimog
over 40 years ago. To
this very day, these allpurpose machines form
the backbone of municipal activities such as
winter road services,
cleaning, road and
waterway maintenance
and mowing. In the next
seven to eight years the
12-13
Unimog with implement runs straight and true
14
Fit for the summer after tough winter duties?
15
A growing number of
new sections of the
‘Autobahn’ highway have
been opened in Eastern
Germany. The State of
Saxony-Anhalt has developed new concepts for
the efficient, economical
upkeep of this road
network. The highways
department in Plötzkau
relies on a U 500 for this
work (page 7)
Unimog International
Unimog firefighting tankers and Mercedes-Benz trucks
delivered for forest firefighting in Spain
16
Belgium relies on Unimog for firefighting
17
A song for some, hard work for others
18
The off-road construction-site specialist
19
Successful presentation in Slovenia
20
No problems on the ski slopes
20
Lithuanian Army chooses Unimog
20
From the Black Forest to the Salt Flats
21
UNISCOPE
More versatile, more economical in the long run
22
Love for detail
22
Land of the rising sun
22
Ideal for the island
23
This Unimog is on the celebrated Sachsenring motor racing
circuit. In March of this year the Unimog Division held a
meeting of experts in conjunction with Unimog-System-Partner Schmidt Winterdienst and the circuit’s own road safety
centre. The aim: improving road safety when performing
winter services on the roads (page 14)
A spectacular film
featured DaimlerChrysler products on the Salt
Flats in Utah – and naturally the Unimog was
invited along too! Painted in gleaming silver, it
made a lasting impression even when seen in
the company of A, C, E
and S Class passenger
cars – including the
exclusive SL, SLK and
CLK models (page 21)
Published by:
DaimlerChrysler AG, Unimog Division
D A T A
P U B L I S H E R ’ S
Responsible at publisher:
Dieter Sellnau, Unimog Division
Coordination:
Martin Adam, Unimog Division
Contributors to this issue:
Articles: Dieter Mutard, Stefan Loeffler
Photos: DWM Pressebüro und Verlag, Unimog Division
English translations: Colin Brazier, Munich
town authorities plan to buy
new vehicles for future
mechanisation needs (see
pages 5+6)
Editorial committee:
Martin Adam, Dieter Mutard, Karin Weidenbacher
Editorial office address:
DaimlerChrysler AG, Unimog Division,
Vertrieb Marketing, 76568 Gaggenau, Germany
Gesamtherstellung:
Dieter Mutard DWM Pressebüro und Verlag, Ringstrasse 11, 89081 Ulm,
Germany; Telephone +49 (0)7 31-9 62 89-0, Fax +49 (0)731-9 62 89-30
The next issue will be published in September 2002.
The publishers accept no responsibility for unsolicited copy or photographs.
Printed on paper bleched without chlorine
Printed in the Federal Republic of Germany
Company stamp
Editorial
Tradition and progress – the Unimog
U 300 - U 500 implement carriers
Hans-Jürgen
Wischhof:
“Many aspects of
the work undertaken by public
authorities would
be unthinkable
without our
Unimog equipment carriers!”
Dear UNIMOG JOURNAL readers,
The Mercedes-Benz Unimog’s 50th birthday celebrations were a definite highlight
of 2001 and I’m sure they left a lasting
impression on you as they did on me.
Tradition is a valuable asset, but I expect
you agree that it is mainly the outcome of
determined hard work. It also involves an
ongoing process of change, that applies
equally to our unique vehicle concept
despite its deservedly high reputation and
to the people who build, sell and service
it.
In its early years, our “Universal-MotorGerät” was mainly used in agriculture, but
in the course of time it became clear that
public authorities found it to be of
increasing interest. Today we can claim
with justifiable pride that our implement
carriers are a firm feature of the day-today work on road construction and maintenance authorities in large towns and
cities but also in smaller communities and
in the hands of the companies that supply
them with services. More still: the
Mercedes-Benz Unimog with the large and
varied range of implements and supporting services, is a competent partner for
the local authority. Is this just a bold
claim on my part? Is it borne out by the
facts? I think it is, as the following details
will confirm:
• With our Unimog U 300/U 400/ U 500
model series, we have an innovative
programme of implement carriers that
meets all requirements for flexibility and
economical operation. The new Unimog
implement carriers’ outstanding features
are excellent ride comfort, safety features
similar to those of a truck and excellent
visibility on the move and when working
with equipment – to name just a few.
• Speaking of equipment, the Unimog
Unimog-System-Partnership, which began
in 2000, is another milestone. It is characterised by a new quality of co-operation
with selected implement manufacturers.
The intensive exchange of know-how with
these partners results in joint development and testing of the “Unimog plus
implement” system, with optimum matching of drive concepts and interfaces. The
list of our Unimog-System-Partners on the
German market reads like the “Who is
who of the municipal technology”.
Bucher-Schörling, Dücker, Faun, Gmeiner,
Leistikow, MULAG, Schmidt Winterdienst
and Werner are leading companies in
terms of their expertise and experience in
this field. The Unimog Division has
teamed up with 15 Unimog-System-Partners from all over Europe.
• We feel that this close collaboration
with the implement industry yields
excellent results, particularly when new
technologies need to be launched jointly
and in a coordinated manner. One project
teams is currently working hard on the “ISOBUS in the Unimog” concepts. What
does this mean?
ISOBUS is a new, globally standardised
data bus for implement operation, surveillance, control and selection of the correct
hydraulic power for attachments and/or
body-mounted implements. The Unimog
implement carrier communicates via a
single control terminal with the various
items of machinery mounted on the vehicle. We introduced the “ISOBUS in the
Unimog” recently at the IFAT 2002 exhibition in Munich; the next issue of
UNIMOG JOURNAL will contain in-depth
coverage of the event.
• We also aim to stay ahead in the after
sales services area. This is why we are
now offering driving safety training
events. On page 14 you will find a report
on our inaugural event at the traditional
Sachsenring racing circuit in Zwickau.
This and numerous other topics in this
issue confirm the goal that we share with
our Unimog-System-Partners and the sales
organisation: to make Mercedes-Benz
Unimog the competent number-one partner for municipal service implements!
Manager, Unimog Division
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
3
Sales organisation
The region around Hof, in the
extreme North-East of Bavaria
bordering on Saxony, Thuringia and the Czech Republic,
contains many areas of
scenic beauty including the
“Fichtelgebirge” mountains,
the Frankenwald forest and
the Hofer Vogtland with the
“Sächsische Saale” river.
This is not a region bordering on the GDR any more,
but one located in the heart
of Europe.
Reference client with varied
activities
The development of the economy here
is dominated by craft trades and industry
which account for more than 50 percent of
the total of some 45,000 jobs. The Unimog
implement carriers, which are used in
many industry sectors in the Hof local
government region too, are supplied by
the Kommunal- und Landmaschinenvertrieb GmbH company (KLMV) in Oberkotzau and Rodewisch, who also handle
servicing and spare parts supplies. One of
KLMV’s major reference clients is the
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UNIMOG
JOURNAL
Hohensaas community works department,
which is part of the Hof regional authority.
A total of 20 Unimogs, including those
operated by branches of the road maintenance authority in Naila and Münchberg,
are at work there every day.
Manfred Hanke, fleet manager of the
public works department, feels that the
Unimogs’ advantage is their “technical
flexibility.” We can modify our vehicles for
any task in a short period of time and
there are many implement mounting
options with short conversion times. This
is definitely an advantage over trucks,”
emphasises Hanke, who is also responsible
for purchase and maintenance of the vehicles. The utilisation areas of the Unimogs
are of course also used for winter service,
which is very tough in this region, for
maintaining some 260 kilometres of roads
in the Hof area and for extensive mowing
and cleaning work.
Hanke’s expert
verdict on the latest
generation of
Unimogs, of which
he already operates
two U 400s , is
totally positive:
“The vehicles are
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A7
Hof
A9
Freistaat Thüringen
A93
Freistaat
Sachsen
Bayreuth
Regensburg
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Nürnberg
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Hof in NorthEast Bavaria,
which used to
be close to the
border of the
German Democratic Republic,
is now in the
middle of
Europe
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extremely convenient to drive, the higher
pay loads make their operation more
economical and the comfort and visibility
in the driver’s cab is in my opinion unparalleled , which is also important for the
drivers who have to work with the Unimog
all day.”
The Unimogs operated by the public works department
are a familiar sight in the town of Kulmbach
Backbone of a modern
service provider
Kulmbach in Germany’s Upper Franconia region is the
home of the world’s strongest beer (Kulminator) , one of
the best-known products of Bavaria’s great brewing
tradition. The town does not confine its activities to beer,
however.
The 20 Unimog operated by the Hohensaas
works department (Hof local government
region) includes two U 400s
The Mercedes-Benz fleet run by the regional
public works department is equipped for
carrying out any task all the year round
• two heat-retaining drums for asphalt
work
• two road sweepers mounted on truck
chassis.
According to Rosa, some 200,000 Euro
are invested annually in vehicles and
implements. With Kulmbach’s Mayor, Inge
Aures, who is his direct superior, Rosa has
already arranged for the new acquisitions,
with leasing periods of 7 to 8 years and
established the public works department,
which despite the implication in its name,
is privately organised and orientated, as a
so-called director company for the town of
Kulmbach. Commissioned work such as
winter service, various cleaning jobs,
maintenance of waterways, mowing,
branch cutting and upkeep of the cemetery and the municipal gardens are settled
by the town authorities internally so that
the financial basis is transparent and
secure.
▲
The shop manager of the city’s public
works department, Werner Scherm,
remembers the first Unimog U 2010 and
U 411 types going into operation there
over forty years ago.
The dimensions of the work and the
requirements to be satisfied by public
authority service providers have grown
considerably in this modern town in
Upper Franconia with its awareness of
tradition. Public works department
manager, Gerhard Rosa, a bricklayer
master who has worked for the local
authority for 20 years, leads a team of 80
employees and a considerable fleet
consisting of
• 11 Mercedes-Benz trucks
• 6 Unimogs including two U 300 implement carriers
• the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Vito
• various attachments compatible with
the Unimog such as Dücker roadside
and boom mowers or
• SWK winter service equipment
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
5
Sales organisation
A9
Kulmbach
A70
Gerhard Rosa and the municipal Unimog
drivers are convinced of this vehicle’s
advantages, and he stresses expressly:
“I feel that this driver’s cab makes a
contribution towards motivating my
staff’s and maintaining their health;
that is not to be underestimated.”
A9
A73
Freistaat Thüringen
Freistaat
Sachsen
Bayreuth
Nürnberg
Regensburg
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“We wouldn’t be able to master all the
challenges we face every day at the
municipal works department without the
six Unimogs and their ability to tackle
such a multitude of tasks,” says Gerhard
Rosa, who considers these reliable vehicles as the backbone of a modern serviceprovider operation. Mr. Rosa and his drivers are also full of praise for the new
implement carrier generation: “The main
improvement and the big benefit for us is
the driver’s cab layout, which permits a
good view of the attached implements; we
also appreciate its comfort standard.”
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According to those who work with the
latest Unimog every day, other advantages
are, that you can always drive from the
working side of the vehicle ie. when
mowing, thanks to the VarioPilot swap
steering system, which is a major operating and road safety factor. The new powerful hydraulic system speeds up and
improves the performance of a whole
series of tasks.
The public works
department’s team maintains 255 kilometres of
streets in residential areas
and also connecting roads.
In winter service, each
vehicle is in operation for a
minimum of 1,200 hours
(Unimog and MercedesBenz trucks). Some of the
most important work, when
the winter is over, is cutting
branches and bushes back to provide
greater traffic clearance, which is important
for general road safety . From May to October, both U 300s are used all day for
mowing, and clock up far more than 1,800
operating hours. The remaining Unimogs
(two U 1600s, one U 421 and one U 900)
are used for asphalt repair work or trailer
transport between the spring and autumn.
“You’ll like life in Kulmbach,” promises
an advertising leaflet, and goes on to
stress: “Despite its dynamism, this beautiful Margrave’s residence in the heart of
Germany does not ignore values that have
accumulated over a long time.” The public
works department experts, working
together as a well-matched team, contribute with their year-long committment to
Kulmbach’s attractiveness by creating the
preconditions for a high quality of urban
life on its streets and squares.
Gerhard Rosa (upper
left picture) in front of
the new U 300 with his
senior driver Walter
Gack, who is responsible for Unimog training
and instruction
The public works
department’s U 1600
with a Dücker boom
mower (above)
The original Unimog
and its most recent
“colleagues” in Kulmbach’s public works
department yard (left).
The U 406 was first
registered on 10 April
1972 – exactly 30
years ago – and is still
in use for winter
service today
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UNIMOG
JOURNAL
New concepts call for new
technologies. In the
German state of SaxonyAnhalt, the new ‘Autobahn’
and road maintenance
department combines
different tasks efficiently
and takes advantage of its
shared location in an ideal
manner. Its main asset is a
Unimog U 500.
he tendency is definitely upwards.
The newly built A 14 ‘Autobahn’ highway between Halle and Magdeburg
in Eastern Germany is used by 30,000 to
40,000 vehicles every day, and the figure
is constantly rising. The Autobahn and
road maintenance department in Plötzkau
located here is aware of this fact. “The
technical solutions available to us with the
Unimog U 500 allow us to combine work
on the Federal motorways and the
surrounding roads efficiently,” says Gert
Schaaf, senior officer at the regional road
construction authority in Halle. The vehicle, which was put into operation in the
autumn of 2000, is currently used on 42
kilometres of Autobahn and 200 kilometres of regional and country roads in the
Bernburg local government region.
The 43 employees of the road maintenance department benefit from the variety
of implement combinations used on the
job, consisting for instance of a safety
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Ideal in combination
roadside mulcher, a Mulag rear suction
mower and the Bucher-Schörling changeover body-mounted road sweeper. Swift
movement of the vehicle around this area
measuring approximately 12,000 square
kilometres and fast, troublefree implement changeover make the U 500 a reliable partner for the Plötzkau road maintenance department, which also uses three
U 1600s and one U 2400 TG.
An indicator of any new vehicle’s
performance is the number of operating
hours it registers annually.
According to Ronald Schulze, one of the
technicians: “Of the total of more than
1,000 operating hours, the vehicle is used
for 500 hours of sweeping, 350 hours of
mowing and 150 hours of winter service.”
The U 500’s main tasks, however, are to
be found on a stretch of autobahn where
the majority of work consists of surface
cleaning. “It is used a lot for the hard
shoulders, as this is where a lot of the dirt
accumulates from the neighbouring truck
lane and the inclination of the drainage
channels,” says Romanus Weber of Henne-
Unimog GmbH in Wiedemar, who is
responsible for vehicle sales.
One important aspect of cleaning with
the Unifant 60 road sweeper is that it can
pick up on both sides, which permits
cleaning work to be carried out on either
side of the road.
Says Gert Schaaf: “Although we know how
versatile it is, our philosophy is not to
overload the implement carrier. We
confine ourselves to just three implement
combinations and make use of their full
potential.”
When talking about the realisation of
new concepts and technologies, one has to
mention what every visitor to the “New
German States” notices everywhere: the
utilisation of wind energy by huge wind
turbines. This form of environment
friendly energy production draws attention, however, to a problem encountered
on the flat terrain of the State of SaxonyAnhalt. Gert Schaaf explains: “We don’t
have a lot of snow here, but the wind blows
it into cuttings and narrow gaps. The U
500 is used to remove the snow from these
areas.” The winter combination consists of
a snow plough and a body-mounted Stratos
S 40 spreader made by the Schmidt
Winterdienst company of St. Blasien.
Ninety percent of the vehicle’s work in
winter is on the ‘Autobahn’, and this kind
of work will increase further as more
sections of this highway network are
opened in the years to come. But the
Plötzkau Autobahn and road maintenance
department is well-prepared!
For safety reasons, it is mandatory to work
in the traffic-flow direction, which is why
the main precondition for purchasing the
U 500 was the option of sweeping both
sides with the aid of the VarioPilot® swap
steering system
Strong winds in Saxony-Anhalt facilitate the
use of wind power (above), but are also a
cause for concern in winter
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
7
Signs of a ne w
er a
Those who associate Bitterfeld with a chaotic tangle of
steaming, sizzling and stinking chemical plants, towers and
pipelines are on the wrong track. Many of the former stateowned production facilities have been dismantled recently
to make room for companies causing less harm to the environment. A Unimog U 400 is one of the signs of a new era.
8
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
Inch by inch, the U 400 pushes two
Deutsche Bahn rail wagons towards the
unloading station of the American “Guardian Glasses” glass factory – with no
driver in sight. Sand and dolomite are
then unloaded into a pit below the tracks.
From there, the raw materials used for
glass production are pumped into a huge
silo tower.
Sales organisation
The rail-road track
guidance system means
that the U 400 can be
used for all kinds of tasks
at various points on the
factory premises.
The driver can even leave
the Unimog to make sure
that he has an optimum
view while manoeuvring
It is as if the 177-hp Unimog were
being driven by a ghost: every movement
on the tracks is controlled and supervised
by an employee operating a radio remote
control. The U 400 is the first vehicle from
the new model series to be used with this
system.
It is owned by Regiobahn Bitterfeld GmbH.
This Connex Group company offering
tailor-made rail transport concepts is in
charge of the logistics at the chemical
An employee of the Regiobahn Bitterfeld
GmbH rail company controls the U 400 with
a Theimeg radio remote control system. The
U 400 unloads sand and dolomite for glass
manufacturing into a pit
industry park in Bitterfeld-Wolfen. Having
a privately owned company handle the
logistics is an example of the change you
encounter everywhere in this former
chemical moloch.
Change is also symbolised by the
Unimog. For many company owners, it is
cheaper to use a Unimog than hire Bundesbahn locomotives to move freight cars on
their company premises. Engineer Michael
Meinhardt, Regiobahn’s General and Railway Operations Manager, considers the
rail-road Unimog’s fast transfer potential
to other companies in the region to be its
main advantage. The U 400 has been in
operation since December last year and
has a track permit from the Deutsche
Bahn. Eastern Germany’s logistics experts
were using a radio remote-controlled
Unimog U 1600 as early as 1996. Says
Michael Meinhardt: “Thanks to great
teamwork and support from the manufacturer of the rail-road system, Zagro in Bad
Rappenau, its distributor Zwiehoff and
Unimog’s general representative Henne in
Wiedemar, we decided to continue using
the system with a new U 400.” Its
manoeuvrability, reduced diesel consumption and the option of attaching rail vehicles at the front or rear make it an important element of the chemical industry
park’s logistics, but personnel costs are
also a decisive factor as the Unimog can
be controlled by one person. Michael
Meinhardt says, “The driver is not
required to sit at the controls any more;
he can also stand to one side or next to the
vehicle. Manoeuvering with such a good
view increases our employees’ safety
considerably.” His staff certainly have to
concentrate fully at all times, as “any
standstill results in an interruption” when
manufacturing flat glass, because the
process must never be stopped for technical reasons. If the plant comes to a halt for
even a few hours, the material becomes
hard and unusable. With its flexibility and
its semi-automatic transmission with
converter lock-up clutch, the Unimog can
pull a maximum of 800 tonnes, thus
ensuring that the Regiobahn Bitterfeld
railway is never likely to come to a standstill.
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
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Sales organisation
Contract services provider and Unimog fan
he former farm run by the Langs in
Brunn, part of the Nittenau rural
district in Germany’s Upper Palatinate region, has changed its appearance
considerably over the years, but the
knowledge that the family still possess in
areas such as landscaping, mowing, clearing and spreading is of great benefit when
the company performs its current range of
services.
Siegfried Lang, the junior proprietor,
departed to some extent from the family
tradition: he became an apprentice motor
mechanic at the Regensburg Unimog
workshop run by the local distributor Wolf
Graf von Bassewitz GmbH – and before
long was with heart and soul a ‘Unimog
man’. He later trained his parents’ farm
workers on the Unimog and ran the
complete vehicle fleet. Today the vehicles
get their routine maintenance in Brunn,
and Bassewitz is, in Siegfried Lang’s
words: “a reliable service partner of great
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“Without the Unimogs we would never be able to keep our
contract services company going!” says junior company
proprietor Siegfried Lang. The showcase in his office is a
clear indication of the Lang family’s loyalty to the Unimog for
so many years. Siegfried’s sister Sibylle, a professional
gardener and florist, has filled it with models of the vehicles
that can be seen full-scale in the company’s yard. With much
attention to detail, she has portrayed the way in which they
perform their daily tasks for this Bavarian family firm.
importance to us.”The company is run by
his parents, Margarete and Josef Lang, who
bought their first Unimog as long ago as
1966, a U 32 that was used for timber
transport.
The leaflet that advertises the services
of the Lang company sums up its attitude
well: “Upholding high standards of quality, safety, environmental acceptability
and speed is essential for a service
provider. Our extensive range of implement and highly competent staff enable us
to maintain these standards on behalf of
our customers.” Lang not only does this,
but also puts forward the same arguments
determinedly and accurately when speaking to local authorities in the Upper Palatinate region, businesses with their own
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UNIMOG
JOURNAL
Sales organisation
The ‘Lang fleet’
currently consists of
seven Unimogs (left)
A93
NittenauBrunn
A6
Among the company’s
regular tasks is mowing
in parts of the Bavarian
Woods (right) ...
A3
... but also winter road
services (centre left) ...
Freistaat Thüringen
... or recultivation work
on behalf of local
authorities (bottom left)
Freistaat
Sachsen
Bayreuth
Nürnberg
It’s then we realise that the Unimog is
unbeatable!” Siegfried, her son, agrees,
but his thoughts are already roaming
farther into the future; he is mainly interested in the performance potential of the
new implement-carrier models. “The U
300 to U 500 models could almost have
been made in accordance with our
company’s policy. We need vehicles that
can carry a wide range of attachments and
have provision for changing them over
quickly. If you add modern, high-performance hydraulics, you can see that I have
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open spaces, landscaped areas or parking
lots and local industrial companies.
“We offer a range of complete, all-theyear-round services,” says Margarete
Lang. “The Unimog, with the range of
technical features it possesses, is
immensely important for us, in particular
its high manoeuvrability. When we are
asked to clear the snow away from a shopping centre’s parking lot, this is the ‘moment of truth’ for all concerned: we
have to tackle the job quickly, but without
obstructing the customers in their cars.
Bayerischer
Wald
Regensburg
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every good reason to stay loyal to Unimog
in the future.” And so next winter, a
Unimog U 300 with a Schmidt snowplough and a Gmeiner spreader will be
the latest hard-working member of the
‘Lang fleet’.
Advertisement
Always at maximum
It’s so easy with the CLUTCHMATE
Less strain on the driver, less wear on the machine
TÜV approved
CLUTCHMATE protects man and machine
Have you ever thought about how much strain is put on a Unimog driver’s left knee,
and how often it happens?
Depending on the type of work he might have to press the clutch up to three thousand times
a day.
And because human knees vary in strength and load capacity, serious injuries are always
occurring.
Sometimes it means that a driver is off work for a while, but it could even lead to
permanent incapacity.
Why choose CLUTCHMATE?
• Because it reduces physical strain and protects
knees and backs
• It is quick and easy to fit
• It requires no modifications to existing mechanisms
• It is ideal when stuck in traffic jams and city traffic
• It does not affect the licensing of the vehicle in any way
• It works like a “semi-automatic” transmission
• It has no effect on any mechanical auxiliaries or hydraulics
• It allows drivers to concentrate more on the traffic
• It is ideal for use with implements and attachments
and the job in hand
Supply and installation by Unimog distributors only:
T.C. Systems bv, Schelmseweg 1, 6816 PA Arnhem NL
Tel: +31/2 64 42 23 43 Fax: +31/2 64 45 81 36
• It might even allow a disabled person to be employed
Automatic coupling
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
11
Unimog ‘Added Value Weeks’:
customer proximity and service
Between the beginning of April and the end of June, Unimog
general agents and selected authorised workshops in Germany
will be holding “Unimog Added Value Weeks”. As part of this
special campaign, the owners of Mercedes-Benz Unimogs built
between 1980 and 1998 will be able to have them checked by
the workshop free of charge. We took a closer look at this
campaign and what it involves at a Unimog general agent in
Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia region.
The RKF Fahrzeugtechnik company’s
forecourt in the North German town of
Münster (top picture) is full of life even
early in the morning, and the activity
continues at the same pace throughout
the day. Unimogs of various ages and with
a variety of implements – altogether a
most impressive sight. The green-painted
one belongs to a recycling company, one
finished in orange to the City of Münster,
another is from the fleet operated by the
regional authority in Warendorf. A driver
climbs down from his U 1650, is
welcomed by the workshop foreman and
exclaims, full of enthusiasm: “I was so
pleased when my fleet manager asked me
to bring the Unimog over for a check-up. I
can hardly wait to see the results.”
12
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
Why does the driver attach so much
importance to this check-up at RKF? “I
expect we shall need a new Unimog before
long, because the amount of work we
carry out with the existing ones and the
performance they
have to deliver are
getting harder all
the time.”
This particular
driver watched the
whole inspection
procedure closely
as the Service
specialist from
Gaggenau and a
neutral expert from
the DAT GTÜ (a
technical inspection
After inspecting the
vehicle, the independent expert (left) and
the Service specialist from Gaggenau
(second from left)
hand the test report
over to the customer
A high-spot: testdriving the latest
model(right)
The independent
expert examines the
vehicles very closely
(above)
organisation) went about their work, aided
by mechanics from the authorised workshop and by the driver of the Unimog
himself.The checks are aimed at confirming operating reliability and safety. In this
particular case, what the driver, a practical man, had half-expected came to light:
the Unimog was gradually getting a little
old for the tasks confronting it, so that a
certain amount of technical reconditioning
was unavoidable. In the words of a driver
from a timber dealer: “I just hope that our
company’s bosses are prepared to believe
the test report and act on it, because it
confirms what my colleagues and I have
been telling them for some time!”
What follows is a highlight of at least
one Unimog driver’s visit: a brief test run
at the wheel of the U 300, including an
explanation of the VarioPilot® and various
other innovations. Proudly he sets the
new vehicle in motion, and when the run
is over his enthusiasm knows no boundar-
@
www.mercedes-benz.com/unimog
ies: “I’ve earned my living for many years
as a truck driver, and I reckon I’ve driven
just about every model there is, but this
Unimog is the finest thing I’ve ever come
across in my entire career!”
This customer’s driver is satisfied with
the event and what has resulted from it,
and so is Franz Stecker, General Manager
of the Unimog general agent RKF, which
has premises in Bielefeld and in Münster.
He points out: “This campaign has had a
much greater response and appeals to the
customers far more than any of the previ-
ous measures we have tried.” Stecker sees
the reason for this in the ‘active customer
contact and service’ offered during the
‘Added Value Weeks’. The chief executive
has decided that until the final event has
been held, at Unimog the dealership Wolf
Graf von Bassewitz GmbH’s branch in
Hagelstadt on June 24 - 28, his customers
will be offered a chance to obtain an individual report on vehicles that were not
brought in during the event itself.
◆
Unimog owners who wish to avail
themselves of the free check-up offered as
part of the ‘Unimog Added Value Week’ in
their own region should contact their
Unimog general agent directly or log into
the Internet address www.mercedesbenz.com/unimog for further details or
bookings.
Customers’ vehicles were given an in-depth
check during the Unimog added value week,
including the issue of a written report.
Customers greatly appreciated the benefits
of this service campaign
Advertisement
HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE TECHNOLOGY
FOR THE NEW UNIMOG U 300 / U 400 / U 500
MODEL SERIES
Our range of products for the Unimog:
✻ Universal high pressure cleaning
equipment for front and rear installation
✻ High-pressure surface cleaning
equipment, also combined with front-end
sweepers
✻ High-pressure drain cleaning equipment
for mounting on the platform subframe
✻ Suction and rinsing containers with a
total capacity of up to 7,000 litres
✻ Municipal sludge suction vehicles with a
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✻ Water containers of up to 7,000 l
✻ Special superstructures upon request
(e.g. low pressure equipment, watering
arms, hot water devices)
Joachim Leistikow GmbH
Altkönigstraße 2
D-61138 Niederdorfelden
Tel. (0) 6101 / 5364-0
Fax. (0) 6101 / 33461
Internet: http://www.leistikow-gmbh.de
E-Mail: [email protected]
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
13
Unimog with implement
runs straight and true
The Mercedes-Benz Unimog makes a big contribution to
safety. In winter in particular, the implement carriers and
body-mounted or add-on attachments from UnimogSystem-Partners play an important role. With this in mind,
the Unimog Division teamed up with the Schmidt Winterdienst und Kommunaltechnik GmbH company and the
Sachsenring Road Safety Centre for a symposium, held at
the Sachsenring racing circuit from March 12 - 14.
Heavy falls of snow during the night,
innumerable clearing squads at work and
chaotic driving conditions where the
roads were still extremely slippery. Last
winter showed once again how important
it is for public authorities to have access
to an effective fleet of road maintenance
vehicles. Some 300 decision-makers from
Federal and State authorities and road
works departments, and even delegations
from the Czech Republic and Poland,
accepted the invitation to Saxony. The
series of one-day events entitled “Increasing Road Safety in Winter Operation” was
a combination of lectures by experts on
“The Road Safety of Working Vehicles”,
Scope for and Limitations of Volume
Control in Spreading” and “The Effect of
Spreading Salt in Solid or Dissolved Form”.
14
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
There were also several demonstrations
on the racing circuit, which is used during
the season for the German Touring Car
Masters series of races. At 50 km/h and
with a gross weight of 15 t, equivalent to
the load with a full salt spreader, the
driver of a U 500 demonstrated the
vehicle’s braking performance on a wet
road surface, first without and then with
the anti-lock braking system (ABS). The
experts were able to see how the Unimog
began to skid, but with ABS was brought
to a standstill after only a few metres and
without departing from the driver’s chosen
line. The next exercise: swerving to avoid
an obstacle. The explainers pointed out
the U 500’s excellent stability, which
enables it to be steered round a hazard
without braking despite the shift in axle
loads.
On the area behind the pit lane, sales
staff from the Schmidt company demonstrated various methods of spreading material on to the roads, including the “Combi
Solid”, a combined automatic spraying
and spreading device.
The symposium provided a platform for
new implement developments to be
presented and their practical benefits and
market acceptance to be discussed with
the experts. For example, a “ThermoLogic”
unit installed on an Unimog U 400 uses a
sensor to measure the road surface continuously in winter. From the surface temperature and water film thickness it decides
precisely how much material to deliver to
the spreader. This greatly reduces the
driver’s workload, cuts material consumption and protects the environment.
Another sample innovation is the “TrackJet”, an attachment that improves the
adhesion of the road surface. Its precision
water jets restore the original condition of
the surface by removing deposits of
foreign matter, for instance tyre rubber.
The event was an excellent opportunity
to present the complete “Unimog plus
implement” system convincingly to a large
number of potential customers and to
discuss mutual efforts to increase road
safety. Participants left the symposium
with a great deal of fresh knowledge and
possibly also with the feeling that as
expert users of these implements, they
are themselves ‘part of the Unimog
system’.
Explainers demonstrate the dynamic stability of the U 500, which can be steered
around an obstacle without braking (top)
Experts from Federal and State authorities
discussed the benefits of various spreading
methods and watched a precision water jet
system being demonstrated (below)
Sales organisation
The spring is the ideal time to subject Unimogs, that have worked hard all
winter, to a thorough inspection and to perform any urgent repairs before the
summer season starts.
Fit for the summer after tough winter duties?
We have some interesting offers for you
at attractive prices. For example, your
Unimog dealer will renew the exhaust
system or the clutch, retrofit equipment or
make sure that the hard work the Unimog
performed in the winter months has left no
lasting evidence of damage.
from you, can provide competent advice
on all matters concerning your Unimog.
And should you need assistance when
everyone else is fast asleep: this too is no
great problem for us, because your
Unimog general agent’s “Unimog First
Aid Service” stays wide awake 365 days a
year. There you can also obtain advice on
practical accessories and other services for
your Unimog.
“Maintenance of value for a longer
working life”, is the essential factor in the
“Unimog Care Insurance”. Rust stands no
chance against the two-coat protection
that we apply for optimum corrosion proofing and undersealing. We also offer you
the best possible means of looking after
your vehicle in the form of
Mercedes-Benz Care Products. All of
these products exhibit the familiar high
standard to which Mercedes-Benz original
parts and products are made.
Sooner or later it may be necessary to
renew certain items on the vehicle. In this
case, consult your Unimog dealer, who
will recommend the best procedure. For
instance, a clutch or exhaust system can
now be exchanged at an attractive all-in
price. You can be sure of being quoted a
keen price with no hidden costs.
The “Unimog Super-Save Menues”
naturally include far more items as well as
the exchange clutches and exhaust
systems. Have you ever considered retrofitting an air-sprung seat, for example, or
would your vehicle benefit from an
exhaust system with high-level
discharge? How about adding a clutch
actuating servo? Extra comfort need not
be expensive: these retrofit packages are
also available on excellent financial terms.
Profit from their excellent value for
money and from competent advice and
our high standard of quality. Remember,
too, that original Mercedes-Benz parts
must be in the easily identified original
packaging.
General care of the vehicle, an
exchange clutch or exhaust system: whatever you need, the Unimog dealer, not far
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
15
Unimog firefighting tankers and Mercedes-Benz trucks
delivered for forest firefighting in Spain
For the Spanish fire services, forest fires are right at the
top of the list of hazards with which they have to cope. For
this reason the Madrid and Castilla y Léon autonomous
regions have invested considerable sums on modernising
their vehicle fleets to the latest technical standards.
This delivery of firefighting vehicles to
Spain is of considerable size: 40 Unimogs,
38 Atego and Actros trucks. The orders
were received from the Spanish Environment Ministry in Madrid and the autonomous region of Castilla y Léon, with its
capital Valladolid in which the writer
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (“Don
Quijote”) once lived and where Christopher Columbus died.
Most of the new vehicles are being
supplied to the Madrid region: 48 units in
all, comprising 20 Unimog U 2150 L/38
and 28 Atego and Actros – with tanks and
ladders supplied by the Spanish subsidiary of the Austrian supplier Rosenbauer.
Together with the rescue vehicles, a very
considerable new fleet has been established. Some of the vehicles have satellite
navigation and telephone equipment.
Every four years, according to the contract
signed with DaimlerChrysler, further additions are to be made. The Spanish Minister for the Environment, Pedro Calvo,
speaking at the official handing-over ceremony at the Mercedes-Benz branch in
Madrid, emphasised: “For us as a government it is important for all the risks inherent in a society undergoing constant
industrial and technological change to be
overcome reliably with the aid of the very
latest equipment.”
The 30 vehicles for Castilla y Léon
(20 Unimog U 400s, two Actros amd eight
Atego trucks) have almost identical equipment and bodywork and will also be used
to fight forest fires.
The orange U 400s (top of page) will be
used for forest firefighting by the fire
service in the autonomous region of Castilla
y Léon. Each is equipped with a 3,000-litre
water tank. Mercedes-Benz Atego trucks
were also part of this order
The red Unimog U 2150 L/38 vehicles for
the Madrid autonomous region all have a
crew-cab and a 3,000-litre water tank. It
was a great day for the “Bomberos” when
these Unimog, Atego and Actros vehicles
were formally handed over in Spain’s capital
city (left and above)
16
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
Sales organisation
Belgium relies on Unimog for firefighting
In Belgium too, new steps
are being taken to combat
forest fires. The Ministry of
the Interior in this Benelux
country ordered fire
engines, which have now
been delivered, for a total
of eight cities from Unimog
general agent.
These Unimogs are Type U 2450 L/38
firefighting versions with superstructures
supplied by the Belgian company Vanassche in Harelbeke. All of them are
equipped with a 4,000-litre water tank, a
Ziegler pump, spray arms and a protective
cage for the cab. In addition, Unimog
Unimog-System-Partner Werner in Trier
supplied “Spulmat L50S H1HW” winches for
use at the front or rear of the vehicle.
The new vehicles are being allocated to
the towns of Aarschot, Couvin, Dinant,
Gedinnes, Leuven,
Rochefort and Verviers.
This purchase is significant proof that the risk
of forest fires is increasing and is now
being taken very
seriously in other countries as well as those in
Southern Europe.
An impressive line-up: eight Unimog
U 2450 L/38 vehicles for firefighting
work in Belgium
During trials these firefighting
vehicles, which weigh 14 tonnes and
have a 240-bhp engine, demonstrated their hill-climbing abilities
Advertisement
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
17
Unimog International
A Unimog U 400 with
Hymach crash-barrier
and McConnell verge
mowers
A song for some, hard work for others
The international pop music star Tom Jones,
who comes from Wales, once made the
song “Green, green grass of home“ into a
worldwide hit. The subject of this song
We don’t know if David Lloyd Jones and
his team sing at work, but we do know
that they operate one of the most modern
crash-barrier mowers in the world,
mounted on and driven by a Unimog
means hard work for fellow-Welshman
David Lloyd Jones, who performs mowing
work on behalf of the roads departments,
using the most modern implements.
U 400. This combined unit is made up of
an Italian-built Hymach crash-barrier
mower and the McConnell road-verge
mower, which has an outreach of approximately 7 metres. Together they constitute
Advertisement
Excavator Attachments
Type M 215
Tel. 08331/9487-0 Fax -40 Industriestr. 6 87734 Benningen www.ematec.de
18
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
a perfect outfit for road maintenance and
verge clearing, including the difficult task
of mowing between the crash barrier
posts. They cut the time involved considerably, thus not only saving money but
reducing traffic hold-ups as well.
With its special-purpose mowers the
Unimog can cover a four-kilometre stretch
of road every hour“, says David Lloyd
Jones proudly. His investment in this vehicle and its implements has paid off in the
form of contracts with various local
authorities in North and Central Wales.
This reveals another advantage of the
Unimog: with a top speed of up to
85 km/h it can easily be driven from one
working point to another as much as
150 kilometres away.
The work is something of a challenge:
“We have undertaken to maintain 21,000
kilometres of road verge on the island of
Angelsey and in the Conway and
Dwynedd areas,” says Lloyd Jones. But he
is confident that with the aid of his
Mercedes-Benz Unimog even this volume
of work can be undertaken successfully.
The English building company EJK run
by Eddy Koracevic specialises in converting farm buildings and barns into luxury
residences and offices. Arthur Ibbetts, the
Mercedes-Benz Unimog dealer in Huntingdon, has supplied the company with a Unimog U 400. For Koracevic, this is the ideal
equipment carrier for taking supplies and
materials to sites that are often difficult to
The Unimog U 400 operated by the EJK building company in Milton Keynes
The off-road construction-site specialist
reach with a conventional vehicle. Furthermore, the Unimog with its top speed of
up to 85 km/h can be moved rapidly between sites that are often a considerable
distance apart. Another useful feature is
its high pulling power, even when operating on difficult terrain.
Eddy Koracevic is full of enthusiasm: “I
always wanted to own a Unimog! It’s the
Rolls-Royce among the all-terrain vehicles.
And the new U 400 has everything you
could wish for, including air conditioning,
the latest electronics and a very practical,
light-action gear shift. It’s an immense
step forward!”
His own U 400 has been equipped with
a dropside body and can carry a payload
of almost two tonnes. It has a Europeanstandard tow hitch and is designed to pull
a 10-t tipping swan-neck trailer purchased
from the army and now used to carry excavators and other construction machinery. This Unimog has special air brakes
that are connected to those on the trailer.
For Mark Hopkins, the Sales Manager
of Unimog UK, the U 400 is an ideal vehicle for the construction industry, particularly if the site is difficult to reach across
rough terrain. This can often be the case,
for instance over reclaimed flood areas,
fields and farmland with marshy patches
that severely hamper the pulling power of
conventional vehicles.
Advertisement
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
19
Unimog International
Successful presentation in Slovenia
About 300 guests from Eastern
European countries accepted an
invitation from the AC-Intercar,
Schmidt International, AS Söder
and DaimlerChrysler companies to
attend a joint product presentation
on March 12 - 13 in the Slovenian
winter sport centres of Kranjska
Gora and Planica. Altogether, eight
Unimog implement carriers were
demonstrated. The highlight was
the demonstration of the U 500
with Schmidt snow tiller, against a
background formed by the worldfamous ski jump in Planica. AC-Intercar, the Unimog- importer for
Slovenia, is also celebrating its
50th anniversary this year.
No problems on the ski slopes
CairnGorm, Scotland, has
plenty of snow. To ensure
safe access by winter sport
enthusiasts, an U 300 with
complete SWK winter
implement is in use (photo).
Since last winter this combination of
Unimog and Schmidt-Gerätetechnik implement has provided reliable access to the
skiing area and the big parking lot at the
new funicular once visitors have left the
public roads near Aviemore.
The Unimog U 300 is equipped with a
Stratos salt spreader and a Schmidt MF
snowplough. According to Tom Moody of
the CairnGorm Mountain Lift company,
the Unimog has a major advantage compared with earlier vehicles equipped to
clear the snow: “The electronics and the
digital displays are extremely convenient
when operating the snowplough and the
spreader. You can obtain all the functions
by moving a single lever and pressing the
appropriate buttons. We bought this U 300
from the dealer George Sellars & Son in
Huntly, Aberdeenshire, and it’s proving to
be ideal in what are often very difficult
road conditions.”
20
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
The Unimog has proved to be an
invaluable asset for Great Britain’s first
high-speed cable car system, which went
into operation recently in the CairnGorm
mountain region. The cable cars run from
the parking lot at the Coire-Cas valley station, which is 610 metres above sea level,
to the visitors’ and skiing centre at a
height of about 1,100 metres, just 122 metres below the CairnGorm summit. They
can carry up to 1,200 people an hour.
Lithuanian Army
chooses Unimog
The Lithuanian Republic, which has for
some years been a member of the NATO
initiative “Partnership for Peace” and is
among the nations applying for NATO
membership, has decided to build up a
fleet of Unimogs for military use. After
successful local trials the Unimog was
judged superior to all other contenders.
An order has been placed for 62 Unimog U 1550 L and 31 Unimog U 2150 L 38
vehicles to carry both personnel and materials. They will also operate ‘out of area’,
for example in Kosovo. Delivery will take
place in June this year.
This U 300 with snowplough and salt spreader helps winter sport
enthusiasts to reach
Great Britain’s numberone skiing area in the
Cairngorms safely
From the Black Forest to the Salt Flats
Forty silver-painted
DaimlerChrysler products,
including the world’s most
versatile vehicle, the Unimog, thunder across the
Bonneville Salt Flats over
the dried-out Great Salt
Desert in Utah, USA. The
scene is captured on film
by Roland Emmerich the star
German director working in
Hollywood, for the DaimlerChrysler advertising spot
“Infinite Possibilities”.
To transfer all these vehicles to the USA,
the choice fell on the four-engined Antonov
An-124 freight aircraft. This giant from
Cargoliner Volga-Dnepr in Kiev has a load
capacity of 150 t, a load area 36.5 m long,
6.4 m wide and 4.4 m high; it flew the Unimog, Actros with Kögel semi-trailer, Atego,
Setra coach, Mercedes-Benz buses and cars
all the way from Germany to Utah.
Apart from organising transport for the
wheeled film stars, suitable drivers also had
to be engaged. Roland Emmerich his
cameraman John Toll, winner of two Oscars,
decided to entrust the task to film-industry
stuntmen. This was because absolute professionals were needed to complete the
shooting within the four-day limit. And so
stuntmen from Los Angeles, wearing headsets to keep them in touch with the film
director, found themselves on the Bonneville Salt Flats at the wheel of what for
many of them were highly unusual vehicles
for demonstrating their skills. After lining
up in a double row, the individual vehicles
then drove towards each other and ended up
by forming an ‘infinity’ symbol, a horizontal
figure-of-eight representing the “Infinite
Possibilities” of products from the DaimlerChrysler Group.
For almost a century now, the Bonneville
Flats have been a sought-after venue for
motor-vehicle record attempts and races. As
long ago as 1914 a ‘Blitzen Benz’ set up a
world speed record of 229.76 km/h here.
Even quite early in the morning, temperatures rise to more than 40 degrees Centigrade in the shade and the white salt surface reflects the sun so strongly that people
tend to get sunburned on parts of the body
that would normally seem impossible.
Director Roland Emmerich (wearing sunglasses, with cameraman John Toll behind
him in a straw hat) planning the position to
be taken by the Unimog in the cavalcade of
forty DaimlerChrysler vehicles (above left)
The armada in perfect formation on the way
to the location (above)
Preparing for filming: the stuntmen are told
which vehicles they will be driving (left)
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
21
U·N·I·S
Land of the rising sun
More flexible, more economical
Unimog general agent Ahlborn GmbH
in Hildesheim has supplied a Unimog
U 1600 to its customer Betonkies
Gröningen with road-rail equipment, a
powerful rail wagon brake system, an automatic coupling bar and radio remote
control. The vehicle has now been in operation for about a year and confirms the
wisdom of the decision to change from a
German Rail shunting locomotive to use of
the Unimog.
The Unimog is definitely more economical: it is railed within a minute on a special recessed section of track and couples
to the freight cars needing to be moved.
The operator can then position them metre by metre until the complete set of cars
has been loaded or filled. There is simply
no more flexible and cost-effective alternative to this logistic principle using the Mercedes-Benz Unimog. The customer,
Betonkies Gröningen, can now respond
faster to requests from its construction-industry customers throughout Germany.In
addition, maintenance and preparatory
work is cut to a minimum compared with
the use of a conventional locomotive.
Love for detail
Driving through mud, deep sand, ice and snow, on steep
gradients or when fording rivers or other waterways: in such
extreme situations the Unimog demonstrates to users all over
the world just what it can do when the need arises. Gisbert
Hindennach (54) has written in detail and with affection about
this amazing all-rounder. For many years he studied the
Unimog on a variety of off-road duties, and has now recorded
his experiences and conclusions in a book “Der Unimog im
Gelände” (“The Unimog Off-road”).
A mechanical engineer from Freudenstadt in Germany’s Black Forest area, his 144-page
book describes the various Unimog chassis versions in exceptional detail, explains the
overall vehicle concept, looks back at the early days of this ‘universal motor vehicle’ and
also introduces the reader to the new U 300, U 400 and U 500 implement carrier generation.
The author’s descriptions of the special features of these vehicles and their individual
components when used for heavy all-terrain work is extremely informative. The book
contains more than 300 colour pictures as well as numerous detailed drawings and
sketches to explain specific technical features. “Der Unimog im Gelände” (German ISBN
3-00-002721-1) is published by the author and can be ordered direct from him by calling
+49 (0) 74 41/9115-0 or by sending a fax to (+49) 74 41/9115-19. The price is 30 Euro
per copy.
22
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
The 2002 PIARC, the eleventh international Winter Services Congress, was
held at the end of January in the Japanese
winter sport mecca of Sapporo, the first
occasion on which it had taken place in
Asia. The expert visitors mainly consisted
of representatives from agriculture, infrastructure and transport ministries, other
state bodies, local authorities and construction companies.
This well-informed forum provided an
excellent opportunity to examine exhibits
and see video films on the Mercedes-Benz
Unimog, Schmidt International’s snow
clearing equipment and the “Rotogrip”
automatic snow chains from RUD.
The exhibition stand was organised by
the Unimog general agent for Japan, Western Corporation of Tokyo. All the participating companies confirmed after the
four-day event that visitors’ interest was
extremely high and that further enquiries
are expected to materialise. A particular
benefit of the exhibition was that it enabled links between European manufacturers and potential customers in Japan to
be strengthened still further. PIARC 2002
was therefore an encouraging sign that
business in Japan is progressing well.
S·C·O·P
Ideal for the island
The island of Mont Saint Michel (far
right, with its monastery that is now more
than a thousand years old) is situated at
the bay of the same name in the English
Channel. It is increasingly being threatened by the build-up of sea sand and silt.
The UNESCO, the French government, the
Regional Councils of Normandy and the
Manche now intend to initiate a project to
save the island and preserve its character
as a world cultural heritage. The causeway
currently linking the island to the mainland would be removed and a shuttle service provided in its place. This would
eliminate all vehicles from the island, but
tourists would still be able to reach it at
ebb tide by way of a small causeway constructed of piled-up earth.
Although eliminating cars from such a
historic, architecturally fascinating centre
is tempting, it will lead to various problems. The supply of necessities to this
popular tourist destination in north-west
France must somehow be safeguarded. For
this reason, the planning staff in the Civil
Security Directorate last summer requested DaimlerChrysler France to supply
a Unimog for trials. The Unimog U 2150
L/38 (top centre) was specially prepared
in Gaggenau for the task awaiting it.
When it was demonstrated and rescue
tests carried out, it easily surpassed all
the expectations of the French authorities
and local politicians. Even in water 1.20
metres deep, the Unimog forged ahead
without difficulty through the waves and
over the soft sea bed.
Advertisement
In Sapporo, the
former Japanese
Winter Olympics
venue, the Unimog
Division joined
forces with its
implement partners
Schmidt International and RUD to hold
a presentation of
winter service
implements
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
23