18 unimog - Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
Guests came from all over Italy
Premium Product for Mining
1/2000
Premiere at Group Headquarters
Mainz
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Premiere ent Carriers
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UNIMOG HOMEPAGE:
www.mercedes-benz.com/d/ecars/unimog/default.htm
Editorial
A new chapter in Unimog’s history
3
The cover photographs
The new Unimog generation
The Unimog concept re-defined
4
Admiration from all sides
5
Presentation at the European specialist symposium
6-7
Sales organisation
As good as new – or a wonderful “comeback”
8-9
Flowers in bloom again after mining
10-11
A well-maintained fleet
12-13
The clouds stood no
chance as the sun broke
through, providing the
right atmosphere for the
presentation of the U 300
and U 400 models in Italy
Premiere at the Group’s
headquarters: The main
DaimlerChrysler
administration building in
Stuttgart-Möhringen is a
location where the Unimog,
although a Mercedes-Benz
product, is only rarely
seen. For the presentation
of the new Unimog U 300/
U 400 to the European specialised press, however, the
attractive main administration building provided an
impressive backdrop
Unimog International
“Specialists” in Spain
Guests came from all over Italy
14-16
17
UNISCOPE
Rescuers on tour
18
A cyclist for the future
18
Worth seeing again and again
18
Austrian premiere
18
Partnership
19
Swiss species
19
P U B L I S H E R ’ S
I M P R I N T
Publisher:
DaimlerChrysler AG, Unimog Division
Publisher’s responsibility:
Dieter Sellnau, Unimog Division
Coordination:
Martin Adam, Unimog Division
Editorial committee:
Martin Adam, Erwin Kirschner,
Dieter Mutard, Karin Weidenbacher
Premium product
for mining: the
Unimog from
Gaggenau is in demand wherever
the brown coal
flags fly and
gigantic bucket
excavators mine
coal by open-cast
methods
Contributors to this issue:
Texts: Michael Brettnacher, Stefan Loeffler,
Dieter Mutard, Angelika Ruoff
Photos: DWM Pressebüro und Verlag
Unimog Division
Editorial office address:
DaimlerChrysler AG, Produktbereich Unimog,
Vertrieb Marketing, 76568 Gaggenau, Germany
Production:
Dieter Mutard DWM Pressebüro und Verlag,
Ringstrasse 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
Phone +49 7 31/9 62 89-0, Fax +49 731/9 62 89-30
The next issue will be published in the fall of 2000.
The publisher assumes no responsibility for voluntarily
submitted texts and photographs.
Printed on paper bleached without the use of chlorine.
Printed in the Federal Republic of Germany
Company stamp
Editorial
A new chapter
in Unimog’s history
Dear friends of Unimog, in this issue of
UNIMOG JOURNAL I am particularly
pleased to be able to present our new
Unimog generation to you.
With this Unimog generation we are
beginning a new chapter in more than fifty
successful years of the Unimog (a German
acronym for Universal Motor Appliance ).
More than perhaps any other commercial
vehicle built by our Group, the Unimog
symbolizes the virtues of the MercedesBenz brand: reliability, strength, longevity
and diversity. You can be sure that what
was true yesterday remains true today and
will continue to hold good in the future!
We have re-interpreted the Unimog
concept at the beginning of the new millennium. Its design has now been revised
for the fourth time. Why this re-interpretation, you may ask: in fact it reflects our
desire to design the Unimog, this versatile
equipment carrier, to meet our customers
requirements as closely as possible. This
new multiple talent on the equipment
operating sector satisfies all the demands
we face on the market today and that have
naturally changed in recent years. Furthermore, it still has the best off-road capabilities of all equipment-carrier vehicles.
The new model series are all-round solutions for the most varied employment
conditions in winter and summer alike,
for public authorities, private companies,
the construction and energy industries
and agriculture. In a so far unique partnership with certified equipment manufacturers, we offer highly specialised and focused
solutions for just about every task. The interfaces on the vehicle make it possible to
continue using older Unimog attachments.
We had the driver specifically in mind
when designing our new vehicle. The
new Unimog is safer and more convenient
to drive. For those who use it every day,
work is made easier by the comprehensive
standard equipment specification, consisting of air conditioning, EPS, ABS, permanent four-wheel drive and other technical innovations such as the VarioPilot
person operating system. The completely
re-designed driver s cabin is now even
more spacious, with better visibility.
On a regional tour of Germany we
recently introduced the new Unimog
generation to customers, business associates and the specialised press. The heavy
series 500 which will be launched in February 2001 will be presented for the first
Dr. Klaus Maier
time at the German IAA Commercial
Vehicle Show in Frankfurt in September.
The widespread response and the overwhelmingly positive feedback we have
received so far confirm our belief that we
are on the right path to maintain and
develop our leading position on the European equipment carrier market with the
new Unimog.
Come with us on this successful
journey and join me in looking forward to
a continuation of the Unimog legend!
Dr. Klaus Maier,
Head of the Mercedes-Benz truck division
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
3
‘Telligent’ gearshift system – The driver can
locate the broad knob of the new gear lever
without being distracted from the task in
hand. The Telligent gearshift system prevents shifting errors: computer-controlled
electronics calculate and preselect the
starting and subsequent gears
The Unimog concept re-defined
Cabin comfort – The spacious, ergonomically
designed driver’s cabin with its non-glare
instruments is impressive. The vehicle and
equipment controls are arranged according
to frequency of use on middle console
VarioPilot – TheVarioPilot changeover
steering is designed for operating comfort
and a one-person working situation. The
steering wheel, instruments and pedals can
be transferred from one side to the other
in a matter of seconds
Joystick – the power hydraulic system and
the Vario Power hydraulic system are controlled conveniently by a removable joystick
which can also be used as a remote control
After nearly five decades of unique success for this
specialised off-road “Universal Motor Appliance” on global
markets, Mercedes-Benz has now re-defined the idea
behind the Unimog.
In the long period since 1951 in which
more than 320,000 Unimogs were sold
and during which market structures have
changed profoundly as well, designing a
fully system-based equipment carrier
became a necessity. Dr. Klaus Maier, Head
of the world-wide Mercedes-Benz truck
division and therefore responsible for the
Unimog, stressed the term future capability during presentation of the new Unimog
model generation. Future capability also
New U 300/U 400 features:
3 + ➃ additional installation
space in the front between
the axles, at the rear,
on the platform, on ball
points, frames and
between the driver’s cabin
and the platform
means that the Unimog product area has to
adapt to today‘ s level of business and product innovation. The successful result is the
new, highly versatile equipment carrier
presented to interested guests in Stuttgart
and Mainz during March and on the regional tour in May. Its economical system
solutions for equipment operation and
its driving comfort will make it hard for
competitors from the system tractor and
equipment carrier truck segments to rival
the new Unimog U 300/U 400 in combined
equipment operation and slow-speed travel
characteristics, for example.
The new Unimog generation
Sales Manager Winfried Blum (right) was
very much in demand as a conversation
partner (above, centre)
From left to right: Hans-Jürgen Wischhof,
Head of the Unimog Product Division,
Dr. Klaus Maier, Head of the Mercedes-Benz
Truck Division and Sales Manager Winfried
Blum during the conference for the specialised press (above, right)
The new Unimog appears
relatively small in front of
DaimlerChrysler’s administrative headquarters in
Stuttgart-Möhringen.
As a powerful system
equipment carrier, however,
the new Unimog generation
vehicle is greater than ever
before.
hile Dr. Klaus Maier, Head of the
Mercedes-Benz truck division,
and Hans-Jürgen Wischhof,
Head of the Unimog division, present the
new Unimog U 300 and U 400 to European
journalists in the Forum , a model of the
new series stands in the sunlight in front
of the Stuttgart headquarters of the group
of companies.
The big star turns constantly on top of
the main building on 13 March. This is
something the new, white Unimog 400
cannot do but it is nevertheless appreciated from all sides: So this is how it looks
like, is a sentence you hear often when
employees and visitors walk across the
square and around the new Unimog model
with curiosity.
Some 120 journalists are seeing this
modern vehicle for the first time today.
But not only that: with the presentation of
the U 300 /U 400, an entirely new era has
begun. In the words of Dr. Klaus Maier:
We have re-defined the Unimog philosophy
W
Erich Rid, Unimog Product Manager, explains the transmission of the new models
Admired from all sides
because despite the vehicle s unchanging
fascination, the Unimog market structure
has changed. Realising the new concept
has been the task of the developers in
Gaggenau for the past three and a half
years.
After explanatory remarks from Dr.
Klaus Maier and Hans-Jürgen Wischhof,
the specialised journalists rushed to the
terrace of the Forum to take pictures of
the Unimog with its equipment from
every perspective.
Some of them got into
the driver s cabin,
finished in gentian
blue, for a closer look
at the VarioPilot
changeover steering.
Shortly before this,
the Head of the
Unimog Division had
drawn attention to an
important cornerstone
of the Unimog system,
the basic version of
which is equipped
with ABS, EPS, an
engine in accordance
with the Euro 3
standard and air conditioning and has an
increased payload: Its value for money
corresponds to the market situation and
applies not only to the equipment carrier
itself but to the entire system. With the
Unimog equipment system partnership ,
a new quality was introduced in cooperation with leading equipment manufacturers
in Germany and abroad: the vehicle and
the equipment were and will continue to
be developed and tested jointly.
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
5
After the experts’ symposium, an impressive show with dancers from the State Ballet
in Mainz was staged to introduce the new Unimog.
At the end, these three models emerged from the dry-ice fog on stage. Sales Manager
Winfried Blum introduced the artists and their “works of art”
Presentation at the European experts’ symposium
Presentation of the new
Unimog model series and
equipment systems to
customers and world-wide
sales staff took place in
Mainz, Germany. During a
European experts’ symposium, interesting ways of
optimising quality management and vehicle operation
in road maintenance work
were demonstrated. More
than 500 experts from the
road maintenance and
service areas attended this
event.
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UNIMOG
JOURNAL
n connection with the presentation
and market launch of the new Unimog
models, Durth Roos Consulting GmbH
conducted a European experts symposium on New Scope for Road Maintenance Services . Durth Roos Consulting is
an internationally active engineering company specialising in planning and consulting services in the traffic planning, road
design, road operation, project management
and road construction areas. Its experts —
the company is owned by professors from
several technical universities — develop
EDP solutions for waste disposal planning,
road cleaning and winter services.
I
More than 500 expert participants
from all over Europe confirmed that for
public authorities, municipalities and
road construction administrations, economic aspects and well-founded quality
management are focal points today when
planning and executing municipal tasks.
The topic of the symposium and the
speakers papers, among them a representative from the Swedish road construction
administration, proved that communal
services can be optimised despite the difficult public budget situation so that users
are satisfied, notably traffic participants,
tax payers, local organizations and residents. According to
the speakers, improving the quality of
road maintenance and
operating services
is a precondition for
appropriate travel
standards and road
safety, with minimum
harm for the environment and economical
budget spending.
The new Unimog
model series and their
equipment systems
were cited as decisive
New Unimog-Generation
and calculable elements in such optimising
processes.
According to Durth Roos Consulting,
this is why the product range is a decisive
factor when a vehicle is purchased. The
main aspects here are:
• Can one operate at high capacity with
this system combination of vehicle and
equipment?
• How much effort is required when
exchanging equipment?
• Are the vehicle and the equipment
available from a single source?
• Are the vehicle and the equipment well
matched ?
• Are support and after-sales service
coordinated and customers looked after
well?
Equipment carrier concept highlights
The new Unimog model series meets
all these more demanding technical
requirements. The highlights of the equipment carrier concept include its compact
dimensions, the short hood concept, the redesigned driver s cabin made of compound
fibre material (FVW) and the excellent field
of vision for the driver and passenger.
Other advantages are the increased
transport capacity with four attachment and
superstructure areas for equipment, a
choice of engines in accordance with the
Euro 3 standard, the high-performance
Hans-Jürgen Wischhof, Head of the Unimog
division (left) and Prof. Dr. Ralf Roos during
the opening ceremony of the symposium,
which was well received by the participants
Top left: Winfried Blum
presents three vehicles from the new series
after the premiere show
VarioPower hydraulic system and the
VarioPilot changeover steering. The VarioPilot is a decisive advantage, particularly
in low budget periods, as 75 percent of all
Unimog are used all the year round with
different attachments and superstructures.
Operation of the vehicle and the equipment
by one person is becoming more and more
important for budget reasons.
Another speaker at the symposium
investigated requirements for economical
vehicle and equipment operation. As far as
vehicle operation costs are concerned,
he concluded that the degree to which the
capacity of the vehicle and machine is
used is the decisive calculation factor. A
higher purchase price with low operating
costs yields a more positive result than
low purchase costs which then lead to
higher operating costs due to poorer quality. Decisive factors for savings on the
equipment side are the high residual value
of the vehicle, low maintenance and
repair costs, operation of the equipment by
one person and the power hydraulics.
The Unimog equipment system
partnership launched with the new model
series is therefore of profound importance
for customers and users as far as technical
preconditions and business targets are
concerned. The result of this intensive collaboration with twenty equipment manufacturers is a significant increase in the
value for money for the entire equipment
carrier — vehicle and attachments.
Genuine exchange
engines available at low
prices and short notice
As good as new or an “impressive comeback”
Modern vehicles such as the Unimog
have a long life. The engine has been
designed for low wear and infrequent
maintenance, so it will rarely have to be
replaced or repaired. Even the best engine,
however, will reach the end of its working
life at some point, even if the overall
condition of the vehicle is still quite good.
This is the moment when the Unimog
celebrates its second life and is restored
to health for the next hard tasks with a
genuine Mercedes-Benz exchange engine
— the best and most economical solution.
The term exchange engine tends to be
associated with mediocre quality, which is
not justified since exchange engines are as
good as new as far as their quality and
potential working life are concerned; they
allow a Unimog to enjoy an impressive
comeback after they have been installed.
Mercedes-Benz exchange engines have
been available for many years with the
same warranties as new engines. At the
DaimlerChrysler factory in Mannheim,
commercial vehicle engines from the 300
and 400 model series and also the 500 and
900 series are restored. All engines are
treated with special care and experienced
and qualified staff reconditions them
thoroughly.
The first step is a comprehensive visual
check of the delivered engine which must
not have suffered accident, fire or severe
8
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
mechanical damage. Residual fluids are
drained out and disposed of in an environmentally acceptable way. As with all
Mercedes-Benz products, environmental
protection is an important factor when
disassembling engines. The engine is
cleaned thoroughly and stripped down
into its individual components. Worn parts
are discarded and components that can be
re-used are selected for reconditioning.
Every single part is checked carefully,
down to the smallest bolt or nut. Crankshafts can be inspected under ultra-violet
light in such detail, for example, that even
the smallest hairline cracks are visible.
Cylinder heads are milled flat and combustion chambers remachined. All relevant
parts are checked and restored in accordance with the same quality standards
used in series or new parts production.
The exchange process saves valuable raw
materials and energy that would otherwise have to be devoted to the production
of new parts.
Parts subject to normal wear such as
bearing shells, pistons, cylinder liners,
seals or V-belts are always replaced by
new Mercedes-Benz parts. All auxiliaries
such as the water pump or the generator
are also reconditioned. The engines are
re-assembled by methods similar to those
used during the manufacture of new engines. Absolute precision is essential on
the conveyor belt. Every exchange engine
is checked on the dynamometer, with a
special test programme for every engine.
This procedure involves a lot of effort,
but it guarantees that the customer receives a state-of-the-art exchange engine.
Customers benefit from the rapid avail-
ability of the engines after reconditioning,
and their prices are clearly defined.
Guaranteed performance and environmental protection
All parts and auxiliaries are restored
in everydetail or replaced by new parts.
Every engine is put through the same tests
as a new engine. Every exchange item
has the same warranty as a new one and
is built to the latest state-of-the-art engineering standards. A Mercedes-Benz exchange engine is the optimum basis for
maintaining the economy and enhancing
the value of your Unimog.
The advantages at a glance:
• engines available at short notice
• inexpensive replacement parts
• quality identical to that of new parts
• same warranty as for original parts
• state-of-the-art technical standards
• clearly-defined, fixed prices
Sales organisation
More genuine Mercedes-Benz exchange
parts:
Apart from replacement engines, the
engine factory in Mannheim produces various other genuine exchange parts. Cylinder heads, injection pumps and flywheels
for Unimog engines, for instance, have
become available recently. The prices for
genuine exchange flywheels and cylinder
heads are fixed. They are up to 60 per
cent less expensive than new parts if an
acceptable old part is returned. The Unimog
can now be repaired more inexpensively
or, to put it another way, to a standard that
suits the vehicle s remaining value better
— with the same quality
and a one-year warranty.
Next question:
where would a newly
installed MercedesBenz exchange engine
be without an efficient
cooling system? The
radiators are subject to
severe loads during
hard winter operation
or, for example, during
the mowing season.
Mercedes-Benz has
reduced the prices for
genuine Unimog radiators so that customers
are not tempted into
false economies. A
genuine Mercedes-Benz
radiator helps to guarantee further successful years of operation
for the Unimog. If you have any further
questions about the engine exchange programme, genuine replacement parts or
low-priced radiators, please contact your
Unimog dealer.
Engines are restored according to the same
quality standards and test criteria as series
production units (top)
A much sought-after and inexpensive replacement part is the Unimog radiator (left)
Advertisement
HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE TECHNOLOGY
FOR THE NEW UNIMOG U 300 / U 400
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
total capacity of up to 8,000 litres
✻ 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
61138 Niederdorfelden, Germany
Phone +49 6101 / 5364-0
Fax +49 6101 / 33461
Internet: http://www.leistikow-gmbh.de
E-Mail: Vertrieb@leistikow-gmbh.de
❶
Flowers bloom again after mining
Romonta GmbH in Amsdorf near Halle/Saale (Saxony-Anhalt) is one of
Germany’s most modern basic-material companies. It has purchased six Unimogs
so far as open-cast lignite mining has progressed.
ransferring lignite transport from
rails to conveyor belts in the entire
mining area has called for renewal
and adaptation of the entire auxiliary
technology used in the compan’ s opencast lignite mining operations. Unimogs
are important elements in the comprehensive support needed for the economical
mining of lignite at this site in central
Germany.
In the future, about 11 million tonnes
of coal will be excavated from this 150hectare site. Lignite from Amsdorf contains large amounts of bitumen, that is to
say is enriched with fossilised hard resin
of vegetable origin, which is used extensively in chemical engineering, for example in the manufacture of lipstick, shoe polish and sealing agents, brake linings, floor
adhesives and bleaching agents. Romonta
GmbH has a leading position with a global
market share of 80 per cent in the crude
mined wax products sector. The company
produces approx. 20,000 tonnes of this
raw material per year, which is derived
from the leaves of subtropical stone-age
plants, and exports its products to 51
countries.
T
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UNIMOG
JOURNAL
The conveyor systems with trucks and
the bucket wheel excavators require regular maintenance and fast technical support
in an emergency. This is provided at any
point within the mining area by the Unimog,
whether it snows or rains, in mud or the
very dry soil conditions which leave long,
brown coal-dust trails behind these utility
vehicles.
For Jürgen Biermann, open-cast operations manager at Romonta GmbH in
Amsdorf (which is in the Mansfelder Land
administrative district), his Unimogs are
an essential part of his work-process
calculations. People and machines have
to cooperate closely here, he says and
stresses that our 85 employees produce
500,000 tonnes of lignite annually, plus
some 4.5 million cubic metres of excavated
material. Standstill times must not be too
long in this inter-related process chain.
Unimogs for Romonta are looked after by
Rainer Schöps, sales consultant at Unimog
distributor Henne Unimog GmbH in Wiedemar, which provides all the necessary
know-how and service.
On the beautiful day in May when we
visited the mine for this report, some
rollers had seized at drive station 9 and
the conveyor belts were overheating. The
supervisory team arrived in double-quick
time in two Unimogs, a U 1250 with a personnel cage for maintenance work and a
U 1450 with workshop and special lighting equipment. Everything needed for a
rapid repair is contained within this compact service vehicle s body. If no urgent
repairs are needed, this Unimog drives
A classic open-cast mining picture: mining levels
from grass to the lignite itself can be clearly seen.
The layers of marl, coarse clay, clay and sand are
up to 80 meters in depth above the coal seams
Sales organisation
along the conveyor belts regularly to check
for overheated rollers that could cause
minor fires. In the event of a major fire,
the U 2450 L 6x6 three-axle tank fire
brigade vehicle with 4,800 litres of extinguishing agent reaches the fire location
very quickly, since its 240 bhp engine can
propel the fully loaded vehicle rapidly and
safely over any terrain. During our visit,
however, the firemen did not fight flames
but tackled the coal dust that is quite common in dry weather. The roads in the mining area are sprayed with water before the
dust can spread over the entire surroundings and the nearby villages. We also
discover a Unimog that s used for environ-
❶ Green is beautiful ... At
the end of the 5-kilometre
conveyor, new areas for
re-cultivation are created
❷ U 1350 servicing the
1546 bucket wheel
excavator as a lubricating
vehicle
❸ A U 2450 L 6x6 is used
for spraying to settle dust
deposits in the mining
area, and as a tank extinguishing vehicle by the
mine’s fire brigade
❹ Technical problems at
drive station 9. In the form
of a U 1250 with personnel
cage and a U 1450 with
workshop equipment, help
is soon under way
❸
“They need you over there with your
Unimog...” Jürgen Biermann (right), opencast operations manager, with Peter Harsin,
conveyor team leader
mental purposes: A U 1450 equipped with
workshop facilities is located at the excavated material tip where the mining process
comes to an end, to eliminate potential
defects and make repairs. This is where
the excavated material is filled to create
new land that makes cultivation of the
former mining area possible: flowers grow
again there as soon as lignite mining is
finished!
❹
❷
When clearing snow from
roads in spring, the wedgeshaped plough is an essential attachment
A well-maintained fleet
There are many municipal fleets, consisting of a variety of
vehicles in different colour-schemes and from various
manufacturers. In Freyung, a town in Germany’s Bavarian
Woods, the fleet consists almost exclusively of Unimogs.
Hermann Petzi, the works manager, and
his team swear by the Unimog system.
It all began with a U 411 in 1963; in 1967,
they purchased their first U 406. The fleet
today consists of seven Unimogs, the oldest a U 406 built in 1970, the most recent
a U 1400 delivered in 2000. If you didn t
know that the U 406 was built with drum
brakes until 1973 only, you would think
that the two oldest Unimogs in Freyung —
which Hermann Petzi affectionately calls
my jokers — had been collected new in
Gaggenau just a few days ago. Today, they
are used mainly to tow two skip-loader
trailers and two Müller-Mitteltal tippers for
transport purposes.
Freyung in the Bavarian Woods is a
snow centre : most of the time in winter
it snows there first, and in generous quantities. In this region the efficiency of a
public services yard is judged by its winter
service. The Unimogs prove their versatility
and reliability every day in the cold season
of the year. The Städtische Bauhof Grafenau
clears away large quantities of snow every
winter and spring. This includes not only
public roads and pavements but the paths
in a big forest as well. Due to the height often reached by the snow, a wedge-shaped
plough, a side tiller, a rotary snow plough
and a double snow tiller are used. These
devices are attached to the U 1400 with its
163 bhp engine and working and inching
gears. A normal dumper body or a Ruthmann-Steiger can be installed on a U 1000,
with a quick-change system so that the
driver can change from one to the other in
no more than 15 minutes.
Apart from winter services, other work
naturally has to be done during the year
as well: the two U 406 Unimogs, for example, are used for grass care with special
tyres for sports-ground operation.
The town of Freyung uses the Unimog
system almost exclusively. The only other
vehicles are a four-wheel drive estate car
and a four-wheel drive crew-cab truck
with a tipper body. The Unimogs are all in
When there is too
much snow for the
plough, the tiller is
used on the U 1400.
The 163-bhp engine
drive the tiller drums
via the front power
take-off shaft (far left)
For making paths
broader, the side snow
tiller is used. The snow
plough for final clearing work can be seen
waiting in the background (left)
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UNIMOG
JOURNAL
Sales organisation
excellent condition; 95 percent of all repairs are done in the yard s workshop. In
the event of failure, spare parts can be obtained from Unimog distributor von Bassewitz even at weekends. It is important for
the winter service that the Unimog and
the attached equipment are parked in a
heated hall and cleaned regularly after use.
Thanks to the reliability of the Unimog
fleet, snow can be cleared and salt and
grit spread on more than 100 kilometres
of main road and another 100 km of local
roads and hiking paths. Hermann Petzi
and his team team rely on Unimog to prevent chaos due to snow.
How long does a Unimog last? One of the
two “jokers” in Grafenau, built in 1970, is
seen here in top condition (top left)
Designed for different superstructures: the
Ruthmann-Steiger system on a U 1000
which is also used for many other tasks (top
right)
Advertisement
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
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Those who know Spain and its broad expanses of bizarre
and diverse countryside will also appreciate the
difficult terrain that supply vehicles sometimes have to face.
From fire brigades to power and gas supply, from
telecommunications companies to public television broadcasting – Mercedes-Benz Unimogs are in great demand as
multi-talented “specialists”.
“Specialists” in Spain
Tracing breaks in transmission
Fire protection in the Basque region
Since November 1999, a U 2450 L 38
with a 177 kW (240 bhp) engine and
WERNER equipment has been in use in the
town of San Sebasti n directly on Spain s
border with France, by the municipal
fire brigade, the Diputación Foral de
Guiùzcoa. In such a sparsely populated,
mountainous area with extensive forests
on the fringe of the Pyrenees, a vehicle
with off-road capabilities is obligatory for
the fire brigade. This is why a Unimog
has been chosen for the first time, with
the necessary equipment for operations
and recovery work in places in this
remote, mountainous region that are difficult to access.
The Spanish telecommunications company Telefónica operates five U 1350 L
models with 93 kW/126 bhp engines (see
picture above). The Unimogs were purchased for installation work in off-road terrain and to locate points where mobile communication transmissions are interrupted.
This situation occurs quite often in the
valleys between Spain s numerous mountains. In order to make sure the telephone
network also functions efficiently in sparsely populated areas, the Unimogs have
special bodies for the transmission-unit
containers, a detachable HIAB crane and
additional technical equipment. They are
used all over Spain for installation, repair
and maintenance of the system in difficult
terrain. The equipment and superstructure
were installed by Industrias Zamarbú.
Fighting forest fires is still a problem every summer
The Junta of Castile and Léon operates the largest number of
Unimog with special bodies and firefighting equipment. This
administrative body has purchased 22 vehicles since 1992, among
them 85 kW (115 bhp) U 100 L models, the U 1850 L with 136 kW
(185 bhp) engine and the U 2150 L/32 rated at 155 kW (211 bhp).
Fire fighting is a serious matter in Spain, and unfortunately always
a topical one in summer.. Unimog are being used successfully in
Valladolid, Palencia, Zamora, Salamanca and Léon, and as a result
demand is clearly increasing (6 vehicles were purchased in 1999).
Spanish manufacturers build the special bodies.
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UNIMOG
JOURNAL
Unimog International
TV reception guaranteed
Gas supply company uses Unimog
The public TV broadcasting company
Televisi n Espa ola has been able to
guarantee reliable transmission of its programmes all over Spain since September
1998 by using two Unimog U 2150 L
(155 kW/ 211 bhp). Up to then, it was
difficult to broadcast TV programmes
effectively in mountainous terrain as well,
i. e. areas with bad feedback or without
stationary broadcasting stations. The Unimogs are a great help in this respect.
They have special bodies with broadcasting
equipment and supply the TV programmes
to the remotest areas in Spain where transmission is normally impossible.
The U 100L Unimogs used by the gas
supply company Empresa Nacional del
Gas (Enagas) in Madrid are equipped
with a tipping body, a HIAB crane, an
exchangeable front winch and a workshop
superstructure. The Unimog are used for
material transport in difficult terrain and
for repair and maintenance of the gas
lines by maintenance teams at the natural
gas supply locations in Spain. The tipping
body and tool case were installed by
Industrias Zamarbú, a Spanish manufacturer which cooperates closely with Unimog.
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UNIMOG
JOURNAL
15
Unimog in the power supply
industry
Investment for the future
The municipality of Teruel in the province of
Aragon is situated between the Iberian
foothills and the Sierra de Cuenca at altitudes
of between 1,800 and 2,000 metres. This explains why the work of Teruel s road service is
quite hard: in winter, huge quantities of snow
have to be cleared from roads and, after periods of bad weather, boulders and fallen trees
removed. Not surprisingly, the municipality decided last year to purchase a U 2150 L 38 with
155 kW (211 bhp) engine. Turuel is now
well-prepared for the future, with the Unimog
equipped with a snow plough made by
SICOMETAL, a PALFINGER crane and a salt
and grit sprayer from EPOKE.
Maintenance and repair of high
voltage and overhead lines is the task
of the family-owned power supply
company Electricidad Barcenas S. A.
in Valdepe as, Ciudad Real. This is not
an easy task as the terrain is often
difficult, but no problem for the Unimog
U 2450 L 38. It is equipped with an
ALTEC work platform which can be replaced with a HIAB crane if required.
Additional equipment was installed by
Industrias Zamarbú.
Disguised as a locomotive for the tourists
Tourists in Spain can enjoy the Unimog s reliability, too. In Catalonia, one of the
main tourist centres in Spain with its Costa Brava and the Costa Dorada, tourists are
taken around by a rubber-tyred train pulled by a Unimog U 1400 disguised as a
locomotive. The Rosas Express company based in Rosas chose the Unimog because
part of the sightseeing tour is in difficult, hilly terrain. The entire construction work
for the train and the technical realisation was undertaken by Remolques Sañe.
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 8136
• It might even allow a disabled person to be employed
Automatic coupling
Unimog International
The clouds stood no
chance as the sun broke
through, providing
the right atmosphere
for the presentation
of the U 300 and U 400
models in Italy.
Guests came from all over Italy
The special event took place in Colli del
Tronto, a small municipality in the Italian
Marches province, on Wednesday, 7 June
2000. The Hotel Casale was a special attraction on that day for customers and
sales partners of the Unimog division of
Mercedes-Benz Italy. Some 200 guests
were there for the first presentation of the
new Unimog equipment carriers outside
Germany — an opportunity for a first look
at the new vehicle concept. Before the
numerous guests were allowed to see the
U 300 and U 400, however, Italian Unimog
sales manager Guido Corradi explained the
technical innovations and special features
of the new model family, including the redesigned driver s cabin, the VarioPower
power hydraulics and the Vario-Pilot
changeover steering, with which the entire
steering column with instrument panel and
pedals can be shifted from the driver s to
the passenger s side in a matter of seconds.
He also introduced the new Unimog equipment system partnership which aims
to increase the quality of cooperation with
equipment manufacturers and in which
leading companies from Germany and
abroad are already participating. The new
U 300/U 400 will mainly be used by motorway and municipal road maintenance
services in Italy.
Photographs: DaimlerChrysler AG chose the
Italian municipality of Colli del Tronto to
launch the new Unimog U 300 and U 400
model series. The response from customers
who came from all over the country was
overwhelming
UNIMOG
JOURNAL
17
U·N·I·S
Rescuers
on tour
The Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Rettung Schiffbrüchiger (DGzRS) (German Association for Rescuing the Shipwrecked), a charitable institution based in Bremen, recently
presented its distress work on a city tour through the new Federal states of Germany.
A Unimog U 2150 L transported the seven-metre long rescue boat Butt from town to town
on a special trailer (see picture above). The Unimog is a reliable partner for rescue work
in its own right. The flat-bottomed boat is transported from its storage location in
Kühlungsborn near Bremen to any operating point with the Unimog. This takes less time
than getting to the distress area through rough seas.
A cyclist for
the future
The sports cyclist Hubert Schwarz (centre front in picture), who is noted for his
extreme projects, plans to ride through 21
countries on four continents, including
the Sahara, Gobi and Takla Makan deserts,
covering a total of 25,000 kilometres. He
relies on three Mercedes-Benz products for
logistic support: a Unimog U 1550 L/37
with double cabin and Hartmann box van
body, an off-road vehicle (G model) and
a four-wheel drive Sprinter. During his
round-the-world cycling trip, Hubert
Schwarz stopped briefly in Gaggenau on
May 3rd. The EXPO’s special ambassador
stressed that he wanted to give people a
glimpse of the 21st century with this tour.
The motto of the current world exhibition
in Hanover, Visions for the Future , is the
conceptual background for his round-theworld trip.
Wörth seeing again and again
The traditional demonstration of winter
services presentation by Henne-Unimog
GmbH was again well worth seeing this
year. On 22 February 2000, more than a
thousand visitors came to the Spitzingsee
lake in the Bavarian Alps to witness an interesting programme of events with many
vehicles and devices. Experts were particularly interested in innovations in the
Austrian premiere
The new Unimog models have already been introduced to
experts in Austria. The first time was at the construction industry
trade fair MAWEV in Ennsdorf near Linz (from 6 to 9 April),
where the picture was taken, and immediately afterwards at
Salzburg airport. In this, the city of Mozart, the new Unimog concept was presented to customers on the airport apron and tested
in practical operation. Winter service experts from Austria’s main
commercial airports (Vienna-Schwechat, Linz, Graz, Innsbruck
and Salzburg) were happy to seize this opportunity.
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UNIMOG
JOURNAL
equipment sector. Seven Unimogs with a
wide variety of winter service equipment
were demonstrated. Expert response was
particularly favourable after seeing the
new Gmeiner swing floor technology
spreaders and the new Vario snow plough
from Schmidt for clearing snow in innercity areas with little room to manoeuvre.
S·K·O·P
Partnership
Swiss species
April 12, 2000, just a few weeks after
the first official presentation of the new
U 300/U 400, was an important date for
Mulag-Fahrzeugwerk Heinz Wössner
GmbH & Co. KG, based in Bad Peterstal,
and the Unimog division of DaimlerChrysler AG. This was the day when thecompanies two General Managers Werner
Wössner from Mulag and Hans-Jürgen
Wischhof, General Manager of the Unimog
division, signed the Unimog equipment
system partnership agreement.. The picture on the right was taken when HansJürgen Wischhof (left) handed over of the
certificate for the equipment system partnership to Werner Wössner. This was the
official collaboration agreement between
the two leading companies on innovative
developments for the vehicle and equipment systems for use by municipalities.
Swiss Unimog general agent Robert
Aebi AG and the Unimog equipment
system partner Gerhard Dücker GmbH &
Co. KG in Stadtlohn (Westphalia) have
developed a Swiss species of Unimog
U 1650 with a tank trailer for cleaning
road, noise protection and demarcation
walls. The vehicles are used on motorways
in the cantons of Wallis and Western
Switzerland.
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