trailer world Issue Two 2012

Issue Two 2012 37 Modern agricultural machinery has nothing more to do with the stolid peasant wagon of yesteryear. Faster handling, high transport weights and efficient processing of areas characterise the efficiency in modern agricultural management. High-tech in the field The “poor peasant” who harnesses up his trailer in the morning to begin his day’s work no longer exists for us!” For Péter Mándli and his team, the agenda today consists of high-tech solutions for use in industrially organised agriculture. The Agricultural Division Manager of the BPW Hungarian subsidiary in Szombathely is vis- ibly proud of his work: “We supply a high-end programme for the agricultural sector, which is technologically much broader than the trailer axle from the road programme!” A look at the product range of the largest BPW subsidiary plant worldwide shows that the 42 year-old axle professional Mándli is not exaggerating. With a seemingly endless variety of custom-designed axleandassemblymodules,theBPWAgriculturalDivisionoffershigh- tech solutions à la carte. The top of the range includes for example the tridem assembly with hydropneumatic suspension, whose al- lows optimum roll-stability by means of cross-connection even on extreme slopes. Such high-tech axle solutions in XXL track widths for modern transport or processing machines move quickly into price ranges beyond the 5-figure Euro range. Accordingly, the price of com- plete machines, whether slurry spreaders, balers, potato harvesters or loaders, moves in the dimension of € 100,000 and above. For optimum amortisation, such expensive capital equipment must work quickly, effectively and above all reliably. BPW Hungária thereby plays a central role in the market of high-tech chassis sys- tems. Major market suppliers such as John Deere or Claas make up the clientele, as well as smaller vehicle manufacturers, who focus their expertise on the bodywork, and are supplied by BPW Hungária with the matching chassis as a complete solution. “Here we are talk- ing generally of small-series production”, reports Divisional Man- ager Mándli on the complexity of the sector. This also explains why the majority of his 20 designers, who every day face new technical challenges on the CAD screen, speak fluent German. “Our designers act simultaneously as competent customer consultants, who are in direct dialogue with the vehicle manufac- turer”, explains Mándli. As the market leader in the most impor- tant European market of Germany, BPW is expected to provide this closeness to the customer, who in comparison with the neighbour- ing high-speed axle production for road trailers often orders in only very small quantities. BPW has therefore established itself as a tech- nology leader and supplier of complete solutions both in road trans- port and also in the agricultural sector. AGS and ABS have long been part of the product portfolio, and with EBS-controlled braking systems, a highlight was also set in 2011 for agricultural applications in the industry. Special solutions for the green fleet: Forage wagon with BPW chas- sis system. Robot perfection: Automatic quality welding to the axle mounting for an agricultural machine chassis. Photos:OliverWillms,BPW International

trailer world Issue Two 2012

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