trailer world Issue Two 2012

Portrait Stefan Fuchs, Chairman of the Board of Goldhofer AG, explains in an interview with trailer world what for him makes up the fascination of “Factor 5”. Goldhofer is considered a specialist for heavy transport tasks and you therefore face extreme challenges: what excites you personally about this work? Stefan Fuchs: It isalwaysimpressivehow we find a solution for almost any transport task, however difficult it may be. This is excit- ing every time, and when we have managed it, itcreatesa new incentive and of course moti- vates me, makes me proud and also person- ally very strong. It feels good to get up in the morning to start the working day. What makes up “Factor 5” for you? This deck is simply a very fascinating ob- ject that combines size and strength, lightness and precision. We have put together a fantas- tic team, which has planned and implement- ed everything to perfection: from the project planning to the design and construction. These people were getting glazed eyes when it came to “Factor 5”, and they still do. Do you work on innovations on your own initiative, or do the impulses always come from the customers? Usually we are approached by custom- ers who discuss with us their cargoes and future tasks. We then look for solutions for these specific projects together. These can of course usually then be applied to other situ- ations and customers, after we have modi- fied them for their specific requirements. Has the enormous cost of the development of “Factor 5” also been worthwhile for you? It was a major project, which offered a spe- cial challenge with its materials and the con- struction, so that here we are talking about the high end of heavy transport. At the same time, it is clear that we cannot make this de- pendent on the costs. We do not ask ourselves at all whether “Factor 5” is worthwhile in this form, we do not count up the number of hours that we have invested. The first deck achieved an acceptable price. But such an unusual and innovative project has to be approached with a great deal of enthusiasm and courage. We earn money a different way. What particularly attracted you about the project? Projects such as “Factor 5” offer the op- portunity to carve out a distinguishing fea- ture for ourselves as a manufacturer, just like the customers. We make use of such opportunities. And we do that above all be- cause we are businessmen at heart. We are the world market leader, and rely always on quality, technological know-how and un- conditional commitment. “Factor 5” is up to one-third lighter than other equipment made of comparable ma- terial: at this size, this amounts to 25 to 30 tonnes. How did you manage that? We used high-strength, fine-grain steel, the first use of its type for such an application. The extreme yield strengths of this material enable a very light construction method. The stiffness of the thin walls is enhanced by ad- ditional reinforcement, and also with special details in the construction. The benefit for the customer is enormous: lower overall weight for the same payload, fewer axles and a lower transport length. How is the necessary safety ensured? We have used our own special lateral sta- bilisation system and a hydraulic system operating at up to 250 bar, together with a cross-bracing system. Where do you see a market for this side- girder deck? We will certainly be selling even more examples, even though it is a very special product. Every large country can use such a piece of equipment. Several of our custom- ers have already expressed great interest, in- cluding some from Germany. (jg) 42 Issue Two 2012 »It was a Major Project.«

trailer world Issue Two 2012

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