Kässbohrer presents new lowbed range

Kässbohrer will develop a new lowbed trailer manufacturing plant in Turkey, has introduced an extended range of lowbed and specialist trailers, and is investing in various research and development initiatives.

Speaking at the Kässbohrer Low-Bed Day last week in Goch (Germany), board member İffet Türken outlined the company's various growth strategies.

It will build a dedicated 60,000 sq m lowbed manufacturing facility at its existing plant in Adapazari, Turkey. It will have an annual capacity of 2,500 vehicles, which Türken said would make it the largest factory of its kind in Europe.

"All manufacturing processes will be completed in a single hall, the new lowbed factory will operate according to Industry 4.0 principles with RFID latching crane systems, barcode positioning technology, robot-assisted chassis welding and painting, as well as automatic surface blasting and metallisation carried out in the integrated coating and paint shop facilities.

"With the new plant investment Kässbohrer will deliver the highest quality special vehicles that will address meet the needs the challenges of heavy haulage companies."

Türken added that Kässbohrer is also investing at its second European research and development centre, enabling 150 further engineers and researchers to join its ranks, claiming that the centre will be able to develop one vehicle platform every three months, one new vehicle per month and one new variant every week.

Kässbohrer reported that it had a strong 2017 and that trend has extended into the first quarter of 2018, which has enabled it become the fourth-largest trailer manufacturer in Europe.

In the heavy haulage sector, the company stated that it had grown its market share by 10 percent across the German, Polish, French and Italian markets.

At the Kässbohrer Low-Bed Day, the company exhibited its new range of heavy haulage trailers. The fleet included extendable and non-extendable lowbeds, vehicles with hydraulic steering, as well as its redesigned low-loader range. A truck transporter, dubbed the 'Flex-Carrier', as well as a heavy-duty middle extendable flatbed platform, were also presented to the market.

Kässbohrer's low-loader series includes units with two and three-axles equipped with hydraulic-steering, hydro-pneumatic suspension, remote steering and auto-alignment options. Heavy cargoes up to 3.7 m in height can be transported.

The company's extendable and non-extendable lowbed series benefits from a range of options including side extension brackets, seven different rear ramp options, advanced load safety features and multiple self-steering axle options. Two pairs of wheel recesses and an excavator arm recess can be equipped to the chassis for the transportation of construction machinery such as backhoe loaders, dumpers and harvesters.

Kässbohrer's extendable flatbed platform semi-trailer series - K.SPA M and K.SPA X - can haul heavy, long, flat and bulky goods thanks to their extendable and flat chassis, variable container positioning combinations and different load safety options.