Nooteboom unveils latest transport solutions

Group subsidiary, Royal Nooteboom Trailers, a major European player in the production of vehicles for abnormal road transport has developed, in conjunction with Mammoet Nederland, a new Ballast Semi-trailer for crane operators which can be hooked up the 80 or 160-tonne telescopic crane vehicle to carry extra ballast and a commercial vehicle. 

Fitted with rigid stub axles to provide a flat loading space of 450 cm x 170 cm and 82 cm in height, the ballast can be easily loaded and covered. Aluminium ramps allow a commercial vehicle to be driven onto the deck, without the use of a winch, thus preventing damage as well as saving time and effort. And if the crane operator wants to go home or to a hotel, he doesn't have to clock up unnecessary, expensive crane kilometres. 

The Ballast Semi-trailer for telescopic cranes weighs around four tonnes and can take loads of up to 17 tonnes. Mammoet Nederland, which already has 15 of the trailers in use, opted for this concept for economic reasons and reports that crane driven kilometres have been drastically reduced. 

Working with Liebherr and Mammoet, Nooteboom has also created the Nooteboom Masttransporter to help get the heaviest and longest parts large telescopic cranes to their destination without the need for dismantling. 

This vehicle is fully equipped to carry the heaviest part of a crane, the telescopic mast, by supporting part on a 7-axle self-steering dolly, and part on a 4-axle tractor. This allows the total height to remain under four metres, with the train weight no more than one hundred tonnes, thus allowing for complete transport flexibility and minimum cost. 

The Nooteboom Masttransporter, which has been approved by the RDW and TÜV, is already being used by Mammoet in the Netherlands and Germany and will soon enter service with the crane hire company, Van Marwijk.