Scheuerle Fahrzeugfabrik GmbH

"Eurocompact" low loaders revolutionize heavy goods transport market

BigMove Group orders eight 7 axle trucks

The new series "Eurocompact" low bed semitrailer developed by the French low load specialist NICOLAS in conjunction with its sister company, the Pfedelbach based HGV manufacturer SCHEUERLE represents a quantum leap in heavy and special transports technology. Due to the new, compact swan neck with integrated dolly chassis and the chassis design of the full floating axle with low bed the "Eurocompact" is the largest possible vehicle with regard to payload and load length that can be operated in accordance with the simplified licensing procedure. The advantage for the owner operator lies in the faster, easier and above all more economic vehicle utilization within the demanding segment of heavy and special goods transport, especially when it comes to building machinery. SCHEUERLE has just received an order for the delivery of eight "Eurocompact" low loaders from the internationally operating BigMove Group.



Compact dimensions

The product’s name "Eurocompact" in itself can be taken as a hint about the conceptual layout of the low bed semitrailer whose design concentrates on dimensions that are kept as compact as possible in order to remain below the limit for special requirements. Therefore, the total length of the ordered 7 axle Eurocompact (4 axle articulated road train, 2 axle swan neck dolly, low bed pushed in with 5 m of utilizable loading area and 5 axle full floating axle chassis) amounts to a mere approx. 22.2 m. Optimum cornering of the low bed semitrailer is achieved by full floating axles allowing the vehicle to be operated by a single driver. With a payload of approx. 80.7 t at 80 km/h the "Eurocompact” is the largest possible low bed vehicle with regard to payload and load length that can be run empty in Germany with a permanent special permit in accordance with the simplified licensing procedure. For the owner operator this means that he can respond faster to customers’ orders and also save cost.



Newly developed, swan neck dolly

The connection between the low bed and the semitrailer was realised with a completely new swan neck / dolly construction. The integrated construction of the swan neck construction into the 2 axle full floating axle chassis represents an extremely compact combination that enabled the increase of utilizable low bed length without resulting in a change of overall length for the vehicle.

An equally new design is available for the control unit of the swan neck. The clear layout of the operative elements ensures fast and driver-friendly handling.



Low bed

The low bed is connected to the removable swan neck dolly by a bayonet catch, which is a well-tested, further developed and extremely rapid coupling device. The simple but robust design of the connecting parts enables fast and safe coupling/uncoupling of the swan neck and therefore easy and economic loading/unloading of the low bed, e. g. with automotive building machinery by the operator. Due to the new, compact construction it was possible to maximize the utilizable load area of the low bed whilst keeping the total train length at under 23 m; it is 5 m with the 7 axle Eurocompact pushed in and can be extended (by steps of 0.5 m) to a maximum of 7.7 m.



Full floating axle type chassis

The rear 5 axle full floating axle chassis is a first in low loader technology. The robust lightweight construction gives the new full floating axle chassis an optimum payload/empty weight ratio at an axle load of 12 t per axle line as per road traffic licensing requirements (StVZO). Together with the hydraulic axle compensation of +470/-210 mm the newly constructed steering kinematics achieve a steering lock of 60 degrees resulting in a driving, manoeuvring and cornering ability that is considerably superior to vehicles with axle pivot. The pull-out value determined by the Technical Inspection Authority Hesse remains below 1.100 mm. For empty runs this allows the Eurocompact to be driven without a co-driver. An additional technical feature is the extra deep trough at the centre of the chassis into which level-sensitive life booms can be lowered as deeply as possible.

Especially for loads with high gravity the full floating axle construction ensures better stability and transport safety than comparable constructions featuring continuous axles with steering knuckles. The tyre equipment of full floating axles has a considerably longer service life.



"Eurocompact" Overview

(7 axle model 2 axle dolly and 5 axle chassis)



Technical Specifications as per StVZO for 80 km/h

Total weight approx.t 108

Own weight approx.t 27.3

Payload approx.t 80.7

Fifth wheel load approx.t 24

Axle load dolly approx.t 2x12

Axle load chassis approx.t 5x 12

Total train length for 4 axle approx.m 22.2

Total width vehicle approx.m 2.74

Length low bed pushed in approx.m 5

Length low bed ext. in 0.5 m grid approx.m 7.7





The "Die "Eurocompact" heavy duty series comprises various payload-adapted vehicle models, e. g. 1+3 axle to 2+5 axle configuration with various low bed modifications as well as a whole range of praxis-related accessories.





BigMove Group orders eight "Eurocompacts"

The Big-Move Group, a joint venture of 12 highly specialized heavy goods transport companies in Germany and Austria has developed a vehicle configuration to suit their purposes in conjunction with NICOLAS and SCHEUERLE. The 7 axle combination is arranged in a way that enables the fast response to customer orders due to simplified licensing procedures, shorter lead times and easy vehicle handling. This puts BigMove in the driving seat of the heavy and special transport sector.





BigMove Group

BigMove is a cooperation of twelve heavy goods transport companies in Germany and Austria. Each company is independent and has gained many years of experience in its sector. The cooperation was realised with intercountry cooperation in view, in order to be able to cope better with future challenges on the special transport market. The excellent know how of the group offers solutions for the complex tasks in all areas of special transport which are carried out in a professional manner by well-trained specialists with many years of work experience. The new vehicle equipment is especially suited to support the fast response to customers´ orders (local representation in Germany and Austria, licensing with short lead times etc.).



SCHEUERLE Fahrzeugfabrik GmbH and NICOLAS INDUSTRIE SAS

Trucks by SCHEUERLE and NICOLAS are available worldwide for top technology and special product quality. Reliability in daily application, load-bearing capacity and long service life make the vehicles an important part of modern logistics. The history of vehicle technology for heavy goods vehicles is closely connected with the names SCHEUERLE and NICOLAS. The vehicle factories link tradition and innovation. Both companies belong to the company group of the Heilbronn industrialist Otto Rettenmaier. Within this group SCHEUERLE, NICOLAS and KAMAG are part of the global leader on the heavy goods sector "TII –Transporter Industry International" .



Press contact:

Lothar Riesenegger

SCHEUERLE Fahrzeugfabrik GmbH

Öhringer Str. 16

74629 Pfedelbach

Germany



Phone ++49 (0) 7941 - 6 91 0

Mobile Phone ++49 (0) 171- 8 73 09 16





Captions:



Picture 1

The new "Eurocompact" low bed semitrailer, the largest possible low bed vehicle with regard to payload and load length that can be operated in accordance with the simplified licensing procedure. NICOLAS presented the new development in September 2004 at the "IAA Nutzfahrzeuge" (goods vehicle fair) in Hannover. Depicted is the 1+3 axle version of the "Eurocompact" heavy duty series.



Picture 2

Newly developed swan neck dolly offers a larger utilizable low bed length at the same overall vehicle length due to compact design. Extended low bed for easy loading with e. g. building machinery



Picture 3

Hydraulically supported full floating axle chassis for high stability and transport safety with deep trough to achieve deepest possible lowering of level-sensitive life booms.