One vehicle, two body systems, numerous possible applications: MEILLER has developed a special vehicle solution for Gesellschaft zur Entsorgung von chemischen Kampfstoffen und Rüstungsaltlasten (GEKA mbH). Based on a battery-electric Volvo FM Electric, the Munich-based vehicle manufacturer combines a TECTRUM hooklift with an individually adapted TECTRIS skip loader. This allows a single vehicle to transport and unload both roll-off containers and skips.
GEKA wanted to replace two ageing diesel trucks that had previously been used separately as hooklift and skip loader vehicles. At the same time, the new vehicle needed to be capable of handling a range of transport tasks both inside and outside the company premises. The combination of a TECTRUM hooklift and a TECTRIS skip loader provides a solution in which both body systems can be used on a single chassis.
“We wanted to cover as many of our different tasks as possible with one vehicle,” explains Tobias Harneit, Operations Manager and authorized signatory at GEKA. “MEILLER’s dual-system concept gives us the flexibility to switch between the set-down and roll-off systems and use the vehicle according to the respective transport task.”
Two MEILLER systems on one chassis
The Volvo FM Electric 6×2 is equipped with a MEILLER TECTRUM RS21.65 hooklift. The system is complemented by an individually adapted TECTRIS AK14-MT skip loader mounted on a frame for hooklift applications in accordance with DIN 30722-1.2. When required, the TECTRIS AK14-MT can be picked up and set down again using the hooklift in a similar way to a roll-off container, eliminating the need for a second vehicle when switching between the two applications. The modifications required for this specific application were carried out by MEILLER’s contract partner Wille Fahrzeugbau in Lüneburg.
“The GEKA project clearly demonstrates how flexibly TECTRUM and TECTRIS can be combined,” says Michael Eicheldinger, Head of the Container Changing Systems product line at MEILLER. “Using two body systems on a single chassis opens up interesting possibilities, particularly when a vehicle has to perform a variety of transport tasks. With the combination installed on the Volvo FM Electric, we have now implemented this solution on a battery-electric chassis for the first time.”
The dual-system principle has already been implemented by MEILLER several times and is also used in other vehicle applications.
Different transport tasks at GEKA
In its day-to-day operations, GEKA primarily uses the TECTRIS skip loader for transport within the company premises. The vehicle travels to various incineration and disposal facilities, where it picks up skips containing cleaned soil and sand and transports them to storage or transshipment areas. From there, the material is transported by third parties for further recycling. In some cases, the vehicle only covers a few hundred metres per cycle, but the route has to be repeated frequently due to the large number of transports. GEKA produces around 660 filled skips per year, each containing eight to nine tonnes of cleaned material.
For longer journeys to external waste disposal and recycling companies, the TECTRIS skip loader is set down and the TECTRUM hooklift is used. GEKA then transports wood, cardboard and packaging materials, as well as scrap and contaminated soil, in suitable roll-off containers.
The vehicle therefore takes on tasks for which GEKA previously required two separate vehicles. The respective transport task determines which of the two MEILLER systems is used.
The Volvo FM Electric is equipped with two i.s.a.r.-control-3 radio remote controls from MEILLER for operating the two body systems, one for the hooklift and one for the skip loader. In addition, each body system has its own hydraulic oil tank and separate hydraulic circuit. Both systems are powered via the Volvo FM Electric’s electromechanical power take-off and the hydraulic pump driven by it. This configuration allows the driver to operate the hooklift or skip loader while maneuvering the vehicle.
Dual system meets electromobility
The future of road freight transport is characterized by a range of different drive concepts. Alongside established diesel technology, battery-electric drives are becoming increasingly important, while hydrogen and fuel cell technologies are also gaining relevance. This development also presents new requirements for body manufacturers. MEILLER therefore relies on an open-drive concept: its body systems can be used independently of the vehicle’s drive concept and are suitable for both conventionally powered vehicles and trucks with alternative drivetrains.
“Our goal is to make our body systems flexible to use regardless of the vehicle’s drive concept,” adds Michael Eicheldinger. “The solution developed for GEKA is a good example of this.”
