A U 5023 for truly multifunctional applications.

 Apart from the motorway junction – incidentally the first of its kind in Germany – Schkeuditz in the district of Nordsachsen is a peaceful place. This tranquil town is home to around 18,000 residents and is located between Halle and Leipzig. In contrast, nearby Halle-Leipzig airport in the north of Schkeuditz is always a whirlwind of activity. So, apart from the motorway and the international air freight airport, Schkeuditz would be a laid-back place – if it wasn’t for Tino Sommer. The 33-year-old master heating engineer and electrician manages the family-owned business along with his father Ronald (61) and sister Bianka (37). And summer is always a busy season. The heating contractors specialise in central heating engineering and have 26 employees.

"Unimog simply stands for top quality."

The Sommers install systems in properties ranging from single-family homes to industrial facilities. And to ensure that their work proceeds as smoothly as possible, they made a fine addition to their vehicle fleet at the start of the new year: the extreme off-road U 5023 with 12-m Hiab loading crane (Hiduo 118 with Rotzler crane cable winch, 38-m cable, 11.0 kN of tractive force, 360-degree swivel range, can be controlled from the cab). The crane can handle a lifting force of 840 kg even at full reach, so it is a huge help for the team.

“Firstly, the vehicle is very manoeuvrable, secondly, we can cope with any ground surface and thirdly, we can lift dismantled systems or lower new parts in and out of the trickiest shafts and entrances”, enthuses Tino Sommer. “Unimog simply stands for top quality. We chose the vehicle because, in our view, there is no other vehicle more reliable.”

Cheerful on the road.

It comes fully equipped from the factory (“it has a DAB radio to keep us cheerful on the road”), has an increased fording depth of 1.20 metres and an olive-green paint finish. It also features a roof rack for material boxes equipped with LED headlights, revolving beacons and yellow signal lights. The roof structure can also be walked on and is an in-house development designed by Henne in cooperation with vehicle manufacturer Mordelt.

A Unimog with many talents.

In addition to the front hydraulic system with power lift from AS Baugeräte, the Sommers have treated themselves to another hydraulic system. This can operate the 5-tonne S+R forestry winch (70 metres of cable) and a log splitter. You may be wondering why a heating contractor company needs a log splitter in the first place. They need it for the family’s second company, a floristry, gardening and landscaping company specialising in tree felling. For this reason, they also have clamshell bucket and timber grab attachments for the loading crane. Tino splits a good 200 cubic metres of wood every year, largely for his own use. His company and residential properties are heated with wood.

A Jack of all trades.

Practical accessory for the Unimog: the Müller-Mitteltal tandem 3-way tipper (payload 8750 kg, removable aluminium ramps and stanchions for transporting timber). As an aborist for special operations, he is a sought-after man in the region. He earned his qualifications while training with the local fire department. Tino Sommer is one of 50 active members of the team and, of course, goes out on calls with them if he is needed.

He could tell you tales of spectacular missions in the treetops of Schkeuditz – he can still feel 8-hour non-stop shifts in six 35-metre oaks in his bones to this day. But otherwise, everything is quite quiet in Schkeuditz – except for the motorway junction, the freight airport and of course Jack-of-all-trades Tino with his Unimog and all sorts of chainsaws and Zugkraft pur: flashing lights.