British service contractor benefits from Unimog U 530.
Fletcher Access based in Worcester is a company specialised in mobile working at great heights. Whether cleaning high-rise building facades, roof and chimney repairs or trimming branches off tall trees. The two managing brothers Anthony and Simon have also started a flight of fancy in terms of efficiency. With the Unimog U 530, they are replacing three vehicles – thus significantly reducing their running costs.
Many tasks, one vehicle.
The company now has the highly effective support of a new Unimog U 530 implement carrier. The 15.5-tonne Unimog with permanent all-wheel drive is so versatile that it has replaced no fewer than three commercial vehicles thanks to the many applications it can be used for. And that pays off.
Simon Fletcher, who manages the company together with his brother Anthony, says: "The new Unimog is a very substantial investment for our company, but it's been worthwhile. The vehicle improved our efficiency right from the start. Using it has saved us three other vehicles. It's enormously adaptable, so we can use it for practically any job."
Variety instead of everyday business: wood-chopping, cleaning buildings, transport.
At Fletcher Access, the Unimog is used in three main areas. And it is always suitably equipped for all its tasks. For wood-chopping assignments, Fletcher Access equipped the tipper platform with a high-walled box. During chopping operations the box is filled via four roof hatches. When buildings are to be cleaned, the box is removed and replaced with four water tanks each holding 1.000 l.
And when used as a tractor unit, the Fletcher Access U 530 tows a heavy trailer with a permissible gross vehicle weight of 26 t. The trailer is used to transport a wide variety of implements for working at great heights – one of them a seven-tonne crawler crane with a boom length of 42 m.
Using Unimog has saved us three other vehicles. It's enormously adaptable, so we can use it for practically any job.
Simon Fletcher, Member of the Management Board at Fletcher Access
Unimog is safe and reliable in operation – on- and off-road.
Anthony Fletcher, who is often at the wheel of the new Unimog U 530 implement carrier, is thrilled with his new mobile work colleague: "Thanks to the large window areas, the U 530 gives you an outstanding view. It's also easy to manoeuvre in narrow alleyways, where we often have jobs to do on facades and house roofs."
Eight forward and six reverse gears plus work gears.
The Unimog U 530 is the largest and most powerful Unimog implement carrier. It combines an economical 7.7-litre six-cylinder engine developing 220 kW (299 hp) and a peak torque of 1200 Nm with fully-synchronised electropneumatic transmission with eight forward and six reverse gears. For difficult working assignments such as off-road operations, the working gear group provides another eight forward and eight reverse gears.
The permanent all-wheel drive, high ground clearance and portal axles with differential locks further enhance the off-road capabilities of the Unimog. Nonetheless, progress is brisk on the road. The technical top speed is around 90 km/h.
Even more flexible with TireControl Plus and VarioPilot system.
The optional equipment of the U 530 includes the unrivalled TireControl Plus technology (tyre pressure control system) and the VarioPilot system. TireControl Plus allows the driver to reduce the tyre pressure without having to leave the cab. This not only improves traction on soft surfaces, but also helps to minimise ground damage.
With VarioPilot the steering wheel can be pivoted to the other side of the cab in around 30 seconds, which further improves the operating flexibility of the vehicle. Other optional extras include air-sprung driver and co-driver seats and front and rear cameras with a monitor, which make it easier to hitch up mounted implements at the front and rear.
Ready for the future.
The complete package ex works as well as the versatile mounting options of the Unimog have also convinced Simon and Anthony Fletcher. They founded their joint company 20 years ago and are constantly keeping their eyes open for the best possible orientation for the future. Increasing their efficiency with the Unimog U 530 is an important step in this direction – as the first applications with the versatile equipment carrier have already shown.
