Wood logistics in Tyrol.

U 530 power package in operation as a semitrailer truck.

The third generation of the Thurner family runs a sawmill in the Landeck district in Tyrol. A carpentry shop forms part of the business. Since the first Unimog joined the company in 1968, the enthusiasm for this vehicle has grown across the generations. Right from the outset the Unimog vehicles were individually tailored and extended according to the requirements of the Thurners. A new Unimog U 530 has just replaced the outdated U 1450.

Agile draft horse in the forest.

The new U 530 is equipped with both a fifth-wheel coupling and a height-adjustable trailer coupling and also has a PENZ crane. Two individually manufactured semitrailers from G gl Fahrzeugbau complement the Unimog towing vehicle for the specific applications at the sawmill and carpentry.

The raw material for the carpentry comes from the region and is supplied by the agricultural community which was formed by the forest owners in order to tackle management operations in the rough terrain of the Tyrolean Alps. Markus Thurner fetches the felled tree trunks directly from the forest with his Unimog. The powerful engine with 300 hp (220 kW) pays dividends on the steep forest tracks. Depending on the length of the tree trunks to be transported the 41-year-old company boss can extend his trailer in stages by up to 2.5 metres. This makes the transportation of timbers with a length of up to 12 metres no problem at all. And manoeuvrability is still ensured with the Unimog as the towing vehicle.

Set down: Fast loading and unloading of the special trailer from Gögl Fahrzeugbau.
Walking a tightrope: Due to its narrow design, the Unimog is safe even on mountain trails.
To the next assignment: timber transport with custom-built trailer.
Set down: Fast loading and unloading of the special trailer from Gögl Fahrzeugbau.
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Steerable axle for the trailer.

Goegl made the semitrailer with a stake body specially for applications on the steep mountainsides in the forests, where the paths snake up and down. It is equipped with a steered axle so that it runs precisely in the Unimog's track. A sensor on the fifth-wheel kingpin, which engages in the fifth-wheel coupling, measures the steering movement of the towing vehicle and passes on the data calculated directly to the trailer axle, from where the turning angle is transferred to the wheels. The trailer's steering control can also be operated manually via radio remote control, which has considerable advantages when manoeuvring. The reversing camera plus an additional camera for monitoring the implements round off the equipment. Various work lights ensure additional safety when working with the crane..

Wood chips are produced from the residual wood from the sawmill and the carpentry. The second semitrailer with a 25 m  roll-off container and tandem axle is used for transportation. Here, too, both axles are fitted with automatic steering. The 20-tonne hook from Palfinger for the pulley is mounted directly on the trailer.

Project implemented with Unimog general distributor partner:
Auer GmbH

Unimog from the year 1952.

The family also owns a Unimog built in 1952. Patriarch of the family Alois Thurner took it on when it was withdrawn from service from the Swiss army, complete with all the original equipment. Since then he has been proudly visiting classic vehicle meets with his gem.

Multigenerational household: The Thurners and their sweethearts.
Multigenerational household: The Thurners and their sweethearts.
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