Konecranes is delivering 39 reachstackers to the German Bundeswehr (Federal Armed Forces), with the units specially adapted for harsh conditions, enabling them to handle containers at military locations around the country.
The deliveries, which began in September 2020 and will be complete by February 2021, are headed to the BwFuhrparkService, the fleet service company that units the German army, navy and air force under one command.
In armed forces’ efforts to defend German and EU territory and cooperate with the UN, reachstackers are required to efficiently move containers which carry equipment and supplies.
Since last September, the Finnish company has been modernising the fleet with a weekly delivery of two SMV 2216 TC3 reachstackers.
Michael Antschischkin, chief of back office sales management at Richter Fördertechnik, a local dealer which worked with Konecranes on the order, said: “The incremental shipment is helping us to smoothly integrate such a large number of reachstackers into operations around the country, and abroad as well.
“From the moment the trucks arrive, the military operators and technicians receive full driver and service training on-site.”
The manufacturer had been asked to provide a compact container handling machine, easy to transport, with the flexibility to work efficiently in many different kinds of locations.
The 39 tailor-made units are painted in military green, have a 5,500 mm wheelbase and are able to stack 22-tonne containers up to three high on the first row, as well as 16 tonnes and 6 tonnes on the second and third rows respectively.
Other customised modifications include a special coupling to recover the vehicle or assist other trucks if one gets stuck on uneven ground, and tyre pressure monitoring to help reduce wear, fuel consumption and improve safety in harsh environments.
In response to a customer requirement for easier transportation over long distances, the manufacturer put special safety eyes between the front axle and on the counterweight to secure each reachstacker when on a transport carrier, as well as metal plates to stop the wheels from moving.
In addition, to aid dismantling and assembly, the lift trucks have a special coupling system for hydraulic hoses on the boom and spreader.
