Everyone is excited about the new truck!

“The job isn’t an easy one”: the director of Friedhelm Schmallenbach GmbH, Florian Schmallenbach knows what it’s like to be on the road as a professional driver. To ensure that his employees are content when they go out on the road, he relies on good communication and MAN vehicles.

“MAN has always been the truck for us since the beginning,” says Florian Schmallenbach. He is the third generation to take charge of the company, which now dates back over 80 years. “Our relationship with MAN goes back all those years,” he says, to highlight the partnership with MAN.

As company director, he also feels a close connection to his employees. He knows how important mutual satisfaction is – that is to say, of the management and the employees – for the company to function properly. To ensure that his drivers remain satisfied, his door is open to discuss any concerns – and he also asks for their input when choosing vehicles. “Of course, anyone who spends all week on the road wants a vehicle they can feel comfortable in.” At Schmallenbach, they choose the largest cab as standard, and in all other areas, too, they kit out the vehicles with the most comfortable equipment.

“We provide everything we can. We want to make the drivers’ downtime as pleasant as we can, too,”

says Florian Schmallenbach. After all, a truck is not just the driver’s work place, but also their living room.

Plenty of interest in the new MAN TGX

“The drivers are very interested in the new MAN TGX,” says Schmallenbach. This is no surprise thanks to the numerous positive changes that have been made to the vehicle. “A lot has changed. When you sit in the truck, you notice the differences. It’s a great thing all round,” says the director – and he is not the only one who is pleased. Professional driver Siggi Geiger, who drives one of the new MAN TGXs from the fleet, appreciates the MAN vehicle:

Siggi is one of the veteran drivers. He has worked at the family business, which has a particular focus on specialist and heavy-duty transport, for 20 years now. “Fortunately, we don’t have a high employee turnover,” says Schmallenbach happily as someone who is also involved in planning. Having close contact with the drivers is important to the 36-year-old. “Knowing the drivers personally is an advantage,” he says.

Despite that, the company has had to contend with a lack of drivers before. In particular, it is hard to find young people to replace the older drivers when they retire: “We once spent a year desperately looking for drivers,” remembers Florian Schmallenbach. Thankfully, every position is filled at the moment – but several drivers are due to retire in the coming years. Of course, Florian Schmallenbach hopes that he will find younger replacement drivers more quickly this time around.

The fact that the company frequently purchases new trucks may also help to convince them to join. When it comes to sharing the new vehicles, the following rule applies: “As a matter of principle, everyone has their turn at the company,” explains Florian Schmallenbach. The vehicles are driven for an average of four to five years, then replaced. Of course, every driver is happy to receive a new vehicle.

In 2022, there will be good reason to get excited again: the two latest additions are set to be followed by six more MAN vehicles.