Strong new addition
The heavy-duty recovery vehicle, which has recently joined the fleet of commercial vehicles at Stegmaier Nutzfahrzeuge in Kirchberg, Germany, stands out and not just visually: it also impresses with the MAN’s most powerful engine, full equipment, retrofitted steering axle and detailed EMPL design. Find out more about what the latest lion in the fleet is all about here.
Right from the start, passion for mobility shaped the corporate philosophy of the almost 100-year-old company Stegmaier Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH, which offers its customers comprehensive services in the commercial vehicle sector with its authorised MAN workshop, vehicle rental and used parts exchange. Hermann Stegmaier made a promise to offer customers the best possible service and support starting with the first orders he received in his independent repair workshop founded in 1927. This same promise still applies almost 100 years later in the StegmaierGroup, which has developed from a small business. This is what our employees stand for, not only with their heart and soul, but also with their exceptional professional expertise. For the most part, MAN foremen and MAN mechatronics engineers go out to customers on behalf of Stegmaier to tow defective vehicles or ideally even repair them on site, reveals junior manager Marc Stegmaier.
He is also an expert through and through, who not only knows what he’s talking about, but also regularly works outdoors with customers. His competence is complemented perfectly by expertise relating to off-road machines and the behaviour of heavy vehicles off-road. Marc Stegmaier has acquired this knowledge as part of his “serious hobbies” as a truck trial pilot and experienced it on rough terrain stone by stone.
The now 31-year-old has been driving since he was 18 years old when it all began with Truck Sport, before he also safely took a seat behind the driver of the company’s own vehicles to take over the truck journeys around the MAN service outlet – just as his father Hermann Stegmaier did before him. His role also quickly grew to include driving the company’s own towing vehicles The perfect addition to incorporate his experience from the Truck Trial:
“They complements each other tremendously!”
enthuses Marc, for example in situations with inclines that have to be driven on with the tow truck – it gives you and the customer a good feeling when you know how the vehicle reacts off-road.” Moreover, all roadside assistance staff at Stegmaier undergo basic training, which everyone who works on the motorway or dangerous routes should absolutely observe, according to Stegmaier. This includes securing and blocking, correctly wearing high-visibility clothing and the use of lighting. Of course, intensive instruction for breakdown assistance and towing vehicles is also included. Until recently, he and the other drivers would have been on the road with an MAN F2000, “a heavenly difference”, as Marc can confirm after just a short period using the new addition.
Luxury in the workplace
The EMPL Bison 200 recovery vehicle on the MAN TGX 41,640 8×4, which was the fourth successor to the towing vehicle in the Stegmaier fleet, is in a league of its own. “We ticked every possible checkbox when it came to the configuration,” says Marc Stegmaier about the MAN, which rolled off the production line as the MAN TGX 33,640 6×4, before the MAN Individual team in Wittlich took care of its expansion. It adopted the GM cab equipment with cabinet unit, microwave and coffee machine, hammock, turning assistant and additional stowage space in front of the co-driver’s seat.
“The MAN TGX makes work much easier. Modern technology takes care of lot for you,”
explains Marc regarding the new addition, talking about luxury in the workplace.
He names the module buttons in the door as particular highlight in the vehicle, “an incredibly important equipment feature for a towing vehicle, Marc knows: “If you can’t open the door in a mountainous situation, the buttons are worth their weight in gold.” Of course, all safety systems installed also meet the latest standards, making the truck extremely pleasant and easy to drive. Above all, the various reversing cameras, which the driver can clearly see on a display, help to make work easier.
It is a unique model that the Stegmaiers have configured together with their MAN salesperson in weeks of detailed work – the engine of the giant alone is a testament to its extravagance: “A 640 hp D38 engine in a four-axle MAN TGX with this wheel configuration,” says Marc, “which is why we originally ordered it as a three-axle vehicle because we really wanted the 640 hp engine.” This goal was achieved by extending the wheelbase and adding an additional axle.
“If you tow a 40-tonne truck with a dead weight of approx. 33 tonnes, you’re happy for all the horsepower you can get, especially when going uphill,” explains Marc on why the high engine output was such an essential element for the newly ordered truck.
Special towing experiences
“Towing is always exciting because it is usually an emergency situation. And the driver is incredibly happy when they see the towing vehicle and know that they are finally off the motorway, away from the hard shoulder and back to safety,” says Marc. “The drivers are so grateful to you”, that’s the nice thing about his work. And, of course, as the driver of the towing vehicle, you are proud when you arrive in the workshop with a total length of over 35 metres from journeys. The MAN Bison towing service also becomes a special experience thanks to the impression that the impressive powerhouse gives customers. Marc remembers one of the first mountain drives: “The drivers of the tractor/semitrailer combination to be towed were so enthusiastic about our Bison that they wanted to record everything on video.”
In fact, he and his father see the new super-towing vehicle as the perfect visual aid for conveying the range of MAN products to customers. “One that has everything that MAN can deliver,” says Stegmaier Nutzfahrzeuge, adding the MAN TGX 41,640 8×4 to the team.
It also includes an additional visual feature that ensures perfect recognition even at night: the entire colour design of the lion is printed on reflective film, which is fully reflective at night. The super truck is sure to catch the eye wherever it appears.