Timber handling on a large scale: "SENNEBOGEN handlers have proven their worth"

The slogan is fitting: The Pfeifer Group has made "Passion for timber" its motto, and it quickly becomes clear that Herbert Stöckl lives this passion. Stöckl is the director of logistics for the internationally operating corporate group and has been in the business for many years himself. He was also the one who first decided on the mobile timber handling machines from SENNEBOGEN in 2011 to optimize the logistics in the log yard. Meanwhile, 14 green material handlers are running at the Pfeifer locations in Austria and Germany – a success story.

Pick & carry concept: flexible and agile sorting, without maneuvering 

We are visiting Tirol, where the latest SENNEBOGEN machine generation is successfully used at the Kundl location. The sales and service partner Ascendum Baumaschinen Österreich delivered a new 735 of the E-series in June. A total of three machines of the new type are soon to be used at several locations of the Group. "An important advantage of the SENNEBOGEN material handlers has always been the agility and flexibility of the mobile pick & carry machines," explains Herbert Stöckl. Thanks to the 360° rotatable uppercarriage, the 735 not only quickly empties the boxes along the sorting line without maneuvering, it also fits in the narrow lanes with a width of only 3.68 m and can pile the wood up to a height of 11 m. 

With a production capacity of approximately 570,000 m³ of sawn timber and planed goods, the wood processing plant in Tirol is one of the largest production locations of the Pfeifer Group. The wood, which is obtained to a large extent from the nearby forests and neighboring countries, primarily becomes sawn timber for further processing or is processed into pellets. 

New generation of the 735: lower consumption and optimum work ergonomics

Driven by a 224 kW strong diesel engine that accelerates the driving machine to up to 20 km/h and is equipped with a 3 m² wood grab, the new machine generation not only has an impressive mobility but also especially low consumption values. Even in comparison to the previous series, which is still in use, the performance could be increased even more, reports Georg Horngacher, the director of maintenance at Pfeifer in Kundl.

As the responsible sales and service partner, Ascendum Baumaschinen Österreich GmbH takes care of maintenance and regular service on site after delivery as well and thereby ensures short downtimes and optimum availability, praises Horngacher.

Together with driver Gerhard Breitenlechner, Horngacher and Stöckl also take a close look at the driver's cab. The state-of-the-art SENNEBOGEN Maxcab and the new control and diagnostic system SENCON are used here for the first time. A multitude of surrounding cameras and an extensive LED lighting package ensure an ideal all-round visibility from the 1.0 m raised driver's cab. The automatic detection of the direction of travel is especially helpful for driver Breitenlechner. Regardless of the position of the undercarriage, the driver can quickly and safely start driving and maneuver even in very tight spaces on the extensive company grounds. "Before we put the SENNEBOGEN 735 into use here in Kundl, the machine was also tested in use at other locations," Stöckl concludes. "The machine concept impressed us there as well and will rapidly replace the previous machines at those locations," explains the logistics director, who is looking forward to the next commissioning of a green machine.

Captions:

A total of 14 SENNEBOGEN timber handling machines are used at Pfeifer in Austria and Germany. With the new SENNEBOGEN 735 of the E-series, the latest machine generation is used at the Kundl/Tirol location for the first time.

Compact dimensions and a powerful all-wheel travel drive make the pick & carry material handler the perfect solution for logistics on the sorting line.

The Pfeifer Group has relied on SENNEBOGEN pick & carry machines since 2011 – a success story, agree logistics director Herbert Stöckl (left), driver Gerhard Breitenlechner (center), and the director of maintenance, Georg Horngacher (right).