Tow tractor demand increases outside automotive sector

Traditionally the favoured kit of automotive plants, tow tractors are increasingly being used by manufacturers across other sectors. "In a lot of cases, manufacturers are adopting the 'milk run' principle as the most efficient way of getting parts to the production line," says group product manager Oliver Rosenthal. Firms outside the automotive sector are now recognising the benefits of tow tractors, he says – namely that they can work in narrow aisles and allow several loads to be transported by one vehicle. The tow tractors also offer manufacturers much more flexibility than fixed conveyors, adds Rosenthal, if production layouts need to change. Jungheinrich manufactures the tow trucks at its factory in Lueneburg, Germany (pictured). The site was established 20 years ago as a special build facility, making one-off or small runs of equipment designed to suit specific customer applications. Despite the sharp fall in demand in the forklift truck market last year, Jungheinrich says its special build business remained largely unaffected and the Lueneburg plant has continued to manufacture specially engineered products as well as tow tractors throughout the economic downturn. Examples of special build products include reach trucks with 12.5 metre lift masts for a customer in south Yorkshire. Part of the roof had to be dismantled at the Lueneburg factory to allow the equipment to be tested. For another customer, Jungheinrich designed and built a heavy load platform transporter which is being used to move 40-tonne power generators around a production site. Lueneburg plant manager Dr Rolf Haelbich says his site demands unique engineering skills when compared to other facilities: "We need a special type of engineer here, who can think differently – for example, assembly time doesn't really matter for the design of these products as it would with typical new product development." Jungheinrich's ability to build a truck to meet precise requirements sets it apart from other suppliers, he adds. Occasionally, special builds become top selling products. In the early 1990s, a client asked Jungheinrich to design a truck to move two pallets at the same time, enabling it to load and unload double-deck trailers. The solution, a low-level pedestrian truck with low lift mast, now sells in its thousands.