Freight Forwarding Schuon Deploys Two Mercedes Actros Tippers on Major Construction Site

The Alfred Schuon GmbH swears by its Mercedes Actros 1848 LS tipping semi-trailers. The tippers are initially deployed on a major construction site for the airfield clinic in Böblingen Sindelfingen. The two Actros tipping semi-trailers transport up to 300 tons of excavated earth to the landfill daily and bring back gravel and aggregate material to the construction site on the return trip.

(Stuttgart/Böblingen) Two new Mercedes-Benz Actros 1848 LS tipping semi-trailers are in continuous operation for the new construction project of the airfield clinic in Böblingen-Sindelfingen. Since September 2020, the Alfred Schuon GmbH has transported thousands of cubic meters of excavated earth to landfills throughout the region, all the way down to Deißlingen near Rottweil. The two Actros 1848 LS complete six to twelve landfill trips daily, each carrying around 26 tons of excavated earth. This results in a daily mileage of about 400 kilometers for each of the two Schuon trucks and a daily transport capacity of up to 150 tons of earth removed from the construction pit and transported away from the construction site. On the return journey, the two tipping semi-trailers bring back plenty of gravel and aggregate material from the surrounding gravel works, which is needed for compacting the soil at the construction site.

State-of-the-Art Full-Service Clinic

On the major construction site along the A 81 motorway from Stuttgart to Singen, a state-of-the-art full-service clinic for the entire Böblingen district is set to be completed by the end of 2025. The Schuon freight forwarding company is carrying out the excavation transports under the leadership of E. Gfrörer & Sohn Schotterwerk GmbH & Co. KG from Empfingen, which is responsible for the entire excavation of the construction pit.

For many years, Schuon has been using trucks from Mercedes-Benz. “We have had the best experiences with them and are very proud that we are now involved in this representative mega construction project in Böblingen with the first two Actros tipping semi-trailers in our fleet,” says Frank Wohlgemuth, fleet manager of Alfred Schuon GmbH. “MirrorCam, safety assistance systems, Hydraulic Auxiliary Drive, and many other innovative features are indispensable for meeting the high demands of our operations, especially given the tight deadlines associated with this challenging clinic construction project.”

One of the Largest Construction Pits in Baden-Württemberg

So far, around 70,000 cubic meters of earth have been excavated for the construction of the new airfield clinic – this corresponds to about 70 percent of the total construction pit. The remaining excavation will take place with the start of the shell construction in mid-2021. To achieve this goal within the set timeframe, two excavators transport up to 5,000 tons of excavated material from the construction pit daily. Numerous trucks, most of them bearing the Mercedes star, carry out the transport. The excavation is based on a 3D model of the construction site and is GPS-controlled. This ensures that the excavation of the construction pit is done with centimeter precision, ecological aspects can be taken into account, and not least, the construction logistics processes at the airfield construction site and the adjacent access and exit zones are alleviated.

Mercedes-Benz Actros 1848 LS Meets Highest Demands for Excavation Transport
The Schuon freight forwarding company places great importance on fuel efficiency, high payload, good maneuverability, and the combination of high safety with driving comfort on the road, as well as high traction even in difficult ground conditions. This includes, for example, unpaved, dusty, and often also softened, muddy, or slippery access roads to construction sites. “The two new Mercedes-Benz Actros 1848 LS 4×2 with a 12.8-liter OM 471 engine and 350 kW (476 hp) power meet our requirements with flying colors,” expresses Frank Wohlgemuth his satisfaction. The two Actros trucks are coupled with Fliegl’s “Stone Master” steel troughs.

Top Visibility, Top Handling, and Top Traction through MirrorCam, Multimedia Cockpit, and HAD

Dirk Möller and Friedhelm Steinwand, the two drivers of Schuon’s new Actros trucks, are also fully enthusiastic about the technical innovations of their vehicles as older drivers. Especially the fully connected digital multimedia cockpit and the camera-based MirrorCam system instead of conventional exterior mirrors receive their applause. “At first, we were skeptical; but after a short acclimatization period, we are now completely satisfied,” says Friedhelm Steinwand, who has preferred to drive Mercedes-Benz trucks for 30 years. “The MirrorCam gives us a much better and clearer view ahead, especially when turning, in roundabouts, when changing lanes, merging into flowing traffic, and maneuvering,” he emphasizes.

Dirk Möller only needed one day to get used to the new system: “The MirrorCam is great, I am completely satisfied with it! Especially the camera view following the vehicle’s movements and the virtually non-existent dirt are simply superb,” is his conclusion. “The multimedia cockpit is also a fine thing, as it provides us with all the necessary information about the journey and the vehicle in a clear manner. This significantly simplifies our communication and our daily workflows.”

Developed for Increased Traction Demands

Both vehicles are equipped with the switchable Hydraulic Auxiliary Drive (HAD), which was developed for road-oriented use with spontaneously increased traction demands. As an additional traction aid, HAD combines the advantages of all-wheel and conventional drive by supplying the front axle with additional power via wheel hub motors as soon as the drive axle is about to lose its grip. “Especially when driving in gravel pits, quarries, and landfills with steep gradients, I don’t want to do without HAD anymore,” says Dirk Möller. “On unpaved, muddy, or snow-covered surfaces, as well as when rocking free, HAD is extremely helpful, and the handling is excellent.”

HAD is up to 350 kg lighter than the switchable all-wheel drive. Additionally, there is no continuously running drive axle. This leads to a significant reduction in fuel consumption compared to vehicles with switchable or even permanent all-wheel drive.

Innovative Assistance Systems Enable Safe Operation on Roads and Major Construction Sites

The Actros trucks of Schuon are equipped with an innovative safety package that includes a large number of assistance systems. Active Brake Assist 5, which is already included in the standard equipment of the new Actros, can perform partial and full braking not only on stationary but also on moving objects such as pedestrians and cyclists in critical situations and at vehicle speeds of up to 50 km/h. This can prevent accidents or mitigate their consequences.

Additionally, the driver is supported by numerous assistance systems that contribute to increasing safety in road traffic and at the construction site. These include the stability control assistant (ESP), lane-keeping assistant, distance keeping assistant, attention assistant, and traffic sign assistant. Especially during the frequent long-distance trips in construction traffic, the current version of the intelligent cruise control and transmission control Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC) shows its strengths. For the driver, it represents a real added value, as it allows for anticipatory and fuel-efficient driving on country roads through precise 3D road maps combined with GPS data analysis.

The turning assistant in the two Actros tipping semi-trailers of Schuon “can detect obstacles and reliably prevent me from overlooking someone when turning right,” enthuses Friedhelm Steinwand. The assistance system can warn the driver through a multi-stage process of visual and acoustic signals about pedestrians, cyclists, or e-scooters in the radar monitoring zone on the passenger side.

Project New Construction of the Airfield Clinic in Böblingen-Sindelfingen

The full-service clinic, funded by the state and district, is being built on the nearly 80-hectare airfield, a former military and civilian airport located centrally between the Baden-Württemberg cities of Böblingen and Sindelfingen. With a total budget of around 573 million euros and a usable area of about 51,000 square meters, the “New Construction of the Airfield Clinic” project is one of the most significant hospital construction projects in Baden-Württemberg. Upon its completion at the end of 2025, it will ensure high-quality medical care for the population in the Böblingen-Sindelfingen metropolitan area thanks to its modern facilities and optimal networking of all medical disciplines.

Alfred Schuon GmbH International Freight Forwarding and Logistics

According to its own statements, Alfred Schuon GmbH is one of the leading freight forwarding and logistics companies in Europe. The medium-sized family business offers comprehensive transport, logistics, and workshop services as a full-service provider and pursues a consistent green logistics strategy. Alfred Schuon GmbH employs around 500 staff and specializes in jumbo transports, system traffic, and individual logistics concepts. The company operates 350 dispatched vehicles with areas of operation throughout Europe. The storage and logistics area covers about 80,000 square meters. Branches are located at eight sites in Germany and Hungary. Alfred Schuon GmbH was founded in 1951 in Haiterbach, Baden-Württemberg, where the company’s central headquarters is still located today.

Photo: © Mercedes Benz

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