Welti-Furrer replaced existing 15 axle lines with 18 new axle lines in the form of six modules with 2 x 2, 2 x 3 and 2 x 4 THP/MT axle lines. The order also included two low-profile drop decks of 80 and 170t, a vessel bridge, a crawler deck with a payload of 120t per each and two universal goosenecks. "With these vehicle combinations, we have completely new transport capabilities to offer our customers," says Alois Mosberger, head of heavy and oversized cargo transportation operations at Welti-Furrer. "In recent years, the size of items such as generators, stators, transformers and major plant components has constantly increased. With the new Goldhofer modules, we can meet such requirements much more easily. The modules’ improved steering geometry has also expanded our operating range."
With the addition of the low-profile drop decks to the fleet, maximum load lengths have significantly increased. In the case of the 80t deck, length limitations have expanded from 6 to 16m, and from 8.5 to 15m with the 170t version. The new vessel bridge also means an increase in the company’s capabilities, with a substantial upgrade in terms of clear length and width from 7.5/2.7 to 22.0/3.9m.
The Swiss company appreciated the price-performance ratio and also the weight categories of the modular systems. These new modules were used for the first time on March 15, 2016 when an 110t rotor was moved from Birr to the Basle Rhine port.
