GREENER TIMBER TRAILER

Looking at the Tschopp Holzindustrie AG site and its equipment, you’d never guess the business was more than 100 years old. Solar panels, state-of-the-art automation and a fleet of top-spec liveried vehicles all hint at the manufacturer’s priorities of sustainability and innovation.

Leading the market since 1959 with their three-layer wood shuttering panels, this family business is now in its third generation. With brothers Ronald and Daniel Tschopp at the helm, the company sets itself apart from the rest of the Swiss timber industry with its forward-thinking approach. This innovation helps the manufacturer’s operations remain efficient and sustainable.

Processing 130,000 cubic metres of timber in their factory near Buttisholz, Switzerland, an on-site wood-fired power station and solar panels drives operations. Producing 9.5 million kWh of electricity a year, this doesn’t just run the saw mill, but keeps the vehicle fleet moving too, with electric charging points on-site.

As a fully carbon neutral business, finding a new timber loading machine that could keep up the pace of manufacturing and run on green power was a priority. With a 209 kW electric engine and high-performing pick and carry capabilities, the SENNEBOGEN 735E fits the bill.

GREEN INSIDE AND OUT

Painted in Tschopp’s trademark dark green livery, the business’s new SENNEBOGEN 735E timber handling machine has been specially adapted for working on the 80,000m2 yard. Fitted with a trailer, the machine unloads wood from trucks to a holding area and then onto trailers ready for transportation to the saw mill. It also sorts the timber in size order ready for processing in the milling machine.

Alongside the specialist trailer, the handling machine has particular features which keep it operating smoothly and efficiently. The rear-linked boom arm gives optimal weight distribution, while the robust mobile undercarriage means it can pull a trailer weighing up to 30 tonnes. The stacking height of around 10 metres and reach of 11.3 metres also make the trickiest loading and unloading tasks achievable.

“We mainly chose the electric drive because fuel prices are relatively high and this model would help us massively reduce our consumption...

However, for the Tschopp team, it’s the hybrid traction drive engine and intelligent energy recovery system that makes the machine stand out. As Materials Buyer, Erich Helfenstein explains, “We mainly chose the electric drive because fuel prices are relatively high and this model would help us massively reduce our consumption. Another advantage is that it’s much quieter on the road.”

TOP OPERATOR SUPPORT

With a very busy yard, taking extra precautions and using enhanced safety technologies are key to keeping team members safe. The high-rise, fully rotational cab with large side and front windows gives operators all-round visibility. Plus, Tschopp have upgraded their model with special 360-vision cameras to give workers an added level of safety.

Non-slip treads, sturdy handles and all-round grating mean operators can get in and out of the machine safely. Once they’re in the cab, there’s plenty of space and an ergonomic seat with adjustable armrests to help them stay comfortable over several hours. Optimally-placed joysticks also sit snugly in operator’s hands, with the intuitive SENCON system giving intelligent feedback and making machine control easy.

Also fitted with bespoke cab protection, these operator-friendly features help enhance the overall efficiency of the machine. This helps teams keep up the high pace of the on-site workflow. “We’re very happy with our new purchase,” says Erich. “We’ve had good product support from SENNEBOGEN throughout the process and wouldn’t hesitate to get in touch with them for any new requirements.”