European Road Transport Show 2002

VEHICLE NEWS
One of the most striking new offerings on display at the show comes from Italian truck maker, Iveco. More than just a vehicle, the Iveco Stralis is a complete range of trucks representing an evolutionary step in the product family first launched by the company four years ago. The Stralis builds upon its successors with the addition of several new features:

To begin with, the exterior is radically different. Despite its somewhat 'retro' appearance, the styling of the new Stralis nevertheless offers improved aerodynamics according to Iveco. Inside, there's a revised driving position and dashboard layout along with enhanced, spacious living accommodation. The range of engines has been enlarged with the addition of the Cursor 13 540hp power unit to the Iveco line-up, and the electronic control systems on the vehicles have been extended too.

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Another chassis manufacturer with major news in Amsterdam is Volvo. It's three new models, the FH12, the FM12 and the FM9 represent an investment by the Gothenberg-based company of €600m. Together with the new trucks comes a new engine range with nine and 12-litre power units with outputs of up to 500hp. There is also a new automatic gearchanging system, new electronics, a new chassis range, a new cab variant and a new interior. Always a strong competitor in the UK market, the new Volvo range will surely be one to watch.

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Also making its debut in Amsterdam is the new Mercedes-Benz Axor. Described by the company as 'a lightweight that can shoulder a heavy load', the Axor is intended for high-payload, short-radius distribution operations and medium-range haulage and fleet work. With engine options of 353hp, 401hp and 428hp, the Axor should prove an appealing option to operators running at gross train weights from 38 to 44 tonnes.

Alongside the Axor was the Mercedes Econic chassis, now a proven member of many municipal fleets throughout Europe. With its low entry crew cab, the Econic is well-suited to a range of refuse collection and kerbside recycling tasks.

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Of the other new vehicles on display, and although it's somewhat peripheral to the waste management world, the new Ford Transit Connect is worthy of mention here as it is likely to set the standard which a whole new generation of small vans will follow. Although it bears a resemblance to the Ford Fusion and the Ford Focus, (depending on which angle you look at it from), Ford says its new Transit Connect is an entirely purpose-designed vehicle — the key factor that will set it apart from the host of car-derived vans on our roads today.

Although the vehicle shares the name Transit, it is in reality nothing like its big brother — the Connect is a downsized addition to the range rather than a replacement for the Transit van in any shape or form.

Unfortunately, further details are simply not available at the show. Our questions regarding engine options, wheelbases and payloads were met with blank looks. The vehicle is so new, it seems, that even Ford's Dutch executives haven't been told what's under the bonnet yet. All we can tell you is that this vehicle is to be built in Turkey and that petrol and diesel variants can be expected. Ford claim the Transit Connect will offer a low cost of ownership through higher standards of durability, longer service and low insurance ratings. The UK launch is expected later this year.

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EQUIPMENT NEWS
As in previous years, there is a selection of waste management-related equipment on show in Amsterdam.

Now under the ownership of the Brescia, Italy-based OMB Group, Translift is exhibiting its innovative range of intermodal equipment which is now successfully operating in a variety waste management applications across mainland Europe.

The company, which is based in Dronten in the Netherlands, produces a range of items including containers, loading and compaction systems and road-rail container-transfer systems, all of which it bundles up under the name of Integrated Environmental System, or IES.

Essentially, IES provides a range of 'building blocks' which allow operators to design a collection system to meet their needs. In its most basic form, the IES demountable containers can be used by either hookloader or chainift-equipped trucks. But used in conjunction with the binlifting and compaction equipment produced by Translift, the system becomes a refuse collection vehicle with a demountable body.

The idea is that full containers are exchanged for empty ones from a donor truck — something that can be achieved by using the on-board container-handling equipment, thus allowing the refuse collector to continue working without the need to return to base. Thereafter, the donor truck takes away the full container which can either be taken directly to its destination or, as is the case in several places throughout Europe, automatically off-loaded onto railways wagons for onward transportation by rail.

The Translift system is undoubtedly innovative and now, according to the company, its tie up with OMB should give it the boost it needs to extend its marketing effort further into countries such as the UK. Currently, the company is involved in two projects over here; one in Aberdeen, the other in London where refuse is being transported out of the capital by Thames barges.

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Palfinger, a company perhaps better known for its on-board cranes, is showing a neat 7.5 tonne gvw skiploader equipment fitted to a Mitsibushi Canter diesel pickup truck. The interesting feature of this equipment is that it has extendable arms — not in length, but in width — which allow it to carry and drop off larger empty containers than those it has been designed to lift when full.

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While Hyva has an example of its 12 tonnes gvw extending-arm skiploader equipment on its stand, perhaps of more interest to British operators is the news that the company will be introducing six and eight tonne variants into the UK over the coming two to three months to complement its existing 12 and 18 tonnes range.

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Partek Cargotec operating company, Multilift, has an example of its new SLT skiploader on show at the exhibition. SLT stands for Skip Loader Telescopic, with the key feature being the extendable arms which will bring the system into direct competition in the UK with equipment such as the Telehoist Power Reach. The SLT, which can be either chassis-mounted or used as a hookloader-demountable item, is to be offered for either 18 or 26 tonnes gvw applications.

Launched at the end of last year, UK operators will be able to see the new Multilift SLT at the forthcoming NEC Commercial Vehicle Show — but not at IWM as Multilift are not exhibiting there this year.