GEROH - Bound to Excellence
No matter what height has to be achieved and what load to be moved, which accuracy and precision is required - for decades GEROH supplies the appropriate trailer systems for the German Army, its allies and civil forces. And yet a new level for the trailer and mast systems was achieved in 2012.
Trailer Systems
Payload and cargo space are limiting factors in the use of all armored vehicles and drive the importance of efficient trailers. Customized trailers adapted to highly mobile ground vehicles like the trailer system 1.7 t allow the transport of bulky and “payload consuming” objects such as bridges, generators and construction equipment. Maximum payload at the lowest possible weight and high off-road mobility were - and are! - the decisive criteria. Thus GEROH-trailers still represent a cost-effective alternative to increase the possible payload significantly.
Mast Systems
Of course much has happened in the field of mobile telescopic mast systems since the first telescopic mast was built by GEROH in 1947. The proven product portfolio consisting of KVL, KVG, KVK and KVR is in use worldwide as well as the spindle mast system SPM - still the masts with the best performance globally!
True to the motto “He who is not passionate, can never be excellent,” the existing product range was extended. Thanks to the innovative strength of GEROH’s development department, two new masts - the pneumatic telescopic mast AERO as well as the single spindle mast SPS - could be added to the product range.
While the Aero is a cost-effective pneumatic alternative for light payloads of up to 20 kg, the SPS is a new development based on the operating principle of SPM which has successfully operated for more than 18 years. While the SPM has one spindle for each mast section, the SPS utilizes a single precision spindle to support all mast sections. This allows weight reductions of up to 30% while maintaining the former precision. While SPM is still destined for extreme payloads up to 600 kg (e.g. the ground surveillance radar BÜR of the Federal Armed Forces with approx. 350 kg and the reconnaissance system KWS RMB with about 300 kg payload), the SPS is a candidate for payloads of up to 200 kg. Because of the new operating principle cost reductions were also achieved.
Being a member of the globally active WILL-BURT Group since 2012, GEROH - located in Waischenfeld in Northern Bavaria - has access to its partners’ sales & service centres in the USA, South America, South Africa and Australia. First deliveries to the U.S. Army were successfully installed in 2012. Thanks to the product portfolio of WILL-BURT - a manufacturer of telescopic masts since 1918 - GEROH could expand its range further by adding powerful and field proven systems. The telescopic masts STILETTO and the mobile ITS lattice towers are only two examples.
GEROH’s lattice towers can lift up to 1,000 kg to a height up to 40 m. So the ITS towers are a most welcome addition as they are comparatively lightweight lattice masts which might be installed both on trucks and trailers to reach heights up to 40 m with maximum payloads up to 300 kg.
Summary
Looking back it was a good idea to push the custom-made off-road trailer as a cost effective alternative for payload increase. Furthermore the well tried product range was successfully expanded in 2012 by new developments such as the AERO and the SPS as well as by including WILL-BURT and ITS masts. This will allow GEROH to get better in providing optimized solutions to its customers for the trailer systems required.
