interalpin 2007 kässbohrer presents the most powerful ... · we are taking advantage of the ......

www.pistenbully.com

Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG Customer magazineIssue 05/2007

05/2007

Dear Readers,

For weeks, one topic has dominated the German press– climate change.After initial problems, and in parts adelay to the start of the season, the skiing regionshave mastered the situation as best they can.There isa widespread view that the snow coverage is good,and the slopes are well prepared.We are all im-pressed by this act of strength, and the optimism thatalways prevails. Following this difficult 2006/2007winter season, we all want to look to the future onceagain.

We are taking advantage of the Interalpin to presentthe familiar, tried-and-tested vehicles and products aswell as showing off a new member of the PistenBullyfamily – the PistenBully Scout. Originally it wasplanned to market this vehicle in North Americaalone, but more and more customer enquiriesprompted us to take the decision not to withhold itfrom the European market.This is just one example ofwhat we mean by ‘customer orientation’.

Incidentally, on the subject of customers: in May, weare going to organize a big party for you in Laupheim– the AfterWork party.We have had a few ideas, and

are looking forward to celebrating with you andwelcoming you to Laupheim once again. I am alsolooking forward to the Interalpin and to your visit tothe Kässbohrer stand.As in the past, you’ll always find something of interest here.

Come and enjoy the surprise!

Best regards,

Jens Rottmair

The Interalpin is the biggest and most significanttrade fair for Alpine engineering technologies in theworld.From 18 to 20 April 2007, the world marketleader will be in hall4,Stand 420,showing off for thefirst time the Pisten-Bully 600 Polar withwinch.This Pisten-Bully, rated at 490 hp,is the most powerfulmachine on themarket. In addition,Kässbohrer will havesomething else newto show visitors, in theform of the Pisten-Bully Scout,whichrounds off thecompany productrange at both ends ofa formidable scale.

The PistenBully 600Polar with winch willimpress visitors to theInteralpin 2007: themost powerfulPistenBully of all timeis a unique combi-nation of intelligenceand enormousstrength.A 490-hpengine means extrapower and a biggerblade for even greaterthrusting force.

This is also theEuropean debut forthe PistenBully Scout,which will be mar-keted for the first timeoutside North

America for the 2007/2008 season.Production andmarketing has hitherto been handled exclusively bythe subsidiary Kässbohrer All Terrain Vehicles Inc.,

Reno,Nevada.The vehicle has been established inNorth America for more than 10 years under thename Lite-Foot.The PistenBully Scout covers the

Utility and Safety & Security market segments. Itstarget groups are power and maintenancecompanies, telecommunications firms and

organizations con-cerned with environ-mental protection, civildefence and action inthe event of disasters.The PistenBully Scoutcan be used for thetransport of up to 10people,and its parti-cular features areeconomy of perfor-mance and its versa-tility of operation.

As well as thePistenBully 600 Polarand the PistenBullyScout, there will beanother master of fun-park maintenanceto be seen on theKässbohrer stand: thePistenBully 200 Park.Its operational rangehas been extended by134 degrees to thefront and 132 degreesto the rear.Alongsidethe PistenBully 200Park,Kässbohrer willalso be demonstratingto visitors the capabili-ties of the ParkBlade,the multi-talentedcreation for the main-tenance of fun-parksand boarder-crossfacilities,as well as fortransporting rails and

INTERALPIN 2007

Kässbohrer presents the most powerful PistenBully of all time and the new PistenBully Scout

Continued on page 2

Editorial

Come and see us!

Hall 04 Stand 420

and in the outdoor area

Innsbruck Exhibition

Centre

KGF_K_Info_5_07_GB.RZ 11.04.2007 13:26 Uhr Seite 1

funboxes.Any kinds of objects can be carried,andloads of up to 1,000 kg are no problem for theParkBlade and PistenBully.

On the open-air site,Kässbohrer is presenting theflagship of the PistenBully product line: thestandard model of the PistenBully 600. In its firstseason after the market launch, it was alreadyproving its value in everyday use.Customers anddrivers alike were wildly enthusiastic about thisPistenBully,with its striking lines and large,deep-drawn windows.

As well as this, visitors to the fair can gain animpression of thePistenBully 100 equippedfor cross-country ski trailmaintenance.Thanks toits modular design,withdifferent vehicle widthsand accessories for awide range of tasks, itcan not only create top-quality trails but is alsoideally suited to thepreparation of small

slopes and winter paths.Cross-country trailequipment and VarioTrackDesigner ensure theproduction of cross-country ski trails of a quality that puts them in the world class.

PistenBully 600,PistenBully 600 Polar, PistenBullyScout, PistenBully 200 Park, PistenBully 100 – allvery good reasons for visiting the Kässbohrerstand at the INTERALPIN 2007!

www.pistenbully.com

INTERALPIN 2007

Kässbohrer presents the most powerful PistenBully of alltime and the new PistenBully Scout

Continued from page 1

‘Preventive Quality Assurance’ is an issue of realimportance at Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG,and naturally that means it is a major concern withregard to the dimensions of the latest model ofPistenBully.Quality control for the PistenBully 600starts at the development stage, continues withmeasurement of the individual componentsthroughout the production process,and ends withthe final inspection.The director of qualityassurance,Raimund Mayer,and his staff makesure that everything designed and manufacturedfunctions perfectly in the finished PistenBully.

K-Info:How does the measuring procedurefor the PistenBully 600 function in com-parison with previous PistenBully models?

On earlier models, things were still quite simple.Large surfaces tended to predominate,and theappearance was characterised by exact angles.Things are very different with the PistenBully 600.In this case, the lines tend to run in a curve,andhave flowing transition areas.Free-surface

measurement technology can likewise providequalitative assessment of these,however.Measurement of the first individual componentsbegan about 12 months before series production,as soon as the first drafts were available from thedesigners.Up to the start of series production,there were a large number of measuring reportsproduced,all of which made a contribution to thecontinuing improvement of the productionprocess,as well as to the correspondingoptimisation of the data records.

K-Info:So did the new PistenBully pass thequality test?

Yes,absolutely.The total quality assuranceprocedure fulfils the standards that are otherwisenormally applied in the automobile industry.Weare able to manufacture the cab framework of thePistenBully 600 in the prescribed tolerances withmillimetric precision,and with precise repetitiontoo. In other words,we have the productionprocess of the driving cab fully under control.The

PistenBully 600 willmeet the highestdemands.

K-Info:How do youat Quality Assuranceensure that noimprecisions cancreep in?

The important thing is ahigh level of processassurance.This meansthat there must be ahigh degree ofrepetition precision inthe production process.The set of data recordsproduced by our Development Department istransferred onto our multi-co-ordinate measuringmachine. It is then possible to use our 3-Dmachine to check individual parts,weldedmodules,or even the entire cab with absoluteprecision.This then guarantees that no deviations

can occur during the production of these parts. Ingeneral,measurements must be made to check onthe specifications from the drawings.Maintainingthese specifications is a basic precondition forsecuring the processes that follow,such as moun-ting the cab or attaching the carrier frame.Anyirregularities would have a direct effect on othercomponents.

K-Info:Who carries out the measurement?

Measurements are made by appropriately-trainedmembers of staff from the Goods AcceptanceDepartment.As part of their advanced training,these staff undergo continuous training so thatthey can meet the continuously-developingdemands.

K-Info:What does maintaining thismeasurement precision mean for thecustomers?

Our customers receive a vehicle whose design andquality are matched to one another,and whosecomponents engage with one another preciselyand function perfectly. In this situation, the detailsare initially often not fully appreciated,becausefrom the customer’s point of view there are otherimmediate priorities with a new vehicle.At sometime in the course of the season, for examplewhen the customer is sitting in the PistenBullyduring a snowstorm with the temperature wellbelow zero but still feeling perfectly comfortable,they suddenly realise the importance of our work.And when,after many years of use, the doors onthe PistenBully still close perfectly and smoothly,the customer finally understands the real addedvalue of a PistenBully.

Interview with Raimund Mayer, Director of Quality Assurance

The quality lies in the detail


www.pistenbully.com

This year,Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG hascome up with something special to mark the endof the season.From 22 to 24 May, there will be an“AfterWork Party”held in Laupheim that is goingto be something extra special.The three-day eventis going to offer guests a programme ranging frominformative and interesting lectures to anathletically demanding biathlon event andattractive evening entertainment.

The sporting highlight is a biathlon,which will beheld under professional conditions.The shootingrange meets regular biathlon conditions,and willbe managed by professionals from Ruhrpolding.Two-person teams will start in each case.Each skiregion can enter one team,but other keen types

are of course welcome to come to Laupheim.Aregular circuit in the event is 300 metres,whilepenalty rounds for misses mean a100 metresetback in each case.For reasons of fairness,assessments will be made in two categories,because customers from a region where cross-country skiing is common may well have the edgewhen it comes to the biathlon.The winners of thebiathlon will win the free use of a PistenBully forfour weeks in their downhill or cross-countryskiing region.

Apart from the athletic challenge,guests at the“AfterWork Party”will also have the opportunityof hearing lectures on interesting subjects andexchanging views with one another.The latest

PistenBully models willof course be on show,and older models willalso be on sale during theevent as part of a usedvehicle show.A look at theKässbohrer productionprocess will of course bepossible.Evenings will bethe ideal time for the bestentertainment of all.Thisisn’t called the “AfterWorkParty” for nothing – as we all know,youcan never have toomuch fun at a party.

„AfterWork Party“

All kinds of fun and snow from Laupheim

Three masters of their craft, almost forty years ofexperience,and 15,000 PistenBullys. In the main-tenance of slopes and cross-country ski trails, andthe construction of fun parks,Kässbohrer is theworld’s market leader with a share of over 50percent – a position no one at the start dared todream of.Not even the three production masters,Walter Sautter, Josef Haumann and ErwinKasberger,who have been part of the wholePistenBully story since the 60s and 70s.At the endof 2006,Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AGcelebrated the production of its 15,000th Pisten-Bully.The occasion filled the entire staff with pride,and rightly so.

In 1968 Walter Sautter was in just his second yearas an apprentice,when he was called to a woodenhut where the Karl Kässbohrer vehicle manufac-turing company carriedout its tests.Everythingthat happened in thewooden hut wasobviously shrouded inthe utmost secrecy.“This was beforeanyone was eventalking about ‘snowrollers’,”Walter Sautterrecalls.“The fact thatthe vehicle to bedeveloped would firmlyshape the next fourdecades of my workinglife never even occurredto me at that point.” In1968,mechanical snowgrooming was still in its infancy.The world’s firstimages were shown on TV in 1960,of track-drivenarmy vehicles preparing for the Eighth WinterOlympics in Squaw Valley in the Sierra Nevada.Karl Kässbohrer came up with the idea forPistenBully during a winter holiday on the Alpe di Siusi.He was annoyed that the vehicle they hadfor preparing the slopes had broken down.Karl Kässbohrer and his brother Otto shared apowerful curiosity about all unusual vehicles.TheKässbohrer brothers thus commissioned WalterHaug, their design engineer, to develop a snowgroomer.Haug first put pen to paper in June 1968,and since then has been considered the “father“ of the PistenBully. Entry into this new field ofbusiness was a major decision, since competitionwas stiff.The underlying concepts,however,wereessentially one and the same:petrol engine, levercontrol with steering brakes,manual transmissionand either disc or drum brakes.Only Kässbohrerwas coming up with really new ideas: their vehicle

too had front-wheel drive and a 120-hp petrolengine from Daimler-Benz,but it also had alreadya hydrostatic driveline,a steering wheel,aspacious driver’s cab and a large loading platform.

The first small-series production came about in1969.By this point, the five PistenBully 32.120 Bmodels had been converted to rear-wheel driveand they beat with the heart of a 120-hp six-cylinderengine.“Then diesel engines came in – at highaltitudes the petrol ones had too little combustionair,” recalls Walter Sautter.The snow groomer leftUlm for its first real test in 1971 in Flaine,UpperSavoy – and passed with flying colours.Heldagainst its international competitors,PistenBullymeasured up exceptionally well.The particularlyimpressive aspect of the 39.145 D was itshydrostatic driveline:while the competition lacked

a steady flow of forces owing to its manualtransmission,which took its toll on the slope, thePistenBully climbed up mountains at a steplesslyadjustable speed and could thus adapt perfectlyto the terrain and snow conditions at hand. It wasat this point that it became clear that the Pisten-Bully idea would take off. Erwin Wieland – thenArea Sales Manager for SETRA Coaches – orga-nised PistenBully sales from 1971 and firmlyshaped the next 30 years of PistenBully history.

That same year, the 170 D successor model withtiltable driver’s cab was presented. JosefHaumann,now an expert in track production,hada hand in this operator-friendly development: inthe workshop, this trained farm-machinerytechnician welded the PistenBully’s load-bearinglattice frame.The international market break-through came in 1972 at the Winter Olympics inSapporo, Japan,where PistenBully took charge ofslope grooming.That was also the year in which

Erwin Kasberger,who for the past 20 years hasbeen responsible for production together withforeman Walter Sautter, completed his training atKässbohrer.

In 1984, the 200 DW became the first vehicle with an overhead winch for grooming steep slopes.During the first delivery to the Zugspitze,WalterSautter and Josef Haumann had to strip down thePistenBully at the Schneefernerhaus railwaystation so as to get it through the tunnel.Once atthe top, they were forced to negotiate their waydown a steep slope with the vehicle to reach thearea in which they were actually meant to be.“To this end, the snow had deliberately not beenblasted away,”says Sautter.Subsequent Zugspitzedeliveries proved equally adventurous:once thePistenBully had to be roped down because there

was too little snow;another time, Josef Haumanngot very hot and bothered in the Zugspitze tunnelbecause everyone was waiting for him to get backso that the necessary blasting could finally becarried out.Such experiences naturally weld themtogether.“We’re thick as thieves,”says ErwinKasberger,emphasising this point.A gang whoare always having fun:“We were always game fora laugh in those days. For example,we oncepainted the shoes of one of our colleagues withthat lovely PistenBully red paint.We were down inthe pit, and he was up top,and didn’t have a cluewhat was going on!”Sautter still laughs about itto this day.

In 1994, the Geländefahrzeuge (all-terrainvehicles) product segment of what was originallyKarl Kässbohrer Fahrzeugwerke GmbH wasturned into a separate company.The success ofPistenBully was in no way hampered;quite theopposite, in fact. In 1997, the 10,000th vehicle

was delivered.By this stage,PistenBully wasoperating in 52 countries and on all six continents.The 90s were also to produce the PistenBully 300.Its distinguishing features consisted of extremeclimbing performance, low maintenance andautomatic track tensioning. Josef Haumann fromtrack production casts his mind back to the earlydays:“we used to have to roll the tracks by hand,and it took two hours before they wereassembled.Boy did we have to graft back then.”In 1998 Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG wasfloated on the stock exchange.Four years later thecompany moved to its new site in Laupheim,Germany. In 2002, the PistenBully 300 Polar waslaunched.With 455 hp it is the most powerfulPistenBully of all time.Right from the word go,PistenBully has always been a step ahead of thecompetition:“For the snow groomer,we had the

patent for the hydrostatic drivelineand were then able to develop theelectronics further.We’ve maintainedour head start to this day,”saysWalter Sautter.This is doubtless alsodue to the great ambition of the staff:“At demonstrations we had to get upthe mountain alongside the othercompetitors. I have never willinglythrown away a race,”Sautter admits.His colleague Haumann recalls thatthey sometimes used to work up to65 hours a week:“We often loadedup again at one in the morning.”

None of the three masters wants toreveal which model is dearest tothem:“The 170 D was the first to

have a nice round ‘face’ – from the 240,designbecame a real focal point... ”They are at any ratefull of enthusiasm for the current PistenBully 600,which combines the very latest technology withred hot design:“It is an absolutely top-classmachine in every respect,”says Kasberger,speaking on behalf of them all.“A PistenBully isand always will be a PistenBully – technology istechnology,”concludes Sautter.Walter Sautter,Josef Haumann and Erwin Kasberger have grownup with PistenBully.Or the other way around:perhaps it is also PistenBully that has grown upwith them.Either way, the growth is impressive –PistenBully number 15,000 is something to beproud of.

15,000 PistenBully

“We put our heart and soul into every single PistenBully”


www.pistenbully.com

In 2006,we conducted the first customersatisfaction analysis among PistenBullycustomers,and the results were impressive.Morethan 80 percent of our customers were generallysatisfied with Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG,and almost half of those asked even went so far asto give the highest grade of all,”very satisfied“.This unequivocally positive result becomes evenmore impressive when we realise that it was arepresentative survey, involving all customergroups.The 1,700 questionnaires distributed inGermany,Austria, Italy, France and Switzerlandproduced a sensational quota of returns of morethan 40 percent.But with all the praise came some

detailed criticism.These remarks have beeninvaluable input for the further development ofthe vehicles.We have taken your ideas intoaccount,and, trust us,we are not going to rest onour laurels!

The result of the analysis provided an enormousincentive for us to become even better.Thefollowing suggestions have been put intopractice:

At the request of some of our customers,we shallbe making repair invoices more transparent andmore detailed.

For spare parts sales,we shall be conductingadditional campaigns with different focal points,such as the Spring 2007 Campaign.

When customers return unneeded parts, theyimmediately receive a credit note.We haveinitiated specific measures to further increase theavailability of spare parts for our customers.Since autumn 2006,with the first delivery of thenew PistenBully 600, spare parts documentationhas been provided on the basis of a CD.As well asthis, each additional machine now has its ownspare parts documentation.

We are also working on making vehiclemaintenance even simpler in the future.

At all customer instruction courses and trainingevents,our customers have the opportunity ofmaking their opinions known.This feedback isthen systematically evaluated,and we will ofcourse let you have our response.

A good arrangement.A strong team.The Austrianbranch of Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG inKuchl always works flat-out to fulfil the needs ofPistenBully customers in Austria.Thanks to the

famous PistenBully team spirit, the staff aroundBranch Manager Peter Soukal and CustomerService Manager Johan Stabel can master everychallenge,however tough it might seem.

Structure of Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG Kuchl

Customer satisfaction analysis:

We have put your suggestions for improvement into practice!

Branch Manager

Peter Soukal

Sales External Service

Horst Biechl Heinz Leiter

Kurt Schreilechner

Admin

Ms.Brameshuber

Manager,Sales Internal Service

Peter Wilkinson

Manager,Customer Centre

Johann Stabel

Repairs Accounting

Maresi Meisl

Spare Parts

Andreas Neureiter

Spare Parts Sales

Siegfried StrasserJohann Spatzenegger

Josef Riefler

Spare Parts Dispatch

Erkam Isakovic

External Fitters

Martin AuerEdgar Baier

Martin BürglerChristian Eberhart

External Fitters

Siegfried Fischbacher Ulrich Grassl

Richard Huber

External Fitters

Andreas RudigierHans Werner Wolf Thomas Zeferer

Internal Fitters

Helmut LichteneggerChristoph Macheiner

Hannes Wallinger

External Service

Gerhard Höllbacher

Guarantees,Buildings,Vehicle Fleet

Christian Paar

Accounts

Rudolf Strobl

Commercial Manager/Controlling

Dkfm.Robert Schönleitner

Robert Schönleitner

Peter Soukal

Johann Stabel

Our mission is to get on the trail of some hottracks.After all, the tracks the PistenBully leavesare something special,not only in the snow butalso in the hearts and minds of drivers,mechanicsand winter sports enthusiasts.490 hp of thrustingpower is a symbol of strength and technology,fascination and enthusiasm.And,above all, oflasting impressions.These are exactly the storieswe’re looking for.

We want your stories too!

Tell us about your exciting, light-hearted,emotional,dangerous, funny or really unusual

experiences with a PistenBully.E-mail us a shorttext,with a picture if possible (minimum 300 KB)and with the subject line ‘Tracks of Life’, [email protected]. In future issues of the K-Info magazine,we shall be publishing the bestsubmissions in this column.Your hard work will ofcourse be rewarded:a brand new model of thePistenBully 600 as a token of appreciation.

Have fun in your search for a story – whether outon the snow or delving into your past experiences!

Your under-snow-cover agents

Tracks of Life – real-life stories.

Tracks of Life – the first story

What happens in the red cockpitwhen preparing floodlit slopes or inthe PistenBully garage?

There are a lot of events that truly becomelegends, like the downfall of a PistenBullyin Zermatt in April 1988. It was tasked toshift the anchors of the glacier ski lift’smovable valley station.Unfortunately, theincident ended 15 metres lower down – ina glacier crevasse.An elaborate rescuemission resulted in machine and driverbeing rescued from their icy peril. Luckily,unlike the machine, the driver survived theevent without a scratch.The rumpled anddented PistenBully was repaired.“Wefitted it out with a new engine and a newcab. It went on to give another 6,000hours of operational service,” remembersSämi Biner,workshop manager at themountain railway company BergbahnenZermatt AG,who helped with the recoveryoperation. The recovery of the PistenBully, which despite

the damage could still be prepared.▲


www.pistenbully.com


www.beach-tech.com

Sometimes we need to get out of the frame,or atleast change the picture in it.And that is preciselywhat has been happening since 2002 at theMelchsee-Frutt event in Switzerland,being heldthis year from 21 to 22 March for the fifth time.

The Melchsee-Frutt Event is aimed at the staff ofcable car companies who are responsible for skislopes, snow and fun.Over two days, regardless ofthe weather, some 400 to 600 people make theirway onto the beautifully located plateau to findout about the latest trends and developments. Inthe six years of the event, starting with the threefounder companies (Bächler Top Track AG,Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG and Borer LiftAG), there are now 14 firms from this sector beingrepresented.These firms have created a uniqueprofile to the event,and established the groundrules:exhibitors are not allowed to compete.Amajor contribution to the huge success of thistwo-day event is also provided by SportbahnenMelchsee-Frutt, the sports ski lift company.

It’s different – but it works

For Peter Jenny, the success factors are perfectlyclear.As he puts it,“At this demonstration we havea very great deal of time to discuss things with ourcustomers, including questions of detail,something that simply is not possible at normaltrade fairs.”Added to this is the fact that allequipment currently in use can be tried outimmediately,because there is enough snow andthere is enough space.“There are people therewho use a stopwatch to measure the time it takesto change over a piece of equipment,”says PeterJenny with a laugh.

There are two other plus points for the Melchsee-Frutt Event.During the journey there and back,atthe midday break,or on the way to otherexhibitors, there is the opportunity to exchangeideas,opinions and experiences,and because thevisitors do not get lost in the crowds, suchdiscussions get started much more easily.And

then there are also the‘normal’ winter sportsenthusiasts: skiers,snowboarders, schoolclasses,groups andparents with children.By looking andlistening,everyone canlearn a lot of valuableinformation about skislopes,accessories,equipment and design.That is the key:becausethe Melchsee-FruttEvent is held in a realenvironment, it acquires new dimensions andtakes on new powers of expression.

Part of the programme this year includes, for thesecond time,a PistenBully Contest, for which Beatvon Deshwanden from Sportbahnen Melchsee-Frutt is primarily responsible.Event organisers

Sportbahnen Melchsee-Frutt were behind thecontest idea.The cross-country contest is nowbeing held in the ski region of Panorama WeltLungen Schönbüel AG in Canton Obwalden,andthat makes it very clear:There will bemore Melchsee-Frutt events in thefuture,and Kässbohrer will be there.

Kässbohrer at Melchsee-Frutt

Getting really close to the customer

The USA is not just the land of infinite opportuni-ties;when it comes to mechanical beach cleaning,it is also the world's biggest market.And for goodreason: the majority of its coasts have been

opened up to tourists,offering countless miles ofbeaches. In recent times,demand forsophisticated beach-cleaning machines has risen

dramatically.This can be put down to a high levelof environmental awareness and increaseddemand for quality beaches.Particular attention ispaid by local authorities to ensuring that visitors

to their coasts enjoy beaches that are clean andsafe in equal measure.Previously they used mainlyAmerican vehicles, but since Kässbohrer

Geländefahrzeug AGlaunched BeachTech on theAmerican market, the tidehas turned:more and morecommunities are nowchoosing ’Made inGermany’ technology. InNew York,New Jersey,Florida and California alike,BeachTech has scoredhighly in sales over the lastfew months.Behind thissuccess lies a uniquecleaning concept. Itcombines the advantagesof raking technique forsurface cleaning with those

of a sifting system for thorough cleaning rightdown into the lower beds of sand.The expert salesteam at Kässbohrer All Terrain Vehicles (KATV),which took over the sale of BeachTech in the USA

in 2004,has a major share of BeachTech salessuccesses.KATV is a subsidiary of KässbohrerGeländefahrzeug AG.On top of BeachTech,KATVhas represented PistenBully in the States for years.The KATV head office is in Reno,Nevada,withbranches in Colorado,Minnesota and Maine.Dueto the sheer size of the USA, it is vital thatcompetent partners in strategic locations worktogether to ensure a reliable after-sales service.Atpresent,BeachTech dealers are active on thenorth-west Pacific coast,on the Great Lakes, inNew England and in Florida.To optimise customercare,however, the dealer network is being steadilyexpanded.Each branch has plenty of spare partsin stock and employs trained service staff.

Over the last two years especially,BeachTech hasseen steady growth in the USA,and the prospectsfor 2007 are even rosier – Scott Merrill and NickNikolay are sure of that.They are the KATV

contacts for sales and vehicle demonstrations.Scott Merrill's areas include California, Floridaand Texas,while Nick Nicolay is responsible forNew York,New Jersey and Connecticut.The

wisdom of their involvement with BeachTech isconfirmed at numerous on-site BeachTechdemonstrations.

In Florida,BeachTech is highly rated because of itshigh level of environmental compatibility: eventssuch as sea turtles depositing their eggs demandparticularly gentle cleaning methods.There arealso phenomena such as the highly unpleasantdulse deluges,which turn the water red and causehuge numbers of fish to die.Efficient eradicationof the dead fish is therefore essential. It's not fornothing that Department of EnvironmentalProtection legislation on the protection of nativefauna and flora is so strictly enforced.

This was also the reason that Pinellas County andthe city of Longboat Key bought their BeachTechsin autumn 2006.The main factors in their decisionto purchase were the BeachTechs’ adaptability toindividual and highly divergent applications,aswell as their high cleaning efficiency and lowmaintenance requirements.

These key advantages rest on the innovative‘Made in Germany’ technology valued by manycustomers – all the more so since BeachTech usescustomer feedback to help it constantly improve.

Contact: Scott [email protected]

BeachTech conquers the USA:Customers turn towards ”Made in Germany“ quality


It's a number that can only stand for success: inJanuary,area sales manager Harald Schmidhanded over the 1,000th PistenBully 100 in theHarz national park in Braunlage,Germany. Itsposition in the market could scarcely be better:onthe international market, sales of the PistenBully100 for the 2006/2007 season have risendramatically compared with the previous year.“We have been convinced by the machine rightfrom the start,but no one could have expectedsuch quantities within this short time,”saysHarald Schmid with regard to the PistenBully 100success story,which began in 1999.Schmid putsthe machine’s success down to the following:“high quality,a dense service network, rapidspare-part availability and an intensiverepresentation on the ground.”

Quality and service, incidentally,are what countfor the Fichtelgebirge feel-good region too:beforeChristmas,Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AGdelivered five new PistenBully 100 machines tothe LEADER+ initiative ‘WohlfühlregionFichtelgebirge’ (Fichtelgebirge feel-good region)

in Fleckl,Germany.“For 25 years we havemaintained an intensive relationship with ourcustomers in the Fichtelgebirge.This is the firsttime that an association has decided to buy fivemachines all at once,”says Wolfgang Lutz, thearea sales manager for Kässbohrer Gelände-fahrzeug AG,whose areas of responsibility includenorthern Bavaria and therefore the Fichtelgebirge.

A reason to celebrate:1,000 PistenBully100 machines speak for themselvesWhat better testimonial than 1,000 units on themarket? The basis for the PistenBully 100’ssuccess is its versatility:“The machine isexceptionally adaptable and versatile,making itideal for ski-trail grooming – with its threedifferent track widths (2.50,2.80 and 3.10metres) it can even get through the often narrowhiking trails.We can thus react to individualcustomers’ needs,”says Harald Schmid.ThePistenBully 100’s well-balanced overall machineconcept guarantees high performance and cost-effectiveness.Thanks to the modular designprinciple with different machine widths and

attachments for a wide variety oftasks, thePistenBully 100 issuitable for allsorts ofoperations.Thetrack-setting panensures high-quality ski trails.What’s more, thelow-emissionengine on thePistenBully 100Indoor means itcan be used inside.The machine isalso available inthe PistenBully 100AllSeason and the PistenBully 100 Trail equipmentversions.

The 1,000th PistenBully 100,a ‘model of success’,is to be used in Braunlage,where it is in perfectcompany, since area sales manager Harald Schmidhanded over two PistenBully 100s together.Thanks to an investment grant from the state ofLower Saxony, the PistenBullys could be pur-chased under the direction of the Goslar district,so as to provide winter guests to the Harz nationalpark in the vicinity of the towns Altenau,BadHarzburg,Braunlage,Herzberg and St.Andreas-berg with first-rate ski trails. In the 2005/2006winter season,Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AGset up a new PistenBully service base with thecompany Ahlborn in Vienenburg near Goslar.

In operation for the Fichtelgebirge NordicPark: five new PistenBully 100s“Normally, local authorities tender separately forthe PistenBully 100,”according to Wolfgang Lutz.The fact that the Fichtelgebirge Nordic Parkdecided to purchase five machines all at once is“genuinely remarkable.”The five PistenBully 100machines are to be set to work on the 120-kilo-metre Fichtelgebirge ski-trail system and in thesurrounding municipalities of Bischofsgrün,Warmensteinach,Mehlmeisel and Fichtelberg.“The qualitative rise in slope-grooming standards

is a key factor and a driving force in the remodel-ling of this segment’s tourist profile,which appealsto day-trippers and holiday guests alike,”said Dr Klaus-Günter Dietel, chief administrativeofficer of the district, at a press conference stagedfor the hand-over of the five PistenBully 100s.Wolfgang Lutz was pleased to see such displays ofconfidence:“It’s great to be winning people overthrough quality and proximity of service.”ThePistenBully Fichtelgebirge service base is situatedjust 30 kilometres away,at the company Beutel-hauser/Basewitz in Kulmbach,and it guaranteesexpert and reliable support.The feel-good regionhas launched a local collaboration branded the‘Nordic Parc Fichtelgebirge’,which the municipali-ties involved aim to use in order to furtherenhance the significance of the Fichtelgebirge as atraditional winter-sports destination.The centralpillar within the wide range of winter-sports onoffer is, and will remain, cross-country skiing: theFichtelgebirge ski-trail network branches out rightacross the winter-sports area,offering cross-country skiers a variety of heights and individuallevels of difficulty.Regular use of the five newPistenBully 100 machines ensures the ski andwinter hiking trails are kept in optimum condition.

www.pistenbully.com

PistenBully 100 celebrates a milestone:

The 1,000th vehicle prepares the ski trails in the Harz National Park

Ceremonial hand-over of the keys to the new PistenBully 100▲

The five new PistenBully 100s are ready for their first assignment in

the Fichtelgebirge Nordic Park.▲

Christof Heim – The new Spare Parts Sales Manager reallyfeels at home at Kässbohrer

It must have been something like love at first sightbetween Christof Heim and Kässbohrer Gelände-fahrzeug AG.A relationship which started as aperiod spent gaining practical experience inAugust 2001 has kept goingright up to the present day,andhas borne a lot of fruit in theprocess.Since 1 March 2007,Christof Heim has beenheading up the Spare PartsSales Department.

During his second semester ofpractical work while studyingeconomics and engineering atthe Ulm/Neu Ulm TechnicalCollege,Christof Heim appliedfor a period of practicalexperience with Kässbohrer.“I’m a winter sports enthu-siast, so my interest in thecompany and its products was

not exactly a coincidence,”explains Heim,now30.He spent his first six months at Kässbohrer inthe Service Division and with Controlling.Theperiod of practical experience merged seamlessly

into a contract as a workingstudent,and during thisperiod Christof Heim wasengaged exclusively in theService Division,onlyreturning to Controllingtemporarily in connectionwith the subject of hisdiploma thesis.Uponsuccessful completion of hisstudies,he was offered apermanent position in June2004.Christof Heim reportsdirectly to Mr Karl Knab,Director of Total Service.As aresult, the passionate skiingenthusiast is taking over themanagement of spare parts

sales as of 1 March 2007 from Reinhard Kristen,who is retiring.“Naturally I’m looking forward tothe challenge,”says Christof Heim when askedabout his new task, in which he is backed up by ahighly capable and experienced five-person team.What excites him most about the position is theworldwide contact with all the Kässbohrer servicesupport points.Christof Heim is determined tosecure the market leadership of KässbohrerGeländefahrzeug AG in the spare parts salessector:“But to do that,we need to keep up thealready very high standard and develop things stillfurther.”The overall conditions for achieving thiscould not be better:“Kässbohrer is a verysuccessful and highly versatile company with avery good working atmosphere; the famous‘Kässbohrer Family’ really does exist!”

PistenBully Spring Campaign getsunderway on 1 April 2007Christof Heim is this year again promoting thePistenBully Spring Campaign,as part of which a

large number of original spare parts are going tobe on offer at special campaign prices.TheManager of Spare Parts Sales points out that thecampaign this year is running from 1 April to 31May.Christof Heim hopes that the special offerswill again draw the customers:“All PistenBullysare due for some maintenance and service work atthe end of the winter season and,of course, thesummer overhaul.Customers should take advan-tage of the special prices for original spares so thattheir vehicles can give their best performanceagain during next season.”Heim also points outthat only PistenBully original parts can guaranteemaximum quality,precision and fit.The contactpeople at Spare Parts Sales at Laupheim are happyto answer questions on any aspect of the Pisten-Bully Spring Campaign at any time,as of courseare all Kässbohrer contractual partners.


✄

www.pistenbully.com

PistenBully Schöffel Softshell Sleeveless CoatFunctional coat of windproof and water-resistantsoftshell material.Design:- High closing collar- Cuffs elastic edged- Hem with elastic drawcord and adjustable stopper- 2-way zip fastener,with breast pocket on left

side and two lower pockets- With silver PistenBully logo front and back.Colour: BlackMaterial: SoftshellMake: SchöffelSizes: S,M,L,XL,XXL

79,90 EUR

PistenBully Slazenger SunglassesSporty sunglasses with silver PistenBully logo onboth armsDesign:- Plastic frame- Metal corner connections - Black mirrored lenses- UV protection 400

Colour:Red/greyIncluding cleaning cloth with karabiner hook

29,90 EUR

Prices including statutory VAT, plus delivery costs, 5.90 EUR all-inclusive.Minimum order value: 25 EURYou can order these articles from the PistenBully Shop at www.pistenbully.com

News

PistenBully Shop

Reply fax: +49 (0) 73 92 9 00 556

I no longer require the K-InfoMy address has changed. Please send me the K-Info at the address below

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Technical Customer ServiceGerhard Strähle

Tel.:+49 (0) 7392/900-103

Fax:+49 (0) 7392/900-100

Spare Parts SalesChristof Heim

Tel.:+49 (0) 7392/900-135

Fax:+49 (0) 7392/900-130

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Credits

Published by:

Kässbohrer

Geländefahrzeug AG

Kässbohrerstraße 11

D-88471 Laupheim

Tel.: +49 (0) 7392/900-0

Fax: +49 (0) 7392/900-556

E-Mail: [email protected]

www.pistenbully.com

K-Info is published every sixmonths. The next edition of K-Infowill be issued in autumn 2007.Circulation: 4,000 copiesEditor: Sabine Denzler

Summer overhaul of your PistenBullys

Despite a somewhat delayed start to thewinter season in some ski regions,andthe low number of operating hoursassociated with this,we recommend thatyou have your PistenBully checked over.The points to look for are described indetail in our workshop information,andthere is also more about this on theinternet at:www.pistenbully.com/summeroverhaul

Don’t forget to check your additionalequipment units as well. If you needsupport,our service experts will be gladto help you.One way or another, yourfleet will again be ready for anythingcome the winter season 2007/2008.

Schedule for Customer Courses 2007 Calendar Code Type of course Type Course duration Daysweek D = Driver

M = Mechanic

41/07 62 M Switzerland PistenBully 600 / PistenBully 600 Polar / Winch 11.10. - 12.10.2007 2

42/07 61/62 D/M Italy PistenBully 600 / PistenBully 600 Polar / Winch 15.10.– 17.10.2007 3

42/07 61/62 D/M Italy PistenBully 600 / PistenBully 600 Polar / Winch 17.10.– 19.10.2007 3

43/07 61/62 D/M Switzerland PistenBully 600 / PistenBully 600 Polar / Winch 22.10.– 24.10.2007 3

43/07 61/62 D/M Scandinavia PistenBully 600 / PistenBully 600 Polar / Winch 24.10.– 26.10.2007 3

45/07 61 D Driver information PistenBully 600 / PistenBully 600 Polar / Winch 05.11.– 07.11.2007 3

45/07 62 M Workshop information PistenBully 600 / PistenBully 600 Polar / Winch 07.11.– 09.11.2007 3

46/07 11/12 D/M Technical information PistenBully 100 / PistenBully 200 12.11.– 14.11.2007 3






49/07 61 D Driver information PistenBully 600 / PistenBully 600 Polar / Winch 03.12.– 05.12.2007 3

49/07 11/12 D/M Technical information PistenBully 100/200 / PistenBully PB 160 D

PistenBully PB 230 D 05.12.– 07.12.2007 3

50/07 31/32 D/M Technical information PistenBully 300Pisten/Bully 200 NEW 10.12.– 12.12.2007 3

50/07 42 D/M Technical information Previous generation

PistenBully 240 D to PistenBully 330 D 13.12.– 14.12.2007 2

51/07 50 D/M Technical information Previous generation

PistenBully PB 060 D to PistenBully PB 270 D 17.12.– 18.12.2007 2

Schedule for Summer Overhaul 2007 Contents: Familiarisation with the different vehicle types

Familiarisation with the individual vehicle modulesFinding your way around the spare parts catalogueApproved operational materials for maintenance and upkeepMaintenance and upkeepHints and tips for summer overhaulMaintenance work for diesel engine,hydraulics, transmission, chassis,frame, tracks,additional equipment

Aim: Familiarisation with the vehiclesCarrying out daily and weekly checksMaintenance and upkeep according to the maintenance checklist

Target group: Workshop staff at PistenBully customer workshops

Training duration: 2 days

Start of course: Monday or Wednesday 09.00

End of course: Tuesday or Thursday about 14.00

Venue: Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG,Laupheim

Dates: 23.04.07 to 24.04.07 07.05.07 to 08.05.07 25.04.07 to 26.04.07

09.05.07 to 10.05.07 02.05.07 to 03.05.07 14.05.07 to 15.05.07


interalpin 2007 kässbohrer presents the most powerful ... · we are taking advantage of the ......

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