Making “standard” meet the need

Trucks carry all manner of things on their “backs”, and national authorities are particular about loading of road surfaces. Consequently, specialty equipment manufacturers needing truck chassis to meet their particular needs –or owners compelled to comply with national road loading limitations –turn to firms such as Toni Maurer GmbH in Germany.

The company, founded in 1963 by Toni Maurer, exclusively alters standard chassis built by MAN for a range of equipment suppliers, including Bronto Skylift in Finland. The company has 110 employees and two factories: a 8000 m² plant in Turkheim and a 2800 m2 one in Mauerstetten.

Most of the company's conversions are to make 10x4 tipper chassis and 2300 mm width trucks for Switzerland, but it has sent product to Germany, Norway, Sweden, Finland, England, Scotland, Austria, Italy, France, Spain, Australia, Hong Kong, and The Netherlands, as well.

Maurer's main activity is adding standard axles (95% of which are from MAN) and modify ingwheelbases. Other work includes adding hydrostatic drives, modifying frames, and mounting the bigger (60 t plus) cranes. It also builds logistic support trucks for events such as the Lisbon–Dakar rally cross the Sahara.

Managing director Karl Maurer told AI: “…all engineering is in our company. Only for brake calculation and data files do we work together with MAN.” The most difficult job it has ever done was giving Mont Blanc fire trucks all–wheel steering and two cabins.

Maurer's customers are MAN dealers in Europe, reflecting the importance of service considerations in carrier selection and Bronto's business approach of shipping ready–to–mount boom assemblies.