Birmingham Airport’s winter maintenance fleet includes a Multihog MH90 with winter maintenance kit in preparation for potentially harsh winters.
Head of Aerodrome Operations Rob Cooke is impressed with the Multihog’s manoeuvrability which makes it the ideal vehicle to tackle snow clearance and de-icing around the parked aircraft at the 80 + stands at the airport. “The large machines we have for clearing runways worked very well during the bad weather, but in common with most airports we took a long and hard look at stand clearance methods and realised that a new approach was necessary. Tractor mounted snow brushes can on occasion be too large to access the very tight spaces on occupied stands, meaning that the final clearance often had to be carried out manually. The specialist nature of the Multihog and its excellent visibility from the cab will enable it to get up close to the aircraft for a safe and ‘clean sweep’ so to speak.”
Fitted with a snow brush on the front and a 1.6t capacity spreader on the rear, clearance procedures can be carried out with just the one vehicle rather than two, which will also speed up the process thereby helping to minimise the possibility of flight delays.
“Now more than ever there is an increased focus on achieving conditions on the stand that meet all stakeholders’ requirements,” continues Rob, “which has resulted in the need for an appropriate type of equipment to cover all eventualities. Given the choice we are hoping that we don’t actually have to use the Multihog as we’d prefer a quiet winter! But having seen it in action and had the thumbs up from our operations team and motor transport department as to its quality design and robust build, we are confident that we are well prepared for the worst that the weather can bring.”
“My operators love the Multihog. Even the bigger operators tell me how much more comfortable it is."
"We’re cleaning the streets more efficiently, so that is definitely an environmental benefit for our city."
"The Multihogs were ideal for us. As they’re much lighter than our old machines, we can use them to remove snow from our boardwalks and sidewalks."
"The driving experience absolutely convinced me. I love driving it, the suspension is amazing. To be honest, the comfort level could not be better."
I knew it must be a really good piece of equipment, and my instincts were right - our two machines have been operating flawlessly.
“Since the purchase of our first Multihog in 2019, they have proven to be a valuable asset in our machinery fleet."
"I recognized straight away that a Multihog could serve our city well. We’ve got 8 attachments for it, and it’s taken the place of multiple machines."
"Apart from the environmental benefits, it’s also really, really comfortable to drive and I'm relieved that it has improved our operational safety."
“Our cycle paths are very neat in just one sweep/working passage. This ensures the safety of our residents, especially during autumn and winter."
“From a maintenance standpoint we have far fewer problems and downtime than other similar equipment in our fleet."
“Our MH outperforms our older snow blower by at least 200%. It can handle all types of snow with a greater output and much faster.”
"The suspension really allows an incredibly high level of driver comfort, and we’re amazed by the performance of the PTO hydraulics."
"The Multihog has performed very well on the reliability front compared to other machines. It’s a really solid and extremely strong machine."
"My colleagues are so much happier using this machine. It’s more ergonomic, warm and comfortable for them."
"Our 2 machines can do so many things, and although they’re small and compact, they’re so well built that they do the work of much larger equipment"
"The Multihog puts us at a professional level that’s unmatched by our competition"
"The Multihogs are working really well for us. The operators have found them straightforward to use and we hope to add to our range of attachments."
"The Multihog doesn’t vibrate like our old machine, and it’s so quiet I don’t even need to wear ear protection - no post-shift fatigue anymore!"
DHL at Leipzig-Halle airport operate a fleet of 12 Multihog tractors equipped with combi snow plough & brush attachments, de-icing sprayers and V snow
"It’s one machine that does it all - safely and efficiently. Very comfortable in the cabin too, which makes work more enjoyable for the operator."
"The only way to compare the Multihog to other machines is to compare the comfort of an old vintage car to a brand new car. - there is no comparison"
"At that point the snow is super dense, icy and solid; it’s pretty hard to shift, but it’s no problem for the MX. This tractor is really, really good"
"Our asphalt grinding process is faster and more efficient now, we tested it and we’re definitely covering more feet per hour than before"
"The Multihog is a different animal from anything we’ve ever had – the articulation, rubberised tyres and 4-wheel drive ticks a lot of our boxes."
“We try to improve our operations with each new purchase of equipment & this has certainly been the case with the acquisition of our Multihogs"
X