When Dublin airport examined the range of snow clearance vehicles on the market some years ago, it was a “home grown” piece of equipment – the Multihog multi-purpose tractor – which stood out from the rest. Fitted with front and rear mounted winter maintenance attachments the eight Multihogs have since proven themselves to be invaluable for airside operations when bad weather strikes.
“After some unusually harsh winters we wanted to make sure we were thoroughly prepared to deal with the worst to minimise disruption to passengers and airlines,” says Corporate Airside Safety and Compliance Manager Mick Lenane. “We were particularly focused on finding a confined space vehicle (CSV) which could work in close proximity to aircraft parked at stands, as this area had been problematic for some time.”
Mick and his team looked at several other tractors and purpose-built vehicles, but judged the articulated build of the Multihog, its manoeuvrability and its powerful performance to be the superior option. The possibility to use the Multihog combi snow plough & brush attachment together with a rear mounted de-icer was also a key advantage as it enables just the one vehicle to effectively work as three machines in one.
“Throughout our dealings with Multihog the company has been totally customer focused and committed.” says Mick. “As well as manufacturing a first class vehicle that is reliable and does just what it promises, Multihog’s personnel have always been very responsive to our requirements. Where we used to need separate vehicles and drivers for ploughing, sweeping and de-icing, we can carry out all of these functions with just the one universal CSV and one driver. The ability to use other attachments also means that we can use the Multihog for tasks such as grass cutting and patch planing around the airport at other times of year.”
In 2013, following their initial purchase of the eight Multihogs for winter service, Dublin Airport subsequently took delivery of further attachments including a patch planer, mast, fork and hedge cutter arm – making their Multihogs truly all-seasonal.
“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"
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