Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s busiest airport by passenger numbers, is operated by Fraport GmbH and is expecting to see 55 million passengers in 2023. Matthias Palmovski, Head of Surface & Parking Infrastructure for Fraport Facility Services GmbH (a subsidiary of Fraport), first saw the Multihog online back in 2017, before visiting a trade show later that year to test drive it.
Matthias was responsible for introducing Multihog to Frankfurt airport, “As soon as we saw the Multihog, we liked it. At the time I was in my previous role with Fraport, and we were looking for equipment to collect garbage at the airport. Litter is a huge safety concern for any airport, and we needed a machine to assist us with that. The Multihog with trash vacuum seemed ideal.” explains Matthias.
In order to test out the Multihog and its capabilities, he agreed a four-month rental with a Multihog dealer near Frankfurt. “We trialled the compact CX model with the trash vacuum. The first requirement was that it had to be easy to use. I was heading up a team of 20 operators, all of whom could be called upon to drive the machine at a minute’s notice. Secondly, comfort was a high priority for me. Ensuring that my operators have air-conditioning, heating and a radio to make their shifts as comfortable as possible is important. So, for me, the fact that the machine was both comfortable and easy to use ticked a lot of boxes. The team liked it so much, they nicknamed it “The Elephant” due to the similarity between the trash collection chute and a trunk!”
After the successful trial, Fraport moved forward with the purchase, and the CX model was delivered at the end of 2018. “It was really good at trash collection. Cabin visibility was the key factor for us. Airside is a tricky environment; you have so many moving parts – vehicles, passengers and staff, and being able to see exactly what is around you is invaluable.”
In 2022 Matthias took up a new role as Head of Infrastructure with subsidiary company Fraport Facility Services. Asked to build a brand-new grounds care team and source equipment for same, Matthias knew, based on his previous Multihog experience, that it was the machine he wanted. Despite Covid-19 delaying the purchase of the second machine, a Multihog CX with rotary mower and boom mower was finally delivered in December 2022.
Matthias says “I really like it, and I only have positive things to say. Before the purchase, we looked at other products which compete with Multihog, but it’s better in almost every way. The quality is certainly better, and so is the comfort. In our experience, the dealer service from Thome Bormann GmbH is also excellent, and that’s incredibly important.”
“On busy days when we’re unloading ships, the Multihog really pays its way and makes it an easy task to keep the Port clean and tidy.”
"Honestly, we love these machines. We work these machines to the bone, and we’ve had very little down time."
"Before the purchase, we looked at other products which compete with Multihog, but its quality and comfort is certainly better."
“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"
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