Newcastle International Airport’s Multihog has been used for mowing the 200 acres of grass within the perimeter since it was delivered in the spring of 2013. The upkeep of the critical areas at either end of the 2,365m runway is vital as Senior Airside Operations Manager Andy Wallace explains: “The grass in both of these 6-7 acre areas needs to be kept at a very specific height so as not to impact on aircraft Instrument Landing Systems – we are in the highest ILS Category III – so the ability to mow at all times is crucial. Last year’s summer was wet and at times it was difficult for our tractor mowers with rotary attachments to work on areas of waterlogged ground.”
The Multihog’s 4-wheel drive, low centre of gravity and very low ground pressure combined with its hydraulic drive train for powerful grass cutting avoids any risk of the base unit getting bogged down in muddy and uneven terrain. The equipment gives the airport a much greater degree of control and avoids the worst case scenario of potential flight diversions due to a combination of long grass, fog and winds. A daily mowing schedule ensures quick coverage of the rest of the grassland with the front mounted grass cutter, allowing all areas to be kept under 8” high to deter birds and therefore reduce the risk of bird strikes.
Thanks to the Multihog’s extreme versatility it will swap its mower attachment for winter kit when bad weather sets in, to provide an all seasonal service. “The Multihog is unique for us in that it is designated for year round use,” says Andy. “Most of our pieces of specialist equipment are deployed for a few months at a time and then have to stand idle so its ability to switch seamlessly from grass cutting to clearing snow from the stands is of great benefit. We are an innovative operation and one which makes careful use of our expenditure. Thanks to Multihog’s favourably priced range of attachments we can enhance our remit in future if required to include applications such as patch planing in car parks, the removal of rubber deposits on the runway and weed killing.”
“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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