Pipjorke Entsorgungsbetrieb is the facilities management contractor responsible for airside winter maintenance and snow clearing at Düsseldorf Airport. Since October 2015 they have been using a Multihog MX 120 tractor with attachments (combi snow plow & brush, and de-icer) to clear around the aircraft on the apron as well as parking areas at Düsseldorf. In 2019, based on his experience with the Multihog MX, owner Matthias Pipjorke purchased further Multihog vehicles to enhance his winter fleet for the airport.
Having previously used both smaller and larger equipment to carry out this type of work, Matthias settled on the Multihog MX thanks to its ability to drive underneath the wings of the aircraft, allowing the operator to clear snow right beside the body of the airplane. Its superb manoeuvrability around aircraft and capacity to carry a high volume de-icing tank also swayed his decision.
The machine is currently used in the winter season, and Matthias is confident that the Multihog has already brought a lot of benefits to the table, including cost savings, better productivity and safer working conditions for the operator: “The risk of accident is absolutely reduced – the operator has a 360° view, which is brilliant for safety, especially airside on the apron where there are a lot of people walking around the machine, as well as a lot of pedestrian and vehicular traffic.”
He is certain that the Multihog has increased productivity too – it has impressed him with its ability to turn quickly, in tight spaces, saving valuable operating hours, but it also offers more flexibility in reacting to changing weather conditions. He considers the front-mounted combi snow plow and brush the most important piece of kit: “Not having to change the plow and brush attachments manually saves us a lot of time. We can react quickly to the snow conditions – if there’s too much snow for the brush, you activate the plow, and if there’s not enough snow for the plow you push a button and the brush comes down. The driver doesn’t even need to leave the cabin.”
As an airside winter maintenance contractor, he has a lot of hands-on experience with his Multihog tractor: “The after-sales care with Multihog has been very good. For the operators, the machine really is superb. Setting a continuous drive/work speed via ‘work mode’ is very practical, and it makes it incredibly easy for the operator; they can simply concentrate on what they’re doing and the environment around them, instead of being distracted setting and changing controls.”
"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"
"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."
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