Efficient transport up the mountain

• Walter Keil Transporte und Erdbewegungen GmbH & Co. KG used a Goldhofer »MPA« 3 low-loader semi-trailer to transport heavy equipment to a construction site below the Kitzsteinhorn summit.

• The company, managed by Heidi Keil, has over 50 years of experience in civil engineering and operates a fleet of around 100 construction machines and 50 trucks.

• Experienced truck driver Andi Brennsteiner played a key role in the decision to purchase the Goldhofer semi-trailer due to his expertise in challenging mountain terrain.

• The »MPA« axle's 60-degree steering angle and the »SmartControl« system with ± 350 mm suspension stroke were crucial for maneuvering and unloading on uneven alpine terrain.

• Goldhofer's Regional Sales Manager, Levin Gonser, highlighted the importance of close consultation with customers to tailor products to specific requirements, such as integrating a sliding table for easier transport of 4-axle dump trucks.

Walter Keil Transporte und Erdbewegungen GmbH & Co. KG of Mittersill, Austria, recently used a Goldhofer »MPA« 3 low-loader semi-trailer to deliver excavators, dump trucks and other heavy equipment to a construction site located below the summit of the Kitzsteinhorn at an altitude of over 3,000 meters.

Walter Keil Transporte und Erdbewegungen GmbH & Co. KG – now managed in the second generation by Heidi Keil – was founded over 50 years ago and has since developed into a prominent Austrian business in the field of civil engineering. The company offers a wide range of services, including construction pit excavation, stone wall and road construction, trenching, dam and landfill engineering, transportation and lifting work, and sand and gravel extraction. It has a fleet of around 100 construction machines and 50 trucks, and a workforce of almost 200 employees.

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Andi Brennsteiner, an experienced truck driver who has worked for the Keil company for over 25 years, was instrumental in the decision to purchase the new semi-trailer from Goldhofer. With his wealth of experience with transports in challenging terrain to mountain construction sites, his expertise was a decisive factor in the procurement process.

This time, the Keil team was tasked with transporting a walking excavator to a construction site located below the summit of the Kitzsteinhorn at an altitude of over 3,000 meters on a route with narrow winding roads and alpine terrain. “Our other semi-trailers quickly reached their limits when it came to the maneuverability required for such tight bends,” said Brennsteiner. The 60-degree steering angle available with the »MPA« axle made all the difference for the Keil team. Brennsteiner also emphasized the outstanding performance characteristics of the »MPA«: “In most cases, unloading points high up in the mountains are not on level ground, and loading and unloading are carried out on an incline. So the low-loader has to be short, maneuverable, flexible, safe and robust, but also relatively light, while the mountain terrain also calls for a large steering angle and suspension stroke.”

Once at its destination, the excavator was safely unloaded. With the help of Goldhofer’s »SmartControl« system and the semi-trailer’s ± 350 mm suspension stroke, the Keil team was able to accurately position it on the uneven terrain for easy unloading in spite of the challenging location. To underscore the need for a reliable and robust semi-trailer, Brennsteiner says: “It’s a very steep climb, and sometimes the winds on the mountain are so strong that it takes all my strength to open the door of the cab, and I have to keep a firm hold of it, or the wind will tear it off its hinges.”

Levin Gonser, Regional Sales Manager at Goldhofer, adds: “Our goal has always been to offer customers the best product for their specific requirements. We attach great importance to close consultation to ensure we are familiar with our customers’ typical loads and terrain challenges. In the case of Keil, this basic information enabled us to integrate a sliding table on the extension tube, which can be locked in various positions, making it easier to transport 4-axle dump trucks in particular.” And the Keil company’s Bernd Rodlberger adds: “With the experience and knowledge of our employees, we are confident that this Goldhofer low-loader is the perfect choice for our requirements.”