Hackthor: Putting the Operator First

• JENZ officially launched the Hackthor at the JENZ Professional-Days 2025, following its concept debut at Agritechnica 2023.

• The Hackthor features a newly developed driver's cab designed specifically for chipping operations, emphasizing operator comfort and safety.

• The cab includes a three-zone concept tailored to the phases of driving, chipping, and waiting, with ergonomic seating, all-round visibility, and integrated relaxation amenities.

• The Hackthor is built on a heavy-duty truck chassis combined with proven JENZ chipping units, achieving up to 80 km/h and efficient fuel consumption.

• Available in HEM 583, HEM 593 variants with 520 hp from a MAN engine, and a Hackthor Hybrid version with a combined system output of up to 1,332 hp.

Market launch at the JENZ Professional-Days 2025

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First shown as a concept at Agritechnica 2023, JENZ’s new self‐propelled Hackthor made its official market debut at the Profi‐Days, attracting strong interest. Its standout feature is a cabin designed solely for chipping operations, employing a novel three‐zone concept. Under the hood, it combines a heavy‐duty truck chassis with proven JENZ chipping units.

“On our Agritechnica stand 2023, we were nearly overwhelmed by interest,” recalls Hans Heinrich Hermeier, CEO of JENZ and mind behind Hackthor. "From the very beginning, it was clear that this was only a concept study aimed at gathering feedback. After all, our slogan is ‘One Driver – Zero Compromises, ’ and this initial study naturally still involved a few compromises. In the months that followed, we listened closely to our customers’ input and refined the Hackthor until it was truly market‐ready.”

Importance of the machine operator

The outstanding feature of the Hackthor is the newly developed driver's cab. As part of the product presentation at the Professional-Days, Hermeier reiterated the original considerations during product development: ‘The weight of the operator in the purchase decision is becoming increasingly important.’ Despite the economic efficiency of a machine, a decisive question in the end is whether the driver supports the decision. If he is convinced, he will also use the machine well and productively, a basic requirement for every contractor. The cab is a key element as the main workplace. Another point for the entrepreneur is the issue of occupational safety, and this plays a particularly important role with wood chippers. "There are many different cab variants on the market for self-propelled wood chippers, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of operator comfort and safety: Truck cabs with mower glazing, crane cabs or ground harvesting cabs. There are also special cabs for other vehicles, such as excavators, maize choppers and beet harvesters. What is missing is the chipper cab. So we asked ourselves: Why don't chipper drivers have their own cab? Don't they deserve a cab that exactly meets their requirements? We think so!" As a result, the idea of the Hackthor was born.

Focus on the driver - a cabin rethought

The centrepiece of the new Hackthor is therefore the completely newly developed cab - the first to be designed specifically and exclusively for hoeing applications. From the outside, the special cab design is immediately noticeable, characterised by a specially developed window concept with curved panes and guaranteeing maximum all-round visibility - even on slopes or when working on high piles. Thanks to the new height windows, a safe and fatigue-free view at pile heights of over 10 metres is also possible for the first time. This is complemented by a targeted lighting concept that optimally illuminates every work zone.

With the optional "JENZ Skyview" lift and offset function, the Hackthor makes it possible to work at an eye level of up to 4.50 metres - ideal for the best view into collection vehicles. The lateral offset also increases the usable crane slewing range. An additional 360° safety camera system (Bird-View) improves visibility even in places that are difficult to see. Even when the cab is raised, it can be combined with the familiar centric discharge, so that overloading to the front is no problem and offers maximum flexibility.

Inside the cab, an innovative three-zone concept is used, which has been specially adapted to the ‘driving, chopping and waiting’ phases of chipping operation and places the driver and his daily work routine at the centre of attention.

• Driving: at truck comfort level - with ergonomic, electrically swivelling seat for switching between driving and chopping mode, including seat heating and active air conditioning, automatic air conditioning and multifunction steering wheel.

• Chipping: Maximum overview of the pile, machine and discharge - made possible by all-round visibility, special glazing without interfering contours, maximum crane reach, specially designed height windows and intuitive operating logic.

• Waiting: Integrated relaxation zone with coffee machine, microwave, refrigerator, 230 V sockets and extensive infotainment system with large display, sound system and subwoofer for relaxed breaks.

Further highlights include pneumatically folding mirrors, a decoupled cab structure for a quiet working environment, various lounge cabinets for storage space and a special windscreen wiper concept for optimum visibility in all weathers.

Preserving the tried-and-tested

As far as the substructure is concerned, JENZ remains true to its successful self-propelled concept: the Hackthor is based on a robust lorry chassis and combines this with proven JENZ chopping units. As a result, it achieves a top speed of up to 80 km/h with fuel consumption of between 30 and 35 litres per 100 km - a benchmark in terms of mobility and economy. Thanks to its all-wheel drive and agricultural tyres, it also remains fully operational off-road.

The Hackthor is available in the variants HEM 583, HEM 593 with 520 hp drive power from the MAN truck engine and as a Hackthor Hybrid with an additional Caterpillar C18 superstructure engine and a system output of up to 1,332 hp.