Herbst Tiefbau opt for new Hyundai HL955A
German operator purchases new wheel loader based solely on advertisement and data sheet
FOR the first time in the company’s history, Epfach-based Herbst Tiefbau – a German civil engineering business run by Christian Herbst and his six-man team – have ordered a brand-new Hyundai HL955A wheel loader based solely on the advert and data sheet for the machine, from Hyundai dealers Fischer & Schweiger GmbH in Zusmarshausen.
Mr Herbst said: ‘I was confident enough to place this order based on the datasheet as I have known Georg Schweiger of Fischer & Schweiger for many years. We have been doing business together since 1996 and things have always worked out well.’
Needing a new wheel loader for work in gravel pits and other applications, Herbst chose the latest model in Hyundai’s A-series, equipped with a Stage V engine that delivers 149kW of net power.
The new star of the fleet arrived in January 2020, with a standard bucket, central lubrication and rock tyres. The machine operates for around 400 hours a year at various job sites.
The Cummins QSB6.7 engine with its all-in-one exhaust after-treatment system is easy to maintain thanks to its diagnostics connection to Hi-Mate, long service intervals and DPF. The system does not require manual DPR regeneration.
The machine’s IWM (Intelligent Work Mode) menu allows for three engine modes – Power, Power Smart and Economy – to provide full engine power or reduced fuel consumption, depending on the application.
Power Smart Mode results in reduced energy losses and an average of 3–5% fuel saving. In addition, engine power is optimized to deliver higher torque at lower rev/min.
Christian Herbst often operates the new wheel loader himself and is very pleased with its performance. He said: ‘I operate graders, wheeled excavators, including Hyundai machines, and wheel loaders myself, so I’m familiar with the workings of all machines.
‘With this knowledge, I know first-hand how good the [Hyundai] machines have become in terms of hydraulics, electronics and ergonomics. I am very satisfied with the new Hyundai HL955A.
‘The 2.8 cubic metre bucket is perfectly suited for our operations, and with a weight of 15 tonnes it can easily be transported to the job site on our low-loader without needing a special permit.’
The spacious operator cabin on the HL955A features an ergonomic, electro-hydraulic joystick to comfortably control all loader functions, whilst joystick steering is optional.
The machine’s premium seat comes with a four-way air suspension (up/down and front/back), and the fully adjustable armrest results in greater operator comfort and less operator fatigue.
Hyundai A-series wheel loaders are equipped as standard with a rear-view camera, but the optional AAVM camera system takes safety to a higher level, informing the operator when people or hazardous objects are detected.
The AAVM camera system comprises two major features – AVM (Around View Monitoring) and IMOD (Intelligent Moving Object Detection). Four cameras cover each side of the wheel loader, allowing the AVM system to offer a 360° overview of the machine's surroundings, whilst IMOD indicates all movements around the machine.
Mr Herbst added: ‘Fischer & Schweiger also handle our maintenance, and I know that if something goes wrong on a Friday evening, a technician will be on site within two hours. Fischer & Schweiger have never let me down – so of course, I was happy to purchase with confidence a machine that I had not seen.’
