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Another fourth Ahlmann Swing Loader for AW Infrabouw operator
In June, operator Hans van Es of AW Infrabouw took delivery of his fifth wheel loader with the 11-ton AS 1600, and already his fourth swing loader.

Already fourth Ahlmann swing loader for operator AW Infrabouw

In the year that Ahlmann Netherlands celebrates its 50th anniversary, swing loader operators cannot be ignored as the calling card of a unique concept. A golden yellow combo of craftsmanship and versatility. Hans van Es is such a showcase. A professional specialist with the ability to get added value out of the machine for AW Groep from Hillegom.

Hans has been running Ahlmann for almost his entire career and does not hide his enthusiasm for this product. For several months now, he has been the proud driver of a new AS 1600. It is his fifth shovel and already the fourth swing loader. "In May 1987 I started working at De Regt company with a tractor plus ground cart. Soon a shovel had to be added so I could load myself." After the construction period, a surprise awaited him in the form of a used AS 7. "Arie de Regt had still bought it from Toon van den Oord at the kitchen table, with a can of yellow paint included."

Ahlmann AS 7
The close relationship between Hans van Es and Ahlmann began in 1987 with this used AS 7.

Cheating

Because it was already an "old beast" with occasional faults, the shovel gave way to an articulated wheel loader from another manufacturer after two years. "I cheated on it once," sounds guilty. "Still, I missed the power and agility of an Ahlmann. So when the boss went looking around for a new machine in 1998, a big surprise awaited me." At the TKD fair, a new AZ 14, which coupled brute force with four-wheel steering, caught his eye. Hans enjoyed working with that machine until 2011, when the 9-ton shovel had to make way for the newer and heavier AZ 150e.

After thirteen years of faithful service, the 10.5-ton swing loader was recently traded in for Ahlmann's latest creation. Since June, AW Groep - which acquired De Regt in 2006 - has been operating an AS 1600. That machine weighs 11 tons and is considered an all-rounder par excellence for road construction. With a turning radius of just 4.35 meters, it is the most maneuverable wheel loader in its class, maneuvering easily even in tight construction pits. Equipped with 1,600-liter bucket capacity, it is also very productive. Van Es also has a 4-ton shovel with laser-guided leveling bucket, which gives the Ahlmann between 1,000 and 1,500 hours of operation annually.

More flexible

What makes the swing loader so special to Hans? "Surely that is mainly the flexibility to arrange the work as you see fit. In tight places, you're not condemned to the articulated steering, but you can lift heavy loads 90° tilted." Within the AW Infrabouw division, the AS 1600 does all common jobs, from track-making to polishing and from axing pallets of bricks to laying concrete slabs. "Thanks to the swing mechanism, you can easily work toward a corner or lay around a corner without damaging the carefully smoothed surface. That makes such an Ahlmann truly unique. But also when excavating a cunet or filling in a new building, the AS 1600 definitely offers added value."     

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