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In cooperation with Swiss road operator NSNW, Ommen-based Pacton Trailers has developed a trailer side plough with easily attachable, hydraulically-operated snowplough. The side plough can be attached to a trailer and has a length of 5.5 metres. This allows the combined clearing tool to clear two lanes at once. Following a practical test on a prototype last winter, a second salt spreader trailer with side plough is to be put into operation in Switzerland this autumn.
Adrian Aregger, head of NSNW at Oensingen, developed a special trailer as part of his diploma thesis. He contacted French company Snow-Kill at first but wasn’t satisfied with their technology. Moreover, there were issues with gaining approval in Switzerland.
He then turned to Swiss Pacton importer Toni Schürpf of S+S Nutzfahrzeuge in Pratteln. As NSNW already had four Pacton trailers in operation, the company was familiar with the Dutch manufacturer and its Swiss dealer.
The development process then advanced swiftly: Within six months and after four meetings with Pacton and snowplough manufacturer Zaugg, the prototype was put into operation.
Expanding from four to six lanes
NSNW is faced with the challenge of managing the expansion of motorways from four to six lanes with limited personnel resources. A clearing unit able to clear two lanes of snow at the same time is very useful.
By combining a tractor unit with a front snowplough, a Pacton trailer, a Zaugg side snowplough mounted on the trailer, and a salt and brine spreader, it’s possible to achieve a clearing width of 8 metres.
The Zaugg SG50K snowplough is mounted on a standard attachment plate within the trailer’s wheelbase and can be extended and retracted hydraulically. Thanks to hydraulic locking, the side snowplough can be quickly attached and detached.
Total weight: 40 tonnes
The trailer is equipped with multiple brine tanks. As well as supplying the spreader at the rear with brine, they also improve weight distribution. A total of 8 m³ of brine is loaded at the front, weighing approximately 8 tonnes. This weight provides ballast, generating sufficient pressure on the drive axles of the tractor unit that the trailer doesn’t need to countersteer to compensate for the forces of the snowplough.
The Pacton trailer is fitted with two axles, each with a load capacity of 10 tonnes, and is permitted to have a maximum fifth-wheel load of 16 tonnes.
With a length of 8.95 metres, the Pacton trailer can accommodate a snowplough measuring 5.5 metres. In Switzerland, the combination of a three-axle tractor unit and a two-axle trailer must not exceed 40 tonnes in weight.
Aregger explains: “A four-axle tractor unit with a 5-metre front snowplough is only permitted to weigh up to 32 tonnes. While there is still room for a side plough, it could only be a maximum of about 2.5 metres long. A larger plough would exceed the weight limit. However, with the Pacton trailer, we can use a side plough with a length of 5.5 metres.”
Keeping transport routes open
NSNW (Nationalstrassen Nordwestschweiz AG), headquartered in Sissach, aims to keep roads safe and open with its team of around 200 employees. Among others, it is responsible for the A1, A2, A3, A5, A18, and A22 motorways, key transport routes for the economy and mobility in Switzerland. The company makes sure that roads, green spaces, tunnels and ancillary facilities are kept in perfect condition so that drivers, passengers and goods can reach their destinations safely. NSNW also handles minor repairs necessitated by accidents, severe weather or operational wear and tear.
Efficiency is crucial in maintaining safety and optimal traffic flow. Even in adverse weather conditions such as storms or snow, NSNW has to operate around the clock. In winter, up to 45 NSNW vehicles work hard to keep the roads safe. Around 4,000 tonnes of salt and 2.5 million litres of brine on average are used per winter.
Two lanes rather than one
Testing of the first prototype has now been successfully completed. The Pacton and Zaugg trailer side plough was tested last winter on the Gotthard route. Due to its geographical location and difficult terrain, this route presents a major challenge. Aregger and his team are very pleased with the test results. “The test went extremely well,” Aregger explains. “Using the combination of a tractor unit, trailer and side plough, we are now able to clear and spread two lanes at once. Previously, it was only possible to clear a single lane at a time. This allows us to save one worker and one vehicle.”
The company plans to put a second trailer into operation this year. This one will be slightly shorter than the first and feature positive rather than active steering. “Apart from this change, the trailer has performed excellently so far,” Aregger emphasises. “For the construction of the trailer, we mainly used standard equipment, such as the snowplough and salt spreader. The challenge was how to cleverly integrate everything into a single chassis. This is where Pacton played a crucial role. The aim is to have six of these trailers in operation in all to further increase efficiency and effectiveness.”
Aregger and NSNW are satisfied with the successful collaboration with their partners Pacton and Zaugg, who proved to be instrumental in the development of this innovative trailer. Thanks to the commitment and close cooperation of all involved, an outstanding result was achieved. Aregger is curious to see whether the trailer side plough will attract interest from other road maintenance services and become established as a solution for other companies too.