Sooner or later, every company has to deal with the megatrends that concern our world. One of these megatrends, which also affects vehicle manufacturers such as ZIEGLER, is urbanization. More and more people around the world live in cities and that brings enormous challenges. In addition to the growth of the population in cities, urbanization also means that correspondingly more living space has to be created there – for example in high-rise buildings. The densification of high-rise buildings in turn influences the conditions on the streets, which are becoming increasingly narrow as a result.
These circumstances also present fire brigades with major challenges: There must be practicable solutions for rescuing people from dangerous situations – for example in high-rise buildings – and extinguishing fires there. This requires special vehicles with special equipment. The requirements of the fire brigades are accordingly geared to this.
‘Through constant expansion and further development in our core competences such as extinguishing technology, control and operation, cabin and body, equipment and service we are able to adapt to the conditions of the environment. About three years ago, ZIEGLER Group acquired shares in the Italian manufacturer of aerial rescue platforms: CELA Srl. This cooperation enables us not only to expand our range of vehicles but also to round off our product range. We are happy that we are able to meet the challenges of height rescue with our telescopic mast platforms and Watertowers from CELA,’ says René Pol, CSO of Ziegler Group.
In the product range for fire brigade aerial ladder platforms, ZIEGLER designs and produces telescopic mast platforms and firefighting articulated extinguishing booms in cooperation with CELA. With its innovative and technologically advanced solutions, CELA is able to manufacture aerial ladder platforms with a working height of 22–72m and extendable extinguishing booms with a working height of 18–72m. At the production site in Corte Franca (Brescia) in Northern Italy, CELA manufactures around 300 vehicles per year with 70 employees.
Both the ZIEGLER ALP 555 and the ZIEGLER Watertower WT 330 are vehicles which have been specially manufactured by CELA for height rescue. The Watertowers reach a height of up to 72m, a pump capacity of up to 10,000 l/min and offer a variety of solutions for foam mixing. This is especially necessary for fire brigades of different industries in case of oil fires for example.
The multifunctional rescue cage of the ALP 555 can carry loads of up to 500kg, allowing the use of a wide range of useful accessories. An infinitely variable support system ensures a safe stand even at maximum outreach.
There also has to be a solution enabling the firefighting vehicle to move in narrow streets. Therefore, ZIEGLER offers the vehicle in a narrow variant, e.g. the HLF or the TLF narrow. This vehicle is specifically designed for big cities, in areas where there are many buildings in one place which makes it hard for normal firefighting vehicles to pass through. One example of a TLF in a compact design is the TLF we delivered to the safety region Utrecht.
ZIEGLER focuses not only on this megatrend to face the upcoming challenges of the world but also on others such as digitization, globalization and connectivity. That can be seen on this year’s world’s leading trade fair for the fire and rescue services, civil protection, safety and security, INTERSCHUTZ.
INTERSCHUTZ also addresses those challenges and has therefore taken one of these megatrends as an opportunity to announce a leading theme for this year’s trade fair: ‘Teams, Tactics, Technology – Connected for Protection and Rescue’. It focuses on two key aspects of connectedness that are shaping the sector: the use of innovative digital solutions and increased collaboration among stakeholders, organizations and institutions. The keyword ‘networking’ applies at both levels.
The motto of the ZIEGLER Group’s trade fair appearance is: ‘Whatever the challenge’. In this way ZIEGLER addresses the various challenges faced by the company’s customers and partners. Whether procurer, local authority, commander or firefighter – ZIEGLER has the right solution for everyone. The concept of the booth shows different areas in which different topics are presented. In one of those areas, the body manufacturer will show why the investment in a ZIEGLER product is particularly worthwhile and what advantages the user has. This will be demonstrated, among other things, by the latest generation of the proven ALPAS system, which ZIEGLER will present to visitors for the first time live at INTERSCHUTZ.
In another area ZIEGLER will be addressing the subject of ‘Digitization/Networking’ in line with the main theme of the fair. At INTERSCHUTZ, ZIEGLER will also present a product innovation with the latest generation of Z-Control.
‘In the development of new products it is important to find the balance between digital assistance systems and human decision-making competence,’ says Max Ruhdorfer, Director of Product Management, Design and Innovation at ZIEGLER Group. For ZIEGLER, networking does not only mean networking in the industry or in the organizational processes one after the other but also the networking of the products with each other and the linkage of the product with people. For ZIEGLER, the human being as decision-maker will always be the focus of every new product development.
Max Ruhdorfer adds: ‘Digitization and corresponding new technologies will support people in the future, but they will never be able to completely replace them. The goal has to be to minimize the dangers that can affect the emergency services. For this reason, we involve the user in new processes and developments right from the beginning to ensure that only those kind of technologies are developed, that people can cope with and that are simply practicable, whatever the challenge may be.’
The answer to the slogan ‘Whatever the challenge’ is still provided by the company’s claim: ‘We provide security’. This is and remains the company’s motto and the core message of ZIEGLER. That closes the circle of the ZIEGLER Group’s understanding of security. If you would like to learn more about the innovations and new products of the ZIEGLER Group, visit the company at INTERSCHUTZ in pavilion 35 and in the outdoor areas K68 and K70.
For more information, go to www.ziegler.de
