Ruthmann appeals to export market with new launch

German truck mount specialist is showing a cross-section of its product range including the launch of the Steiger T285, the T330 shown for the first time to an international audience and information about a new, very narrow jacking system. The developments are in line with Ruthmann's growing export market and seek to meet the requirements of customers outside Germany as well as those within.

The T285 is described as the "little brother" of the T330 launched at the beginning of the year, already 70 units of the T330 have been sold.

The T285 is said to fall into the same category as Ruthmann's own T265, Wumag's WT260 and Palfinger's TK280 all designed for the 7.5t GVW chassis class and, says Ruthmann 5 years old.

The T285 is a bit of a departure for Ruthmann whose customers are used to paying a premium for performance advantages, the T285 offers a good price performance ratio, benefitting from the shared technology it has with the T330.

The Stieger T285 has a 28.5m working height and a 21.1m outreach. In transport mode the T285 is 8.19m long.

The rigid turret remains within the contours of the vehicle when pivoting making it suitable for high traffic areas. The boom is made from high-strength, fine grained steel. The spacious cage has a capacity of 320kg and enough room for three people with tools and equipment. Cage rotation is +/-90deg and the jib has a 185deg swivelling range.

The horizontal/vertical jacking system can be deployed on either or both sides to suit a range of working sites.

Ruthmann's new jacking system is designed for vehicles of 10t and 18t GVW. When deployed it is designed to offer complete stability with horizontal/vertical jacks that extend just 500mm from the chassis sides.

The jacking system uses heavier structural steel to achieve the stability and is designed for users who want a T220, T285 and T330 with a greater payload on the truck, particularly if they are going to be working in rough terrain environments and areas where wide jacking is difficult or impossible.

Trucks with the new jacking system are anticipated to appeal to utility companies, gardeners and landscapers as tasks such as power line inspection and maintenance and tree surgery are often carried out on uneven terrain.