Rosenbauer achieved record sales of aerial rescue vehicles in Germany in 2023. Of the 156 aerial ladders and aerial rescue platforms that fire departments across the country had tendered for procurement, Rosenbauer Germany won the bidding for exactly 100 of them. Flexibility and fast delivery times were decisive factors in the awarding of contracts. All vehicles will be delivered by the end of 2024, some of which were already handed over last year.
“Last year, we won almost two-thirds of all tenders with a total value of around 90 million euros,” says Ronald Reisinger, Managing Director of Rosenbauer Germany, “which underscores our leading role in the German market for aerial rescue devices. In my view, it is also particularly positive that these were all individual orders from municipalities and included a number of first-time and new customers. This shows great confidence in our products.” First-time orders are usually required and placed when changes to fire protection requirement plans, e.g., due to more building developments in the area, require the purchase of an aerial rescue device.
In addition to the technology, it was also the intensive and individual customer support that contributed significantly to the record orders in 2023. Both at Rosenbauer and at the sales partners, the fire departments deal exclusively with experienced aerial rescue experts. They particularly appreciate the range of on-site demonstrations where they can directly voice their needs and questions. Rosenbauer also offers a comprehensive service network. Four regional service centers in Berlin-Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg, and Bavaria guarantee fire departments short travel distances and rapid order processing.
Berlin Fire Department orders first electric aerial ladder for Germany
A standout among the orders received in 2023 was the first electric aerial ladder ordered by the Berlin Fire Department. It is mounted on an all-electric Scania chassis and is completely identical to the standard L32A-XS turntable ladder from the interface to the power take-off (ePTO). Three lithium-ion batteries with a usable capacity of 66 kWh each (total capacity of the battery storage system approx. 200 kWh) supply the vehicle with energy, two electric motors are available for the traction drive and a third for the ladder drive.
In total, the one hundred vehicles ordered from Rosenbauer included no fewer than 98 aerial ladders and two hydraulic platforms. All but one of the aerial ladders were ordered with a tiltable cage boom (L32A-XS), and two will be equipped with a compact pivot mounting (L27A-XSC). All XS ladders have a five-section ladder set, which keeps the design (vehicle length) very compact. They are manufactured at the Karlsruhe plant, where the ladders are welded together fully automatically by robots.
The 100th vehicle was ordered by the fire department of the town of Möckmühl in Baden-Württemberg, which is replacing a DLK 18/12 delivered in 2000 and, as a long-standing customer, operates numerous other Rosenbauer vehicles, including an HLF 20, a TLF 16/12, an LF 10, a rescue vehicle (RW 2) and an equipment transporter (GW-T).
XS technology
The XS technology in combination with the multifunctional rescue cage were the convincing “arguments” why the majority of fire departments opted for Rosenbauer aerial ladders. The L32A-XS impresses with its high maneuverability and is ideal for use even in confined spaces and at close range. With their tiltable cage boom, they can reach areas that are difficult or impossible to access with straight aerial ladders. The space required during operation is extremely small: a road width of just 9.05 meters is required for a complete 360° rotation of the ladder, and a distance of just 5.15 m between the outer edge of the vehicle and the building is sufficient to raise the cage continuously along a façade (L32A-XS 3.2).
The HR-500 MF rescue cage impresses with its wide range of functions and high payload of up to 500 kg. A special trademark is the removable multifunctional column or complete front panel. Together with specially developed adapters and safety devices, this makes it possible to rescue people in wheelchairs and transport heavy-duty stretchers on the cage floor. With the water supply integrated into the cage structure and an attached manual or remote-controlled water turret, the cage is also equipped for firefighting operations at any time.
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