Kaessbohrer

Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG: Work hard, play hard!

Laupheim, 24 May 2007. Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG celebrated the end of the season with its first-ever AfterWork Party. Around 1,000 guests from all over the world found their way to Laupheim for 22 – 24 May 2007

Kässbohrer presented its entire PistenBully product range, headed up by the latest addition to the family – the PistenBully Scout transport vehicle. The PistenBully 600 Polar with winch took centre stage. “Well-built muscle man seeks racy companion” could be the tag line for this presentation of the PistenBully 600 Polar and Ferrari F430 Spyder: both delivering 490 hp, both equally alluring.

60 used machines were on offer at the AfterWork Party, 24 of which found a new home. The smaller models in particular were in great demand. Even a PistenBully 150 D, model year 1989, and a PistenBully 210 DR that had racked up 11,800 hours of operation, went to a good home. Some machines simply live longer. As always, customers could choose between Economy, Standard and Premium: the perfect solution for everybody. One customer can choose to carry out the bulk of his PistenBully conditioning himself, while another can opt for PistenBully workshop quality and buy his used machine under warranty.

A brand-new feature on display was Kässbohrer’s active winch control – an optional software package which enhances steering performance on the mountain. Customers were given the opportunity to experience the difference in performance for themselves

Every control option imaginable was demonstrated to the customers on the cab of a PistenBully 600, with thorough demonstrations of touch-screen operations, how to use the terminal control centre integrated in the armrest to control equipment, and fault diagnosis.

When it came to spare parts, customers were shown the latest in wearing parts and naturally, with a view to the season ahead, summer part variants. With the aid of a drive-unit training model, visitors could inspect the different adjustment options – from the mechanical and hydraulic zero position of the pump, through the adjustment of the high-pressure release valves with pressure cut-off, right up to the auxiliary hydraulic pump with stand-by option and line-pressure adjustment.

Of course, visitors also got an insight into PistenBully production.

Bang on target

Alongside myriad information, there was also a sporting highlight: the PistenBully Biathlon! To ensure a level playing field, the cross-country and downhill ski regions competed separately. With plenty of snow and glorious weather, around 130 teams lined up at the start. The biathlon pairs went head to head with enthusiasm and a keen sense of competition. The teams had to cover a distance of 280 metres for the freestyle and quickly catch their breath before firing laser guns at five targets. There was a 40-metre penalty loop for each missed shot, meaning numerous diversions for some. Just like the real thing.

The performance spectrum in the biathlon ranged from “didn’t complete the course” and “absolute beginner” right up to outstanding, world-class athletes. Irrespective of class, one thing was certain: all participants, without exception, had a whale of a time!

International visitors came from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Norway, Sweden, Romania, Bulgaria, New Zealand, Ukraine, Russia, Scotland and Spain.

The victorious overall winners were Kongsberg Skisenter AS, from Norway, for the downhill ski regions and, in the cross-country ski-region category, visitors from the small Upper Bavarian village of Ruhpolding. The winning teams were awarded four weeks’ free use of a PistenBully 600 and a PistenBully 100 respectively. So it was not only the champions on the day who took home a prize; the ski companies also profited from their staff’s sterling performance at the Kässbohrer AfterWork Party.

Around 900 cubic metres of snow was amassed the night before the first day of competition, with a further 250 cubic metres introduced each day to replenish the course. First-rate conditions were thus maintained on the ground, even on the second and third days – despite rain alternating with 33° sun. The fastest time, achieved on 23.05.07, was testament to the excellent snow conditions. Snow production for the PistenBully Biathlon got underway 10 days before the event. Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG had help from Neuss ski hall, biathlon legend Fritz Fischer and the companies Salomon and snow + promotion to ensure the biathlon was handled professionally and went absolutely to plan.

The variety of sideline events kept any hints of boredom at bay and a laid-back, entertaining evening rounded off the AfterWork Party, which went down very well with the cosmopolitan guests. Visitors particularly praised the excellent organisation of the PistenBully Biathlon and that of the entire AfterWork Party. All in all, a very successful end to the season, and the prelude, perhaps, to another PistenBully AfterWork Party? For all those who missed out on this year’s event....

A full house, and not just at the successful evening event.