What began back in 2000 with the first Swingo compact sweeper has developed over the course of the last 16 years into an international success story. The basic shape and design have not really changed much, but the technology, performance data and the level of comfort in the driver’s cab certainly have. Today’s Swingo with its unrivalled level of driving comfort as well as its pressurised water recirculation system and the optional Koanda air circulation system is regarded as the most environmentally friendly compact sweeper available in the market. In addition, a new height-adjustable and tilt-adjustable steering column including a pivot function allows the driver to enter and exit the cab in an ergonomic way as well as enjoy a pleasant seated position – even for tall drivers.
In its anniversary year in 2016, Schmidt is not just celebrating 60 years of sweeping technology. The 5,000th model of the Swingo compact sweeper also left the factory in St. Blasien in the middle of October and was received by Sascha Schöpflin and Ralf Treffeisen from Freiburger Verkehrs AG (VAG). The Swingo 200+ with a 3-brush system will be used by VAG in future to clean areas around stops and platforms throughout the municipal area of Freiburg. This is the first Schmidt sweeper for VAG. Nevertheless, they were won over by its performance and quality before they even used it. “As well as the performance data for the machine itself, we were particularly persuaded by the level of quality in production and the proximity to the factory and to our service partner in Immendingen. When the decision was taken to purchase a new sweeper, we visited the production facility as part of a guided tour of the factory at Schmidt and were extremely impressed by the precise workmanship and the high level of quality in assembly. When you see how professionally and cleanly the staff work, you know that this quality will be reflected in the machines, which ultimately benefits us as the customer. In addition, the proximity to our service partner, SKSW Knoblauch GmbH, is an important factor for us. With its base in Immendingen and two technicians who are trained in how Swingo sweepers work, we have a swift and expert contact available at all times and can therefore prevent long downtimes, for example. Man and machine – the overall package was just right for us.”
5,000 Swingo compact sweepers – a statistic to celebrate
5,000 Swingo sweepers – lined up they would stretch for 23 km. Or to put it another way, with a sweeping width of 2.5 metres, operating for 8 hours a day and with an average lifespan of 5 years per machine, this equates to a cleaning area of 660,000 km2, which is roughly equivalent to twice the area of Germany. Immaculate performance! The process in the factory from start until the finished machine is ready to be officially signed off takes 4 days. Only last year the 800 m2 assembly area for the Swingo was turned upside down and restructured in accordance with lean management principles. The preassembly stage is now separate and logistics are separated from assembly. A new Kanban system enables a warehouse worker to replenish the required materials easily and in-time using a tugger train – handily prepared for colleagues in assembly to work with. Moreover, the cycle system has been fully overhauled, from what was once 9 to 15 cycles now. Every employee now supervises the machine for four cycles rather than just one cycle, as was previously the case. This means that up to 20 compact sweepers can now be manufactured per week, which is eight more than prior to the changeover or an increase of +66%. This ensures not just shorter delivery times, even when there is a large number of orders, but also sets new standards for the future of Swingo production. Jochen Schneider, COO Operations Global and Managing Director of Aebi Schmidt Deutschland GmbH, is confident: “It will not take us 16 years to produce the next 5,000 Swingo machines, we will do this much more quickly.”
