Minden. The first few meters are already tight, but that is part of everyday life for the transport company from the Netherlands. Together with the MINDA team, they prepared every detail to not only bring the huge timber press out of the assembly hall, but also on its way to the Sauerland. The convoy can start rolling punctually at 10 p.m., and several escort vehicles ensure that the 87-ton machine arrives safely at customer's premises. This is a premiere for the Minden-based company. Normally, the machines are dismantled again after construction and initial test runs and they are delivered in individual parts. Logistically, this is a much simpler solution, but it costs time. It takes around six weeks to dismantle a press of such a size and then reassemble it at customer's premises.
"Now we need another week at customer's site for the commissioning, " Nikolaj Tschernischow says, being responsible for the project at MINDA. He came up with the idea for the first complete transport together with installation manager Matthias Böversen. However, it was not just an issue of saving time, although that is obvious: "That's a huge saving," Böversen says. The susceptibility to errors during assembly is also minimized because the electrical connections remain in place, as the components do not have to be rewired. And last but not least, the installation of a complex system in familiar surroundings of your own hall is much easier.
But for that to happen, everything must be just right, as MINDA boss Robert Falch knows. "We have to decide that together with the customer in each individual case," he says. However, it could be an interesting model for transportation particularly within Germany. Above all, because the time saved also has a financial impact for the customer: "If production only has to be interrupted briefly, that's a strong criterion." This means that the higher logistics costs could well pay off.
Like almost all MINDA machines, this press is unique and tailored to customer's requirements. It works with four chambers in which several components can be pressed simultaneously, depending on their size. It can be used to produce everything from large glulam beams for hall construction to square timber for carports from the hardware store, Tschernischow says: "With this flexibility, the customer also needs less warehousing. And because the machine can also withstand increased pressure, it can process not only traditional softwood, but also harder hardwood in the future.
The actual construction time was around two to three months, but planning began around one year earlier. This is all regular business on the Hans-Boeckler-Strasse. The exciting moment comes on Tuesday evening. In between, it was unclear whether the transport can take place at all. This was originally planned a little earlier, but then had to be postponed again. In the meantime, the construction site on the B482 has been set up - including one-way traffic regulation northward. However, there is no way around the federal highway from the MINDA factory premises to the A2.
"We didn't want to push the date back any further, who knows what the weather will be like in the Sauerland," Böversen says. However, after several discussions between the transport company on the one hand and the road construction company and authorities on the other hand, a solution was found. "They were all really very cooperative," Tschernischow says. And so the heavy goods vehicle with police escort was allowed to drive in the opposite direction through the construction site, which was temporarily closed for the regular traffic.
Things got tricky again around Olsberg, where the roads became more winding and some tight traffic circles had to be mastered, too. However, employees of the transport company had already driven the route in advance so that no surprises come up. At 4.31 a.m. on Wednesday morning, the convoy rolled onto customer's premises. "Everything went smoothly," Böversen said on the phone. Therefore, it is quite possible that the test run will become a real alternative.
Published in the Mindener Tageblatt on October 02, 2025 - www.mt.de
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