A Legacy of Innovation with a Swedish Connection
Though both Baumann brothers are now no longer with us, their spirit and ethos continue to resonate throughout the sideloader manufacturing industry.
Wolfgang Baumann (1937-2020) never forgot the welcome afforded to him in his youth by the townsfolk of Cavaion, a town he later helped shape with local roads, banking, infrastructure projects and, of course, the Baumann factory.
Rolf (1942-2021), meanwhile, helped to spread the sideloader concept throughout the world and his great spirit for innovation and research led to him registering several patents. He helped inspire his brother, and technical director Adolfo Gazza, providing much of the energy and encouragement required to turn the business into a market leader.
One idea remains crucial to all Baumann trucks and was inspired by Rolf’s early years as an engineer in Sweden. There, as an 18-year-old, he saw the initial development of what became known as ‘the Swedish cab’ – a full comfort, operator-focused compartment in machines previously seen as basic and mechanistic.
Providing additional comfort, visibility and ergonomics was not at that time seen as important as it is today, but Rolf helped to change that.
Towards the end of his career, he championed the idea of the ‘floating’ cabin, Baumann’s method of mounting the operator compartment to the chassis via a cassette with built-in dampeners. The technical term for these components is ‘bushings’, which serve to connect various vehicle components like the body, chassis, or floor pan.
Hydro bushings, the kinds introduced by Rolf, include a hydraulic damper to respond to undulations, as the fluid adjusts the dynamic properties of the bushings to provide a shock absorbing effect.
Adding the bushings was not end of the matter, however. By fitting two at the rear of the cabin at 90-degree angles to those at the front, the absorption of movement in all directions is improved.
“Rolf provided great insight and perspective over many years,” says managing director, Riccardo Bove, himself an award-winning technical engineer. “Often the simple ideas are the best and the quality of his thinking and the idea itself is proven by the fact it is still in use today and is a key feature that helps us reduce wear and tear and deliver an excellent experience for the operator.”
The Baumann sideloader also has a unique feature where the axles can respond to ground conditions to keep the deck level and loads secure. Whilst the processes are different, the ideas are similar in the way they counteract undesirable movements in industrial applications.
‘Floating’ the cabin by means of the hydro bushings not only means the operator is not subjected to vibrations or painful jarring but can also be gently rocked along over challenging terrain from time to time!
“We continue to look for ways to improve the operator experience,” concludes Riccardo. “Whether that is with smarter controls, safety measures or camera systems. I think Rolf would be very proud of our innovations, as we continue to be of his.”
