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NEOPLAN Apron by VISEON – Top airport buses made in Germany
• New: individual air-conditioning concept with the perfect solution for every climate zone
• High-power air conditioning system with 44 kW refrigerating capacity
• After-sales service around the clock
Pilsting. The VISEON Bus GmbH has revised its concept for the airport bus NEOPLAN Apron and now offers this airport apron bus, produced in Pilsting in Lower Bavaria, with an individual air-conditioning concept that meets the requirements of every climate zone. VISEON presented its new air-conditioning concept, its current product range and new after-sales organisation for the first time at the Interairport tradeshow in Munich at the beginning of October.
VISEON has been developing and marketing NEOPLAN airport buses since 2008 as exclusive licence partner of NEOPLAN Bus GmbH. In April 2009, VISEON took over the former NEOPLAN Omnibuswerk in Pilsting / Lower Bavaria, with a workforce of around 200. Since that date, it has been producing trolley buses, coaches and customised conversions as well as the NEOPLAN Apron airport buses. The NEOPLAN Apron is the only airport bus in the world which is completely “made in Germany”. “The long-term maintenance of value offered by all our products is the decisive advantage for our customers”, says VISEON CEO Reinmuth. He added that this is the result of quality “made in Germany” and the workmanship of the highly qualified and motivated craftsmen employed at the Pilsting factory, plus the use of high-quality established components such as engines from MAN, gearboxes from Voith or ZF and axles from Kessler. “Our primary concern is customer satisfaction”, Reinmuth stated. “This means that all VISEON products meet the same exacting quality standards, from the selection of the components and materials to production and finishing right through to after-sales service with our customer-friendly hotline and reliable worldwide spare parts service”.
VISEON offers the NEOPLAN Apron in five models with carrying capacities ranging from 67 to a maximum of 137 passengers. The models in lengths 13.30 metres and 14.70 metres come in two widths - 2.75 metres or 3.17 metres. The shorter model is 12 metres long and only available in a width of 2.75 metres. In addition, VISEON can also supply customised buses or VIP versions, for example with round seating groups or multimedia equipment.
Improved air-conditioning concept
An improved air-conditioning concept puts VISEON in an even better position to meet the requirements of its customers worldwide. For example, VISEON now offers the NEOPLAN Apron with the most powerful air-conditioning unit for airport buses on the market, with a refrigerating capacity of 44 kW. An air-conditioning system with 33 kW refrigerating capacity and integrated 38-kW heating unit is also available. And a high-power ventilation unit, also with integrated heating unit, rounds off the air-conditioning range All ventilation and air-conditioning units supply both the passenger area and the driver's cab with fresh air as standard. But there is also an optional, separately powered air-conditioning unit for the driver's cab. It is powered by electricity and has a refrigerating capacity of 3.5 kW. Altogether, customers can choose between five different optional air-conditioning packages. This allows the requirements of widely varying climate zones to be met.
On all VISEON airport buses with air-conditioning, the air-conditioning compressor is directly driven by the powerful engine of the bus via v-belts. This is an extremely economical and environmentally-friendly solution: There is no need for an expensive separate combustion motor to drive the air-conditioning system, and the engine requires significantly less additional fuel to drive the air-conditioning compressor than a separate combustion motor would. And the air-conditioning units, in particular the most powerful model with 44 kW, are designed to reduce the temperature in the passenger area to a comfortable level in just a few minutes, even in strong sunshine. This means it is no longer necessary to leave the engine running when the bus is parked.
New high-power drive
From 2010, VISEON offers a Euro 5 engine with 250 hp (184 kW) as standard for the NEOPLAN Apron. This MAN D 0836 LOH engine has a maximum torque of 1,000 Nm at 1,400-1,750 rpm. The state-of-the-art power train is fitted with an oxidisation catalytic converter and cooled exhaust-gas recirculation and
thus requires no additives such as urea additive AdBlue. The advantages of this No additional costs for operation or modifications to petrol station infrastructure. A further advantage: The operator does not have to worry about filter regeneration. Fuel of “low-sulphur” quality is enough.
The 6.9 litre engine is mounted in the front section of the vehicle. It drives the front wheels of the bus via an automatic
3-speed gearbox of type Voith Diwa D851.3E. The driven front portal axle is manufactured by axle specialist Kessler, as are the wheel trunks of the NEOPLAN independent wheel suspension on the rear axle.
VISEON has equipped the latest NEOPLAN Apron with the perfect solutions for quick and smooth passenger flow and optimum comfort. For example, the vehicle comes as standard with ECAS electronically controlled air suspension with integrated levelling function. This ensures optimum suspension whether the bus is full, partially loaded or empty. Thanks to the automatic lowering function (kneeling), which is also fitted as standard, the floor of the vehicle can be lowered from driving level to a boarding height of only 280 millimetres when the doors are opened. This makes it much easier for passengers to enter and leave the bus. And the generously sized doorways with a width of 1350 millimetres enable passengers to get on and off the bus quicker. At the same time, the outward-opening swing doors offer optimum safety for passengers boarding and leaving the bus.
Optimised workstation for the driver
The NEOPLAN Apron from VISEON also offers the driver an extremely ergonomical workstation. For example, in the current improved version, VISEON has further optimised the position of the mirrors to give the driver an even better field of vision. The majority of drivers find the so-called VDV workstation, in use in thousands of European city buses, particularly user-friendly. It was developed on the basis of comprehensive ergonomic studies and practical tests in co-operation with the Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen VDV (association of German transportation companies). In addition to the extremely clearly laid-out controls with a minimum of switches, large analogue displays for speedometer and rev counter and a central display for all messages, warnings and other information, the dashboard, which can be adjusted continuously in its height and angle of inclination together with the steering wheel, is another very convincing feature. All controls are thus easy to reach for drivers of any height, and the driver always has an optimum view of all the instruments. This makes life much easier for the driver and means increased safety on the apron and when manoeuvering. VISEON is the only manufacturer offering the ergonomic VDV workstation in airport buses.
Customer-friendly after-sales service
To improve the service to its customers even after delivery of their vehicles, VISEON has created a particularly customer-friendly after-sales service structure. At its core, there is the
24-hour hotline. Here, customers can phone for support around the clock in the event of malfunctions or breakdowns. And calls are taken not by anonymous call-center personnel, but by trained and experienced service technicians. If all else fails, VISEON will send out a special Task Force Team to get the bus running again as quickly as possible. And VISEON's worldwide spare parts service also ensures that buses remain operational. Due to the use of numerous components from such reputable large-series manufacturers as MAN, ZF, Voith, Carrier Sütrac or Hella and thanks to the comprehensive range of spare parts on stock at the central warehouse in Pilsting, most spare parts can be dispatched within just a few hours. article download download high resolution pictures
Introducing the VISEON Bus GmbH
• A young company with a long tradition
• 220 employees at the factory in Pilsting
• Unique: airport apron buses “made in Germany”
Pilsting. The VISEON Bus GmbH, newly founded in June 2008, was represented at the international trade fair for airport equipment Interairport in Munich for the first time. A manufacturer of airport apron buses, trolley buses, special omnibuses and special conversions, VISEON develops, produces and markets NEOPLAN airport buses as exclusive licence partner of the NEOPLAN Bus GmbH. On 1st April 2009, VISEON took over the NEOPLAN Omnibuswerk in Pilsting / Lower Bavaria and its workforce of around 200 from NEOPLAN Bus GmbH. Joachim Reinmuth, managing partner and CEO, emphasises that both the VISEON management and all employees have many years of experience in the sector, and he also reveals the company's vision for the future: “For decades, the NEOPLAN factory in Pilsting with its highly qualified and motivated workforce has been synonymous with innovative development and the production of top-quality buses. VISEON aims to continue in this tradition with top quality “made in Germany”, innovative products and intensive support for customers before, during and after the purchase of one of our buses.”
Along with Joachim Reinmuth, who holds a 51 percent stake, the stakeholders of the VISEON Bus GmbH are the former head of the bus technology division of MAN Nutzfahrzeuge, Ernö Bartha with 39 per cent, and the MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG with a further 10 per cent. As managing partner, Bartha is responsible for development, construction and quality management as well as for purchasing and logistics at VISEON. Reinmuth, who was chairman and brand spokesman of the NEOPLAN Bus GmbH until the founding of VISEON, is responsible for commercial activities, production, marketing and human resources.
After acquiring the factory premises and the production halls with an area of around 20,000 square metres, VISEON restructured production at the Pilsting factory to meet its own requirements. For example, a complete framework assembly line with two parallel assembly lines was again installed in addition to the final assembly line. An agreement was concluded with MAN on the production to order of coaches and double-decker buses and the development of the next generation of the NEOPLAN Skyliner double-decker coach series. A further focus at VISEON is the construction and marketing of trolley buses on the basis of the previous NEOPLAN trolley buses. The range of activities is complemented by VISEON's independent mainstay and true VISEON product, the customisation and conversion of premium coaches. The Pilsting factory equips the interior of buses with special furnishings and media technology to order. It can also performs complex conversions to the bodywork. The conversions can be carried out on many vehicles in the product range, including airport buses. VISEON has already announced the start of construction and marketing of its own coach series in spring next year. The first model in the C Series will be the 10.30-metre-long midibus coach C10. C stands for Coach, 10 for the length in metres.
VISEON CEO Joachim Reinmuth expressed his satisfaction with the company's performance at the important international tradeshow Interairport: “In Munich, we can demonstrate our competence, the high quality of our products and our customer-orientation to customers and potential customers from all over the world. We have a top team with many decades of experience in bus-building and an open ear for our customers' requirements. And we have excellent products ‘made in Germany.’ The positive feedback from all over the world shows that international airport operators appreciate these facts.” article download download high resolution pictures
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