New Rottne Rapid stuns the market
When the world’s largest forestry trade fair, Elmia Wood was held in June 1985, Rottne Industri did not exhibit. Both Swedish and international forestry people wondered why, but nonetheless, understood enough to know that something big was in the works. A few months later, the news came out.
The classic, faithful servant and best-seller Blondin was being retired and replaced by the Rottne Rapid. A machine that was comprised of components, instead of as previously, being tractor-based.
Rarely or never had interest been so great for a new model series from Rottne as when the Rapid programme was launched in the home forests of Småland. The commitment was major, both at the national and international levels, and the visitors were not disappointed. Rottne Industri had done it again.
Steerable wagon simplifies operation
Operating a tractor and wagon in the forest can be difficult, so how could we simplify this for forwarder operators? This led to development of the prototype for the Rottne Rapid, the first steerable wagon.
A year later, the machine was put in service. Thanks to this, operators no longer needed broader extraction lanes due to trailers requiring more space than the machines. So, if you could pass between two trees with a tractor, the wagon followed along on the same path.
The steerable wagon bogie remains as a technical solution that we are alone in having on our forwarders. Since 2009, when the last update was made, it has been standard equipment on all manufactured Rottne F13 units.
In 1991, the small and stand-operated harvester Rottne 2000 was launched, the predecessor to today’s Rottne H8.
Rottne acquires SMV
At the close of the 1980s the company needed to expand, but with an overheated labour market in and around Växjö, it was difficult to find skilled labour.
The solution was to acquire Rottne Stensele Mekaniska Verkstad, SMV, outside Storuman in the Västerbotten district in 1988. This is now where we produce all heads, cab frames and cranes. The factory is currently one of the Storuman municipality’s largest employers.