About Paul
SPECIAL-PURPOSE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION AT AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL
Paul Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH is located at the Lower Bavarian city of Vilshofen on the Danube. The company is one of the European market leaders in special-purpose vehicle conversion and construction. Within the past years, this business area within the Paul Group has developed into a successful global player that serves companies all over the world. Each year the chassis experts carry out chassis conversions, axle modifications and frame extensions as well as special configurations on up to 1,000 commercial vehicles.
With the relocation from the cramped conditions in the inner city of Passau to the new company headquarters situated between Vilshofen on the Danube and Albersdorf, the activities of the Paul Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH, which were formerly divided up between two locations, are now concentrated at a single place. At Vilshofen-Albersdorf there are now state-of-the-art administration buildings as well as sales and manufacturing facilities available on generously sized areas for Paul Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH. “This opens a multitude of new possibilities for the extension of our portfolio, of our efficiency and also of our presence on international markets”, says Josef Paul, owner of the Paul Group. “Our range of products will be based upon three strong pillars from which our customers will benefit as regards sales, production and service quality. This will contribute significantly to a future-proof alignment of Paul Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH.”
For a number of years now complete self-developments as the heavyweight giant “Heavy Mover” or tractors for agricultural transport tasks, municipal special applications and highly specialized implement applications are the domain of the special-purpose vehicle experts. At the moment, a new business division is being set up which makes it possible to offer an additional range of complete superstructure solutions. Therefore, perfectly matching complete vehicles for highly specialized fields of application is available ex factory and from a single source. The slogan of the reorientation is: “Paul Nutzfahrzeuge Special Trucks and Chassis: conversion – bodies – new construction”.
About 150 highly-qualified employees worldwide are working for Paul Nutzfahrzeuge Special Trucks & Chassis in the areas of development, vehicle construction, service and sales. 15 experts in the development division make sure that each customer requirement, no matter how individual it may be, is put into practice within the shortest period of time and right on schedule in close co-operation with the customer and the body manufacturer. This is done – and that goes without saying – strictly according to their requests, specifications, requirements and the envisaged application profile.
Thus up to 1,000 vehicle configurations are realized in 3D engineering and design processes each year. The process of test stand and road testing as well as the homologation of the converted chassis is done according to the strict guidelines set forth by both the basic vehicle manufacturers and the bodywork producers. The majority of the modified chassis then goes to body manufacturers from the most diverse markets all over the world for completion with the most suitable bodies. Exports, especially to China, Mexico and the Middle East countries have been steadily growing during the last few years.
Specialist for special vehicle applications
The experts from Lower Bavaria are always in demand when customer-specific requirements include extraordinary technical solutions. Commercial vehicles manufactured at the special-purpose vehicle construction forge are in demand all over the world for use in agriculture and forestry, in the construction and building industry, at fire-fighting brigades, in the non-civil sector and in municipal fields of application.
In most of the cases, Mercedes-Benz chassis form the basis for Paul Nutzfahrzeuge’s specific developments and adaptations. Carrier vehicles for the heaviest concrete pumps or crane superstructures, multi-axle long-bed chassis for fire brigades on airfields are as much part of the daily work as the mounting of additional axles for Unimog special applications in the energy, mining and construction sector. The range of special-purpose chassis developed and built at Vilshofen also comprises customized buses and visitor trains, all-wheel-driven extra heavy-duty all-terrain transport vehicles for combined dual-use applications in agriculture and municipal services, or military vehicles – this is just to name a few examples from the broad range of chassis conversions and developments made by Paul Nutzfahrzeuge.
Strong partners: The Paul Group
More than 200 years ago the Paul Group emerged from a blacksmith’s shop. Today it combines tradition with state-of-the-art expertise and know-how. The Paul Group comprises both Paul Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH and Josef Paul GmbH & Co. KG that is the operator of the region’s largest commercial vehicle service centre. Built in 2006 and headquartered in the industrial park of Passau-Sperrwies, the service centre has developed into a competent multi-brand partner for trucks, vans, buses and coaches. Numerous service and workshop tasks for commercial vehicles by Mercedes-Benz, Setra and MAN can be carried out there in certified manufacturer quality and corresponding to the optimum standards required.
The core brand at Sperrwies is Mercedes-Benz with the status of an authorized dealership and service centre. Sales of both new and used commercial vehicles and, since 2013, even the sales of used Mercedes-Benz passenger cars are concentrated there. As authorized service partner for passenger cars, Paul Nutzfahrzeuge is now also able to offer its customers an all-round service package for passenger cars of the brand with the three-pointed Mercedes star.
With a second service centre at Vilshofen, the Paul Group is also an authorized service partner for all MAN commercial vehicles coming from the MAN Truck & Bus division. Here the company once more stands out due to its multi-brand competence. At Vilshofen another focal point is the repair of cranes.
Currently, approximately 400 employees are working for the Paul Group. About 150 employees work in vehicle construction, service and sales at Paul Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH. The other approximately 250 staff members of the Josef Paul GmbH & Co. KG are employed in administration, in the sales organization and in the workshops of the two service centers at Sperrwies and Vilshofen as well as in the Vilshofen headquarters.