Interview with road construction contractor Reinhard Knetzger, Dormitz
Mr. Knetzger, two years ago you purchased a PÖMA-AG 225 Duplex road maintenance machine.
What kind of work do you carry out with this machine?
Everything from road maintenance to full road repair. It can handle both.
What weather conditions can you work in?
In any weather. The machine performs well in wet conditions and even in extremely wet conditions—better than any other grader.
A question about your workload: How is business at the moment?
We're fully booked!
So you could take on even more work if you wanted to?
Yes. At the moment we're operating with two people and a second grader.
How about the competition? Do you have much competition?
Yes, there's always competition.
There always is—but you're not worried about them?
Not really. As long as they aren't working with this machine, we still have a clear advantage.
Can you give us a rough idea of your daily productivity? What can you achieve in a day?
Around 20–25 kilometers (12–16 miles). If we're adding material, that's roughly 20 to 25 truckloads.
What advantages does the PÖMA-AG 225 Duplex offer compared to the competition?
The biggest advantage is that the machine is solid and heavy. It sits firmly on the road, delivers excellent results after just the first pass, and it's easy to maintain—which is very important.
How do your customers evaluate your work? You mainly work for forestry professionals and forest owners. What kind of feedback do you receive regarding your methods and the quality of your work?
I've only heard positive feedback.
And does that also bring you new customers through word of mouth?
Yes.
Do you think the forest owners you work for also save material because of the way you work? After all, the roads probably won't need repairs again so quickly.
Normally, new material is added as required. But with the current weather conditions, that's often unnecessary. We can usually work with the material that's already there.
So in the end, you're also helping your customers save material. Another important issue is erosion. As we can see, the roads are much less likely to be washed away.
Exactly.
You already mentioned the machine's stability. Have you experienced any damage or any issues that interfere with your work?
No. The machine is very stable.
One final question about operator comfort. The machine is controlled with a joystick. Is it easy to operate? Do you have good visibility?
Yes, the machine is very user-friendly.
One last question. You mentioned at the beginning that the machine is equally suitable for both maintenance and repair.
That's right. You can use it for regular maintenance, and if there are damaged sections, the machine fills them immediately and compacts them using the grading blade and the rubber-tired roller.
You've certainly convinced me. I wish you continued success with PÖMA. Thank you very much.
I've been relying on PÖMA for the past 20 years.