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For a handful of ballast

A growing force in the track construction industry: what started in a farmhouse in Wittorf, Germany more than 40 years ago with ten employees has grown into a company that is a professional service provider for all track maintenance services. Now Willke is planning to expand its machine fleet, which already features used Plasser & Theurer machines, with a brand new Unimat 09-4x4/4S Dynamic.

A modern and efficient machine fleet is the basis for being successful on the market. Plasser & Theurer has been our reliable partner for years.

Niklas Willke
Managing Director of the Willke corporate group

After a challenging period, the company was refounded in 1997. Managing Directors Moritz and Niklas Willke are carrying on the family tradition today. They soon turned the company into a complete service provider in track maintenance by continuing to expand its service portfolio. Since 2012, they have further increased the company's revenue from €18 million at that time to over €50 million today.

Willke: a loyal Plasser & Theurer customer

Back in 2018, Willke purchased its first Plasser & Theurer machine: a Unimat 08-475/4S. "In addition, we decided to buy another used Unimat 08-275/3S-Y tamping machine at short notice," says Sven Rybarczyk from Willke Technics GmbH & Co. KG, who has 20 years of experience with Plasser & Theurer under his belt. "It is mainly used by our industrial customers." The current machine fleet also includes an SSP 110 SW ballast regulating machine. The Unimat 09-4x4/4S Dynamic will be supplied in 2023 and is an integral part of Willke’s strategy for growth.

Used Machines by Plasser & Theurer – the quick solution for expanding your fleet

Plasser & Theurer also sells and leases used machines with the option to repurchase after having acquired a new machine. We offer customised reconditioning with everything from simple refurbishments to modifications, from upgrades to retrofits as well as training services and updated documentation for retrofits. Benefit from fast availability, low costs, time-tested quality, customised reconditioning packages and adjustments in line with your individual, region-specific requirements. Please get in touch with your point of contact or write to us at cs@plassertheurer.com. Together, we will find the used machine that meets your expectations.

Machine fleet expansion

The new Unimat 09-4x4/4S Dynamic will satisfy Willke’s need for a continuous-action high-capacity machine for tracks and turnouts with integrated track stabilisation. Highly versatile, it combines the advantages of three track maintenance machines: a conventional turnout tamping machine, a dynamic track stabiliser, and a continuous-action track tamping machine. Thanks to low axle loads – line category C2 – it can operate flexibly and at virtually every construction site. A huge bonus for operators: the ergonomically designed and operator-friendly cabs provide a comfortable working environment no matter how long a shift is. An intelligent, fuel-saving drive technology in accordance with the EU Stage V emission class and soot particle systems protect the environment. In addition, the machine is in line with the track maintenance company's digitalisation strategy: the MachineMaintenanceGuide (MMG) is a digital service booklet which makes it possible to document servicing and maintenance transparently at any time. The MDC (MachineDataConnector) and the MCO (MachineConditionObserver) display the networked fleet data and provide reports that suit the customer’s specific requirements.

A USP 2000 C2 universal ballast regulating machine completes Willke’s investment in the machine fleet. This increases capacities even further while improving technical standards. The company continues to trust in Plasser & Theurer as a partner, which shows that many years of experience count for something.

The partner for an innovative future

In the years to come, the Willke brothers want to continue carefully cultivating the decades of experience and tradition of the family business and taking courageous steps forward. "A modern and efficient machine fleet is the basis for being successful on the market," says Niklas Willke. "Our investments always focus on being future-oriented and beneficial for our customers. Plasser & Theurer has been our reliable partner for years."

Willke in a nutshell

Willke is a track maintenance company founded in 1979 and headquartered in Wittorf, Lower Saxony. The family business has grown into a complete service provider for everything related to railway tracks. For optimum organisation of its service offering, Willke operates from nine locations. The corporate group offers a complete portfolio, which includes everything from the first planning step and logistics services to overhead contact line and earthing work, track construction as well as track maintenance and its own machine fleet. With its 300 employees, Willke offers a one-stop service. The company has been counting on Plasser & Theurer machines since 2018.

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