Andreas Krämer transports Mercedes Classics

Sitting around all day long is not something Andreas Krämer does happily. The 52-year-old from Esslingen am Neckar practices sports both before and after work. Kick-boxing, Thai boxing and Karate are precisely his cup of tea. In addition to that, he also does weight training – if he has enough time, of course. “Ah, I always manage to find a couple of spare minutes for a few dumbbells,” says the Actros driver dryly. He's a man who knows exactly what he wants and needs. Both at work and for his own well-being.

That also includes the decision as to which truck he drives. “Around 30 years ago, I learned in a Mercedes – and I want to go into retirement in a Mercedes. There shall be no other vehicle!”

Rare classics.

His love of the brand with the three-pointed star has shaped his career. Andreas drives an Actros 1846 for Gross from southern Germany; a company which specialises in cranes and specialist transport operations for classic vehicles from “Mercedes-Benz Classic”. The latter is precisely Andreas' field of activity. He transports vehicles ranging from luxury saloons right up to rare classics which are booked out all around Europe for film and photo shoots. In the winter, we predominantly work in Scandinavia, but long journeys with ferry crossings to Malta or Teneriffe, for example, are also possible. Andreas says: “I just love the fact that I get to visit so many different corners of the world”.

En route to Morocco for a film shoot.

For example, a few years ago, he had to take a luxurious Maybach Saloon to Marrakesh for a film version of the cult TV series “Sex and the City”. Andreas was fascinated by the Moroccan city: “A great atmosphere, even if the differences between rich and poor are so extreme."” He tells us that you can see flash cars parked next to donkey carts there.

Andreas compares change to oxygen. You need both to live. “Always eating lunch at midday, stopping work at around five o'clock, getting eaten up by the daily grind – no thank you!” he says. “No-one's constantly looking over my shoulder and my phone only rarely rings.”

Photos: Alexander Rihhi