Trading in the tractor for the universal Unimog

Award-winning produce.

The Huntbach family has strong ties with the dairy industry, having operated Hayfields Dairy farm in Audlem, Cheshire since 1949. Their first cheese was produced in 1957 and although the last dairy cow left the farm in 2018, the family continue to make and sell award-winning cheeses and butter, supplying local shops, pubs and restaurants.

Managing Director Rob Huntbach is the grandson of the founders and oversees the day-to-day operations, including the new online outlet, launched in June 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

- Rob Huntbach, Managing Director, Hayfields Dairy

The efficient and economical Unimog.

Previously, the company relied on a high-speed agricultural tractor to transport high-quality milk it uses as a raw material from selected farms located throughout Cheshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire, until Rob was introduced to the mighty Unimog.

The versatile vehicle is significantly faster on road and a lot more economical as Rob revealed, “The Unimog has cut journey times by as much as three hours, and is also saving us more than 75 litres of fuel on some working days. In financial terms, it’s a ‘no brainer’!”

Typical journeys can be up to 250 miles a day – an easy challenge for the robust and reliable Unimog, which just keeps going, whilst the hydraulic system is used to drive the pumps on the 16,000-litre milk tank trailer it tows.

- Rob Huntbach, Managing Director, Hayfields Dairy

Versatile and powerful.

The off-roading icon has a heritage which stretches back more than 70 years with a reputation for taking on the toughest tasks in challenging conditions.

Hayfields Dairy owns a U430 12.7-tonne GVW Unimog implement carrier which is powered by a 7.7-litre six-cylinder engine which produces 299 hp and is paired with a fully synchronised electro pneumatic transmission that allows drivers to switch between manual gear shifting and automatic mode at the press of a button, even while on the move.

It’s also able to operate with a variety of attachments thanks to its front-mounted linkage and DIN plate plus an engine PTO (power take-off).

“Our new Mercedes-Benz is incredibly versatile. When it comes to road work the Unimog has a 56 mph cruising speed which makes it significantly quicker than the tractor we’d been using to pull the tanker. It’s also more nimble, more comfortable, and much more fuel-efficient,” said Rob.

Best of both worlds.

Yet the impressive model isn’t just utilised to transport milk on long road journeys, it proves its worth in the field too, harnessing its 4x4 capabilities over rough ground on the farm, as Rob explains, “If this was its only role we’d run a conventional truck, but I need a multi-talented vehicle that can also be used to undertake a wide variety of other tasks on the farm.”

The business has reaped the benefits of this multi-tasking machine which undertakes the work of two different vehicles, both on and off the road.

He continued, “We have about 250 acres at Hayfields. I rent all my ground out now, but there are still plenty of jobs to do around the farm, and here, too, the Unimog excels. We’ve also used it with hedge cutting attachments and for pulling a silage trailer over the fields – we couldn’t do any of that with a standard truck. It really does offer the best of both worlds.”

VarioPilot – making tasks easier and safer.

Hayfields Dairy’s Unimog offers an extra advantage too – the optional VarioPilot system which allows the driver to swap between left- and right-hand drive, moving the steering wheel, instrument panel and pedals from one side to the other in less than a minute. The technology is perfect for mowing grass and hedge-cutting, which can be more easily and safely completed from the verge-side of the vehicle.

Universally pleasing.

It’s clear the Unimog has made a dramatic difference to this dairy business; ensuring operations are easy, efficient and economical.

“I’m chuffed to bits with the Unimog, while the service has been first class throughout,” enthused Rob.

The universally-appealing machine has once again proved that its robust build, clever design and flexible ability to adapt to nearly every situation, is an all-round winning formula.

What do you use your Unimog for?

Does it transport ingredients for delicious cheeses and butter like Hayfields Dairy? Or perhaps it’s used for agricultural, municipal or rescue purposes? We’d love to know – share your story below.