Mählers’ Gravel spreader – nothing else will do

Even though Micke Hjertstedt in Skänninge began driving road graders as a 15-year-old, he thinks there’s still plenty to learn 35 years later. “If I ever stop thinking that, it’ll be time to call it a day. I’m always trying to do things better.” And like the perfectionist he is, he’s choosy about his equipment. “When it comes to gravel spreaders, only Mählers will do.”

Many can testify to how complicated it is to operate and handle a road grader properly. Micke is the first to agree, but he’s also full of respect for people who operate excavators. Just look at how they work with buckets and tiltrotators; they do things like they were using their own hands. Amazing! Micke began work apprenticed to his Dad, Olle, in 1984, and in 1989 he started his own company. He had ‘dalliances’ with Nordverk and Cat before falling head-over-heels for Volvo 2003 road graders, so it was a blow when Volvo announced they would stop producing graders. We’ll just have to make do with what we have, as they say. Micke bought two of the last Volvo graders sold in Sweden; in 2015 it was a G930B and last year a G940C – the latter being the very last road grader from Volvo. “I guarantee they’ll last until I retire, so I’m not complaining,” laughs Micke.

Compact and robust

Micke Hjertstedts Hyveltjänst has two graders, a L90G wheel loader and one employee in the person of Magnus Rothman. Assignments are mainly from Mjölby and Motala municipalities and JLB Mark & Asfalt. “And I also do some jobs for road maintenance associations. This is where the Mählers gravel spreader is unbeatable; it does jobs perfectly and gets them done in the fastest possible time. When Mike purchased the two new road graders, he also bought new gravel spreaders. He had previously used a 20-year-old Mählers gravel spreader on his ten-year-old grader. “It wasn’t worn-out, but I wanted to treat Magnus and me to some new kit. And there certainly is a difference between the old and the new,” says Micke, who adds: “The gravel spreader is both compact and robust. Because I operate mostly on minor gravel roads, I’ve removed the extension. It’s also stable to operate, and being able to sit here in the cab and operate the spreader piston feels a bit like a luxury.

IN BRIEF

In, 2014 Volvo Construction Equipment decided to transfer production of road graders to the group’s Chinese company, SDLG.
In May 2017, the last Volvo grader sold in Sweden left the dealer Swecon’s fitting-out workshop. It was Micke Hjertstedt’s G940C.
The last graders were given names. Micke’s grader is called Therése. Others were named Bettan (operates at the LKAB mine), Charlotte (a tribute to Charlotte Kalla’s World Championship gold medal in Falun for the machine planned for Svevia in Boden) and Lieddi (which means flower in Sami) for the machine operating in Slagnäs, just south of Arvidsjaur)