Classic Refuse Trucks LJUBLJANA

Komunalno podjete Ljubljana
Ljubljana, Slovenia
by Martin Breitenberger

I took the pictures on a hidden nearby scrapyard where I found the truck years later (in 2004) by chance.

I have seen this particular vehicle still in action in my childhood/teenager days. It was operated by the communal service of the municipality of Crikvenica/Croatia/Yugoslavia (the organization was named "KP Vinodol" after the wider region), not to be confused with today's town of Crikvenica (the famous holiday resort) which is one of three successors to the former amalgamated municipality from socialist times. When the municipality was split up into two towns and one smaller municipality, so was the communal service. After a short time new vehicles were bought and the old "cult" ones were sold. The depicted vehicle mounted on a light TAM chassis was by far the smallest. Other vehicles of KP Vinodol were heavier two-axle TAM and FAP chassis with RIKO and UNIS bodies (built under license from NORBA and Haller).

The body was built by Komunalno podjete Ljubljana, that is "communal service company Ljubljana", the capital of Slovenia. This plant evolved from Ljubljana’s communal service repair shop where back in the 1960s they started to build refuse bodies on their own. In the 1980s (late 70s?) the plant was merged into the RIKO industrial combine. After the end of socialism in the 1990s, RIKO sold the plant to the Avtotehna trading company that re-named it into AtRIK (for Avtotehna and RIKO).

Although I have gained some knowledge of the basic refuse body types over the years, I have no idea what is the basic model for the depicted truck. I assume that it was built under some license. Maybe someone can recognize the license model. Could it be an early own construction? Or, even a prototype? I haven't seen such a body anywhere else at any time, also not in brochures.

Editors Note: The packer seems to have at least 2 panels, and 4 cylinders. The outermost cylinders may be connected through toggle linkage.
The purpose of the large shield in the packer operation is unclear, resembling the type used on later model SD Revopaks.
This design may have a "folding" panel similar to the SEMAT Cargopac concept.

The badge says "Communal Service Company Ljubljana-Production of Communal Equipment".

10/3/2020