Timsan introduced a new prototype aircraft deicer Tuesday at GSE Expo Europe in Lisbon, expanding its winter operations portfolio with a purpose-built unit designed for faster, more flexible aircraft servicing.

The SDI1890 represents a departure from the Turkish GSE manufacturer's previous deicing equipment. While Timsan has produced deicers using commercial truck chassis from manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz and MAN, the new unit was developed as an integrated deicing platform.

"This is the first unit, and this is very one of a kind," said Berguzar Ulusoy, sales manager with Timsan, noting that the prototype was developed with technical specifications intended to differentiate it from conventional truck-mounted units.

The SDI1890 is designed for operation by a single operator and can reach heights of up to 18 meters, with lateral outreach of 10 meters. The unit carries 9,000 liters of fluid, including 5,000 liters of hot water, 2,000 liters of deicing fluid and 2,000 liters of anti-icing fluid.

Other features include a hydrostatic drive system, four-wheel drive and multiple steering modes, including four-wheel, two-wheel and crab steering. Timsan also highlighted an intelligent fluid management system and a feature that allows the boom to move automatically to a preset position.

Speaking during the product introduction, Timsan's Suat Goktan said increasingly compressed aircraft turnaround times helped drive development of the new machine.

"We know that winter operations are challenging and require more attention without any compromise," Goktan said. "The shortened turnaround times require faster and smarter units."

The company is using GSE Expo Europe to introduce the prototype to potential customers, particularly operators in colder-weather markets, and gather initial market interest.

Founded in 1982, Timsan manufactures a broad range of ground support equipment at two factories in Istanbul. One facility handles volume production while the second specializes in customized equipment, allowing the company to modify specifications to individual customer requirements. Its GSE portfolio includes more than 75 equipment types, with products operating in more than 70 countries.