I met up with good friends Paul Argent (Earthmovers magazine) and Jeremy Rowland (Classic Machinery Network), who are both very knowledgeable in the field of material handling equipment. Coming from a more earthworks and civil engineering background myself, it was good to have the lads around to give their perspective on some of these products.

Our first port of call was the JCB stand, where an impressive line up of the company’s Wastemaster products was assembled. Dominating the stand was an example of the 20 tonne JCB JS200W material/scrap handler, powered by a 172hp Isuzu 4 cylinder engine the machine is both powerful and economical too.

At the other end of the stand the impressive 436E HT wheeled loading shovel was displayed, fitted with the company’s Super High Lift loader arm option and large recycling bucket. Powered by a 178hp Cummins QSB.6.7 air-to-air intercooled low-emission engine which boasts an electronically controlled fuel injection system, the machine is said to deliver higher torque at much lower engine RPM, enabling the operator to fill the bucket faster. This machine features a fully automatic ZF Smoothshift transmission, which automatically selects the correct gear for the job in hand, giving the operator one less thing to think about and improving productivity and fuel economy too.

Attracting a lot of interest on the JCB stand was the new generation 260T ECO tracked skid steer loader, which features the unique “PowerBoom” design, which uses a single arm, rather than the conventional twin arm design found on most skid steers on the market. Sitting in the machine it was clear to see (forgive the pun) that the operators field of vision is vastly improved on these models, with a clear and unobstructed view to the rear of the machine and better all round visibility making work on congested sites much safer.

The cab on these new generation machines is said to be 17-percent larger than the previous models, and according to JCB are actually 33-percent larger than competitive brand machines. The new larger door makes access even easier and once inside the cab the operator is treated an extremely comfortable work environment, which includes multi-function joysticks, suspension seat with adjustable arm rests, the option of air conditioning and heated seat are also available. Add to that low in cab noise levels of 76dBa, it would certainly be a nice place to spend your working day in.

Making the operators life even easier is the rapid changing of attachments thanks to the standard universal mechanical hitch or an optional hydraulic version. Parallel lift and 2-speed options make it easy to move around the job site and complete more tasks in less time, and with the introduction of an optional Smooth Ride System (SRS), transporting materials over rough ground is much easier than before.

Moving on now to a company that I have worked for in the past both on civils and rail, Hydrex. Hydrex are the exclusive Fuchs distributor for the UK and Ireland, offering machine sales and service and short and long term rental of the German manufactured machines. On display was a MHL 335D which has an operating weight of 25,000kg and features a maximum reach of 12 metres. Also on display were attachments from Arden Equipment of which Hydrex are also suppliers.

Stopping by at the Terex Distribution Ltd stand, we were in for a treat with the worldwide debut of the latest Atlas 340LCi tracked scrap handler, which was an impressive looking piece of kit!

This new 34 tonne class machine combines the well proven upper-structure of Atlas’s dedicated 350MH materials handler, with the rugged tracked undercarriage of the company’s 340LC excavator.

This combination provides the end user with a materials handler that can offer exceptional operational and financial benefits. The 340LCi has a very large working envelope, superb stability and in conjunction with low ground bearing pressure is extremely manoeuvrable.

With under grapple heights of almost 15m, more than 18 metres of outreach and an impressive lifting capacity approaching 10 tonnes (depending on configuration), the 340LCi is a very capable machine indeed.

Also on display on the stand was the new Atlas 140W lightweight materials handler.

Also on show was the new Terex TL260 wheeled loader. This new 14 tonne class machine has been built for the demanding requirements of the UK waste and recycling industry, and comes fitted with extended loaders arms which push the load-over height to more than 4.5 metres. The machine can be fitted with buckets ranging from 2.6m3 to 4m3.  

A curved engine hood design gives the operator an excellent view to the rear of the machine, something that is crucial when working in busy waste transfer sites.  The machine is powered by 128kw six cylinder Cummins engine with power being channelled through a hydrostatic transmission with two ranges giving a 40km/h travel speed. An automatic reversing fan is fitted as standard, which assists in keeping the radiator clear of debris.

In part two, I will round up my report on the outdoor exhibits at the show.