Manitou Group, a world leader in material handling, personnel lifting and earthmoving, presented a comprehensive range of connected solutions to meet the needs of the construction industry and the mining sector at last week’s ConExpo.
Innovations included two new work platforms for the North American market and a new Manitou telehandler. The group’s latest innovation, a Gehl electric compact skid loader concept, was also unveiled for the first time.
High capacity telehandler for North America
Manitou Group premiered its new telehandler, the Manitou MTA 12055. This model, designed and distributed only in North America, has the largest lifting capacity in the construction telehandler range. With a maximum lifting capacity of 12,000lb (5.5t), this new model offers a lifting height of 55 ft 5 in. (17m) (and can take 5,500lb / 2.5t to full extension). The MTA 12055 is perfectly suited to the requirements of specific construction sites, such as infrastructure, bridge and construction projects. With a turning radius of only 12 ft 2in. (3.7m), this model manoeuvres on very tight work sites. Equipped with a 120 hp engine and powershift transmission, the MTA 12055 telehandler has a maximum travel speed of 22.8 mph. There is also easy access to the engine components to ensure ease of maintenance.
Super-compact model
Launched in 2019, the Gehl RS 4-14 telehandler is presented at Conexpo with a new sealed cab, which provides optimal protection of the dashboard and the electrical components. The boom head has also been redesigned to improve visibility of the load carried on the forks, providing greater safety for the operator. With a width of 4 ft 9 in. and a height of only 6 ft 24 in. (1.49 m x 1.90 m ), the RS 4-14 is very easy to use and is the ideal partner for home renovation work, where space is often limited. Although it is the most compact model offered by the group, the RS 4-14 has a maximum load capacity of 4,000 lb (2 t) and a lift height of 14 ft 3 in. (4.3 m). This new version of the RS 4-14 ensures that the user’s total cost of ownership is optimised, with a 10% reduction in preventive maintenance compared with the previous version.
Solution for mining sector
Manitou Group also exhibited the full scale of its offering with a range of solutions dedicated to mining. The MHT 790 presented at Conexpo is a good example. It has a maximum load capacity of 19,840 lb (9 t) for a lift height of up to 23 ft (7 m). This model has a load management system (LMS) integrated in the dashboard, enabling very heavy items to be moved safely. The MHT 790 is a particularly versatile machine, designed for oil and gas sites, demolition and mining. The Manitou MHT telehandler range consists of seven models ranging from 9 to 33 tons, and has a wide range of original attachments dedicated to mining applications (platforms, tire and cylinder clamp, pipe clamp) to ensure safe maintenance of equipment and mining sites, optimising machine use and production. The whole of this range and attachments are designed and produced on the group’s Italian site based in Castelfranco. Every machine/attachment pair is validated by Manitou Group in accordance with a specific procedure.
Expanding range of platforms
Recently introduced in the United States, the range of platforms dedicated to the North American market has expanded, with four telescopic platforms ranging from 60 to 85 ft. Two of these models, the TJ 85 and the all new vertical mast electric platform VJR 26 are on display at Conexpo. Manufactured in France (in Candé), these platforms are particularly versatile and powerful. The TJ 85 has a platform height of 85 ft (26 m) for a lifting capacity of 770 lb (350 kg) or 3 people with equipment. It also has a remote control, which gives the ability to fold the jib under the telescopic arm to reduce the length of the machine when loading onto a truck. This means that transportation is optimised and the driver can carry out this operation safely.
The working height of 85ft (28m) and horizontal outreach of over 70ft (21m), ensure that it meets the requirements of many sites (ports, industrial maintenance, construction, etc.). The TJ 85 sets itself apart from its competitors thanks to a telescopic jib, which makes it possible to reach working areas that are inaccessible with a conventional machine. It enables operators to work with greater accuracy and flexibility. Another feature of the Manitou rough-terrain platform is the on-board diagnostics screen, so that technicians do not need to carry a tablet to resolve potential problems. Downtime and total cost of ownership are therefore reduced.
The VJR 26 is the ideal machine for interior applications at medium height. Thanks to its working height of 26ft (8m), this new platform facilitates maintenance operations, including fitting electrical conduits, plumbing and other tasks related to industrial finishing. Its compact size enables it to access narrow spaces for a smooth ride. Easy to operate because of its compact size and intuitive controls, the VJR 26 gives the operator a high level of safety with unobstructed visibility due to the compactness of the telescopic mast. There are fork pockets on each side of the turret to safeguard loading operations onto trucks and reduce the time taken.
30% decrease in preventive maintenance costs
Launched on the market in September 2019 and designed to meet the needs of rental companies, the RT 135 compact track loader is a very compact, easy to use track loader, thanks to its Pilot joystick, which facilitates maneuvering. It is particularly used for renovation projects and by landscape companies. Equipped with the automatic track tensioning system, Ideal Trax, this model has a load capacity of up to 1,350lb (612kg), a hydraulic flow of 16.9 gpm (64 L/min) and a maximum lift height of 9 ft 18in. (2.80m). The RT 135 loader has an hourly preventive maintenance cost of $1.07/h (€0.97/h), which is 30% less than previous versions. This difference can partly be explained by an increase in oil drain intervals: 1,000 hours vs 500 hours previously for hydraulic oil, and 500 hours vs 250 hours for engine oil.
Articulated loaders from Mustang by Manitou
The group also presented two models from its Mustang by Manitou articulated loader range: the AL 608 and AL 708 T. Launched in the United States in January, the AL 708 T model is the largest articulated loader in the range and is equipped with a telescopic arm that extends to 16 ft 6 in. (5 m) for a maximum capacity of 7,714 lb (3.5 t). Loading trucks and high-level pallet handling are among the main applications of this model. The AL 608, with a capacity of 6,409 lb (2.9t) for a lift height of 10 ft (3.3m), is now available with a Tier IV engine. Dedicated in particular to road construction and snow-clearing operations, this loader’s preventive maintenance costs are 38% lower than those of the previous version.
