PLANT PARTS – PLANTWORX SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

Exhibiting at Plantworx for the very first time this year, Suffolk based Plant Parts Ltd. concluded the show was a huge success. Known to many as a supplier of only top-quality parts and components for construction and related equipment, after 30 years in the trade it was a pleasure to meet face to face with customers and associates from across the industry.

“As we have such a large offering, one of the most difficult decisions was deciding on which products to exhibit at the show,” said Richard Finch, Managing Director.

The Komatsu PC400-8 slew ring taking centre stage proved to be a draw for many passers-by, just one of several hundred slew rings that the company stocks. “The cutaway CAT 320 showpiece was an eyecatcher,” said Duncan Vowles, Sales Manager. One of the main reasons Plant Parts Ltd. attended the show this year was to release their newest final drive offering of aftermarket CATERPILLAR 320-336 Gearboxes.

“We’re so proud to finally be able to offer our CAT after-market range to the open market after such a long time in the making,” said Richard Finch. “Having been in the business of repairing and selling Final Drives for over 30 years, we’re better placed than any of our competitors to recognise the causes of failure and so therefore, we understand the processes needed to manufacture a good quality Final Drive.”

The Gearboxes have been designed in such a way that all parts are 100% interchangeable with CAT genuine parts.

“Plant Parts Ltd has historically only supplied gearboxes that have been certified by major OEM’s so I was hesitant at first to be introducing a dedicated aftermarket range,” says David Finch, Workshop & Product Development Manager. “After visiting the factory in Europe and completing our internal inspection and testing procedures, we were all delighted with the results.”

Parts and Components

As well as exhibiting a range of Final Drives, Swing Drives, Slew Rings, Hydraulic Pumps and Recoil assemblies, a selection of repair parts were on display to demonstrate the comprehensive service the company offers. Not only does Plant Parts Ltd sell the best product available, they back up each and every product with one of the largest offerings of Genuine & OEM final/swing parts in northern Europe.

To learn more about Plant Parts, please visit: www.plant-parts.eu

Compact Loaders UK

A range of labour-saving mini loaders and dumpers to enhance productivity and safety on any job site.

The trading name of Ranger Equipment Ltd, Compact Loaders UK established themselves supplying Compact Machinery to niche markets where creative solutions are required.

Sometimes larger machinery is simply unfeasible, which before left projects trying to make do with outdated methods and harder labour.

Compact Loaders aims to enable safe working, enhanced productivity, and increased profitability for these projects.

The company has a varied history since its start in 1999 as The Spiderlift Company, where it became well known as a pioneer in the sales of specialist ‘Spider-Lift’ Aerial Platforms. This in turn led to the formation of one of the UK’s first hire fleets dedicated to supply of the same. The rental division was sold to Lifterz Ltd, later a division of Speedy, in 2014.

Steve Hadfield, Managing Director, mused, “Hailing from the access industry from an early age in 1987, I was ready for a new direction by 2014. The sale of the Spiderlift Rental Division presented a crossroads and having pioneered with the Spiderlift machines I was ready for a new challenge”.

When considering which direction to focus on, Steve recalled the work of MultiOne Srl - a niche manufacturer from Italy - who had caught his attention many years previously. Since that initial interest he had kept an eye on their progress. Given the political climate around Brexit and a potential labour crisis looming, there was a definite appeal to becoming involved in MultiOne’s niche ‘labour saving’ MultiFunction Mini Loaders.

“In 2015, after numerous talks with the factory a deal was struck for us to become the UK Importer for the MultiOne range of MultiFunction Mini Loaders. Luck would have it that I’d approached them at a time of accelerated product development and the next generation of Loaders was about to be launched. We didn’t realise at the time how this step was going to catapult MultiOne into an exciting period of growth and development and looking back, it’s been an amazing period to be involved with” recalled Steve.

With this transition came the rebranding to Compact Loaders UK, and today the company has added to its arsenal of LabourSaving Mini Loaders and Dumpers with UK Importer status for SHERPA Mini Loaders (of The Netherlands) and TWINCA Electric Dumpers (of Denmark).

The company takes pride in its mission and ethos, stating “It is our mission to help you transform your work by adding productivity and reducing labour and costs, whilst enhancing Safety and adding genuine value to your profit margins.”

MultiOne

With this year marking their 25th anniversary, MultiOne Srl remains dedicated to the design and manufacture of MultiFunction Mini Loaders.

Indeed, MultiOne offers the broadest range of Loaders, from the diminutive 1 Series, to the Class Leading 11.9K. With 19 models available the range of features is impressive, such as the EZ range with zero emissions 100% electric drivetrain which demonstrates the ability to combine sustainability with service.

Renowned for their ‘cab forward’ design which places the operator in a commanding position, this enables them to look directly down the boom and onto any attachment that may be fitted. This line of site is uninterrupted during steering, as the cab and seating position is mounted to the front chassis of the articulated steering design.

Then there are high flow auxiliary hydraulics (up-to 95 l/min) which combined with a quick connect attachments interface make the MultiOne amongst the most powerful attachments ‘tool carriers’ of their size.

In addition, the telescopic boom helps maintain the compact nature with class leading dimensions, such as reach heights of up to 3.6m.

Moreover, articulated steering, coupled with 4WD hydrostatic transmission, ensure MultiOne machines are highly manoeuvrable. DBS (Dynamic Block System) and Torque Divider are switchable, allowing for high traction when needed, but also can be set for minimal to no ground damage for delicate ground. With this a MultiOne can be engaged with challenging forestry or agricultural terrain in the morning, and switch to lawn mowing in the afternoon.

Finally, there is the benefit of low gross weight, which sees many MultiOne owners choosing to transport their Loader by 3.5T plant trailer. This includes the flagship 11 series models which have a gross weight of only 2320kgs and a max tipping load of 3180kgs. In fact, this model offers the highest lifting capacity of any telescopic loader which still meets these transport limitations.

Sherpa

Steve is keen to point out that: “I refer to the SHERPA Mini Loader as our ‘greatest labour saver’ and it’s often overlooked due to its diminutive size. However, these little machines can work almost anywhere, they fit through single doors and gateways, the electric models work indoors and with a range of innovative attachments they reduce manual labour by a massive margin in spaces where machinery can’t normally be used”.

Founded in the Netherlands in the late 1980s, SHERPA Mini Loaders B.V. shares MultiOne’s dedication to innovation and development. Their ethos of ‘evolution, not revolution’ saw them shift from importing BENELUX of the Opico Skidster, to the SHERPA Mini Loader in the mid-1990s.

“The Opico Skidster of the 1980s was the original Mini Skidster Loader and SHERPA continued that heritage after Opico ceased production in the ‘90s. Often copied, but never rivalled, the SHERPA has remained the Mini Loader of choice across Europe and latterly the electric versions are the market leader in the internal demolition sector in the USA,” says Steve. “With several unique design features, and a build quality and design that is simply ‘bomb proof’, it’s not unusual to see 20+ year old SHERPA and up to 35-year-old Skidster machines still in use today”.

The ‘stand on design’ of SHERPA boasts compact dimensions. From a mere 76cm wide and 150cm length, with 135cm height, these little Loaders can be transported in the back of a van.

As early as 2014, SHERPA were the first to launch an Electric Skidster model, which became a firm favourite amongst internal construction, demolition and soft-strip professionals across the world.

This is particularly true in countries such as the USA where site labour cost is exceptionally high. Furthermore, the extended battery time of 6 hours continuous use in loading application per charge, allows enhancement with a battery change-over system for multi-shift use of each machine.

In exciting news, the new Z Series is being launched, with some customers already having received their models. This range of ‘premium’ performance SHERPA Mini Loaders boasts enhanced ergonomics, increased lifting capacity, higher torque transmission and much more. It is no surprise that the Z Series designers were recipients of a European Product Design Award in the transportation category, based on a prototype in 2020https://www.productdesignaward.eu/

Twinca

As of 2022, TWINCA was added to the range and swiftly proved the ideal companion to the SHERPA Mini Loader, especially in electric guise. Built in Denmark from manufacturer TWINCA A/S they have proved the pinnacle of innovation.

“For our SHERPA customers looking for the ultimate in labour saving, adding a TWINCA Dumper makes great sense especially for internal applications. For example, an internal demolition or soft-strip team can be clearing the job site with SHERPA Electric Mini Loaders and use them to load the TWINCA. The Dumper can then transport loads of up to 8ookgs swiftly from indoors to outside where their high tipping capability can discharge into skips. Even high-capacity Ro-Ro skips can be reached,” Steve states.

TWINCA matches the SHERPA’s 6 hour extended battery run time. With typical UK shift patterns on site being 8hrs this is ample capacity, whilst re-charge is achieved via an on-board dual voltage charger, which is ‘self-seeking’ from 110v to 240v.

Steve explains, “The TWINCA batteries are sealed, with no maintenance required, other than sufficient charging and are actually quite simple and cost effective, with a replacement costing in the region of only £500!”