Handling Busy Times

Fodder exporter Hay Australia turned to Dieci’s

Agri Plus 42.7 telehandlers

to help it handle busy times at its Victorian operations

Above: The Hay Australia fleet was upgraded with two new Dieci Agri Plus 42.7 telehandlers Inset: These machines can lift 4,200kg up to a maximum height of 6.9m

Dieci is the best brand of a number we have tried.

Hay Australia sells about 140,000 tonnes of fodder, mostly oaten hay, each year through sites in Victoria and Western Australia. Company operations manager Geoff Walker says his employees are constantly moving hay around the sites, from delivery to dispatch to the plant. “It’s all done by telehandlers. These machines run 24 hours a day, seven days a week and they clock up 2,500 hours per year,” he says. “Dieci is the best brand of a number we have tried.” Walker says the company first branched out to Dieci telehandlers four years ago, with the purchase of a 40.7 telehandler that quickly impressed with its powershift transmission. “That Dieci machine is actually still running now and has done upwards of 6,000 hours,” he says. With that legacy, Walker moved to upgrade the Hay Australia fleet with two new Dieci Agri Plus 42.7 telehandlers – and adds that the 42.7’s hydrostatic single-speed Vario Evo 2 transmission is ideal in an around-the-clock production facility. “It’s like an auto transmission. Put your foot down and it drives. It also has a comfortable cab, which really matters when you are asking an operator to sit in there for a long period of time,” he says. “They need space and good air-con because there’s a lot of glass, and Dieci has the best air-con I have come across.” Designed with Dieci’s specialty Haymaster specifications, the two new 42.7 Agri Plus machines are based at Hay Australia’s Victoria facilities. “The Haymaster has a side shift on the boom and it’s surprising how often we use it. It lets you shift the carriage side to side to tightly pack the load,” Walker adds. “If you lift up and realise a bale on the front needs to move left or right, you can do so in small increments without having to move the whole machine. It takes some getting used to but once operators learn to use it, they love it.” The help of a local dealership is also key, Walker says – and Farm and Diesel near Bendigo acts almost as an extension of its business. “Dieci’s reliability has been excellent, but the reality is, every brand has breakdowns. It costs a lot when a machine is down,” Walker says. “For us, losing the opportunity to do a couple of containers could cost $20,000 in cash flow. “It really comes down to your dealership and their response time, their ability to carry spare parts and their knowledge of the machines,” Walker adds.

Specifications

Dieci Agri Plus 42.7

Maximum load: 4,200kg Maximum lift height: 6.9m Maximum forward reach: 3.75m Hydraulic oil flow: 230L/min Peak power: 153hp Maximum road speed: 40 km/h Other: Boom suspension and 460/70 R24 traction tyres; four driving modes changed via an easy-toread and LED screen; revamped cab with suspension seat, adjustable steering column and armrest, sound damping and more