Wheel loaders grow in popularity for recycling

Unlike on the Continent, wheel loaders are not the UK's first choice when it comes to muck shifting - but the increasing demand for recycling has seen their popularity increase. Colin Sowman reports.

Specialist materials handling suppliers like Hanlon and Gorrel (now part of Hydrex) have benefitted from an increase in demand for wheel loaders. However, it will come as no surprise that they are also suffering from the economic downturn. "The majority of our work is in longer-term contracts, but that doesn't mean we are immune from the downturn," says Mike Haskell, general manager of Hydrex's Gorrel division.

Around half of his predominantly Volvo fleet of 150 machines are used in the relatively strong waste and recycling industry. However, the other half are in quarries, sawmills and the like, and have been severely impacted. "I've heard of people wanting to cancel orders and end contracts early without penalties, saying that they just didn't have any work for the machine," he says. "Luckily we don't have operators - all our machines are self-drive."

His concern is that companies with idle machines will try and get into recycling and other active areas by undercutting the existing supplier. "They may feel that getting a lower rate for the machine is better than getting nothing at all."

Matthew Hanlon, director of wheel loader specialist hirer John Hanlon, has to find work for a fleet that has just gone over the 200 machine mark. While a large proportion of his machines are sent out on long-term deals, he says even contracted business isn't that secure in the current climate. "A contract is only sound if somebody is prepared to stand by it," he says, adding: "In the past, if on one day there was no work for a machine it would be allowed to stand, but now it will be off-hired for the day."

He says it is not always easy to find new work for off-hired loaders.

"Wheel loaders are a limited market and it's difficult to find other jobs for a machine. While you can send out an 8t digger to do the work of a 13t machine, with a wheel loader if you need a 12t machine, you need a 12t machine. Anything else would be too big for the site or too small to do the job," he says.

Haskell also says the machinery has changed a lot since the last recession: "Ten years ago, if you ordered 50 machines, 48 of them would be standard and the other two bespoke in some way or another now it's the other way round."

He feels this level of machine tailoring for customers or applications could be a sticking point for Bell's fledgling John Deere-built wheel loaders. While he likes the machines, he says: "They need to be able to adapt machines quickly to what the customer wants or have a way of ordering the extras directly from the factory, but given where they are built that might be difficult."

Bell's approach is to pre-empt this by including as standard items like reversing camera and radar, on-board weighing and wide core radiators that other manufacturers may list as options. Ride control is also standard, as is security coded keyless start, an auto reversing fan, auto engine idle and shutdown, heated seat with seat-mounted controls and mud guards.

Hanlon liked the look of Bell's new range, saying "they look substantial machines". Bell's machines have Z-bar linkage as standard and there is an option of parallel lift on the four lighter machines. Haskell's preference is for the latter: "Z bar is said to give better breakout, but you get less control of the bucket - which is vital in materials handling operations. And using forks is so much easier with parallel lift arms."

Different approach

JCB has done its tailoring in a different way by introducing a Wastemaster specification for three of its wheel loaders - the 412W, 414W and 416W. Beyond belly plates and the like, the specification includes a screen guard, carbon particulate air filter for the cab, wide core radiators, a reverse alarm and an engine inlet pre-cleaner to protect the machine in dusty environments. A colour CCTV reversing camera and high-lift loader arms are options.

Yet another approach is being taken by Case, which has re-designed the layout of its latest E-series wheel loaders. It has pushed the engine backwards and moved the radiators forwards to sit behind the cab, which both lowers the noise level for the operator and means the radiators do not need to be stacked. Wide core radiators aren't needed as they are further away from the ground and associated debris - although a pre-set reverse fan is standard.

Case's David Garner says the engine's weight acts as part of the counterbalance and means a Case machine can be up to 1t lighter than the equivalent from its competitors.

The mid-mounted cooling box is also winning converts for New Holland's wheel loaders. Business leader Steve Orr says the company is also evaluating and fine-tuning a number of specially adapted machines for the waste/recycling industry. But he says customers want more than just technological advances: they want productivity and reliability - facets that won't be overlooked.

While Doosan's eight-machine range starts at 8.5t, its concentration is definitely at the heavier end. "We're number two in the big wheel loader market," says national sales manager Kim Dudley. With the addition of its latest 350 model, he says: "We've five models with buckets of 3m³ and above." The company has recently signed a deal for three of its top-weight DL500s with a salt mine in Northern Ireland.

This shows how much of the bigger equipment finds its way into the mining and aggregate businesses whose fortunes have varied so wildly in the past year. After hitting record highs, the falls in commodity prices has prompted Rio Tinto to cut more than £3.3bn from its capital expenditure budget and postpone some projects until prices recover.

Machine rebuilds

Such decisions involve running existing machines for longer - a situation that Caterpillar and its UK importer Finning believe they have covered. In addition to its comprehensive range of new machines, Cat offers a fully certified ground-up rebuild through Finning, while the dealer offers its own running gear overhaul service. Finning recently completed a running gear overhaul of Hanson Aggregates' six-year old Cat 972G with 13,000 hours on the clock. The overhaul coincided with a two-week shutdown at its Barton Quarry and the rebuilt machine should have a second life as long as its first - but at a fraction of the cost of a new machine.

Also playing at the heaver end of the market is Liebherr, which has just completed the updating of its wheel loader range to the 6th generation. The hydrostatic machines come with more power and cab space, improved all-round visibility, as well as additional safety and maintenance features. The firm has developed its own electronics systems to improve productivity and says it has also enhanced stability by optimising the bucket linkage options (Z-bar and parallelogram).

Heavier designs

Some three years ago, Terex purchased Kaelble to become a player at the heaver end of the wheel loader market with 4.2m³ and 4.5m³ designs. Since then, Terex has extended its medium wheel loader range up to 2.6m³ to close the gap, and Paul Douglas, director of product management at Terex, says next year will see a 3.1m³ machine introduced. While there are plans for a 5m³+ machine, the project is on hold due to the conditions in the commodities market.

Hitachi has been moving in the opposite direction, extending its wheel loader range at the light end with the addition of two machines (see What's New, page 9). These additions mean it also has a seven-machine range, starting with the new ZW140 at 11.3t operating weight and ending with the top-weight (23.7t) ZW310.

During its upgrade to Stage 3A, fellow Korean manufacturer Hyundai has tried to keep the technology in its wheel loaders to a minimum as the machines work in dirty, dusty and wet environments, which can cause problems for electronic components. However, all -7A machines get a cab-mounted LCD display screen to help both operator and service engineers, while the smaller units (730, 740 and 757) have gained ZF axles.

Volvo has also slotted the final pieces into its F series wheel loader range with the addition of the L45F and L50F. They feature the firm's Torque Parallel Linkage, which it says gives a parallel lift with high tilt-back torque and good lifting power. Separate pumps power the steering and load-sensing hydraulics, and are said to lower fuel consumption. The operator gets Volvo's Comfort cab.

Also active at the heavy end of the market is Komatsu, which sells machines up to the WA 900 at 200t in the UK. It has completed its Dash-6 upgrades - including the obligatory Stage 3A engine and the almost obligatory round of cab enhancements. UK dealer Marubeni Komatsu has recently taken a WA 800 to pieces in order to get it down a lift shaft to be re-assembled in a salt mine in Cheshire. Now that really is a custom-built machine.