Telehandlers and Forklifts
The Birth of a Product
Hyundai is meeting market challenges head-on with a new line of diesel forklift trucks.
As the market continues to become more competitive, companies are looking for ways to give their customers added value and superior innovation.
Hyundai Construction Equipment is approaching the challenges of today’s trying economy by getting to the heart of the matter: provide new and improved products that give customers the opportunity to maximize profits and take on bigger jobs.
For example, Hyundai is introducing a new line of diesel forklift trucks, the 7E Series. Some of the major improvements Hyundai has made to its new line of forklifts are the installation of a rearview camera; the Engine Start Limit (ESL) system; an excellent combination of driving components enabling for lower fuel consumption rates and higher power output; innovative noise reduction technology; and overall truck design.
“We’ve listened to the market, taken what we learned, and implanted that in our product development to produce a product that meets important market requirements,” says Chuck Leone, national sales manager for Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas. “There’s no better voice to listen to when designing a new product than that of our customer.”
Throughout the product-development process Hyundai puts its forklifts through a series of rigorous tests to assure that when customers take delivery of the product and put it to work, they’ll feel confident their material-handling needs will be met.
| On the Federal Front |
JLG Industries Inc. has received two orders for about $51 million from the U.S. Army to build a total of 311 JLG All Terrain Lifter Army System (ATLAS II) telescopic forklifts. The first shipments of these products are slated to support U.S. Army logistics in Afghanistan. “The ATLAS II telescopic forklift can reach over obstacles to place loads, weighing up to 10,000 pounds, into trucks or shipping containers,” says Denny Buterbaugh, JLG’s vice president – government products and programs. “The tremendous versatility of these rugged machines, combined with their exceptional rough terrain capability and JLG’s history of quality performance in the field were three of the factors why the U.S. Army chose JLG for its rough terrain material handling equipment needs.” ATLAS II rough terrain forklifts boast significant performance enhancements over the original ATLAS design. These improvements include reduced emissions and the addition of several multifunctional attachments. Manufactured in McConnellsburg, Pa., the ATLAS II machines will supplement the 2,500 original ATLAS units being utilized by the U.S. Army in operations around the world. For more information, visit www.jlg.com. |
As work hours have become longer and operators spend more time in their machines, operator comfort has come to the forefront of every purchasing decision. Hyundai has met this need by designing cabins packed with ergonomic features, designed with the operator’s comfort in mind. The new design is aimed at reducing operator fatigue, while increasing efficiency, resulting in maximum work output.
One such feature is the centralized design of the dashboard in the cabin. This design puts all the instrumentation in one location, making these instruments easily accessible to the operator. With adjustable steering wheel and column, plus a full-suspension seat, the operator will have comfortable and plenty of room, no matter his size. Regardless of the environment outside, the operator can adjust the cabin’s air conditioning or heat to find the perfect comfort zone.
Environmentally friendly engines reduce the noise levels in the operator’s cabin considerably, along with outside exhaust gas levels, to make simultaneous indoor and outdoor operations possible. The auto cruise (or cruise control) button allows the operator travel at a constant speed, while reducing fuel consumption during trips. The front window has been designed to give the operator maximum visibility for safe operation, while traveling through the worksite.
“Operator’s are being asked to work longer hours and increase their productivity, while maintaining the same level of safety and awareness as before,” says Leone. “Whether loading ships, moving bricks, or simply stacking and filling racks in a warehouse, operator performance is the key to success in any job. Our product provides operators with an environment that allows them to achieve that performance.”
Hyundai believes that serviceability is key, and has added new features to their Diesel Trucks that allow quick and easy servicing. The application of the one-touch, hydraulically powered, tilting-type cabin allows maintenance work to be done easily and efficiently. The 7E Series forklift features the Engine Control Module (ECM), which instantly checks and analyzes engine conditions using the engine’s Electronic Service Tool. This allows for quick and immediate maintenance, reducing downtime and getting your operator right back to work.
The current market requires machines that can be used in various applications. You need power, strength and size, but most of all you need control. The 7E Series allows the operator to maneuver the forklift in even the tightest of areas by reducing the turning radius and providing the ability to climb incline grades of up to 15.4 degrees while carrying cargo. With the turbo-charged Tier 3 Cummins QSB 6.7 Engine provides optimal power to the 7E Series forklift. Power also has been added to the forklift’s lifting capacity with its Power Lift.
“When a potential customer is making his purchasing decision, we want him to think about five things: power, performance, comfort, serviceability and profit,” says Leone. “With all the obstacles a customer is facing right now in the market, Hyundai is committed to providing the best product out there, proving a wise purchasing decision was made when that customer ‘thought Hyundai.’”
| Product Watch |
The Terex TH19-55 compact telehandler offers contractors a compact, lightweight design with the ability to lift heavy loads at maximum reach. With an operating weight of 9,800 pounds and a maximum lift capacity of 5,500 pounds, the TH19-55 is a multipurpose tool. It has a maximum lifting height of 19 feet and an 11-foot turning radius, and it’s equipped with a 63-horsepower, Tier 3-compliant diesel engine. To accommodate this engine configuration, the engine compartment has been designed for convenient service access to the internal components. This unit also is set up with three-mode steering (two-wheel, four-wheel and crab) with limited slip front differential, full-time four-wheel drive, internal multiple wet disc brakes, a spring-applied, hydraulic release emergency parking brake, and all-terrain, foam-filled tires. The hydraulic Quick Attach system comes standard on the TH19-55 telehandler. It also comes equipped with a 48-inch-wide, manual quick-attach carriage and a self-leveling fork frame and 48-inch pallet forks. This model is available with a host of options, such as a universal skid-steer coupler and nine attachments, including side-shift carriage, rotating fork carriage, cubing tines, a 66-inch bucket with a bolt-on cutting edge and scrap grapple buckets, and a truss boom |