Equipment report

Zanker Recycling to install ZenRobotics units in California

Helsinki-based ZenRobotics Ltd. and Plexus Recycling Technologies, Westminster, Colorado, have announced they will deliver robotic recycling systems to Zanker Recycling in San José, California.

The two ZenRobotics Recycler units will be operational by fall 2018.

Zanker Recycling handles 2,600 tons of construction and demolition (C&D) debris daily, processed through three recycling systems. By adding a fourth processing line featuring ZenRobotics systems, Zanker Recycling will increase its recovery rate and processing capacity.

“The ZenRobotics brain will control the plant to allow for a smooth-running operation—automatically maximizing recovery, capacity and efficiency. The advantage of deploying AI (artificial intelligence) robotics to recycling differentiates Zanker from our competitors,” Michael Gross, director of sustainability at Zanker Recycling, says.

ZenRobotics Recyclers will operate 20 hours per day with total system production at 150,000 tons per year. The robots will reduce the company’s cost of manual labor and will increase total daily operating hours. The two ZenRobotics Recyclers will be installed on the bulky material sort line. Each of the four arms will be picking objects weighing up to 60 pounds.

“Robots are now proven technology and the growth potential in the U.S. market is substantial,” says Marcel Vallen, CEO of Plexus. “We expect that virtually all new plants will be based on robotic sorting, and existing plants will be upgraded with robots. Robots are the most dramatic paradigm change in the recycling industry in decades.”

Founded in 2007, ZenRobotics previously has delivered material sorting robots to sites in Switzerland, Sweden, Japan, Australia, China, the Netherlands, Singapore, Finland, France and the U.S.

Zanker Recycling is a solid waste and recycling company that operates four recycling facilities, diverting more than 80 percent of waste from landfills.

Plexus Recycling Technologies supplies waste processing technologies by ZenRobotics, Komptech, Matthiessen, Andritz and Waste Treatment Technologies (WTT).

Cat extends compact equipment warranty

Peoria, Illinois-based Caterpillar (Cat) announced it has extended its machine standard warranty to 24 months or 2,000 hours for skid steer loaders, compact track loaders, multi-terrain loaders and mini excavators sold in the U.S. and Canada by authorized Cat dealers. The enhanced warranty terms apply to new machine purchases starting Jan. 1, 2018.

“Our mission is to help customers succeed,” Korey Coon, Caterpillar BCP product general manager, says. “We design and build Cat compact machines to be productive, reliable and durable, and Cat dealers offer unmatched service capabilities. The enhanced warranty builds our support of customers’ businesses even further.”

The enhanced standard warranty also gives customers peace of mind by helping protect their budgets from unforeseen expenses created by repair costs and/or downtime, the company says.

The company also says that when it’s time to trade in a machine, warranted, dealer-serviced machines command greater value.

For more information about Cat compact equipment, contact your Cat dealer or go to www.cat.com.

Fuchs strengthens distribution coverage in North America

Fuchs, based in Bad Schönborn, Germany, has announced that W.I. Clark Co., Wallingford, Connecticut, will be supporting existing Fuchs owners in Connecticut, Rhode Island and portions of southeastern New York.

Founded in 1925, The W.I. Clark Co. is a fourth-generation family business offering sales, service, parts and rentals. The company represents several groups of manufacturers with products for general construction, landscaping, highways, and scrap and recycling.

Under the agreement, W.I. Clark will now support existing Fuchs owners in Connecticut, Rhode Island and the following counties in New York: Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

“We are excited to represent the leader in material handlers for the scrap and recycling industries,” Rick Parks, vice president and sales manager of The W.I. Clark Co., says regarding the partnership between the two companies.

Fuchs also announced that Leslie Equipment Co. has been appointed as one of the new Fuchs distributors in North America. With its headquarters and five locations based in West Virginia, Leslie Equipment Co. will now meet demand for Fuchs equipment throughout the entire state.

“We feel that there is a demand in our region for the products offered (by Fuchs), and that we’ll have a successful partnership serving our customer base,” John Leslie, president and owner of Leslie Equipment Co., says.

Bandit announces facility expansions

Bandit Industries, Remus, Michigan, has recently announced two major building additions to expand production capacity and add a new parts and service facility.

Bandit will invest $1.4 million in the two expansions. Both are expected to come online in 2018. This is the second round of expansion in many years.

“We added manufacturing space 18 months ago and revamped our assembly lines in anticipation of the increased demand,” Jerry Morey, Bandit president, says. “We continue to invest in our future, not only in facilities and gear, but in our workforce, including training. We added 38 people in 2017 and plan to add another 50 employees in 2018. Our employees are what set us apart with the pride we take in the equipment built and in the way we take care of our customers. We are proud of what they do and accomplish.”

The new parts facility will also house a central receiving and distribution area, improving the flow of parts and materials to the six major manufacturing facilities. This will free up extra manufacturing space to further increase Bandit’s production capacity. Bandit has added more than a dozen dealers with more than 30 total locations in the last two years.

“As our dealer network expands, the need for parts expands right along with it,” Jamie Morey, Bandit parts manager, says. “This new facility will allow us to respond rapidly to our dealers’ and customers’ parts requests, limiting their downtime and delivering on the promise that we stand behind every Bandit machine sold.”

The parts and service expansion is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2018. As soon as that facility is completed, the second expansion will start, which will add production space for new products Bandit intends to introduce in the third quarter of 2018.

“Our new dealers are reaching more customers than ever before, driving demand for our products,” Jason Morey, Bandit North American sales manager, says. “Producing enough new units to meet that demand has provided Bandit with a welcome challenge—one that we’re more than ready to meet.”

Bandit added $750,000 of new cutting and steel processing equipment in 2017 to keep up with the demand for parts.

Bandit also introduced several new products in 2017, including an entry-level stump grinder, new models of hand-fed chippers, a large-capacity self-propelled whole tree chipper, an intermediate model horizontal grinder and a forestry mower carrier.

Hyundai touts wheel loader safety feature

Norcross, Georgia-based Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas has announced the availability of an all-around view monitoring (AAVM) system on new factory orders of Hyundai HL900 series wheel loaders, which are available in the U.S. and Canada.

The new system was displayed publicly for the first time in January at the 2018 World of Concrete Show in Las Vegas on a Hyundai HL955 wheel loader. AAVM has been available as an option on Hyundai HX series excavators since October 2015.

Equipped with four cameras, including one each mounted on the left- and right-side mirrors, one on the front of the cab, and the standard backup camera mounted to the rear hood, the monitoring system has been designed to provide a 360-degree operating view of the job site.

“Safety on the job site is a necessity,” Corey Rogers, a marketing manager with Hyundai, says. “Now with the new wheel loader AAVM system on our HL900 series, Hyundai provides owners and operators a safer solution than other options on the market.”

Included in the AAVM system is the intelligent moving object detection (IMOD) system that senses and warns the operator with on-screen flashing arrows and an alarm when objects come within either 6.5 feet or 22.9 feet. The image is integrated into the Hyundai seven-inch color touch-screen cluster-monitor in the cab.

Case makes Michelin tires a factory option for its skid-steer loaders

Case Construction Equipment (Case CE), Racine, Wisconsin, has announced the availability of Michelin X Tweel SSL all terrain airless radial tires as a factory-approved/supplied option on all skid-steer loader models the company offers. Airless radial tires perform just like a pneumatic tire, but without the risk and costly downtime associated with penetrations and impact damage, Case says, noting it is the first skid-steer loader original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to offer the Michelin X Tweel SSL from the factory.

The Michelin X Tweel SSL is one single unit, replacing traditional tire/wheel/valve assemblies. No complex wheel/tire mounting equipment is needed, and no air pressure must be maintained once each tire is bolted on. The AT models feature a deep open-tread design to provide cleaning and traction and a deep layer of undertread, allowing the core to be retread many times, according to Case.

“Case offers a broad range of skid-steer tires to meet the needs of a variety of applications, from general dirt work and landscaping to road-building, excavation and mining/aggregate environments,” George MacIntyre, product manager of skid-steer loaders at Case CE, says. “The addition of airless radial tires to our lineup of factory-available options expands our current offering and shows our commitment to advanced technology, as well as our dedication to providing our customers with a growing array of machine options that can have a positive impact on total cost of ownership.”

The Michelin X Tweel SSL provides stability and enables a skid-steer loader to work rapidly with more comfort for the operator, reducing driver fatigue while improving productivity, Case says. It delivers a consistent footprint with strong wear life that is two to three times that of a pneumatic tire at equal tread depth. The proprietary design provides great lateral stiffness while also resisting damage and absorbing impacts. Additionally, the energy transfer within the high-strength polyresin spokes reduces the “bounce” associated with pneumatic tires, according to Case.

More information on the Michelin X Tweel SSL is at www.michelintweel.com. More information on Case skid-steer loaders can be found at www.casece.com.