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A full LED light pack gives 360° visibility and turns night into day for the operator. (Image source: Bobcat)

Bobcat Waste Expert telehandlers are showing their mettle within waste and recycling industries across Europe, Middle East and Africa

Bobcat offers four Waste Expert machines, based on the TL35.70, TL34.65HF, TL38.70HF and TL43.80HF models from the company’s latest R-Series range of telehandlers. All are powered by Bobcat 74 or 101kW engines and offer lifting capacities from 3.4 to 4.3 tonne and lifting heights from 6.3 to 7.5 m.

“The Waste Expert range is based on our latest market-leading R-Series family of telehandlers, offering superior machines that combine all-day comfort, maximum productivity and reliability, intelligent features, a robust build with intuitive operation and excellent 360o ergonomics,” remarked Clement Rousseau, product manager for Telehandlers.

“Waste and recycling businesses need versatile machines that can handle a large variety of tasks, manoeuvre well in tight spaces and provide maximum efficiency in full safety throughout the working day. With the toughest design on the market, impressive bucket breakout forces, efficient cooling systems, a low centre of gravity and a long wheel base to enhance stability and lift capacity, our Waste Expert Telehandlers are ideally suited for the waste and recycling markets.”

Tough working environments

Bobcat has explained that, to deal with the tough working environments that usually typify recycling and waste management sites often, the Waste Expert machines are designed to be robust. Heavy-duty Dana Spicer axles and additional reinforced protection ensure this alongside with an extra-large boom head, a high-tensile steel boom, boom cushioning and protected hydraulic rams under and inside the boom.

Like all Bobcat telehandlers, the Waste Expert machines have a box welded frame to meet heavy duty cycles and offer a high ground clearance, with a bottom plate along the entire length to protect vital parts. There are also multiple additional features for working in harsh conditions.

An emphasis on operator experience

Bobcat has highlighted that the Waste Expert machines utilise the same cab design used in R-Series telehandlers to offer a premium workspace for the operator. In the ergonomic design, all surfaces have been optimised to offer increased space and visibility, while the backlit controls are within easy reach and are quickly identified thanks to their colour coding.

Special attention has been paid to the storage spaces and the general soundproofing has been enhanced to reduce the noise level in the cab by a half as a result. In terms of comfort, a Grammer Maximo Dynamic air suspension seat is included and the LCD colour display provides interactive and streamlined information.

In terms of safety, the telehandlers offer efficient, simple and safe operation with an intuitive, variable transmission and an Automatic Parking Brake for enhanced safety and operator convenience. Loading and Handling work modes are standard as is the ECO mode, which maintains optimum hydraulic performance without using the engine’s full power. Meanwhile, the telescopic boom provides excellent reach capabilities and the ability to handle a range of different attachments, thereby enhancing their range and their flexibility.

High performance

To accommodate for the different types of surfaces encountered at waste and recycling sites, Bobcat offers several tyre options. The company has also paid attention to the HF/High Flow Technology in the HF models offers enhanced hydraulic capabilities and performance with a 190 l/min load sensing pump and flow sharing distributor. This allows the operator to work at significantly lower speeds, consume less fuel and benefit from remarkably shorter working cycles.

“Like all our machines, the Waste Expert telehandlers are made for the hardest jobs, whilst still providing all the agility and versatility any application would require,” noted Rousseay. “In the HF models, the very robust machine build is combined with high flow capability for unmatched loading productivity and lift capacity.”

The collaboration will focus on investigating the possibilities of developing and applying Hycamite’s technology in marine applications. (Image source: Hycamite)

Hycamite TCD Technologies, a deep-tech company, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with two subsidiaries of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, in order to promote the application of methane-splitting for power generation and propulsion onboard marine vessels

Hycamite breaks down methane molecules into clean hydrogen and solid, high-value carbon products using heat and its proprietary zero-emission technology. All of its products have a low carbon footprint and the company can tailor its high-value carbon products to customer needs and produce them in industrial quantities.

The two entities of Mitsui include MOL PLUS, an investor in early- and middle-stage startup companies that have the potential to reform ocean shipping, and MOLEA, a London-based company that is committed to offering customers across Europe and Africa high value-added services. Together, the three will aim to speed up efforts to reduce carbon emissions in the shipping sector with Hycamite starting operations at its recently-completed industrial methane-splitting plant in Kokkola, Finland, in early 2025.

“We are excited to partner with MOLEA and MOL PLUS to drive innovation in maritime decarbonisation. Hycamite has been working on the marine application through the development programme partly financed by Business Finland since 2022 and as we are starting the operations of our industrial-scale demonstration facility, we expect to gain a steep development in the understanding of the possibilities that our technology can bring. Our technology focuses on decarbonising some of the most hard-to-abate sectors in the world and marine traffic is one of those,” remarked Laura Rahikka, CEO at Hycamite. “Through collaboration with MOLEA, MOL PLUS, and their global technical teams, we can accelerate the development and promotion of the onboard methane-splitting application.”

Hycamite will collaborate with MOLEA and MOL PLUS to further develop its methane-splitting technology and the three will focus on investing the possibilities of developing and applying it in marine applications. They have a shared vision that, with the technology, LNG-fuelled ships can convert methane into hydrogen as they sail and the solid carbon can be offloaded at port of destination.

The new business unit will leverage NMDC Group’s experiences and capabilities in the logistics and technical services sector. (Image source: NMDC Group)

NMDC Group, the Abu Dhabi based EPC focusing on the dredging, marine and energy sectors, is broadening its offering with the establishment of a new business unit, NMDC LTS, which will focus on logistics and technical services

Building on NMDC Group’s experiences and capabilities in the logistics and technical services sector, NMDC LTS will own and/or operate NMDC Group’s significant resource pool of marine support craft, technical capabilities, plant and equipment to expand its services to the wider construction and industrial sectors.

Eng. Yasser Zaghloul, CEO of NMDC Group, said, “NMDC LTS will be a trusted platform that gives new partners access to one of the biggest construction logistics and technical services operators in the region and enable them to gain the benefits of efficiency, innovation, and service focused delivery that NMDC Group has built over the decades of success. We look forward to continuing to work with our current partners in this exciting next phase of NMDC Group’s growth, and to take our expertise and offering to new clients and markets.”

Peter Marvin, chief technical & resources officer of NMDC LTS added, “The delivery of EPC projects in the marine sector has unique challenges, requiring innovative solutions to enable the logistics and technical support necessary to build the infrastructure that our customers and partners need for their sustainable growth. Over decades NMDC Group has consistently proven its expertise, capability and capacity in this field delivering maritime and energy infrastructure around the world. NMDC LTS will take these strengths and expand its application to new customers, partners and industrial sectors through value-added collaboration and seeking to translate our extensive capabilities to meet their needs beyond the delivery of infrastructure. NMDC LTS is uniquely positioned to maximise the potential of this diversification into the logistics and technical services sectors.“

NMDC Group’s other business units are NMDC Dredging & Marine, NMDC Energy, NMDC Engineering and NMDC Construction.

Failing to notice and deal with safety issues can result in accidents. (Image source: Cat Lift Trucks)

Daily or pre-shift lift truck checks are all about avoiding tragedy and expense. Cat® Lift Trucks offers practical advice on this, to keep your operation safe and profitable

Broadly speaking, daily checks have two main aims:

1. Safety – to stop lift trucks from being used in an unsafe condition
2. Optimum maintenance – to spot problems early, so they can be fixed before more serious damage develops

Skipping daily checks, or carrying them out incompletely, is a false economy. Failing to notice and deal with safety issues can result in accidents, leading to:

• Death or injury
• Employee sick leave
• Large fines (and damage to your company’s reputation)
• Repair bills for damaged trucks and facilities
• Replacement bills for damaged goods
• Downtime (with loss of productivity)

Failing to notice and deal with emerging defects, damage or wear can mean:

• Shorter component and truck lifespan
• Breakdowns (causing inconvenience, downtime and loss of productivity)
• Bigger repair bills

Considering these costs and consequences, preventative checks and maintenance actions should be seen as an excellent investment. At the very least, you should do what the laws in your country require. However, it pays to go beyond the minimum and take extra care of your business and your people.

Insist on training

Importantly, you should ensure your operators and any other staff involved in forklift checks are trained to carry them out properly. And if someone needs to switch on or move the lift truck during checking, maintenance or repair, make sure he or she is trained to operate it.

Follow the lift truck manufacturer’s instructions

The user guide that comes with your lift truck will tell you what should be checked and how often. That’s your starting point. Some items may need monthly or weekly rather than daily checks. Features to be checked will, of course, vary between models.

Think before you tick

Sometimes a daily checklist appears as little more than a list of systems and components. If an item looks OK, the checker gives it a tick. But what signs of a problem should the checker be looking for in each case? What would tell him or her if the item was not OK?

To help answer this, Cat Lift Trucks recently produced a daily checks guide. This expands the checklist into a series of more specific and detailed questions.

Look for clues

Taking just one example, a checklist might simply ask you to check the mast and fork carriage. Our guide goes further:

• Do any of the structures look worn, cracked, bent or otherwise damaged?
• Can you see traces of wall plaster or paint, suggesting they have been in a collision? Are they very rusty?
• Are there any loose or missing bolts or fixtures, particularly where the mast is attached to the chassis and the tilting mechanism?
• Are moving parts – including bearing surfaces – contaminated with materials like mud or cement, and are they well lubricated?
• Are there leaks from the hydraulic cylinders?

Report it

If you find a fault, report it immediately to the relevant manager. He or she will decide whether it’s safe to carry on using the lift truck or if it should be taken out of service.

Further information on Cat forklifts, warehouse equipment and related services can be found on its products page. See them in action here and follow the news on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, this facility will span a 2,400 sq m. (Image source: MBRAH)

Mohammed Bin Rashid Aerospace Hub (MBRAH) has signed an agreement with Liebherr-Aerospace to establish a new MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facility at Dubai South.

Scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, this facility will span a 2,400 sq m area within the Aerospace Supply Chain cluster at MBRAH.

Based in Toulouse, France, Liebherr-Aerospace & Transportation SAS—a division of the Liebherr Group—delivers high-quality onboard solutions for aerospace and transportation, promoting sustainability through innovative products and services.

MBRAH, strategically located at Dubai South, serves as a premier free-zone hub offering global connectivity to leading airlines, private jet operators, MROs, and related sectors. This aerospace hub includes maintenance centres and training campuses, aligning with Dubai's goal to be a prominent aviation industry leader.

Tahnoon Saif, CEO of MBRAH, said, “We are pleased to sign this agreement with Liebherr- Aerospace. This partnership underlines our position in attracting the top players in the aviation sector to establish their presence at Dubai South and operate in an integrated economic environment where they can connect with international markets. We will spare no effort in supporting their expansion endeavours, in line with our mandate to solidify and cement Dubai’s position on the world aviation map.”

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