Masonry Magazine August 2008 Page. 24
TELEHANDLERS
North America in Waco, Texas. "They can do 85 to 90 percent of the work of telehandler jobs. The only thing they can't do is place materials at great heights."
Brian Boeckman, product parent for North American telehandlers for McConnellsburg, Pa.-based JLG Industries Inc. says that in 2004, about 3,800 compact telehandlers were sold globally. Last year, that number shot up to 6,100.
"These are very versatile machines," Boeckman says. "They have a lot of advantageous over skid steers, which are commonly used on jobsites, and end users are finding that they can do more with telescopic handlers"
Last December, JLG unveiled its G5-18A super compact telehandler, which has a 5,500-pound lifting capacity, 11 feet of reach, and a 126-inch turning radius.
Gehl hit the market last year with a compact, low-profile telescopic handler, the RS5-19, which has 19 feet of lift and an 11-foot turning radius.
"Having 5,500 pounds of lift capacity, it can easily carry two cubes of bricks or blocks around the jobsite," Kirst says. "Weighing less than 10,000 pounds, it can easily be towed behind a good-sized pickup truck, meaning no need for an expensive tractor trailer rig for hauling."
Mustang's 519 model offers 5,500 pounds of lift capacity and 19 feet of reach for two-story placement, Vargason says.
"The biggest advantage of the 519 is the ability to tow it behind a truck," he says. "Not only is the cost to buy the machine lower, the cost to transport it is also low."
Better controls improve operations
NEW TECHNOLOGIES give operators better, safer control of telehandlers. "Contractors are paying closer attention to safety, so machines equipped with standard, integrated safety systems, like Mustang's Work Platform Safety System, are becoming more popular," Vargason says, noting that workers
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