The first machine in Develon colours in Europe

10,000th ADT from Elnesvågen plant Norway first in Europe to carry new Develon brand

IN February 2023, Doosan celebrated production of the 10,000th articulated dumptruck (ADT) from the company’s plant at Elnesvågen, outside Molde, in Norway. It has now been revealed that there was even more to acknowledge with the 10,000th unit, as this was the first machine in Europe to officially carry the colours of the company’s new Develon brand.

As well as the Develon branding, the 10,000th ADT also carries an extra special design, which harks back to the origins of the ADT range – a time well before Doosan and even the Moxy era, back to the Viking ADT model, 12 of which were produced by the company Øveraasen in the time before Moxy took over production. This is recognized by a Viking ship motif on the tailgate of the 10,000th unit, a Develon DA45-7 model.

Over the years, a number of different ADT models have been produced at Molde, including the D15, 5222B, 6225B, 7235, MT40, MT41, DA40 and now, today's models, the DA30-7 and the DA45-7. Rosendal Maskin AS, the authorized dealer for Norway, have supplied ADTs since 1987 and has delivered a total of almost 500 of the 10,000 so far produced. According to the Molde plant manager Jan Roger Lindset, the 10,000th ADT with production number 851951 has been purchased from Rosendal Maskin AS by the Rental Group in Norway.

Production began at the Molde plant in 1972 when the business was called Glamox. Since then, the brand has had a number of names such as Moxy, Moxy Industrial, Brown Engineering, Moxy Trucks, and Moxy Engineering. In 2008, the name changed to Doosan when the South Korean manufacturer bought the factory and the product. In 2021, Hyundai Heavy Industries bought the Doosan construction equipment range, including the ADT line, and the name of the business was changed to Hyundai Doosan Infracore (HDI).

There are currently 150 employees at the Elnesvågen plant, but with both Develon and Hyundai ADTs now being produced at the factory, the workforce is expected to expand to meet an expected 40% growth in production.

The Develon ADT range comprises two 6x6 models – the DA30-7 and DA45-7 Stage V compliant machines. The DA30-7 has a payload of 28 tonnes, while that of the DA45-7 is 41 tonnes. The range was extended at Bauma 2022 with the launch of a new 4x4 version of the DA45-7 ADT, intended to compete with rigid dumptrucks (RDTs) in the 40-tonne class.

All Develon ADTs feature an articulation hinge positioned behind the turning ring to provide equal weight distribution to the front axle even during maximum steer articulation. This combined with a free-swinging rear tandem bogie ensures equal distribution of weight to each wheel and guarantees permanent six-wheel contact and drive for equal power distribution and excellent performance, particularly on difficult terrains such as soft ground, uneven surfaces, very steep slopes, tight turns or a combination of all of these difficult conditions.

Collectively, the forward turning point, the unique tandem bogie and the sloping rear frame are said to result in best-in-class rough and soft terrain capabilities. The unique body shape and sloping frame ensure equal load distribution on all the wheels making these machines ideal haulers for soft terrain work. The design of the articulation also provides equal load distribution on the wheels on both the left- and right-hand side when turning, which is key to the traction and stability of the machines.

In the new 4x4 ADT, the front truck and cab unit is the same as in the original 6x6 model, with modifications being made on the rear dumper unit only. Featuring a ZF EP8-420 transmission, the 4x4 DA45-7 is a two-axle ADT with twin wheels at the rear, and with a dumper section similar to that on RDTs in the 40-tonne class.

‘With superior operation on poorer roads, smoother surfaces and steeper terrain, the aim of our new 4x4 machine is to challenge RDTs in the 40-tonne class, by providing a dumper product that delivers much more than RDTs,’ said Beka Nemstsveridze, ADT product manager at Develon.

As well as performing better in conditions that are tough for RDTs, the new 4x4 DA45-7 ADT has a width of less than 4m to avoid the need for special transportation and offers a better turning radius than a comparable RDT.