Merlo Multifarmer For RSG
Rotherham Sand & Gravel Co. Ltd have taken delivery of a Merlo Multifarmer, which combines the functions of a tractor and telehandler into one machine
Rotherham Sand & Gravel (RSG) are an independent Yorkshire-based quarry business, producing around 200,000 tonnes of sand and gravel each year, and are particularly well known for their ‘Scrooby Grey’ building sand, which complements the traditional North Yorkshire stone.
The company takes a modern approach to solving the maintenance and utility problems at their busy quarry, and believe in investing in the latest equipment to produce efficiently and safely, with minimal downtime.
Recently, the quarry benefited from a £2.5 million investment programme, which included a new state-of-the-art processing plant on site. In addition, RSG sought ways of reducing costs, as company director Nicholas Scholey wanted a cost-effective solution for its maintenance operations.
‘We were regularly hiring a tractor and water bowser for more than half the year – just for dust suppression,’ he explained. ‘I was conscious of this continuing cost, but we didn’t feel that buying our own combination and letting it sit idle for every six months was a very good utilization of assets.’
Mr Scholey decided to do a search on the Internet for a machine that could fulfil both tractor and towing roles, as well as carry out other jobs around the quarry. He eventually came across the Merlo Multifarmer – a tractor and telehandler rolled into one machine.
A major engineering concept of the Multifarmer is that both the front and rear axles are free to oscillate but each is provided with a hydraulic locking mechanism. When the machine is in ‘Handler Mode’, the rear axle is left free to oscillate while the front axle is blocked, providing maximum lifting stability.
In ‘Tractor Mode’, the opposite occurs; the machine’s rear axle is locked while the front axle is free to oscillate. In addition, a rear power take-off (PTO) is activated and the rear axle can be levelled for implement operation. Should the driver raise the boom above a preset safety angle, the front axle will be automatically locked to ensure stability.
Models in the Multifarmer range are available in two builds: Top2, for drivers who require computerized control for all machine functions; and Classic2, for those who prefer more traditional control systems.
The Top2 version has been designed to be as operator-friendly as possible, thanks to an integrated MERlin digital control system which permits the real-time monitoring of all functional parameters, including PTO and rear three-point linkage. The Classic2 model features a dashboard with traditional analogue instruments rather than a LCD unit.
The Multifarmer 30.6 versions have a 3,000kg front lifting capacity and a two-piece 6m boom, while the 30.9 variants have a three-piece 8.55m boom. RSG were so impressed by the versatility of the Multifarmer range that they opted for a top of the range 8.5m lift Multifarmer 30.9 Top2x model, which includes trailer braking, air-conditioning, a hydraulic pick-up hitch and a boom-suspension system as standard.
It also features a hydraulically driven 2,200-gal capacity water bowser (supplied by ACE Plant) with a carbon fibre rotating spreader to produce fine mist, as well as a cab-controlled ‘rain gun’, which directs a high-pressure jet of water to dampen stockpiles.
Furthermore, the machine comes with a hydraulic road-sweeper, fork-mounted crane hook and a fully EN280-compliant access platform. As Mr Scholey said, RSG’s Multifarmer is a ‘Swiss Army Knife on wheels’.
Merlo UK Ltd, The Paddocks, Headland Business Park, Salisbury Road, Ringwood, Hants BH24 3PB; tel: (01425) 480806; fax: (01425) 477478; email: [email protected]
