Leading construction equipment manufacturer JCB has introduced its largest wheel loader to date, the 467 ZX to help Australia combat its growing waste problem.
JCB says the 24 tonne 467 ZX loader with a 4.2 metre bucket is built specifically for bulk materials handling.
JCB Construction Equipment Australia’s Materials Handling Product Manager Greg Sealey says waste generation has increased 145 per cent from 1997 to 2012, greatly exceeding Australia’s population growth of 22 per cent in the same period.
“Latest statistics indicate that the construction industry generated the largest volume of waste with over 16.5 million tonnes, which represents 31 per cent of the total waste generated from 2009 and 2010,” he says.
“To cope with this, we’ve seen an increase in waste management businesses and growing focus on recycling waste for roads and other infrastructure related projects.
Of the 57.3 million tonnes of waste produced from 2009 and 2010, 18.3 million tonnes was disposed of by waste management companies.”
Sealey says JCB’s new wheel loader is not only built to meet this increased capacity, but also designed to last.
“Prior to its introduction, we undertook rigorous stress testing with 1.2 million cycles completed in the hardest digging and dump conditions,” he says.
Sealey adds the 467 ZX is beneficial to not only the waste industry but also in sectors where materials handling is critical such as quarrying, civil engineering and construction.
“Regardless of what industry you’re in, equipment such as the 467 ZX which has been designed from the outset to reduce operating costs is bound to be an asset,” he says.
“With its optional five speed transmission, cycle times are increased and fuel costs reduced.
We’ve included an automatic engine shutdown, preventing fuel waste during idling, while the load sensing hydraulics only consumes power on demand.”
Ease of use and operator comfort adds to the overall package.
“The electro-hydrualic multi-lever service controls allow for fingertip control of the bucket, which makes the machine much easier to operate,” Sealey says.
“We’ve also made sure it is easy to service and maintain the loader, with ground level access to daily check points and key engine components.”
The 467 ZX features a spacious air conditioned cab and optional Smooth Ride load suspension to provide extra operator comfort and visibility.
For more information, contact your local JCB dealer or visit JCB Australia’s website.
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