Mecalac, a leading global designer, manufacturer and distributor of compact construction equipment for urban environments, introduces the AS900tele to North America. The new machine combines the compactness and mobility of Mecalac’s revolutionary AS Swing Loader Series. It also is equipped with telescopic technology to provide game-changing versatility on the job site. The 22.2 gpm (84 l/min) auxiliary hydraulics further increase flexibility. This allows use with a range of attachments, including mowers, road sweepers and earth augers. Functioning as a loader, telehandler or landscaping tool, the AS900tele reduces the need for additional equipment. It also optimizes job site logistics.
“When you rely on one machine for each task, a job site can end up looking more like a parking lot,” says Peter Bigwood. He is the general manager for Mecalac North America. “Reducing the need for additional equipment and streamlining the job site is at the heart of Mecalac’s design philosophy. This includes the AS900tele. It’s good for the contractor, the client and the environment.”
Like all AS Series units, the 8-ton (7,250-kilogram) AS900tele features Mecalac’s innovative swing design. Operators can swivel the fully loaded bucket 90 degrees on either side. In turn this transforms space management and allows for a radical new approach to tasks. With the rotated bucket, filling trenches or carrying pipes requires minimum operating space. On a road project, this rotation limits necessary space. This requires only a single lane closure rather than the two lane closure needed for traditional loaders. For a congested urban jobsite, this flexibility allows for optimal equipment positioning in confined spaces.
Additionally, the unit’s telescoping capabilities pair reach with power for unparalleled flexibility. With a lifting height of 15.5 feet and outreach of 11.5 feet, the AS900tele allows operators to minimize repositioning while maximizing reach. The AS900tele has a carrying capacity of 5,004 pounds (2,270 kilograms) at full extension, providing ample power for applications such as loading walking floor trailers or waste handling. Paired with a range of attachments — including pallet forks, buckets, brushes, snowplows and hedge trimmers — the telescoping allows the unit to replace traditional backhoe loaders, wheel loaders and telehandlers.
For more versatility, the AS900tele features three steering options — 2-wheel, 4-wheel and crab. This flexibility allows operators to simultaneously drive, pivot and maneuver, regardless of ground conditions. Combined with the swivel arm, it results in a 20% smaller turning radius compared to traditional wheel loaders and increases productivity and safety for a range of common tasks like loading a trailer and material handling as well as municipal jobs like mowing, snow handling and pruning trees. By avoiding unnecessary movements and maximizing the use of available space, the AS900tele can increase productivity with less noise, maintenance, and impact on the environment.
Even with the wide range of motion, the AS900tele offers increased stability over traditional articulated loaders and telehandlers. A well-balanced design and automatically locking rear axle allow operators to safely maneuver in all positions and on all terrains. Traditional equipment, on the other hand, can become unstable with only a 45-degree turn.
“All the AS Series units were designed around a single idea — how do we improve the articulated loader to provide better efficiency and streamline the worksite,” Bigwood said. “The AS900tele takes that innovation a step further, It replaces two or even three other machines without sacrificing the productivity or safety of Mecalac’s swing loader.”
About Mecalac
Mecalac is an international manufacturer of compact construction equipment for urban sites. Known for its innovative, customer-focused technology, the manufacturer has sales companies, distributors and customers in more than 80 countries. Versatile and multi-purpose equipment is available through five product lines, including: excavators, loaders, backhoe loaders, site dumpers and compaction rollers.
