The company is now broadening its range with the offering of articulated dump trucks (ADTs) and rigid dump trucks from Astra of Italy.

The ADTs are aimed at use in heavy duty off-road work, especially for swampy or clayish terrain applications, with power between 260 hp and 450 hp and a maximum load of between 25 t and 40 t.

The rigid dump trucks have power between 400 hp and 500 hp and a maximum load capacity between 28 t and 50 t.

The company has built its reputation with the Hyundai range of wheel loaders and excavators, for which it has been the distributor in South Africa since 2000.

It also distributes the full range of Extec mobile crushing and screening equipment, built in the UK, with the range consisting of mobile jaw, cone and impact crushers, as well as mobile single, double- and triple-deck screening plants.

The Sooosan range of hydraulic attachments, including hammers, crushers, pulverisers and shears, are also distributed.

The company has recently introduced MB crusher buckets to the South African market.

The MB crusher bucket is an adjustable jaw crusher, which is fitted in place of an excavator’s bucket. The jaw is driven by the hydraulics of the excavator and is extremely efficient. Instead of the con- tractor having to transport unwanted rock and reinforced concrete off site and paying to dump it, he now crushes it on site, turning it into a reusable material which would normally have to be purchased and trucked in, leading to substantial cost savings.

These crusher buckets are proving popular with the plant hire, demolition and construction industries. They are available for 14-t, 20-t and 30-t excavators.

The company’s main focus is on the Hyundai range of wheel loaders and excavators, with the latest addition to the fold being the 80-t excavator currently owned and operated by the MCC Group of Companies.

HPE Africa currently holds an estimated 5% market share in the excavator market.