Rough-terrain machinery and materials handling equipment supplier Manitou Southern Africa launched the world’s largest telehandler, the MHT-X 14350, as well as three new flameproof mining machines – a scaler, roof bolter and tow tractor – at this year’s Electra Mining Africa exhibition, held last month at Nasrec, in Johannesburg.

Speaking at the official launch during the exhibition, Manitou Group international sales and marketing VP François Piffard said South Africa was a very significant business market for Manitou, which the company aimed to expand. “As a result, we brought with us our global mining teams from Russia, Australia, India and South America to be a part of the show,” he said.

“The expertise and knowledge which the new business development team at Manitou Group and Manitou Southern Africa have built over the past 20 years mean that we can offer innovative solutions to mining professionals. The versatility of the solutions proposed by the group contributes directly to a reduction in service costs throughout the life of a mining site, be it in terms of machinery maintenance, construction of infrastructure or day-to-day operational tasks, while improving safety and profitability,” explained Piffard.

Manitou Southern Africa MD Lindsay Shankland said at the event that the machines were designed for the challenges characterising Southern Africa’s mining applications. “Our ability to customise Manitou machinery to address specific African mining issues is part of Manitou Southern Africa’s unique innovation and adaptability offering that sets us apart from our competitors.”

The Manitou MHT-X 14350 has a nominal lift capacity of 35 t on its 14 m duplex turret and can provide mobile handling capacity to surface mining, as well as for the heavy industrial and general logistics sectors. The telehandler is designed with renewed emphasis on size for increased productivity in the increasingly heavy-load handling requirements of modern heavy industrial applications. It therefore provides handling capabilities with increased safety and ergonomic operator comfort.

The model features advanced usability improvements, with a 7.2 ℓ, 240 kW Mercedes-Benz engine delivering 1 300 Nm. These specifications enable the MHT-X 14350 to cater for the mining and heavy-industrial sectors, thanks to its enhanced handling ability, which is facilitated by large conveyor belt reels, tyre assemblies, wheel motors and granite blocks, besides others.

A full range of fully certified dedicated attachments, such as cages, winches, jibs, forks, clamps and buckets, has been developed for use with the telehandler.

Manitou also launched the Manitou Scaler, the RoofBolter and the ManiTrax Tow Tractor flameproof mining machines.

The Manitou Scaler enables operators to scale hard and soft rock from secure areas on its 7 m, 180º rotational turret, either from within its fully enclosed cab or from up to 20 m away using remote control for improved safety.

The scaler can be fitted with several attachment variations and has secondary functions such as pipe and cylinder fitment, mesh erection and the destruction of large rocks.

The Manitou RoofBolter is an automated drill and bolt rig that offers manoeuvrability and performance in confined soft- and hard-rock hanging walls as low as 1.8 m.