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Taranaki-based Civil Logistics Ltd are no strangers to these pages and readers may recall their presence in the mag late last year (DOW381), where we had a look at technology fitted to the bulk cube truck and trailers they use to service their general waste clients.

Not one to shy away from finding the best solutions for their customers, the business has recently taken delivery of New Zealand’s first Hyundai tracked materials handler, supplied by nationwide distributor Porter Equipment.

Factory custom-built by Hyundai Korea, the machine is a result of a specific request from Civil Logistics to provide a materials handler that would fit a need at one of the locations the company transports waste from.

“Usually, material handlers are based on rubber-tyred machines, but for our purpose we wanted something that had more stability, as often the operator is using an extended reach to select or place materials,” says Civil Logistics director Simon Mulligan.

With materials handlers not common and tricky to find, Simon soon found that Porter Equipment could supply what the business required.

“We do have materials handlers from other brands, however we liked what Porters could deliver and their service plan. Being first-time buyers from them, we found they were very good to deal with.”

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Hyundai HX220LMH Materials Handler

Based on a Hyundai HX220L excavator that tips the scales at 22-tonnes in its base form, the materials handler (MH) version has a number of variations, the most visual being the elevating cab, underslung boom cylinder, and additional counterweight to offset the 11-metre arm and Doherty/Kinshofer rotating demolition grab.

As expected, when working in low-light conditions, extra front and rear lighting has been fitted, along with a suite of safety features, including boom safety valves, front-of-cab guarding, AAVM (Advanced Around View Monitoring), and a boxing ring to ensure no-one accidentally slips off the upper body when servicing the engine.

“The elevating cab is a necessity for the type of work the machine is on, as it allows the operator to easily view and sort the incoming material, then place it efficiently into the high-cube truck bins,” says Simon.

“As we’re paid on a tonnage weight, the closer we can safely load the units to their maximum tonnage, the less trips we require, and that reduces the operating costs.”

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The HX Series

Porter Equipment introduced the HX series into New Zealand in 2021, where it has found popularity with a receptive market across a range of uses from earthmoving, quarrying, and now materials handling.

For the technically curious, the HX220 model runs a Tier 3 / Stage IIIA Cummins-manufactured Hyundai HE6.7 turbocharged diesel engine, that outputs maximum gross horsepower of 165HP (123kW) @ 2000rpm.

The tandem variable displacement axis piston pumps deliver maximum hydraulic oil flow of 2 x 228 litres per minute to the system.

Another reason why Civil Logistics may have chosen to go with the HX series is the reinforced durability of the upper and lower structure, reinforced pins, bushings, and polymer shims, which the manufacturer says supports performance and reduces vibration even in high load work.

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Service is Key

It appears another key factor in Civil Logistics’ decision to choose Hyundai was Porter Equipment’s strong reputation for servicing and maintenance of machinery.

This aspect of the purchase was particularly important for the business as the materials handler would be used as a standalone unit in a busy provincial town.

“Our main base and workshop are some distance from where the materials handler would be located,” says Simon. “It was important that the supplier could handle all the servicing requirements and provide timely quality service, especially when onsite issues occur.

“From the very beginning of the purchase journey, I haven’t been disappointed. The machine now forms a key part of our general waste operation.”

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