Construction equipment supplier High Power Equipment (HPE) Africa notes that the industry’s response to the launch of its Hyundai-9 Series has been positive, with increasing sales across sectors.

The Hyundai-9 Series equipment range was first launched in South Africa last year, in conjunction with the release of the Hyundai excavator range, which included the 120 t R1200-9 Hyundai hydraulic excavator. HPE Africa said at the time that this was the largest Hyundai excavator to be launched in the country.

HPE Africa GM Neil Sauls told Engineering News in February that the most important feature of the Hyundai 9-Series wheel loader was the fully automatic transmission system.
“The transmission system features variable operating modes, including manual, auto-light, auto-normal and auto-heavy modes. Depending on the terrain and the load, the transmission system is suited to the specific application.”

Not only is the transmission system suited to the application but it also ensures that the correct amount of power and fuel is supplied, resulting in significant fuel cost savings, Sauls added.

The wheel loader also features a variable clutch cutoff system, with a low, medium and high mode. “For instance, if the wheel loader is set to low mode, the transmission system uses only a certain number of gears and employs shorter gear changes. This improves cycle times and saves on fuel consumption,” noted Sauls.

HPE Africa notes that the wheel loader’s Cummins Tier II- compliant engine, equipped with a Bosch in-line fuel system, makes it suitable for Africa, as it can handle the lower-quality diesel used in the rural areas of Africa.

HPE received the first shipment of the smaller 6 t and 8 t to 9 t excavators in August 2012 and has since sold many units to construction companies in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, and to mineral exploration company Sandton Plant Hire for use in special applications.

Meanwhile, the machines are also gaining popularity in the Western Cape hire market, where confined space continues to be a challenge, Sauls notes. These smaller machines are not regularly used in earthmoving and surface mining, but are specifically aimed at the industrial and entry-level contractor market. “There are a lot of smaller machines entering the industrial and manufacturing sectors.”

Working in confined spaces, these machines are extremely agile and versatile. They have been used in shaft sinking and have been modified to work underground in certain situations. If space is a factor, in any working environment, these little machines are efficient and productive.

In the past, the company did major modifications to a machine that was to be used at a steel mill, notes Saul.

HPE adds that it offers a wide range of equipment that is regularly used in the earthmoving and surface mining industries. “Our bigger excavators, from 30 t to 120 t, are suitable for increasing efficiency at mining operations,” states Sauls.

Further, HPE states that it will exhibit at the Bauma exhibition in September to reaffirm its standing in the construction industry. “We will display a full range of our products.

Sauls concludes that HPE will also release a new 20 t machine based on older technology, which will prove to be beneficial to start-up businesses, by assisting with reduced costs, towards the end of this year.