Green machine delivers safety, productivity gains for Pedersen Group
Pedersen Group, part of LINX Cargo Care Group, has welcomed an impressive piece of new machinery with the Sennebogen 875E – the first in Australia – already delivering improved safety and productivity outcomes.
28 April 2021 – Following an intensive and extended design consultation between Sennebogen, Pacific Materials Handling and Pedersen Group, the new purpose-built material handler arrived onsite at Maryvale, Victoria from Germany in late 2020. In less than two weeks the 165-tonne machine was assembled and handed over with in-depth operator training also completed in that time.
According to C3 NZ and Pedersen Group COO, Gavin Hudson, central to the commissioning of the 875E was the need to deliver an unrivalled level of safety and tangible outcomes for the customer.
“Top of mind was the need to maximise the log storage capacity at the site while maintaining a strong focus on safety and productivity. This focus on safety and productivity is what sets this bespoke piece of equipment apart,” said Hudson.
The long list of safety features on the Sennebogen 875E is headlined by the large Skylift MasterCab that provides the operator with excellent vision of the surrounding and working area. Additionally, the cabin is fitted with a second seat, ideal for supervisory work and operator training.
A special feature of the Skylift cabin is its ability to be raised to almost 14 metres while also lowering to a point where the operator can safely access it from ground level.
The 875E also has numerous access ladders, catwalks, galleries, and handrails that make the daily checks and maintenance requirements safe and accessible.
Pacific Materials Handling Managing Director, David Hetherington said it was valuable for Pacific Materials Handling to work so closely with Pedersen Group to deliver such an impressive machine that solved a challenging problem.
“We’re particularly pleased with the vision available from the MasterCab. Operating from such a height with a clear view provides a huge safety benefit. The accuracy and the agility of the machine, and its ability to handle slippery, non-uniform products, is also very impressive,” said Hetherington.
Efficiency gains are enabled with the latest Cummins 390kw Tier 4 Stage V engine delivering some of the best global emissions controls currently available. It also features Sennebogen’s Green Hybrid energy recovery system which reduces the required engine power by more than 30 per cent.
A major benefit of the innovative, custom design of the 875E is its ability to have fully loaded log trucks drive underneath it before being unloaded. This not only reduces the space and time required to unload, freeing up site capacity, it also limits truck queuing, idling and movements, cutting carbon emissions.
In addition to the 875E in Australia, Pedersen Group has also recently installed a new Sennebogen 821 Electric material handler at its Kinleith site, the third 100 per cent electric material handler in Pedersen Group’s New Zealand fleet.
“In both countries, the new equipment provides an immediate onsite reduction in combustion emission exposure for workers, as well as reducing fuel consumption and business carbon footprint. Additionally, in New Zealand, the electrification of equipment while using renewable grid energy, significantly reduces forest-product supply-chain emissions,” added Hudson.
“These significant investments in both markets are further examples of Pedersen Group’s commitment to delivering safe, and innovative solutions that leverage global technology to bring benefits to our people, customers, and the surrounding environment.”
Additional safety features of the 875E include:
Four cameras with a large colour monitor in the cabin.
Multiple e-stops.
Emergency cabin lowering devices.
Electric refuelling pump.
Service hoist to help lift service items up to the catwalk and galleries.
Interlocks that prevent the machine operating if access hatches are open.
Safety interlocks that prevent the machine from being activated if the cabin is not in a correct operating position.
ABOUT LINX Cargo Care Group
LINX Cargo Care Group brings together the capabilities of five market-leading operations built on over 100 years of port and logistics experience. Together, LINX, Autocare Services, C3, Pedersen Group and GeelongPort employ almost 3,400 highly skilled professionals in more than 70 sites across Australia and New Zealand. The Group services a diverse range of industries right across the region, from agriculture, oil and gas, aluminium and automotive to marine, mining and resources, food and beverage and forestry. LINX Cargo Care Group has the regional capabilities and global connections to develop innovative, integrated supply chain solutions with sustainable growth opportunities. See also https://linxcc.com.au/