NEW PHILADELPHIA, OH – Automatic transmissions and a new, high-visibility paint scheme punctuate the introduction of Gradall's Series IV highway speed excavators at ConExpo-Con/Agg, the construction equipment's global trade show March 22-26 in Las Vegas.
"Gradall is extremely pleased to offer, as standard equipment, our AutoDrive automatic transmission drive system on our Series IV excavators with highway speed undercarriages," said Bill Thomas, vice president of Gradall excavator products.
"More than 60 years ago, Gradall first introduced the concept of putting excavator productivity on a highly mobile chassis that could be driven to various job sites, without the cost and expense of a lowboy trailer. Putting our AutoDrive system in the modern, highly productive successors to those early models represents a major advancement and convenience that can impact positively on operator training as well as increase job satisfaction."
The AutoDrive system has a new six-speed Allison transmission with a push-button control in the undercarriage truck cab. The system interfaces with a new Cushman transfer case -- the heart of a new remote drive design that enables operators in the upper cab to efficiently reposition the machine around job sites or over the length of a roadside ditch.
The AutoDrive system as well as an XL 4100 IV model will be on display in Gold Lot Booth #150. The XL 4100 IV weighs about 49,000 pounds, while the AutoDrive system also is standard on the XL 3100 IV model weighing about 41,000 lbs. and the XL 5100 IV model weighing about 57,000 pounds.
"Each of these models can be driven over back roads as well as interstate highways, enabling them to work at one or more sites in a single day and then easily return to the safety of the equipment yard at night," said Thomas. "Our AutoDrive feature just made this process even more efficient."
New Series IV models also feature a new yellow paint scheme with red and black accents, replacing the grey scheme with red and black accents on Gradall machines since around 2000.
The yellow helps us differentiate our new Series models at first glance," said Thomas. "Plus, because our machines do multiple jobs all over active job sites, the new color responds to customer requests for even higher visibility in accordance with their stepped-up safety initiatives."
Series IV highway speed models also feature Tier 4i Mercedes engines that meet the latest EPA standards. The engines are carefully engineered to efficiently and cost-effectively power the undercarriage at speeds of up to 60 mph on highway, or 5 mph for repositioning around job sites from the upperstructure cab. The same engine also powers the upperstructure swing as well as the famous Gradall telescoping, tiling boom movements.
With load-sensing, high pressure hydraulics, today's Gradall excavators can handle conventional excavator digging and demolition as well as sloping, finishing, storm and canal cleanup, tree trimming and many other jobs using a host of attachments.
Other Series IV advances include a high-performance, high-reliability 24-volt electrical system and new high-visibllity LED lighting.
The new yellow scheme also will be used in the production of Gradall's crawler machines as well as models with single cabs and wheeled undercarriages designed to work on pavement as well as in off-road conditions. Included in the ConExpo booth will be a XL 4200 III crawler model.
Over 80 percent of the service parts on each Gradall machine are interchangeable, simplifying inventory processes to assure normal service parts are available.
ConExpo-Con/Agg is held every three years and is expected to attract 150,000 people from throughout the world to see equipment innovations on display in 2.2 million square feet of exhibit space.
On display with Gradall excavators will be a Vacall AllExcavate machine, a new hydro excavator that draws upon Vacall's jetting and vacuum power that leads the industry in sewer cleaning. Vacall products also are produced by Gradall Industries. The booth also will feature a new street sweeper by Schwarze Industries of Huntsville, Alabama, and a Rivard trencher manufactured in France.
All machines manufactured by Gradall Industries meet or exceed ISO 9001-2008 standards for quality. For information, visit www.gradallindustries.com or call 330-339-2211.
Alamo Group, Inc.: For 40 years, we've been a world leader in the design, manufacture, distribution and service of high quality equipment for right-of-way maintenance and agriculture. Our products include tractor and truck mounted mowing and other vegetation maintenance equipment, excavators, street sweepers, vacuum trucks, snow removal equipment, pothole patchers, agricultural attachments and related aftermarket parts and services. We currently produce and assemble products in 16 principal facilities worldwide. Our products are sold through Alamo Group's marketing organizations and our extensive independent worldwide dealer networks under various trademarks and trade names. These include Alamo Industrial, Tiger, Schwarze, Gradall, Vacall, Nite-Hawk, Henke Manufacturing, Schulte, Rhino, M & W, SMC, Herschel, Valu-Bilt, Bomford, Spearhead, McConnel, Twose, SMA, Forges Gorce, Faucheux, Rousseau, Rivard, and others. Alamo Group went public in 1993 and since 1995 has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange as ALG. Visit our website at www.alamo-group.com.
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