Terex Fuchs committed to superior performance and unmatched support

Technology with a purpose

SAFETY, OPERATOR COMFORT AND AVOIDING DOWNTIME ARE AT THE HEART OF RECENT FEATURES AND UPGRADES INTRODUCED BY TEREX FUCHS.

Recycling facilities are designed for high throughput in a harsh environment. The heavy equipment preferred by recyclers needs to be durable and reliable more than it needs to have the latest technological bells and whistles. Having spent decades custom-designing material handlers for recyclers, Terex Fuchs knows where to focus its innovation and design effort: on the safety and comfort of machine operators and the production targets of yard managers.

Material handler operators are exposed to dangers and discomfort in many forms. Tons of material are being moved and carried; dust can be kicked up; other vehicles and workers on foot pose risks and hazards; blazing summer heat alternates with bone-chilling winter weather.

For an operator to make it through workdays without incident, the cabs designed and built by Terex Fuchs can be a tremendous ally. In 2017, the company’s cab design was selected from a field of more than 5,500 applicants across multiple European industries as an example of outstanding “innovation and elaboration, functionality, aesthetics, responsibility and positioning.”

The company’s cabs feature generous amounts of glass (with bullet and shatterproof glass as an option) for maximum visibility, plus an array of optional cameras to address any remaining potential blind spots.

A sliding glass door and a reinforced, underpinned platform provide safe access and maintenance workspace to operators and other employees. Intuitive joystick controls, a helpful display panel and attention to climate-control options bring Terex Fuchs machines as close to a “fatigue-free” workplace as possible.

When it comes to productivity, Terex Fuchs’ pioneering work in using telematics has helped it vault ahead of competitors in gathering information that can stave off the downtime situations recycling companies dread.

Telematics works behind the scenes to gather information automatically 24/7—neither owners nor dealers have to gather any data manually. The information is organized logically through the Terex Telematics portal, which presents the data to dealers and customers in organized reports.

Telematics data collected include a log of engine idling time. “This simple and measurable metric is a major cost concern to leasing costs, servicing costs, fuel and opportunity costs, which all add up to a significant burn rate per hour over every piece of equipment,” Terex Fuchs National Account Manager Anthony Laslavic says.

The precision sensors that take the telematics measurements provide feedback to maintenance personnel, dealer service staff and owners of recycling companies, providing real-time data on fault codes, failures and preventive maintenance schedules.

Laslavic says the set of data gathered is critical to 1) avoiding downtime by providing on-time service; 2) diagnosing minor issues before they become major issues (again, avoiding downtime); and 3) if a unit does go down, telematics information can eliminate costly trips back and forth and allow a dealer or service staff member to repair the machine appropriately in one visit.

“We’ve been a pioneer in telematics in this sector, having launched it in 2015,” Laslavic says. “We have tested and proven methods to turn the telematics feature into service techniques that prevent downtime and save customers money.”

For recyclers who demand that technology offer a return on investment, Terex Fuchs has cast its innovation effort in the right direction.

There for recyclers who are ready to grow

THREE TEREX FUCHS MHL350 UNITS HAVE BROUGHT THE PRODUCTIVITY AND RELIABILITY NEEDED BY TEXAS-BASED BRANNON INDUSTRIAL GROUP AS IT GROWS ITS SCRAP BUSINESS.

The Brenham, Texas-based Brannon Industrial Group is a family business that has operated its Premier Metal Buyers scrap metal facility since 2010.

The company’s 11-acre scrap metal yard is a bustling site, with three blurs of distinctive pale blue Terex MHL350 material handlers contributing to the in-motion productivity at the location.

CEO Mike Brannon and President Blake Brannon went with Terex in part because of their relationship with Trey Beck and Four Seasons Equipment, the Terex regional dealer. “Integrity is very important to us,” Mike says. “Trey Beck came across to us as a person of high integrity. He’s always accessible, which relates to uptime, which is one of the key elements in our business.”

Since taking delivery of the Terex units in 2019, the Brannons say they have been impressed by the level of support demonstrated by Terex and its dealer Four Seasons. Trey says of the Terex and Four Seasons philosophy, “Without parts and service availability, it’s just a machine. The support and the response time are key. It’s not about just making the sale, it’s about the support.”

Since 2015, Terex Fuchs has been part of the larger Terex Materials Processing corporate division—a business unit consisting almost entirely of brands and product lines with a focused understanding of materials recycling and the unique and rugged circumstances of the sector.

Terex Fuchs customers like the Brannons have warmed to the attention to safety and operator comfort that goes into the design of its material handlers. “The cabs are comfortable, and our operators like the layout,” Blake says. “The operators love them and, in turn, they take a little better care of them. It’s a win-win.”

Productivity aspects are important to Premier Metal Buyers as well. Blake says, “We went with the 350MHLs because of their reach and lifting power. The ability to have a slightly larger grapple increases loading efficiency as well as material movement in the yard. The 350MHL is a well-balanced machine—it’s big, but still extremely mobile.”

Thoughtful design, reliable productivity and the attentive support of the manufacturer and its dealers—that is a valuable combination to anyone shopping for a material handler to be deployed in the rough-and-tumble scrap recycling sector.