Bobcat has introduced its new T40170 17-metre telehandler, which has a patented side shifting system offering a lateral shift up to 1,200mm (+/-600mm) at maximum height.

The system functions with no loss of capacity and unlike traditional self-levelling systems, the side shift can be operated on both wheels and stabilisers and forms part of the self-levelling system on the T40170, which offers a tilt capability of +/- 4 degrees.

A T40170 was purchased by Hull Bulk Handling Ltd for material-handling applications and routine maintenance work on dockside cranes at the Port of Hull in East Yorkshire. AMS Bobcat, the Scunthorpe-based Bobcat distributor for Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire, supplied it.

"Equipped with the new Bobcat man platform attachment, the T40170 is providing Hull Bulk with savings in time, money and manpower as the company no longer has to hire in expensive mobile cranes to carry out maintenance on the dockside cranes," a Bobcat statement said. Tom Cressey, terminal manager at Hull Bulk Handling, said: "Previously routine maintenance was a time-consuming task, which lost the company valuable unloading time while the cranes were left idle. With the introduction of the new Bobcat telehandler, a fitter can now quickly change the oil in the crane's motors and have all of the relevant parts and oil stored in the man basket with him."

The new Bobcat telehandler is also being used for ship-trimming duties, where it is especially useful for accessing and removing product hanging in the ribs above the holds of ships.

Cressey described a unique application, where the telehandler has been used to remove frozen coal from the hold of a Russian cargo ship: "Once the cranes have finished removing the product, there will often be a wall of frozen coal set against either side of the hold. We can now position the telehandler a safe distance away from the coal wall and use the telescopic boom to reach out and prod the top of the wall until it collapses. By using the telehandler's side-shifting system we can jab various positions along the top of the wall, without continually repositioning the telehandler."

As well as the man platform, AMS Bobcat has supplied the T40170 with a variety of other Bobcat attachments. One of eight models in the Bobcat telehandler range, the new Perkins-powered, T40170 telehandler at Hull Bulk Handling has a maximum lift capacity of 4 tonnes, though the capacity at the maximum lift height of 17 m is 2.5 tonnes and that at maximum reach (13 m) is 0.5 tonne.

As well as telehandlers, AMS Bobcat supplies the market-leading range of 12 Bobcat skidsteer loader models with operating weights ranging from 1.2 to 4.5 tonnes and rated operating capacities from 317 to 1600 kg. These are complemented by the high performance Bobcat T190 and T200 Compact Tracked Loaders. AMS also offers a new family of nine Bobcat mini-excavators with operating weights from 1.5 to 5.5 tonnes and a range of more than 50 Bobcat attachments for use with Bobcat loaders, mini-excavators and telehandlers.