Need a telehandler and a wheel loader? With the Sennebogen 355 E one Scottish firm is enjoying many of the benefits of both classes of construction plant in just one machine.
Scotbark can already boast 30 years’ experience in the manufacture and distribution of premium bark mulch and, with a massively expanding customer base and product range, that expertise now extends into the supply of a comprehensive portfolio of garden and landscaping materials. The Glasgow-based company has already been successfully running two Sennebogen 305 machines for the past 10 years, but new business has called for further investment.
Supplied by Molson Green, the Sennebogen 355 E telehandler is the first of the new “Multi Line” product range, but how does it compare to conventional telehandlers? After getting behind the wheel, Scotbark’s impression is that there is a lot more power at play. “We needed a telehandler with wheel loader capabilities to successfully carry out our busy operations,” explains Michael Boyle, Managing Director at Scotbark. “It is in operation pretty much constantly, dealing with both incoming orders at night and handling things during the day, and with the 355 E we can turn customer orders around really quickly.”
The machine combines the best features of a wheel loader and a telehandler in one machine. It is strong and robust like a wheel loader but, at the same time, sturdy and stable like a telehandler. The “Z-kinematics” usually associated with a wheel loader provide very high breakaway force and mean that the bucket can deal with the mountain of bark mulch on the Scotbark site. Multi-line by name and multi-tasking by nature, thanks to the series-standard hydraulic Sennebogen quick-change system, the unit can also be fitted with a lifting fork in seconds.
Scotbark is particularly impressed by the large loading capacity of the hold-down shovel, which can scoop up to 3m³ of material, considerably speeding up the loading of bark mulch, and Michael Boyle is enthusiastic about its capabilities: “The 355 E has the right bucket capacity for loading everything quickly, from bulk bags to pick-up trucks to our largest 100 m3 walking floor trailers. In addition, the elevating Multicab, with its all-round view, provides an unsurpassed level of occupational safety in our busy yard.”
“When I am sat almost 4metres above ground level, I don’t have to strain my neck to load high-sided vehicles,” adds operator, Ben Lang. “It’s not just the direct view provided by the elevating cab that’s great – the mirror package and the rear-view cameras are also brilliant for operator comfort because they mean that I don’t have to turn my head so often to check for obstacles behind me. Compared to conventional telehandlers, the 355 E is the perfect machine for this work. There are so many factors that mean it is playing in a completely different league – its power, smooth control, maneuverability, outstanding breakaway force and the excellent view from the elevating cab.”
