Mecalac has introduced the 12MTX wheeled excavator loader to the North American market. The 12MTX combines the capabilities of a compact excavator, loader and telehandler into a single machine for digging, loading and material handling.
It also serves as a tool carrier that can handle attachments, such as asphalt planers and flail mowers, requiring high-flow hydraulics. With its functionality, the 12MTX eliminates the need for multiple pieces of equipment on the jobsite in industries such as construction, roadbuilding, landscaping, utility, tunneling, mining and forestry/tree care.
“Anyone who subscribes to the philosophy of ‘do more with less’ or is simply forced to do more with less will appreciate the 12MTX,” said Peter Bigwood, general manager for Mecalac North America. “It’s a compact machine that can work in a tight envelope and do virtually anything you’d expect from the typical jobsite mainstays — and do it all well. At a time when costs are high and labor is hard to come by, the 12MTX eliminates the need for a big crew, and the need to buy, maintain and haul numerous pieces of equipment.”
Operation
Mecalac
A three-piece, variable angle, side-mounted boom provides the 12MTX with compactness and range of motion. It can extend nearly straight in several directions or fold back on itself for compactness and higher lifting capability. This compactness is designed for working near an existing structure or roadway where a mono-boom excavator’s required footprint is too large, such as when laying pipe, putting in sidewalks, mowing along the road or other utility maintenance applications.
The machine offers an increased working envelope while limiting the need to reposition. When digging a trench, for example, the 12MTX doesn’t need to move and can continue digging — even until the bucket is under the machine if necessary. When it’s time to switch to a different application, a simple selector switch allows users to change operating modes between park, excavator, loader and travel.
The 12MTX’s 20-mph top speed allows the machine to navigate jobsites and gives operators the option to drive to a site or gas station without loading it onto a trailer. The top speed paired with the machine’s low center of gravity makes for powerful, stable handling. The 12MTX can work side by side with trucks or carrying a pallet loaded with material and lay it to rest on the other side of a wall or even next to the machine itself. Operators can use the 12MTX for static loading thanks to the low position of the dipper stick cylinder, which provides lifting and thrust strength.
The machine can lift up to four tons and the engine is positioned in the rear, offering a removed counterweight for freedom of handling and movement with large roads. The 12MTX is a capable handler in different types of terrain. An articulated undercarriage, four-wheel drive and five different tire options keep the machine grounded for precision and control.
Performance
The machine features high-flow hydraulics with a 37-gpm maximum flow rate. The excavator loader can be equipped with a range of attachments, such as a loader bucket, snow removal equipment, mowers, compactors and planers utilizing Mecalac’s patented CONNECT quick coupler system. The 12MTX uses a flow rate memory function that allows users to save up to six different profiles or tools for intuitive switching without the need to input manual settings when going from one attachment to the next.
Mecalac designed the 12MTX with user experience in mind. An automatically unfolding step allows the operator to safely enter and exit the cab — eliminating the risk of slipping on a tire while getting in and out of the machine. The operating cab offers visibility and minimal blind spots.
The 12MTX provides visibility due to the boom’s position to the left of the cab so that even when dumping from its maximum height of 16 ft., 5 in. (5 meters), the operator maintains visibility without the boom obstructing their view. An optional heated pneumatic seat, heat and air conditioning are available with this model.
