Komatsu Limited is a multinational corporation based in Tokyo, Japan. The company manufactures construction, military, and mining equipment. The company was founded in 1917 in Komatsu, Ishikawa, and has grown to produce some of the largest machines available in the world. Komatsu makes compact, small, medium, and large excavators for all kinds of dirt work. Komatsu mini excavators provide minimal tail swing in a compact format to facilitate urban construction, pipe-laying, gardening, and more. They are perfect for working in tight spaces. The engines run hydraulic pumps that provide the powerful, smooth motion of the bucket. Komatsu excavators range in weight from 1,985 pounds to 279,159 pounds.
Komatsu mini excavators range up to 11,380 pounds. Compact excavators from Komatsu have horsepower from 8.4 to 38.2. Digging depths on Komatsu compact excavators go from 4 feet 11 inches to 13 feet. The PC09-1 is the smallest mini excavator Komatsu makes. It operates with low levels of noise, allowing operators to work longer and more efficiently. Stability is improved with a triple flanged bottom flat roller. It has a 2-cylinder engine that has a water-cooled, 4-cycle turbulence chamber. The canopy structure is designed to protect the operator from the harsh sun, falling debris, and roll-over accidents. The cab provides larger space for comfort while operating.
Based in Rochester, New England, JCB or J.C. Bamford Excavators, Limited manufactures construction equipment, including, but not limited to, excavators. The company has 17 factories in countries other than the United Kingdom. The US factory is located in Pooler, Georgia. This 500,000 square foot facility near Savannah, Georgia serves over 120 distributors in the United States and Canada. JCB was founded in 1945 by Joseph Cyril Bamford. JCB is still family owned. In fact, JCB is the biggest privately-owned construction company in the world. One of their clients is the US Army, purchasing armored backhoe loaders (High Mobility Engineer Excavator) for use in Iraq and Afghanistan. The company manufactures eleven JCB mini excavators in the 8000 series.
The 8000 series compact excavators range in weight from 2,094 pounds to 18,188 pounds. Digging depths go from 5 feet 6 inches to 13 feet 10 inches. JCB mini excavators have horsepower that measures from 12.7 to 58. The smallest model (Micro 8008) is so small, it can fit through doorways. The tubular boom encases the hoses, protecting them from worksite damage. Despite its small size, the Micro 8008 provides the operator with plenty of leg space. Operation is easy with independent function controls. The open cab is made safer with a Tip Over Protection Structure (TOPS) that can be mounted on the front or back of the vehicle.
Deere and Company was founded by an American blacksmith named John Deere. He was born in Vermont lived from 1804 to 1886. In 1837, he moved to Illinois and began inventing and improving commercial farm equipment. Deere and Company, commonly referred to as John Deere, is a Fortune 500 corporation based in Moline, Illinois. The leading agricultural machine manufacturer in the world, the green and yellow John Deere logo is internationally recognizable. The corporation has extensions in twenty-seven countries. Most manufacturing is done in Illinois, Iowa, and Europe. John Deere mini-excavators come in five sizes to fit any job.
The operating weights of John Deere mini-excavators range from 1.893 metric tons to 6.193 metric tons. Digging depths go from 7 feet 1.4 inches to 12 feet 4 inches. Machine power ranges from 14.8 to 54 horsepower. The four smallest compact excavators have zero tail swing to prevent damage in tight worksites. The cabs are designed for operator safety, comfort, and visibility.
Some models have the option to add heat and air conditioning to the cab. Direct-injection diesel engines provide low noise and impressive power, with improved fuel efficiency. Some models also have an Auto-Idle feature when controls are released to reduce fuel consumption.
Although the field seems to be dominated by global giants that range from Nissan to Toyota, Hyster forklifts have made quite a name for themselves on a worldwide level, which is all the more impressive considering their rather humble beginnings. Hyster began back in the 1920’s in the Pacific Northwest region of the USA, as a logging equipment manufacturer. Their name is a reference to the lumber workers who would shout a cry of “Hoist’er” whenever a log was ready to be lifted. This is now used to refer to the forklifts, which still bear the distinction of being able to lift up heavy loads at any given time.
The history of Hyster forklifts is one that can be outlined by a series of different innovations in the timber field, using the power of harnesses and forklifts to help along the timber industry, which at the time was one of the leading industries in the region. One of the first Hyster lift trucks was the “BT” which sported a cable hoist system, invented in 1935.
In 1941, a smaller version of the lift truck was invented called the “handy Andy,” which was small enough to be used in office settings as well as out there in the wilderness, which was a major breakthrough in the field.
IHI stands for Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries. Based in Tokyo, Japan, the IHI Corporation was founded in 1853. The company produces heavy equipment and machinery for construction, mining, military, aircraft, space exploration, bridges, transportation, and industry. International company IHI Construction Machinery, Ltd. was created in 1952 under the IHI Corporation and US company Koehring. IHI Compact Excavator Sales, LLC distributes IHI products in North and South America. They sell twelve different mini excavators, including conventional and zero tail swing models.
IHI compact excavators range in weight from 2,060 pounds to 18,100 pounds. Digging depths on these mini excavators go from 5 feet 2 inches to 15 feet 1 inch. These machines run with horsepower from 10 to 58.7. One of the most unique and smallest of this series is the 9VX Electric mini excavator. The 9VX Electric weighs 2,100 pounds and runs on electricity.
There are no fumes, and the 5 horsepower Baldor engine runs with very low noise levels. It can travel at two speeds, comes with a 75 foot power cord, and can turn 360 degrees. The bucket has a digging depth of 5 feet and 2 inches. Standard expandable tracks retract to fit through tight passageways and expand to provide added stability.
The Yanmar Corporation was founded in 1912 and is based in Osaka, Japan. The Yanmar America Corporation is based in Adairsville, Georgia. Yanmar was the first company to market a true zero-tail swing excavator. This means that there is no need for a counterbalance “tail” on the back of a compact excavator. This technology made it possible to use mini excavators in very confined spaces. Yanmar mini excavators are built on their tradition of fuel-efficient engines. There are three main compact excavators manufactured by Yanmar: the ViO series, the SV series, and the B-Sigma.
ViO mini excavators are a line of machines with a true zero tail swing. The line is in its fifth generation model. It can turn in the width of the machine and maintain stability. The weight of the seven models in the ViO series ranges from 3,704 pounds to 17,530 pounds. Horsepower in the ViO models ranges from 13.5 to 58.2. The ViO excavators can dig to depths ranging from 7 feet 7 inches to 15 feet and 5 inches.
The smallest Yanmar mini excavator in the ViO line is the ViO17. With a housing that does not extend past the edges of the tracks it rides on, the ViO17 fits into very tight spaces. The undercarriage can contract and expand for the size of the space in which it needs to fit, yet the unit maintains stability.
A global company for a global environment, Nissan is well known for their automobiles, which is what most people associate them with. However, for those in the industrial sector, their lift trucks also have earned them a well deserved reputation of excellence that consistently ranks in the top ten companies in the world.
Nissan forklifts are manufactured in the headquarters of Marengo, Illinois. This is also the site of their North and South American headquarters, with a team of 350 professionals working on constantly improving the standards of quality that are manufactured here. From design to production, the emphasis is on consistent improvement to continue advancing the name that Nissan has built.
With such a heavy emphasis these days on environmental sustainability in the face of global warming, larger corporations are trying to do their part to meet new standards just as much as individuals are. Nissan is no exception, with their commitment to focusing on environmental responsibility. They have created new systems that minimize impacts of the factory production processes as well as the products that are in use. To learn more about those specifics, it’s a good idea to ask your local representative about those codes.
Takeuchi Manufacturing is a heavy equipment company founded in 1963 and based in Nagano, Japan. Takeuchi has subsidiaries in the United States, China, France, and the United Kingdom. In 1971, the first compact excavator was introduced in America by Takeuchi Manufacturing. The US Takeuchi Manufacturing plant is located near Atlanta, Georgia. They continue the tradition of innovation and excellence established by the parent company as they produce Takeuchi mini excavators in a 250,000 square foot facility. When tight spaces need dirt work, Takeuchi Manufacturing has solutions for contractors in different sizes and configurations.
Takeuchi Manufacturing in the United States produces ten traditional excavators and three zero swing excavators. The traditional excavators by Takeuchi weigh from 2,033 pounds to 31,878 pounds. The smallest Takeuchi mini excavators have a digging depth of 5 feet and 6 inches. The tracks are adjustable to help the machine fit through narrow openings. The boom swings 180 degrees. The tail swing radius is 31.5 inches.
Safety measures include a control panel lockout. The machine also boasts variable displacement piston pumps and a large capacity hydraulic oil cooler. Great power also allows Takeuchi excavators to keep moving in difficult work sites.
There is a fairly limited range of material handling products manufacturers that are currently making strides forward in a saturated market. Crown forklifts are one of those brands that are prized for ingenuity and a dedication to a high level of customer service and care. They were founded in 1956, with a different business approach that is based on vertical integration, rather than sourcing from outsiders. That means that every aspect of the Crown brand is designed to stand alone as its own product, from the outside in. The company manages to design and manufacture over 85% of the components that go into its forklifts.
This means that when you order Crown forklifts, you will find the highest quality that is possible. Crown oversees the manufacture of the motors, drive units, electronics modules, and most of the other key parts that go into each forklift, without sourcing these from outside mass manufacturers like other rival companies do.
The thinking behind this is that if you are sourcing from an outsider, you will not be able to have the same assurance of quality that you would if you are manufacturing each part yourself. Micromanaging leads to perfection in this case, with some of the most beautifully crafted forklifts on the market today.
Although Clark forklifts are not the most well-known of all forklift manufacturers, they have a quite steady following. At this very moment there are over 250,000 Clark trucks in operation throughout North America, and over 350,000 operating around the globe. With five major lines of products, they are able to meet a diverse range of needs. Those lines include electric riders, powered hand trucks, narrow-aisle stackers, dual fuel trucks, and diesel engines. This means that there is something for every business that needs to carry materials. Carrying capacities range from 1500 to 18000 pounds at one time, giving a wide range of power levels as well.
Because the Clark forklifts brand has been around now for over 90 years, they have built up a substantial client base and reputation that is mirrored in their extensive catalogues, and in their wide network of distributors. For example, they currently have over 120,000 parts that have been custom-built for all the lines of lift trucks.
These are manufactured in their two warehouses, in Louisville, Kentucky and Changwon, South Korea. Because they have dealerships and distribution deals around the world, these two warehouses allow them to meet local needs in a variety of different places.
