AT Intermat, Paris

Perkins aims 400-series engines at wide range of applications

The first of the new line, the 2.2-liter, 37-kW (50-hp) 404C-22, made its debut at Intermat in May. Perkins will bring out the rest of the line within two years. 

Perkins is clearly going for volume production with these engines. “I am extremely confident of growing Perkins’ share of the expanding market for smaller construction machinery,” said Peter Crowther, Perkins’ sales director, construction. 

The markets Perkins is targeting span the supply base for the rental industry, both for powering new OEM equipment and also for repowering existing inventory. And the rental market is evident in the design of these engines: power and torque performance up 10 percent over the previous 100-series, lower noise levels, lower cost of ownership, service intervals of 500 hours, two-year warranty, 2004-emissions compliance, an application-friendly, smaller engine envelope — and now Perkins has its own sales and product-support network in North America, instead of relying on the distribution agreement it had with Detroit Diesel. 

Manitou loader swings its arm wherever it needs to — this is real flexibility 
Sometimes a machine makes immediate sense the first time you lay eyes on it, and this Manitou swinging-arm loader is a prime example. Apparently Manitou thought the same thing, because it bought the company that originated them in 1994. This machine was made for the tight spots that characterize European work. The working width of the 0.5 m3 (0.65 cu. yd.) AS45 compact model is only 1.62 m (5 ft. 4 in.); the largest, straight-frame AS90’s working width is 2.03 m (6 ft. 8 in.); the AS90’s capacity is 0.9 m3 (1.18 cu. yd.). There is also a model in the middle. The machines range from 30 to 52 kW (40 to 70 hp) and all are hydrostatic. 

Casagrande augers down 59 ft.
Casagrande was one of several companies at Intermat exhibiting huge drilling rigs. Typical of these was the Casagrande B125 continuous-flight auger, which has a drilling depth of 18 m (59 ft.) and a maximum diameter of 800 mm (31 ft. 6 in.) and is powered by a 185-hp engine. This machine weighs in at 31,500 kg (69,300 lbs.). Tower cranes, a longstanding fixture of Euro-pean construction, dominated Intermat’s outside booths. 

Fiat-Hitachi mini-excavator has dig depth of 7 ft. 10 in.
Excavators have been the machine of choice among European and Japanese contractors for many years. Little wonder then that the Fiat-Hitachi partnership would produce a mini-excavator, given the growing popularity of these small machines. This FH17.2 Plus has a digging depth of 2.4 m (7 ft. 10 in.), 17.5 net hp, variable hydraulic track-gauge adjustment and pilot controls. The machine’s operating weight is 1,750 kg (3,850 lbs.). 

February 2001