A new JCB 532-70 Agri telehandler is already proving a good bet at a Queensland racecourse.
Plenty of work goes on behind the scenes at Caloundra’s Sunshine Coast Turf Club. Keeping the track and its surrounds in the best shape possible is exacting, non-stop work.
But the recent purchase of a JCB 532-70 Agri telehandler has made one of those unglamorous and unappreciated daily tasks much easier and more efficient.
Murray Weeding spent more than two decades as racecourse and facilities manager before moving into a new role overseeing infrastructure projects and asset management.
“We’re initiating a new waste-management system for the stables at the track,” he explained. “At the moment, we basically utilise two 40-litre wheelie bins and might have 150 or 160 wheelie bins every day that our guys are manually handling. We’re going to use the telehandler with 2.8m bulk bins for waste manure, and then, with the rotating forks, we’ll be able to unload into a semi tipper to manage it in bulk.”
A sure thing
It was a word-of-mouth recommendation that led to the initial enquiry and a good dealership experience that got the purchase over the line.
“We had some good referrals from others doing the same sort of work,” Weeding recounted. “They used JCB as well, and the referral they gave based on the experience they’d had was that it’s really the one to go for. They’d found it to be reliable and easy to operate.”
Weeding reached out to his nearest JCB dealer – Wideland Group in Toowoomba – and dealt with branch manager Paul Todd. Despite being located about 200km away from the dealership, Weeding said Wideland was happy to organise a JCB 532-70 loan machine for the club to test its suitability.
“Paul was very proactive and provided us with a loaner which we hired for a couple of weeks and basically got a feel for it,” Weeding said. “Wideland went out of its way, which is great, and our experience has been nothing but positive. Paul and the guys at Wideland were great and the service and back up is really strong.”
Trusted design
JCB’s 532-70 Agri telehandler offers a 150hp (112kW) engine, has a 7m maximum lift height and 3200kg maximum lift capacity. A top speed of 40kph is ideal for moving quickly between locations, and the new CommandPlus cab gives operators plenty of comfort during long days on the job.
It also offers a 12% increase in size, 50% reduction in cabin noise and a 14% increase in upward visibility compared to previous models, all of which combine to create what JCB describes as a best-in-class cabin.
JCB’s DieselMAX engine drives the machine, and regenerative hydraulics harness gravitational force to reduce excessive revving. Boom-end damping improves material retention and makes for a smoother work cycle, while auto bucket control makes it easier to fully empty material from a bucket or fork via an easy-to-access button on the joystick.
A one-piece fully welded chassis maximises strength and minimises weight, while the boom is mounted low in the chassis for structural rigidity.
Finally, hydraulic hoses are routed through the boom for maximum protection.
New toy
The JCB telehandler has been an interesting experience for its new operators.
As the current waste-management system will be a vastly different to the previous method, there’s been some settling in.
“We’ve been trialling for a little while in terms of how much we’re going to be able to manage in the 2.8m bins and how much weight you can carry,” Weeding offered. “We’ve got the trainers all teed up with how they’re going to manage the material in the bins, so we’re very happy.”
The JCB’s part in waste management will be just one of many jobs it will handle.
“I think it’ll be quite a multi-use machine,” said Weeding cheerfully. “It’s certainly got the makings of being of great assistance in what we’re doing, and as we become more familiar with it and spend more time with it, the guys will turn to it as the go-to machine.”
To find your nearest JCB dealer visit jcbcea.com.au or phone 1300 522 232.
