DANIEL Bütikofer has been utilising Bobcat telehandlers since opening his wood construction business in the Swiss town of Hünikon in 2003.
The firm’s work includes roofing, interior finishing and property extensions and restoration projects but also smaller carpentry jobs.
Part of the work involved in wood construction is the transport and lifting of heavy materials. Initially, Daniel used a Bobcat T40170 rigid frame telehandler, but with the arrival of a new TR50.250 rotary model, he has found more flexibility.
Despite its compactness, the rotary telehandler boasts a 134 HP Stage V engine, lifting loads with a maximum lifting weight of five-tonnes up to a lifting height of 25m.
Bobcat said the machine is ‘safe and stable’ due to pivoting stabilisers. “Thanks to additional attachments such as a winch, work basket, pallet fork and radio control, we have already used this telehandler on various jobs such as lifting heavy building materials and large skylights onto roofs,” Daniel said. “The serial RFID system not only automatically detects the identity of the installed attachments, but also loads the corresponding load diagrams directly onto the display. This allows us to keep an eye on the centre of gravity of the payload at all times.”
The rotary telehandler is slightly larger than its predecessor, but the radio control and the large, unobstructed front windshield allow Daniel Bütikofer and his two employees to control the model flexibly and have an ‘optimal’ view of the work site.
