Mecalac combines a wheeled compact excavator, loader, and telehandler into one machine

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. It is also a tool carrier that can handle attachments, such as asphalt planers and flail mowers, that require high-flow hydraulics. The 12MTX reduces the need for multiple pieces of equipment on the job site in industries such as construction, roadbuilding, landscaping, utility, tunnelling, 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."

A three-piece, variable angle, side-mounted boom provides the 12MTX with compactness and an ideal range of motion, allowing it to work in areas mono-boom excavators can't. It can extend nearly straight in almost any direction or fold back on itself for maximum compactness and higher lifting capability. This compactness shines when 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. Operators can enjoy an increased working envelope while limiting the need to reposition the machine. 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 easily change operating modes between park, excavator, loader, and travel.

The 12MTX's 20-mph top speed allows the machine to navigate job sites quickly, giving operators the option to drive to a site or gas station without loading it onto a trailer. The 12MTX can work side by side with trucks or carry 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 take advantage of the 12MTX for static loading thanks to the low position of the dipper stick cylinder. The machine can lift up to four tons and the engine is positioned in the rear, offering a removed counterweight for greater freedom of handling and movement with larger roads. The 12MTX is a capable handler in all types of terrain. An articulated undercarriage, four-wheel drive, and five different tire options keep the machine sufficiently grounded.

The machine features high-flow hydraulics with a 37-gpm maximum flow rate – higher than a standard excavator and similar to high-flow skid steers and compact track loaders. Operators can go beyond what a mini excavator typically offers by equipping it with a range of attachments, such as a loader bucket, snow removal equipment, mowers, compactors, and planers utilizing Mecalac's CONNECT quick coupler system. The 12MTX uses a flow rate memory function that allows users to save up to six different profiles/tools for quick, intuitive switching without the need to input manual settings when going from one attachment to the next.

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. Once inside, operators will enjoy a spacious, ergonomic layout with visibility and minimal blind spots. The 12MTX provides ideal visibility due to the boom's position to the left of the cab so that even when dumping from its maximum height of 16 feet, 5 inches (5 metres), the operator maintains visibility without the boom obstructing their view.