MMC Norilsk Nickel, one of the leaders in the Russian mining industry, has purchased five new Bobcat TR50.210 rotary telehandlers and related attachments from the Bobcat Authorised Dealer in Russia, NAK Machinery. These are first of the new range of Bobcat rotary telehandlers to be purchased in Russia and the biggest order since their launch in December last year.
A New Solution Born Out of a Strong Ongoing Relationship
In 2021, MMC Norilsk Nickel finished the reconstruction of its warehouse complex in Norilsk, a city in Krasnoyarsk Krai, located above the Arctic Circle. This project was part of a long-term modernization of the Unified Warehouse Facility (UWF) run by the company. This facility supplies material and technical resources to all the production departments of the Polar Division, subsidiaries and third-party organizations of the Norilsk Industrial District.
One of the main elements of the modernization was the renovation of the equipment fleet, including the telehandlers. New machines were needed to improve the speed and quality of cargo handling. Given the extreme climatic conditions in the region beyond the Arctic Circle, the company needed reliable special equipment capable of working in any situation, even when the average winter temperature is around −30 °C.
Specialists at MMC Norilsk Nickel have been working with Bobcat products for a long time and have first-hand experience with the durability of these machines. This fact together with the long-term relationship with Krasnogorsk-based NAK Machinery, the largest Authorised Bobcat Dealer in Russia, predetermined the choice of the Bobcat new TR50.210 model. These rotary telehandlers, launched in December 2020, are unique in the Russian market. MMC Norilsk Nickel also purchased a range of attachments for the new machines, including light material buckets, pallet forks and a crane jib.
“The delivery of the new Bobcat TR50.210 machines is a first for our company in rotary telehandlers, but we are confident that the customer will appreciate this new line, and we will receive new orders for such equipment in the future,” said Andrey Gerasimov, Bobcat Brand Manager at NAK Machinery.
Growing Market for Rotary Telehandlers
Evgeny Supletsov, Country Manager for Russia & CIS for Bobcat said: “In the EMEA region, the concept of rotary telehandlers is gaining popularity and in the last five years showed strong growth from 1035 units in 2015 to 1809 units in 2020. In fact, about 85% of all global sales of these machines came from EMEA, and that is why Bobcat has brought new models of this class to the market.
“We are delighted that our long-time partner MMC Norilsk Nickel became one of the first customers for these new machines. This demonstrates a high level of confidence in Bobcat’s special equipment, and we are sure that the quality of our machines will meet the harsh conditions in which they will have to work.”
Challenging Logistics through Northern Sea Route
Thanks to the close cooperation between Norilsk Nickel and NAK Machinery, the companies were able to successfully coordinate the complicated process of delivering the new equipment. Norilsk is not connected to the mainland by roads, so the machines could only be delivered by the Northern Sea Route.
In the first part of the journey, the telehandlers were transported by trailers to the seaport of Murmansk, and then went by sea to the port of Dudinka, from where they finally reached their destination on trailers again. In spite of such a difficult and long route, the delivery went according to plan and without any delays.
A New Multifunctional Recruit
Bobcat rotary telehandlers have a number of features that make them versatile and suitable for a variety of industries and applications. The possibility to rotate the platform through 360° allows the operator to move a load anywhere within the reach of the boom without having to change the machine’s position. This is ideal in densely built-up cities or in warehouses, where manoeuvring space is limited. Versatility is also offered by the wide range of Bobcat attachments for the rotary telehandlers, which allow the customer to optimize machines for different tasks.
The Bobcat TR50.210 is the middle model in the new range of rotary telehandlers, designed specifically for the Russian and CIS markets, but also for use in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The lift capacity of the TR50.210 is 5 tonne and it can lift loads up to a height of 21 m.
Features of the Machine
Like all the new rotary telehandlers, the Bobcat TR50.210 is highly automated, which simplifies the work of the operator, as well as enhancing the reliability of the machine and increasing safety on site. For example, the 134 HP engine can automatically adjust its speed depending on the load, and the rear axle is equipped with automatic hydraulic locking.
The cab is also fitted with a wide range of features designed to increase comfort and therefore productivity. For example, its patented design includes an overpressure and full-flow air filtration system, as well as air conditioning, which allows the operator to work in difficult weather and environmental conditions. The machine’s fully glazed cab is offset to the side, giving the operator superior visibility. At the same time, a large touchscreen display, intuitive controls, certified ROPS/FOPS protection systems, an adjustable steering column and a comfortable, fully adjustable seat make operating the machine easy and safe.
Thanks to RFID technology, the loader automatically recognizes attachments while loading and displaying a chart of the load characteristics. This allows the machine to be ready to work almost immediately, and the displayed diagram helps the operator to keep track of the load’s centre of gravity.