VIDEO: Chisago County Puts Mecalac to Work on Drainage Project
Wed January 06, 2021 - Midwest Edition #1 CEG
The Chisago County Public Works department took advantage of the unusually mild Minnesota December weather to complete a project ahead of schedule. The task involved installing a drain tile and ensuring proper drainage for a natural spring.
The spring on County Road 16 near Taylor Falls, Minn., freezes up during the winter, diverting the natural flow. This causes it to run across the road toward the St. Croix River. Due to the issues caused by ice dams forming, vehicles and plows encounter damage throughout the season. Occasionally, the road needs to be closed for safety purposes.
After excavating for proper drainage beneath the road and installing drain tile, the crew needed to add top soil along the edge of the road. A combination of equipment, including an excavator, wheel loader and track loader, is usually required for this type of project.
However, for this project, the public works department was using the new Mecalac AS700 swing loader, the newest model in Mecalac's newly-developed Boosterline lineup. The unique features of this machine combine the capabilities of an excavator and a wheel loader into one machine.
The slender Monoboom increases the working area between the wheels by as much as 32 percent over a standard wheel loader of similar size. This allows maximum utilization of the swing area. The Mecalac 4-wheel steering system with automatic alignment ensures maximum stability and maneuverability.
Whatever is lifted by the bucket at the front, once the rear axle is locked, can be turned through 180 degrees without loss of balance.
Due to stability in all positions and on all terrains, the swing loader is able to transform the logistics of many construction sites, according to the company. Whatever the circumstances, it never loses its equilibrium whether moving on site, between sites or during the various work stages, maintaining its mobility while reliably and securely overcoming any obstacles with ease, according to Mecalac. Its small turning radius ensures a high degree of maneuverability, even on the most confined sites.
Mike Strobel, maintenance supervisor, sees additional benefits to this multi-functional machine. He said it can take hours to get multiple pieces of equipment to project sites. This machine can drive to many of their locations without the need to trailer.
The AS700 does the work of a skid steer loader, a wheel loader and an excavator. The swing design on the front bucket allows the operator to keep the machine in one lane, eliminating the need to maneuver the machine in a tight work space. This makes the job site safer and keeps the road open to traffic.
Urban construction sites are often congested, work space is limited and ground conditions are often compromised. Designed around a one-piece frame with three steering modes as standard — 2-wheel steering, 4-wheel steering and crab mode — the mobility of this machine is extremely versatile.
Four-wheel steering, combined with the 180-degree swivel arm, means the Mecalac AS700 can perform a complete rotation on a footprint that is 20 percent smaller than that of a conventional loader of similar size, according to the manufacturer.
After completing the job in record time, the Chisago County crew liked what they saw. Versatility and power with the service and support from their local midwest Mecalac dealer, Trenchers Plus of Burnsville, Minn. Nate Rabideaux, sales professional of Trenchers Plus, delivered the machine for demo and answered any questions that the county had.
"It has been a great machine for contractors, landscapers and city and county departments for snow removal, site prep, finishing work, nearly anything you need two machines for you can get done with just one," said Rabideaux.
For more information, visit trenchersplus.com/ and mecalac.com/en. CEG
