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(L-R) are Dan Durkin, territory manager of EarthworX Equipment; Charles Carlyle, buyer/independent purchasing, Fresenius Kabi; and Christopher Chirichetti, facilities manager, also of Fresenius Kabi.
To satisfy its goal of using environmentally friendly compact equipment for various uses both outdoors and indoors, Fresenius Kabi USA, a global healthcare and pharmaceutical company in Warrendale, Pa., turned to EarthworX Equipment to provide it with solutions.
Fresenius Kabi specializes in creating lifesaving medicines and technologies for infusion, transfusion and clinical nutrition. These three lines of business represent areas where the company believes it can put its unique science and manufacturing capabilities to work to have the greatest positive impact on health care. Its products and services are used to help care for critically and chronically ill patients.
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Fresenius Kabi chose the EarthworX branch in Pittsburgh, Pa., to supply it with the GiANT G2200E electric compact articulating wheel loader for use in building maintenance, loading/unloading freight and removing snow from its parking lots.
EarthworX Equipment is a certified woman-owned business affiliate of Ditch Witch Mid-States that sells, services and supports GiANT loaders and telehandlers in Ohio, Kentucky, southern Indiana and western Pennsylvania. The company also is an authorized dealer of Bandit hand-fed woodchippers and stump grinders at select dealership locations.
"We were looking for something ‘green' and powerful in a small compact wheel loader and this fit all our needs," said Christopher Chirichetti, facilities manager of Fresenius Kabi. "The G2200E works great indoors for tight spaces with zero emissions, and it has great visibility and a tight turning radius, which is needed to maneuver around the inside of our plant. It's also very safe and easy to operate. Our operators are very impressed with its versatility, power and ease of operations."
In addition, the G2200E's high torque electric motors climb ramps and push snow more effectively, he said.
Produced in the Netherlands and distributed to U.S. dealerships like EarthworX through Tobroco Machinery LLC in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the GiANT brand also is found on telehandlers and mini-skid steer models.
The GiANT G2200E electric articulating wheel loader sports a regular boom and has a hinge pin height of up to 111.2 in. The manufacturer's X-Tra boom model has a tipping load of up to 4,530 lbs.
Rather than using an internal combustion engine, the G2200E is powered by motors utilizing lithium-ion batteries.
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As a result, the compact articulating wheel loader offers higher energy density, longer operating times and fast-charging capabilities, according to GiANT. A 260-ampere-hour (aH), 48-volt lithium-ion battery fills the space where the engine is traditionally located (390 aH or 520 aH batteries are optional). It also has two separate electric motors: 6.5 kilowatt (kW) for the drive train and 12 kW for the working hydraulics.
The articulating wheel loader can work longer hours because its battery is rechargeable within 90 minutes, via an extra supercharger, according to the manufacturer.
Among the other key features of the GiANT G2200E are:
- A regenerative braking system that captures and converts braking energy into electrical energy when it travels downhill. This energy is then used to recharge the batteries, increasing overall efficiency.
- Its operation produces significantly less noise and vibration when compared with the G2200E's diesel-powered predecessors, making it ideal for working in noise-sensitive areas or during evening operations. This also creates a more comfortable working environment for operators, improving productivity and reducing fatigue.
- No exhaust emissions are expelled from the electric articulating wheel loader and, as such, it can be safely utilized in most areas of Fresenius Kabi's production facility and campus.
- The electric drivetrain allows for precise operator control over power output, resulting in improved safety, especially in tight areas.
- Both the G2200E and G2200E X-Tra have a maximum speed of up to 11.2 mph.
- The wheel loader has universal fittings, hoses and a universal full-size attachment plate, which prevents owners from needing multiple attachments that do not fit their previous model.
Among the advantages of electric wheel loaders is that they require less maintenance because of fewer components, which would be prone to wear and tear, according to GiANT. Also, fewer moving parts means less friction and heat, resulting in reduced component wear and tear. As a more energy-efficient machine, the G2200E results in lower operating costs over its lifespan.
Fresenius Kabi Meets Its ‘Green' Goals
Dan Durkin, western Pennsylvania territory manager of EarthworX Equipment, said he was pleased to be able to help fulfill Fresenius Kabi's objectives in obtaining the right equipment for its facility in the northern Pittsburgh suburbs.
"This was our first transaction with Fresenius Kabi," he said. "The customer's goal was to convert to environmentally friendly solutions throughout their operation and inquired about our ‘green' offerings. Based upon their needs, I was able to offer our GiANT G2200E electric wheel loader. Fresenius had originally owned a diesel-powered wheel loader and was rather disappointed with its performance because they said it was underpowered for their applications. We took that machine as a trade-in and now the customer absolutely loves the G2200E.
"Fresenius Kabi has also been great to work with and I look forward to working with them in the future," he added. "They are another very satisfied and valued customer of EarthworX Equipment."
The feeling was mutual within the pharmaceutical company in Warrendale, Pa.
"EarthworX Equipment had exactly what we needed and were very easy to work with throughout the entire process," said Charles Carlyle, buyer/independent purchaser of Fresenius Kabi. "They were also very helpful in getting us out of our previous [set of] equipment and attachments that we no longer needed. This was the last piece of equipment to make us all ‘green' and [it] has worked out very well."
For more information, visit www.earthworxequipment.com. CEG
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