Here in Europe, the cradle of high-reach demolition excavator development, the evolutionary process has branched into two distinct development areas.
On the one hand, Dutch manufacturer and modifier Rusch seems determined to secure and maintain its place in the record books, producing machines that can reach ever higher, even though its 90 metre behemoth has barely turned a track in anger.
UK-based Kocurek Excavators Ltd, meanwhile, is concentrating its efforts on taking ever larger demolition attachments to heights in the 25 to 30 metre range.
And we can exclusively reveal that the market-leading excavator conversion company is currently inviting customers from across the world to its UK headquarters to see a machine that combines a Hitachi EX1200 excavator with a Triple Articulated Boom. The photo above shows the machine before the front-end equipment has been attached.
Although both manufacturer and customer are keeping many of the specs close to their chest, Demolition Digest understands that the finished machine will weigh in at more than 200 tonnes and be able to take a 25 tonne shear attachment to a 20 metre working height. A 15 tonne tool can be used at 30 metres while a fly dipper will extend reach to 35 metres where the machine can still wield a seven tonne attachment.
The machine has its first job in February and is expected to be fully complete by the end of January; it is our intention to visit the machine for a closer look before then.
