Quick clearing for roads&farms
The Tigercat is a forestry machine with a 2,2m-wide Fecon mulching head. It can clear bush of up to 400mm in diameter. At recent trials at Addo National Park it cleared extremely dense bush at a rate of five hours per hectare for a road. Mills expects it to be able to clear invasive thorn trees at around 8 000m2/hour.
“It’s ideal for recycling vegetation back into the top soil and creating a natural seedbed protected from wind or water erosion” says Harold Mills of recycling business The Woodchip Wizard. For farmers who are serious about opening up grazing land and eradicating invasive species as well as for building roads, it’s much more economical than heavy machinery. “It’s hired out at about R3 000/hour,” says Harold.
The Tigercat is ideal for:
New and existing fence-line clearing.
Firebreaks.
Thorn tree, wattle and Port Jackson eradication.
Orchard and pineapple-land clearing.
The company also has a plant consisting of a fully enclosed 8t Isuzu tipper truck which tows a Model 254 Bandit hand-fed chipping machine, and a Hino Rollback truck transports a radio-controlled Bandit Model 254 Chipper on low-impact rubber tracks, particularly useful where access is limited.
Both chippers can chip anything up to 350mm in diameter. The chips are either scattered on the ground in the surrounding area or into the back of a tipper for compost. These chippers and recyclers can work timber of up to 300mm at a rate of 30m/ min. They work well in combination with the Tigercat, where it’s necessary to clean up the area and labour is available.
Swedish trailer technology in SA
The Swedish company Thule has invested R20 million into the South African trailer market. The first Thule trailer manufacturing plant in Africa now produces a range of 21 products, including several specifically for the agricultural sector. Calie Stassen, Thule SA’s managing director, says a host of specifications distinguish these trailers.
The wheels have pressed rims fitted with radial-ply tyres and independent wheel suspension ensures stable road holding. Axles are supplied by a leading European manufacturer. All the trailers in the range are fully galvanised with marine-plywood rubberised floors. The Bravo, three-way Tipper and Car Transport trailers, however, are fitted with galvanized floors.
All the panels are removable and can easily be replaced.
The state of the art Red Princess double horse trailer is the company’s flagship product and it’s aimed at the agricultural market. It boasts a patented safety device and it’s virtually soundproof. “Horses are extremely sound-sensitive and our trailers have been designed with that in mind,” explains Stassen. “The fibreglass trailers are put through an array of ultrasonic sound tests to allow as little sound through as possible.”
The trailer’s overall dimensions are 4 900mm x 2 290mm x 2 820mm with a gross weight and payload of 2 700kg.
The sturdy Bravo 310 TB can carry a load of 1 490kg. It has a drop-down back and sides and can be used for a multitude of tasks on a farm. Thule also markets a variety of recreational trailers.
These give the client the option of initially buying the basic trailer, followed by additional accessories if and when needed. Trailer prices range from R7 000 to R130 000. – Annelie Coleman
For information contact Auriel Mitchley on (011) 889 0796 or e-mail [email protected]. |fw
