Innovative Iron Award: The Merlo P 25.6 Telehandler
Exploration is the engine that drives innovation, so let’s go exploring. Let’s search through a year’s worth of creative ideas in the off-highway equipment industry and see if we can benchmark the innovative exploration of the American machine market. Over the last 12 months, global manufacturers from Caterpillar to Kubota have released compact machines that have set new standards for power, versatility, efficiency and design. Our editors have traveled across the globe to meet these manufacturers, operate their new products and give detailed reports and opinions both in print and on our website (compactequip.com). We sifted through the hundreds of models and brands released in 2015 and picked 19 units that set the bar for innovation. With this article, we salute those companies (from Komatsu to Case) that have changed the commercial equipment market over the last year with their unique, interesting and innovative machines, engines and technologies.
The Merlo P 25.6 Is Bringing Small Telehandlers to New Heights
The concept of a compact telehandler was first invented by Merlo back in 1991, with the revolutionary P 20.6. Thanks to a unique concept, it was the sector benchmark for many years. When designing the P 25.6, Merlo engineers focused on safety and size, resulting in a machine that’s only 5 ft, 10 in. wide and less than 6 ft, 2 in. tall. The P 25.6 features a 75-hp engine, a maximum load capacity of 5,500 lbs, a maximum lift height of 19 ft, 4 in. and a maximum reach of 10 ft, 8 in. This machine has the largest in-class cab and a maximum speed of 25 mph. The chassis architecture on the P 25.6 is innovative. The telescopic boom is extremely compact and is built using the tried-and-tested Merlo system of having all the mechanical workings, including extension components, hydraulic and electrical systems, within the boom structure.
To see the rest of Compact Equipment’s Innovative Iron Awards, click this link.
