Bell - Having a ball?

Times have been hard for manufacturers of construction industry-related equipment, but the smarter brands have been busy taking a closer look at their product ranges - and have been looking to diversify. And a good example of this policy has been announced by Bell Equipment.The company has recently launched a range of hydraulic wheeled loaders 'custom-designed' for the waste and recycling sectors, following the launch of the rebranded (the units are actually built by John Deere) seven model 'E-Series' range last October.A number of specification upgrades have been made to meet the tough operational demands of waste industry - including belly guards, cab screen guards and the option of solid (fill) tyres. But the more important changes centre on the use of highlift loader arms to enable high-sided refuse bulker trailers to be loaded and the use of what Bell calls the 'Quad Cool' cooling system. This is standard on all Bell machines and is designed to prevent dust and other airbourne debris entering and then restricting the cooling process.Using wide-core radiators for engine, transmission and hydraulic oil in a separate compartment to the power unit, Quad Cool utilises a fine mesh screens to filter the air before passing through the radiators - and by fitting reversible cooling fans. As a result, Bell claims that operational periods between cleaning periods can be dramatically increased. In addition, Quad Cool offers a proportional speed fan, which operates independently of engine speed, reducing drive-by noise levels and increased fuel economy figures.Both air and oil filter replacement cycles have come in for attention with a doubling of industry norms from 2000hours to 4000hours.The L1204E and L1506E loaders are suitable for a wide range of composting and waste handling duties, with L1706E and L1806E models suitable for higher tonnages in waste transfer facilities for example. At the top end of the range, the L2106E, L2606E and L2706E are designed for 'all shift long' heavy production tasks.All Bell machines feature the latest John Deere tier-3 PowerTech diesel engines.www.bellequipment.co.uk