From cranes and concrete pumps to disc-cutters and dump-trucks, SED – the UK’s biggest construction event – has it all. Nick Fone took a look at the farm-friendly kit on show

Maxilift Cranes

Machinery dealer Ernest Doe displayed its Maxilift mini cargo-hoists. Smallest in the line-up is the M50 – seen at SED fitted to a Kawasaki Mule – which will lift 200kg at its maximum extension of 2.5m. Larger versions suitable for pick-ups and vans will hoist anything up to 2t and will stretch out to over 6.5m.

Buyers can choose from manual hand-powered hydraulic pumps or electrically driven units running from the vehicle’s 12V supply. Price for an electrically-powered M50 with manual slew is £1200.

Land Rover Tipper

Land Rover showed off a tipper-bodied version of its Defender 130 at SED. The 2.4-litre common-rail diesel and six-speed gearbox are familiar, but the conventional pick-up bed has been replaced by a smooth, sleek aluminium tray with drop-sides. An electrically-driven oil-pump powers a hefty-looking hydraulic ram which will tip the vehicle’s full 1250kg load. Prices start from £27,500.

Power Pack

Getting electrical power to remote parts of the farm can be a struggle, but a system developed for access platforms could provide a straightforward low-cost solution.

UK Generators‘ Platform Power Pack is an oil-driven generator that can be fitted to any machine with a hydraulic system.

Simply plumbed into the machine’s pipework, a switch-over valve diverts oil-flow as electrical power is required. The 110V AC generator can provide 2-6kVa to power hand-tools or an arc-welder if you upgrade to the welder/generator version. Price for the bolt-on unit is £975.

Kramer Loaders

Two new mini-loaders made their UK debut on the Kramer stand at SED. The compact four-wheel steer 250 and 350 use 3-cyl Yanmar engines to power hydrostatic wheel-motors borrowed from sister-company Neuson’s dumpers. Standard spec includes hydraulic attachment locking, a auxiliary service and a ROPS frame, although the larger model can be supplied with a fully-enclosed cab.

The 23hp 250 has a payload of 870kg and a price tag of £21,080 while the 31hp 350 weighs in at £26,639 and will lift 980kg.

GenSet Dust-Fighter

Looking more like a human cannon, the Dust-Fighter pulled in the crowds at GenSet‘s stand at SED.

It’s the latest weapon from the USA to tackle dust suppression and is claimed to be able to fire a mist of water up to 70m.

A monster fan provides a tornado-strength blast of air and nozzles around the outlet spray water into the slipstream. This is said to almost atomise the droplets, ensuring they travel that much further to cover the whole site with a fine, even mist.

Water use is impressive – the Dust-Fighter consumes up to 90cu m each minute and needs 1bar of pressure. It also requires a 40kW three-phase electrical supply.

Eurocomach Mini-Backhoe

Italian construction equipment maker Eurocomach‘s E245K is much like any other articulated loader, with the difference that it can be fitted with a backhoe capable of digging down to 3m.

Power is provided by a 50hp Kubota four-pot and drive is transferred to the wheels by a twin-speed hydrostatic system.

Fitted with a 3-in-1 bucket, the loader lifts 1.6t to 2.5m. List price for the machine is £35,300.

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