Product feature: Fortress Shears FS range

Date: 05.04.2023

The FS range is mobile shear with an optional rotating head and features innovative engineering with an optimised structure that delivers long life and high strength-to-weight structure

Ward Demolition director Peter Ward

"Demolition shears have to work really bloody hard and they don’t make any money if they are sitting on their bum in the yard," says Peter Ward, director of Ward Demolition Ltd.

That sentiment helps explain why Ward Demolition, one of New Zealand’s leading demolition specialists, made the decision two years ago to invest in two new Fortress Shears from Shearcore, US.

Shearcore was founded in 2014 by Bruce Bacon who had previously played a major role in the development of both the La Bounty and Genesis shear ranges.

"He (Bruce Bacon) knows what it takes to make a great shear and has really come up trumps with the Fortress range," says Peter.

Ward Demolition has an FS25R and an FS55R Fortress Shear and Peter says he’s impressed with their significant "cut through anything" power, as well as their "built to last" performance and the easy maintenance requirements.

"Essentially, these Fortress Shears have easily handled everything that we put in front of them, including some challenging demolition jobs such as the Mercury Power Station, and the Masport Tower," says Peter.

Fortress Shears have quickly become a benchmark brand for demolition and scrap shears in the industry and have been purpose-designed for the scrap metal processing, demolition, and deconstruction industries.

The FS range is mobile shear with an optional rotating head and features innovative engineering with an optimised structure that delivers long life and high strength-to-weight structure.

The range also features a greatly enlarged pivot group that eliminates the need for auto guide, which is said to significantly improve performance and durability.

These features combined with Shearcore’s advanced manufacturing techniques and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities help deliver the power and performance that industry professionals demand.

The Fortress FS45 and their other shears can also be fitted with the latest Bladecore technology, which features four-sided specialised NiCore blades that are designed to outperform the life and cutting power of typical blades by 60 to 80%.

Boss Attachments is the Australasian agent for Fortress Shearcore and they say the brand has made a huge impression on the scrap and demolition industries in the region.

"So much so, that Boss is now the top Shearcore dealer," says Paul Herbison of Boss Attachments. "All of our Fortress owners are enthusiastic advocates for the Fortress brand."

One advocate is Olly Edge of Southern Demolition, who’s certain that their FS25R is the best shear they have ever had.

In his words: "This shear is really amazing. It made very short work of a plate steel project and now we’re using it pretty much all the time. It’s by far the best shear that we’ve ever had and it has really increased our productivity."

Trevor Munroe of Canterbury-based Metal Corp is equally enthusiastic. "We’ve had our FS45 shear from Fortress for just over five years; it cuts like a knife through butter, and we’ve never regretted the (purchase) decision."

Boss has more Fortress Shears heading to Australasia to the order of one per month, including one of the monster-sized models, which is about to be shipped for one of their clients.

Fortress range inclues models suitable for 20–250T excavators

"It is FS95R that weighs in at a massive nine tonnes and has a jaw opening of 1037mm," says Paul. The Fortress range includes models suitable for 20- to 250-tonne excavators, either in dipper or boom mount configuration. Paul adds that the Fortress brand also includes a range of pulverisers, which are also highly rated by clients.

For more information, contact Paul Herbison 027 290 830 or visit bossattachments.co.nz.

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