Cover story: Hidromek HMK140W H4

Hick Bros Civil's latest additional to fleet—a 16-tonne HMK140W H4 —is proving its worth across multiple job sites

Hick Bros Civil Ltd have been a long-time buyer of Hidromek excavators and readers from the Central North Island and Hawke’s Bay regions are no doubt now accustomed to seeing the white and black machinery busy on the continuing Cyclone Gabrielle remedial works. The business is currently working on seven active sites with another five to start soon.

One particular model in the Hick Bros’ fleet that is more than earning its keep is the Hidromek HMK140W H4. Used for water table construction at the Harapaki Wind Farm the civil construction company undertook in the recent past, its latest job is now seeing the 16-tonne wheeled excavator using its talents at a number of job sites during a typical work week.

“Depending on the type of slip being remediated, we’re putting in a mixture of pile or MSE (mechanical stabilised earth) walls, the latter being a geo-grid system that is built up in layers,” says Hick Bros regional manager Tom Gaddum.

“To maximise efficiency, we keep all the active jobs within a relatively small geographical footprint of around 10 kilometres. This helps with logistics and the wheeled excavator can be relatively quickly utilised between any site when required.”

Wheeled versatility

What appeals to the Hick Bros’ crew is the machine’s versatility. It can be doing pavement rehabilitation on one site, then drive across to another and take care of roadside drainage, then move to another site and move materials – all in one day if that’s what is needed.

The Hidromek HMK140W can travel at up to 34km/h, which is probably plenty fast enough for anyone moving a 16-tonne piece of kit between job sites.

With no need to call in a transporter to shift the wheeled machine, the road between each site stays safer, and considering most of the work is being carried out on winding country roads with numerous blind corners, must be a consideration the local population appreciates.

Acting as a cross between a loader and excavator – or more like an ambidextrous materials handler – the HMK 140W H4 can be used to pass aggregate and building materials down to machinery working below road level.

“We can have the tracked machinery working down in the guts of a site and with the wheeled excavator having better reach than a traditional loader, you can often get better placement of materials,” says Tom.
Power plant

The HMK140W H4 uses a fuel-efficient Isuzu AI-4JJ1X four-cylinder turbo intercooled engine (Tier 3), providing 123hp/92kW@2000rpm gross to spin the twin Kawasaki hydraulic pumps, that delivers up to 160 litres per minute each to the hydraulic system. The maximum torque output is 420Nm@1800rpm gross.

The machine gets around thanks to a fully hydrostatic 4×4 drive and features orbital-type steering, meaning the steering system is powered by hydraulic fluid.

Stabilisers

The Hidromek wheeled excavator comes with rear left and right stabilisers, along with a front blade, helping provide a stable foundation to work from. The stabilisers lower 116mm below ground level and maximum digging reach is just over eight metres.

Inside the cab

Inside, the ROPS/FOPS cab that sits on six silicone dampers, operators have wide glass windows with adjustable sunshades, full air-conditioning, air suspension seat and heater/cooler box among other features to provide a comfortable working environment.

The eight-inch touchscreen connects to all the systems and machine monitoring operators require these days, including flow settings for 20 different attachments, camera views, media, and other information.

Playing a larger role

With wheeled excavators popular overseas, especially Europe, New Zealand Hidromek distributors Magnum Equipment can see them playing a larger role with infrastructure work locally.

“Hick Bros are a progressive business and from what I have seen dealing with them over a number of years, are always looking at equipment that can improve the efficiency of their business,” says Magnum Equipment founder and director Liam Field.

“The wheeled HMK 140W H4 is an example of having one machine that can tackle a number of jobs where once upon a time, it would have taken maybe two machines and a few extra people to do the same thing. They don’t buy everything from us, but when they purchase our Hidromek equipment, I know they will appreciate everything it has to offer.”

For more information, visit magnumequipment.co.nz

Hidromek HMK140W H4 specifications

Images supplied