SA-built tracked mulcher ideal for under-canopy work

A home-grown, South African-built tracked mulcher is the latest machine to roll off the factory floor at Wuhlf Equipment, the Pretoria-based manufacturers of a range of tough, reliable mulchers, loaders and forklifts.

The Wuhlf T90 is a compact, powerful machine well suited to perform a variety of mulching functions including under-canopy mulching in commercial forestry plantations and fruit and nut orchards, as well as bush clearing.

The T90 is powered by a 92kW Weichai diesel engine which delivers plenty of grunt to the 1 500 mm cutting drum. At 1 800 mm wide, 4 400 mm long and weighing 6 000 kgs, the T90 is a welcome addition to the Wuhlf mulching fleet.

It has all the important bells and whistles that one would expect from a top end mulcher, like a reversible fan to clear radiator debris, a pressurised, aircon-cooled cab to keep the operator comfortable, and a set of tracks that will handle the toughest terrain while also enabling the machine to turn on a tickey. All the hydraulic pipes are cleverly hidden away and a robust steel base plate provides good protection from rocks, tree stumps and stray branches etc.

According to Wuhlf MD Johan Grobler, the T90 delivers plenty of power to the head which is maximised through the hydraulic pumps and motors. Johan says it is designed with a lot of torque, which makes for easy mulching.

A major advantage that the Wuhlf mulchers have over rival mulching machines is the price. The T90 comes in at just R 1.29 million, which is half the price of equivalent machines manufactured overseas. The engine, hydraulic pumps and tracks are imported, and everything else is manufactured in Wuhlf’s Pretoria factory. It is not loaded with complex, hi-tech computer systems so that any competent hydraulic and diesel mechanic can maintain and repair the machine if necessary. Thus it is well suited to African conditions.

The T90 follows the release a few years ago of the ‘Beast’, the Wuhlf 960 276 kW wheeled mulcher designed for super-heavy duty mulching. Wuhlf’s stable of mulchers includes the smaller 930 (129kW) drum mulcher, also a wheeled machine.

Wuhlf Equipment
Wuhlf Equipment was established in 2004 by brothers Johan and Carl Grobler, supplying and supporting front end loaders, 4x4 forklifts and a range of attachments. In 2013 they started designing and manufacturing mulchers to be used in Africa mainly for bush clearing. There are a large number of Wuhlf mulchers out there doing exactly that.

In the past few years they have added the Wuhlf 960 and the tracked T90 to their product line with the aim of providing cost effective mulching solutions to land managers in the forestry environment.

Wuhlf mulchers come with a 12 month or 1 000 hours warranty, with more extended warranty options available.

Wuhlf Equipment’s timing in entering the mulching market couldn’t be better. Mulching is gaining wide acceptance in this part of the world as land owners and managers realise the long term benefits of mulching. Many forestry companies are turning to mulching to reduce post harvest slash instead of burning, and are using mulchers to create fire breaks inside and around vulnerable compartments.

Mulchers are also being used to clean harvested compartments to provide easier access for silviculture teams and mechanised equipment used for land prep, planting and harvesting.

“Mulching will have a massive impact in southern Africa in bush clearing and improving land care practices,” said Johan. “There are 19 million hectares of bush encroachment in Namibia alone.”

He said that there are around 40 Wuhlf mulchers working across southern Africa, mainly doing bush clearing. The T90 and the wheeled 960 mulcher are both designed specifically for work in the forestry sector, although they are equally adapted to bush clearing operations.

Wuhlf T90 - basic specs:-

• 92kW Weichai diesel engine.
• Danfoss hydraulic pump and valve banks. 
• Manufactured and designed in South Africa.
• Width 1800mm
• Length including mulcher head 4400mm
• Weight 6000Kg
• Cutting drum 1500mm
• Maximum power supplied to mulcher drum through two variable displacement hydraulic motors and synchronous belts and pulleys.
• Two speed track motors
• Maximum speed 5 kph.
• Auto reverse function on fan to keep radiator clean.
• Pressurized cab
• Air conditioning.

Visit www.wuhlf.co.za for more info.