Housing in Southern Africa July 2016

Building Supplies & Equipment

Africa’s best known grader

near indestructible, using the best Japanese materials and designs to develop a machine with the least possible chance of failure. Likewise, instead of searching for efficiency through smaller high-tech engines, the Mitsubishi/Hidromek is equipped with a bigger engine that is hardly taxed when grading at low revs. “The end result of this is a grader that is more economical than small engine competitors in hard working environments. Similarly, the engine is not strained and as a result is more reliable with less chance of break- downs. That is why in over 25 years since the first machines went into operation in southern Africa, we have only ever replaced two engines (one as a result of drowning in a flooded river, the other as a result of misuse),” says Kaliszka. Contractors responsible for road construction and maintenance also rely on the Mitsubishi/Hidromek for their low running costs and con- tinuous availability. Fuel savings also play a major role with contractors who operate mixed fleets reporting fuel savings. Contractors also prefer the sim- plicity of the machines with fewer things to go wrong and no need for out-of-town technicians in the event of a fault. This applies to all models from the Hidromek MG 460 18 ton to the Hidromek MG 431 16-ton and Hidromek MG 330 14-ton machines depending on the size of the roads required in particular areas. Fuel sav- ings also help to keep the machines out in the field for longer where the size of the diesel bowser may decide how far the grader may venture into the bush to clear roads. With the overall responsibility for grader sales across the entire sub- region, Kaliszka says in South Africa, where the Hidromek grader brand is a trusted partner for road construction companies, the brand is continuing to grow in leaps and bounds. “In future, fleet owners who have become loyal to the brand will have more choices as newer and more sophisticatedmachines get added to the line-up to fill niches in urban and specialist applications.” For further information contact ELB Equipment on 011 306 0722 or visit www.elbequipment.com ■

Mitsubishi has been acquired by new stakeholders with ambitious plans for the future. Under the new banner of Hidromek, the stalwart machines, renowned for reliability in tough conditions, will be further enhanced.

E uropean based company, Hidromek, aims to build on Mitubishi’s successful design and construction of the rugged ma- chines. While processes and proce- dures at the factory have remained largely unchanged, the factory is

evolving and adding features that build on the original design and offer extra value for fleet owners. The rugged simplicity and raw power of the machines has made them legendary and led to the ma- chines gaining a strong following from users who require machines that can work reliably for extended periods in rough terrain with mini- mal support. Where lesser machines have battled and broken, the big Mitsubishi/Hidromekmachines have excelled and soldiered on in the face of adverse conditions. Peter Kaliszka of ELB Equipment, the long-standing distributor of Mit- subishi/Hidromek graders in south- ern Africa, says for decadesMitsubishi graders have made their mark in Africa. The graders have been used to prepare some of themost desolate and remote roads on the continent. Out in the bush they performwithout hassles and with very little require- ment for maintenance. This has earned them a reputa- tion for toughness and reliability that is unsurpassed in the industry and is a driving force behind ever rising sales amid fierce competition. Their popularity is due in part to the sheer simplicity of the machines which lack the fancy electronics and potentially troublesome gadgetry that has become commonplace on other leading brands. The graders have been cleverly designed to be

July 2016