Housing in Southern Africa November 2015

Industry Buzz, Events & Products

Versatility and mobility

T he new development will roll out 425 apartments towards the end of 2015. Highveld Hor- ticulture currently has three 4640 skid steer loaders paired with the auger, backhoe and bucket attachments operating on site in Fourways. “These versatile loaders assist with a whole host of applications, from acting as a wheel-barrow to a ground-leveller, and fulfil many du- ties on sitewith great efficiency,” says Nerina Bezuidenhout of Highveld Horticulture. These duties include scraping; soil and rubbish clearing; levelling and paving; as well as planting posts and rails that are required to corner off the wetland areas around the estate. “As the site is essentially a large wetland, we couldn’t disturb this area with hand-digging and relied on the loaders instead of

For maintenance of residential and commercial properties, Highveld Horticulture has opted for Manitou’s Gehl skid steer loaders at a new residential development in Fourways, Johannesburg.

oil leakages. The Manitou range of skid steer loaders complies with this. “We have five skilled operators to ensure that the machines run at optimum efficiency while adhering to the highest levels of safety. In ad- dition, all our operators attended a training course offered by Manitou and are SABS certified to operate this machinery,” concludes Wilson. Highveld Horticulture has worked at the upmarket residential estate for the past 18 months, and will con- tinue to ensure wetland integrity for a further three years. Highveld Hor- ticulture is currently using two 4640 skid steer loaders at other estates. ■ manufacturer and distributor of por- table solar products, has continued to expand their product range based on consumer demand. “Initially we offered products for light to medium power requirements but clients pre- fer products capable of meeting both heavier and dual charging power requirements (the ability to charge the product both on- and off-grid). The recently launched Ecoboxx 1500 is capable of providing 350 hours of power. “It can support a small to medium sized business during times of load shedding, or other interrupted power supply.” For further information visit www. ecoboxx.co.za ■

heavier equipment to do this job for us,” adds Bezuidenhout. The 4640 skid steer loaders are well-suited for this kind of construction as they are mobile enough towork in themidst of other construction vehicles. They also “pack a punch” large enough to han- dle the high powered attachments and large loads. “The loaders work flat-out for 6 days-a-week, not only inside the construction site but also on bordering roads like Witkoppen Road to make pedestrian pathways,” says Zulu Wilson, Project Manager, Highveld Horticulture. The eco-sensitive site also re- quiredmachines that guarantee zero to charge on- and off-grid). Accord- ing to Paul Hubers, founder and Director of the Sungrid Group, “We have seen an increase in demand, particularly across the building and residential estate market, where diesel generators are used but are no longer the preferred option due to environmental concerns.” He says thatwhile the use of diesel generators as an alternative supply is a common occurrence, this is no longer the case. In fact, at many estates, office parks and recreational sites the use of die- sel generators onsite is no longer allowed because of the noisy and harmful effects on the environ- ment. The Sungrid Group,

Residential demand for portable solar power

T here has been greater residen- tial demand for not only por- table power solutions capable of meeting heavier power require- ments but for solutions which offer dual charging capability (the ability

November 2015