Ultra compact telehandler launch from Manitou

Manitou’s new ULM ultra-compact telehandler

Designed to be easy to use and transport between farms and worksites for rental companies, the new Ulta Light Manitou (ULM) model has a transportable weight of less than 3 tonnes, which can be loaded onto a 3,500kg total capacity trailer, and driven using a standard European driving lincence. 

The model was designed at Manitou’s Laillé production site, which houses a purpose-built R&D centre dedicated to ‘super compact’ telehandlers. 

The ULM’s dimensions are among the most compact on the market, offering a width of 1.49m and a height of 1.92m. The model comes in two versions with lifting capacities of 1.25 tonne and 1.5 tonne, respectively, and a lifting height of 4.3m, depending on options. 

It also has four-wheel drive with an oscillating rear axle, a wide range of tyres and a high ground clearance of 29cm.

Named ULM 412 H and ULM 415 H for the global Manitou offering, the pair of models are branded GCT (Gehl Compact Telehandler) for the company’s North American Gehl line, with the GCT 3-14 and GCT 3-14+ models.

The first deliveries will take place from the third quarter of 2022 in Europe, North America and Australia.

Multiple sectors 

The new Manitou is available in North America under the Ghel brand. (Photo: Manitou).

While Manitou already has a large customer base in the construction and agriculture sectors, the company told AI that it wanted to branch out further into landscaping with a model that allowed operators to transport it on a single trailer hooked up to their vehicle. 

Likewise, the model has also been designed for rental companies looking for an easier transport solution for their customers. 

A range of 20 attachments was specifically designed for the model, including forks carriages, a hedge cutter, pot clamp, branch cutter, large bag handler and snow blade.

Cost of ownership was a major part of the design process, and a number of features were built in to address this issue. The Stop & Start option provides a reduction of around €10 per hour idling of the machine’s TCO, says the company, through reduced machine depreciation, fuel consumption and preventive maintenance.

Photo: Manitou

The capacity of the hydraulic tank has also reduced by around 25% thanks to an anti-emulsion filter. The hydraulic compensator is replaced by an electronic compensator, thereby reducing hydraulic oil requirements and reducing the weight of the machine. Removing the compensating cylinder also reduces the width of the vehicle, explains Manitou, making it easier to move in tight spaces, particularly when entering farm buildings, loading straw bales, or maneuvering on renovation sites when handling pallets of cinder blocks or bricks, for example.

The machine is equipped with a flow sharing distributor, enabling several hydraulic movements to be carried out at the same time

Maintenance was also a focus, with easy access to the main components of the engine thanks to a wide engine compartment opening. A hatch in front of the engine allows straw or dust near the radiators to be removed, and access to the fuel and hydraulic oil tanks are possible at eye-level.

Driver experience 

Photo: Manitou

Inside, the operator has an unobstructed 360° view. Camille Rouvrais, product manager, says: “We replaced the roof grille with a transparent, shock-resistant polycarbonate window, which complies perfectly with the requirements of the FOPS standard”.

The visibility improvements also apply to the operator’s lateral view. The side view is clear as the hydraulic hoses are inside the boom and the engine cover at a lower position to the right of the operator.

With no step up to the cab, access has also been made easier.

Driver assistance comes via a dashboard screen with information provided in the form of pop-ups. The joystick is positioned as standard on a floating armrest for more flexibility of use, and two vents are situated on the windshield for demisting.

For added driving comfort, an automatic parking brake and three steering modes have been introduced: two-wheel steer for high speed travle; four-wheel steer for maneuvering in tight spaces; and crab mode for lateral maneuvers.

Photo: Manitou ULM specifications  Maximum capacity: 1250kg Lifting height: 4.3m Maximum outreach: 2.62m Reach at maximum height: 1m Ground clearance: 0.29m Transportable weight: 2,550kg or 2,900kg Wheelbase: 2.13m Overall length: 3.47m Width: 1.49m Height: 1.92m Engine: Yanmar 26.2kW Stage V/Tier 4 final, Maximum hydraulic flow: 48 litre/min.