SMV Australia's claim to having installed Australia's largest tyre handler (Forkliftaction.com News #145) caused quite a stir among other suppliers.

Many companies contacted Forkliftaction.com News, claiming to have installed larger machines around Australia, so we decided to settle the argument by publishing the specifications of each company's machines.

Only SMV and Red Australia provided detailed specifications. Other companies were contacted, but had not returned their specifications by deadline.

Rather than make the judgement on the biggest machine ourselves, here are the specifications. You decide.

SMV Australia
FORKLIFT SUPPLIED
Make: SMV
Model: SL16-1200A
Max Capacity: 16 tonnes at 1200mm load centre
Type of equipment tyres are fitted to:
- Leibher T282 dump truck, using Bridgestone 55 80 R63s (4200mm diameter)
Delivered to: Bridgestone Earthmover Tyres, Mt Thorley, New South Wales

ATTACHMENT
Make: Cascade
Model: 220HTH211
Capacity: 10 tonnes
Opening range: 1450mm-4500mm
Rotation: Not supplied
Maximum tyre size: 4200mm


RED Australia
FORKLIFT SUPPLIED
Make: Komatsu
Model: FD200T-6
Max capacity: 20 tonnes at 1220mm load centre
Type of equipment tyres are fitted to:
- Tyre diameters 1500mm-4100mm, typically Hitachi dump trucks.
Delivered to: Callide Coal, Blackwater, Queensland

ATTACHMENT
Make: Cascade
Model: 220H-DT-11 sel
Capacity: 10 tonnes
Opening range: 1450mm-4500mm
Rotation: 180 degrees


Clark Australia
Clark Australia also submitted some details of a 25-tonne forklift it installed in Mt Newman, Western Australia. The machine was fitted with a custom attachment made by John Engineering, of Western Australia. This is the largest forklift submitted, but Clark provided no other specifications before deadline.