06.10.2003

The Italian job

Italy-based telehandler manufacturer Dieci has announced that construction of its brand new €20 million (UK£14 million) production facility is set to begin in Spring, 2004. The new 100,000 square metre facility will initially feature a 28,000 square metre covered factory comprising 4 separate production lines; one for the production of its larger Pegasus continuos rotation machines and two chains for its fixed telehandler line. A further production line will be allocated for the production of its dumper and mixer products.

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Dieci vice president Ciro Correggi in front of the company's new cab design scheduled for a SAIE 2003 launch.

The company has been located at its current 22,000 square metre Reggio Emilia location in Italy since the company was founded back in 1962 and from there introduced the Italian market to its first ever telehandler in 1983. In the 2002/2003 period, a total of 959 machines rolled off of the facility’s production lines, 685 of which were telehandlers, accounting for an annual turnover of €53 million (£33.96 million).

Ciro Correggi, vice president at Dieci told Vertikal.net that the company’s target is to produce up to 3000 machines per year at the new facility, telehandlers accounting for 80 plus per cent of the total figure. The entire current Dieci work force will be transferred to the new facility, while Correggi expects the first production cogs to start turning by September 2005.

The company will also be boosting its existing 42-strong telehandler line with the launch of three new models planned for Italy’s own SAIE exhibition to be held in Bologna later this month. The 2.6 tonne capacity, 6 metre working height, Dedalus 26.6 fixed boom unit will join the line as the smallest machine in the range, measuring just 2 metres wide, 2.2 metres high and 4.5 metres in length.

Moving up the capacity chart is the Runner 35.10 compact Runner, which has been designed to meet the demands for overseas transportation in shipping containers. The unit features a 3-section boom capable of lifting 3 tonnes at 9.8 metres and 3.5 tonnes at 7 metres.

The third machine is yet to be allocated a name but will be the third model to join Dieci’s existing 16 metre working height class machines. The unit has been specically designed for entry onto the UK market in answer of demand for 17 metre machine. Comprising a 4-section fixed boom, the unit will be capable of lifting a maximum of 4 tonnes.

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Dieci's new 6.5 metre 'positive/negative' extension boom with basket has been designed for underbridge work and is compatible with both fixed and continuos rotation machines.

Visitors to the company’s stand at the SAIE show will also be given the chance to see a brand new cab design, which will initially only be available on Dieci’s continuous rotation telehandlers and features double joystick operation. A hydraulic flow management system also allows the simultaneous operation of five movements over the previous two.

A new 6.5 metre extension boom with basket, dubbed the ‘positive/negative boom’, will also be exhibited. The new accessory has been designed for underbridge work from above roads and is compatible with both fixed and continuous rotation machines. And, in addition to the 360 degree rotation available when used with continuous rotation machines, a further 400 degree arm rotation is provided by the boom system itself. A new ‘positive’ boom extension with basket attachement will also be introduced. More detailed information on the three new telehandler models, the new cab design and the two boom extensions will be available on Vertikal.net and in the November issue of Cranes & Access following the SAIE exhibition.