JCB QT: Describe the current market in North America for 12,000 lb telehandlers?
Rebecca: The 12,000 lb telehandler market has grown considerably during the last year, which is consistent with telehandler and construction markets overall. During this growth period, JCB has seen very strong demand for its large-capacity, 10,000- and 12,000-lb telehandlers from large rental fleet operators, construction companies and specialist industries, such as waste and recycling and the energy sector.
JCB QT: What do you expect the market to do over the next couple of years, and why?
Rebecca: JCB recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of telehandler production, so we have the benefit of many decades of experience when it comes to market forecasting. The 12,000 lb telehandler class shows continued growth potential as the versatility of larger telehandlers on bigger job sites becomes more widely appreciated, and the machines are employed in more diverse applications.
Notably, JCB recently launched the 512-56 74 hp Loadall, the world’s first and only 12,000 lb telehandler that requires no diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) and no diesel particulate filter (DPF). This represents important benefits for customers, including the elimination of the operating and consumable costs associated with exhaust aftertreatment. Additionally, customers will achieve productivity improvements as daily checks and simplified productivity-sapping regeneration cycles are no longer required.
JCB QT: Who’s buying/renting 12,000 lb telehandlers? Do they tend to go into rental fleets or are they bought by end users?
Rebecca: Lift and place-type telehandlers in the 12,000 lb class, such as the JCB 512-56 Loadall, are generally purchased by rental fleets to provide equipment renters with the versatility, lift height and extra capacity most often needed on large work sites and construction projects. End-users looking to purchase a telehandler in the 12,000 lb class are more likely to purchase a more versatile tool-carrier telehandler, such as the 512-26TC, which offers lift and place capability and the ability to use a bucket for digging and pushing.
JCB QT: What kinds of work are 12,000 lb telehandlers best for?
Rebecca: A lift and place-type telehandler, such as the JCB 512-56, is commonly used on construction sites to move and lift materials onto scaffolding or to unload material from trucks and deliver to the work site. JCB tool carrier type telehandlers, such as the 512-26TC, are used to transport large, bulky and/or heavy materials, such as lumber or compacted waste cubes, or to push and scoop materials with a bucket. Additionally, we’re seeing greater use of telehandlers for industry-specific applications, such as the energy or waste sectors.
JCB QT: Are the telehandlers in the 12,000 lb range more pick-and-place machines, pick-and-carry machines, or a mix?
Rebecca: Unlike most equipment manufacturers, JCB offers a 12,000 lb pick-and-place telehandler—the 512-56, which is available with either a 109 hp engine or a 74 hp engine—and a 12,000 lb pick-and-carry 512-26TC. Generally, 12,000 lb pick-and-place telehandlers are more common. Additionally, JCB offers two pick-and-carry (tool carrier) models in the slightly smaller 10,000 lb class, and additional pick-and-place machines in the 10,000 and 14,000 lb class.
JCB QT: What are the key features that buyers and users consider most important in these products?
Rebecca: In all large construction machines, including telehandlers, visibility is always a critical factor, to enhance the safety of the operator and others on the work site. At JCB, we integrate visibility enhancements into the design of our machines, which can then be augmented with optional add-on visibility aids such as mirrors and cameras. In the 512-56, for example, the hydraulic tank, engine hood and cab are designed together to provide maximum visibility around the machine. Another example is the low boom design on the 512-26TC, which allows excellent visibility to the right of the machine from the operator’s seat.
Total cost of ownership (TCO)—including preventative maintenance costs, fluid and fuel costs, replacement part costs and resale value—is also a crucial factor for most owners when selecting a telehandler. In this regard, JCB offers real advantages. JCB is the only company, for example, to offer a 12,000 lb telehandler with no aftertreatment requirement, which eliminates cost and complication of diesel exhaust fluid and expensive diesel particulate filters. In addition, JCB telehandlers were recognized with the 2018 EquipmentWatch award for the highest retained value of any telehandler brand.
In recent years, customers have become increasingly interested in telematics for fleet management and efficient maintenance scheduling. JCB’s LiveLink telematics system provides this functionality for its telehandler models, along with other benefits such as remote reporting on machine location, movement and activity—with curfew and geofence alerts—to protect the owner’s investment against unauthorized use or theft.
JCB QT: Are there any new developments or technologies being introduced into this kind of product, and if so, what kind of impact do you expect they’ll have?
Rebecca: JCB pioneered the telehandler category back in 1977 and continues to be the largest manufacturer of telehandlers in the world. JCB leads the industry, in part, because of the importance we place on customer input and feedback to identify opportunities for product development. For example, customer input led to the development of the 74 hp version of the JCB 512-56 Loadall, which requires no DPF, no DEF and no other exhaust aftertreatment. Similarly, JCB’s 512-26TC WasteMaster telehandler—with its 125 hp engine, extra guards and available cameras and pulse radar—is JCB’s response to the specific demands from customers in the waste and recycling industry.