A model unique on the market

To meet the needs of users who want a versatile machine that is easy to use and easy to transport between two worksites or farms, Manitou Group has designed a very lightweight model with a transportable weight of less than 3 tons, which can be loaded onto a trailer with a PTAC of 3,500 kg. This model was designed entirely by the design office at the Laillé (Ille-et-Vilaine) site, dedicated to producing "super compact" telehandlers for the group.

Its dimensions are among the most compact on the market with a width of just 1.49 m and a height of 1.92 m. This ultra-compact model comes in two versions with lifting capacity of 1.25 t and 1.5 t respectively for a lifting height of 4.30 m. Available in two versions for Manitou dealers: ULM 412 H and ULM 415 H for Ultra Light Manitou, but also for Gehl distributors with the GCT 3-14 and GCT 3-14+ models for the Gehl Compact Telehandler, this telehandler complements the range of products designed by the group, based on three criteria: profitability, safety and comfort.

Profitability

Targeted at a number of sectors, such as construction, agriculture and landscaping, this ultracompact telehandler enables users to work efficiently thanks to its rapid familiarization process and small size. It also enables artisan masons and landscapers to travel to their customers easily with a single trailer. This means machine transportation times are greatly reduced and user productivity is therefore more efficient.

A range of attachments specially designed for this model allows it to be used for more applications, providing users with even more options, such as forks carriages, pot clamp, branch cutter, Big Bag handler and snow blade. Proving its usefulness on rough-terrain, this four-wheel drive telehandler has an oscillating rear axle, a wide range of tires and a very high ground clearance of 29 cm.

A number of innovative features help to reduce the total cost of ownership of this model. The Stop & Start option ensures a reduction of around €10 per hour idling of the machine's TCO (reduced machine depreciation, fuel consumption and preventive maintenance). The capacity of the hydraulic tank is also reduced by around 25% thanks to the presence of an anti-aeration filter. The hydraulic compensator is replaced by an electronic compensation, allowing the compensating cylinder to be dispensed with, thereby reducing hydraulic oil requirements and reducing the weight of the machine.

Removing the compensating cylinder also reduces the width of the truck, 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 instance.

Maintenance is also optimized with facilitated access to the main components of the engine thanks to the 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 is facilitated by their eye-level position. The Gehl and Manitou versions are of course connected as standard, and the user can completely manage maintenance via their smartphone thanks to the MyManitou and MyGehl apps.

Manitou Group has been developing its associated services offering for several years and has made it a real priority. The range on offer is particularly wide, allowing each customer to concentrate on their business, with numerous extended warranties of up to six years, or around 6,000 hours. Financing solutions or maintenance contracts are also offered to provide the best assistance and support for each customer according to their needs. To avoid downtime, the group keeps a stock of spare parts, which can be delivered anywhere in the world within 24 to 72 hours. A network of 1,050 dealerships in 140 countries is available to support every user on a daily basis.

Comfort and safety

The new ULM/GCT telehandler is designed to make handling operations even safer and more enjoyable. Access to the cab is easy with no added step. Inside
the cab, the operator has an unobstructed 360° view to work safely. Camille Rouvrais, product manager, says: "We worked with our design office to find an innovative solution that provides even more safety and comfort. 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 in fact very clear because of the position of the hydraulic hoses inside the boom and the engine cover positioned low down to the right of the operator. The user can also make use of driver assistance, with a screen on the dashboard displaying all the information needed for driving 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 optimal demisting. For prolonged driving comfort, the group has also introduced an automatic parking brake and offers three steering modes:

• Two-wheel steering for traveling at high speeds;
• four-wheel steering for maneuvering in tight spaces;
• and crab mode for lateral maneuvers.

Technical characteristics

The ULM/GCT is distinctive for its small height but paradoxically has a very large ground clearance of 29 cm, enabling it to move across difficult terrain without any problem. Equipped with a 35 hp engine, the ultra-compact truck offered by the group has a maximum hydraulic flow of 48 L/min. The truck is equipped with a flow sharing distributor, enabling several hydraulic movements to be carried out at the same time. With a transportable weight of between 2,550 kg and 2,900 kg depending on the configuration, the ULM/GCT can be transported on a trailer.

The first deliveries will take place from the third quarter of 2022 in Europe, North America and Australia. A specific offer will be made by the group for the first 180 machines produced with the Stop & Start option, the pneumatic cloth seat, a four-year warranty and an attachment supplied in addition to the forks carriage. This offer will be effective until May 31, 2022.

A project carried out with the support of the region

Manitou Group was supported in this project by the Brittany region and particularly by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), which helped it to invest in research, technological development and innovation, through the call for "Innovation for Industry of the Future" projects aimed at SMEs and mid-cap companies in Brittany.

Laurence Fortin, Vice-President of territories, economy and housing at the Regional Council of Brittany, adds: "We are committed to supporting our industry and enabling it to innovate, to serve the interests of our territories and employment. For this reason, the development project of a new vehicle on the Laillé site was selected from the regional call for projects launched in the summer of 2020 to support the process of recovery, industrial relocation and resilience of the Breton economy. This Manitou Group site is an excellent illustration of regional, innovative and bold industrial know-how”.

Luc Midy, Director of Manitou Group's Laillé site, explains: "We have always advocated our territorial roots. The group has its five French production sites based in the Grand Ouest region. It is very important to us to involve all our stakeholders in every project. The support of the Brittany region and  the FEDER clearly illustrate this commitment. These local stakeholders have contributed greatly to the success of this commercial launch."