Carrying the load: 870 M material handler impresses Arkansas cargo hauler with power and versatility.

Last year, Rick Ellis, General Manager of Marine Terminals Inc., Armorel, Ark., looked to the SENNEBOGEN green line to fill his company's material handling needs, and he hasn't looked back since.

The model 870 M material handler has been on the job at the facility since August 2004 and it will soon be joined by an 850 M, Ellis says. He also has plans to add even more SENNEBOGEN machines to his line in the future.

Power, versatility and other user-friendly characteristics led Ellis to look to SENNEBOGEN machines to equip his operation, which offloads scrap metal for Nucor Steel, a Charlotte, N.C.-based steel producer.

Ellis says the 870 M has been durable--having clocked more than 3,000 hours since its purchase and standing up to a demanding production schedule at a facility that offloads between 2.3 and 2.5 million tons of scrap from barges and railcars per year.

"It's got more horsepower than its competitors," Ellis says. "And it's more user friendly, without as many electronics."

Powered by a 426-horsepower engine, the 870 M has a working radius up to 69 feet, and a lifting capacity of up to 61,070 pounds. A rubber tired machine, the 870 M has an operating weight of approximately 165,400 pounds.

Ellis says the 870 M is employed on the scrap lines, where it pulls tons of scrap off incoming barges with the assistance of an arsenal of different attachments.

The ability to use multiple attachments is another attractive feature of the 870 M, according to Ellis. "It's a very flexible machine," he says. At Marine Terminals, the 870 M is used with a 78-inch magnet, a 5-yard grapple and a clam bucket.

The variety of attachments in its arsenal helps the machine handle the various types of scrap it comes across at the facility--including No. I and No. 2 scrap, pig iron and machine turnings.

In addition to power and versatility, easy maintenance is another feature of the 870 M that has Ellis recommending the machine to his colleagues in the industry.

"It's much easier to work on for our mechanics," he says. "We can buy a lot of parts right here in the states."

The 870 M has helped Marine Terminals increase production, as well, says Ellis. He says it took between 40 and 45 minutes to unload an average railcar with his old equipment. With the SENNEBOGEN 870 M green line material handler, the job takes only 20 to 25 minutes per railcar. "We've pretty much doubled our production with it," Ellis says.

The performance of the 870 M has more than convinced Rick Ellis to expand his SENNEBOGEN line. "We're very happy with it," Ellis says. "And we're looking forward to switching more of our equipment over."

The SENNEBOGEN line won Ellis and Marine Terminals over with its simplicity in addition to its power and productivity. The traditional design and non-computerized configuration is a positive feature at an operation like Marine Terminals, Ellis says.

"As an all-purpose machine, it's one of the best on the market," he says.