It was back in February 2024 The Australian Arbor Age had a chat to Tom Salt at ATC Land Management about his Merlo telehandler and GMT050TTC grapple saw. Tom’s added to his equipment since then, and as this video shows, he’s well and truly getting the best from his current set up.
With over 35 years in the arbor industry, ATC Land Management has a few runs on the board – as does owner/Director Tom Salt, a climber and experienced tree-care professional.
When we last chatted to Tom in the February/March 2024 issue he told us how impressed he was with his new Merlo Roto 50.26S telehandler and GMT050TTC grapple saw.
And now Tom has upped the ATC Land Management game, and he has some interesting new thoughts to share.
Merlo’s Roto 50.26S
ATC Land Management – we’ll just call it ‘ATC’ – has steadily built up a small fleet of specialised machinery aimed at tackling projects involving removal of dangerous, damaged or diseased trees with significantly less on-the-ground and in-the-tree risks to personnel when compared to conventional methods.
A major component of the overall set up is the Merlo Roto 50.26S telehandler.
A telehandler is an incredibly versatile machine, and Merlo’s Roto R50.26 is a standout. With its five-tonne maximum load capacity – ideal for heavy-duty lifting of logs, equipment, and materials – and 26-metre maximum lifting height, the Merlo is ideal for accessing tall trees, elevated worksites, and remote canopy areas.
But even though it has impressive height and lifting power, the R50.26 is compact and agile, built for challenging terrains and confined spaces. Its state-of-the-art load management and stability systems keep the operator safe, even when working at full extension, while a spacious ROPS/FOPS-certified cab with ergonomic controls ensures operator comfort during long hours on the job. The R50.26 is built with high-strength steel, a hydrostatic transmission, and operates with reduced fuel consumption, delivering low total cost of ownership and reliable performance.
So that’s a pretty good start to a verstaile and very cost-effective tree-handling rig.
Tom’s certainly found that the case.
Grapples
ATC is in the unique position of having both a GMT Equipment GMT050TTC felling grapple and a Westtech Woodcracker CS750 Smart grapple saw. As far as we know it’s the only company in Australia to have the combo of both grapples and the Merlo.
The Woodcracker CS750 is a robust grapple-saw package which excels in safely taking larger tree sections to the ground with every turn, thanks to its combination of strong gripping and rotator holding force.
Housed under the CS750 grapple is an advanced Hultdins saw unit with automatic chain tensioning, grease-type chain lubrication and 75cm-diameter maximum cut capacity.
It’s ideal for tasks where site access and drop-zone space permits cutting larger and heavier tree sections, and there’s enough room for further processing to be carried out on the ground.
The GMT050TTC we’ve written about previously, but to refresh your memories, it has a 50cm-diameter single-cut capacity, and due to the twin-axis swing link and rotator attachment, can rotate around a trunk section to cut from each side for up to a 72cm diameter ‘double-cut’ capacity. GMT Equipment’s unique Total Tree Control (TTC) system allows flexibility to approach cuts from a variety of different angles and gives improved operator visibility and tensionfree grasping and cutting.
The GMT work method is closer to that of a climber working from the tree, with the ability for small and sometimes tricky sections to be taken with each turn if necessary. An operator can manoeuvre the grapple within the canopy in either flexible, free-swinging mode, or activate the TTC brake to hold the grapple in position both before and after making a cut.
These features make it well suited to sites with small drop-zone areas where it may be beneficial or necessary to take cut sections from the tree directly to a waiting truck or chipper.
Hire purpose
Tom is really happy with the versatility his Merlo/Westtech/GMT rig allows, and he’s happy to say so.
The Merlo’s obviously the kingpin of the operation, and Tom is quick to sum up the advantages of the R50.26.
“One of the big features we love is that we’re going out higher,” he told The Australian Arbor Age. “And one of the big features we enjoy is the cab tilt. It’s the only telehandler on the market with a tilting cab as far as I’m aware, and it allows us, when we’re working at full reach, to be able to lay back in our seat, as opposed to having to crane our necks all day.”
The versatility of the Merlo also scored big points with Tom and ATC.
“The machine has allowed us to not be so heavily dependent on crane hire,” Tom explained. “We’ve been able to do a lot of things ourselves that we couldn’t do previously.”
Tom also cited the increased safety of the Merlo and grapples as being a big benefit.
“We’re not having to put climbers in trees as often. We’re reducing fatigue, all the cuts are carried out in a controlled manner, and the whole tree is brought down. There’s nothing being swung or dropped.”
’Cracker
The two grapples have combined really well with the Merlo to give ATC some big cost advantages.
Tom explained: “After much deliberation with Rey at Forest Centre we decided to go with the GMT as it was a good all-rounder. It allowed us to do everything within removals and pruning, and it let us get our heads around how the machine operates and what we could and couldn’t achieve with it.
“We expanded and bought the Woodcracker, which is a bit more specialised. It likes an open canopy, where the GMT allows us to break into the canopy and create a space. From there we can change to the Woodcracker to take out the bigger, heavier timber.”
A good relationship
As we’ve seen so often, the relationship between a supplier like Forest Centre and operator like ATC Land Management can have a huge influence on the success of both companies, and in this case, Tom feels the relationship is a good one.
“Initially, I gave Rey at Forest Centre a call,” said the hardworking operator. “We had many a conversation around what machine to pair with what attachment and the advantages and disadvantages.”
That’s only the start, of course. Aftersales service is vital.
“The staff at Forest Centre always has an answer or will get an answer – anything from small queries: fitting sizes, hose lengths…everything. They’ve been really helpful and they’ve always got a way to get something and make it happen for us.
“There’s a lot of customer support and Rey will often just give us a courtesy call and say, ‘G’day’. He’s very hands-on.”
As a final thought, Tom scratched his head and offered, “Now we’ve utilised both grapples with the Merlo, I can’t see how we could go back to only one.”
Log on to arborage.com.au to watch the video and see the Merlo, GMT and Westtech in action. To learn more of Forest Centre and its services and equipment, log on to forestcentre.com.au.