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Dutch armed forces take delivery of new Bobcat telehandlers, air compressors and compactors

Bobcat has won major orders for 53 telehandlers, 63 PA12.7v portable air compressors and 127 compactors for the armed forces in the Netherlands. The telehandler and light compaction orders were secured by Apeldoorn-based Inter-Techno, the Authorised Dealer for Bobcat in the country. The air compressor order was won by Inter-Techno’s subsidiary, Gencom B.V., based in Zevenhuizen, which represents the Bobcat portable power range in the Netherlands.           

Most of the Bobcat telehandlers were delivered during 2024 by Inter-Techno, comprising a mix of TL25.60 and TL35.105L models in army green to be used for logistical support for various army units. The final units, including those for the Air Mobile Brigade, will be arriving in early 2025. Inter-Techno also has a contract for maintenance, service and repairs covering the telehandlers for the next 10 years.

The Bobcat telehandlers are intended for the Royal Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. There they are used for logistical support, such as loading and unloading goods and equipment. As part of the order, three Bobcat TL30.60 telehandlers were also delivered to the navy in Den Helder. These machines are used for logistics work on board ships and on the quays.

The TL25.60 is an ideal machine for the army because of its very compact dimensions and small turning circle. The telehandler can lift a maximum weight of 2500 kg, while the maximum lifting height is 6 m. The TL35.105L has a lifting height of 10.5 m and can lift a weight of 3500 kg. This machine will be used, among other things, for loading and unloading containers.

As well as sporting the well-known army green, the Bobcat telehandlers have also undergone some technical adjustments. The machines are equipped with a front and rear towbar, special blackout lighting, cameras, a block heater, a first aid kit and a weapon support.

The telehandlers for the Air Mobile Brigade, part of the Royal Netherlands Army, are equipped with extra lifting eyes for transport under helicopters. For use in other regions, the engine cooling fan can be reversed so that dirt and dust are blown away above the radiator. Where required, the engine can be converted with the help of Bobcat to Stage III, so that the machines can be used without problem in areas where only diesel with a high sulphur content is available.

Special pallet forks for use by the armed forces are also being supplied with the telehandlers. The length of the forks can be adjusted to the pallet shape and the load using a fold-down board, so that the pallet forks never protrude and cannot cause damage to the load or material.

Delivered at the end of 2024, the 63 PA12.7v compressors have been customised for use by the Dutch Army, including the appropriate colour scheme, customized pressurized air system with custom service valves, the ability to use the units in temperatures as low as -32 °C, a customized electrical system on the compressors allowing them to be jump started from either 12 V or 24 V external power sources, and hose reels with 50 m hoses.

The standard PA12.7v is a variable pressure compressor, that utilises a system called FlexAir technology, allowing it to operate in the range of 5.5 to 12.1 bar and offer free air deliveries from 5.2 to 7 m³/min. In fact, FlexAir technology makes the PA12.7v the most versatile air compressor in the industry, allowing it to be applied in a very wide range of applications.

Thanks to the variable free air delivery system, the same machine can be used for diverse types of work, from general construction and powering hand-held pneumatic tools to sand/abrasive blasting, pipeline pressure testing, high pressure surface cleaning, welding, concrete spraying and optical cable blowing. Some of the compressors are intended for use by the Navy and Air Force for blasting and maintenance work on ships and aircraft, respectively.

The Navy will utilise thirteen compressors for powering compressed air tools used in diving work. They are equipped with a generator, so that the machine can deliver a continuous compressed air pressure of 7 bar and continuous electrical power of 3 kV. Reels with 50 metres of air hose are mounted on these models.

The compressors are supplied in the well-known army green. This even applies to the polymer hood, which is produced in the Netherlands. The other parts are charcoal and the base is galvanized. Various adjustments have been made to the machines in consultation with the Ministry of Defence. Each compressor has a lifting eye for air transport and a special height-adjustable drawbar and specific coupling systems, so that the compressors can be towed by various vehicles. The compressor lighting is suitable for both 12 V and 24 V. 

Inter-Techno is supplying a total of 127 Bobcat light compaction products, including 54 R60 vibratory rammers, 37 FP20.50 vibratory forward plates and 36 RP49.20D reversible vibratory plates, for use mainly in standard roadworks and construction, but also to prepare areas for setting up camps and for landing sites.

The R60 vibratory rammers are ideal for small compaction works for trenches, drainage and pipelines. Due to their ease of transport they are often used for road maintenance as well. They are suitable for compacting mixed soils, sand, gravel materials, loam and clay.

The FP20.50 vibratory forward plates are suitable for compacting sand, gravel, lean concrete, bitumen coated gravel and paving stones. Again, their compact size makes them easy to transport between job sites, and ideal for compaction in tight spaces (trenches, pipelines and sidewalks) and even landscaping.

The light compaction order is completed by the RP49.20D reversible vibratory plates suitable for jobs mainly in civil engineering and road construction. All Bobcat reversible plates operate with a twin-shaft system, enabling change of direction during compaction. The twin-shaft technology also results in dual weight and a better compaction force.

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