The Hammer 110 sideloader displays the ‘Sledgeleg’ and ‘Stepover’ technologies.

HAMMAR has seen the sales of its 110 sideloader take off in New Zealand – to that point where its sales here now lead the world.

Launched in 2017, the HAMMAR 110 has become the company‘s top-selling sideloader in this market. The 110 model features a double-action system that can either deploy the ‘StepOver‘ leg technology developed for the popular HAMMAR 155 for stacking or transferring containers, or a new, patent applied, fast ground handling ability that has been dubbed the ‘SledgeLeg‘

Following its international debut at THE Expo transport and construction machinery show in Mystery Creek two years ago, the HAMMAR 110 has gone on to attract worldwide interest.

But it is New Zealand that has led the way in sales, taking 55% of all HAMMAR 110 model sales worldwide in the first year. New Zealand continues to outpace other countries, now accounting for almost 60% of global sales of that model.

HAMMAR New Zealand head of sales Fred Sandberg was confident the HAMMAR 110 would be popular when it was introduced, but for New Zealand to account for such a large proportion of 110 models sold worldwide is extraordinary.

Sandberg describes the new sideloader as both an “evolutionary and revolutionary” development and says the 110 model was designed with markets like New Zealand in mind.

“Space is becoming a premium at many businesses in large cities and towns these days, which makes it difficult for truck drivers to operate a traditional sideloader, with stepover technology, when delivering or picking up a container,” he says.

“When we started looking at how we could assist drivers in this respect we also wanted to use the opportunity to save tare without compromising the 36-tonnes lifting capacity, or the strength, quality and durability that the HAMMAR is so well known for.”

HAMMAR used its highly successful ‘StepOver‘ 155 model as the starting point, developing the double-action ‘SledgeLeg‘ system to increase its versatility. Then it took the cranes from the 160 model and revised the trailer chassis to use fewer components and incorporate lighter, high-strength steel as part of the weight reduction exercise.

“Even though we have shaved some 2 tonnes of weight by comparison to the 155, the 110 model is still constructed to extreme strength standards,” says Sandberg.

He says the swift deployment of the stabiliser legs in the ‘SledgeLeg‘ mode means trucks can be in and out of customer premises faster when compared with traditional stepover sideloaders. And with the ability to still transfer a container with the fully extended ‘StepOver‘ legs, the new 110 provides more options for transport operators.

Sandberg says the much-reduced tare, which is now down to 8.3 tonnes, is a major reason why the HAMMAR 110 has done so well in New Zealand.

The new 110 model also saw the introduction of the Hammar Safety+ system, a canbus-based PLC operating system that monitors the entire handling procedure to avoid operator mistakes and to increase safety in general around the working Sideloader. Safety+ also features load weighing, by each crane or the combined total.

Safety+ system has since been introduced on other models and is now a standard feature on all Hammar sideloaders built for the New Zealand market.

With demand for the new 110 and other models continuing to grow, the Swedish-owned company‘s manufacturing facility in South Auckland was enlarged last year and HAMMAR is now looking to the next stage to see how production can be lifted even further to satisfy customers.