The year 2010 looks like going down as a bumper year for new compact designs of vacuum sweeper. Swiss manufacturer Bucher is close to announcing a new 1-cubic metre capacity compact precinct sweeper for precinct and footpath sweeping duties, while over in Italy, Sicas will announce a new improved 2-cubic metre capacity machine at the upcoming Padova exhibition, in northern Italy 21-24th April.
As if two new designs from such leading manufacturers wasn't enough to cause a ripple of excitement, Waste Management World's vehicle, plant and machinery correspondent, Malcolm Bates, was recently given an exclusive opportunity to test drive another new 1-cubic metre sweeper about to be launched by Bucher Schorling Group company, UK-based Johnston Sweepers.
Based heavily on the Swiss design - but with enough differences to justify a dual brand marketing philosophy - the new machine looks set to redefine the 'sub-compact' end of the ride-on sweeper market.
While there may still be a place for pedestrian-controlled sweepers in highway sweeping and facility maintenance operations, health and safety concerns regarding noise and dust emissions effecting the operator (who is walking along in those emissions all day) has given growing prominence to the design of replacement ride-on machines in recent years.
But unfortunately, producing a design that is as small as possible, yet can still carry a normal sized European driver in a cabin, has a load capacity of 1-cubic metre and can mount a high kerb at speed in complete safety is something that has not proven easy to produce.
The problem? There are two key problem areas. The first is weight - weight. Build it to normal compact sweeper standards and there is not enough power or load capacity to do the job. Build it too light however - which is what most current designs suffer from - and both stability climbing kerbs on windy days and more importantly, reliability are compromised.
Based on a short test drive of the new Johnston unit, both it (and the Bucher) look set to rewrite that chapter.
And the new Sicas 2-cubic metre machine? It's part of a larger expansion plan by this Italian-owned manufacturer - see the article in Waste Management World Jan/Feb issue - and has been designed to refine the same complex mix of benefits. Even 2-cubic metre machines suffer from lack of cabin space. WMW understands that the relationship between cab, hopper and fan of this new articulated machine has been redefined to give more space to both, without the overall size of the new machine being any larger than the existing Sicas SA2-2 model.
