Mecalac 15MC
at CivielTech

CivielTech BV from Bunschoten-Spakenburg specializes in installing sheet piles in places that are difficult to reach. With the delivery of a very special Mecalac 15MC to the sheet piling specialist, Ahlmann Netherlands shows once again that it is a specialist in customization. The machine is used by the customer with a vibrating block.

 
The versatile tool carrier was able to prove himself immediately after the official handover in November on the new construction project Vechtvoorde in Breukelen. A mix of villas, warehouses, lofts and penthouses is rising there. To give it all even more allure, a canal with jetties will be created via a branch of the Vecht River. For the realization of this arm of water, CivielTech was asked to construct approximately one hundred and forty meters of shoring using 5.5 meter long steel sheet pile walls. It was right up the Mecalac 15MC's alley, which was equipped with an ICE vibratory block with 395 kN of impact force.

 
 
Distributed by Ahlmann Netherlands
Machinist and co-owner Dirk-Willem Hop is a big fan of the French brand, which is distributed by Ahlmann Netherlands. Having previously commissioned a Mecalac 10MCR, this time the choice falls on the slightly larger 15MC. “We were looking for a very compact machine to install steel sheet piles up to eight meters long,” Hop explains the choice. “Then you quickly think of a special, while this Mecalac has all the necessary specifications ex-factory. This is not only by far the most compact foundation machine in its class in the Netherlands, but even in all of Europe. So truly unique.”

“This vibrating block often hangs from a thirty-ton crane. When we arrive with a machine that weighs only half, the first reaction is: this can't be done. Once we get going, it turns out to work perfectly.” CivilTech prefers the Mecalac boom assembly with offset function to the standard two-piece excavator boom. “This is ideal for us because otherwise the boom has to be specially modified to raise it straight. The Mecalac arm has this of its own and offers a lot of added value.”

Many factory options possible
Another plus is that the 15MC's rich standard equipment is expandable with numerous factory options. For example, CivielTech's fifteen-tonner is equipped with five-hundred-millimeter-wide Bridgestone Geogrip rubber tracks instead of steel tracks. This increases deployability and productivity, as it eliminates the need to lay driving plates every time. An S60 quick-change system was also chosen, and the machine was fitted with a 450-kilogram counterweight. In combination with the low height (2.9 meters) and width (2.5 meters), this guarantees excellent stability.

To control the equipment, Ahlmann Netherlands has fitted a vibrating block function. Thanks to this preferred valve, the high-frequency ICE 428B is continuously supplied with one hundred and sixty liters per minute of oil flow. The operator experiences no hindrance when simultaneously operating the joystick when lifting the boom. Despite small dimensions, the 15MC is a strong, productive and durable machine. The Deutz four-cylinder diesel engine is the most powerful in its class with 100 kW/139 hp of power. It meets the most stringent emission requirements (Stage V). The hydraulic system delivers a flow rate of up to 270 liters per minute and up to 350 bar working pressure.

Niche market
With this Mecalac 15MC, CivielTech once again manages to distinguish itself in a niche market. Kok previously worked for a large pile-driving company in the Eemland region and experienced that the focus is on large works, often leaving smaller and more complex jobs unfinished. When he started for himself in 2016, he decided to specialize in ground or water retaining structures in the most awkward places, such as parking basements or in the heart of Amsterdam. “The 15MC can handle just a bit more than the Mecalac 10MCR, which is equipped with an ICE 328B vibratory block with 28 tons of impact force. So we can hit twelve tons more with this.”

CivielTech deploys the 15MC on nine out of 10 projects as an ultra-compact foundation crane with a 1.8-meter lifting jib and vibratory block. For work around it, the machine is equipped with an ACDE sorting grab or a wide bucket. Here, Mecalac's unique arm system not only ensures a large working range of nine meters, but also guarantees plenty of lifting power. Thus the 15MC with dozer blade on the ground at three meters of flight hoists as much as eight tons over 360 degrees. A load moment monitoring system is provided as standard. Hop: “This is not only the most efficient solution, but also safe and durable.”