McHale Plant Sales Ltd

Out in force at this year’s National Ploughing Championships will be construction-to-forestry-to-agri equipment distributors, McHale Plant Sales.

An annual exhibitor whose display becomes increasingly larger and more attractive from year-to-year, their exhibits this year (at Block 4, Row 14, stand 267) will reflect the deepening relationship that now exists between McHale and contractors in the agricultural, forestry, land management and groundworks sectors. Frontline manufacturers whose latest machines will feature are:

Komatsu WA Wheel Loaders

Komatsu units from the popular WA wheel loader series will include a WA320-8. Favourite amongst agricultural contractors, the heavy-duty WA320 is specified for agricultural use and comes complete with hydraulic quick-release hitch, folding fork attachment for silage harvesting and heavy duty bucket for grain storage and bulk materials handling. Other features include EU stage V engine, Komatsu SmartLoader logic, hydrostatic drive line and auto idle shutdown. Operator comfort is provided via a low noise design cab with air suspended seat and multifunction monitor.

Komatsu Excavators

Contractors seeking to extend their own reach into construction, drainage, pipe laying, hedge thinning, fence building and other farm applications will be able to check out the Komatsu PC138USLC-11 short tail swing excavator.

Komatsu Utility

Also to the fore will be a full lineup of Komatsu mini diggers, midi diggers and utility equipment – including a PC16MR-3, PC26MR-5, PC55MR-5 and PC80MR-5. Each comes with a range of useful attachments including Komatsu rock breakers, Sorting grabs and Prinoth mulchers. Also exhibiting will a unit from the Komatsu skid steer range - the SK820.


Komatsu Forest

A machine likely to appeal to forestry contractors will be a unit brand new to the Irish market in the shape of the largest harvester in the range – the 25 tonne, eight wheel 951XC.

Prinoth

Other ‘must see’ exhibits attractive to contractors across the board are Prinoth tracked dumper and mulcher units whose uses are as diverse as forest floor renewal and landscape preservation, groundworks and reclamation of forest sites, vegetation management, biomass harvesting, hydro-excavation and costal erosion, amongst many.

Exhibiting will be the largest in the 360 degree rotating dumper range, the T14R, alongside the remote controlled Raptor 100 mulcher, complete with heavy duty mulching head.

Equipped with the appropriate job-specific attachment, Prinoth vehicles are at home also in wind and electric power transmission projects, oil and gas pipe laying, construction, environmental protection, firefighting and rescue, mining and drilling, forestry and crew transportation.

The comfort of excavator operators and the positive impact comfort can have on their wellbeing and output, was to the fore at Komatsu UK as designers set out to plan a new Operator Cab for crawler excavators, details of which have just been revealed.

Said by McHale Plant Sales director, Denis McGrath to be “the product of detailed research and close contacts with customers, the new cab builds upon Komatsu’s well-established reputation for exceptional operator protection”.

The result of extensive research and consultations with customers, it is viewed as ‘a significant upgrade’, engineered to deliver ‘a first-class user experience’ from the moment an operator begins to climb on board.



First notable feature is evident in access to the machine, made safer thanks in large measure to the provision of sturdy, high-visibility handrails finished in familiar Komatsu yellow – fitted outside and inside and easy-to-see, even in low-light conditions.

Other safety-related features include a new, chrome-finished exterior door handle finished with an ‘easy- to-grip’ surface, and new ‘coming-home lights’ which remain illuminated for 30 seconds after the key is removed from the ignition.



Inside, a refined and ergonomic workspace has a high-end luxury ‘feel’ helped by a premium dark colour scheme and a plush floor mat. Retained is Komatsu’s iconic Safe SpaceCab design, engineered for hydraulic excavators to provide superior protection even in a most extreme rollover accident.

Visibility of the exterior and the ground being dug benefits from the fitting of an improved ‘sun-shading’ front roller blind, and a UV-protective tinted rear window that minimises sun exposure and maintains a cool in-cab working temperature.

Upgraded LED lighting – positioned above the seat and to its rear – provides illumination at all points in the day. A document holder for storing jobsite papers helps keep the cab-space clutter-free.

Amongst optional fitments is a ‘premium’ seat that adjusts automatically according to the operators weight and other physical metrics. New control levers ease handling and help eliminate ‘grasp and grip’ fatigue.



Of particular appeal is a robust, multifunctional bar to which accessories such as water bottles, monitors, tablets mobile phones, tablets, and other digital devices can be fixed.

Operators drawn to background music, news bulletins, and podcasts have dual USB ports in USB-A and USB-C formats, and easy mobile device charging and data transfer.

In operation, timber ‘harvesters’ marketed by McHale are used within the forest to fell trees, strip them of excess bark and branches, and cut them into lengths ready for processing. A companion unit is the robust all-terrain, articulated ‘forwarder’ used to transport the cut lengths from the forest worksite to the outer boundary from where trucks will transport them to a sawmill for processing into finished wood used in house building and other applications.

The presentation to McHale was made at a pan-European distributor conference held near Frankfurt and attended by distributors from all markets in which Komatsu forestry equipment is sold, including those from Europe’s most heavily forested countries where timber harvesting is a mainstream industry. Present to represent McHale Plant Sales at the event and to accept the award were sales director, Denis McGrath, business development director, Darragh O’Driscoll, and aftersales director, Anthony Ryan.

Present to represent McHale Plant Sales at the event and to accept the award were aftersales director, Anthony Ryan; Peter Hasselryd, Vice President Marketing & Sales, Komatsu Forest AB; Dr. Jurgen Muntz, Managing Director, Komatsu Forest GMBH; sales director, Denis McGrath; and business development director, Darragh O’Driscoll.

Described by company chairman, Michael McHale as: “an award we are honoured to receive”, it recognises the work done by the company in securing a prominent market position for Komatsu forestry equipment in the seven years since being appointed to the role.

Building on the 40 years relationship that has existed between McHale and Komatsu on the construction equipment side, the award sits alongside another major international honour bestowed on them just weeks ago by Finnish stone crusher manufacturer, Metso, whose equipment they also represent.

Recognising their contribution to Metso on the marketing front – especially evident in support of their entry into the UK market – it, and the award presented by Komatsu, are viewed by McHale as being ‘immensely beneficial’ as the company advances its activities in construction, forestry, agricultural and waste management sectors and expands its operations, both in Ireland and the UK.

At a recent European distributors conference hosted by Metso at their headquarters in Tampere, Finland, attended by members of their European distributors network, a ‘Best in Marketing’ award was presented to their UK & Ireland distributor, McHale Plant Sales.

Held in conjunction with the launch of their new electric-powered Lokotrack EC range, the award recognises the success in marketing and sales that the company has brought to Metso, the focus of which fell on the work done by McHale to communicate their appointment as their distributors in the UK, and in the years since 2015 in Ireland and Northern Ireland markets.

Integral elements in their marketing communications programme included the acquisition of premises in Tamworth and Edinburgh, an intensive schedule of customer contacts, exhibits at Hillhead and Project Plant exhibitions, and on-going advertising, public relations, website, and social media campaigns.

Two new Komatsu excavators, both with latest generation iMC 2.0 intelligent machine control, have been introduced on the European market.

In Ireland – where Komatsu is distributed by McHale Plant Sales of Birdhill and Rathcoole – focus will fall on the PC360LCi-11 version, the second model offering being its PC360NLCi-11 stable mate.

Singularly one of the most valuable advances in machine operation, the intelligent machine control offered in the PC360LCi-11 is said by Komatsu to offer high productivity earthmoving and precision grading in a single complete package.

Representing what they call ‘a step change in machine utilisation’, the newcomer builds on the success of Komatsu’s pioneering fully factory-integrated machine control in a way that McHale Plant Sales director, John O’Brien says “will allow more customers to experience the benefits that intelligent machine control offers”.

Key features are operating weights ranging from 35,770kg to 36,850kg; maximum recommended bucket capacity of 2.66m3; and power output of 202kW / 271HP @ 1950rpm from a fuel-efficient, EU Stage V Komatsu engine.

Others include new Auto Tilt Control and Bucket Angle Hold features. Using Auto Tilt, operation on slopes and ditches is easier. Automatically, the bucket tilts to the design surface with no need for the operator to manually intervene. Under-digging is limited automatically and bucket fill increased. With Bucket Angle Hold, once selected the bucket is automatically held at the desired angle through a grading pass as the arm moves in.

Slimmer (36%), lighter (38%) and more compact, the iMC 2.0 monitor – with its ‘smartphone-like’ screen navigation features – comes with increased memory capacity and lightning-fast processing speed. A new IMU sensor facilitates the use and integration of a variety of tilting buckets. Additionally, connection can be made remotely and project design files transferred through a Smart Construction Remote subscription.

Other intelligent machine control features carried over into the new PC360LCi-11 and PC360NLCi-11 models are Auto Stop Control, Auto Grade Assist and Minimum Distance Control.

Commenting, McHale’s John O’Brien said: “using an iMC equipped machine for grading purposes alongside its other functions, customers can redeploy their other equipment in order to better optimise fleet usage on the jobsite”

“Now, with their availability in Ireland, models factory-fitted with the new iMC 2.0 technology are available to an even wider body of customers who can gain advantage from the benefits that intelligent machine control brings,” he added.

As Italian-made Merlo telehandlers continue to gain in market appeal, yet another new model has arrived on the market here, this time a top-of-the-line TF65.9T-170-HF Turbofarmer variant whose appeal will be almost equally shared among farm buyers, industrial and construction users.

Said by Denis McGrath, general manager of Merlo distributors, McHale Plant Sales to be ‘the best choice in every field’, the new, more powerful, more highly-equipped TF 65.9 is a unit equally at home on the farm, in the grain store or as part of a farm contractor’s fleet as it will be in a construction or industrial setting.

Attired in its familiar Merlo-green livery, the new, high capacity TF65.9T-170-HF range comprises three model variants. Beginning with the TF65.9 unit, it includes a TF65.9TCS-170-HF and range-topping TF65.9TCS-170 CVTRONIC-HF choice.

All powered by a Stage V compliant 4.5-litre, 4-cylinder, 125 kW- 170 hp turbo diesel engine with DPF and SCR system, attributes include a maximum lifting capacity of 6,500 kg, a maximum lifting height of 8.8m, and a top speed of 40 km/h.

Other stand out features include hydrostatic transmission, EPD electronic control, load sensing hydraulics, transversal levelling, and a spacious 1,010mm wide FOPS and ROPS-certified modular cab with best-in-class visibility.

Underlining its multi-use versatility, the TF65.9 can be equipped with fork lifts, work cage, materials grab and bale clamps, loader bucket, crane hook and cables and other boom attachments alongside down-to-earth cleaning brushes, snow blade, and suchlike.

Compact dimensions increase the new unit’s manoeuvrability while two front and two rear cab-mounted halogen-type work lights add to its versatility. Other features setting it apart are its electronic joystick control with capacity sensor and its ASCS safety system.

On a 10-inch colour screen, operators can access a range of key data: items such as load and stability, the geometric limits of machine use, speed and adjustment of hydraulic settings, and information on the amount of loads handled is recorded and stored – updated in real time, according to operating conditions.

Safety-wise, an integrated safety system controls operating parameters while a ‘load control’ system automatically detects the attachment being used and configures the machine’s boom extension and angle and other control variants accordingly.

An appeal has been made to Minister for Finance, Pascal Donoghue TD to consider the introduction here of new tax reliefs on qualifying capital asset investments in plant and machinery comparable to those introduced by UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak in his recent Budget.

The appeal has been made in a letter to Minister Donoghue from construction equipment distributor, McHale Plant Sales of Birdhill and Rathcoole, representatives in Ireland for leading manufacturers Komatsu, Metso Outotec, Terex Ecotec and Merlo.

Amongst provisions contained in the new UK regulations, operative from April, is one whereby companies investing in qualifying new plant and machinery assets can benefit from a new temporary tax arrangement that delivers a 130 percent first-year capital allowance – greater in many cases than the purchase price of the machinery itself.

Designed to stimulate business investment, the measure increases the incentive to invest in plant and machinery by offering higher rates of relief than were previously available.

From an economic viewpoint, the UK’s HM Revenue & Customs service is definite in its description of the benefit that the measure is expected to bring. In explanatory information accompanying its introduction, it states that the new arrangement ‘will have a positive impact on business investment…by reducing the tax-adjusted cost of capital for millions of companies, large and small, investing in qualifying plant and machinery assets’.

In its letter to Minister Donoghue, McHale Plant Sales finance director, Liam Foley expressed his company’s support for the measure, going on to encourage the Irish Government to introduce a similar provision here ‘in its next Budget or at such earlier opportunity as may present’.

‘In circumstances whereby Covid-19 has brought about a halt to major infrastructural development and a virtual closure of the house building and construction sectors – with all of the consequential losses this has brought to companies operating in the plant and machinery business – the introduction here of an equally attractive provision would be one that would bring great benefit and stimulate employment in the sector,’ Mr. Foley said.

“Moreover, it would level the playing field between here and Northern Ireland and remove any cross-border sales and marketing imbalances that might arise and could impact negatively on locally-based distributors,” Mr. Foley added.

A sense of optimism and a belief that ‘better times are ahead’ is being felt throughout the construction plant sector, reflected in a willingness on the part of leading contractors to invest in new machinery, despite the many restrictions that the industry has had to endure over the past 12 months.

That is the view held by one major multi-franchise distributor, McHale Plant Sales, whose sense of what is happening within the industry can be measured across a number of sectors in which the company has interests. In addition to construction equipment as reflected in their work on behalf of Komatsu and Metso Outotec, they include also waste processing (with Terex Ecotec), forestry (with Komatsu Forest) and farm and agricultural contracting (with Komatsu and Merlo).

Indications that there is an element of buoyancy in the market at the present time and that a ‘rebound in demand is already on the cards’ are evident in a number of major Komatsu deals recorded by McHale in recent times.

Sales of the popular PC138US-11 excavator include deals with Maveric Construction, FIMA developments, Greenogue Recycling, and Tullamore-based Tower Civil Engineering – the latter fitted with a latest generation Topcon semi-autonomous positioning system – now also part of the McHale product offering.

Other excavator deals include a PC210LC-11 to Greenvalley, a PC360LC-11 to McSweeney Bros, and a 70tonne, PC700LC-11 to Kilsaran Concrete for work at its Gallstown facility near Dunleer.