Vermeer launches wide feed brush chipper

US manufacturer Vermeer has added a new line of brush chipper to its range. The Vermeer BC900XL is designed to chip heavily branched material up to 9 inches (23 cm) in diameter.

Aimed at the rental market, the Vermeer BC900XL can be used for line clearing and general cleanup needs. Its large 9 in by 14 in (23 cm by 35.6 cm) feed opening increases productivity by reducing the need to trim heavily branched material before feeding it into the chipper.

A 33 in diameter (83.8 cm) disc rotates at 1400 rpm and features two steel chipper knives with two usable cutting edges each. Two shear bars also have two usable edges to help extend wear life.

The BC900XL also comes with Vermeer's patented SmartFeed system, which monitors engine rpm and automatically stops and reverses the single horizontal feed roller when feeding larger, hardwood material. A 40 horsepower (29.8 kW) Kohler Command CH1000 gas engine provides the power to pull and process difficult branch material.

Safety features for the unit include a long feed table design, bottom feed stop bar and a four-position feed control bar. The bottom feed stop bar is positioned so that the operator's leg can strike the bar and shut off the feed in an emergency situation.