Caterpillar delivers 25,000th wheeled excavator

German Caterpillar dealer Zeppelin has sold the 25,000^th wheeled excavator manufactured by the company to BMTI, a subsidiary of Strabag, based in Austria. Senior executives from BMTI took delivery of the new machine from Zeppelin's headquarters in Garching, near Munich at the end of August.

First designed in 1995, Caterpillar's wheeled excavator range is now available in seven models, ranging from 13 to 22 tonnes, as well as two material handlers. The mobile machine can be driven up to 37 km/h on public roads, and is well-suited to working in urban areas.

BMTI requested a unit that could work on biodegradable hydraulic oil and lubricants as the machines sometimes have to operate in environmentally sensitive areas.

The company operates a fleet of 800 Caterpillar machines, including a substantial proportion of excavators. Its new wheeled excavator is already being put to work at Hamburg airport where it is assisting with airport maintenance and repair work on the runway.