Kobelco's baby high reach

Just what makes a high reach? This was one of the questions on the EDA questionnaire at its recent conference in Rome. In this author’s view, a high reach demolition excavator is one where a taller boom, designed for demolition, is carried by a machine that normally sports a much shorter dig boom.

This is certainly the case of the Kobelco SK30UR-3E. Only available in Japan, this 4.3 tonne mini excavator carries a two piece boom with a reach of 8 m (26.2 ft) that can carry a 210 kg (462 lb) demolition tool. The machine features an extended undercarriage that when retracted has a width of 1.5 m (4.9 ft) to allow it easy access to the inside of buildings.

The SK30UR-3E is the result of legislation introduced in Japan that governs the demolition of even the smallest of structures, and is intended for use during the demolition of residential structures, especially those made of timber as in common in the country.