Magnifique Mecalac

During my visit to the Conexpo Show in Las Vegas last March, just before the world went mad, I paid a visit to the Mecalac stand and one of the standout machines on the French manufacturers stand was the magnificent 15MC tracked excavator.

This machine is yet another typical example of the manufacturers stylish and innovative designs, that really make them stand out from the crowd when compared to many others in the market. They don’t really do normal and tend to stretch the boundaries in excavator design and versatility, for me this is what makes them such an interesting company.

Apparently last December a demonstration was held at Mecalac UK’s demo facility in Warwickshire for construction professionals to test drive the 15MC. I have to be honest, I never heard a word about it, which is a real shame as I would have loved to try the machine out for a First Drive report, but maybe when things start to get back to some form of normality, we will get a chance to do so.

Which ever way you look at it, the 15MC is a beast of a machine, but in a very compact and powerful package. Its superb contoured design which envelopes the counterweight around the machine. Makes it a fantastic choice for congested sites and single lane road closure jobs, combined with the variable position three section boom/dipper design it really is suited to urban job sites. At full stretch the machine can reach out to a maximum working range of 8.8m, and can offer a dig depth of -4.98m while delivering an impressive 8,170 daN breakout force.

Power comes from a turbocharged Deutz TCD 3.6 L4 water cooled diesel engine, which pushes out 136hp @2,300rpm. To meet EU emissions regulations the machine is fitted with an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve, catalytic converter (DOC) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, which uses Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) to achieve the requirements.

Impressive hydraulic oil flow rates have always been a feature on Mecalac machines enabling end users to power high flow attachments and the 15MC is no different, the system fitted uses a variable displacement pump to generate a maximum flow rate of 270L/min, delivering smooth and precise control.

The ROPS and FOPS protected cab looks like a great place to spend a shift with all the usual creature comforts, and I just love that sliding cab door, although it must be said, that sliding door arrangements can sometimes give problems as the machine gets older.

This is a power packed compact 15 tonner and one to consider if you are one of those who likes to think outside the box!

Checkout the impressive lifting power of the 15MC in this short video clip!