Mastenbroek in partnership with Port Industries recently unveiled its first-ever utility trencher designed specifically for the North American market. Port Industries provide full aftermarket parts, sales and service to support the dealer groups offering the Mastenbroek line of products in North America.

The Bulldog’s compact yet powerful design meets the needs of utility cable and pipeline contractors, according to Mastenbroek. The Bulldog — which is 38 feet, 7 inches long — is designed to work in confined areas, and its forward discharge conveyor system retracts to an 8-foot, 2-inch width, making it is easy to transport.

Borrowing much of Mastenbroek's engineering prowess from the existing 17/17 trencher, the new Bulldog features a new engine and enhanced digging mechanism.

The new U.S.-specific trencher features a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Tier 4 final compliant Volvo 8-liter engine, offering a combination of power, efficiency and low emissions. 

Complementing the Volvo engine is a new diesel hydrostatic drive system developed by Mastenbroek to power the new heavier digging mechanism, which can achieve the 6 foot trench depth required by U.S. cable layers.

The Bulldog also features an offset cutting head and forward swing conveyor making it ideal for operating in cities and on highways where access is restricted and excavated material needs to be loaded onto trucks for removal offsite. A steerable undercarriage enables curved trench lines, and the track lift allows the machine to straddle raised pedestrian walkways.

"The Bulldog has been designed with the needs of companies laying underground power cables along the west coast of America firmly in mind," says Christopher Pett, Mastenbroek's commercial director. "Our 17/17 has proved incredibly effective in Europe, where it has been used to perform a similar role to what is required in the United States."

For more information, visit www.portindustries.com. The full range of Mastenbroek products is available at www.mastenbroek.com.