The PoleX was displayed along with single drum winch truck. Both these items were provided to Energy Australia and both machines are new products. The PoleX had previously been delivered and was made available to us for display purposes. The unit has been assessed by Energy Australia and will be put into operation in the Newcastle area. There has been great interest in this new machine as it greatly increases operator safety and at the same time increases productivity and minimises the chances of lifter borer damage when extracting power poles.

The single drum winch is a completely new product being provided with a 10kN winch with newly designed fairlead attachment to operate in confined spaces. This machine is ideal for working in restricted access areas such as narrow laneways and busy streets in the Sydney metropolitan area. In addition to the single drum winch for installation of new overhead conductors, the winch truck is provided with an ABC drum module capable of accepting drums up to 1200mm in diameter. This module is provided with a disc brake. The unit also has a loading crane mounted at the rear. With the addition of the crane, the machine is fully self-contained and is expected to be a popular option.

The Field Day gave us a great opportunity to meet operators of our equipment. Many different power authorities and contractors were well represented. The views and opinions of operators are very valuable to us. Suggestions for improvements are passed onto our engineering department for assessment and possible upgrades for equipment designs to satisfy customer requirements.