Improving Municipal Infrastructure Efficiency with Telescopic Handlers in Gabon

A regional municipal infrastructure contractor in Gabon is responsible for road rehabilitation, drainage installation, and public facility upgrades in suburban and peri-urban areas. Projects are typically short-cycle, multi-site, and highly dependent on weather conditions.

The contractor handles multiple projects simultaneously, often with limited equipment availability and tight delivery schedules.

Operational Challenges

Before introducing telescopic handlers, the contractor relied mainly on wheel loaders and small mobile cranes.

Key issues included:

• Low efficiency in material positioning
  Wheel loaders lacked vertical reach, requiring additional manual handling or crane assistance.
• High mobilization cost
  Cranes needed separate transport and setup, increasing costs for short-duration lifting tasks.
• Terrain limitations
  Soft soil and muddy conditions during rainy seasons caused frequent downtime.

On average, material handling and positioning consumed up to 30–35% of total project time, directly affecting delivery schedules.

VANSE Solution

VANSE supplied a mid-duty telescopic handler configured specifically for infrastructure works:

• 4WD drivetrain with high ground clearance for unstable terrain
• Fork and bucket attachments to cover palletized materials and bulk aggregates
• Compact transport dimensions allowing relocation between sites without special logistics

Operators received on-site commissioning guidance to ensure rapid adaptation and safe use.

Quantifiable Results

After deployment across multiple municipal sites, the contractor reported:

• ≈25% reduction in daily material handling time
  Faster stacking and positioning reduced idle labor hours.
• ≈18–22% overall project cost savings
  Achieved by reducing crane rental frequency and simplifying equipment logistics.
• Equipment fleet optimization
  One telescopic handler replaced:
  • 1 small crane (for routine lifts)
  • 1 wheel loader (for pallet handling)
• Higher equipment utilization rate
  The telescopic handler operated across road, drainage, and public facility projects, averaging 7–8 working hours per day.

Conclusion

By integrating VANSE telescopic handlers into daily operations, the contractor gained a flexible, terrain-adapted lifting solution that significantly improved efficiency while controlling project costs. The machine quickly became a core asset for municipal infrastructure works.