Merlo presents a new cabin system for telescopic loaders: The Roto Cabina Sospesa. This is a rotating suspended cabin that can rotate 360 degrees. The Italian company promises significantly more safety for machine operators.
The cabin is suspended with a gimbal system and remains horizontally aligned in every boom position. The driver always sits at a right angle to the work surface – whether the boom is extended to 5 or 15 meters. This is designed to reduce fatigue and simplify work on uneven terrain.
The rotation is continuously variable and automatically follows the boom position. This gives the operator a direct view of the load hook and attachment. This is especially relevant for material handling on construction sites with limited visibility. Those working in courtyards or during renovations benefit from the direct forward view.
The system is available as special equipment for various Merlo model series. The manufacturer has not yet provided technical details such as weight, additional cost, or retrofit capability. The Roto Cabina Sospesa is already being shown on the Italian market. For German-speaking markets, the introduction is currently underway – following Merlo's recent acquisition of long-time distribution partner Heinrichs.
Whether the concept catches on depends on driver acceptance and operating costs. For fleet operators, it will be crucial how the system affects maintenance intervals and downtime. Direct comparison values with conventional cabins are not yet available. Those interested in rotating workstations on construction machinery will find parallels in the crane industry – rotating cabins have been standard there for years.
Merlo is using the innovation to create a unique selling point in competition with Manitou, JCB, Dieci and Bobcat. The competition's reaction remains to be seen.
