Merlo has always stood out for its ability to anticipate innovations and always be ready to seize new opportunities. The presence of the Cuneo-based company brand in Antarctica is perfect evidence of this peculiar and, at the same time, revolutionary attitude.
Since 1985, when the Italian experience on this continent began, Merlo has been supplying its vehicles to the Zucchelli and Dome Concordia bases. The first vehicle was an SM30, specially designed and engineered to withstand the extremely low and harsh temperatures of the South Pole and facilitate the logistical practices of the base. Such vehicle was personally chosen by engineer Mario Zucchelli, who was won over by the performance and reliability of the Merlo telehandlers. Since then, the Group’s presence has grown steadily and has been consolidated, with as many as 12 telehandlers.
These Merlo vehicles feature a special “Antartica” configuration and, thanks to the numerous attachments available, specifically designed by the manufacturer, they are used for material handling operations, loading and unloading cargo and ice drilling.
However, not only the Italian bases have been won over by the unique characteristics of these vehicles. New Zealand dealer Power Farming supplied a Panoramic 28.8 to the Scott Base, and last but not least a P32.6 Plus was delivered to the Spanish base Gabriel de Castilla, which has been operating since 1988 thanks to the “Ejercito de Tierra”. The dealer Automoción Lozano took care of the difficult logistical operations to reach the base, thanks to its well-known reliability and experience gained over the years.
