This article was published in LAPV (Local Authority Plant and Vehicles) December 2013. It revisits Nottinghamshire County Council to see how they have utilised the Multihog to determine what their experiences have been of the versatile machine and how it has added value to their operations.

1. implement carriers
Hogs on
hire, rolling
down the road
Since the Multihog multipurpose implement
carrier was introduced to
the market just three years
ago it has made inroads
into the highways and
winter sectors, due to the
fact that UK airports,
service providers and
local authorities from
Scotland to the south coast
are looking for more
versatility from their
implement carriers.
T
Due to its large
variety of
attachments,
Multihogs can be
used all through
the year.
he machine’s manufacturers Multihog UK say that the main
benefits of the machine are the result of its compact build,
powerful performance and ability to access areas that larger
machines cannot reach. The Multihog offers the ability to work
with a large variety of attachments to carry out tasks such as
patch planing, verge and barrier cutting, snow ploughing, gritting
and spraying.
Multihog UK has added extra MH90 base units to its hire fleet
and has recently been highlighting its hire facilities through the ‘Hire
a Hog’ campaign. Company Director Nick Carter explained: ‘Due to
the success of Multihog sales in the UK, hire wasn’t something we
initially focussed on. However, we understand that every organisation
has different financial needs, and the available long and short term
hire options at very competitive rates provide flexible financial
solutions that can be tailored to our customers’ requirements.’
Nottinghamshire County Council’s hired Multihogs which delivered
substantial cost savings. The use of the machines also improved
verge and grass cutting procedures across the seven boroughs in its
remit. The vehicles were first delivered in February 2013. Traffic
30 LAPV December 2013
management costs can be reduced by as much as £1,000 a day for
the 14 days each summer when dual carriageway work is carried
out, which is down to the design of Multihog’s new flail mower/cutter
attachment, says Nick Carter.
Cost savings
Nottinghamshire County Council is the first local authority in the
UK to use this side shifting and traversing front-mounted attachment
that can be positioned to work either side of the Multihog. This offers
major benefits compared to traditional fixed rear or side mounted
cutting equipment, particularly when working on dual carriageways.
Project Manager of Highways Services Mick Monaghan explains: ‘Due
to the requirement to work in the same direction as the traffic, our
old tractor-mounted system involved lane closures and rerouting,
which obviously caused disruption as well as incurring considerable
costs. Cutting either side of the Multihog whilst travelling with the
traffic flow allows us to complete the work much more quickly and
safely.’
‘The original plan was to start using the Multihogs for mowing

2. implement carriers
activities this summer, move on to hedge cutting
when the nesting season is over and then use the
front snow plough and rear mounted gritter
attachments from late October onwards as
needed,’ says Seasonal Works Manager Andy
Oscroft. ‘However, due to the unseasonably cold
weather this year – we were gritting for 22 nights
throughout March – we extended the winter
season and we got to try out the Multihog’s winter
capabilities first. Having heard testimony from other
users I was confident that the machine would do
all that it promised and this proved to be the case.
The Multihogs are earmarked for service in routes
where there are steep hills, narrow roads and
estates where larger snow clearing equipment just
won’t fit. The articulated design also makes them
excellent for manoeuvring around parked cars for
maximum possible clearance.’
Grass cutting performance
Having used the flail arm for mowing for a few
months now, Andy’s verdict is that the attachment
as well as the overall performance of the Multihog
have been fantastic. ‘The grass this summer has
grown very quickly and couldn’t get much higher,
so the Multihogs have been cutting 4ft high
swathes of grass, mixed with scrub and coarse
stems. Compared with our larger tractors with
110hp they have 20hp less output but you would
never know it – to be honest I am amazed that
the manufacturers have packed so much power
into such a compact machine. With a schedule of
four cuts for each of the 23 runs in our operational
area to be achieved, the road speed of 40km/h is
very advantageous, as drivers can get from one
area to the next in good time. It is also quick and
easy to swap the flail head from one side to the
other. Fuel consumption is
excellent – when you are
working long shifts in outlying
areas you need to be confident
that you have enough juice to
get back to the depot, and the
tank easily copes with the10hour or so daily operation that we typically need in
the summer to cope with the workload.’
steep gradients, and I have never felt any risk of getting stuck in even
the muddiest conditions, as the 4-wheel drive has a real kick to it.’
The compact dimensions of the MH90 and the ability to fold the
side arm of the attachment in front of the machine are also
beneficial as the Multihog can sit on the grass or hug the kerb rather
than mowing from a distance on the road. This reduces the amount
of space it takes up, makes it easier for traffic to pass and makes
drivers feel safer. The 4m-reach of the arm enables hard-to-reach
areas such as very steep banks to be mown without personnel
having to scale them with strimmers. Using a front-mounted
attachment also means that grass is not flattened before it is mown,
resulting in a better cut.
The low centre of gravity makes the
machine very stable to operate even on
steep gradients and I have never felt any
risk of getting stuck in even the muddiest
conditions as the 4-wheel drive has a
real kick to it.
Operatives such as Mark take pride in the quality of their work
and he is impressed with features that enable more precise mowing.
‘The side-shift facility on the front bar, which is hydraulically operated
from inside the cab enables me to easily manoeuvre the flail head
around obstacles such as benches, rubbish bins, and street lamp
columns, for a neater job,’ says Mark.
‘As the first UK counil to take delivery of the flail attachment we
had no previous points of reference from other customers in this
country,’ says Andy Oscroft. ‘But we have achieved everything I have
wanted to and cannot fault the combination we have in place. Hiring
Hogs for us was indeed a very good decision.’
Andy Oscroft,
Seasonal Works
Manager at Notts
CC, with Seasonal
Works Operative
Mark Wardle
(right).
Second home
Keeping drivers happy during these relatively
long shifts is therefore paramount. Seasonal Works
Operative Mark Wardle spends so much time in
his Multihog that he likens it to his ‘second home,’
and a very comfortable one at that. ‘Compared to
the tractor-type vehicles with rear attachments the
Multihog is very comfortable to operate as you
have the attachment in front of you and are not
constantly straining your neck to look over your
shoulder,’ he says. ‘As you are seated away from
the engine the working environment in the cab is
very quiet and smooth. Good visibility, air
conditioning in the summer and heating in winter
reduce risk of fatigue too. The low centre of gravity
makes the machine very stable to operate even on
December 2013 LAPV 31