American Made: Recent Stellar Innovations

05.24.22

Stellar’s commitment to continuous improvement means always pushing the envelope — creating something better, faster, stronger, more efficient. Dedication to consistent innovation allows us to provide a top-tier product that takes your business to the next level.

“We’re out there striving to build new products for customers every day to make them more productive,” says Tim Davison, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We know that if we can help customers be more productive, we help them make more money in a day — and that means we are doing our job right.”

Let’s honor the American spirit of innovation by celebrating some recent Stellar developments that can help your business grow.

NXT18 Hooklift

Stellar was founded in 1990 with the hooklift, and from there the business grew exponentially. Over the last couple of decades, we became a market leader, and now we’re ready to take it to the next level. The NXT™ Series of telescopic hooklifts is made to be a flexible unit that is highly adaptable to the needs of customers.

This strong but lightweight unit is capable of loading, unloading and dumping various truck bodies. The NXT18 is the first telescopic hooklift in the new NXT Series and features a Z-channel base design and an industry-leading universal body latching system.

“We are really excited about the prospects of the new NXT Series and how much this will evolve telescopic hooklifts now and into the future,” says Tim Worman, Senior Product Manager. “Our telescopic jib and secondary design on the NXT Series allows us to be more compact than ever before to accomplish our lost load height.”

Watch the video below to learn more.

Service Van Upfit Equipment

Looking for an easier, more affordable way to service your light-duty equipment? Stellar’s new Service Van Upfit Equipment can turn a transit or sprinter van into a service van by adding a toolbox system with a built-in workbench, an aluminum lube skid system or both. They’re completely customizable to fit the specific needs for your business.

“We’re excited to offer products for service van upfits to customers looking for light-duty solutions,” says Worman. “The upfit options feature the popular, heavy-duty toolbox system with a durable workbench top so technicians can easily work in the van.”

Check out the details by watching the video below.

TMAX™ 16K Mechanic Truck

In an industry first, the patented aluminum extrusion top allows for crane mounting without a tube crane reinforcement kit. The TMAX 16K is designed for use with 4,000-lb cranes and smaller (16,000 ft-lb). The mechanic body meets the unique needs of rental equipment, municipalities and other applications.

TMAX Aluminum Mechanic and Service Trucks are not only corrosion resistant but also lighter weight compared to their steel counterparts. This allows for more payload, especially when combined with the aluminum EC3200 Electric Crane. With the addition of the TMAX 16K, the lineup now offers a superior mechanic body for electric and hydraulic cranes up to 4,000 lbs.

“The TMAX 16K Aluminum Body provides utility professionals, rental and construction operators with a durable, lightweight option for the jobsite,” says Adam Oppermann, Product Manager.

Learn more in the video below.

TM28 Tire Manipulator

The TM28 Tire Manipulator is the next evolution in mining tire service. By utilizing a forklift or loader as a tire handler, this new manipulator brings increased user efficiency and equipment value to the market.

“It was important for us to design a tire manipulator that could actually increase the productivity of our customers rather than just creating a product with the same value proposition as our competitors,” says Davison. “We need to be able to give the customer more features, better performance and more value for their investment.”

The TM28 offers added versatility through its ability to attach to and detach from equipment. By adding the TM28 to existing forklifts or loaders, professionals can increase equipment value by eliminating the need to buy dedicated equipment.

See it for yourself below.

TMAX 2-14 Aluminum Low Cab Forward (LCF) Mechanic Truck

The TMAX 2-14 Aluminum Low Cab Forward (LCF) Mechanic Truck is the latest addition to the successful and long-standing TMAX series, providing yet another level of options for service truck operators. The TMAX 2-14 aluminum body coupled with a low cab chassis delivers unique operational advantages. The TMAX LCF provides users superior turn radius, making this an ideal choice for metropolitan and tighter work areas. Additionally, through the use of a larger body, operators won’t have to sacrifice storage space and lifting capacity.

“We continue to work with customers to ensure we’re meeting their ever-changing needs,” says Oppermann. “By adding the TMAX 2-14 Aluminum LCF to our product offering, it allows customers flexibility in choosing the right combination of equipment to fit their requirements.”

CDTpro™ Control System

The new CDTpro control system with Range Finder™ technology is the most ergonomically correct and balanced radio remote control on the market. With an over-molded rubber bumper system, we created a durable yet lightweight tool for operators.

Designed to improve ergonomics and increase usability, the single-handed controller delivers quick, smooth operation with the most finite control for precise placements of loads while allowing for multiple functions to run at once.

The Range Finder feature allows the operator to create a lift plan without ever needing to unstow the crane. This industry-only technology estimates distance and calculates crane capacities where the operator is holding the control system.

With a full suite of feedback screens, the CDTpro Control System includes current load of the crane and distance to maximum capacity, and sends vibratory alerts to inform the operator they are approaching maximum load capacity.

76/86 Series Cranes

With a new, sleek design, the 7621 and 7630 cranes feature an overall average reduced weight of nearly 20 percent compared to the previous models, while still maintaining the same strength. This compact design allows for an easier reach within smaller spaces and its lighter weight ultimately creates more truck payload for the operator.

Additionally, we’ve introduced a new 8,000-lb crane series to the lineup with the 8621 and 8630 cranes. The 8621 Heavy-Duty Crane boasts a maximum horizontal reach of 21 feet and vertical lift of nearly 23 feet from its crane base. The 8630 features a maximum horizontal reach of nearly 29 feet and vertical lift just over 31 feet from its crane base, making the 86 Series perfect for any job that demands precision.

Some of the biggest improvements made include updating the boom from a hexagon design to an octagon and decreasing the size of the boom tip. The new boom design allows the cranes to maintain strength while the compact boom tip creates an easier reach for smaller spaces. This innovative design preserves strength while reducing weight by an average of 355 lbs.

“It takes skill to improve the best crane on the market — but we’ve done it,” says Davison. “Our new models improve on strength while also reducing overall weight, creating the lightest and most robust option on the market.”

Just the Beginning

We are excited to celebrate these innovations and share them all with our loyal customers. Being a leader in the industry, we feel a great responsibility to constantly be pushing the envelope to continuously deliver a product that is going to help get the job done faster, easier and with less worry.

Want to experience these innovations for yourself? Contact us, request a quote or find a distributor today.