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Buying guide

Material handlers

Purpose-built handlers for scrap yards, ports, recycling and timber, running an orange-peel grab, magnet or grapple instead of a bucket. An elevating cab and a straight or gooseneck boom give the reach and overhead sightline sorting and loading demand. Understand the class below, then compare the live stock by make, year, hours and price.

In stock492 machines293 show a price

Typical price€30,000 - €139,000half sell under €59,000

Years1988 to 2026New and used

Mostly located inNetherlands · Germany · Poland

Operating weight20 to 48.8 ttypical range

Engine power96 to 203 kWtypical range

Engine hours3,692 to 18,500 htypical range

Find by make

Fuchs 162 Liebherr 112 Sennebogen 81 Caterpillar 65 Atlas 37 Terex 18 Volvo 4 JCB 3

Prices for Material handlers

2005 Caterpillar M322C Material Handler2005€30,000

2014 Volvo EW210D MH Material Handler2014€41,900

2006 Fuchs MHL350 Material Handler2006 · 12,317 h€49,900

2012 Caterpillar M318 MH Wheel Excavator2012 · 15,150 h€67,500

2017 Liebherr LH50M Material Handler2017€84,350

2019 Fuchs MHL350F Material Handler2019 · 9,160 h€139,000

Choosing the right type

Wheeled vs trackedWheeled machines move fast between piles and roads on hard yard surfaces; tracked machines hold ground and stability on soft or uneven scrap and timber sites.

Stationary electricPedestal or fixed-base electric handlers suit a permanent port or shredder-feed position with mains power, low noise and no fuel handling.

Boom-stick reachStraight booms give raw lift and reach for stacking and truck loading; gooseneck booms clear the cab roof for close-in sorting and grab work.

Elevating cabA hydraulically raised cab lifts the operator above the load for a clear line of sight into trailers, hoppers and high piles.

Attachment ecosystemOrange-peel grabs for loose scrap, a magnet plus its own generator for ferrous sorting, timber grapples for logs and biomass, matched to a dedicated hydraulic circuit.

What to check before buying

Idle-hour profileA material handler often idles between cycles, so compare the meter reading against real working hours rather than the total on the clock.

Generator and magnet wiringOn magnet setups, check the onboard generator output and the magnet cable and coupler for wear, heat damage or poor insulation.

Slew ring and boom cracksInspect the slew ring (the bearing the upper body turns on), pins and boom welds around the high-cycle grab or magnet joints, the first places fatigue cracking shows up.

Outrigger and axle conditionCheck outrigger cylinders and pads on wheeled machines, or axle and steering wear, since stability under a swinging load depends on both.

Common questions

How is a material handler different from an excavator fitted with a grab?

A material handler is purpose-built with a taller undercarriage or elevating cab, a boom geometry suited to overhead reach, and hydraulics sized for continuous grab or magnet cycling, rather than an excavator adapted with a grab attachment.

Why do idle hours matter so much on this class?

Handlers spend long stretches idling between grab or magnet cycles, so the hour meter can overstate real wear. Ask for load-cycle history where available and weigh hours against undercarriage and hydraulic condition.

Electric or diesel drive?

Stationary electric suits a fixed yard or port position with mains access, low noise and no fuel logistics. Diesel wheeled or tracked machines suit sites that need to reposition around the yard or work without a power connection.

Do I need an elevating cab?

An elevating cab helps most when loading high-sided trailers, hoppers or tall piles, giving the operator a clear downward view. For low, flat sorting work a fixed cab height is often enough.