The M350 Mulcher, is a niche carrier solution developed for forestry applications.
The machine is in response to foresters moving away from the slash and burn practice of land clearing in favour of mulching as a more environmentally responsible method of removing biomass. There are tangible business benefits to mulching; it reduces the time between harvesting and replanting while the mulch provides nutrients for the young trees.
Bell adapted the mulcher for hot and dusty conditions by repositioning the cooling pack at the back of the machine, incorporating screening to keep the debris out and fitting a filtration system to filter out the dust and prevent it from reaching the cooling pack. Bell have demonstrated that the machine can operate in ambient temperatures of 45° Celsius (113o F) as it worked in an area in the middle of summer where temperatures often peaked over this, with no incidents of overheating.
Like traditional mulchers, the cab is enclosed and filtered via the air conditioner to keep the workspace dust-free. The cab is mounted further forward for better visibility of the head, similar to a combine harvester. Bell opted for a FAE head from Italy as they are one of the most prominent manufacturers, and spares are readily available in the country.
The Bell M350 generates 261kW (355 hp) of power. Another important design consideration was the width of the machine. Imported units are about 2.8m (9.2 ft) wide and have to be transported as an abnormal load, requiring special load permits and increased transport costs, but the width of the Bell M350 is less than 2.6m (8.5 ft) and can be transported on a normal low bed. Source