In the UK, fly-tipping is an increasing problem. Government reports show that in England alone, local authorities dealt with over one million fly-tipping incidents from 2018 to 2019, an increase of 8% over the same period in 2017/2018 and the highest in a decade. Another problem faced by local authorities in the UK is the removal of asbestos – a recent report estimates there are still six million tonne of asbestos inside 1.5 million buildings in the UK.
The removal of these materials requires the expertise of specialist companies such as D J Cleaning Ltd, based in North Newbald in East Yorkshire, which holds a full three-year licence from the UK Health & Safety Executive to remove all types of asbestos such as asbestos insulation board (AIB), artex and cement products. Formed in 1967, D J Cleaning also offers a wide range of site, property and garden clearance services, including the removal of rubbish and often hazardous materials, resulting from fly-tipping.
New Compact Solution
To meet the increasing need for a new compact solution for this work, D J Cleaning has just purchased a Bobcat T450 track loader from AMS Bobcat, the Authorised Bobcat Dealer for the counties of East and South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in the UK.
Dan Stephenson, Owner and Director of D J Cleaning, said: “Because it is illegal, much of the fly-tipping takes place in the middle of the night in hidden away places, such as gulleys, narrow, out-of-the-way lanes and overgrown areas and we have been looking for a solution for work in these tight and/or inaccessible places, where larger vehicles cannot access.
“The compact size of the T450 now allows us to take the machine to site on a trailer and drive it right up to the rubbish/waste materials and remove them with the Bobcat grapple attachment also supplied by AMS and load it into another trailer for removal from site. One of the first jobs for the T450 was to clear rubbish dumped in a valley area, where the local council couldn’t work out how to get at it, but to their amazement, we were able to clear it in less than an hour using the new compact loader.”
Best-in-class Pressurised Cab
The cab on the T450 at D J Cleaning is fully enclosed, including a front door and wiper system. This provides a best-in-class pressurised interior space that keeps dust down to a minimum, keeping the operator clean and comfortable. The one-piece seal and unique, curved door pocket ensure that the driver enjoys the best-possible protection for asbestos removal work.
Dan Stephenson added: “With the peace of mind provided by the enclosed, pressurised cab on the T450, we can equip the machine with lifting tines and drive it on to the most confined of asbestos removal sites to pick up hazardous materials we’ve bagged up for safe removal from site.”
T450 joins Bobcat ‘Pocket Rocket’
Harvey Stephenson, Dan’s son and a company director, has taken over much of the day-to-day running of the business. He said: “In the past, we have hired in compact machinery when needed, but increasing workloads have meant that we require the T450 all the time. We have been purchasing Bobcat equipment from AMS Bobcat for over 10 years and have always found the products to be well built and sturdy performers. And the service from AMS is second to none.
“The new T450 is a perfect fit with our existing Bobcat T2250 telehandler and E16 mini-excavator. Both of these machines have been great for us – I call the T2250 the ‘pocket rocket’ – it has serious poke for working in our yard and on site for driving into piles of debris we have to remove. We also have the advantage of interchangeability of attachments such as buckets with the T450.”
Paul Hyslop, Bobcat District Manager UK North, commented: “We are delighted that D J Cleaning has expanded its Bobcat fleet with the addition of the new T450. The company provides a great demonstration of how the diverse products in the Bobcat portfolio can be brought together to provide a unmatched selection of solutions that works for a wide range of different applications and customers.”
Improved Performance with Compact Track Loaders
As tool carriers, Bobcat compact track loaders like the T450 offer many advantages over the comparable wheeled machines. They can provide increased productivity in many conditions with a lifting capacity approximately 25% more than the equivalently sized wheeled loaders. While wheeled machines may outperform tracked machines for sheer manoeuvrability on hard surfaces, the rubber tracked undercarriage on track loaders ensures improved traction on rough terrain; soft, sandy surfaces and in wet, muddy conditions.
Harvey Stephenson added: “Like all Bobcat track loaders, the T450 offers exceptional manoeuvrability and fast cycle times. It is therefore ideal for use in the clean-up work after the severe storms and flooding we have had in Yorkshire, particularly in areas where the use of larger machines is restricted. In fact, we have been using the T450 to clear away ballast bags that became submerged by the torrents of water we had to deal with in the floods.
“We also have to be very careful when we start work on a new fly-tipping site – the tracks on the T450 provide much more protection than wheeled machines against damage from sharps in the dumped materials. The much better traction of the T450 provides 15% more pushing force than the equivalently sized wheeled machine, allowing it to push heavier loads without getting stuck.“
Approximately three times less than wheeled machines, the low ground disturbance of Bobcat compact track loaders like the T450 allows them to work on delicate surfaces, such as established lawns or asphalt, minimising damage and reducing the need for tidying up after the job is complete.
Picture caption – Dan Stephenson, Owner and Director of D J Cleaning, with the new Bobcat T450 compact track loader.
For more information about Bobcat and Bobcat products, visit www.bobcat.com
