So says Ian Manley, Quarry Manager at Marshalls’ Howley Park Quarry near Wakefield, as the company takes a further package of Volvo Construction Equipment products.
The addition of another Volvo L180H loading shovel, a fifty-tonne EC480E excavator and an A45G articulated hauler coincides with the commissioning of a brand new crushing plant at the Howley Park facility.
“Up until now we’ve engaged contractors to carry out the primary crushing and screening processes here at Howley Park,” says Ian Manley. “With our new plant coming on stream we therefore needed to add these extra machines to fill the gap and consequently settled on Volvos to complement and mirror our existing machines on site. Flexibility is the key to our operations and the ability to interchange attachments on our shovels and excavators when required is crucial,” he continues. “We’ve found our existing Volvo machines to be highly reliable and productive and to be honest, I cannot speak highly enough about them and indeed the service support we get from the dealer.”
Highly abrasive gritstone is quarried at Howley Park, so consequently the new machines have been supplied to deal with the tough characteristics of the material. For instance, the A45G articulated hauler has been fitted with Hardox 500 wear plates in its 25m³ capacity body; the EC480E is equipped with an attachment mounted heavy duty 3.0m³ rock bucket and the 4.8m³ rehandling bucket mounted on the L180H has benefitted from hard facing on the leading edge and side plates.
As with the five 30-tonne L180Hs supplied last year, the new loading shovel has had Volvo’s Co-Pilot load-assist option installed at the factory. The Co-Pilot load assist option is the very latest in weigh loading sophistication, allowing the operator to calibrate either his bucket or block handling forks via the touch screen pad in the cab. Bucket loads and the number of buckets filled can be recorded in addition to the system storing a whole array of product menus. The Co-Pilot touch screen automatically becomes a rear view screen when the machine is put into reverse, interacting with the rear view camera. Furthermore, the Co- Pilot system is linked in with the Care Track system – Volvo’s telematics system which can feed back information to a remote location.
The new L180H also benefits from the addition of the CDC (Comfort Drive Control) option allowing the operator to steer the machine from the comfort of his left arm rest.
The fifty-tonne excavator has been equipped with double grouser track pads for quarry operations and supplied with a hydraulic quick fit, heavy-duty bucket and hydraulically operated steps for safe access and egress for the operator to and from the cab. The EC480E is installed with a 13-litre Volvo engine developing 378 nett hp and its hydraulic system is perfectly matched to it, both being controlled by an advanced system which provides on-demand flow and reduces power losses within the circuit. Volvo’s unique ECO-mode contributes significantly to the machines’ total improved efficiency without any loss of performance in most operating conditions. The machine supplied to Marshalls also benefits from the straight travel pedal – which is a single pedal in the cab situated to the right of the standard travel pedals – and boom float as optional extras.
This latest package of machines comes with a 5-year 10,000-hour full warranty package all covered under a Blue Volvo Service Support agreement meaning they will be serviced at the correct intervals by Volvo trained technicians using genuine Volvo parts.
Established in the late 1880s, Marshalls is the UK’s leading manufacturer of superior natural stone and innovative concrete hard landscaping products, supplying the construction, home improvement and landscape markets. The Group operates its own quarries and manufacturing sites, as well as 12 service centres and 14 offices throughout the UK. As a major plc, Marshalls is committed to quality in everything it does, including environmental best practice and continual improvement in health and safety performance for the benefit of its 2,000 strong workforce.
SMT GB markets Volvo Construction Equipment products which include wheeled loaders, articulated haulers, hydraulic excavators, Volvo utility equipment and Volvo road equipment products in Great Britain. There are eight strategically placed customer support centres, a dedicated National Used Equipment Centre and a network of utility equipment dealerstoensure high quality customer support is maintained throughout the country.
