Based in Rochester, Kent, and supported by satellite sites providing nationwide coverage, KKB Group are specialists in providing niche services to the construction, remediation and recycling sectors.
One of the businesses long term ambitions is to continuously increase the value and environmental performance of the regeneration and built environment process for its clients. Given this focus it is perhaps not surprising that the company has invested in the innovative Komatsu HB365LC-3 hybrid excavator. The first three of these Stage IV compliant machines have recently arrived with KKB Group and gone straight out to work.
“We have vast experience of operating large recycling contracts for blue chip clients. Not only do we pride ourselves on providing high quality recycling solutions and products, we want to be as efficient as possible during the process.”Colin Basi, CEO of KKB Group explained. “To that end it is vital for us to maintain a relentless level of investment in the latest plant and technology and that is why we have chosen the HB365LC-3 as our hybrid excavator of choice. The three we have recently taken delivery of have gone straight out onto our recycling site operations where they are loading crusher screeners with Asphalt to produce a clean range of recycled aggregate product (RAP)”.
KKB Group work hard to invest in products that will enable their customers to meet both their environmental and productivity objectives. KKB Group work with many companies like Hanson, Tarmac and Aggregate Industries, and the company provides a complete solution of machines and operators. These large customers have come to expect a proactive approach from KKB Group who opted to trial Komatsu Hybrid technology with the purchase of four HB365LC-3 two-years ago.
This machine has been used to evaluate the related environmental technologies with customers as Colin explains,“We are responsible for recycling around 1.5 million tonnes of Asphalt (RAP) a year and not long into the original trial it became apparent that the hybrid technology was a real positive for us and our customers. It is now our business objective to run a complete fleet of hybrid excavators and diesel/electric crushers and screeners by 2020. Having been impressed with the fuel and emissions saving from our trial machine we have invested in these three HB365LC-3 machines, with a plan to invest in eight more by the end of this year. Being able to go to our customers with the first Stage IV hybrid is fantastic for us, the fact that we can also show that these machines offer up to twenty-percent fuel savings makes our proposition even stronger.”
Dion Palk, Marubeni-Komatsu’s Area Sales Manager for the South East, said, “We have a long-standing relationship with Colin and the team at KKB Group. They recognise the importance of optimising their return in quality investment, whilst putting the needs of their customer’s first, by providing the optimum in efficiencies with no compromise to quality, performance or production. It was obvious to KKB Group that the innovative technology of the Komatsu HB365LC-3 was their natural choice.
KKB Group have a large fleet of Komatsu equipment and – as is standard on Komatsu Stage IIIB and Stage IV machines – KKB Group combine the KomatsuCARE, which covers factory scheduled maintenance for the first 3 years/2000 hours, together with an extended full maintenance package from Marubeni Komatsu Limited, ensuring reliability & longevity to suit the expected life cycle. Also included is complimentary Komatsu Diesel Particulate Filter exchange and SCR maintenance service for the first 5 years/9,000 hours, providing the confidence our customers want. This guarantees an almost fixed life cost, and more importantly, an absolute peace-of-mind for having invested with Marubeni Komatsu Limited.”
Colin continues, “Aside from KomatsuCARE and the additional service packages, we feel that KOMTRAX – the Komatsu remote monitoring fleet manager data system which provides access to specific machine data via the internet – is a great benefit to us. As KOMTRAX talks to KomatsuCARE, we and Marubeni-Komatsu are notified when servicing is due. That helps keep equipment in peak operating condition and enables us to monitor and manage our fleet effectively.”
It is clear that KKB Group are focused on helping customers to reduce their carbon footprint and increase efficiency but the number of safety features on the new HB365LC-3 are of great importance for KKB Group and its customers. “Doing our job as safely as possible is vital, we have had fantastic feedback from our operators on the machine’s all-round camera system, KomVision which provides operators with a real-time bird’s-eye view of the machine via four networked high definition cameras. Aside from this we see real benefits from the neutral detection system for travel and work equipment levers, helping to keep everyone onsite safe.”said Colin.
Dion goes on to say, “As our industry maintains a vital focus on safety, we feel that including safety features as standard is a must. Aside from KomVision the team at KKB Group have been impressed with safe SpaceCabTM(a tubular design developed specifically for hydraulic excavators) which protects operators even in the event of an extreme rollover accident, KKB Group specification insists on having additional safety features to meet their customer’s sites & application safety requirements.”
After two decades, KKB Group are still applying the most innovative techniques and technologies to maximise the value of waste material. As the construction industry looks for ways to reduce its carbon output and increase sustainability the need for suppliers who are willing to invest in technology also increases. For this reason, Marubeni-Komatsu and KKB Group look set to continue a strong partnership driven by a collective green ambition.
