Stevens Equipment Rental marks 1000th new machine milestone with UK-first.
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Stevens Equipment Rental has taken delivery of its 1000th new machine while becoming the first UK company to deploy the Cat 980 30.9 tonne medium wheel loaders, with AEB new automatic emergency braking technology.
This recent investment celebrated with a commemorative livery not only marks the 1000th and 1001st new machines owned by the company but also represents early adoption of brand new AEB technology, all to help increase safety for people and machines on site.
Finning UK & Ireland delivered both machines along with a full suite of Cat technology that includes, Cat CPM Weighloader, surround vision cameras, object and people detection in addition to Cat Detect collision mitigation system with AEB function.
Andrew Stevens, Managing Director of Stevens Equipment Rental, commented: “Over 50 years we have continually expanded our national fleet to ensure we can offer our customers the latest in low-emission, high performance machines. We are pleased to mark our 1000th machine milestone with the Cat 980, which brings increased efficiency and ease of operation to customers working in the most demanding applications.
After positive feedback from the purchase of a Cat 972 with object detection and mitigation in 2025, Stevens Equipment Rental specified the new Cat 980’s from Finning to include the recently launched AEB from Cat.
“Safety is embedded in our ethos at Stevens Equipment Rental and we are proud to be the first in the UK to offer the Cat 980 with Cat Detect featuring the new AEB technology function. This innovative function will actively intervene and halt machinery to prevent struck-by incidents on site and is something we saw as an essential investment for improving site safety for our customers.”
As a new function within the Cat Detect collision mitigation system, AEB utilises an integrated sensor and smart camera to track obstacles and people on site. If an obstacle or person is detected in the critical zone, AEB automatically engages the service brakes should the operator fail to take evasive action.
In addition, the Cat Detect system also features a Motion Inhibit function that prevents any attempt to shift into gear from a stationary position if a person or object is detected in the critical zone by preventing gear engagement and notifying the operator via an on-screen notification.
The 1000th machine milestone underscores the longstanding partnership between Finning and Stevens Equipment Rental. For over 20 years, Finning has supported Stevens Equipment Rental not only with machinery supply but with extensive equipment expertise, after sales support, and consultancy on fleet expansion, digital transformation, and more sustainable operations.
Neil Baxter, Key Account Manager at Finning said: “We are thrilled to share this milestone moment with Stevens Equipment Rental who have consistently chosen to make investments in both their fleet and technology to ensure the very best for their customers, both in machine productivity and safety.”
Beyond the machines themselves, Stevens Equipment Rentals investment is supported by Finning through a comprehensive Cat Customer Value Agreement (CVA), ensuring proactive maintenance, expert servicing, remote monitoring, and protection of uptime. The machinery is also covered by Cat Equipment Protection Plans (EPP), offering warranty and peace of mind to SER’s operations team.
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