Executive Hire News › Archives › November 2009 › Market Report : Mini excavators
Market Report : Mini excavators
Hallmark takes first Volvo EC27C
Hallmark Plant Hire has taken delivery of the first Volvo EC27C compact excavator to be sold in Great Britain. “We’ve been really impressed with the machine’s performance, ease of control, operator comfort and reliability,” said Director, Simon Knight. “It’s doing everything we ask of it and it fits in really well with the typical contracts we are involved with.”
Hallmark Plant Hire evolved five years ago from parent company, Hallmark Construction (UK), and is headquartered at Deanshanger, near Milton Keynes. “We got into plant by necessity as we were hiring a lot in to fulfil our various contracts and projects. So it made sense to start owning the kit for our own work and make it available for general hire as well.” Typical applications include house building and extensions, ground works and utilities contracts, with a speciality service offering on-site crushing with a 4 tonne mini crusher.
The 2.7 tonne EC27C replaces the previous EC25 and EC30 models, and is claimed to deliver performance in the range of the larger machine, while having a compact design reminiscent of the smaller EC25. The conventional excavator design is said to enhance stability and to give minimal superstructure swing.
Simultaneous control of slew and offset movements provides precise performance, due to the right joystick control lever that features an electronically proportional roller. This allows the operator to adjust hydraulic flow as needed.
An automatic two-speed travel system engages when operating in high-speed mode, shifting gear according to the travel load. To reduce fuel consumption and emissions, an auto-idling system lowers engine speed to idle if a control is not used for five seconds, and the engine reverts to the pre-selected speed when any control is moved.
01223 836636
www.volvo.co.uk
Ammann’s modular approach
Ammann Equipment’s recently launched SV20 is a reduced tail swing machine, and its modular construction facilitates replacement of major components. Direct access is also provided to electrical and hydraulic parts for easy servicing.
The machine weighs 2050kg with a canopy and 2185kg fitted with a cab. It is fitted with a long reach arm as standard, providing a digging depth of up to 2480mm and a maximum discharge height of 4015mm. A flow sharing, load sensing hydraulic circuit is incorporated to enable precise operation, and the machine is powered by a Yanmar diesel engine designed for low levels of noise, emissions and fuel consumption.
01789 414525
www.ammann.co.uk
Takeuchi makes more room
2009 has seen the launch of three new Takeuchi mini excavators, namely the TB228, TB235 and TB250, in the 3, 4 and 5 tonne classes respectively. Their cabs give 20% more room than those on older models, and larger footwells facilitate pedal operation, particularly when using tools attached to the auxiliary circuits. They also provide enhanced visibility at lower levels, enabling operators to see into critical digging areas.
Main service points can be accessed from ground level, and all three models have a tilt-up cab. The seats are designed for greater comfort, and additional features include the provision of a socket for an MP3 player.
01706 657722
www.takeuchi-mfg.co.uk
Trailer-made from JCB
Targeted at small contractors, landscapers and grounds maintenance professionals, the JCB 8020 is the company’s largest mini excavator that can legally be towed behind a pick-up or 4x4 vehicle. Having an operating weight of 2 tonne, it is based on the manufacturer’s 801 series of machines and is similarly designed for easier operation and servicing. The cab on the reduced tail swing machine is designed to provide a comfortable, spacious operating environment with low noise levels.
01889 590312
www.jcb.com
Doosan mini speeds recycling
The family owned Shorts Group of Ascot has diverse business interests, ranging from plant and skip hire, to demolition and waste management. It also runs a recycling operation, processing cardboard, polypropylene and other materials collected from farms within a 50-mile radius. This material is fed into a baling machine using a Doosan DX27z zero tail swing mini excavator, chosen for its ability to work in confined spaces.
The excavator has been equipped with a Kinshofer rotating selector grab with a maintenance-free HPX drive. This has an internal gear drive, rather than exposed rams and links that might snag on the material being handled. The baler can produce four 500kg bales per hour, and the 2.7 tonne mini is proving so efficient that Shorts is considering the purchase of a larger baler to increase throughput.
01443 842273
www.doosanuk.com
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