Executive Hire News › Archives › January/February 2010 › Exhibitor Profile : Special spec mini
Exhibitor Profile : Special spec mini
JCB has introduced a special version of its 8018 mini excavator for utility companies and their contractors. Nick Johnson reports on how its features will help hire companies supplying this market.
Mini excavators are now an indispensable element of utility contracting. They have become a common part of the street scene when work is carried out in connection with the repair, renewal or extension of underground electricity cables and gas and water pipes - and many are sourced from hire companies.
At a time when general construction business remains at a low ebb, the supply of minis to utility companies and their contractors for this essential on-going work provides welcome business for hirers. Now the ability to serve this competitive specialist market has been enhanced, as JCB has launched an industry-specific version of one of its popular mini excavators. After consulting with leading utility companies, the manufacturer has appropriately developed a Utility version of its 1.6 tonne 8018 mini. It incorporates a significant number of practical features that will make the machine more durable, safer and easier to use and transport.
Whilst the Utility version can be supplied in customer colours, it can also now be finished in a special high-visibility yellow complete with reflective decals and warning strips. This livery really makes the machine stand out and will make the mini safer to use on the highway at night, or when visibility is reduced due to inclement weather.
Safer transportation
To help reduce site and vandalism damage, the 8018 Utility comes complete with rubber buffer strips at the rear, better guarded working lights and a steel plate (rather than a glass window) in the lower portion of the door. To facilitate safer road transportation, the new machine can be supplied, as an option, with four swivelling tie-down points located higher on its upper structure, to prevent straps pulling on the sides of plant trailers. Another option is a heavy-duty, bushed kingpost, which is beneficial if the machine is to be used frequently with a dipper-mounted hydraulic breaker. To ensure that the operator is safely seated before driving the machine, the 8018 Utility is equipped with a weight-sensitive switch in the seat. Safety officers will also be pleased to find that this mini has a document holder inside its cab to allow the convenient storage of safety and operating documentation.
Like the standard machine, the Utility version has a side-extending undercarriage that increases operational width to 1340mm from the narrow access/transport width of 980mm. The extendible dozer blade is fitted with two nylon-based supports. These can be manually folded down to prevent the blade from damaging a road surface when it is lowered to stabilise the machine.
More mini excavators that are used for utility applications are now being equipped with the EZiDIG machine-mounted buried services locator. JCB has, therefore, wisely equipped its 8018 Utility as standard with all the necessary wiring to enable customers to quickly fit this device, which has been developed by Cable Detection Ltd of Trentham in Staffordshire.
Buyers of the 8018 Utility will also benefit from JCB’s recent decision to double the warranty on all its compact excavators (up to the
8.2 tonne 8080 ZTS midi) to two years or 2,000 operating hours. Another incentive to buy is that the machine comes complete with JCB’s new Three Star, Thatcham approved, security package which includes CESAR (Construction Equipment Security and Registration) and a unique key or keypad as standard. The Utility machine can be supplied with a hydraulic circuit converter. When connected to the mini excavator’s hydraulic breaker circuit, this device conveniently provides the low flow needed for powering hand-held hydraulic tools or equipment such as a submersible water pump.
JCB is also set to introduce a new pipe handling attachment to aid the installation of 95-180mm diameter plastic water and gas pipes.
In particular, this squeeze-clamp pipe gab will make it safer to uncoil 180mm diameter pipes. As well as developing the 8018 Utility mini and the new pipe grab attachment, JCB has been actively providing practical advice to hire companies seeking to supply utility companies and their contractors, and the company’s experts - along with the new machine - will be at the Executive Hire Show next month. •
0800 581 761
www.jcb.com
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