Anthony O’Connor revolutionize high reach
Demolition contractors unveil world’s first 50-tonne telescopic ultra high-reach excavator
ANTHONY O’Connor & Sons Ltd (AOC) have introduced the world’s first working 50-tonne class telescopic ultra high-reach demolition excavator at Hillhead 2014.
In late 2013 AOC directors Jon O'Connor, Anthony O'Connor and Luke Roche discussed a replacement for their Komatsu PC450 high-reach demolition excavator.
Their requirements were 34m reach with a three-tonne attachment on a base machine no bigger than 50 tonnes.
The traveling footprint of the machine had to be no greater than the previous excavator so an extending crawler was necessary. In addition, the machine had to be transportable, fully rigged and have a gross weight of no more than 80 tonnes.
The excavator telescopic arm will also need to deliver greater versatility and stability at lower heights, while featuring its own mechanically driven dust-suppression system and all-around CCTV for extra safety.
These requirements, if successfully integrated, would give AOC a platform to match the reach of a 70-tonne machine with the convenience and ease of access of a 50-tonne excavator, combined with vastly reduced fuel consumption and carbon emissions. All that remained now was to find a suitable base machine and a company to modify it.
Choosing the base machine would not be completely straightforward and so AOC turned to Kocurek Excavators who have the necessary expertise and experience to deliver such a machine and the directors began discussions with Kocurek's long-serving salesman, Ron Callan long before a base machine was selected.
After looking at most of the new 50 tonne excavators on the market the decision was made to purchase a Liebherr R956 as a base machine because the directors felt that, although the machine was fractionally more expensive than its competitors, it offered a stronger, better engineered and more powerful platform than any other machine in its class.
The recently specified machine is something truly unique, the world’s first working 50tonne class telescopic ultra high reach demolition excavator. AOC believe they have a machine that is truly unique and the most capable and versatile high reach excavator in the world today.
