Excel Surfacing take first P2870D in Great Britain

‘Worth waiting for’ – surfacing company’s verdict on new compact wheeled paver from Volvo

BRADFORD-based Excel Surfacing Ltd have taken delivery of the first Volvo P2870D compact wheeled paver to be sold in Great Britain, and according to co-director Steve O’Keefe, ‘It’s been worth waiting for’.

‘We’ve been very pleased with the performance and reliability of our two P6870C pavers and consider the Volvo ABG machines to be high-quality products,’ he said.

‘More importantly, we are extremely impressed with the consistently excellent level of support, care and attention we receive from SMT GB, which is why we opted for the new P2870D.’

Covering projects spread throughout the length and breadth of the country, Excel Surfacing have carried out a wide variety of contracts, ranging from private driveways up to large road resurfacing projects, during their first 10 years of operation.

‘About 40% of our work is with blue-chip Tier 1 house builders, carrying out finishing work on driveways, cul-de-sacs and access roads, so having a compact paver to carry out this work is extremely important,’ said Mr O’Keefe.

‘We have been waiting quite a long time for Volvo to launch this machine and, so far, we think it’s been worth the wait. The overall build quality and low noise emissions are impressive, and it also lays an exceptionally high-quality mat. The machine is also very manoeuvrable, with a base screed width of just 1.75m, which means we can get almost anywhere with it.’

First shown in April 2019 at the Bauma trade fair in Munich, this is the first P2870D to be sold in Great Britain. It has been designed for working in confined areas, with screed widths ranging from 1.75m to 4.5m.

Thanks to the high efficiency of the machine’s Stage V engine, which has an output of 55kW, it generates are exceptionally low noise and CO2 emissions, making it particularly suitable for work on inner-city projects.

The after-treatment system consists solely of a DPF, which means there are no SCR or AdBlue requirements. As a result, uptime is maximized and the machine’s running costs are minimized.

Capable of travel speeds up to 16km/h, the compact P2870D paver is said to offer unrivalled comfort during and between jobs, thanks to its permanent 6x4-wheel drive and machine ride levellers, which are unique features for this class of paver.

Another new feature found on Volvo ABG pavers is Rear Frame Lift, which allows the rear wheels to be lifted from the ground by pushing down on the screed. This is particularly beneficial if the wheels become stuck in soft ground and need to be released, or if tyre repairs need to be performed quickly.

Another unique feature specific to the P2870D ABG is the inclusion of power steering, which allows the paver to offer a tight (2m) turning radius. Moreover, despite its compact size, the paver is strong enough to push a feed truck, as well as capable of being fed by other machinery, such as a wheel loader or site dumper.

To ensure maximum machine control is maintained throughout operations, Volvo’s intuitive Electronic Paver Management (EPM3) system gives operators easy access to the full range of working functions.

With its convenient layout and jog-wheel, the EPM3 system can simplify even the toughest small-to-medium paving applications. Integrated within EPM3 is the Settings Manager, which can save and recall customized parameters from previous projects.