Finning deliver UK’s first Cat hybrid excavator

Dumbarton-based quarriers William Thompson & Son take delivery of first Cat 336EL Hybrid in UK

FINNING have delivered the first Cat 336EL Hybrid excavator in the UK to Dumbarton-based quarrying specialists William Thompson & Son Ltd.

William Thompson & Son supply quarry products, haulage, landfill for inert materials and plant hire services to all sectors of the construction and building industry across the west of Scotland.

The new Cat 336EL Hybrid excavator will be put to work in the company’s main quarry, where it is expected to save the firm approximately £70,000 on fuel costs alone across five years of machine ownership.

Commenting on the deal, Alistair Murdoch from Finning said: ‘When we originally approached William Thompson & Son we quoted a Cat 336EL excavator as a direct replacement against a competitor.

‘The customer currently runs a Cat 336DL, so we were able to comprehensively review a number of different factors, including fuel usage, and this led us to change our original proposal to the Cat 336EL Hybrid excavator.

‘William Thompson & Son were initially taken aback by the additional £25,000 that they would pay for the machine. However, once we showed our calculations – that the hybrid engine would save the business around £70,000 in fuel costs over five years of ownership – the benefits were quickly apparent. The customer is confident that this hybrid solution will not just save them money, but also improve productivity at the quarry.’

The Cat 336EL Hybrid will use up to 25% less fuel compared with a standard Cat 336E, and up to 33% less fuel than the Cat 330D or 336D. Factoring in the current high costs of fuel, Finning believe that customers who invest in the Cat 336EL Hybrid could realistically expect to see a return on their investment in two years.

Mr Murdoch continued: ‘The new Cat 336EL Hybrid is a market leader in terms of delivering improved fuel economy without sacrificing performance. Since fuel is one of the most significant costs for our customers in general, quarrying and heavy construction applications, we know that this machine can directly improve their bottom lines.

‘To date, feedback has been incredibly positive about the new Cat 336EL Hybrid excavator, and I’m confident that we will see increased uptake across the UK in the coming year.’