First Volvo machine for WPI Surfacing

Cheshire-based road surfacing contractor chooses Volvo P6870C paver for its front-line operations

FOLLOWING an initial enquiry, a demonstration of the Volvo P6870C paver was arranged for WPI Surfacing Ltd to evaluate the features and benefits of the machine.

‘We were looking for a highly specified paver and the P6870C didn’t disappoint our expectations whilst we had the machine on evaluation,’ recalled WPI contracts director Paul Farrer. ‘In addition to the quality of the product, we were impressed with the extremely low noise emissions, the quality of the finished mat and above all, our operating crews found it to be very user friendly.’

Powered by a Volvo D6 Stage IIIB-compliant 175hp engine, the P6870C paver is further enhanced with EPM II – an electronic paver-management system which incorporates a ‘Settings Management’ feature that allows the operator to store up to 12 parameter settings for major functions, such as screed temperature, tamping and vibrating, conveyor, auger and paving speeds.

The machine retains other features such as ‘Smart Power’ offering optimum power for the job in hand, together with 6 x 6 ‘Smart Drive’ technology for superior traction. The tractive forces are automatically adjusted according to the weight of material in the machine’s 12-tonne capacity hopper.

The paver demonstrates a high degree of manoeuvrability thanks to an ‘Active Steering’ feature with an inside turning radius of just 2.5m. Screed performance is a distinct feature on Volvo pavers. The P6870C paver has a variable screed width of 2.5–5m in standard configuration but can be fitted with optional extensions to provide widths up to 9m. The machine has an output of up to 700 tonnes/h at varying screed widths and depths.

Operator comfort and user-friendliness were other important factors that contributed to WPI’s decision to purchase the machine. For example, the steering wheel, which offers sensitive control of the paver, can be placed in various positions around the EPM II control panel.

Also on the machine, a rigid all weather roof, which has fibre glass roof extensions as standard, was ordered with the optional hydraulically operated lowering system and for night time work, the machine has been equipped with Xenon and additional LED lighting giving all round illumination of the work area.