Glendinning invest in Volvo’s flagship wheel loader

Devonian quarrying company takes delivery of Volvo L350F for front-line duties at Linhay Hill

E&JW Glendinning Ltd have taken delivery of a Volvo L350F wheel loader as one of their front-line machines at Linhay Hill Quarry, near Ashburton, Devon.

The 52-tonne machine was chosen following a competitive tender process but also, in part, due to a long-standing relationship between the two companies. It replaces a Volvo L330 that was originally delivered in 1998 and which has now been stood down for use on secondary duties having clocked up 21,366 hours.

‘We would have liked to have made the change much sooner than this but the effects of the recent recession put our purchasing decision on hold for obvious reasons,’ explained operations manager Richard Webb.

‘The fact that the L330 has soldiered on for much longer than expected is testament to the product and after our evaluation of the market and the package on offer from Volvo, and a long-standing good working relationship with their team, we considered the L350F the preferred replacement for our operations.’

The new 350F will be used to load ‘as-blasted’ limestone at the quarry face, which will then be transported by dumptruck to a semi-static primary crusher. This, in turn, will free up a resident 80-tonne excavator, which will be used to feed the crusher that produces in excess of 500,000 tonnes per annum.

Equipped with a 6.8 cubic metre spade-nosed bucket, the wheel loader has also been equipped by Glendinning with a set of Brindley tyre chains for maximum tyre protection in this particular application. ‘It’s a significant investment but it’s worth it when you consider both the machine’s application coupled with the cost of replacing large earthmoving tyres,’ said Mr Webb.

The new L350F will offer significant efficiencies in terms of fuel economy and productivity thanks to the combination of the machine’s Stage III Volvo engine, which produces 535hp; maximum torque being reached at just 1,400 rev/min; more powerful hydraulics; a Volvo transmission with lock-up; and Volvo-designed and manufactured axles.

As a result, the L350F is said to be easy and comfortable to operate, leading to fast cycle times and sustained high performance throughout the working day, thanks to reduced operator fatigue.