Hyundai machines for M B Wilkes
Molson Group supply four new Hyundai wheel loaders to Dorset-based stone suppliers
Dorset-based sand, soil, gravel and decorative stone suppliers M B Wilkes Ltd have recently taken delivery of four new Hyundai HL960 loading shovels from Molson Group, having had a very good experience with their previous Hyundai loaders.
From their large quarry hidden in the hills around the Dorset village of Wimborne, M B Wilkes offer a broad range of sand and aggregate materials to customers throughout the Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset areas.
The family-owned company has invested in the four HL960 loading shovels to replace its previous Hyundai HL760-9A machines, which were also supplied by Hyundai dealers Molson Group. The latest loaders have been put straight to work in a variety of applications throughout the extensive processing facility at Henbury Quarry.
Featuring a host of new developments over the previous model, the HL960 is a versatile and durable loading shovel. Weighing 18,800kg and capable of a top travel speed of 24.5 miles/h, it is able to cover the ground between working areas efficiently and safely, whilst having the power required to perform whatever task is required.
At Henbury Quarry, three of the machines have been supplied with a standard 3.4m3 (non-heaped) general-purpose bucket and one has been supplied with a 3.0m3 rock bucket equipped with nine specially designed teeth to assist with digging through compact materials, such as aggregate stockpiles.
Other additional options on the M B Wilkes loaders include a 6-litre auto-lube system to reduce the time required to perform daily maintenance checks, as well as safety features such as green beacons and blue rear strobes to comply with the company’s high safety specification requirements.
Together the loading shovels act as the heartbeat of the M B Wilkes operation, moving feedstock materials and processed aggregates into stockpiles, and allowing the site’s production machines, such as a Terex Finlay 883+ three-way screener, to work as efficiently as possible. With more than
20 items of plant spread throughout the site, a lot of material needs to be moved to keep production flowing smoothly.
Adrian Cutler, operations manager at M B Wilkes, said: ‘We can’t afford for a loading shovel to go down. Due to the high levels of production, if one did go down it could easily cause significant disruption throughout the site.
‘Because of this, we needed to know we were buying shovels that are well built and reliable, along with a back-up service that we know we can trust. After the great performance of both the Hyundai HL760s and Molson’s back-up, we had no hesitation in calling Danny to discuss replacing them with the latest models.’
Molson sales manager Daniel Guibarra said: ‘The Hyundai loading shovels have really improved over the latest generations. In addition to improvements in engine technology that see the latest models being fully Stage 4f compliant and delivering substantial fuel savings to customers, enhancements have also been made in terms of durability and operator comfort. In fact, as soon as the operators get to sit in one, the hardest task is getting them out again.’
The Hyundai HL900-series of loading shovels also offer a range of ECO functions, such as their unique ECO Pedal. When the operator uses the accelerator, the ECO Pedal can distinguish between economical operation and power operation based on a number of factors (including bucket load and ground conditions), thereby delivering maximum power when needed, but also providing substantial fuel savings for those operators who have heavy right foot. Operators can also see how economically they are driving thanks to an ECO Gauge feature on the intelligent and wide touch-screen display cluster.
