Hyva deliver a top tip for Collier Group

Scottish quarry operator employs full range of Hyva hydraulic equipment across its tipper fleet

WITH their new Goathill Quarry now in full operation, a comprehensive product range and a multi-purpose, top-flight road transport service, Cowdenbeath-based Collier Group are now one of Scotland’s leading suppliers of stone and aggregates. Significantly, Collier also employ the full range of Hyva equipment across all their tipper trucks, to the exclusion of all other competitors.

One of the latest vehicles in the Collier fleet is a very highly specified V8-engined Scania R620 6x2 tag-axle tractor, operating in conjunction with a Weightlifter stepframe bulk tipping trailer. Fitted with Hyva hydraulics throughout, this combination clearly demonstrates the benefits of using properly matched, premium-specification tipping equipment on both parts of the truck.

While much attention is usually focused on the tipping cylinders (in this case an eye-end Hyva FE191 model), most of the hard work during tipping is actually done by the wet kit mounted on the tractor.

‘The quality, reliability and performance of the wet kit is really the key component when tipping with artics,’ said company director Duncan Collier. ‘Not just that, but the equipment has to be easy to use and easy to fit. Controllability is also very important – usually we want a fast up/down tipping cycle, but sometimes we might need the trailer to go up very slowly on not much more than engine tickover. Hyva wet kits let us do everything – and with complete reliability too.’

Hyva wet kits are available to suit all the latest tractor units, including Euro 6 models. More than ever with these latest tractors, combining high performance with compact dimensions is a key requirement, and this is one area where Hyva place major emphasis.

For example, a minimum oil capacity allows the tank size to be as neat and compact as possible, whether side mounted or located behind the cab. Similarly, the valve is mounted unobtrusively, with the pipework layout made as neat and uncluttered as possible.

Backing up the artics in Collier’s fleet are a dozen Volvo FM rigids fitted with Hyva FE149 eye-end tipping cylinders; these work in conjunction with high-capacity bulk bodies built by Weightlifter Scotland. With their sides as high as the cab roof and a front bulkhead brought as close as possible to the cab’s rear wall, the maximum practical payload volume is achieved.

‘Whether trailers or rigids, bulk bodies are key to our operation,’ explained Mr Collier. ‘They allow us to carry any product, from stone and sand to recycling materials. Using Hyva eye-end tipping gears inside the front bulkhead means they are also fully protected from accidental damage, which in turn gives us 100% tipping reliability.

‘We’ve run Hyva cylinders on both trailers and rigid tippers for many years with complete success, so we’ve never really had a reason to consider anything else.’