New JCB backhoes for MAC Surfacing
Leading equipment hirer buys two 3CX backhoe loaders for road surfacing works
A LEADING hirer of plant and labour to the road building and maintenance sector has bought two brand new JCB 3CX Compact backhoe loaders, which have been purpose-built to work in the confines of congested urban construction projects.
Supplied by dealers Gunn JCB, Tipton-based MAC Surfacing say they have taken delivery of the new 3CX Compact models to meet unprecedented demand from major UK contractor customers to hire the latest high-specification equipment. They join several existing JCB 2CX Streetmasters in the company’s hire fleet.
According to JCB, the drive to improve the safety of workers and reduce the impact of hand-arm vibration from hand-held equipment is leading to huge demand in the road maintenance sector for a carrier machine which can power a breaker and move quickly between sites.
MAC Surfacing director Marc Copson said: ‘We’ve always operated JCB 2CX Streetmaster models, which made a great name for themselves at MAC Surfacing and with our customers. Feedback from our operators is that the new 3CX Compact has taken it to another level in terms of performance, versatility and comfort.
‘The combination of shovel and breaker attachment make it perfect for the job, and it has definitely been designed with the operator in mind. Taking breakers out of the hands of operators and on to a carrier machine is a major trend among the blue chip organizations we work for, and that is leading to more requests than ever before for backhoe loaders from our customer base – hence the continual expansion of our fleet.
‘JCB are the natural choice for backhoe loaders and the service from our dealer Gunn JCB is also excellent. JCB’s LiveLink system is also far more user-friendly than other manufacturers’ telematics systems – making fleet monitoring, servicing and reporting really easy,’ he added.
The JCB 3CX Compact is powered by a low-emission Tier 4 Final/Stage IIIB JCB Diesel by Kohler engine, delivering 74hp (55kW) and meeting both US and European emissions standards without the need for a diesel particulate filter (DPF) or any exhaust after-treatment or exhaust fluid.
The engine drives through a three-speed hydrostatic transmission to all four wheels, for maximum traction in difficult site conditions. The hydrostatic transmission offers a 40km/h top speed for travel between sites, 17% higher than the popular 2CX model. The transmission also features a creep mode, allowing the operator to run at high engine rev/min to power high-flow attachments such as road planers, with maximum travel speeds of just 3.5km/h.
An exceptional turning circle of 5.8m braked to the outside of the wheels (6.7m unbraked) makes the machine highly manoeuvrable and easy to operate in tight urban site conditions, and capable of turning within a single carriageway.
Founded in 2004, MAC Surfacing are established providers of hired plant and labour to the road surfacing industry. In addition to the JCB backhoe loader models, they offer an extensive fleet of pavers and planers, plus a full range of ancillary surfacing plant including rollers and sweepers. They also provide skilled labour ranging from two-man preparation crews to eight-man machine gangs.
