New Volvo for new venture
NORTHUMBRIAN Roads Ltd of Prudhoe, Northumberland, have chosen a Volvo L150E wheel loader as the front-line machine for their newly commissioned asphalt plant at the Port of Sunderland, which aims to produce in the region of 50,000 tonnes of asphalt per annum.
Embarking upon the new venture, the privately owned contracting firm have made a substantial investment by commissioning their own asphalt plant, which became operational in January. Augmenting this investment, the company have taken delivery of their first Volvo L150E loading shovel, which will take charge of feeding the plant and loading the company’s fleet of on-highway tippers.
‘We wanted to be self-sufficient in the production and supply of materials rather than being reliant upon third party suppliers,’ commented asphalt and recycling manager Richard Byerley. ‘Having our new facility here at the Port of Sunderland gives us ease of access to our markets and also provides the opportunity to import concrete aggregates in partnership with Stema Shipping.’
In addition to asphalt production, the site has also allowed Northumbrian Roads to develop their recycling activities, mainly handling material from road planings and recycling it into sub-base material for new roads and road renewals.
The newly delivered Volvo L150E was chosen after a careful evaluation of the market, operator preference and Mr Byerley’s former experiences with the Volvo product in previous positions. ‘In my experience, the Volvo product is well made and reliable and for us there’s the added bonus of a local customer support centre close at hand at Birtley,’ he said.
The Volvo L150E is powered by a Volvo electronically controlled, low-emission, 10-litre engine developing 269hp with maximum torque of 1,370Nm at 1,200 rev/min. This provides plenty of rimpull and full hydraulic power in the economy working range between 1,100 and 1,600 rev/min, resulting in fast response and low fuel consumption.
The machine also features an intelligent load-sensing hydraulic system. Two variable piston pumps provide the exact flow and pressure required at any given moment, distributing power where and when it is needed. This facilitates smoother operation, lower fuel consumption, quicker hydraulics, and shorter working cycles even at low engine revs.
The package on offer from Volvo also included L5 Goodyear tyres, weighloader and full safety specification including a reversing camera, convex mirrors and chevrons. The machine has been supplied with a Volvo blue customer support agreement, with finance arranged through Volvo Financial Services.
