Three new Volvo machines for North Lincs Aggregates

Performance and reliability of older Volvo machines leads to orders for five brand new models

NORTH Lincs Aggregates, a privately owned company operating out of the Isle of Axholme, have purchased their first three brand new Volvo machines with a further two on order, thanks to the performance and reliability of a number of older Volvo shovels and dumptrucks that the company has been running since setting up operations at Cove Farm Quarry, near Doncaster, some 18 months ago.

The trio of new machines comprises an L150H loading shovel complete with a 4.4 cubic metre re-handling bucket, a 25-tonne EC250E crawler excavator and an A30G articulated hauler with a 27.5-tonne carrying capacity.

‘The older machines have certainly proved themselves but as we continue to increase our production both at Cove Farm and other facilities it became important that we took the step to invest in new state-of-the-art equipment,’ commented managing director Richard Mills.

‘Purchasing new is the way forward to benefit from equipment offering better fuel efficiency and productivity, along with other features such as telematics and machine monitoring systems, and then benefit from the anticipated high residual values in three to four years’ time,’ he continued.

The new EC250E excavator has been put in charge of extracting silica sand and loading the new A30G hauler alongside two existing A30C trucks, which then run the material to the processing plant.

Powered by an 8-litre Volvo Stage IV engine that develops 216hp, the 25-tonne excavator is equipped with a 6.0m boom and 2.97m dipper arm, providing a digging depth of just over 7m and a forward reach of 10.1m with a high level of across-carriage stability giving a lift capacity of 3.5 tonnes at maximum reach.

The Volvo Care Cab offers a large roomy interior with plenty of legroom and foot space. The cab’s excellent all-round visibility is enhanced by pressurized and filtered air supplied by a 14-vent climate-control system.

An adjustable, easy-to-read LCD colour monitor provides real-time information on the machine functions, important diagnostic information and a wide variety of work tool settings, as well as doubling up as a monitor for the rear-view camera.

With a carrying capacity of 28 tonnes and heaped capacity of 17.5 cubic metres, the Volvo A30G hauler also meets the requirements of Stage IV final emissions legislation, being powered by an electronically controlled, six-cylinder 264kW turbocharged Volvo V-ACT diesel engine.

This power unit features high torque at low engine speeds, resulting in good fuel efficiency and high performance. Purpose built by Volvo, the engine is designed to exactly match the Volvo drivetrain, ensuring the best use of power and torque, even in tough working conditions.

The new 30-tonne articulated hauler has been supplied to North Lincs Aggregates complete with a full cantilever tailgate to maximize the load carrying capacity of the truck.

The new L150H loading shovel has been put in charge of loading and blending stockpiled material into the processing plant. With its 13-litre, 300hp Volvo stage IV engine, it too benefits from Volvo-designed and manufactured driveline components designed to offer considerable fuel savings on each shift.

One of the key features is that a maximum torque of 1,317Nm is achieved at just 1,450 rev/min, and the resultant fuel savings are further enhanced by the Volvo Eco pedal, which encourages the operator to run the machine at its optimum rev/min in the engine’s torque curve.

All three machines are fitted with Volvo’s CareTrack telematics system as standard, allowing remote monitoring of a wide range of machine functions, such as location, fuel consumption, service reminders etc.

Besides their main operating duties extracting and loading material at North Lincs Aggregates’ facilities, the machines will also be utilized on external muck-shifting and extraction contracts for private clients.

A further order is in place for another L150H loading shovel and an A30G articulated hauler, which are due for delivery in September.