Volvo rock to road experience for Wainwright

Mendips quarry operator takes delivery of Volvo L180G loading shovel and Volvo ABG6870 wheeled paver

MENDIPS-based independent extractive company John Wainwright & Co Ltd have taken delivery of a new Volvo L180G as their prime stock-handling loading shovel, together with a new ABG6870 wheeled paver for their Surfacing Division.

These latest additions to Wainwright’s fleet of equipment continue a long association with Volvo’s range of construction equipment products, including articulated haulers, excavators, loading shovels and now, with the addition of the ABG6870, their road paving equipment.

In charge of the stocking out area at Moons Hill Quarry, the new Volvo L180G was supplied with a list of bespoke options to enhance safety and efficiency on site. With its Volvo designed and manufactured 5.6 cubic metre rehandling bucket complete with a straight edge, coupled to a set of Goodyear RL5K wheel and tyre assemblies, additional rear counterweight and boom suspension, the machine offers a significant increase in output over its predecessor, dispatching a 29-tonne articulated bulker to the weighbridge in just three passes.

Safety features include automatic door opening for the operator; by flicking a switch on his key fob the operator can open the cab door automatically before assuming the conventional three-point hold to climb up, thus avoiding the hazard of a swinging door opening at height. The machine is also fitted with an Ogden reverse system, hi-viz pulsating lights and LED side markers.

‘This is our fifth loading shovel from Volvo and while our selection this time around was a close-run thing with competitive machines, we chose the offering from Volvo based on our strong relationship and past good experiences with the previous machines,’ said quarry manager Kevin Sargant. ‘We’ve enjoyed excellent service from the previous models running up to in excess of 25,000 relatively trouble-free hours and we are expecting the new ‘G’ model to live up to that heritage.’

The L180G features a 13-litre Tier IIIB compliant 333hp engine, Optishift transmission and axles all designed and manufactured by Volvo. It has a full-turn tipping load of 17.2 tonnes and boasts a 20% increase in lifting force and 10% increase in breakout force over its predecessor. This coupled to the engine output with high torque at low engine rev/min has resulted in faster cycle times and increased productivity.

Spearheading Wainwright’s restructured road surfacing business is the new Volvo ABG6870 wheeled paver. Geoff Shearn, who heads Wainwright’s surfacing division and has many years of experience in the surfacing industry and with Titan ABG’s in the past, said: ‘In my opinion, the ABG pedigree is definitely at the top end of its class being both flexible and, most importantly, reliable. We have restructured our surfacing division and are confident that the new paver will continue to build our reputation for quality surfacing projects going forward.’

Both the new loading shovel and ABG6870 have been supplied with Volvo’s Blue and Silver customer support agreements respectively.