Walters Group place £1million order for Bell equipment

Plant hire firm purchases six new machines including Bell Equipment’s latest E-series ADTs

THE Walters Group have ordered a fleet of wheel loaders and articulated dumptrucks (ADTs) from Bell Equipment UK, in the first ever deal between the two companies. The £1 million order comprises three 25-tonne B25E ADTs, two L2606E wheel loaders and one L1506E loader.

Walters Group were first introduced to Bell after acquiring Gorrel Equipment Solutions in 2011. Gorrel had been a long-standing Bell customer and Walters were impressed by the performance of the machines.

‘Bell seems to be taking a growing market share and Gorrel confirmed that they received a solid service and back-up from the company, so we decided to give them a go when a suitable project arose,’ explained Huw Richards, director of Walters Group.

That opportunity came when Walters needed to replace an old fleet of machines on a long-term quarrying contract in Shrewsbury, where the company is tasked with shifting 1 million tonnes of hard rock every year.

The timing coincided with the launch of Bell’s new E-series ADTs, which build upon the proven legacy of the successful D-series machines. In addition to having one of the lowest cost-per-tonne performances in terms of fuel-efficiency, the E-series machines are said to deliver production-boosting payloads, superior ride quality and high safety standards.

‘Based on the existing reputation of the Bell D-series, and the impressive features added to the new-generation range, we figured it had got to be worth a try,’ commented Mr Richards.

Since delivery, the new Bell wheel loaders and dumptrucks have proven their ability to meet Walter’s exact requirements. The equipment manufacturer also advised on significant modifications to the customer’s machines. Bell recommended, for example, that the buckets on the L2606E loaders be replaced with a different design profile that would better suit the on-site conditions.

In addition, when it became clear that there was limited clearance underneath the chutes from which the ADTs are loaded, Bell made several modifications to protect the machines from damage. The work was completed within 24h to ensure Walters’ customers did not suffer any downtime.

Mr Richards concluded: ‘While it is still early days in our relationship, Bell are already demonstrating exceptional commitment and a willingness to go the extra mile in supporting our requirements.’