Wessex Demolition take UK’s first EC480E excavator

New high-reach demolition-spec machine provides optimum safety in all applications 

THE first Volvo EC480E high-reach demolition machine in the UK has been sold to Southampton-based Wessex Demolition & Salvage Ltd and joins the company’s three other Volvo excavators that were purchased in February 2015. 

‘Following the purchase of our first mid-sized excavators rigged for secondary demolition duties it was time to replace our older high reach machine,’ said Ashley Grant, contracts manager for Wessex Demolition.

‘After a visit to Sweden last year to take a detailed look at Volvo’s high-reach solution we were suitably impressed with what we found. This, coupled with the performance and reliability of our EC300E and two EC250E’s we purchased last year and with our own operator’s recommendations, we decided to opt for the EC480E.’

The new high-reach demolition machine is highly specified having been fully developed in-house by Volvo CE and designed to suit the needs of the industry, offering maximum safety in all demolition applications. 

One of the key contributing factors to the machine’s versatility is the ability to change the demolition equipment back to conventional digging equipment, thanks to the modular pre-boom arrangement and the hydraulically adjustable undercarriage which is available as an option and forms part of the machine specification for Wessex Demolition. 

Powered by a Tier IV Final-compliant Volvo 13-litre engine (378hp), the 64-tonne EC480E features generous working ranges with a maximum pin height of 28m. The maximum tool weight is 3 tonnes on the EC480E but with the hydraulically retractable undercarriage option, tool weight is increased to 4 tonnes working at a maximum operating angle of 20°. 

For increased safety, the excavator is equipped with ‘total moment indicators’ that  alert the operator when it approaches the maximum safe working load. Operator visibility and comfort is further enhanced with a hydraulically tilting cab which can be tilted a full 30° to offer an unobstructed field of vision to the task in hand. 

Two cameras mounted on the demolition unit give a thorough view of the attachment and an optional dust suppression system (again part of Wessex Demolition’s specification). There are four nozzles, two on each side of the arm delivering a fine mist that traps dust during demolition activity. 

The EC480E machine is equipped with an innovative hydraulic modular joint which utilizes a hydraulic dual full-pin lock mechanism to release digging equipment and to change from high-reach demolition boom to standard. 

To achieve the correct flow and pressure for hydraulic attachments, such as breakers, shears, crushers, sorting grabs and tilt rotators, the machine can be factory-fitted with a wide variety of hydraulic lines to suit these attachments. The attachment management system stores the machine’s settings for up to 20 different hydraulic attachments for ease of operation. Depending on the hydraulic options configured, the management system can also store flow, maximum pressure and settings for operating comfort.