A leading dump truck manufacturer has made a key appointment in a major quarrying market. Guy Woodford reports.
“We are impressed with the commitment to customer satisfaction and customer support that Babcock embraces,” says Paul Douglas, director and general manager of Terex Trucks. “As a sign of intent, Babcock has purchased six TR100s, three TR60s and four TA300s for its initial stock holding, as well as a substantial parts holding. We are convinced this will be a great partnership, one that leverages the combined strength of Babcock and Terex Trucks to better serve our collective customers.”
With more than 120 years’ experience and a proven track-record of long-term relationships with leading industrial brands, Babcock is one of the most established and experienced equipment suppliers in Africa. The company’s extensive branch network and support infrastructure extends across Southern Africa, providing comprehensive support for Terex Trucks’ existing and potential customers.
Babcock’s newly completed branch in Middelburg will serve as Head Office in the region. As a sign of the company’s commitment to the distribution of Terex Trucks, the branch has been designed and purpose-built with work bays large enough to accommodate articulated and rigid dump trucks up to the size of the TR100.
Roger O’Callaghan, CEO-Africa, Babcock International, regards the move as beneficial for both companies, saying: “Babcock is very excited to incorporate Terex Trucks into our current portfolio. We believe the additional products complement our existing range and give us an opportunity to provide new customers with the Babcock ‘trusted to deliver’ service.”
Four new EH1100-5 rigid dump trucks have been delivered to Shubarkol Komir’s coal mine in central Kazakhstan by the country’s authorised
The company – part of the Euroasian Resources Group Sarl – has expanded its fleet of Hitachi mining equipment to 14 rigid dump trucks and four mining excavators.
The EH1100-5 features several advanced technological features to satisfy the requirements of Hitachi’s quarrying and mining customers. The new truck has been designed to offer a more comfortable and safer operating environment, easier access for service and maintenance, and higher levels of productivity than previous models.
Shubarkol Komir took delivery of the EH1100-5s to complement its existing line-up of six EH1100-3s. Operator Kanat Kazhibekov has three years’ experience of driving both models and says: “The best thing about the EH1100-5 is the overall comfort in the cab.
“The heated seat and mirrors are ideal for the extreme working conditions at this site, and there is more than enough leg room. There is good access to the cab and the monitor is user-friendly: there is more information available and it’s easier to find the required functionality.
“I use the monitor most for basic details, such as the fuel and lubricant levels, and the weight of the loaded materials. The rear camera enhances my view of the site and it comes on automatically when reversing.
“The machine performs really well in all conditions. The braking system is excellent, even if the haul road is slippery or if I have to stop suddenly. When fully loaded, the auto transmission is invaluable – it is more comfortable for me than a manual transmission and it helps me to feel less tired after a 12-hour shift.”
Shubarkol Komir is one of Kazakhstan’s largest semi-coke and thermal coal producers with 2,700 employees. The mine produced 10.3 million tonnes of coal in 2015, an increase of more than 70% since 2010. Its total measured and indicated resources are estimated at 1.5 billion tonnes, with large seams measuring at depths of 30m-100m, and a low stripping ratio of 3m³ of overburden/tonne of coal.
Turkuaz Machinery’s dedicated service team helps to keep Shubarkol Komir’s Hitachi machines running 24 hours a day and make invaluable cost savings for the remote coal mining operation. The overburden and coal are extracted by four Hitachi ultra-large mining excavators supplied by Turkuaz Machinery: an EX1900-6, EX3600-6 and two EX3600-6Es. These materials are loaded on to a fleet of Hitachi rigid dump trucks, with four EH3500ACIIs in addition to the EH1100-3s and EH1100-5s.
Shubarkol Komir’s president, Tuleugen Akbayev, says: “We are very satisfied with the Hitachi equipment. The number one benefit that these machines bring to our business is reliability, which is of course vital to our operation.”
Since purchasing his first A30G last year, and 3,500 trouble-free hours later, Brian (Ginger) Ward has opted for yet another
Selby, county North Yorkshire, England-based Ward Dumptruck Hire has been hiring out Volvo dumptrucks for the last ten years, branching out into excavator hire three years ago and Proprietor Brian Ward swears by them. “The Volvo ADT is second to none on the market today in my opinion. In my experience all the trucks I’ve run have proved themselves over and over again in terms of reliability, productivity and fuel savings,” says Ward. “I was a bit hesitant though with the emission technology surrounding the latest Tier IV engine when I bought my first A30G last year, but it hasn’t put a foot wrong and we haven’t had to lift a spanner to it in the last 3,500 hours. I’m full of confidence in the model, which is why I’ve just added another one to my fleet.”
The A30G hauler from Volvo meets the requirements of Stage IV final emissions legislation being powered by an electronically controlled, six-cylinder 264kW turbo charged Volvo V-ACT diesel engine. This features high torque at low engine speeds, resulting in good fuel efficiency, high performance, quicker engine response and less wear, i.e.long service life. Purpose built by Volvo, the engine is designed to exactly match the Volvo drive train, ensuring the best use of power and torque, even in tough working conditions. Delivering claimed exceptional fuel efficiency, it is matched to a torque converter with built-in lock-up function and fitted with a fully automatic fast adaptive transmission. The rest of the Volvo-designed and built powertrain has been reinforced to cope with the higher torque output of the engine.
With a carrying capacity of 28tonnes and heaped capacity of 17.5m³, the Volvo A30G has a maximum speed of 53kph. The hauler is also fitted with CareTrack as standard, Volvo’s telematics system that enables remote monitoring of a wide range of machine functions (e.g. location, fuel consumption, service reminders), thus optimising customer operations.
This latest Volvo A30G brings Ward’s fleet of trucks to nine, along with two 22tonne excavators purchased three years ago and his original EC210C in 2011, all of which are hired out complete with operators.
Ward Dumptruck Hire prides itself in providing a reliable hire service in the north and north-east of England to the major blue chip contractors within the construction industry.
