There is a wealth of new ADTs and RDTs on the hauler market, with one of the most eye-catching having just made its UK exhibition debut. Guy Woodford and Partha Basistha report
The Indian dump truck market continues to go from strength to strength thanks to a growing national quarry sector, with big regional players such as Ashok Leyland at the forefront of this. The company introduced its three-strong ‘Captain Economy’ range of rigid dump trucks during Q1 2016.
The 2518, 2523 and 3123 Captain Economy models have a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 25-31 US tons (22.6-28.1tonnes). The two 25ton units have an axle configuration of 6x4, and the 31ton 3123 model has an 8x4 axle set up. The new economy range of RDTs will be powered by Ashok Leyland’s own Hosur-series 132kW-169kW engines. The 31ton GVW rigid dump truck will be offered with 22m³ box body while the 25ton models will be offered with 14m³ and 16m³ rock body variants.
“The new economy range has already completed their validation tests,” said Mr. M. Surendranath, vice president, medium & heavy duty trucks, Ashok Leyland, during an interview with Aggregates Business magazines. “The new price competitive trucks will supplement our existing ‘Captain Deluxe’ range of rigid dump trucks. The ‘Deluxe’ range of tippers have found very encouraging acceptance among Indian quarry owners. This is evident as we have sold 1,200 units during the last one and half years following its introduction in the Indian market.”
Sharing further details on the new Captain Economy rigid dump trucks, Surendranath continued: “The Captain 2523 with hub reduction will be finding its application in quarrying. It will be able to work at depths of 30m, while 2518, a crossover vehicle, can be used both for surface transportation of aggregates as well as for working in quarries. The vital competitive features of the ‘Economy’ range of trucks, making them suitable to work in quarries, are its totally suspended cabins. Fitted with pneumatic bellows and shock absorbers, the tipper trucks can absorb the ground impact, while operating on rough and undulated terrain. This will reduce driver fatigue, consequently raising productivity.”
Surendranath claimed that the ‘Intelligent Technology’ option available with the new RDTs will cut fuel consumption by at least by 15% as the trucks return from unloading aggregates.
To ensure stability and safety for the trucks hauling and tipping the loads at undulated mineral processing sites, bogie suspension, stabiliser bars and anti-roll bars are the added new features in the ‘Economy’ range of trucks.
Major dump truck purchases in Scandinavia have also offered encouragement to OEMs looking for prized growth within the European market.
One such deal has seen Hæhre Entreprenør, one of the largest contractors in Norway, purchase 10 new Doosan DA40 Stage IV/Tier 4 Final compliant articulated dump trucks (ADTs) from
Won in the face of stiff competition, the deal was confirmed on the Doosan Bobcat stand at the bauma 2016 construction equipment exhibition in Munich in Germany, the world’s largest trade show.
Manufactured at the Doosan plant in Molde, Norway, the new DA40 trucks will replace five Doosan MT41 ADTs, each of which has provided between 12-15,000 hours of continuous hauling work on Hæhre projects throughout Norway. The new ADT order follows on from the purchase of eight Doosan DA40 ADTs in 2013, which have provided excellent performance for Hæhre over the last three years.
Lars Hæhre, managing director of Hæhre Entreprenør, based in Vikersund in Norway, said: “The high productivity of the DA40 ADTs we previously purchased has been very pleasing and was obviously a key factor in the decision to buy more DA40 machines from Doosan Bobcat. The existing DA40s have provided excellent reliability and fuel efficiency in operation, with a design that ensures that all six wheels are always in contact with the ground for unbeatable stability, traction and ground clearance on the uneven terrain we work on in Norway.”
Kiev-based construction equipment supplier ETS has been appointed by
Founded in 1994, primarily as a service company, ETS operates across the mining and heavy construction sectors, offering a range of equipment that includes that of Terex Trucks’ parent company
ETS will offer all four rigid dump trucks currently manufactured by Terex Trucks, the TR45, TR60, TR70 and TR100, as well as its TA250, TA300 and TA400 articulated dump trucks. “We see Terex Trucks as a great fit, not only for our business but also for our customers,” said Yuriy Marisenkov, general manager of ETS. “We are excited to be adding the Terex Trucks rigid and articulated hauler lines to our product line-up.”
Rich in minerals and natural resources, including iron ore, coal, manganese, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, and mercury, Ukraine’s mining and heavy construction sectors offer attractive opportunities as part of Terex Trucks expansion plans.
“The Ukraine is an important market for us,” said John Rotherford, regional director at Terex Trucks. “ETS knows this market well and our customers can have every confidence in its ability to deliver the right products and services. We’re confident that ETS will be a strong player in our dealer network.”
The UK and Ireland market has been in the spotlight in recent months with the successful staging of Hillhead 2016 in Buxton, county Derbyshire, England.
Volvo Construction Equipment’s new, 55tonne-capacity A60H ADT was shown for the first time in Great Britain at the prestigious show. The A60H has been designed for heavy hauling in severe off-road operations, including quarries, opencast mines and large earthmoving operations.
With its claimed industry leading 55tonne payload, the A60H is said to bring a “new dimension” to reducing the cost/tonne of material moved using tried and tested frame and powertrain designs, with the emphasis on fuel efficiency. The A60H is powered by a 16litre Volvo engine, delivering 495kW and 3200Nm of torque, and has a maximum speed of 54.9kph. It shares the same features and benefits in terms of design and overall layout as its smaller brothers in the Volvo articulated hauler range and sports a generous 34m³ body capacity.
With the A60H, valuable data is on hand to improve onsite efficiency and save costs. With intelligent systems from Volvo, such as MATRIS, CareTrack and the On Board Weighing system, customers can optimise production and minimise operational costs. Volvo uses the latest technology to monitor machine operation and status, advising on the best ways to increase profitability. The On Board Weighing System is said to guarantee the optimal load every cycle. This maximises production, boosts fuel efficiency and reduces machine wear in all site conditions and operations. Additionally, a huge array of Customer Support Agreements offer preventive maintenance, total repairs and a number of uptime services, helping keep control of maintenance costs.
Remaining with the UK and Ireland market,
Looking to upgrade and expand its dump truck fleet, Priority Construction, a specialist civil engineering company working across Ireland and the UK, has bought two new Bell B30E ADTs from ECI JCB, both of which are being assigned to earthmoving tasks, where reliability, efficiency and the ability to deliver low ground bearing pressure will prove essential.
Pat Keating, contracts manager at Priority Construction, said: “The dependability of Bell Equipment machines is a valuable asset. We have successfully used Bell machines for over 15 years and continue to be impressed with how well they perform and the way in which the company is managed.
“To now have ECI JCB as a Bell Equipment dealer on our doorstep is extremely beneficial. Not only do we have instant access to the new E-series, but we can also take advantage of the knowledge and support of a dedicated and well-respected dealership – and as Ireland’s construction sector is showing signs of growth, this is essential.”
