Iksan’s location in the fertile plains between the Geumgang and Mangyeonggang rivers has long made it a centre of agricultural and religious signifcance. Now the city of 300,000 people is undergoing rapid transformation into a national transport, industrial and cultural hub.
Large-scale construction and infrastructure projects are being implemented one after the other, especially around the Saemangum National Industrial Complex, which at 409km2 is claimed to be the world’s largest reclamation site. Voolvo CE says that demand for building materials is booming and has seen aggregates producer Daeil Development grow along with the city.
Established in 1983, Daeil Development operates three quarries in Iksan, generating up to a million cubic meters of aggregate per year. To meet these production targets, the company requires high uptime from its equipment – a combination of durable design, simple maintenance requirements and reliable aftermarket support. Fuel efficiency as well as the safety and comfort of operators are also important considerations.
In addition to various large crushers and conveyors, the company employs a fleet of 16 Volvo machines, comprising 11 excavators of various sizes, three L180H wheeled loaders and two A25D articulated haulers. Its most recent acquistion was a Volvo EC550E excavator.
Pyeong-sik Kim, CEO of Daeil Development, said: “The impact of introducing a Volvo EC480E excavator and L180H wheeled loaders to our site has been even better than expected and we now achieve much higher fuel efficiency than with the equipment we had before. I am also very pleased with the productivity and cost-effectiveness of our Volvo machines.”
The Volvo EC550E excavator’s new IMVT hydraulic control system is designed to be perfectly matched to the low-RPM engine, which makes it possible to perform the work of a 60-tonne super excavator with low fuel consumption. The low centre of gravity and HD counterweight maintain stability on tough terrain. The CDC (comfort driving control) enables the operator to control machine movements with a simple joystick and a FOG (falling object guard) for protecting the front and top of the cab from falling objects is installed as standard to enhance convenience and stability during operation.
The EC550E is equipped with Volvo CareTrack telematics to enable real-time machine management at Daeil Development sites. This connectivity supports Daeil Development to leverage data insights for high efficiency, productivity and stable work patterns among its fleet.
Kim said: “In the future, we are considering purchasing additional articulated haulers for our rough terrain operations and when the time comes to renew our fleet, I will not only choose Volvo machines without hesitation, but also strongly recommend them to others."
