Scottish-based
The new EC480E has been equipped with a 7-metre boom and a 4.8-metre dipper arm, which is the longest possible combination of digging equipment for this model of excavator.
This was specified to give maximum flexibility and improve utilisation within the quarry at Glenrothes, Fife. The machine has a forward reach of 13.3 metres, a digging depth of 9.2 metres and a practical dump height of 7.2 metres. This means the EC480E can dress down the remains of the blasted face from a safe distance. Mounted on 700mm track pads the machine has a maximum lifting capacity across carriage of 5.1 tonnes and with its 2.1m³ heavy-duty rock bucket it can feed the mobile jaw crusher.
Skene Group has already taken delivery of three new Volvo L220H loading shovels earlier this year.
The new Volvo EC480E is already making a contribution to replacing an older, thirty-six tonne EC360 excavator. As with the shovels purchased earlier this year, the EC480E has been supplied with a Volvo Gold agreement that is a full repair and maintenance package, where SMT GB takes charge of everything in terms of scheduled maintenance, breakdowns and repairs.
“Outsourcing the complete maintenance and repair regime to SMT GB makes perfect sense in our opinion,” said Skene Group MD, Darren Forrester. “Having them looking after the equipment with their own trained engineers, using genuine parts with the proper disposal of all used oils and materials, gives us both peace of mind and a tight control on each machine’s life time cost.”
Skene Group Construction Services was founded in 1968 by Donald Skene. It became a limited company in the late 1970s with the launch of its civil engineering, road building operations and demolition activities. It then diversified into minerals in the 1980s, quarrying sand, gravel and hard rock deposits. The 1990s saw further expansion into pre-cast and ready-mixed concrete products. Chairman Neil Skene joined the business in 1984, and now oversees all its divisions providing sand and gravel quarrying; hard rock quarrying; concrete products and construction services along with group MD Darren Forrester.
