Thompson first with Cat 972M XE

Scottish quarrying expert William Thompson & Son is the first UK company to invest in the new 395 Caterpillar 972M XE wheeled loader. It will join the Cat 336EL Hybrid Excavator, another debut UK buy, at the Dumbarton-based site.

“At William Thompson & Son we strive to be at the cutting-edge of new technologies enabling us to maximise productivity, minimise cost, whilst reducing our carbon footprint,” says Andrew Thompson, director at William Thompson & Son.

The Cat 972M XE wheeled loader, with XE advanced powertrain technologies, was launched at the recent 427 Hillhead Show, and is said to have enabled a 25% fuel saving for Thompson.

The Cat XE range utilises an integrated Cat continuously variable transmission (CVT) system, rather than the standard torque converter. A hydraulic pump and motor (variator unit), allows for a smooth and continuous gear ratio change between engine speed and machine speed. This variator unit allows the machine to run at a much lower rpm, meaning that the functioning rpm of the XE model runs at 500 less than the standard Cat 972M.

According to Caterpillar this will save William Thompson & Son an average of 4litres of fuel for every hour the Cat 972M XE model is in use.

“The 25% fuel saving will not only immediately improve William Thompson’s bottom line, but also their environmental sustainability,” says Alistair Murdoch, key account manager for 3006 Finning.