Finning first for Cat hybrid excavator

3006 Finning has delivered the first Cat 336EL hybrid excavator in the UK to Dumbarton, Scotland-based quarrying specialists William Thompson & Son. It supplies quarry products, haulage, landfill for inert materials and plant hire services across the west of Scotland. The new excavator will be put to work in its main quarry, where it is “expected to save the company approximately £70,000 (€81,000) on fuel costs alone across five years of machine ownership.”

Alistair Murdoch from Finning says: “When we originally approached William Thompson & Son we quoted a Cat 336EL excavator as a direct replacement. The customer currently runs a Cat 336DL, so we were able to comprehensively review a number of different factors, including fuel usage, and this led us to change our original proposal to the Cat 336EL Hybrid Excavator.

“William Thompson & Son was initially taken aback by the additional £25,000 [€29,000] that it would pay for the machine. However, once we showed our calculations that the hybrid engine would save the business around £70,000 (€63,000) in fuel costs over five years of ownership, the benefits were quickly apparent. The customer is confident that this hybrid solution will not just save them money, but also improve productivity at the quarry.”

It is claimed that the hybrid will use up to 25% less fuel compared to a standard Cat 336E, and up to 33% less fuel than the Cat 330D or 336D. “Since fuel is one of the most significant costs for our customers in general, quarrying and heavy construction applications, we know that this machine can directly improve their bottom lines. To date, feedback has been incredibly positive about the new Cat 336EL hybrid excavator,” says Murdoch.