by Nick Drew | Thu 05 Jul 2018
Diggers Hillhead Highlights (Part Two)
Concluding my personal look back at what was a stunning Hillhead 2018 show, with glorious weather throughout the duration, a sell out in terms of exhibitors and plenty of visitors attending and braving the scorching temperatures down in the famous quarry.
Over on the SMT GB stand who are the dealers for Volvo Construction Equipment, the company displayed its latest reduced radius wheeled excavator the EWR170E with a Steelwrist tiltrotator fitted. Fitted with the increasingly popular TAB boom, the 18-tonne class machine is said to boast a 10% rise in fuel efficiency.
More ground-breaking technology was displayed by Austrian based manufacturer Wacker Neuson, with the unveiling of not one but three, fully-electric, battery powered compact machines, the DW15e site dumper, the WL20e, wheeled loader and the E17e mini excavator which is said to operate just like a conventional diesel-powered unit, but virtually silent while producing zero emissions!
Cheshire based attachment specialists Worsley Plant displayed the latest Lehnhoff Variolock hydraulic quick coupler system, which allows operators to change hydraulic tools in just 15 seconds. This particular example was displayed with a Rotar selector grab underneath and has been sold to Austin Wilkinson Demolition.
Bell Equipment UK the UK arm of South African manufacturer Bell Equipment showcased examples from its Mercedes powered E-Series articulated dump truck range with the mighty B60E taking centre stage. At the other end of the scale the company displayed its compact B20E ADT, which is proving popular in difficult ground conditions thanks to its low ground pressure capabilities and manoeuvrability. The company also displayed examples from its wheeled loader range including the L1706E.
JCB certainly brought the X Factor to Hillhead with the presence of their brand new 220X 20-tonne class excavator which was drawing large crowds to the stand across the 3 days of the show. Variants of the new excavator were shown on the demonstration plot along with a whole host of other products from the Staffordshire based manufacturer, including the revolutionary Hydradig 110W and the Hi-Viz 7 tonne dumper.
Photo Credit: Eoghan Daly
Fully cabbed forward tipping dumpers are certainly a hot topic at the moment and French compact equipment manufacturers Mecalac were keen to show their take on them with a style we have come to expect from this company. The 6MDX an all-new 6 tonne swivel skip model was displayed on the stand.
Photo Credit: Eoghan Daly.
On the Finning Equipment Solutions stand there was some amazing Cat Command autonomous technology on display that visitors could get involved with too. They were giving people the chance to control one of Caterpillar’s largest tracked type dozers, the D11T which tips the scales at 229800.0 lbs and was actually located over 5000 miles away in Arizona, USA! This kind of automation is changing the way companies work, helping to keep operators out of harms way, but still in control via remote control. One visitor was heard to say, “To be able to operate a machine like this remotely was nothing short of mind blowing”. Check out this video featuring Earthmovers Magazine's Scottish reporter David Wylie at the controls.
Rototilt UK had an extensive presence at Hillhead and one of the star attractions was what the company describes as the world’s largest tiltrotator, the new R9 model designed for excavators ranging from 30-40 tonnes. The R9 features breakout forces up to 500 kNm, redesigned hydraulics for high flows and a powerful worm gear with dual hydraulic motors. The unit also features Rototilt’s SecureLock safety lock which ensures attachments are always properly coupled. I had been fortunate enough to take a look at the R9 in Stockholm at the Massan Massan show a couple of weeks previously.
On the demo plot adjacent to Rototilt UK's stand operator Adam Howarth was busy putting his regular mount, a Rototilt equipped Hitachi Zaxis 225US LC through its paces showcasing the flexibility that a Rototilt tiltrotator can offer the end user. Adam's set up also includes Rototilt Positioning Solution and Automatic Grade Control with a Leica 3D GPS-system.
Rototilt UK also chose Hillhead to showcase its new R1 model designed for mini excavators ranging from 1.5 tonnes up to 3.5 tonnes.
The UK division of Finnish company Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology chose Hillhead to showcase a number of new products including the QH332 DDHS Hydrocone crusher which features an all new modular hanging screen which was working on the demonstration plot.
Photo Credit: Eoghan Daly.
Caterpillar dealers Finning UK and Ireland were putting the new Next Generation Cat 320 hydraulic excavator through its paces at the quarry face demonstration plot behind the stand. The new Cat 320 raises the bar for efficiency with integrated Cat Connect Technology that advances productivity gains. Standard built in technology combined with lower fuel and maintenance costs, will, according to the manufacturer deliver low-cost production in medium- to heavy-duty applications.
Photo Credit: Eoghan Daly.
Take a walk around the Finning stand at Hillhead.
As well as holding the UK round of its hugely popular "Rodeo" Operator competition CASE Construction Equipment brought out the big kit in the form of the new CASE CX750D hydraulic excavator which dominated their very busy stand!
Molson Group had another heavy presence at Hillhead this year and chose the event to announce big news about their acquisition of Finlay Plant (UK) Limited and its subsidiary and associated companies (“Finlay Group”), a long established equipment Dealer of Terex Finlay products for England and Wales. Highlight on the stand for me was the stunning looking Kobelco SK210H Hybrid excavator, strategically placed loading a Terex/Finlay crusher.
Top art award at the show must go to Keen Attachments who displayed a bucket on the TDL Equipment stand fitted to a Sany excavator which had been patriotically painted on the sides with a Welsh dragon artwork by Sam at Aerosol Art, it formed part of a raffle raising money for the Lighthouse charity.
The next big show for me will probably be Bauma in Munich next April, the mother of all plant shows, closely followed by our own Plantworx in June. I am confident the manufacturers will all be gearing up to show us plenty of new stuff.