by Nick Drew | Mon 23 Sep 2019
First Next Gen Cat D6 in the UK Goes to Red Materials
Red Materials Ltd (Red), specialists in the treatment, re-use and disposal of construction soils throughout the UK, has invested in the Cat
Next-generation D6 Dozer, the first to be sold in the UK – in a deal with Finning UK & Ireland. The machine is the latest addition to the company’s expanding Caterpillar fleet and was chosen for its efficiency and improved technology.
The dozer has replaced a D6T (2015) and joins the existing Caterpillar fleet at Red Materials which includes 730 Articulated Dump Trucks, 950 Wheel Loaders and Cat 320 Excavators along with the tried and trusted D6 Dozer fleet. Red continues to expand their spread of facilities, working alongside major UK landfill operators throughout the UK in the Midlands, Surrey, Yorkshire and Wales.
Red operates facilities across England and Wales, providing disposal routes for multiple construction waste streams including hazardous, non hazardous and inert soils. Their ongoing operations involve the sourcing and importation of suitable soils for large scale landfill and ex-quarry restoration contracts as below:
- Non Hazardous disposal and active Treatment Pad at Packington, Birmingham combined with the on-going restoration works. This requires the import of 1,000,000m³ of restoration grade soils.
- Trecatti, Merthyr Tydfil - 2,000,000m³ void, restoration soils to infill old colliery site.
- Waverley, Sheffield 1,325,000m³ of restoration void involving the engineering of a large screening earth bund on the old colliery site, being regenerated into a new housing development.
- Runfold, Guildford Quarry 500,000m³ void - restoration of an old sand and gravel pit. This facility accepts Non Hazardous and Restoration soils.
More recently Red has extended their range of capabilities, undertaking landfill engineering and capping contracts. Red has worked extensively with Finning for several years and this new deal continues to develop the strong relationship between the two companies.
The Cat Next Generation D6 dozer combines efficiency, operator comfort and ground-breaking technology. Efficiency is optimised via the fully automatic, 4-speed transmission, which continuously adjusts for maximum efficiency and power, resulting in up to 20 per cent better fuel efficiency.
With the operator in mind, the cab has been redesigned for increased visibility, comfort and productivity. For all machine features, the cab is fitted with a 10-inch anti-glare touchscreen with an easy to use interface. Also, the D6 heating/cooling system circulates air within the cab more effectively to keep the operator comfortable in all weather conditions.
Photo: The Cat D6 (XE version) on display at Malaga earlier this year.
In addition, Cat GRADE technologies are installed, automating machine control and guidance, which reduces the number of passes needed. This reduces the need for staking and checking, improving health and safety on site. What's more, the dozer is fitted with ProductLink for machine analytics.
Productlink telematics connects to the VisionLink next-generation fleet-management software. The web-based system provides a unified view of machine health, location and productivity and monthly reports provide valuable insights to reduce down-time and increase fuel efficiency.
David Reader, Operations Director at Red Materials, said: "We are delighted to be the first in the UK to receive the Next Gen D6. Our previous dozer (Cat D6T 2015) has clocked over 7000 hours and has had no issues during this time, which is a testament to the build quality of the Caterpillar products. We decided to upgrade because of fuel-efficiency capabilities and the technological advancements the Next Gen range offers."
"The service warranty had ended on our previous D6T, and I like the reassurance of having a dedicated team ready to get my machines back online if there is an issue. On the rare occasion a machine isn't operating smoothly, the Finning service team has always been able to resolve the issue the same day or by the following morning.
"I'm intrigued to see the D6 fuel-savings from my VisionLink monthly report. It’s been a useful indicator of machine idle time and working hours to utilise my fleet. As a Cat enthusiast, I cannot wait to reap the benefits of the D6 and continue to expand on our current Cat fleet."
Jake Wright, Account Manager, Finning UK & Ireland added: "I've worked closely with Red Materials for many years and the Next Gen D6 will be a great addition to its ever-growing fleet. Red will see improved versatility, efficiency and technology built into the dozer to burn less fuel, operate more efficiently and achieve a low total cost of ownership."