by Nick Drew | Tue 21 Nov 2017
Volvo 40-tonne excavators find favour at H&S Contractors
H&S Contractors Ltd of Kingsnorth, Hoo in Kent continues to add Volvo Construction Equipment products to its plant portfolio, following the purchase of a 25-tonne L150H late last year for its hire fleet.
Established back in 1972, H&S Contractors Ltd specialises in operated and non-operated hire of medium-sized plant from 20 tonnes upwards which includes loading shovels, excavators and articulated haulers. Since purchasing its first L150H late last year, the company has added a second unit but also added a forty-tonne Volvo EC380E excavator, replacing a competitive model. “We had a need to replace one of our forty-tonne excavators for a specific contract with a longstanding client, extracting sand and overburden removal,” explains Plant Manager, Keith Rogers. “Part of the operation involves digging straight from the bank and the sandstone strata in this particular quarry is extremely tough to penetrate so we were looking for a machine that could handle this without the need for additional ripping,” he continues.
A subsequent demonstration of the Volvo EC380E was arranged. “We were very impressed with the performance of the machine and its ability to extract the material without the need for additional ripping. It’s very well balanced and has plenty of power compared to the machine it replaces and is certainly a major improvement on the older Volvo EC360C machine we have in the fleet,” he continues.
In fact, the machine has prompted H&S Contractors to place an order for a second unit for delivery in the New Year. “Historically, we have run and continue to operate Volvo A25 E & F models, adding a further two new A30G’s and the shovel last year,” says Keith. “Knowing the reliability and performance of the trucks, coupled with Volvo’s ability to support the product provided us with the confidence to widen our scope to include the EC380E excavators”.
The EC380E is powered by a Stage-IV compliant engine, developing 306 net horsepower while offering the latest in engine technology and operating sophistication. The Volvo Care Cab offers a large roomy interior with plenty of leg room and foot space. The excellent all round visibility is enhanced by pressurized and filtered cab air supplied by a 14-vent, climate-control system. An adjustable easy-to-read LCD colour monitor provides real time information of the machine functions, important diagnostic information and a wide variety of work tool settings besides providing visibility to the operator from the rear and side view cameras.
The new EC380E is fitted with CareTrack as standard which is Volvo’s telematics system that enables remote monitoring of a wide range of machine functions (e.g. location, fuel consumption, service reminders, etc.) thus optimizing customer operations. “Since 80% of our total fleet is generally out on non–operated hire, features like CareTrack are important as it helps us monitor the usage of the machines in terms of hours operated and their locations,” says Keith Rogers. In addition, the machines are covered by Volvo’s Blue Service Agreement, ensuring that they will be regularly maintained at the correct service intervals by qualified Volvo service engineers using genuine Volvo parts - irrespective of where they may be operating in the country
H&S Contractors Ltd has been providing plant hire and heavy haulage services to all areas of the construction industry since 1972. It offers a wide range of services which includes labour hire, muck shifting, land restoration, aggregate haulage and quarrying activities. Based near Hoo in Kent, the company has and maintains a strong presence in the short-to-mid and longterm hire market for medium-sized construction equipment in the south of England, but also services its customers based further afield - as far as Leeds and beyond.