Hamilton Plant Hire is expanding its Volvo Construction Equipment fleet as it takes on increasingly demanding bulk earthworks projects, with the contractor reporting strong productivity and reliability from its Volvo articulated haulers and the addition of an EC480 excavator.
Reliable production, strong fuel performance and responsive support from Babcock are helping Hamilton Plant Hire meet demanding bulk earthworks targets – and giving the contractor the confidence to pursue larger projects.
Working in harsh, highly industrial conditions, the company is currently using two Volvo articulated haulers to move heavy loads, with each machine achieving a minimum of around 40 loads per day.
For Hamilton Plant Hire Site Manager Llewellyn Stander, the machines’ ability to maintain production in challenging terrain is a key advantage. “The terrain is very aggressive and we are expecting a lot from the machines,” says Stander. “They are loaded quite a bit and they are doing very, very well. We have not had one breakdown since we have had the machines.”
The company has previously achieved approximately 3 000 m³ per day from an articulated hauler on bulk earthworks projects. On its current project, the two Volvo machines are collectively achieving around 80 loads a day, demonstrating the production capacity required for high-volume earthmoving applications.
“If we put these articulated dump trucks (ADTs) onto a high-production line, we know we can achieve our goals,” says Stander. Fuel performance has also been a positive, with Stander reporting impressive fuel efficiency from the Volvo machines while operating at high production levels.
Hamilton Plant Hire has further strengthened its production capacity with the addition of a Volvo EC480 excavator. The machine was brought into the fleet to meet the substantial volumes of material associated with the contractor’s bulk earthworks projects.
“We take on a lot of bulk earthworks where we have got very big volumes that we have to move,” explains Stander. “It is the volume the machine produces. The performance of the machine and the volume that it creates – you just cannot compare it.”
The combination of the excavator and articulated haulers is also opening up new opportunities for the business. “Bulk earthworks depends on what machines you are running. Running these big machines, there is nothing that we cannot tackle now,” says Stander. “From a business point of view, it really opens up our ability to take on bigger work.”
Behind the equipment is Babcock, the sole distributor of Volvo Construction Equipment in southern Africa, providing technical and aftersales support to Hamilton Plant Hire. “The technical backup is good and it is just a phone call away,” says Stander. “If we cannot problem-solve it ourselves, Babcock will come out and have a look at the machines.”
Regular follow-up from Babcock on machine performance and operating hours provides additional reassurance when equipment is working under sustained production pressure.
The Volvo machines have also been well received by Hamilton Plant Hire’s operators, with their user-friendly operation and onboard functions helping operators monitor load status, tonnage and tipping conditions.
For Stander, the ultimate measure of the equipment is its impact on the company’s ability to deliver for customers. “We have come into quite a harsh environment and we have performed,” he says. “We have kept our clients happy and that is due to the machines that we are running.”
With greater production capacity, reliable equipment and strong technical support, Hamilton Plant Hire is now better positioned to take on the next generation of demanding earthworks projects. “You go into a job running the best because then you can produce the best – and that is what we are here for,” concludes Stander.
