“To be honest we tended to look elsewhere for our large prime mover requirements, but with our existing 65 tonne excavator approaching 15000 hours and some significant track repair work required, we took an objective look at the market,” says Managing Director Alan Sparkes. “We evaluated five different models and it was a difficult call to make with nothing to compare in terms of the deal on the table and machine availability so it all came down to the preference of our workshop personnel,” he continues. “With the long standing relationship with Volvo’s product support people, their outstanding back up and co-operation it was an easy decision for Steve Marsh, our workshop manager and his team.”
The new EC700C takes over as prime mover joining a Volvo EC480D and four Volvo forty tonne articulated haulers purchased late in 2011on a long standing contract
Kelston Sparkes Group goes large with a new Volvo EC700C
Normally associated with Volvo articlulated haulers, loading shovels and medium sized excavators, Kelston Sparkes Group has taken delivery of Volvo CEs flagship
excavator, the EC700C for the first time which has gone to work on primary extraction on one of the company’s prestigious contracts in the Mendips.
for Aggregate Industries at Torr Quarry near Shepton Mallet. Both machines are loading the trucks with blasted limestone which is then hauled a short distance to the giant O&K mobile crusher. “The areas for blasting and processing over the current phase of operations called for approxi- mately 1.5M tonnes of rock to be hauled to the crusher which is at its maximum distance from the processing plant,” says George Stanley – Kelston Sparkes’ foreman in charge of the primary extraction team. “We are shifting upwards of 15000 tonnes of material a day on a 7 to 5.30pm shift between the two excavators and four trucks.”
Foreman George Stanley enjoys a visit to the quarry by MD Alan Sparkes and Alan’s father and founder of the Kelston Sparkes Group – Kelston Sparkes
THE VOICE PAGE 20
At the heart of the EC700C a 16 litre Stage III V-ACT engine developing 430 nett hp operates in conjunction with an advanced mode control system ensuring the
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