T
wo years later, the majority of the CEMEX UK Dove Holes operator team are now enrolled on the Gold Card training scheme, responsible for running one
of the UK’s most productive mobile quarry fleets. To find out how the team has increased volumes of quarried material from 3.8 million to 5 million tonnes per year, using the same Caterpillar fleet, Finning News caught up with CEMEX UK director, Robin Doody.
Robin: “Dove Holes is our largest quarry in the UK and therefore strategically important to the overall success of our business operations. The quarry itself provides limestone for construction projects all over the country and premium aggregate for the production of concrete and asphalt. Thanks to its rail connections, we are also able to transport around 50% of our quarried product to major markets in Leeds, Manchester, London, Birmingham and the Home Counties.
“So in 2014, we made the decision to enter a long-term eight-year partnership with the Finning Managed Solutions team and Cat Financial, creating what was the UK’s first integrated equipment management contract. This involved a new primary production fleet of 8 Caterpillar units, including 7 Cat 775G Off Highway Trucks and a Cat 990H Wheel Loader. Plus full support on the existing Cat 990H and 13 items of secondary plant.
“As part of the deal, our onsite maintenance facility was also shared by Finning, with a permanent engineer
onsite, supported by colleagues from the local Chesterfield branch, who provide us with 24-hour support.
“From a strategic point of view, the aim of the deal was to deliver a whole site solution, incorporating the latest equipment, technology and quarry management expertise. Our goals at the time were also very ambitious, as we wanted to be able to increase volumes according to a projected increase in demand from a recovering market. We initially set this target at a 15% increase in production with a 10% reduction in machine operating hours and a 6% reduction in overall fleet size.”
Huge Productivity Gains “However, what we have achieved is close to a 25% increase in production, using the same fleet, working to our standard shift patterns. The story behind this success really has been the way in which we have made efficiency gains at each stage of the quarrying operation.
“At the start of the contract, we challenged our own team and Finning to develop an ongoing performance management and optimisation strategy, aimed at making continuous improvements throughout the contract period. In practical terms, this has been about building up an expert Dove Holes team, that interacts with each other in a positive way and works together to identify large and small opportunities to improve our operations.”
KEY DATA
• 33% increase in production to 5.6M tonnes from 3.8M • 5% increase in machine hours delivering 33% production increase
• 16% increase in tonnes moved per litre • 99% fleet availability • 21% increase in tonnes per hour
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