Good support and back up prompts more orders from Central Plant Hire
Central Plant Hire of Horsham, West Sussex, has ordered a brace of Volvo EC18E compact excavators from Glosrose Construction Equipment thanks to the continued high level of aftersales support offered by both Glosrose and SMT GB...
The Horsham based plant hire business has been running Volvo 1.5, 3 and 5-tonne excavators since 2000, operating a total of twenty-five Volvo branded machines in a mixed fleet of compact excavators and site dumpers. “The Volvo compact excavators have proved themselves in the field and we have found them to be very reliable and robust machines,” comments Managing Director, Tony Fiveash. “More importantly, the high level of after sales support offered by both Glosrose and SMT GB is vital for our business and one of the main reasons we continue to purchase Volvos for our hire fleet.”
The new E-Series Volvo compact excavators offer significant improvements over the ever popular D‑Series models in terms of stability, lifting capacity, a simplified operator interface, an improved ease of serviceability to the main components and improved styling, thanks to a new three-piece cast iron counterweight and pressed steel side panels. In addition, the two new EC18Es sold to Central Plant Hire have been supplied with Volvo’s coded key option for added security.
The E-Series models have a common platform that is built with durability in mind. All‑round steel panels are safely recessed 10mm behind the Volvo exclusive high-profile cast iron counterweight, which ably provides protection and digging stability. With a machine height of a little over 2m and a variable undercarriage that can shrink to less than 1m – these new models can gain access to even the most confined of work areas. Once in position, the undercarriage can expand up to 1.35m for additional stability. The design ensures that the right frame corner, swing post and cylinder all stay within the tracks, resulting in maximum visibility and a reduced risk of machine damage when working alongside obstacles.
The EC18E takes performance to a new level, with a 13 percent increase in tractive force along with 2,130kg of combined digging forces. Its lifting capacity has increased by an average of 22 per cent at the front compared to the D-Series model it replaces. The machine’s undercarriage has been elongated to provide even better all-round lifting capacity and stability, compared to the previous generation, together with a 140mm increase in digging depth. For further flexibility, the auxiliary hydraulic flows can be independently adjusted in each direction, ensuring optimal speed and control, and a second auxiliary line or X3 service is also available as an option.
The E-Series affords an improved ease of maintenance and access to the main serviceable components thanks to a hinged fuel tank which is unique to Volvo. A fifty-hour greasing interval further contributes towards the best-in-class serviceability on the EC18E. “Good service access is another good feature on the Volvo EC18s,” says Tony. “It was good on the D-series but it’s even better on the new E-series machines.”