Heavy duty heartbeat

Recycled aggregates and Skip Hire specialists A. R. Richards invest in the right machine for the job with their new Hyundai HL960 HDXT wheel loader, supplied by the recycling machinery experts at Molson Green.

Deep in the Shropshire countryside, just outside the quaint town of Market Drayton you will find the head office of A. R. Richards – a diverse business with divisions ranging from skip hire, recycled aggregates, building supplies, plant hire through to demolition and groundworks contractors. From their head office, located on a former airfield base near Turn Hill, they have built a reputation for delivering what they say, when they say it. Having the right tools for the job is critical to maintaining this ethic, no matter what your trade. In this instance, the latest addition of a Hyundai wheel loader that has been purpose built for the demands of working in a recycling environment is a clear sign A. R. Richards will continue to deliver on their promises.

A wheel loader is the heartbeat of any recycling site
From feeding processing equipment such as shredders, crushers or screeners, to moving material to stockpiles and loading outgoing vehicles – without a wheel loader, the entire operation would grind to a halt. Despite having a wide variety of mobile equipment including telehandlers, excavators and tractors, this is till true for the team at A. R. Richards.

The HL960 HDXT offers two key differences compared to a standard Hyundai HL960 wheel loader. Firstly, this HD (Heady Duty) model features a plethora of additional specification that further enhance its durability in the most demanding site conditions. Secondly, the XT (Extended Reach) which allows this particular model to easily load trailers, containers and waggons with ease and accuracy.

Tough enough for the job
With a huge list of upgraded and additional parts, this shovel has been beefed up in all the right places to make it more than man enough for even the most demanding sites and applications. The factory in South Korea have fitted the HL960 HD with the axles from the larger HL970 model to ensure it has the power and durability even on slippery concrete pads that are frequently found on waste transfer and processing facilities throughout the UK. A host of smaller additions on this purpose-built powerhouse really makes a big difference. These include additional guarding (windows, lights, rams and under the engine bay), an air pre-filter and a bucket spill guard fitted to minimise spillage over the top edge of the bucket.

All the additional specification on the HD model builds on an already impressive standard specification that includes an accurate onboard weighing system that is built into the seven-inch touch screen display cluster. This allows operators to monitor the total weight when loading, all through an intuitive display. With other features including ride control, soft end stops and a hydraulic lock differential – the standard HL960 really doesn’t skimp on the extras that will keep operators and owners happy.

Reach for the sky
When the XT option is selected, the reach on this wheel loader is significantly increased from 4,105mm at the hinge pin’s maximum height, all the way to 4,535mm. This increase allows the HL960 HDXT to comfortably load the vast majority of common bulk transport options.

R. Richards have also chosen to take the optional Hyundai AAVM (All Around View Monitoring) factory option which utilises 4 cameras to give the operator a 360-degree, seamless bird’s-eye view around the machine via the large cluster display. With object identification and safety zone alerts, the AAVM system enables operators to work without blind spots – improving the safety of any working environment.

R. Richards. Managing Director, Andrew Richards said; “This is now our second Hyundai loading shovel. We ran the last model for over 4 years, and we couldn’t fault it for reliability and productivity.

“The additional spec offered in the HL960 HDXT allowed us to work safer and smarter, something we as a business are always striving to achieve. This and the after-sales support Molson have delivered meant that it was an easy choice to go for another Hyundai”.

Molson Sales Manager, Andy Wilkinson said; “It was a pleasure to work with Andy and all his team. Their diverse business is highly respected in the area and it aligns with the wide range of construction, recycling and processing equipment now available at Molson. I look forward to working with Andy and hope we can assist him as his business continues to grow.