More new Volvo excavators for specialist contractor MW Groundworks

MW Groundworks of Tarbrax, South Lanarkshire, has taken delivery of two new Volvo excavators for its specialist contracting and land clearance business...

This time, the ground working and civil engineering company has added a fourteen tonne EC140E and the larger twenty-two tonne EC220E, replacing older variants of both sizes of machine. “Since making the initial investment in purchasing Volvo equipment nine years ago, we haven’t been let down either by the product or the support we receive from the SMT GB customer support centre at Stirling. Owning and operating the Volvo brand has paid dividends, which is why we have come back to add two new machines to our fleet,” comments MW Groundworks’ proprietor Mark Wang.

Covering the whole of Scotland, but mainly throughout the Central Belt, MW Groundworks specialises in ground clearance, including; tree felling, mulching, forestry work, general landscaping and minor civils projects. A large proportion of the company’s undertaking is forestry and woodland clearance, working on large private estates and for the Forestry Commission, Woodland Trust and a variety of construction companies.

With a significant amount of new house building projects taking place throughout Scotland, MW Groundworks’ machines can regularly be seen clearing ground in preparation for the large house-building contractors to start work. “Both sizes of machine fit in well with the typical contracts we undertake,” says Mark Wang. “For example, the EC140E is equipped with a Steelwrist Tilt Rotator. This makes it a highly flexible machine, especially for working in confined spaces. Whereas the EC220E has plenty of capacity for site clearance and muck shifting duties.”

Both machines are powered by Volvo Stage V compliant 4 and 6 cylinder engines, developing 121 and 174 nett hp respectively. The machines’ ‘Integrated work mode control’ provides high efficiency, rapid dig cycles and significantly lowers fuel consumption. This advanced mode control system ensures the maximum possible hydraulic horsepower available is delivered at a constant engine speed under varying load conditions. In addition, boom and arm geometry provide highly competitive digging forces and lifting capacities, which makes for faster work cycles. Hose rupture valves are fitted as standard to the boom and dipper cylinders, as are quick fit hydraulics and a hammer/shear service.