Skene Group Limited sees Blue

The decision to outsource the regular servicing, inspections and oil sampling back to the original manufacture coincides with the delivery of a new Volvo L220F loading shovel equiped with a 5.1m³ capacity bucket. Competitive tenders were sort for the maintenance of the company's mobile plant comprising mostly of Volvo shovels, excavators and dumptrucks. "Although they weren't the cheapest, we felt it made sense to award the contract to the original manufacturer -safe in the knowledge the machines would be service and maintained by Volvo trained engineers using genuine parts with the proper disposal of all used oils and materials,"  commented plant & transport director Darren Forrester. The agreements are based on a fixed rate per scheduled service and a fixed rate for mileage including oil sampling and regular inspections to be reviewed on an annual basis.

The Blue Agreement is based upon a series of comprehensive machine inspections combined with the approved Volvo service programme, maintaining the machine to the recommended standard. All inspection and maintenance work is carried out by Volvo service trained engineers using only genuine Volvo parts and lubricants. Comprehensive reports are provided to support warranties and enhance resale value, together with proactive advice on when parts will need replacement. Regular oil samples are taken for analysis of quality and contaminant levels, and again, advice is given freely if action needs to be taken. In addition any latest machine software updates are applied to keep the machine at the cutting edge. And as with the agreements for the whole of Skene's fleet of Volvo equipment arrangements can be customized to suit the individual needs of the customer irrespective of whether the machine is brand new or five years old. Underpinning any customer support agreement is the assurance that the practical element to Volvo CE's fully integrated management system and ISO accreditations comes into play with regard to safe disposal of oils, filters and associated materials and best practice whilst on site maintaining the equipment.

The Skene Group has enjoyed steady growth since it was founded in 1968 by its current Chairman, Donald Skene. It became a limited company in the late 1970s with the launch of its civil engineering, road building operations and demolition activities then diversified into minerals in the 1980s, quarrying sand, gravel and hard rock deposits. The 1990s saw further expansion, this time into pre-cast and ready-mixed concrete products. Managing Director Neil Skene joined the business in 1984 and now oversees all its divisions providing sand and gravel quarrying; hard rock quarrying; concrete products and construction services.

Volvo Construction Equipment Division markets wheeled loaders, articulated haulers, hydraulic excavators, graders, Volvo Compact Equipment and Volvo road machinery products in the U.K. There are eight strategically placed customer support centres and a network of compact equipment dealers to ensure high quality customer support is maintained throughout Great Britain.

Volvo Construction Equipment Ltd
Duxford
Cambridge
CB2 4QX
UK

T: 01223 251720
F: 01223 832799