But from its operating base at Crossal in the middle of Skye, this third-generation family business works across the whole of the north of Scotland, providing new build work, building extensions and property renovations.

The company has recently taken delivery of a new Volvo ECR88D reduced swing compact excavator, which was delivered by Volvo Construction Equipment’s utility dealer for the north of Scotland, CSM Sales, based in Inverness.

The new 8.8-tonne Volvo machine heralds a return to favouring Volvo compact equipment excavators for James MacQueen Building Contractors, as it has previously operated smaller machines including the EC15, 25 and 35 models.

“Besides evaluating the market for this size of machine, one of the main reasons for choosing the ECR88D was the fact we have expanded our operations over the recent past and required a larger machine to tackle the projects we are involved with,” says managing director James MacQueen. “Based on our previous experiences and good reliability of the Volvo product, the overall package on offer from CSM Sales, including a competitive warranty and Volvo finance from Volvo Financial Services, we finally decided to opt for the Volvo product.”

The Volvo ECR88D has a 2.6 litre engine developing 56 nett horsepower and closed centre-load sensing hydraulic system for fast cycle times and smooth control. The machine boasts a horizontal reach of 7.3 metres and a lift capacity of 960kg at full reach across the carriage. The rubber-mounted cab reduces whole-body vibration and external.