The new Volvo L150G has been supplied complete with bespoke 4.2m³ rehandling bucket, automatic greasing system and RDS 8000i weigh loader. The unit was chosen following a competitive evaluation process, but ultimately it came down to operator familiarity and common sense standardisation at site for cost, maintenance knowledge and OEM support reasons, said asset manager Mark Watson. “We’ve operated Volvo shovels, dumptrucks and excavators for many years. “The L150G takes over as our new frontline machine from a six year old L150E that has clocked up over 30,000 hours.”
The Rotherham site which receives upwards of 150,000t of steel slag from steelworks in the Sheffield locality. The material is crushed then screened into different grades of aggregate to be used in the production of steel slag asphalt which is mixed and blended with imported limestone.
Besides handling the incoming materials, the L150G feeds the various bins for the plant which has an annual output of 300,000 tonnes of asphalt. The machine works two shifts in a 15 hour day, five days a week. The abrasive nature of the material means that the 4.2m³ rehandling bucket has been hard-faced to resist wear.
The shovel joins the existing 30,000 hour L150E which has been retired to secondary duties around the plant and a older L90C, which recently underwent a complete refurbishment by Volvo’s Immingham support centre.
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
