Norris Plant Hire & Sales makes something of a habit of being among the first to place orders for new Caterpillar models, having bought the first Cat 306 and 310 mini excavators in the UK. It is now one of the first to have the Cat 302.7.

The investments mean Norris’ fleet has increased to 44 next-gen Cats in 2021 — a mix of 301.6s, 301.8s, 306s, 308s and 310s — with an further 50 units ordered for 2022.

The latest 302.7s have been sent out on site with SD Staples Plant Hire, which is working on a project in Bottesford, in the Vale of Belvoir.

“Reliability is one of the biggest factors when choosing machines for the hire fleet, and we’ve found that is guaranteed with Cat equipment,” says Andy Norris, managing director of Norris Plant Hire. “The build quality of the next-gen excavators is second to none, and it means that we can have 100% confidence in the product before it goes out to site. We rarely hear of any problems that arise from operating the Cat machines due to their high specification and quality”.

Simon Staples of SD Staples Plant Hire says: “Norris Plant Hire’s new 302.7s were dropped on site for our project recently to work on groundworks and drainage at an industrial unit. I’ve hired Norris Plant’s Cat 301.8 before and really rated the machine so I was looking forward to operating the 302.7, and it hasn’t let me down — it’s a great looking machine, which is always a bonus. The cab is spacious for a mini excavator, and the whole machine is user-friendly with easily controlled levers and control panel. It’s a great machine in terms of speed for both travelling and digging with plenty of power behind it. To excavate with, you can be as precise and gentle as you could ever need to be, making it ideal for tricky excavations.”