The machine is the largest of its kind in operation at a UK quarry.
Capable of moving more than three million tonnes of material per year, the Cat 6030 hydraulic mining shovel weighs approximately 300 tonnes, generates more than 1,500 horsepower and completes the firm’s line-up of new equipment at Mountsorrel.
The machine was delivered in sections on 12 separate trucks and took a team of engineers from Caterpillar distributor Finning four weeks to assemble on site.
Now fully operational, the excavator is playing a key role in sustaining output at one of the UK’s busiest quarries.
Tarmac manufacturing manager Ian Brown said: “Our objective is to continue to provide high quality construction materials to our customers and it’s important we have the right plant and equipment to deliver maximum site productivity.
“The 6030 excavator is our second here at Mountsorrel and the two are the largest of their kind in operation at a UK quarry. This new user-friendly machinery will undoubtedly enable us to run the quarry to its optimum output, safely and professionally.”
Finning strategic account general manager John Vardy said: “The Cat 6030 FS is our hydraulic shovel that leads the class in productivity, reliability and safety. It is the perfect production match for the Cat 777 size class trucks working in Mountsorrel quarry.
“With the machine remotely monitored by our Finsight engineering team in our Cannock head office, using the latest MineStar and Cat Product Link technology, we are able to ensure the Tarmac team has performance and productivity data at its fingertips. Monitoring this information also allows us to help Tarmac maintain high levels of uptime, by spotting trends and alerts that can be used to schedule preventative maintenance.”
Mountsorrel is one of the largest granite quarries in Europe and a major producer of high quality aggregates for asphalt and concrete.
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