Barnstaple-based G&R Groundworks takes on complex excavation and utility projects across North Devon. To enhance efficiency in confined spaces, it has added a Yanmar C12R-C dumper (pictured above) to its fleet, improving its ability to navigate tight spaces in residential areas and narrow footpaths.

G&R, set up in 2021 by Guy Newton and Richard Smale (below left), primarily serves utilities specialist Network Plus, delivering excavation, reinstatement and spoil disposal.

With projects frequently taking place in back gardens, on narrow footpaths, or within one-way road systems, G&R needed a dumper that could handle confined spaces without sacrificing performance. Joint director Richard Smale explains that standard dumpers are often too large for these environments, prompting the company to seek a more compact solution.

After evaluating various options, G&R Groundworks selected the Yanmar C12R-C for its price, footprint and reliability. The unit’s hydrostatic transmission and three-way dumping capability allow for precise material handling, a major advantage for the company’s utility and reinstatement work.

 “We’ve used a variety of machines in the past, but the Yanmar C12R-C stood out as the perfect fit,” Smale says. “It’s powerful, highly manoeuvrable and helps us work more efficiently in the confined spaces we deal with every day.”

The Yanmar C12R-C has an operating weight of 1,100 kg and a payload capacity of 1,150 kg, all within a compact 960 mm width. Its hydrostatic transmission ensures smooth operation, while its three-way dumping capability allows materials to be offloaded to the rear or either side.

Smale emphasises how this flexibility has transformed operations, making the transport of spoil, aggregates and trench fill far more efficient. Since its arrival in October 2024, the dumper has been deployed across various utility and groundworks projects, proving to be an essential addition to the fleet, he says.