Fulfilling a dream at Emmatt Construction

Since establishing his new company just two years ago, Matthew Donaghy, the proprietor of Glasgow based Emmatt Construction Ltd, has fulfilled a boyhood dream of owning a Volvo excavator as he takes delivery of a brand new EC160E. 

“I’ve always had an interest in diggers since I was a lad and when I went to university to train as a quantity surveyor I would always have a scale model of a Volvo close by to distract me!” says Matthew. “Moving on and having had the chance to operate a variety of excavators on job sites, I quickly formed a positive opinion about Volvo machines,” he continues.

Then two years ago Matthew Donaghy had the chance to establish his own ground works business, sub-contracting to Elgin based Springfield Homes. “We have been sub- contracting to Springfield Homes from the outset and with the amount of building projects starting up here in the central belt of Scotland it was time to add a second and slightly larger machine to the fleet. So I took the opportunity of taking an EC160 on demonstration which endorsed my earlier experiences of operating a Volvo and I’m really pleased with my decision,” he says. “The larger EC160E has plenty of power and enough digging depth for the work we undertake yet is highly manoeuvrable on some of the more confined sites.”

The EC160E features a Tier IV final 4 litre Volvo engine developing 148 nett horsepower. Operators can select the best work mode for the task at hand, ensuring optimum performance and fuel efficiency. Modes include: I-idle, F-fine, G-general, H-heavy or P-power, with the machine automatically setting the appropriate engine speed 

for the work mode and ECO mode is a new feature that works in G to H (or P) mode. Pump flow is controlled for combined digging and swinging operations to reduce the flow loss through the overload relief valves, while maintaining digging power and maximum swing torque. Eco mode provides better fuel efficiency without loss of performance in most operating conditions.

The Volvo Care Cab offers a large roomy interior with plenty of leg room and foot space. The excellent all round visibility is enhanced by pressurized and filtered cab air supplied by a 14 vent, climate control system. An adjustable easy to read LCD colour monitor provides real time information of the machine functions, important diagnostic information and a wide variety of work tool settings. The monitor also doubles as a monitor for the rear view camera which is fitted as standard. Hammer / shear hydraulics are offered as standard on the EC160E as are hose rupture valves on the boom and dipper cylinders.

The new EC160E will be deployed on all of Emmatt Construction’s activities which include general ground working, site enabling, the laying of sewers, and foundation work. The company works in close association with Springfield Homes who specialise in redeveloping brown field and distressed or abandoned sites and turning them into quality plots for state of the art social housing throughout Scotland’s central belt.