Two new Volvo ECR50D’s for John Reeve Plant Hire Ltd
John Reeve Plant Hire Ltd of Eastry near Sandwich, Kent has broken a long standing tradition by purchasing its first new Volvo compact excavators in the guise of two five tonne ECR50D’s.
Needing to replace a couple of ageing machines in their fleet of some 25 excavators, Director Chris Reeve evaluated the marketplace. “To be honest, Volvo wasn’t on our immediate radar but when we contacted Glosrose Construction Equipment and appraised the ECR50D we were very impressed with the build quality, the exceptional space in the cab and the way the pipework was neatly arranged on the machine,” he said. “The performance didn’t disappoint either. The machine has a very good reach besides good digging and grading performance,” he continues.
Featuring a premium 31.2 kW Volvo D2.6A engine and an advanced hydraulic system, the ECR50D provides fast and powerful response with smooth operation. The maximum break out force is 36.12 kN while the maximum tear out force is 25.93 kN, ensuring excellent performance even in tough applications. The ECR50D’s enhanced boom and attachment geometry provides a maximum digging reach of 6.29 m, a generous dig depth of 3.8m and a load over height of just over 4m. “The machine is exceptionally well balanced and is ideal for working on confined sites,” continues Chris Reeve. “One of our customers who has a machine out on long term hire is even managing to load 20 tonne trucks with spoil and overburden in just 12 minutes.”
Operator comfort was another factor in John Reeve’s decision to opt for the ECR50D. “We run both an operated and non-operated fleet so it’s important either our own operators or our customers operating the machines themselves feel comfortable in their environment and again we found the cab on the ECR50D to be extremely roomy with good visibility, an uncluttered floor and controls easy to hand,” says Chris Reeve.
The industry-leading Volvo FOPS, TOPS and ROPS cab boasts all-round visibility from large expanses of glass, ergonomically-positioned controls and switches, excellent noise insulation, as well as superior leg and head room. The seat and consoles are mounted on the same suspension and, therefore, move together, providing excellent shock and vibration absorption and a smooth ride. The multi-adjustable seat with ergonomic armrests also includes a height alteration function for greater comfort and visibility. The controls are easy to operate, with simultaneous boom offset movement and fingertip control of the slew that delivers easy and fast machine positioning with outstanding control and comfort. Slewing is controlled by the left-hand lever while offset movement is controlled by an electro-proportional roller on the right-hand lever.
The cab is safe and easy to access, thanks to the wide-opening door, anti-slip step and three-point safety grip system. To further increase operator comfort when entering or exiting the cab, the console tilts backwards. The ECR50D also includes an optional anti-theft system which John Reeve Plant Hire opted for. To reduce the risk of theft, a code must be entered through the keypad to start the machine. This code can be changed or disabled via the machine management system.