Coronavirus has hit the UK’s construction sector hard, with the Office for National Statistics reporting a record 35% drop in activity in the second quarter of 2020.
As lockdown has begun to ease, however, and pubs have started to re-open, UK builders are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. In July, the sector saw the strongest rebound in activity in almost five years. This is excellent news for companies like Lynch which supplies operated, self-drive and contract hire to the construction industry.
The company which is headquartered in Hemel Hempstead has an expansive fleet of modern plant and equipment for civil engineering, rail engineering, public utilities, groundworks, demolitionand last but not least highways maintenance projects.
Despite some of its other areas of business going quiet, its highways work continued to be busy. Throughout lockdown, road-building activity was identified as critical for the future of the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). The lockdown’s emptier roads provided an opportunity to fast track existing road building projects.
When asked about the type of machines it supplies its customers with for these types of projects, Chris Gill, Director at Lynch commented “we have been using Kubota’s machines for well over 10 years. Across Kubota’s 8 tonne, 5 tonne and 3 tonne range, there is something for everyone”.
Over the last few years, Lynch has worked with Highways England to supply machines for some of its latest smart motorway projects. These projects have included work on the M23 from Hooley in Surrey to Brighton on the south coast and the redevelopment of the M23 the M4, the M26 and the A41.
For the recent smart motorway building projects, it was estimated that 90% of the machines hired for the jobs were from Kubota’s 5-tonne range. Chris commented, “Kubota’s machines are very reliable and their compact design allows for excellent manoeuvrability in tight spaces, which is a priority for our customers. The sustainability of the machines is also particularly important for these types of projects.”
“All of Kubota’s machines come fitted with Stage V compliant engines. Our customers actively choose us over competitors as they know our fleet will always be on top of the game in terms of green credentials. For our customers, this is increasingly desirable – especially for jobs that take place in urban environments, where both noise pollution and emissions are a priority.”
When working on busy highways it is also incredibly important that the machines come fitted with the correct safety requirements. Kubota’s machines all come fitted with restrictions on how much the boom can swing and have beacons on the seatbelts. This helps to ensure Highways England can comply with its comprehensive list of safety requirements.
“At Kubota UK, we are proud to be the dependable partner that helps our valued customers in getting the job done. While the industry has had to navigate twisty roads, the journey in front of us has given us indications that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. As major road construction projects go ahead, we’re confident that our latest series of excavators will deliver excellent field results in the same reliable way they always have,” said Fenella Tolhurst, Key Account Manager at Kubota UK.
