M&J Evans, a groundworks and civil engineering contractor headquartered in the West Midlands, has invested over £4.5m in 52 Cat machines from Finning, exclusive UK & Ireland dealer, and is the first groundworks company to take delivery of the recently launched Cat CS12 GC vibratory soil compactor.
The deal included the purchase of 49 Cat 313 GC excavators, a staple for any groundworks company, offering up to 5% more fuel efficiency than competitor machines of equivalent class, and 20% less maintenance costs. M&J Evans has also bought three Cat CS12 GC vibratory soil compactors as part of the deal – two of which have now been delivered and being put through their paces on the company’s construction sites.
M&J Evans plant and transport manager Philip McEvilly, a qualified machine operator, saw the compaction technology in action at a Finning roadshow and immediately recognised how the technology would significantly impact on-site productivity and increase fuel efficiency.
“The technology enables the operator to input in the required level and parameters needed into the on-board computer, and then instead of the operator having to go over the area again and again until it’s compacted to the correct level, the machine does it perfectly, the first time,” he said.
M&J Evans is one of the largest groundworks businesses in the UK and runs a varied fleet of over 1500 items including excavators, dumpers and rollers used on over 200 housing sites across the Midlands, Yorkshire, Northwest, South and Southwest following the opening of a Swindon headquarters.
Phil added: “We decided to purchase the Cat machines from Finning because they offer a fully comprehensive warranty scheme and have excellent coverage across the UK which is important so we can ensure all our fleet of machines are serviced and maintained to keep them operational. We’re also using the company’s CUBIQ™ dealer services platform which enables us to have access to real-time data on machine use and performance which is critical to our business.
“Rising diesel costs and fewer people mean idling time and wear and tear on our machines must be kept to a minimum so we’re getting the maximum utilisation from them. We also like to demonstrate to our customers that we’re being proactive in managing their costs.
“Although availability of some new machines is a challenge, we’re delighted that Finning has been able to supply the Cat 313 GC excavators and the rollers within the timeframe we need.”
Georgia Key, Territory Account Manager at Finning UK & Ireland, said: “We’re excited to see the first Cat CS12 GC with Machine Drive Power (MDP) going into groundworks in the UK. This is a state-of-the-art machine with soil compaction measurement technology which helps operators accurately determine the load bearing strength of the soil they are compacting.
“The machine ensures customers have complete confidence that their work meets specification, allowing them to move on to the next area increasing productivity and saving time, fuel, and wear and tear on the machine.
“As part of the deal, M&J has taken out a full three-year, 3000-hour warranty with Finning which provides customers with assurance and peace of mind that the machines run as productively and efficiency as possible during their lifetime.
“The warranty package ensures all component machine parts are dispatched to site (wherever in the UK the machine is) in line with its scheduled maintenance and servicing plan. The customer also benefits from a full remote condition monitoring and industry-leading fluid analysis service, which enables the Finning service experts to identify any potential problems with the machines before they occur and act on it – reducing the risk of critical failure and minimising downtime.
“Through the CUBIQ™ dealer services portal M&J also have instant access to invaluable machine performance information including running time, fuel usage bringing the customer closer to critical information about their assets which means they have the data to make the best possible decisions.”
