~ BNH one of first to add two new Cat 302.7 machines to their fleet ~ Plant hire and waste management firm Buckland Newton Hire (BNH) has increased its fleet of Cat machinery from exclusive Caterpillar® supplier Finning UK and Ireland, by adding two 302.7 mini excavators. The Dorset-based company
Leading plant hire firm invests in latest Cat® excavators Finning UK & Ireland, exclusive distributor of Cat® products, has supplied leading plant, access equipment and tractor hire company, ASHBROOK, with seven new Cat 315 GC excavators, marking the first delivery of this machine in the UK. After the delivery on
The best way to start the day — other than with a quick brew — is by inspecting your construction equipment to make sure it is ready to get to work. If you don’t, you risk premature equipment failure and project delays. Here Mark Mulligan, Product Manager at exclusive Caterpillar®
The rollout of the Next Generation Cat® D5 Dozer has well and truly begun, with customers in Wales setting the pace. Plant hire and construction firms including Gravelle Plant Hire, Locke Brothers, Hywel Llewellyn Plant Hire and Alun Griffiths (part of the CRH Group) took deliveries from Finning UK &
~ Company joins an elite group ~ Finning UK Ltd, exclusive dealer of Cat® equipment, has been awarded a prestigious gold standard employer award in acknowledgement of its continuous support for the armed forces community. The award highlights Finning as an exemplar within the industry sectors that it works including
~ BNH one of first to add two new Cat 302.7 machines to their fleet ~ Plant hire and waste management firm Buckland Newton Hire (BNH) has increased its fleet of Cat machinery from exclusive Caterpillar® supplier Finning UK and Ireland, by adding two 302.7 mini excavators. The Dorset-based company managed to stay ahead of the curve by being one of the first companies to order this new machine. BNH is not only one of the first companies to have the 302.7s, but it is also unique in Dorset by having a fleet of only Cat equipment, totalling 70 machines. The company cites the long-lasting reliability of Cat machines as one of the reasons it continues to purchase them, as well as the high resale value of the vehicles. The resale value is particularly important to BNH as it purchases the newest Cat models almost immediately after release, to keep its fleet cutting edge. BNH was quick to snap up the new 302.7s due to them being the most popular size of mini excavator chosen by builders. The hydraulic system that the 302.7s come with means that these machines still pack a powerful punch, so operators don’t have to sacrifice power for size. “We see these as an essential purchase for any plant hire business,” said Brad Perrett, Manager at BNH. “Over the 30 years that we’ve working with them, Finning has continued to provide quality products and have never let us down — we’re now up to 75 Cat machines in the fleet. “We sent the 302.7s out as soon as they arrived and have not seen a single one back here yet; they are in such high demand that they have been out every day. We have already received positive feedback on these machines from customers on our Facebook page, which is very promising.” “It’s always a pleasure to work with Brad and the team at BNH as they are always first in line for the latest machines and technology from Caterpillar,” said Jack Pilgrim, Territory Account Manager at Finning. “The new 302.7s will be replacing the older D and E series that were previously used, making BNH one of Dorset’s few plant hire companies with such an extensive and up-to-date fleet”. The 302.7 mini excavators are designed to have an ergonomic control layout with adjustable wrist rest and travel pedals in order to minimize operator fatigue. The engine is positioned to reduce the heat and noise that travels into the operator’s station, increasing operator comfort and worker productivity. For more information on Cat next generation excavators or the newest machine in the range, the Cat 302.7, visit www.finning.com.
Leading plant hire firm invests in latest Cat® excavators Finning UK & Ireland, exclusive distributor of Cat® products, has supplied leading plant, access equipment and tractor hire company, ASHBROOK, with seven new Cat 315 GC excavators, marking the first delivery of this machine in the UK. After the delivery on April 26, 2021, customer demand meant they were put straight to work, offering longer maintenance intervals than previous models, fuel-saving features and a compact radius design. ASHBROOK has had a strong relationship with Finning for many years — James Ashbrook, Managing Director and Neil Baxter, Sales Manager at Finning struck up an excellent working relationship back in 2006, when the two companies started doing business. In 2019, Finning delivered its 1,000th new machine to ASHBROOK, a number that has since risen to over 1,200. The latest arrivals are seven Cat 315 GC excavators, one of the only excavators on the market to offer a full-size cab on a compact radius machine, and ten 313 GC hydraulic excavators. The machines were put to work on customer sites quickly after delivery and Ashbrook plans to add more to its fleet by the end of June. ”It’s always been central to our business ethos that our machines remain at the forefront of industry technology and these new machines allow us to do just that,” commented James Ashbrook “Adding the Cat 315 GC and Cat 313 GC to the ASHBROOK fleet, enables us to further expand our fleet and keep up with our regular fleet renewals. We’re excited to see the real time, on-site benefits that these excavators will bring our customers.” The Cat 315 GC is equipped with an EU Stage V engine to meet the European Commission’s latest emission standards, with the added benefit of improved fuel economy and reduced operating costs. Additionally, all daily maintenance checks are accessible from ground level to allow for easier walkarounds and quicker servicing. The 315 GC boasts smaller cab pillars, larger windows and a wider skylight hatch to give users 60 per cent greater visibility, allowing operators to work confidently and safely in space-restricted areas. The GC range of construction equipment and work tools is a game changer for small to medium sized customers looking for best-in-class machines that are simple, durable, reliable, fuel competitive and economical. Built on the legacy of high-quality, proven products, the new range has the ability to adapt to various applications and boasts the ruggedness to keep performance at peak levels. “I have been in the construction industry for 29 years, working with different brands along the way,” added Paul Pitney, General Manager at Ashbrook. “Throughout my career I have received consistent feedback on how fantastic Cat machines are — they are always an easy sell, because of their reliability and additional on-board features. The most important thing for us as a company when choosing a supplier is the combination of a quality product and excellent servicing and support, which Finning offers in abundance.” All the machines supplied to ASHBROOK come with a full warranty and Complete Customer Value Agreement (CVA), which means that Cat certified engineers will carry out all scheduled servicing using genuine Cat parts. ASHBROOK, a family-run business that operates nationwide, has worked in its respective industry sectors for over 20 years. Its customer base covers the majority of the construction sector, from paving to quarries. As a result of its equipment quality and service, Ashbrook has built a reputation as one of the UK’s leading plant hire companies, with a diverse machine portfolio that fulfils its customers’ requirements. As well as the seven 315 GCs, ASHBROOK is also adding ten 313 GC hydraulic excavators to its fleet in May. To find out more about the new GC range, contact Finning on +44 0800 028 7778 or visit www.finning.com.
The best way to start the day — other than with a quick brew — is by inspecting your construction equipment to make sure it is ready to get to work. If you don’t, you risk premature equipment failure and project delays. Here Mark Mulligan, Product Manager at exclusive Caterpillar® distributor Finning UK and Ireland, discusses best practice for daily maintenance for the Cat® mini excavator range. When inspecting your mini excavator, the place to start is not with the machine itself, but with the operation and maintenance manual as this incorporates all recommended procedures in an easy-to-follow format, making it a quicker process. But, for those without a manual to hand, here is a quick run through of the best practices for a Cat mini excavator. Walkaround best practices Starting at the front of the machine, operators should first inspect the attachment for any deterioration caused by abrasive or corrosive elements, as well as checking for possible damage from trying to move weights that exceed its load limit. Any damage found could point to an improper application of the attachment, or an incorrect choice of attachment for the material being worked. Inspection of the hydraulic cylinders is next. Operators need to take time to identify any damage or excessive wear, with specific focus on the cylinder rods and seals — a scored, rough or bent rod will damage the seals and allow for leaks. If operators find a leak but the rod does not appear to be damaged, it may be that the seal is completely worn or broken and needs swapping out. This is also a good time to ensure that the linkage, boom pins and slew bearing on the arm of the excavator are adequately greased. Moving to the main bulk of the machine, operators should next check the tracks and undercarriage, looking for cracked, broken and missing items along with foreign items that may have attached themselves to the machine. Check to ensure the steel which is encased in the rubber track is connecting with the sprocket assembly. Finally, inspect the rubber tracks for possible layering damage, commonly referred to as delamination. Now is also a good time to inspect the final drives for any leaks, as well as opening the side door and checking the radiator, removing any debris from the fans so that excess heat is being drawn from the engine in all conditions. Moving round to the back of the excavator, the operator can access the engine area and check both engine oil and coolant levels, topping up as required. Before shutting the engine compartment, check the engine’s air filter to remove any impurities. This will also allow you to remove any debris in the main engine compartment and fix any leaks that may be apparent. Finally, the cab structure should be checked all around the machine for any loose bolts or broken bulbs and lenses. This also includes checking the lenses on the gauges inside the operator cab, as well as looking for broken indicator lights or switches, of which replacements can be bought with ease from the Cat Parts website. To make the process easier, Cat Inspect, an easy-to-use inspection tool that works on smartphones and tablets, keeps your fleet’s daily inspection in one place. Integrating with other Cat data systems, the app helps to extend the life of your machine and increase productivity in the field. The app includes machine lists showing available inspections and offering the ability to create custom checklists, allowing the operator to add photos and videos for additional insights. Cat Inspect is a one-stop shop to keep your inspection data organised. There is also the option to send that data onto Finning for analysis ensuring your operation keeps running, and your profit keeps growing. Though the Cat mini excavator range is renowned as the gold standard for performance and reliability, these benefits can only be maintained through a thorough daily inspection. A quick walk round your machine every morning can deliver savings over time as machines will last longer, use less fuel and cause fewer problems during operations — leaving time for that nice uninterrupted brew.
The rollout of the Next Generation Cat® D5 Dozer has well and truly begun, with customers in Wales setting the pace. Plant hire and construction firms including Gravelle Plant Hire, Locke Brothers, Hywel Llewellyn Plant Hire and Alun Griffiths (part of the CRH Group) took deliveries from Finning UK & Ireland and quickly put their new machines to work. It’s been just over a year since Caterpillar launched the all new D5 Dozer, the successor to the popular Cat D6N, and the benefits are already clear to businesses across the UK. The new machine offers superior performance, backed by a broad choice of technology features, so operators can really get the most from their bulldozer. With harness added weight and horsepower of 170, it is equipped to take on a wide range of dozing and grading tasks. Improvements to the steering, transmission and balance make it easier than ever for operators to perform high quality work more quickly. One happy customer is Locke Brothers, which bought a new D5 after being impressed with the technology offered as standard and has successfully put it to work. Having purchased its first D4 from Finning in 2004, the D5 marked its first investment in a brand new Dozer. After hiring the machine for a week from Gravelle Plant Hire, who were the first company to purchase the D5 in Wales, Locke Brothers took the plunge and purchased a machine for itself. “The technology blew competitor models out of the water,” said Keith Locke, Director at Locke Brothers. “The value add from Caterpillar and Finning including the five year, 5000-hour warranty, VisionLink connectivity and a Customer Value Agreement that included five services, sealed the deal. We’ve fallen in love with the D5, it has supported us through extremely busy periods of agriculture work.” “We’ve chosen Cat Dozers since 1978 when my late father founded the company — and we still love them today,” said Peter Gravelle, Director of Gravelle Plant Hire, the company that took the first D5 delivery in Wales. “We’ve had great driver feedback on the D5, with operators preferring the larger cab and benefitting from the increased power. We’ve found it is excellent on fuel consumption too.” “The D5 brings all the advantages of the D6N, and then some,” said Iwan Jenkins, Territory Account Manager for the Wales Region at Finning UK & Ireland. “It offers incredible technology, better performance and more durability and uptime, so operators can do more work in less time. It is exciting to watch the D5’s domination of the market taking off in Wales and see how beneficial our Customer Value Agreements are.” The Cat Dozer range is gradually being renamed from smallest to largest — D1 to D11 — so that there is one model per class size. For more information on the D5, click here. If you are interested in hearing more about Finning’s Customer Value Agreements, click here.
~ Company joins an elite group ~ Finning UK Ltd, exclusive dealer of Cat® equipment, has been awarded a prestigious gold standard employer award in acknowledgement of its continuous support for the armed forces community. The award highlights Finning as an exemplar within the industry sectors that it works including construction, power generation, waste management and paving, by advocating support for the armed forces. The company joins an elite group of organisations that includes Microsoft, Greater Manchester Police and the Post Office who have been granted the Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award by the Military of Defence, with the Secretary of State for Defence making the official announcement on July 30, 2020. The scheme, now in its seventh year, recognises those companies that support the armed forces by proactively demonstrating a forces-friendly approach as part of their recruitment process, as well as having distinct HR policies for employees that are military veterans, reservists, volunteers or family members of those serving in the armed forces. In addition, companies are recognised because of their efforts to advocate the benefits of supporting those within the armed forces community and encouraging others to sign the Armed Forces Covenant and to engage in the Employer Recognition Scheme. Finning currently employs 27 military veterans and two reservists across its UK operations. Lisa Craddock, recruitment manager for Finning, submitted the nomination on behalf of the company. One of her team, Chris Clarke who is himself a military veteran, helped with the application. Clarke joined the army in 1999, eventually being promoted to Lance Corporal working as a Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer where he repaired armoured vehicles. He left the service in 2007 and after working for a number of plant and HGV companies, joined Finning in 2012 to work as a repair rebuild engineer at the company’s Llantrisant depot in Wales. “As a former member of the armed forces it’s very important that employers are recognised for the ways in which they provide support to the armed forces communities,” explained Chris Clarke, “I nominated Finning for the scheme because I’ve seen first-hand it’s unwavering commitment and support for those coming out of the military to work as a civilian, which can be a real challenge. Finning has recognised my potential and given me many opportunities that I didn’t have in other civilian jobs, allowing me to learn skills and challenge my abilities.” “This is a tremendous honour for Finning and is a testament to the company going the extra mile to support our armed services,” said David Primrose, Managing Director of Finning UK. “Finning has always had a good relationship with the military and is proud to be part of the Armed Forces Covenant. The gold award emphasises our respect for all of the armed forces as well as their families and the wider community. Our support highlights the contribution of former service personnel and volunteers and we’re proud to play an active role during and after their service to our country.” Phillip Sinclair, Regional Employer Engagement Director for the Military of Defence said: “I am pleased to confirm that Finning UK Ltd has been awarded Gold level recognition for the fantastic support and advocacy the company displays for the Armed Forces Community. I am delighted for Finning, having been a part of that journey and look forward tremendously to an ongoing business relationship. Welcome to the Gold Alumni!” This year’s 127 award winners join a group of 226 winners from previous years bringing the total to 353 organisations who can share their knowledge and experience on the benefits of employing those from the Armed Forces community.
