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New JCB Loadall improves productivity at Australian family firm
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ACHIEVING new efficiencies to further improve productivity is a key goal of most businesses and this has been realised at the Soilco landscape and building supplies outlet at Unanderra in New South Wales following its purchase of a new materials handler.
The Soilco business has been run by the Emery family since 1981, originating from Nowra where it conducts its quarrying and wholesale distribution to sand and soil yards along the east coast.
Charlie Emery said their investment in a JCB 527-55 Compact Loadall for the Unanderra yard had effectively replaced the use of one-and-a-half front-end loaders at the site.
“The JCB, with the ability to use high-reach attachments, has allowed us to load everything from small boxes to big 32-tonne trucks. We used two loaders to do this before,’’ Charlie said.
“It mainly loads 1-2t trucks, but it has the flexibility to load bigger trucks. The JCB Loadall is ideal for this type of business. It shifts all variety of shapes and sizes, from bulk to bags and pallets as well as different building supplies.’’
He said he had seen JCB machines used overseas in quarrying sites and this led to considering the smaller Loadalls.
The 527-55 at the Soilco yard has chalked-up nearly 500 hours in four to five months.
Powered by a 63-kilowatt (85 horsepower) naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine, the JCB Compact Loadall lifts a maximum 2.7t capacity to 5.5 metres in height.
The engine drives through a high-ratio and low-ratio hydrostatic transmission for simple operation and ease of handling. The hydrostatic drive provides excellent pushing power, particularly at low speeds, as well as the ability to operate the machine using only the accelerator, ensuring smooth acceleration and deceleration and precise control in restricted areas.
“It gets around the tight spaces very well. Moving the materials is a lot quicker now. We have a lot of light materials, such as mulches, and with the JCB we have found it easy to push these up without climbing stockpiles,’’ Charlie said.
The centrally mounted cab at the front of the JCB Compact Loadall and low offset boom also provide for excellent all-round visibility.
“Everything is going very well with the machine and our operators are all very happy,’’ Charlie said.
“The fuel economy is good and our operators get in and out of it easy. With the loader they were jumping up and down steps, whereas with the JCB it is close to the ground and so they just jump in and out. It is brilliant for a retail yard like this.’’
A range of attachments are also available with the JCB Compact Loadalls. Soilco has a three-quarter cubic metre general purpose shovel and sideshift forks.
Charlie said the service back-up for the machine through JCB Construction Equipment Australia in Sydney had been very good.
He said he would also consider JCB machines with the use of forks and grabs for the business’ transfer stations.
Caption: The JCB 527-55 Compact Loadall at work in the Unanderra yard of New South Wales landscape and building supplies business, Soilco.