Thor Atkinson crushing contracts with Liebherr Rental Ltd

Ulverston-based fabrication and quarry services contractor Thor Atkinson has recently won a number of high profile contract crushing contracts in the north-west and North Wales with one of the UK’s largest aggregates producers.Consequently, Contracts ManagerColin Scott has called on Liebherr Rental Ltd’s services to complement his existing fleet to help deliver the projects on budget and to ensure client satisfaction: ‘Having worked for Liebherr for a number of years, I know the quality and reliability of the brand, especially when it comes to the wheeled loaders,’ Colin explained. ‘They are by far the best on the market for offering a combination of productivity and excellent fuel economy, which is something I feel that both we and our customers can benefit from.’

A total of five machines has been supplied in the deal: four wheel loaders and one excavator. On two sites the machines will be servicing aggregate production whilst a third site calls for a wheel loader to screen what was deemed waste material into a useable and saleable product.

One team is currently working in North Wales with a pair of Tesab crushers and a Powerscreen Chieftain three-way screen teamed with an R 936 excavator and L 576 XPower wheel loader. Both machines have been supplied with full quarry specification, enabling them to meet any operational requirements laid down by the major quarrying companies.

The 31 tonne R 936 is being used to fill the first of the Tesab crushers with material brought in from the quarry face by a 65 tonne capacity truck. The excavator is more than capable of keeping up with the 1012TS Tesab crusher’s 350 tonne per hour production rates.

With a 5.2 m3 bucket on Z-bar linkage, Thor Atkinson’s wheel loader is being used to handle processed material from the screen, loading the quarry’s fleet of 40 tonne capacity articulated dump trucks. Even with the standard 3.05 m arm configuration, this is managed comfortably. The almost 26 tonne L 576 XPower wheel loader is powered by a 292 HP Liebherr six-cylinder diesel engine positioned low to the rear of the machine providing excellent weight distribution and balance. Meeting the latest Tier 4 f emission standards, as does the R 936, the XPower wheel loader is one of the cleanest running machines available in this sector.

The combination of fuel-efficient engine and state-of-the-art transmission plays a major role in the XPower wheel loader’s low cost per tonne produced. Ease of access to all components, a well laid out and comfortable cabin and the reliability and assured back-up from the manufacturer also make the XPower range a favourite amongst aggregate producers. ‘I know from my experience that the Liebherr wheel loaders are very good on fuel and that they perform as well as, if not better than, similarly-sized machines from other manufacturers. This is why I had no hesitation in hiring them for our ongoing quarrying industry contracts,’ Colin concluded.