Penfold Verrall add some Volvo muscle to their excavator fleet
Following its initial purchase of Volvo excavators three years ago, haulage and muck shifting contractors Penfold Verrall of Dial Post near Horsham, West Sussex, has added a further two 22-tonne EC220Es and for the first time, added their largest excavator so far, a 40-tonne EC380E.
“Our portfolio of muck-shifting and waste handling contracts has been steadily growing and having recently been awarded a large, two-year muck shifting project, it prompted us to opt for a larger mass excavation machine,” explains Contracts Manager, Mark Nunn. “Based on our good experience with the original batch of Volvo excavators, we decided to continue with the Volvo brand, adding our largest excavator to date – the EC380E – and another two EC220Es at the same time.”
The new 40-tonne EC380E also makes more viable use of the company’s existing Volvo articulated haulers, according to Mark, and completing the deal for this two-year contract, Penfold Verrall has also ordered a Volvo SD135B soil compactor complete with padfoot drum. “Opting for the larger excavator will in turn open more doors to us for the larger muck shifting tenders as they come along, so we see a great potential with our investment in the long term,” he adds.
Powered by a Stage-IV 13-litre Volvo engine developing 311 nett hp, Penfold Verrall’s new EC380E has been specified in mass excavation configuration complete with a 6.2m boom and 2.6m dipper arm. Thus rigged, the 40-tonne excavator boasts a generous forward reach of 10.3 metres, a digging depth of 6.54 metres and a practical load over height of 6.94 metres. The machine is extremely well balanced with an impressive lifting capacity across carriage at full reach of 6.6 tonnes.
The two new EC220Es are additions to the fleet, making a total of four along with the existing EC250E and the Volvo articulated haulers. With this latest package, the excavators have been joined by a Volvo SD135B soil compactor. “Again, this is a new product for us but as we’ve enjoyed good reliability with our other Volvo machines – coupled to the fact we can fully rely upon SMT GB’s customer support centre close by at Horsham for service and parts – we opted for the Volvo soil compactor,” says Mark.
The SD135E’s adaptive power tailors the machine’s performance by adjusting the engine and hydraulic systems to suit individual job site requirements, providing the right amount of power needed for increased efficiency. Volvo’s advanced drum control system delivers multiple frequencies, dual amplitude and optimized centrifugal force – matching the drum’s performance to the application in hand. Weighing in at 13.3 tonnes, the SD135B is powered by a Volvo four-cylinder Stage-IV engine developing 147 nett hp.
Based on the outskirts of Horsham, Penfold Verrall Ltd was formed in 2005 with the merging of two successful family businesses, Penfold Public Works (Sussex) Ltd and G.W. Verrall & Sons. The company offers a complete service including bulk excavation, site clearance and waste disposal. Inert waste and muck away is directed to one of several landfill and restoration projects, and mixed material is crushed and recycled at its depot producing secondary aggregates for resale back to the construction sector.
The whole of the company’s operations is underpinned by one of the largest fleets of grab and tipper lorries in the south of England, many of which are Volvo branded FM and FMX models.
SMT GB markets Volvo Construction Equipment products which include wheeled loaders, articulated haulers, hydraulic excavators, Volvo utility equipment and Volvo road equipment products in Great Britain. There are eight strategically placed customer support centres, a dedicated National Used Equipment Centre and a network of utility equipment dealers to ensure high quality customer support is maintained throughout the country.
