FRIDAY, AUGUST 29 TH, 2014
Scottish quarrying expert, William Thompson & Son are the first UK firm to invest in the new Cat® 972M XE Wheel Loader. The recent purchase will join the Cat® 336EL Hybrid Excavator, another debut UK buy, when it arrives on the Dumbarton based site in October this year.
After witnessing the fuel saving benefit achieved by the Cat 336 EL, William Thompson & Son acted quickly in complementing the excavator with the additional wheel loader, strengthening its position as a UK fuel efficiency leader.
Commenting on the deal Andrew Thompson, Director at William Thompson & Son, said: “At William Thompson & Son we strive to be at the cutting edge of new technologies enabling us to maximise productivity, minimise cost, whilst reducing our carbon footprint. The new Cat machines are leading the way in our industry, therefore it was a simple business decision to integrate them into our fleet and benefit from the value they will add to our operation.”
Andrew added that efficiency is just one of the reasons for purchasing Caterpillar equipment, highlighting the significance of his operating workforce’s opinion: “Making sure our operators know we’re providing the best equipment possible is important to us. Operator comfort and machine functionality is a big factor in deciding to invest in the Cat machines. We’ve already seen a decrease in minor denting and uplift in productivity since using the Cat 336 Excavator on site this year.”
The Cat 972M XE Wheel Loader is the class leader in fuel efficiency, with XE advanced powertrain technologies enabling the 25% fuel saving for the Scottish firm. The Cat XE range has been engineered to deliver superior efficiency by utilising an integrated Cat continuously variable transmission (CVT) system, rather than the standard toque converter. A hydraulic pump and motor (variator unit), allows for a smooth and continuous gear ratio change between engine speed and machine speed. This variator unit allows the machine to run at a much lower RPM, meaning that the functioning RPM of the XE model runs at 500 less than the standard Cat 972M. This will save William Thompson & Son an average of 4 litres of fuel for every hour the Cat 972M XE model is in use.
Alistair Murdoch, Key Account Manager for Finning, added: “After we launched the new Cat 972M XE Wheel Loader at the Hillhead Show in July, William Thompson & Son is making a clear statement by being the first UK firm to invest in the machine. At Finning it gives us great pride to be able to facilitate delivery of the most innovative machines on the market. The 25% fuel saving will not only immediately improve William Thompson’s bottom line, but also their environmental sustainability.”
“With Finsight also included in the deal and our Finning support team based in Glasgow, it allows us to give Andrew and his team the on-going service and analytical support they require, making sure their operation is running at its full potential both in terms of productivity and efficiency.”
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