For demolition contractors, having the right equipment to tackle daily project challenges is imperative to the safe demolition and processing of waste.
So when Bonnybridge based Central Demolition wanted a larger 50 tonne class Cat ® excavator, to support its recently purchased Cat 336F machine, the business had a dilemma, as the Cat 352F didn’t come with a straight boom option.
To find out how Central Demolition solved this issue, Finning News recently spoke to MD, Ross Craig about the machine choice and the solution: “Demolition is probably the toughest environment for any machine, but especially so for excavators.
“As a business, we therefore have to rely on both the build quality of a machine and its power, in particular its hydraulic power, as the tasks we are asking machines to carry out are varied and challenging.
“Having run Cat machines for some time, we know how good the build quality is and fortunately this is matched by the service support we get from Finning.
“So when I told Oliver, my rep what we ideally wanted, he put me in touch with its custom engineering team at the Finning UK & Ireland Head Office in Cannock, Staffordshire who were able to develop a robust and cost-effective solution for us.
“Essentially, the team were able to customise a standard boom, by cutting out the original welds of the goose neck and grafting on a new fabricated straight centre section, using high yield steel.
“From a safety perspective, I think the team went beyond our original expectations. As you would expect, they added typical demolition spec machine components, including reinforced windshield and falling object guards and additional hydraulic component guarding.
“But for me it was the level of detail undertaken around the boom that was really important.
“Firstly, the team hired an independent consultancy to carryout various simulated and physical load testing of the new straight boom configuration, which enabled the new unit to be awarded with a CE marking.
“This then led to the production of a bespoke operations manual, which covers all elements, including its reach and lifting capacity.
“The Cat 352F is already proving its worth, demolishing heavy duty industrial buildings at an old paper mill site in Falkland.”