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New earthmovers impressive all round

Two Komatsu machines purchased by Hy-Tec Quarries, a subsidiary of Adelaide Brighton Cement Ltd, haveprovided outstanding fuel economy, productivityand operator comfort since delivery.

The two machines are a HM400-2 articulateddump truck (ADT) working at Hy-Tec?s YarrabeeRoad Quarry, north of Port Macquarie, and a WA430-6 operating at its Dunbogan sand quarry, south of Port Macquarie.

Hy-Tec operates quarries and concrete plants in Victoria and NSW and supplies to customers along Australia?s east coast.
According to David Bolton, general ?manager of Hy-Tec Quarries, the ADT is used for ?short-distance load and haul operations from the quarry face to the crushing plant, while the loader is used in a sales application.

The HM400-2 is loaded by a 40 tonne excavator, which then hauls less than one kilometre to the crushing plant.
?I?ve been impressed with the fuel economy of this truck,? said David. ?An ADT is ideal for this application, as it?s far more fuel efficient on a short haul set-up with a couple of bends. The fuel economy with an ADT is a no-brainer compared with a rigid truck.?
David said the truck was also very operator friendly – including a set-up that made it very easy to train operators.

?The ride is fantastic. There?s also plenty of cab room, along with a second seat, which makes the truck ideal for training purposes.?
?From a safety point of view, one of the key things is the excellent visibility this truck offers, both from the cab, and to the rear with the inbuilt reversing camera.?

The WA430-6 loader, based at Dunbogan, has also impressed its operators. ?It has been a very quick loader, and is very comfortable for the operators,? David said.

?What has really impressed the guys is how it works in the very fine sands we have at that quarry. It has very good traction in these fine sands, which means it has the ability to load very efficiently and very quickly,? said David.

In addition to these two machines, Hy-Tec Quarries also purchased two low-hour WA500-6s in August/September 2008.

Source: Komatsu Australia

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