At the new Skillington Quarry near Grantham in Lincolnshire, England, a new DX490LC-7 crawler excavator and a new top-of-the-range DL580-7 wheeled loader from Develon have helped transform what was a greenfield site in March this year into a fully working limestone quarry in the space of less than six months.
Skillington Quarry is owned by Heritage Quarry Group (North) and has consented reserves of more than 10 million tonnes of limestone, ensuring the site will supply stone for many years to come. A good proportion of the limestone produced at the quarry comes from material loaded into the mobile crushing, screening and conveying equipment on site by the DX490LC-7 50.4 tonne crawler excavator. It is stockpiled by the DL580-7 wheeled loader, which also transfers it into trucks waiting to take it to customer sites.
Both new machines were supplied and are supported by Pioneer Plant, based in Corby in Northamptonshire. Pioneer Plant is the authorised dealer for Develon (formerly called Doosan Construction Equipment), for Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and the PE and NG postcode areas of South Lincolnshire.
Steve Johnson, director at Heritage Quarry Group (North), said: “We are delighted to have moved from a field where grass was growing in March this year to selling stone on 1st September. It has been hard work, including installing all the infrastructure required, such as water and electrification.
“The new Develon equipment has been very impressive – I have employed a lot of Doosan equipment successfully in the past, and the new latest generation Develon machines continue to excel in the loading and stockpiling roles that are vital to the productivity of the new quarry.”
The DX490LC-7 offers the strength and productivity needed for the heavy-duty work at Skillington Quarry. To meet Stage V engine emission regulations, the DX490LC-7 is powered by the Scania DC13 Stage V-compliant diesel engine, delivering 294kW.
In the DX490LC-7, the enhanced performance of the DC13 engine is combined with the D-Ecopower+ system and the new-generation Smart Power Control Technology (SPC3), delivering excellent fuel efficiency. Increased pump capacity and the engine’s higher power deliver up to an 8% increase in productivity, which Develon says is the best-in-class performance in the 50-tonne market.
The DL580-7 is the largest model in the DL-7 range of wheeled loaders from Develon, offering up to 7% more capacity and easier, faster loading, with a maximum bucket capacity of 6.4 m3. The Z-kinematic lift arm delivers high breakout forces and lifting capacities, especially for heavy materials, and a large dump angle for efficiently unloading sticky materials.
Inside the cab on the DL580-7, there is a seat with both heating and ventilation. The seat offers fully adjustable horizontal and vertical suspension settings, and a standard pneumatic lumbar function. There is a 3-point safety belt with alarm icons on the SmartTouch touchscreen monitor and on the gauge panel, which offers a clear layout and anti-reflective glass.
Develon says that, like all DL-7 wheeled loaders, the DL580-7 offers significantly enhanced operating comfort, an improved steering system and advanced electronic controls. Using the new Develon Smart Key system on the control panel in the cab, the operator can start the machine using a keyless device, helping to prevent machine theft. The Smart Key system provides remote door control, door locking and unlocking, door release, and other functions. The control panel also includes two USB sockets.
Johnson added: “We have received top-class service from both Pioneer and Develon. Confirming what I have experienced in the past with what was the Doosan brand, I have found that the high performance and reliability of the Develon range fits the bill – we wouldn’t keep going back to this brand of machines if they weren’t good. And Pioneer will ensure that there will be no trouble in terms of downtime and waiting for parts, and so on.”
Pioneer Plant is solely responsible for sales and servicing of the Develon crawler, wheeled and mini/midi excavator, wheel loader, articulated dump truck and attachment ranges in its area.
Pioneer Plant customers benefit from an on-site service network, covering everything from emergency repairs to routine maintenance. The company’s factory-trained engineers have many years of hands-on experience of repairs and servicing of all types of plant and machinery.
Develon is a brand of HD Hyundai Infracore and one of the world’s leading construction, quarry and mining equipment manufacturers, offering a broad selection of products including crawler and wheeled excavators (with operating weights from 1 to 100 tonne), wheel loaders (covering capacities from 1.9 to 6.4 m3), articulated dump trucks (with maximum payloads up to 41 tonne), compact wheel loaders (from 3.5 to 5 tonne), dozers (up to 15 tonne) and products with alternative power sources.
