RJ McLeod (Contractors) Ltd, one of Scotland’s largest privately owned civil engineering and building contractors, has taken delivery of a new order for 16 machines from Develon, formerly Doosan Construction Equipment.
The new equipment has been supplied by Castle Douglas-based James Gordon Ltd (Gordons), the Authorised Dealer for the whole of Scotland for Develon. The order comprises 12 new Develon DA30-7 articulated dump trucks (ADTs), together with six crawler excavators, including four DX225LC-7 models, a DX300LC-7 and a DX300SLR-7 super long reach machine.
Acting as both replacement and fleet expansion units, the new Develon equipment has joined RJ McLeod’s in-house plant and transport fleet, part of the sizeable in-house resources at the company, which has a workforce of around 450 employees.
Jamie Corser, a Company Director responsible for business development at RJ McLeod, commented: “For more than 70 years, RJ McLeod has excelled in delivering solutions for clients, often in logistically demanding locations. It is essential that the machinery we use is of the highest quality and we chose Develon, because our research showed that this brand of machinery provides the reliability, productivity, lower emissions and reduced running costs that we need.”
Righa Gauld, RJ McLeod’s Plant Yard Manager, added: “We’re delighted to take delivery of these new machines, which is the first stage of a significant investment in our expanding fleet.”
The DA30-7 is one of three models in the ADT range from Develon, comprising the DA30-7 and DA45-7 6×6 models, complemented by a new 4×4 version of the DA45-7. The DA30-7 6×6 model has a payload of 28 tonnes and is powered by the Scania Stage V compliant DC09 9-litre diesel engine providing 276 kW (375 HP) of power.
Both the DA30-7 and DA45-7 6×6 models feature an articulation hinge positioned behind the turning ring to provide equal weight distribution to the front axle even during maximum steer articulation. This, combined with a free-swinging rear tandem bogie, ensures equal distribution of weight to each wheel and guarantees permanent 6-wheel contact and drive for equal power distribution and excellent performance, particularly on all types of terrain. Collectively, the forward turning point, the unique tandem bogie and the sloping rear frame result in ‘best in class’ rough and soft terrain capabilities.
RJ McLeod carries out contracts throughout Scotland and Northern England, in a broad spectrum of civil engineering disciplines, with resources spread across Scotland, including the Western and Northern Isles. Specialist areas include works in the energy, roads and structure, marine, infrastructure, streetscaping, waste and flood prevention industries.
Roderick John Macleod created RJ McLeod in October 1951. ‘RJ’ as he was affectionately known, is remembered for his ability to get the best from all who worked for him, and this, along with his business acumen, was instrumental in creating the successful company still flourishing today.
In June 2024, RJ McLeod was acquired by OCU Group, which is continuing to support the future growth of the company.
Established in 1865, Gordons is a premier distributor of agricultural and construction equipment in Scotland. With six strategically placed depots, the company is committed to providing a fast and efficient local service for machinery, attachments and – most importantly – the best possible aftersales support. Gordons (www.gordonsconstruction.co.uk) is now solely responsible for sales and servicing of the Develon crawler, wheeled and mini/midi excavator, wheel loader, articulated dump truck, dozer and attachment ranges in Scotland and Cumbria in England.
Gordons customers benefit from a superb 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 in the repair and servicing of all types of plant and machinery.
Develon is 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 t), wheel loaders (covering capacities from 1.9 to 6.4 m3), articulated dump trucks (with maximum payloads up to 41 t), compact wheeled loaders (from 3.5 to 5 t), dozers (up to 15 t) and products with alternative power sources.
