Caterpillar equipment dealer Finning has completed a bespoke installation of an on-site, one-stop hose solution facility at Tillicoultry Quarries' Northfield site in the UK.
The hose solution facility will support a fleet of machines, both Caterpillar and non-Cat. Cat hoses are designed to provide a solution for mixed fleets. The on-site facility will significantly reduce machine downtime and enable proactive repairs and routine maintenance.
Tillicoultry Quarries took delivery of the unit – converted from a former shipping container – on February 6 after working with hydraulics experts at Finning to develop a bespoke solution that provided on-site access to hose and coupling service capabilities and parts. This was led by Finning Hydraulic Services (FHS) engineer Chris Mains, who played a key part in the physical set up of the hose container and will provide ongoing support on-site.
Designed to support a large mixed fleet, the workshop is stocked with Cat hose assembly tooling – the only approved solutions for Cat machines but which can support a range of other machinery. The on-site hose solution at Tillicoultry will be used to support Cat 775s, 772s, 962M WLS, 432 and an array of other equipment.
Ahead of installation, Finning, the world’s largest Caterpillar dealer, carried out a thorough analysis of the site’s specific needs to make sure the unit was equipped to meet the weekly or monthly demand for assembly builds.
Finning account manager John Gallacher said: “Accessibility is a real strong point in this initiative, giving Tillicoultry Quarries the flexibility to carry out work as and when it is needed. It has been rewarding to work on creating such an innovative and practical solution and we hope to see great results from the use of the on-site workshop for Tillicoultry Quarries.
“Due to the nature of the industries Cat machines are used in, site locations can often be quite a distance from the nearest dealer. Having the parts and know-how on-site to remedy an issue or fit a new hose makes sense to minimise downtime and keep machine productivity high.
“The ultimate purpose of the on-site facility is to support optimal machine use in a production critical quarry by cutting back on the time needed for hose and coupling work, especially on machines such as hydraulic excavators, and increased uptime will aid site efficiency. All Cat hose and coupling products meet or exceed major industry standards and can be used across different fleets ensuring that standards remain high.”
Robert Hamilton, hard rock production manager from Tillicoultry Quarries, added: “Having the onsite facility should reduce our downtime, enabling us to have the speed of turnaround in our own hands and we expect to see an immediate impact on efficiency. We have had four engineers trained, which should give us cover at all times and allow us to maximise use.
“Finning supports our business well. We have our product support account manager and other key personnel that we have built good relationships with, who understand our business and its needs. Northfield is our largest unit with the biggest fleet, and I would expect we would be able to support our other units by making up some stock hoses for them.”
