Rokbak’s global customer base has been impressed by the manufacturer’s articulated haulers, which are delivering results in Scotland.
Scottish engineering has become a driving force at Loughran Rock’s quarry in Northern Ireland.
The family-owned Loughran Rock Industries runs its quarrying and aggregates business in County Armagh. The operation, supported by Sleator Plant, recently received a Motherwell-manufactured Rokbak RA30 articulated dump truck (ADT).
“We’ve not only reinforced our quarry operations with the addition of the Rokbak truck, but we believe we’ve also strengthened our position as a trusted supplier in the region,” Loughran Rock quarry manager Colin Loughran said.
Loughran Rock relies on robust equipment to support its operations, which have thrived since 1985. Its concrete production and stone supply facilitate significant infrastructure projects.
The Rokbak RA30 articulated hauler has been operational in Cláidigh Bheag, about an hour south-west of Belfast.
Loughran Rock produces 450,000–500,000 tonnes of aggregate each year, supplying it to local contractors, housing developments and farmers. Such a high level of production requires durable equipment, and that is why Loughran approached Sealtor Plant, the authorised dealer of Rokbak trucks in Northern Ireland.
“We proposed the RA30 to Loughran Rock for the truck’s agility, dependability, independent suspension for operator comfort, and the ability to carry lighter products efficiently,” Sleator Plant general manager Aaron McCaul said.
“We thought the RA30 was the perfect choice for Loughran Rock’s needs, offering reliability, durability and the backing of our responsive aftersales support.”
The RA30 articulated hauler has a 28-tonne maximum payload and a 17.5m3 heaped capacity. Its double wishbone design allows for fully independent suspension and wheel movement.
The RA20 was tailored to Loughran Rock’s requirements with body side extensions to enhance its load capacity. Loughran uses the RA30 to transport stone, sand and rock fill from the quarry to the main crusher and to fill up lorries and block machines.
The Rokbak RA30 has drawn praise from Loughran Rock’s operators, who believe it is suited to the Northern Ireland quarry.
“Visibility is important on any site, especially a big quarry such as this,” Loughran Rock operator Cathal Devlin said.
“The rear vision camera and monitor and heated mirrors makes my life a whole lot easier when I’m reversing into tight spots. When you’re driving around quarries, you need comfort – I’ve been operating for three years now with trucks of all sizes, and the Rokbak truck is definitely the comfiest machine I’ve driven to date.
“I’ve also been impressed by its fuel efficiency. With our previous truck, we had to fill it up approximately every two days. With the Rokbak, it’s now every three to four.”
Loughran Rock has been supported by Sleator Plant’s engineering team and local presence in Northern Ireland since it took delivery of the RA30. Sleator Plant has been able to help the construction materials producer with maintenance support and spare parts on its newest articulated hauler.
“The RA30 has been nothing but reliable, with minimal maintenance requirements and prompt support from Sleator Plant when needed,” Loughran said.
“It’s well made and it’s a good, sturdy machine. In the future, I would not hesitate to use Rokbak again.”
A cleaner future
Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) will implement low-carbon emission steel into all of its serially produced haulers manufactured in Braås, Sweden.
The announcement builds on Volvo CE’s previous showcase of a concept hauler, which was built using fossil-free steel in 2021 in partnership with Swedish steel manufacturer SSAB. Volvo CE delivered a construction machine made from fossil-free steel to a customer for operational use in 2022.
“We are proud to lead the way in the industry and move forward towards minimising our climate footprint across the entire lifecycle of our products,” Volvo CE head of lifecycle assessment program Rickard Alm said.
“While emissions from product use represent the vast majority of carbon output in our industry, it is important to also act to cut emissions in the production phase, including materials like steel, in close collaboration with our global supply partners.”
Heidelberg Materials turns to the future
Heidelberg Materials has provided a glimpse into the future of its operations after signing an agreement with US-based autonomous technology provider Pronto.
The agreement will see Pronto’s Autonomous Haulage System, AHS, deployed on more than 100 trucks in Heidelberg Materials’ fleet worldwide. Pronto’s system is designed to be retrofitted onto an existing fleet and leverages advanced sensors, cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) to autonomously operate haul trucks.
“Meeting industry challenges with technological innovation has always been a central part of our target to create a more productive and sustainable future,” Heidelberg Materials managing board chairman Dr Dominik von Achten said.
“As a company leading the way in transforming our sector, we strongly believe in fostering strategic collaborations across industries. This partnership will accelerate the adoption of cutting-edge solutions across our sites and regions, leveraging synergies on a global scale.”
The announcement builds on the previous collaboration between Heidelberg Materials and Pronto, which saw a pilot project in Bridgeport, Texas. The successful pilot program at Heidelberg Materials’ quarry was subsequently deployed on a fleet of mixed original equipment manufacturer haul trucks.
The global agreement will roll out the Pronto system to more than a dozen North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific sites.
“By teaming up with Pronto, we will deploy a scalable solution to our fleet of haul trucks that will contribute significantly towards our production efficiency, safety and sustainability efforts while also addressing the challenge of recruiting skilled operatives,” Heidelberg Materials chief technical officer Axel Conrads said.
Expansion in Germany
Develon Germany has unveiled its new headquarters in Mannheim Friedrichsfeld, Germany, as it looks to expand its presence.
A brand of HD Hyundai Infracore, Develon has set a goal of growing its market presence in the German, Swiss, and Austrian regions (GSA) following the opening of its headquarters. The company has also confirmed it is looking into expanding its rental services for those within the GSA dealership network.
The new German headquarters features 10,650m2 of usable space and houses sales, service, rental and spare parts alongside a training centre, training workshop and test area.
“The new headquarters of Develon Germany is a clear commitment to Germany as a location,” Develon said. AB
