Investment continues to push the loading sector forward in the quarrying and aggregates industry. From manufacturers to quarry operators, major investments are shaking up the sector.
Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has revealed plans to expand its global excavator crawler production through strategic investment.
The Swedish-headquartered manufacturer has selected three countries in which to invest: South Korea, Sweden, and the US. The majority of the 2500 MSEK investment will be directed to the Changwon factory in South Korea.
Volvo CE will reveal the Swedish location, scope of investment and project timing later this year, but it will be key to its crawler excavator production in Europe. The company will also install an excavator assembly line at its Shippensburg facility in the US to expand its production capabilities in North America.
The investment in these facilities will support production in Volvo CE’s key markets, while also reducing long-distance logistics and helping to manage economic and regulatory challenges.
Volvo CE president Melker Jernberg said the strategic approach aims to enhance the company’s presence and operational efficiency across key regions and markets.
“We understand the need to respond to growing demand and are excited to expand our facilities to serve customers better,” he said.
“This investment underscores our commitment to quality, innovation and competence, allowing us to deliver even greater value. This expansion demonstrates our efforts to respond to customer demand by investing in our crawler excavator business closer to key markets and customers.”
In other news, Volvo CE also secured a Red Dot award for the design of its Volvo L120 Electric wheeled loader, with the international judging panel praised the machine’s modern look and streamlined design. Volvo CE’s design process was led by its technology and design teams from Jinan, China, as well as Eskilstuna and Gothenburg in Sweden.
The Red Dot is considered one of the most prestigious design awards in the world, which annually recognises leading practices at a ceremony in Essen, Germany.
“I’m happy we won this award, but I’m especially happy that we won it for this machine,” Volvo CE senior chief for advanced design Peter Reuterberg said. “The change from diesel to electric gave us the opportunity to think differently and strive for big impact. Our hope is that this new silhouette will be instantly recognisable as electric.“
Major merger
HD Hyundai Construction Equipment and HD Hyundai Infracore have confirmed a merger, which will lead to the creation of HD Construction Equipment from next year.
The merger was confirmed following separate board meetings by HD Hyundai Construction Equipment and HD Hyundai Infracore on July 1. HD Hyundai Construction Equipment will be the surviving entity and become HD Construction Equipment from January 1, 2026.
The new company will operate the Hyundai and Develon brands with a focus on construction equipment, as well as engines and after-market services. The company is investigating plans to establish a full line-up ranging from compact to ultra-large construction machinery. This will also involve scope for “future growth engines”, including the development of electrified and smart construction equipment.
“This merger will drive sustainable growth for the construction equipment division of HD Hyundai, helping us strengthen our position in the global market and serving as a significant milestone in advancing Korea’s construction equipment industry,” HD Hyundai XiteSolution president and chief executive officer Cho Young-cheul said.
Backed by investment
Breedon Group has backed the quality of Caterpillar’s machinery after investing in a new Caterpillar 395 excavator for its Hope Cement plant fleet.
The UK-based construction materials producer worked with Caterpillar dealer Finning UK & Ireland to find a machine that would excel in intensive applications. The 395 excavator has so far proven to be a winner, according to Breedon quarries development manager Tim Palmer.
“Straight away, we could see that the Cat 395 was a true powerhouse of a machine,” he said.
“We were impressed with the higher capacity regarding bucket size, which for us means greater payloads and faster material movement.
“Durability and productivity are also key to our investment in the Cat 395. The reinforced booms, sticks and frames on this machine go a long way in ensuring reliable performance in very demanding conditions. It is also a highly productive machine thanks to increased swing torque and stick force, which enable faster cycle times and improve material handling.
“We were thrilled to be able to invest in this machine and work with our long-term partners at Finning, who not only supported us throughout the purchase and delivery but also assisted in the acquisition of Sleipner E90 dollies a few years ago to ensure operational efficiency of the new machine.”
The Caterpillar 395 is the largest excavator in Caterpillar’s Next Generation line-up as a 95-tonne tracked machine.
Finning corporate account manager for mineral products Dean Turner discussed the collaboration between Finning and Sleipner to prepare the machine.
“Finning was thrilled to be able to work with Sleipner on this impressive machine for our long-standing customer Breedon,” he said.
“Sleipner are the experts in transport systems that reduce track wear, fuel consumption and downtime for heavy machinery and we knew this was going to be a vital asset to Breedon to ensure this impressive machine runs at peak performance whilst on site.
“We arranged to have the machine delivered to Breedon to use alongside the Sleipner dollies. The machine was transported on both new and rebuilt Cat 775G off-highway trucks that were on site at Hope Quarry. These are impressive and fuel-efficient machines that support the overall sustainability approach.
“The Cat 775G trucks are part of Hope Cement Works Quarry rebuild programme. The fourth truck is currently going through our Chesterfield workshop facility, undergoing a Cat-certified powertrain and hydraulic rebuild. This programme underlines the company’s commitment to building a circular economy and highlights the ability of Cat machines to be rebuilt as new, complete with a five-year powertrain and hydraulic warranty.
“The delivery of the machine and Sleipner dollies truly marked a collaborative effort between Finning, Sleipner and Breedon. We are thrilled to have supported Breedon in the acquisition of this machine that will go on to enhance their operations for many years to come.”
Major milestone celebrated
Liebherr was in a celebratory mood as the 10,000th XPower wheeled loader rolled off the production line in Bischofshofen, Austria.
Transmission manufacturer ZF Friedrichshafen AG joined Liebherr to celebrate the milestone, which is the culmination of a remarkable partnership between the two organisations.
The XPower wheeled loaders feature a power-split travel drive, which is standard on all Xpower models and is produced by ZF Friedrichshafen AG. During the design process, Liebherr drew on its experience in developing wheeled loaders and collaborated with ZF on the power-split transmission, ensuring it could meet the requirements of the XPower travel drive.
The result is the XPower wheeled loaders, which have become a popular choice for customers worldwide. The power-split drive system combines hydrostatic and mechanical drives, which are suited to common operations in a quarrying environment. The hydrostatic is suited to short loading operations while the mechanical drive can tackle the long loading operations and up-hill driving. The ZF power-split transmission effectively combines the two paths, allowing for variable operation that automatically mixes the ratio of the two drives.
Liebherr’s managing director of technology at the Liebherr plant in Bischofshofen Dr Herbert Pfab said this means XPower wheeled loaders always operate at maximum power and efficiency.
“This means that the XPower offers the highest efficiency in material pick-up and transport, as well as optimum acceleration and maximum performance in all loading cycles – even over long distances,” he said.
Head of quality management at the Liebherr plant in Bischofshofen Gerhard Pirnbacher said its development partner, ZF, has been integral to the product’s success.
“The transmission from our partner ZF is a key component of the drivetrain in our XPower wheel loaders,” he said. “With an impressive total of around 64 million operating hours already clocked up by XPower models, this transmission has proven its exceptional robustness.”
The two companies marked the occasion as ZF representatives visited Liebherr’s Bischofshofen facility alongside representatives of the BERGER Group, who purchased the wheeled loader, and representatives of the Beutlhauser Group, who sold the wheeled loader. Pfab presented the new owners with a symbolic key.
The milestone wheeled loader features special decals and a transmission signed by ZF employees. The BERGER Group will utilise the wheeled loader at its BERGER Rohstoffe GmbH quarry in the Bavarian Forest, located near the ZF transmission plant in Passau.
“We value the handling, reliability and relatively low operating costs of our XPower machines,” BERGER Rohstoffe GmbH managing director Matthias Neidhardt said. “We are particularly pleased that a gearbox from our home region of Passau is installed in our new wheel loader.” AB
