The Volvo EC220D excavator delivers new levels of fuel efficiency. Darren Hayes, General Manager Western Waste Management explains.
Country business operators need to be smarter about the type of equipment they buy, says Darren Hayes, General Manager Western Waste Management. The owner-operator of the waste management and scrap metal recycling business in Colac, country Victoria, says smaller jobs can make it difficult to justify a big outlay for equipment. That is unless it’s Volvo Construction Equipment from CJD Equipment. The owner of two Volvo EC220D excavators, Darren says he wouldn’t hesitate to add to his fleet.
“I haven’t been disappointed,” he says. “Everything I was told the excavators could do they’ve delivered.”
Western Waste Management handles everything from skip bins, residential and commercial waste projects to a growing construction and demolition waste industry. Darren says all aspects of the business require excavators or front-end loaders. The EC220D is interchangeable with everything from a coupler to a bucket and hydraulic breaker, making the switch between working with timber and green waste to scrap metal or concrete almost effortless. He says the EC220D is smooth to operate, comfortable and the long carriage adds stability – a plus when they can be in operation for up to 40 hours a week. Superior visibility from the cab and conveniently placed navigational controls means operators experience less fatigue.
“The operators are so happy with them,” Darren says. “I’ve got one operator who is in them all day every day who swears by the EC220D.” But the biggest selling point that got Darren over the line when purchasing a second excavator in 2021 was the fuel efficiency. He’s saving about 13 per cent on fuel costs compared to his previous equipment. “Over a year, that’s quite substantial savings,” he says. Noel Fernando, CJD Equipment VIC Regional Sales Manager, says the EC220D is the next generation of fuel efficiency. He says Volvo’s ECO mode, a new hydraulic system and a D6 diesel engine combine to reduce operational costs which maximises fuel efficiency.
“Volvo’s unique ECO mode contributes to up to five per cent of the machine’s total improved fuel efficiency without any loss of performance in most operating conditions,” he says.
“The design features electronic pump control technology which reduces flow and pressure losses while maintaining digging power and maximising swing torque.”
The D6 diesel engine is integrated with all excavator systems and is available in two versions to comply with regional emission regulations. Noel says the optional auto engine shutdown function automatically turns the engine off to reduce fuel consumption when the machine is inactive for a pre-set amount of time (five minutes is the default setting). The operator is informed one minute before this occurs. The I-ECU also measures instantaneous fuel consumption while average fuel consumption is displayed numerically per hour, allowing operators to monitor fuel usage on different job sites and applications.
Volvo’s integrated work mode system now includes the G4 mode, which also allows for optimum fuel efficiency and machine performance. Operators can choose the best work mode to suit the task at hand –selecting from I (Idle), F (Fine), G (General), H (Heavy) and P (Power max) mode. While the EC220D is designed for top performance, if there are any issues it features user-friendly service access to centralised filters and grouped greasing points. The radiator, charged air cooler and hydraulic oil cooler are situated side-by-side on a single layer to reduce blockages and aid cleaning. The system is accessed for maintenance via a side door from ground level. The fully sealed electrical distribution box, also accessed from ground level, contains all fuses and relays which are identified on a map inside the box cover.
Noel says CJD Equipment also has a wide service network of technicians, workshops, and dealers throughout Australia to assist with any problems that may arise as well as fully equipped parts warehouses in every capital city. Darren says CJD, and Volvo’s back-up service is a plus.
“We just couldn’t get back-up previously, but CJD is on top of that, and its salespeople are great,” he says.
“Back-up service and a supply of spare parts was a big issue for us prior to dealing with CJD. So far, they haven’t let me down.
“In this COVID-19 world everything seems to have slowed down, but CJD has spare parts on hand.”
