DUMBARTON-based William Thompson & Son Ltd has purchased the company’s first Doosan wheel loader and crawler excavator for work on a new soil and aggregate recycling operation.
Supplied by Scotia Plant, the new Doosan DL450-3 large wheel loader and DX255LC-3 excavator are working together feeding and stockpiling material for a new scalping screen.
Andrew Thompson, a Director at William Thompson & Son, said, “As part of our research into new equipment for the recycling operation at our site at Riggangower, we trialled a new Doosan DL420-3 wheel loader and our operators liked the design. They provide extra power for the lift and carry applications we are typically carrying out and they can cover the ground quickly and have the traction to easily negotiate haul roads.
“We eventually purchased the larger DL450-3 model which has a high capacity bucket to further increase productivity.
“The new DX255LC-3 excavator is the right size for feeding the screen and loads it with CDR material produced by construction sites throughout the area and carried to Riggangower by our fleet of tipper lorries. Riggangower is home to our operational landfill site, which is a former quarry from which we are able to recycle aggregates and soil from the overburden.
“We are also using the new Doosan excavator equipped with a breaker for work in our nearby quarry at Sheephill.
“Our landfill and quarry operations are next to each other so we can provide a very efficient stone in and muck off service. In a bid to reduce costs, many construction companies are looking to increase their use of recycled aggregates – hence our decision to expand this area of our business. Though the virgin aggregate business continues to be very competitive, we have seen increased demand for products from our Sheephill quarry.” Sheephill Quarry has been providing quarried whinstone, a form of basalt, for over 40 years.
There is a future reserve and planning consent to continue for more than 30 years at Sheephill, which can provide anything from armour stone to whindust, as well as Type 1, crusher run (various sizes); drainage stone (various sizes) and Gabion stone. All stone is to highway specification.
