An Argyll-based construction firm has made a significant investment in Volvo machines to help deliver a number of substantial hydro-electric projects across Scotland.
TSL Contractors Ltd is currently undertaking the schemes over a wide geographical area of the country from Gairloch to Callander.
The recent package of machines purchased includes a brace of 14 tonne EC140D’s, three 22 tonne EC220E’s, an EC300 30 tonne excavator and two A25G articulated haulers.
The company bought its first Volvo excavator last year.
TSL managing director Andrew Knight explained, “Since we purchased the EC300D last year, we’ve been very impressed with the machine’s performance and reliability, especially on heavy duty rock breaking applications which are common place on the typical work we undertake,.
“With our expanding portfolio of hydro-electric projects for both the private and public sectors we needed to make a significant investment in new equipment.”
The new machines have been spread across Scotland working on a variety of projects. The main activities include the construction of access roads to these remote job sites and preparing trenches for laying large bore water pipes in the ground. Typically this involves a good deal of rock breaking on site and consequently, the EC300E and EC220E’s have been supplied complete with hydraulic hammers. The 22 tonne capacity A25G articulated haulers are deployed on hauling crushed stone to construct the access roads and move overburden on site. One of the trucks has been supplied with optional 750/65R25 floatation tyres giving the benefit of reduced ground pressure which is ideal for coping with more boggy conditions and minimising the impact on fragile ground.
The EC140D machines have been supplied with Steelwrist Tilt Rotators and are used primarily on re-instating the ground around the pipelines once the water pipes have been laid and covered. The ability for both the machine and tilt rotator to accomplish re-instatement of the surrounding area, including profiling and finishing simultaneously instead of using a variety of equipment to do the job, makes economic sense lessens the impact on the environment according to Andrew.
TSL Contractors Ltd was established 36 years ago operating a small quarry on the Isle of Mull and has developed into a major construction, civil engineering and groundworks firm operating in an area from the very north of Scotland to the Trossachs.
The company specialises in hydro-electric schemes, major building projects such as affordable housing contracts for the Scottish Government and contracts for Scottish Water and other national contractors. It also continues to maintain a presence in the extractive, aggregates and ready-mix concrete industries.
