Extreme weather puts Doosan DX300LC-5 to the test
REMOTE woodland situated miles from Oban on Scotland’s west coast is providing a challenging environment for the first project involving a Doosan DX300LC-5 in the UK.
Penrith-based Grant Ltd, which specialises in large-scale water-related civil engineering projects, bought the machine from Lloyd Ltd, the Doosan and Bobcat dealer for Cumbria and southern Scotland.
The firm is currently working on two adjoining hydro schemes at Eas a Ghaill (EAG) and Lochy for Gilkes Energy in conjunction with Global Infrastructure.
In extreme weather conditions, the machine has been excavating trenches for laying pipe, breaking rocks and operating as a crane to lift pipes and other equipment. This project requires six crew members, with the new machine working in tandem with an older Doosan 30-tonne excavator model.
Grant Ltd is run by brothers Roger, George and Charles Chamberlain. Roger Chamberlain, one of the three managing directors, said, “There are three reasons why we’ve chosen Doosan – first of all is the total cost of ownership.
“The initial capital outlay is not expensive and the machine holds its value well for resale, so it’s a good balance for our business.
“Secondly is the reliability and servicing. We don’t want too much downtime so we have signed up to a service contract and extended warranty to make sure that our machines can be serviced or repaired anywhere for a fixed cost.
“And thirdly is our relationship with Lloyd Ltd, our local Doosan supplier. We have worked with Lloyd Ltd for 30 years so it is always easier doing business with people you know.”
Charles Chamberlain added, “The drivers have noticed how much less fuel the new machine uses compared to both the previous model and those of other manufacturers.
“It’s not a scientific study, but they think they are using around one-third less fuel than before. They have also felt that they have a higher level of comfort and usability too.”
The DX300LC-5 is powered by the Scania DC9 5-cylinder diesel engine. The machine has an operating weight of 30.9 tonnes.
