THE first Volvo P2870D paver has been sold in Britain.
Excel Surfacing, which carries out a range of contracts including large road resurfacing projects, revealed it made the purchase after being impressed with the performance of two previous Volvo models and the support from SMT GB.
Excel co-director Steve O’Keefe said, “We have formed quite a few strong relationships in the housing sector, especially while working for blue chip Tier 1 contractors such as Bellway, Redrow and, in particular, Persimmon. In fact about 40% of our work is contracting to these companies for finishing work on driveways, cul-de-sacs and access roads, so having a compact paver to carry out this work is extremely important.
“We have been waiting quite a long time for Volvo to launch this machine; so far, we think it has been worth waiting for. The overall build quality and low noise emissions are impressive. It also lays an exceptionally high quality mat. The machine is also very manoeuvrable, with a base screed width of just 1.75 metres, which means we can get almost anywhere with it.”
First shown last April at bauma, the machine has been designed for working in confined areas. Boasting a Stage V engine, which has an output of 55Kw, the noise and CO2 emissions generated are described as being ‘ultra-low’, making it suitable for inner city projects such as cycle tracks, car parks and pedestrian areas.
The after-treatment system consists of only a Diesel Particulate Filter, which means no SCR or AdBlue requirements.
The P2870D ABG can travel at speeds of up to 16km/h and has permanent 6×4 wheel drive and machine ride levellers. Another new feature is the ‘Rear Frame Lift’, which allows the rear wheels to be lifted from the ground by pushing down on the screed. This is beneficial if the wheels are stuck in soft ground and need to be released, or if tyre repairs need to be performed quickly. Another new feature is power steering.
Volvo’s Electronic Paver Management (EPM3) system gives operators access to the full range of working functions. Integrated within EPM3 is the settings manager, which can save and recall customised parameters from previous projects.
