by Kyle Molyneux | Wed 16 Aug 2023
Advance Construction Scotland chooses Sunward machines
Groundworks and civil engineering contractor Advance Construction Scotland (ACS) was so impressed with a trial of a Sunward compact excavator, the company bought 10 of them. The Bellshill-based firm, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, ended up purchasing nine Sunward SWE 90UFs, which are among the shortest 9-tonne short-tail excavators available on the market, and a zero-tail 6-tonne SWE 60UF from Ayrshire-based plant hire and sales specialist Kattrak International.
The machines are being used across 200 active sites, mostly for housebuilding clients such as Persimmon, Barratt and Grant Homes, and for such main contractors as Balfour Beatty. ACS plant manager Gareth Mollan explained they typically retire their fleet after three to four years and had needed to replace 17 machines from one particular manufacturer. But due to a shortage of that manufacturer’s, they decided to trial other companies, and the Sunward machines proved to be very competitive both in terms of performance and price.
He said, “The Sunward machines provided better value for money, and although they have only been used on site for a few weeks, all the reports back are extremely positive, so it’s highly likely that our first order of Sunward machines will not be our last.”
Kattrak director Gareth McLaughlin added, “The Sunward machines are proving to be a very popular choice with our customers and Kattrak prides itself in providing a good product backed up with excellent service. We have been supplying machines to Advance Construction Scotland for several years now and it’s always a pleasure dealing with Seamus and Gareth. We look forward to many more years of working together.”
Founded in 1993 by Seamus Shields, the Advance group now comprises six divisions – groundworks, JMS Plant, Advance Utilities, Advance Flooring Solutions, Structureseal Services and the Advance Training academy. The group employs more than 1,000 people using a fleet of hundreds of plant vehicles worth approaching £20 million to support its bulk earthworks, drainage, road construction, utilities and landscaping contracts.
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