Can a JCB long reach reach...you bet it CAN

Thu 29 May 2014

Can a JCB long reach reach...you bet it CAN

Chesterfield-based CAN Geotechnical specialises in solutions for failing rock faces, soil slopes and retaining walls. It has specified the JS260 LC excavator with a long reach boom and dipper configuration delivering a reach of 18.3 metres and a maximum capacity at the end of the dipper of 830kg. Supplied by dealer, TC Harrison JCB, it has been modified with high capacity auxiliary piping to power CAN Geotechnical’s unique range of specialist drill rigs and also features safety isolation switches to disable all machine operations whilst drilling. The excavator is fitted with extra wide 800mm tracks for added stability at full reach.

The machine was immediately put to work alongside an existing JCB JS220 LC tracked excavator on a slope stabilisation project in St Helier, Jersey. The work required the stabilisation of an old quarry face which has collapsed several times over the last 10 years along with the stabilisation of adjacent land behind three apartment blocks. Over the course of the project, more than 17,000 cubic metres of rock and soil will be excavated from the slope. The JS260 LC will run for over 2000 hours on the drilling element of the project. Situated at the crest of the slope it reaches down to drill soil nails and rock bolts in to the slope face below. CAN Geotechnical Director, Richard Nicholson said: “Our ever expanding fleet of JCB plant enables us to work efficiently on a wide range of projects and stay at the cutting edge of geotechnical and ground engineering. We pride ourselves on our commitment to continual development and our relationship with JCB forms a key part of this. “The JCB long reach excavator has enabled us to think differently about how we approach the pricing of new work, it will allow us to be more competitive as it improves our on-site efficiency - saving us money in the process. “From specification to aftersales, the whole experience of dealing with JCB has been excellent. The team was extremely helpful in discussing the modifications we required and working with us to set the machine up to meet our needs. Machine-specific loading charts were also produced to assist us when using the excavator with a drill mast attached".

“Without it we would have had to phase the works in a far less efficient and more costly way. It provides us with the perfect balance of reach and usability for our applications. Transport of this machine is not prohibitively expensive thanks to its modest size and weight but it is capable of far more than any other standard spec machine of equivalent size. We will use it extensively over the coming years for other soil nailing and bolting projects on highways, railways and construction sites across the UK.” CAN was established in the UK 30 years ago. Traditionally, it specialised in difficult to access geotechnical stabilisation projects, particularly using rope access techniques. Over the last two decades, the company has expanded and invested heavily in modern plant, enabling it to undertake large-scale stabilisation projects with associated earthworks throughout the UK and abroad. Its current JCB fleet includes 8080, JS220, and JS260 excavators in both long reach and straight-boom demolition configurations.

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