News

Hyundai HX160A L for Eric Carnaby & Son

North Lincolnshire civil engineering, plant hire and environmental services contractor Eric Carnaby & Son has added an HD Hyundai Construction Equipment HX160A L crawler excavator to its fleet, following a request from long-time operator Steven Smith.

After 23 years with the company, he jokingly told Managing Director Roland Carnaby that he would like his previous HD Hyundai machine to be changed for the new HX-A model, or he might have to look elsewhere for work. “As a machine owner and as an operator, I know that the drivers are really happy with these Hyundai A-Series machines,” said Roland. “If the driver is happy, then I’m happy,”

Roland Carnaby is the third generation of the family to run the business, following his father’s recent retirement at the age of 80. Established in 1946, the company operates a fleet of excavators, from 1.5 to 25 tonnes. It also specialises in long reach machines, mowers, tractors and trailers, offering a range of earthworks and groundworks services, from drainage and footings, to culvert construction, riverbank stabilisation and wetland habitat creation.

Many of the company’s employees have been with the business for a long time, helping to maintain the firm’s strong relationships with clients as diverse as the Environment Agency, British Steel and the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. Recognising that they are a major contributor to the company’s success, he is certainly happy to listen to their input when the time comes to update the fleet.

Family business
Roland joined the family business is 2005, having worked for Birse Construction and for K Rouse Civils. Since that time, he has refreshed much of the equipment fleet and introduced tilt-rotators and 3D GPS machine control systems for the excavators, improving productivity for customers.

“We never had any problems with my old machine and so when it was due for changing, I said I’ll have the same again,” said Steven Smith. “I like the Hyundai because the touchscreen is quite simple to work with. It’s also got the 360-degree camera system in it, which is very clear and you can have it on separate views, or set to show all the way round. It has a red zone, so you know how near you are to things, it’s just a brilliant system.”

He is also impressed with the machine’s hydraulic controls, which allow multiple operations at the same time. When cutting back vegetation or cleaning ditches, for instance, this allows the use of the dig end while travelling. “It’ll track and cut, where some machines starve themselves from one system to the other,” said Steven. “The Hyundai keeps both systems going well. It’s also very easy to maintain. All of the oils and levels for daily checks first thing in the morning are easy to get to and the filters are all in one place.”

Key stats
With an operating weight of 17.5 to 18 tonnes, HD Hyundai’s HX160A L is powered by a Cummins B4.5 diesel engine, delivering a net power of 113kW (152hp). Equipped with a 5.1m monoboom, the machine can be supplied with a choice of 2.2, 2.6 and 3.1m dipper arms. Maximum digging depth is 6,530mm with the longest arm, with a forward reach of up to 9,450mm.

The A-Series cab delivers a comfortable operating environment, with an easy to read 8-inch display and jog dial control module. Designed around the operator, the cab takes safety to a new level, with the option of HD Hyundai’s Advanced Around View Monitoring (AAVM) camera system. This delivers a 360-degree view around the machine and incorporates Intelligent Moving Object Detection (IMOD), which warns the operator if people or objects are detected within a pre-set range of operation.

Roland Carnaby has been impressed with the performance and the reliability of the A-Series machines on the fleet. Fortunately, the HD Hyundai machines also get the thumbs up from his operators.

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