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Skilling’s commission rebuild of largest track loader

Skillings Crushing Company has commissioned a bespoke rebuild from Finning to give a second life to its much-loved Cat^® 973D track loader - the largest in the industry.

The Cat 973D track loader was purchased from new in 2011 and has been integral to the challenging demolition and remediation projects that Skillings Crushing Company has completed in the last 14 years. 

When the Cat 973D looked to be nearing the end of its working life, David Skillings, Managing Director of Skillings Crushing Company commissioned Finning to perform a bespoke rebuild, not only returning the machine to its former glory but adapting it to meeting the increasing demands of modern demolition work.

David said, “We are incredibly proud to own and operate our Cat 973D and it has been a hugely versatile asset to our company over the years, making easy work of heavy-duty demolition jobs thanks to its break-out force and capacity. When the machine was nearing the end of its first working life we debated selling, but the value of the rebuild proposition from Finning meant we are able to keep this highly valuable part of our fleet for many more years to come.

The decision to rebuild the machine was driven by the company’s pride in the high-performance of the industry's largest track loader, as well as the cost and sustainability benefits of the rebuild process compared to buying new. 

David said, “This is our second machine rebuild, and we were pleased to work collaboratively with Finning who tailored the process to our scope and needs. This included removing the hydraulic ripper and replacing it with a rear heavy duty coupling guard, as well as reducing the tracks from 26.6 to 24. Not only is our machine returned to its former glory, but it is now perfectly set up to help the demands of modern demolition.”

The rebuild process is not only a more cost-effective option when compared to buying new, but with sustainability pressures steadily growing across the industry, choosing to rebuild when replacing plant equipment not only makes commercial sense but it’s also better for the environment. 

The sustainability benefits of the rebuild were also important for Skillings, with the rebuild process reducing the needs for raw materials and reducing carbon emissions, this option helped the company work towards its sustainability goals.

Ian Pinnington, Product Support Account Manager at Finning UK & Ireland said, “We have worked with Skillings for over 20 years, and know how much pride they take in their fleet, so we were really pleased to be able to offer them a fully bespoke, cost efficient option to avoid them having to sell their Cat 973D track loader.

“Rebuilds are a cost-effective proposition, and this certainly was a key driver of Skilling's commission. We were able to support the customers' investment long-term to ensure their machine support their operations throughout its second life.” 

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