ROCK SOLID FUTURE

Awesome Earthmovers Magazine visits Rock Remediation as they tackle the colossal transformation of Holyhead’s industrial landscape.

Sitting on over 200 hectares of land on the outskirts of Holyhead, the former home of Anglesey Aluminium is currently undergoing a transformation to deliver modern and environmentally friendly industrial opportunities.

Anglesey Aluminium Metal Ltd was a joint venture between Rio Tinto and Kaiser Aluminium and employed over 755 staff, making it one of the largest employers in North Wales. The state-of-the-art plant started producing aluminium in 1971, with production figures peaking at 142,000 tonnes per annum. The plant was also the single biggest user of electricity in the UK, devouring 255MW per year.

Operations were finally shut down in February 2013, with work to clear the site starting 10 years later following its purchase by Stena Line, with the intention of using the site to expand their adjacent operations at the Port of Holyhead.

Demolition Specialists were contracted to clear the buildings and iconic 140m-high chimney, leaving a plateau of concrete where the former production plant sat. A handful of the old buildings had been occupied by several companies, and these remain to this day as Rock Remediation takes on the task of removing an estimated 90,000m³ of heavily reinforced concrete and preparing the ground for future development works.

“If the EC500 carries on in this vein, we’ ll be more than happy to continue our relationship with the manufacturer...

Rock Remediation is part of Rock Civil Engineering, which was formed in 2010 by founder Mick Kane. Still family-owned and headed by Conor Kane, the company offers a wide range of services to the construction and development sectors, from remediation of contaminated land to soil stabilisation and groundworks.

Operating a large and varied fleet of plant and machinery, the huge site at Holyhead has called for the addition of some serious firepower to process the project’s vast areas of concrete effectively. Supplementing their existing fleet of plant with several hired-in excavators with breakers or concrete pulverisers, Rock Remediation has recently added a new Volvo EC500, the first to be sold in the UK from the manufacturer’s F series range.

With an operating weight of just over 53 tonnes, the new Volvo has been handed to very experienced operator Paul Faulkner, who has been with the company for almost 10 years. “Concrete and rebar couldn’t have cost that much in the late 1960s!” Paul jokes. “We have encountered some heavily reinforced material on this job, and whilst our smaller machines could just about handle them, Conor wanted to expand our fleet to allow us to manage this and future projects more easily.”

The new F series range of excavators has been eagerly anticipated, and Paul says they are simply amazing in terms of power and comfort compared to the previous models. “The improvements to the cab are brilliant,” he commented. “There’s so much room in there, the seat is excellent, and everything just seems to feel right and be in the right place.” The updated cab includes a heated/cooled seat with masses of movement to allow any operator to find their perfect seating position, whilst the new electric joysticks have been configured similarly to major tiltrotator manufacturers, with additional switches and rollers allowing a variety of functions to be performed without the operator’s hands having to let them go. The right-hand side of the cab is dominated by the new Volvo Co-Pilot 12.8” display with full HD resolution. Volvo Co-Pilot is a state-ofthe-art touchscreen tablet that powers all Volvo Assist platforms, using onboard machine data and high-precision sensors to easily complete tasks and save time in doing so. Simple and intuitive, the operator can set up projects in just a few touches by selecting the required job parameters. They can then monitor the job’s progress and stay safe, with on-screen alerts that indicate when pre-set parameters are met. The Android-powered tablet display is 3G-compatible when equipped with a SIM card, allowing the system to automatically and wirelessly receive software updates.

The screen is also used to host the image from Volvo’s new Smart View with Obstacle Detection, providing operators with a 360° view of the machine’s surroundings thanks to the camera and the new radar detection system. The technology can identify obstacles as either an object or a human and allows the operator to take appropriate action. The EC500 is also equipped with Volvo’s Dig Assist, which provides built-in machine guidance and control technology. While not required for the bulk of the concrete removal, the system will be put to good use when the final earthworks side of the scheme kicks in. The addition of On-Board Weighing on the excavator provides real-time insights into the bucket’s load, helping to eliminate overloading, underloading, reweighing, and waiting times.

The heating and ventilation system has been improved over the previous model, as have the media upgrades, which now include both wired and wireless charging options and a Bluetooth speaker.

Concrete and rebar couldn't have cost that much in the late 1960s!

Under the bonnet, the EC500 uses a 423hp, 13-litre D13J engine, which pushes out maximum torque levels of 2070Nm at just 1300rpm. This combination of high torque at low engine rpm provides a quiet and fuel-efficient machine, which Paul believes delivers unbeatable performance in this weight range. The engine powers a new electro-hydraulic system with an enhanced main control valve. This intelligent technology uses electronic sensors to monitor the operator’s movements and send signals to the machine’s onboard computer, which processes the information and sends commands to the main control valve. The result is smooth and precise movement of the excavator’s boom, bucket, and other hydraulic functions, allowing for more accurate digging and loading.

Rock Remediation’s machine has been supplied with a 7m boom and 2.55m stick and carries a full suite of additional hydraulic services. A Miller GTX quick hitch has been fitted to allow the excavator to swap between bucket and ripper. The standard excavation bucket has been supplemented with a heavy-duty bucket and ripper supplied by Strickland.

The initial work for the new excavator was the removal of column bases along the perimeter of the former aluminium storage shed. Measuring 3m x 3m and around 1m in depth, the blocks were loosened using the ripper attachment before being carefully lifted out and placed on the slab ready for breaking. “The weighing system shows each block is around the 12-tonne mark, with one or two closing in on 15 tonnes,” Paul comments. “They take a bit of handling, but the Volvo is easily on top of the job.” Lifting each block free from the ground will allow the material to be broken and processed quicker and easier than breaking in situ.

The early opinions of the new Volvo are extremely positive from all parties. “We’ve had excellent service from SMT on our existing fleet, and we hope this continues with the new machine,” Conor Kane comments. “We like the power and productivity the machines provide, along with their fuel efficiency and high operator acceptance. If the EC500 carries on in this vein, we’ll be more than happy to continue our relationship with the manufacturer.”