KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES’S

Another two new DEVELON DX160LC excavators have been added to Jones Bros expanding fleet

Working on a peat restoration project on the edge of a dense forest near Lochgilphead in Argyll on the west coast of Scotland has its own challenges at the best of times, not least because of the soft and uneven terrain.

However, the experienced Project Team at award-winning civil engineering contractors Jones Bros has been able to carry out the task in its stride – thanks in no small measure to two new modified DEVELON DX160LC machines supplied by dealers Blue Machinery (Central), part of the Blue Group.

It’s the type of project that Jones Bros, whose headquarters are in North Wales, are well qualified for, having built up a wealth of knowledge working in various sectors not only in environmentally and ecologically sensitive areas, but also on highways, infrastructure, reservoirs, flood and marine defence, waste management and renewable energy projects around the UK.

Founded in the 1950s by brothers Glyn and Elwyn Jones, the company, which also has an office at Bellshill in North Lanarkshire in Scotland, is currently run by members of the second and third generations of the founding family. Today, it owns one of the largest plant fleets in the UK, employing around 500 people.

The two new machines are part of a recent order of six DEVELON DX160LC excavators which will bring to 10 the number of DEVELON excavators in the Jones Bros 400-strong mixed fleet. The other four new DEVELON DX160LCs will be delivered by Blue Central over the coming months.

“The first two DEVELON machines joined the company about a year and a half ago and were modified to suit their application as have these latest two new excavators. With wider tracks, the machines are 1.5 metres longer and half a metre wider than the standard spec models enabling them to work more effectively on soft terrain where standard machines wouldn’t be suitable,” comments Tim Dilworth, sales manager with Blue Machinery Central.

“THE MACHINES ARE VERY FUEL EFFICIENT AND OUR OPERATORS ABSOLUTELY LOVE HOW THEY HANDLE AND PERFORM...”

The new DEVELON excavators are certainly proving their worth. Fitted with Miller tilting buckets and what is the first new Topcon touchscreen machine control display, the GX-90, to be installed anywhere in the UK, they’ve been certainly impressing their operators.

Ease of Control

That’s quite understandable, because the DEVELON DX160LC excavators have plenty to recommend them, not least in the area of operator comfort, ease of control and a clear all-round view of the working environment.

Mark Roberts Foreman Jones Bros. Civil Engineering UK

On site, we met Jones Bros Foreman Mark Roberts. “The machines are very fuel efficient and our operators absolutely love how they handle and perform. There’s a lot of great technology, making them easy to use and smooth to operate.”

Pedals, joysticks and armrests have all been designed with the operator in mind. Noise and vibration levels are remarkably low, and the effectiveness of the air conditioning and automatic climate control has been increased significantly.

“I’ve been using the machine for two weeks now and I am very impressed,” says Jones Bros Operator Graham White. “The cab is spacious, is well equipped and provides me with an excellent working environment.”

The new multi-function 8” DEVELON Smart Touch screen displays all useful information in a visual and intuitive format. At a glance, Gareth can check the machine’s status and settings to achieve optimal efficiency, while DEVELON’s unique jog shuttle switch gives him easy and precise control over all machine functions.

The highly sensitive and low-effort joysticks enable the operator to work safely, smoothly and confidently, while the proportional thumb switches on the joysticks can be mounted horizontally or vertically, as the operator prefers, for optimal control of hydraulic attachments.

Another new standard feature is the Fine Swing function which minimises the shaking that a lifted object undergoes at the start or stop of the excavator’s swing movement – increasing the safety of nearby workers and preventing damage caused by the object falling from the excavator. When Fine Swing activates, the overrun shuts off, allowing the DX160LC to smoothly reach maximum swing speed. This also removes the shock from the turn reversal at the moment of stopping – resulting in a smooth stop.

The new DEVELON machines have four work modes and four power modes. The work modes deliver the needed power, according to your specific application, while minimising fuel consumption.

Miller Tilt Hydraulic Couplers

The DEVELON DX160LC machines are fitted with Miller’s Range 4 Powerlatch Tilt hydraulic couplers designed to suit those machines. Delivering up to 180ᵒ tilt functionality, the Powerlatch Tilt allows operators to benefit from increased versatility - with the ability to access hard to reach areas – delivering superior productivity and power for grading, shaping or digging in even the most challenging working environments.

The streamlined, lightweight low-profile design enhances pin-to-point measurements. This improves breakout forces, driving efficiencies, whilst ensuring machine stability. Compliant to ISO13031 standards, the Powerlatch Tilt is available for excavators ranging from 3-20t.

“With these Miller tilt couplers, together with their heavy duty buckets,” says Mark Roberts, “we can carry out a lot of our work such as building bunds without having to re-position the machines. They are an excellent addition.”

Topcon GX-90

Mark was also full of praise for the Topcon GX-90 machine control display. “The system is really efficient, has a clear screen and is easy to use. Training was straightforward and easy to follow.”

Operator Gareth agrees. “With multiple displays and settings, it is very easy to use. I can also use it for surveys, which means the engineer doesn’t have to come out on site.”

Richard McGonagle, Topcon’s Distribution Manager for the UK, tells us the recently launched GX-90 comes with an all-new 10.1 inch LCD multi-touch screen display and uses a Linux-based Topcon-developed operating system.

“This guarantees that users will have a better experience and superior performance. Its universal USB-C port makes this display more versatile and easy to implement, while the GorillaGlass touch screen provides excellent strength and durability, and is scratch resistant,” says Richard.

Several new accessories have also been developed for this display. A magnetic X-Base window RAM mount provides mounting options. A robust magnetic dock allows for easy removal and replacement of the display, and the addition of a custom carrying case keeps equipment safe during transport or storage.

So impressed with the Topcon system, we are told that the GX-90 will also be fitted to several of the other new modified DEVELON DX1609LC’s still to be delivered to Jones Bros by Blue Central, as will, indeed, Millar tilting buckets.