FEATURE

RENTAL.ONE CHARGES AHEAD!

As one of Norway’s leading landscaping and groundworks companies, with headquarters at Sørlandet and branches in Stavanger, Mandal, Kristiansand and Arendal, Landskaps Entreprenørene AS places great importance on protecting the environment which is why they recently acquired a three tonne emission-free, whisper-quiet electric Komatsu PC33E-6 mini excavator.

It was supplied on long term hire from Rental.one, which is based in Nærbø near Stavanger and which is celebrating its 10th anniversary in business this year, supporting many different small and large construction projects throughout Norway.

As Awesome Earthmovers discovered, the new Komatsu PC33E-6 has been impressing its operators with whom we caught up on a recent visit to Norway where they were working on the construction of a new entrance to a modern development in the centre of Stavanger, the fourth largest city in the country.

Founded in 1986, Landskaps Entreprenørene AS has grown rapidly with a multi-million NOK (kroner) turnover and more than 100 employees, some of whom have been with the company for over 30 years, delivering tailor-made groundworks solutions and services such as digging, drainage, site excavation and road construction for outdoor facilities including sports areas, town squares and other natural areas in both the private and public sectors.

With a forward-looking focus on sustainability and the environment the company enjoys a long and proud tradition as an Environmental Lighthouse certified business, which means that it meets strict requirements for climate and environmental considerations and has committed itself to promoting sustainable working practices, so it was only natural it would opt for electric powered machines, with the Komatsu PC33E-6 perfectly fitting the bill.

Meeting Operator Expectations

During our visit, we also managed to speak with Rental.one’s seller Vidar Skarås. He was at the site to ensure the Komatsu PC33E-6 was living up to expectations as it worked on a variety of tasks such as digging and moving materials around.

The new machine has joined Rental.one’s ever growing 4,000-strong equipment fleet which includes more than 250 excavators of varying operating weights, as well as 50 wheel loaders and 35 dump trucks, with Komatsu being the company’s primary brand because of its high quality, reliability and strong support from Hesselberg who has been Komatsu’s Norwegian dealer since the 1970s. Komatsu is one of its most important brands.

“The Komatsu PC33E-6 is ideal for working in built up areas and outside of standard daytime hours because of its quiet and emission free operation,” says Vidar. “And because of its compact size it is also perfect for working in areas where large machines would not be suitable.”

He adds: “At Rental.one we invest in electric machines because like Landskaps Entreprenørene we are committed to the environment and cities like Stavanger expects us to meet the demands of their own strict environmental and sustainable standards. The environmentally friendly electric Komatsu PC33E-6 fits in well on this site where all the material such as stone and concrete is recycled and re-used.”

Lightening Fast Charging System

With exceptional performance and unrivalled safety features, the PC33E-6 boasts large capacity lithium-ion batteries and a highly efficient powerline, enabling the team at Landskaps Entreprenørene to work non-stop for a full shift before having to recharge. Thanks to a lightning-fast charging system, any potential for downtime is significantly reduced.

“It takes just a couple of hours for a 100% recharge, which can be done overnight – or even during lunch breaks, when the machine is not in use, making it perfect for this type of work,” says Vidar. Interestingly, the battery pack acts like a counterweight and boosts the lifting capacity by up to 30% compared to the PC33MR-5.

“Since adding the PC33E-6 to our rental fleet we have had nothing but positive feedback. It is just as powerful and reliable as the diesel equivalent, and there have been no problems with it. We are very impressed as are the operators who have given it the ‘thumbs up’.”

Comfortable & Safe Working Environment

That’s not surprising to hear as the Komatsu PC33E-6 has clearly been designed with the operator in mind, with an air-suspended seat that provides excellent comfort. Fully adjustable proportional controls are fitted as standard for easy, safe and precise operation of attachments and they are as easy to use as on conventional models, and depending on the load, operators can conveniently choose between eight working modes.

The cab features a high-definition 3.5" LCD monitor to provide excellent visibility, essential when operating in close proximity to workers on the site or in built up areas, while a separate rear-view monitor gives the operator a constant clear view of the area behind the machine, greatly improving safety.

The monitor is specially designed to assist the operator in the use of an electric machine, with information such as battery charge, current power consumption, and other energy-related status data, together with energy saving tips being displayed.

Also worth noting is that the air-cooled electric motor removes the need for coolant inspection and refilling in daily and regular inspections. Maintenance work can be done with peace of mind without worrying about oil and water leaks.

Perfect for Eco-Conscious Operators

As Rental.one has discovered, the short-tail PC33E-6provides operators with the perfect solution for working in heavily populated areas, where emissions and noise pollution are of paramount concerns and by incorporating it into their fleet it is also opening the door to more business opportunities, as operators like Landskaps Entreprenørene are increasingly putting environmental and sustainability concerns on their list of priorities.

In doing so, of course, they are also following the lead set by Komatsu who regard the introduction of this new electric model just two years ago not only as a springboard for the development of a market for small electric construction machines but also as part of a global initiative to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.