Blackwood Plant Hire had a hat-trick of reasons for their hat-trick acquisition of their first three Sunward excavators.
The Kilmarnock-based business, which is celebrating 20 years as a Limited Company, has recently purchased the three one-tonne SWE 08B mini excavators from Ayrshire-based plant hire and sales specialists Kattrak International.
While the SWE 08B is the smallest excavator in Sunward’s range, it features an incredibly high power-to-weight ratio, very good reliability, intuitive operations, and excellent protection for the driver (TOPS). Its size makes it very easy to transport to every jobsite, indoor or outdoor, in a pick-up or on a small trailer, as with up to three buckets and a hydraulic breaker, it still maintains a total transport weight of less than two tonnes.
In addition, the SWE 08B’s extendable undercarriage (the track width can be extended from 750mm to 1,000mm) provides robust stability, ensuring safe and comfortable operation in all kinds of job applications, including restricted work sites. When retracted, it allows the SWE08B to be driven through doors.
Blackwood’s managing director Paul McCormack explained they needed the mini excavators due to changing customer requirements which demand smaller machines & picked the Sunward machine due to the Servo controls. Blackwood Plant Hire works mostly in the railway, water, Civil Engineering and small housing sectors for clients throughout the UK.
Paul said: “We specified the Sunward mini excavators due to the price, availability and warranty level supplied from the local dealer Kattrak. They are perfect for work in tight areas and have performed to 100%, with no issues whatsoever.”
At a time when its fleet of excavators has grown to more than 300, Blackwood also established Blackwood Training Academy to strategically invest in the future workforce. With a fully equipped training ground and classrooms, this aims to address the industry’s skills gap, giving individuals hands-on experience and the practical skills and qualifications necessary to thrive within the industry.
