view from the cab
SPECIALIST CONTRACTORS FIND ‘FIT FOR PURPOSE’ KOMATSU PC170LC TICKS ALL THE BOXES Operating primarily in the electrical infrastructure and renewable energy sectors, County Tyrone based specialist civil engineering contractors Adman Civil Projects Ltd are clearly big fans of the Komatsu brand; the company has just added another to their already impressive fleet. We caught up with the company on their latest windfarm project in the rural upland setting of central Donegal, approximately 10km south west of Letterkenny, where we spotted at least six Komatsu machines hard at work, including the new PC170LC which, like the others, was supplied by WAC McCandless. Lenalea is a 7 turbine 30.5 MW consented windfarm and when completed in 2023 it will generate enough low carbon renewable energy to power 20,000 homes annually and offset 24,500 tonnes of carbon per annum, contributing
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significantly to Ireland’s 2030 renewable energy targets.
perfect for operating on softer surfaces and other difficult terrain.
The PC170LC is the third Komatsu delivered to the company by the dealers this year and joins a number of other Komatsus on the windfarm project, including two new PC360LCs.
“Because the Komatsu comes factory made with the extended pads and, importantly, engine power to match, they compare more favourably with brands that don’t – which is another reason we chose Komatsu; essentially, it is a fit for purpose machine.”
In total, the contractors have more than a dozen Komatsu machines on their fleet, so what attracts the Adman Group to the brand? Comments site foreman Matt Teague: “The Komatsu is well designed and the build quality is strong and reliable – and our operators are very happy with both the performance and the comfort of the machines.” Those sentiments have been echoed by Adman Civil Projects Ltd’s Managing Director Adrian McCrory, who adds: “We like to stick with a brand that doesn’t give us any problems; reliability is everything and the Komatsu doesn’t disappoint. “The fact that they are low ground pressure (LGP) machines is an added bonus and with the 1400mm pads, they really come into their own when working within a windfarm environment as the wider tracks make it
Adds Adrian: “Komatsu and their dealers WAC McCandless provide us with an excellent back up service; the team at McCandless looks after us very well and we know we can call on them anytime we have any issues and they will respond without delay, which is what we need on major contracts such as this because unnecessary or unexpected downtime can be a costly matter. We have been dealing with them since 2007 and our experience has always been a positive one.”
Challenging Conditions The new Komatsu is working alongside the others, creating pathways, culverts, head walls and other infrastructure elements for the
