FDS purchase their third Warrior 1400X

FDS (Cambridge) Ltd first established back in 2001 when they were trading as FDS Building Services.

Mainly operating in the construction of commercial units and house building, the company were sub-contracting their muck away to local tipper and grab lorry companies. FDS soon identified that it would be beneficial to bring in their own truck and plant equipment to deal with their waste materials and to import their recycled and primary aggregates from other suppliers in bulk.

2007 saw a turning point for the company when they purchased a site in Ely (Cambridgeshire) following the arrival of their first wagon and small plant. They initially brought in several external companies to process their material for them, before deciding to invest in the equipment to carry out this work themselves. This transition has moulded FDS into the business that they have become today which focuses less on building and construction work, and more on plant hire, muck away, aggregate processing and supply services.

In 2017 FDS purchased their first new Powerscreen Warrior 1400X scalping screen to work on their topsoil operation. In 2020 the company decided it was time to swap out their previous machine with another brand-new Warrior 1400X. Then in February 2023 FDS expanded their fleet to bring in a second Warrior 1400X (their third purchased from Blue Machinery) to work alongside their existing 2020 machine.

Franco De Simone, Director at FDS (Cambridge) Ltd explains his reasoning for sticking with the tried and tested Warrior 1400X: “Having initially trialled a number of screeners prior to the purchase of the first machine, we had excellent feedback from the operators on the Warrior 1400X, the price has always been right, and the residual value is there. We see Powerscreen as the market leader and have received an excellent service from Blue Central, so we have never been interested in looking elsewhere”.

The Powerscreen Warrior 1400X is a flexible scalping screen aimed at operators who require a high performing, heavy duty, versatile machine that remains easy to transport. The newest model offers improved performance, lower operating costs, and easier serviceability whilst building on the reliable foundation of Powerscreen’s previous class-leading Warrior 1400.

Designed with economy in mind, it has reduced fuel consumption which is achieved through a lower engine running speed of 1800rpm and enhanced hydraulics. A variety of media solutions means that the Warrior 1400X is extremely efficient in scalping, screening and recycling applications, and it can process a number of materials including greenwaste, soil, concrete, wood and asphalt. Powerscreen have also produced a Warrior 1400XE which has been designed to meet the needs of customers looking to use electricity as a preferred power source and creates the possibility to run the machine indoors. The 1400XE has a variety of power options available including a self-powered 72kVA generator, electricity generated by other Powerscreen machines (such as the Premiertrak 600) or it can be connected to a mains electricity supply for even further reductions in cost of ownership.

Since the transition of the business in 2007, FDS has grown substantially with a large fleet of tippers, grab wagons, low loaders, bulkers and a number of Develon/Doosan excavators and wheel loaders. Franco adds “We are proud to see how much the company has progressed and evolved since our inception in 2001. We appreciate the service and support that Blue Machinery have provided since the purchase of our first Powerscreen machine back in 2017, and it’s been a pleasure to deal with the sales, aftersales and spare part teams”.