9:37 am
TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT
GOING FROM STRENGTH
TO STRENGTH
SINCE UPGRADING TO THE CAT AP600F WHEEL ASPHALT PAVER, SWARLY ROAD CONSTRUCTION HAS SEEN THE DOORS OPEN TO LARGER PROJECTS AND MORE WORK VOLUMES. OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR ADAM DAHLENBURG SAYS HASTINGS DEERING’S SUPPORT HAS BEEN INVALUABLE TO THE COMPANY.
S
tarted out as a cartage service company in the Moreton Bay region in Queensland, family owned and operated business Swarly Road Construction has since grown its asphalt paving business to conduct multiple residential, commercial and industrial projects in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast. Over the last three to four years and with support from Hastings Deering, Swarly Road Construction has actively grown its fleet of Caterpillar asphalt paving machinery, while training and hiring more operators to grow its team of paving experts. Adam Dahlenburg, Operation Supervisor at Swarly, says the addition of a Cat AP600F Asphalt Paver to the company’s fleet was a “no-brainer” as the team looked to expand its fleet.
“I decided we should go with the Cat paver as they’ve got a lot to offer. With the value of the machine and the cost and availability for parts, it was a sensible choice for us,” he says. “With some other [machinery manufacturing] companies, parts are a lot harder to come by. Caterpillar’s record for spare parts and their warranty is really impressive.” KEEPING QUIET Initially, Swarly operated as a labour hire business, sending crews who would operate other contractor’s machinery. Over the past few years, the company has grown its own fleet of machinery. Purchasing the AP600F Asphalt Paver marks the company’s first introduction into larger machinery, having owned the smaller
Cat AP300 Paver prior to this. Dahlenburg expects the purchase to provide a significant increase in the company’s capabilities to undertake larger projects. With a large number of Swarly’s paving operations happening close to residential areas, quietness is another key feature in the Cat paver that has impressed Dahlenburg. “In terms of operating the machine, one of the standouts is the reduction of noise when operating the paver. They are probably one of the quietest machines around.” Ryan Van Den Broek, Industry Manager for Road Construction at Hastings Deering, says the AP600F Wheel Asphalt Paver is ideal for contractors who usually operate within urban areas, due to its reduced sound output. “For projects in urban area, noise is very much a concern. The F Series pavers are
Queensland-based Swarly Road Construction recently acquired a new Cat AP600F Wheel Asphalt Paver.
roadsonline.com.au
37
