LONGCLIFFE INVESTS IN NEW DUMPER FOR BRASSINGTON QUARRY OPERATION

Dumper trucks may seem unglamorous, but without them we would be missing critical mineral products which go into everyday essentials such as animal feeds, glass and adhesives. Recognising this important role, local company Longcliffe (who manufacture over 100 of these essential products) have invested over £500,000 in a new Komatsu dumper.

The five metres tall, 110-tonne (loaded) machine will replace an older dumper which has done good service at the company’s Brassington Moor Quarry for over 10 years. Quarry Manager Jon Murgatroyd said: “The dumpers can be the unsung heroes of our operation, but they play a vital role in the primary part of our process. Once the rock has been blasted, an excavator loads up the dumpers for onward transportation to our primary crusher. From here we crush the rock down and then mill it to produce the many grades of material our customers need for a range of everyday products.

“This Komatsu dumper can carry up to 63 tonnes of rock. The new machine will be operated by one of our very experienced team. It can move around 8,000 tonnes of rock per week, keeping customers supplied and the business operating efficiently. Over its lifetime it will carry up to 3.5 million tonnes of limestone.”

For the operators this new dumper truck offers a step up in comfort and safety with a bigger cab, 360-degree vision and a night heater. Longcliffe’s dumper trucks can put in up to 2,500 hours service a year. Jon concludes: “This investment forms part of our plan to continually upgrade equipment and ensure we maintain our efficiency, production levels and customer service.”