W M Donald Ltd of Netherley, Stonehaven, has recently added a twenty-two tonne EC220E and a twenty-five tonne EC250E to its ever-expanding plant fleet.
The groundworks and civil engineering firm is a longstanding user of Volvo construction equipment products. Operator preference, sound residual values and the overall quality of the product has prompted Managing Director, Willie Donald, to opt for Volvo equipment once again. Both machines are replacing existing Volvo excavators in a mixed fleet of equipment, and have been equipped with the Trimble GPS Earthworks grade control platform, which allows them to operate semi-automatically.
The two new arrivals have been put to work on housebuilding projects in Dundee and Aberdeen, as well as laying in sewers and utilities. The larger EC250E is perfectly equipped to tackle larger earthmoving and lifting jobs on site. “It doesn’t sound much, but that extra three tonnes of operating weight and the larger engine capacity gives us greater flexibility on the larger sites we are currently working on,” explains Mr. Donald. “The stability is impressive and it’s proving to be ideal for lifting the larger trench boxes and six tonne manholes with excellent stability, even at full reach.”
The EC220E and EC250E excavators are powered by six and eight-cylinder Volvo Stage V engines, developing 174 and 213hp respectively. Operators can select the best work mode for the task at hand, ensuring optimal performance and fuel efficiency. Hammer/shear lines, along with hose rupture valves, are mounted on the boom and dipper cylinders as standard features on all Volvo excavators.
Operator comfort is another major plus point for both machines, with the Volvo Care cab providing plenty of legroom and foot space. The excellent all-round visibility on both machines is enhanced by pressurised and filtered cab air, which is supplied by fourteen-vent climate control systems. Adjustable, easy-to-read LCD colour monitors also provide real-time information on the functions of both machines.
W M Donald is a family-run business that began trading in 1977. It has since evolved into one of the largest and most successful civil engineering companies in the north-east of Scotland. The company’s commitment to its team, its clients and to the continuous improvement of the construction industry as a whole was highlighted when W M Donald was recognised for ‘Excellence in Health & Safety’ at the 2016 Trades Awards, and as the ‘Best Trades Business, 11+ Employees’ at the 2017 Trades Awards. In addition to this, W M Donald won ‘Business of the Year’ at the 2018 Northern Star Business Awards, which was organised by Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce.
Most recently, the company has built a brand new headquarters at its Netherley site that was officially opened by The Duke of Rothsay. Willie Donald said; – “We felt incredibly privileged to welcome The Duke of Rothesay to our new office, and to talk to him about the work we do in the North-East. He was especially interested to hear about some of the projects that we have been working on recently, including AWPR and P&J Live and to meet the teams behind these projects”.
“We usually prefer to keep our heads down and concentrate on our work, but we are also very passionate about our team and ensuring that they have the best working environment and equipment. For that reason, we decided to celebrate the opening of our new home and we were delighted when The Duke of Rothesay accepted our invitation to officially open the new office for us.”
SMT GB markets Volvo Construction Equipment products together with K-Tec articulated hauler scraper boxes in Great Britain. There are eight strategically placed Customer Support Centres, a dedicated National Used Equipment Centre and a network of utility equipment dealers to ensure high quality customer support is maintained throughout the country.
