Like many owner-operators before him, Owen Mays’ purchase of a tiltrotator was several years in the making. “I’d always been interested in tiltrotators, and knew the benefits they could bring my business” Owen, founder of Mays Plant Hire, explains “but I wanted to wait until I could justify the initial expense.”
Specialising in forestry and environmental work, Owen needs his machinery to be flexible, responsive and, above all, durable. “My work can take me to some pretty challenging surroundings” Owen continues, “from overgrown forests to waterlogged fields. I need to make sure my excavators are up to the rigours of working in sometimes tough environments.”
Owen first discovered tiltrotators while looking at ways to both improve his fleet’s capabilities and increase his business’ profitability. Owen says: “I operate a fleet of Takeuchi excavators, ranging in size from 1.2 to 10 tonnes, and while I was generally happy with their overall performance, I knew their flexibility could be dramatically improved with the installation of tiltrotators.”
Before deciding on the tiltrotator that was right for his fleet, Owen did his due diligence and spoke to a number of leading manufacturers. After these conversations, and a number of trial runs, it was Engcon which came out on top. “While cost was an important factor for me, I was hugely impressed with the actual design of Engcon’s tiltrotator – it was highly intuitive and very easy to use. What’s more, I was blown away by the knowledge and professionalism of the Engcon team, something that’s been consistent right from our first meeting through to any aftercare the tiltrotators have needed” Owen says.
In total, Owen has invested in three tiltrotators for his 1.2, 4 and 10-tonne Takeuchis. The result has been astounding. He continues: “I might have been worried about justifying the expense of that first tiltrotator, but any concerns were addressed in no time. The tiltrotator paid for itself within a year, and I was wondering how I ever managed without one! One area in which the Engcon particularly shines is in drainage. This can be a time-consuming and messy job, with drivers having to extract shingle from a dumper and place it into drainage runs. The addition of a tiltrotator has hugely simplified this process, and I’ve estimated that I can now complete drainage work up to 40% quicker than before.”
To complement his tiltrotators, Owen has invested in a number of additional products from Engcon. These include selector and timber grabs, tree sheers, land rakes and a set of buckets ranging in capacity from 300mm to 1,400mm.
Owen has also recently upgraded his 9-tonne excavator’s tiltrotator to include an SK10 grab and EC-Oil, a development from Engcon which makes it easier than ever before to switch between hydraulic tools without having to leave the cab. EC-Oil is designed to maximise an excavator’s efficiency, enabing operators to save on fuel, an important consideration in reducing his overall overheads.
Owen concludes: “EC-Oil seems like the logical next step after investing in a tiltrotator. For plant hire specialists like myself, time really is money. So something like EC-Oil, which could save me up to fifteen minutes every time I need to change a hydraulic attachment, means I can complete my work even more safely, but increase my profitability too.”
