TBS Hire
Ltd of Great Barton near Bury St Edmunds adds more Volvo compact excavators as
it continues to expand its growing hire fleet.
Up until
two years ago, long established TBS Plant Hire and builders’ merchants was in a
sorry state of decline and general neglect.
But the
company’s fortunes were about to change as husband and wife team, Trevor and
Emma Jackson, took a leap of faith and bought the business in 2016 and set
about its road to recovery. Their initial Volvo compact excavator was an EC15D
which has since been joined by another 1.5-tonne excavator, a larger EC18D and
most recently, two reduced swing ECR50Ds. These are now part of TBS’s growing
fleet of mini excavators, rollers, dumpers and access equipment supported by a
wide and comprehensive range of tool hire equipment.
“We came
into the business with some background experience as I’m also involved in the
family’s landscaping business,” explains Trevor Jackson.
“Turning
TBS around has been an exciting challenge. After one year of trading we
recognized the need for some additional expertise and help moving the business
forward, so we recruited Luke Driver as our full time Plant Manager. Luke
brings a lot of experience to the business and in total, we now have nine
employees fully engaged in our Plant and Tool hire operations.”
All the
Volvo compact excavators have been supplied by SMT GB’s utility dealer for
Norfolk and Suffolk – Contractors Equipment Sales (CES). “Besides having a good
and positive relationship with the team at CES, we’re finding that our
customers certainly appreciate the attributes of the Volvo product,” says Emma
Jackson. “In particular they like the ease of entry and exit to the cab as well
as the all - round operation and controllability of the machines.”
The
ECR50Ds that have recently been added to the TBS fleet feature a fuel-efficient
Volvo D2.6A four-cylinder engine brings a useful power increase too, with
41.8hp. Eco-plus preset engine rpm modes and an auto-idle function let the
operator make the most of the machine’s power and economy. With load sensing,
variable displacement hydraulics, plus flow sharing and proportional controls,
the ECR50D also brings big machine capability to a compact package. With
auxiliary lines and 75-litres/min oil flow, it offers much more than just the
ability to dig holes.
The short
radius swing excavator design provides exceptional stability and is ideal for
working in confined spaces. Simultaneous control of slew and offset movements
provides faster, more precise performance and all hydraulic functions are
performed in total independence for more control and less delay when handling
multiple tasks. An added bonus is the ability to operate the wide range of
hydraulic attachments using proportional control if required.
“We’ll be looking to add more Volvo
machines to our fleet,” says Trevor who recently took part in a customer clinic
activity at Volvo Construction Equipment’s compact equipment manufacturing
facility in Belley, France. “Seeing first-hand how the machines are built and
the quality that goes into them has been a positive experience for us so we
will certainly be adding more in the near future.”
Based at Great Barton just outside
Bury St Edmunds, TBS Hire provides contractors, builders and home DIY
enthusiasts in East Anglia and beyond with a complete range of plant equipment
and tool hire.
Contractors
Equipment Sales Ltd (CES) of Harrier Way, Norwich is SMT GBs utility equipment
dealer covering Norfolk and Suffolk marketing the full range of Volvo compact
excavators from 1.5 to 9 tonnes in operating weight.
SMT GB
markets Volvo Construction Equipment products which include wheeled loaders,
articulated haulers, hydraulic excavators, Volvo utility equipment and Volvo
road equipment products 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.
