Volvo excavators and wheel loaders create efficiency and performance gains at Vietnamese marble quarry

A fleet of EC480DL crawler excavators and L220 series wheel loaders are helping Indian conglomerate, R K Marble, to save costs and boost productivity at a marble mine in Yen Bai Province, Vietnam. The fleet, which is made up of 8 excavators and 4 wheel loaders, is working across two sites in the country, taking on the challenging local conditions to deliver the world’s best marble to international buyers.

“We previously used excavators and wheel loaders from other brands but we switched to Volvo to increase our performance and fuel consumption onsite as well as to take advantage of exceptional support from the local dealer, T&C Machinery and Parts,” said Kamal Sogani, managing director of R K Marble. “We are very happy with our decision and will continue to invest in Volvo machines as we continue our expansion.”

The company’s fleet includes three generations of the L220 series: an L220F, an L220H and 2 L220G loaders. The machines work hand-in-hand with the EC480DL excavators. R K Marble has built its Volvo CE fleet over a three year period starting in 2017.

Saving costs

The machines spend up to 8 hours a day moving and managing large blocks of Class A, flawless white marble moving them across the 100-hectare quarry sites. Each block ca weigh between 10 and 30 tons and, in a month the facility will process up to 4000 tons of stone.

With the machines working so many hours on-site, fuel economy was an important factor in R K Marble’s purchase decision. According to Sogani, the machines are far more efficient than competing brands.

“Beyond the competitive initial purchase cost of our Volvo excavators, the machines have delivered savings throughout their lifetime with their excellent fuel economy,” he said. “Volvo said we would see improved fuel efficiency in the excavators of between 8 and 11% and so far that has proved correct.”

The EC480DL excavators are among the most versatile in the range and feature a Volvo D13 engine, enhanced hydraulic system and well-matched components for excellent fuel efficiency. The machine has a maximum digging depth of 9.17 m and a bucket capacity of up to 3.8 m³. The reinforced heavy-duty boom and arm are built from high-strength steel for added reliability in challenging applications.

Heavy-duty performance

Quarries can be a challenge for many machines with their uneven terrain and steep slopes but Sogani says the machines have remained productive despite the tough conditions.

“The L220H’s powerful specifications mean it can navigate quickly in rough and hilly terrain and move the heaviest marble blocks,” he noted. “With our facility producing such a large amount of marble, we are glad that the machines are up to the task and boosting productivity on site.”

The L220H is the latest in the L220 series and is more efficient, productive and technologically advanced than its predecessors. It has a bucket capacity of up to 16m³ an operating weight of up to 33,100 kg and a rated load of 20,190 kg. With a new transmission, new converter and revised gear ratio as well as a powerful D13J engine, owners can expect power and performance to meet any job site needs.

Established in 1989, R K Marble is headquartered in Rajasthan, India and has multiple quarries across India and Vietnam, exporting natural stone internationally.

“One of the main reasons we chose Volvo was the very good customer support in Vietnam,” said Sogani. “Our experience with the dealer, T&C, is very good – its after-sales service is the best in the industry. We feel at ease knowing that they have our back if we have any problems.”