Liebherr TA 230 Litronic - Manual (Page 17)

32 // Quarrying Quarrying // 33
Why did the operators of the two quarries choose the same
machine? Jean-Roger Delanne, owner of the Mines d’Ambazac,
and Christian Mazière, responsible for the feldspar quarry at
Montebras, are two men of the same type. Both are hands-
on workers whenever it is needed – either as a blaster or as
a driver. They both made a conscious decision to buy the
R 960 SME because they were convinced by the capability,
robustness and stability, and by the simple controls and low fuel
consumption.
Christian Mazière bought the very first machine of the R 960 SME
series. Following a convincing test phase, Jean-Roger Delanne
has now also decided to purchase one. This decision is nothing
new for the two managers. Liebherr has dominated their fleets
for many years.
Innovative products
“The machines in catalogue did not satisfy our requirements,”
the quarry operator adds. “We have special needs that had to
be discussed with the dealer. We had the R 960 SME and the
wheel loader as test machines, plus the support of a very
professional demonstration team. Our staff were given instruction,
in particular on the special features of the hydrostatic travel drive
of the wheel loader. We chose Liebherr on account of the proximity
and commitment of the dealer, but also because of the quality
and innovative products.”
Jean-Roger Delanne sees the relationship between product
performance and fuel consumption as the great advantage of
Liebherr machines, but he also rates the activities of the Solomat
staff as being positive. “This development would not have been
possible without them. They supported us throughout the entire
approval process for the gravel for SNCF (French National
Railways).” But he does confess, “There is no perfect solution.
A good compromise always has to be found. With respect to
the excavator tested, we made a number of modifications to the
R 960 SME to meet our requirements, for example, the attachment
kinematics, the choice of a reinforced version of the backhoe
bucket and the modified track width to optimise mining of
extremely abrasive material.”
Convincing partnership between
Liebherr and its dealer
In 2005, Christian Mazière took over the management of the
Imerys Ceramics France feldspar quarry and of the Montebras
works. Two years later, the time had come to renew the fleet of
machines and he made a radical decision to change to a different
manufacturer. “Why do I prefer Solomat? Because of the good
reputation of its customer service. At first, the thing that impressed
me even more than the R 954 C was the L 566 wheel loader. The
drivers were quickly accustomed to the hydrostatic travel drive
and greatly appreciated the simple controls and the ergonomics
of the cab.”
His drivers agree with him. “Initially I found the driving response
of the machine difficult to command due to the hydrostatic
system, but now I find it efficient and reliable,” explains Jean-
Louis Cheminet. Pascal Larpin quickly got used to his new
machine. He especially appreciates the comfort in the cab and
the simple changeover from a standard steering wheel to steering
with a quarter turn. Hervé Goutron was already familiar with the
hydrostatic drive. He attaches great value to the fluid and sensitive
controls and the great stability that counter the development of
fatigue, and if necessary, the technician from Solomat is close by.
“When I was planning the renewal of my fleet of machines, the
R 960 SME had just been launched,” Christian Mazière
remembers. “Compared to the R 956 HD, its components have
been greatly reinforced, and it was launched at exactly the right
moment.” Responding to customer wishes is also important.
“I requested two improvements: an HDV backhoe bucket with
3.25 m³ and side catwalks to make it easier to service the
excavator. I had to fight to get the backhoe bucket, but compared
to its competitors it makes a vast difference in productivity.”
The result was better than expected
In order to justify the additional cost of his choice of machine to
the company management, Christian Mazière conducted an
investigation. “The excavator is a decisive factor for productivity.
The size of the R 960 SME, its power and its speed when loading
trucks, enabled my operation to deliver more tonnes per day at
lower cost per tonne. The investment in the R 960 SME has
paid off. The end result is even better than expected.” After 1,000
operating hours, the operations manager speaks highly of the
machine.
In the four quarries operated by Jean-Roger Delanne, there are
35 machines, including four Liebherr wheel loaders (an L 550,
an L 566, an L 580 and an L 586), two crawler excavators (an
R 944 C and an R 936) and a PR 724 XL crawler tractor. Jean-
Roger Delanne stresses, “We are an independent family business.
Each of our quarries is different and the special features of each
have to be taken into account. This assumes a business
relationship based on trust, communication and quick service
response. We used to use a different machine supplier, but we
were always looking for a partner in the true sense. Then we
stumbled upon Solomat, the Liebherr contractual dealer in
Limoges. There we make our requirements plain, and in return
we got the right solutions.”
“Each of our quarries is
different and the special
features of each have to
be taken into account.”
Jean-Roger Delanne, proprietor
of Mines d’Ambazac
High productivity in the test
operation was decisive for the purchase.
The Ambazac and
Montebras quarries
Two quarries in central France, only about 100 kilometres apart. The same type of excavator
has to work properly at both locations. Here we present the R 960 SME.
Quarrying in profile: Ambazac and Montebras Quarrying in profile: Ambazac and Montebras
“The R 960 SME allows my
operation to deliver more tonnes
per day at lower cost per tonne.”
Christian Mazière, director of the feldspar
quarry at Montebras