The arrival of a new Puma 2400 Eco Sand Skimmer at Langham Water Treatment Works last month is the last of five to be delivered.
These machines have been delivered over the last couple of years to Production sites in the South – 3 in Essex and 2 in Suffolk. This very specialised bit of plant is built in Germany by USG, using a JCB 300T skid loader as a platform for their conversion. Whilst not quite as powerful as its predecessor, which used a Caterpillar 277 skid loader as a base machine, it is easier and more comfortable to use due to features including; creep speed, folding conveyor and larger cab design.
As the new sand skimmer was sourced from Germany, its purchase price was stated in Euros. During the time taken for this machine to be built the pound has recovered well against the Euro, resulting in a welcome cost saving of over £10,000 (5%). VLS have therefore been able to recalculate the lease rate based on the exchange rate used for its purchase, and are delighted to report a considerable reduction in the monthly lease rate against the original quote.
With a new Hyundai HL955AXT front end loader due to be delivered to Langham, the Essex sites in particular now have a far more modern and reliable plant fleet, including; sand skimmers, loaders, dumpers and excavators to help improve efficiencies.