Project: Repurposing an EC750 Bucket
Customer: Wainwright Aggregates
PROJECT SUMMARY
Wainwright Aggregates, a trusted supplier to the construction industry, local authorities, and National Highways, operates from Moons Hill Quarry and Asphalt Plant. Their services span aggregate extraction, asphalt manufacturing, and surfacing contracting.
To support their demanding operations involving abrasive basalt material, Wainwright required a robust bucket solution for their Volvo EC750 excavator. Amongst Wainwright’s work tools, they already had a heavy duty bucket compatible with the machine that they required to be repurposed to deliver superior performance and longevity when handling basalt material at its Moons Hill Quarry.
CHALLENGE
The existing EC750 heavy duty bucket required significant modification to withstand the harsh conditions at the quarry face, where durability and wear resistance are essential for front-line operations.
WHY MILLER
- Miller has supported Wainwright Aggregates for a few years to deliver repairs and refurbishments on an array of buckets;
- Over 47 years’ experience in manufacturing, repairing and refurbishing an extensive range of earthmoving & heavy mining equipment;
- Dedicated repair and refurbishment facilities with overhead craneage facilities with high crane lift capabilities;
- Specialist equipment including line boring capability to guarantee precision;
- Highly trained and skilled team comprising specialist skillsets in fabrication, welding, NDT, fitting and line boring;
- Ability to tailor repair services to individual customer needs to provide a bespoke package
- Dedicated transport facilities for heavy equipment and machinery;
- Work Safe with Miller initiative embedded in the culture at Miller ensures a sustainable safety mindset is instilled with individuals at all levels.
SOLUTION
Miller carried out a comprehensive upgrade of the EC750 bucket, which included upgrading the heavy duty bucket with the following using robust Hardox© material:
- Internal wear strips for enhanced durability;
- Corner blocks and side plates for structural reinforcement;
- Top and bottom lip plates with bolt-on lip protection;
- Underside chocky blocks to reduce wear from abrasive material;
- A new GET (Ground Engaging Tools) system, with the lip drilled to accept bolt-on parts.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
- Wainwright now has a reliable work tool for use on the quarry face at Moons Hill Quarry;
- Miller has extended the bucket lifespan in high-wear environments;
- Minimal maintenance will be required by Wainwright required post-refurbishment;
- Operator satisfaction and improved productivity;
- Cost-effective reuse of existing equipment, eliminating the cost of purchasing a new bucket.
“The first bucket we had refurbished by Miller in 2022 has already seen three years of service and, following the refurbishment, required no further maintenance aside from replacing the ESCO teeth. This performance led Wainwright to commission another bucket—built to the same specification.
“Since being put into action, the newly refurbished bucket has performed flawlessly. Operators have reported high satisfaction, and early signs indicate that the wear parts are functioning exactly as intended.
“I recently had a visit to Miller’s facilities and was greatly impressed by the company’s extensive capabilities. Miller’s Site Solutions Manager, Conor Thompson, has always been extremely helpful, understanding our needs and delivering exactly what we need. I would highly recommend Miller to deliver plant repairs and refurbishments.”
Jason Dando, Engineering Manager at Wainwright Aggregates
