First Kobelco Gen-10 rig delivered

When Kobelco's latest range of excavators was announced in January 2016, Sunshine Coast company Coleman Drainage wasted no time in ordering the new machines to add to its already extensive fleet.

After a few months of waiting, the company finally received the first Kobelco Generation 10 machine in Australia – the SK260LC-10.

Coleman Drainage founders Mike and Steve Coleman and John O'Toole are massive fans of the brand and currently own one of the longest-running Kobelco fleets in Australia.

Coleman Drainage's fleet ranges from the SK20SR all the way up to the SK480LC-8, the latter carrying out work such as large-scale trenching, infrastructure and subdivision work.

"We've been following Kobelco since they first arrived in the country and we bought our first Kobelco 907; they've always worked well for us," says Mike Coleman.

He adds that the company replaces a machine each year, and that this year's decision came easily.

"We recognised the effort and attention to detail that has gone into the new Generation 10 machines," he says.

"The nature of the jobs we do means we're paid by the bucket rather than by the hour so the power and efficiency of the Kobelco SK260LC-10 fits the bill for us. It means we can get more work done in a shorter amount of time and move onto the next job, making us more profitable."

According to Kobelco, its Generation 10 series of excavators are more fuel efficient, consuming up to 16 per cent less fuel compared to the previous series 8.

"A key contributor to its exceptional efficiency is the new Kobelco Arm Interflow System; a hydraulic regenerative system that enables the boom's weight to force hydraulic fluid to the shovel arm," says Kobelco General Manager Sales & Service, Doug McQuinn.

He adds the increased fuel efficiency is not at the expense of power, with the base models (SK200-10 and SK210LC-10) still capable of delivering up to 157kN of digging force and 112kN of arm crowding force.

According to the Colemans, reliability is a critical factor when purchasing a machine as they opt for a team approach to a job site.

"When we're working a site, we mostly operate in teams," explains Mike Coleman.

"The larger machine will be doing the bulk of the work, and we'll have a medium one behind it to do the finer pieces of work, then a smaller one behind it running around.

"If that larger machine is not operating it costs us up to five times as much in lost productivity."

"We've been taking this approach for many years and using Kobelcos throughout those years. It's a winning formula."

Fuel efficiency is also a key consideration for the company. "It's easy to lose sight of how much fuel your machines are using with such a large fleet but we're confident that the Kobelcos operate efficiently whilst maintaining the power we need," Coleman says.

The fleet is split between the Brisbane and Sunshine Coast offices in Queensland; looking to the future Mike says he will be maintaining the business as it stands.

The Coleman team has received strong support from the team at BrisVegas Machinery.

"After the team at BrisVegas became the Queensland Kobelco dealer about a year ago, we have built a solid relationship with them," says Mike.

"We received great service when we bought the new Generation 10 Kobelco SK260LC-10 and we look forward to working with them in the future."

In addition to improvements in fuel efficiency, Kobelco's Generation 10 machines also feature upgrades in terms of servicing and operator comfort.

"In this generation we have revised the layout of the upper deck, allowing easy access to the engine compartment," says Kobelco's Doug McQuinn.

"We've also created a new compact and easily replaceable canister-type hydraulic oil return filter, and a new reinforced air-cleaner element.

"All of these components were designed with ease and speed of service in mind, keeping the time off job sites to a minimum while maximising the value of the machine back to your business.

"We know operators spend long hours in the cab each day so health and safety is paramount. The control levers on the Generation 10 are 38 per cent lighter than previous models, which make a huge difference when spending up to eight or 10 hours in the cab.

"We've also relocated the fuel tank, which improves the view to the right-hand side of the machine."

Other key features of Kobelco's Generation 10 excavators include an air-suspension seat, additional air-conditioning vents, Bluetooth radio, 12v power socket, USB port and a revised rear storage area.

"The impressive specifications and features of the Generation 10 machines, Japanese technology and customer-led feedback have successfully come together to provide customers with resilient excavators offering reliability, operator comfort, low cost and high work efficiency," McQuinn says.

The series features six models, from the 20-tonne SK200-10 to the 35-tonne SK350LC-10, which will gradually be released throughout 2016.

Find out more about Kobelco's Generation 10 excavators at kobelco.com.au.