Solid move in Ireland

Cementing its position in Ireland, Terex Trucks’ 28-tonne articulated hauler, the TA300, has been selected for work in the country’s largest private quarrying company, Kilsaran. Terex

Cementing its position in Ireland, Terex Trucks’ 28-tonne articulated hauler, the TA300, has been selected for work in the country’s largest private quarrying company, Kilsaran.

Terex Trucks’ proven articulated hauler, the TA300, has been showcasing its versatility and fuel efficient ways to Ireland’s leading concrete product supplier, Kilsaran, at its Gallstown Quarry located in Louth, in the border region of Ireland. "The TA300 is an impressive truck – it’s fit for purpose, built to perform and not too complicated,” says Peter Ryan, site manager at the quarry. Ryan adds, “We use the truck for a couple of purposes, primarily for hauling material from our chip plant, bringing aggregates to our concrete and block-making facilities; and secondly, we put it to work doing the removal of overburden at the quarry, and some general housekeeping muck shifts around the site.”

Established in 1964 by Patrick McKeown, Kilsaran is a family-owned business that initially specialised in the production of sand and gravel. Its operation has grown substantially and the company is now renowned for creating a number of construction materials including asphalt, road surfacing aggregates, and paving bricks. With 16 modern facilities countrywide, Kilsaran acquired the Gallstown Quarry as a greenfield site in the early 90s but has since transformed it into a fully-functioning quarry equipped with a concrete plant, block making-facility, crushing and screening, and washer plant. Known for producing material with an unusually high polish stone value, Kilsaran has grown into a progressive company over the last 50 years, while still maintaining the intimacy of a family-run business. As such, Kilsaran is not short of accolades for its products and commitments to the environment. Matching its equipment to its mission, Kilsaran purchased the low emission 28-tonne TA300 from Terex Trucks’ official dealer EMS in January 2016.

Terex Trucks first impressed Kilsaran after EMS brought the machine on the Gallstown site for demonstration, at which point it quickly won favour with operators. “EMS was very keen to position a truck in our company and to date, it’s been very positive,” says Ryan. “This partnership is meaningful, it's much more personal, and EMS is particularly attentive.” Ryan adds, “Terex Trucks has also been of great assistance since we got the machine. They want to look after us, and they want to see that we’re happy; EMS has the full support of Terex Trucks and that’s where we are with it.” “EMS is delighted to have Kilsaran as another satisfied customer to have purchased a Terex Trucks machine from us. In what has been a very challenging and competitive market, we’ve made great progress in the last two years with Terex Trucks in Ireland. These results have been achieved by Terex Trucks partnering very closely with EMS and our customers, and also the rock solid performance of the manufacturer’s products which have added value to our customers’ businesses,” comments Seamus Flynn, sales director at EMS.

Built at the Motherwell factory in Scotland, the TA300 is designed to power through the toughest environments efficiently with good fuel economy. Offering maximum return on investment, the machine is fitted with a Scania DC9 five cylinder 9.3 litre engine running at 276 kW (370hp) and maximum torque of 1880 Nm. This power is due to a drivetrain gear reduction that provides excellent rimpull, powering the articulated hauler up the steepest inclines and enabling increased operator control when conditions are at their toughest. Transmission and engine exhaust brake retardation systems come as standard, while a high capacity body makes for excellent productivity due to the amount of material that can be moved in a single trip. In addition, the TA300 features fully independent front suspension, as well as a spacious ergonomic cab offering a commanding view and operator comfort. Suited particularly well to the Gallstown site, the TA300 will clock up the hours working eight hour shifts six times a week, loading and hauling aggregate from the static crushing plant and transferring it to the block and concrete-making facility. Ryan concludes: “The TA300 is performing well, it’s doing exactly as we’d expect from a relatively new truck – it’s trouble free and the operator likes it!”