Specialist re-surfacing contractor Eurovia ditch 350 and 500mm cold milling machine hires in Bristol for more manoeuvrable and mobile Multihog, man and productive planer attachment
Highway maintenance market leaders need to be at the forefront of implementing equally innovative equipment to maintain their status as Paul Morse, Highways Supervisor at Eurovia can testify.
With over 40 years’ experience in asphalt production and laying, Eurovia Surfacing are well established providers of high quality carriageway and footway surfacing/re-surfacing and now join highways contractors such as Amey, Ringway, Skanska and Kier in acquiring the Multihog.
Trading tradition with innovation cuts costs
Paul explains the transition from hiring typical cold milling planers to introducing the operated Multihog:
“Since everyone has been able to get to grips and understand the machines capabilities the machine is now established as an invaluable asset on the contract offering huge advantages over previous planers used.”
Given the specialist nature of the schemes, which can involve working along main roads, around schools and in public spaces with strict restrictions on working hours, speed of operations is essential and the Multihog is exceeding targets set every day, proving a massive advantage from a management perspective.
“It comfortably hits targets and is offering instant savings and minimising any potential headaches. The machine is much more manoeuvrable than previous kit used which means we can carry out repairs hassle free.”
Previously, parked cars in planned areas of work could impede on productivity due to access restrictions of specialist cold planers, whereas, the Multihog’s enhanced articulated manoeuvrability and side-shifting planer head enables work to continue in confined spaces.
“On a daily basis we encounter patches that wouldn’t be accessible with the previous planers, this would then incur costs to remove any obstructions, not to mention additional outlays due to downtime.”
Quick set-up time is key for any highways contractor and time traditionally lost through unloading the previous planers from a low loader as well as removing guards and setting depths is now averted.
“If the Multihog was to go head-to-head against our old cold planing equipment, when you consider deployment delays in comparison to the Multihog’s mobility it would be in front 9 times out of 10.”
A complete hire service that goes the whole hog
When operating a tight road maintenance operation, within time restrictions, reliability and performance is pivotal to surpass client expectations and get ahead of the game.
Multihog UK operate the largest fleet of hire-ready Multihogs in the world and are extremely experienced in ensuring customer expectations are achieved for everyone’s mutual benefit.
When any new initiative is implemented it is important to support transitional change to maximise long term effectiveness and Paul has been very complimentary on Multihog’s whole approach:
“With the Multihog having never been previously used and the gang both fluent and familiar with traditional planers, the first month could have proved challenging without Scott our Multihog operator. Getting the gang on side is key to any new way of working.”
“A good test of a supplier is support. An engineer was out on site within 1 hour when a hydraulic hose was damaged 3-4 months into the hire. Given the machine’s productivity there wasn’t any issue catching up with work. Downtime can prove pricey but this has yet to be the case since using the Multihog.”
Operation overview
- 1 Multihog & Planer with Multihog UK operator
- 1 Sweeper & operator
- 1 Transit flatbed & 2 TM operatives
- 7 Tarmac operatives
- 2 vans with, 1 Tac coat sprayer, 1 Tracair, 1 Roller, 1 Whacker plate
- 1 White lining lorry with 2 operatives
