SOILCO’s Charlie Emery speaks with Waste Management Review about his 20-year partnership with CJD Equipment.

In July 2019, organics recovery and horticulture specialists SOILCO were awarded a contract to design, construct and operate a state-of-the-art organics recycling facility in NSW’s Northern Rivers Region.

Since then, SOILCO has gone through the planning, approval and construction phases, with the facility to be commissioned in June this year.

With a capacity to process 25,000 tonnes of organic waste each year, the enclosed composting facility will see a steady influx of material.

To support operations and ensure fast cycle times, SOILCO engaged CJD Equipment – purchasing a Volvo wheel loader for the facility.

The purchase builds on a longstanding relationship with CJD, with SOILCO owning an extensive fleet of Volvo’s including an EC220D excavator and various sized H Series wheel loaders, as well as older models.

Charlie Emery, SOILCO General Manager, explains that the company looked at a number of wheel loader brands for the new facility.

He adds, however, that given the site’s location and distance from SOILCO’s existing facilities, the company chose to engage CJD once again.

“The new plant is quite far away so our relationship with CJD was important, as we knew we could rely on their after sales support, as well as our confidence in the product,” Emery says.

“I’ve been with SOILCO for 20 years and we’ve had a relationship with CJD all that time. We went away for a short period – one cycle of loaders – and the reason we came back was the after sales support and CJD’s ability to service a product that is being highly utilised 10 to 15 hours per day in harsh operating environments.”

Volvo bodies are built to last, Emery adds, with their build quality well suited to SOILCO’s humid operating environments.

“We get a lot of utilisation out of them, with a target of 60 to 70 hours a week,” he says.

“It really comes down to the manoeuvrability of the machines and how they operate in tight spaces.”

According to Emery, Volvo loaders are nimble, effective in tight turning circles and have quick loading times.

“We also have extra extensions in our booms to get over the higher trucks and the Volvo joystick controls work well for us in that regard,” he says.

CJD’s H Series Volvo loaders are robust, offering the high-quality performance Volvo is known for as well as a host of features that promote greater versatility and stability.

Volvo’s load-sensing hydraulics and a robust Tier 3/ Stage IIIA Volvo engine supply power to the hydraulic functions according to demand to boost efficiency and lower fuel consumption.

The system also ensures a fast response for shorter cycle times, while delivering smooth operation through superior control of both the load and the attachment.

Daily service checks can be carried out quickly and simply thanks to ground level grouped service points, helping to achieve maximum uptime from each machine.

“We can’t afford to have any down time, and our service team find the machines to be very economical in terms of servicing and running,” Emery says.

Similarly, with safe and easy access to centralised filters and grouped greasing points, the EC220D excavator is a user-friendly machine.

The excavator offers operators a 10 per cent increase in fuel efficiency, as well as a smart hydraulic system that increases controllability to offer smoother and easier movement when travelling and lifting simultaneously.

The EC220D also uses a variety of attachments for versatility, including X1 and X2 auxiliary circuits, quick couplers, direct fit, general purpose and heavy-duty buckets and a Volvo tooth system for all applications.

The excavator’s spacious cab also comprises robust slim cab pillars, large expanses of glass, an adjustable seat and easy-to-access controls to reduce fatigue and boost productivity.

“As a General Manager you don’t often hear about the good machines, you only hear about the bad ones. When I don’t hear much about the Volvo’s, it means that everyone is happy,” Emery says.

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