GREAT PERFORMANCE, RELIABILITY AND BACKUP WITH TWO KOMATSU MACHINES

West Australian-based cable and communications installation specialist Aligned Cables has recently purchased two new Komatsu excavators, a PC55MR-3 and a PC88MR-8.

This purchase was based on the performance, reliability and product support it has received with two older Komatsu machines.?

The company operatesthroughout the south west of WA, as far north as Perth and south as far as Augusta, laying and installing underground electrical cable and communications ducting.

While most of its works involve ducting and cabling, it also carries out drainage, water mains and stormwater installation works.

The company was started by Managing Director Darren Hotker in July 2006; before that, he'd worked for about eight years in the civil construction industry sector.

Prior to its latest purchase of the two new Komatsu excavators, Aligned Cables operated two Komatsu machines, a WA100-3 loader dating back to 1986 and which was purchased when starting the business, and a WA150-5 bought new in late 2007.

"Basically the reason we are going back to Komatsu for the two new excavators has been the performance of the wheel loaders," said Darren.

"The WA150 has been absolutely brilliant: it is a great machine for what we do.

"It is very easy and very comfortable to operate, while servicing has been excellent with Komatsu's branch down here in Bunbury.

"It is always easy enough to get parts and advice when we need it," he said.

"The same goes with the WA100-3, which we've traded in on the two new excavators.

"Since we had it, we have rebuilt the engine we did that all ourselves but we went through Komatsu for parts.

"Everything was readily available, either ex-Perth or ex-Bunbury, and anything that wasn't available from those branches was sourced pretty quickly."

Darren said applications for the new excavators would include a variety of jobs, including trenching, installing street lights, lifting culverts, and lifting and installing small transformers, along with incidental related works.

At the time of speaking to him, just before taking delivery of his new machines in mid-April, Darren was looking forward to trying out Komatsu's KOMTRAX remote monitoring system, which comes standard with Komatsu construction equipment.

"I am really looking forward to getting hold of a machine with KOMTRAX to see how it works and what we can do with it.

"It will be good for me just to be a bit more in the know about what is going on with the machines while they are working.

"Being too busy to be out there all day long watching them, I just have to hope that the guys look after them, so KOMTRAX will give us a fair bit more insight into what is actually going on, which will be good," said Darren.