Newell Kicks Volvo, Hitachi Fleet Into Overdrive to Meet Deadline

Wed February 21, 2001
Marc Rapport

Keith Newell knows that the best way to stay successful is to surround himself with the best people and the best equipment. When his company, W.S. Newell Inc., took on a site prep job in Montgomery, AL, he armed himself with a little of both, including some of the newest offerings from Hitachi and Volvo.

The arsenal of 25 machines that Newell is using on the Wal-Mart development project includes eight Volvo articulated haulers and three Hitachi excavators the 50-year-old business just bought from Trax Inc.’s operation in Montgomery.

The trucks are Volvo A35C and A30C models, while the three excavators are one each of the Hitachi EX330-5 LC, EX550-5 LC and EX750-5 LC versions.

The weather has been a challenge on the job, but not the equipment, said Newell, the company’s vice president and superintendent on the 59-acre job site at Highway 80 and Atlanta Highway.

“It’s been a challenge to continue working through the poor weather conditions,” he said. “We’re dealing with it, making the most of any opportunities, and our production is still almost right on target for where it should be.”

The project will include a new Wal-Mart, parking lots and outparcels. As the primary site contractor, W.S. Newell Inc. will be using its Volvos, Hitachis and other gear to move about 500,000 cu. yds. (382,000 cu m) of material, utilizing a borrow pit at the rear of the job site.

Clearing and grubbing on the job began in late November and Newell’s crews are moving more than 10,000 yds. (9,144 m) of material on a good day while they get ready to hand the site over to building contractors on the scheduled date of Feb. 18.

Other ongoing tasks include parking lot completion and storm water and sewer line work that includes putting in about 6,000 ft. (1,828 m) of storm drain. That part of the project is to be completed in mid September.

While working through the sloppy weather, “Our success comes from the good equipment that we’re working with, especially the Volvo trucks and the great service they’ve given us,” Newell said.

“The Hitachis have experienced no major breakdowns and anytime we have any problem with any of these machines, a technician is here in 30 minutes,” he added. “Overall, Trax has given us very reliable service. Other machines that we also rely heavily on are our Cat dozers and scrapers, which also have been working very well on the project.”

W.S. Newell founded the company in 1951 with his first job, building a pond. He remains the company’s president, while his sons Keith and Sam are the vice presidents.

The Montgomery-based company has become one of the region’s largest earth-moving contractors, employing as many as 350 people at its peak on projects across the Southeast for clients that include Lowe’s, Home Depot and Wal-Mart. The company also is involved in residential and commercial property development and in water and sewer project contracting.

One business associate of the Newells who’s not surprised at their satisfaction with the machinery at the Wal-Mart site is Dave Niesen, Trax Inc.’s vice president of operations for Alabama.

“These are high-quality machines that we know will do the job for W.S. Newell, and we’re here to back that up with our service,” Niesen said.

“Those machines offer maximum performance, reliability and operator comfort,” Niesen said of the Hitachi excavators.

Niesen said the Volvo trucks also offer high performance along with low-emission, fuel-efficient engines.

“They also have high visibility for operators, along with top-notch ergonomics and comfort and low maintenance time,” he said.

The excavators are all members of Hitachi’s new Dash 5 series, which features computerized engine/hydraulic power control systems and more sophisticated power and work modes (including trench digging, precision, grading and excavating) for higher efficiency of operation.

The EX330-5 excavator features a 228-hp (169.9 kW) turbo-charged, direct-injection diesel engine from Isuzu. It has an operating weight of 71,649 lb. (32,500 kg) and a maximum digging reach of 39 ft. 5 in. (12 m).

The EX550-5 is considered a bridge between trailerable “contractor” excavators and quarry application machines. It has a Cummins direct-injection diesel engine delivering 361 hp (269.2 kW), an operating weight of up to 125,200 lb. (56,800 kg) depending on shoe size and a maximum digging reach of 47 ft. 5 in. (14 m).

The EX750-5 features a 434-hp (323 kW) Cummins diesel engine, an operating weight of up to 164,900 lb. (74,800 kg) and a maximum digging reach of 51 ft. 6 in. (15.7 m).

The Volvo articulated haulers, meanwhile, are part of Volvo Construction Equipment Group’s line of heavy-duty machinery that also includes wheel loaders and motor graders.

The articulated haulers feature rotating frame joint and articulated steering that make it possible for tractor and trailer to move independently of each other, reducing the frame stress of off-road driving. They also have all-wheel drive and 100 percent differential-lock in all axles, which work together to eliminate getting stuck while dumping or loading.

Trax meanwhile, is one of the leading dealers of Hitachis in North America. The company was founded in 1962 and now is part of Marubeni Corp. Based in Atlanta, GA, Trax employs about 300 people at 17 offices from Texas through North Carolina and Florida.

This story also appears on Construction Equipment Guide.