Marubeni-Komatsu outperforms other suppliers
11/07/2005

Thompsons of Prudhoe is a specialist in the North East’s demolition, earthworks and quarrying.  They have placed their biggest order yet with the purchase of 6 excavators and 2 FRD Sorting Grabs from Marubeni-Komatsu, the sole UK distributor of Komatsu machines.

The family-run business started in 1948 and has spanned across three generations.  Originally from humble beginnings, the company now generates a yearly gross turnover of almost £30million.  The revenue is achieved from managing four quarries, four waste disposal sites and three recycling centres as well as carrying out demolition and earthworks contracts throughout the North East.

Maintaining the expansion across these sites, Thompsons have increased their fleet with the purchase of two FRD FSG19 sorting grabs, with jaws made of Hardox 400 for long term guarantee and crawler excavators from the Komatsu Dash 7 series.  This includes a PC600-7, two PC340-7, and three PC210-7, with operating rates of 65t, 35t and 21t respectively.

The Dash 7 series is the latest range from Komatsu, designed to deliver reliability, high impact functionality and extreme operator comfort, in an environmentally friendly package.  Due to the special Equipment Management Monitoring System (EMMS), operators are not only able to check on the running condition of the machines, but trouble-shooting is memorised to minimise productivity loss.

Initially four suppliers were approached for the selection process, but ultimately Komatsu won the contract based on several reasons: the machines are built locally at the Birtley plant, thus ensuring a close support network is readily available; good impressions were formed due to Komatsu’s friendly sales representative, Phil Newton; and in the past 30 years, Komatsu machines consistently demonstrate high quality performance.  Thompsons are particularly pleased with the PC750.

The Komatsu machines have been built according to demolition specifications, incorporating heavy duty carriages, plates, special guards and shutters to handle the wide range of heavy duty work on site.  They are also painted in Thompsons of Prudhoe corporate colours of battleship grey.

John Thompson says: “In terms of what we bought, Komatsu machines demonstrate value for money.”

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