Quite but Powerful Performance

Volvo’s first L110H wheel loader in Australia puts in a quiet but powerful performance for local
composting company

On a 100-acre organic composting facility in Nambeelup, Western Australia, a fleet of Volvo wheel loaders are humming along quietly, like worker bees rejuvenating nature, as they shift compost loads with an average bulk density of between 600 kg to 1,000 kg per cubic meter.

“We currently use four Volvo loaders on site, and just purchased our 13th Volvo loader to replace the oldest one, which had logged about 10,000 hours,” said Clint Liddelow, Operations Manager, C-Wise, a Western Australian owned company that recycles organic carbon. “We really like the L110H’s productivity, fuel-efficiency and the quieter engine which is a result of the enclosed engine bay.”

C-Wise is using the first L110H wheel loader in Australia solely for dispatching organic compost five to six days per week, for an average of 50 hours. In addition to the new L110H wheel loader, C-Wise uses two Volvo L90F and an L110F to support the general composting process, moving batches at a cycle time between 30 seconds and two minutes, or loading a screening plant where the machine cycle times range between one and three minutes.

“The OptiShift and dual-direction self-levelling bucket on the L110H really help improve our operators’ cycle time during the composting process,” Liddelow said. “Plus, operators say they really appreciate the improved dash and personalized setting options.”

The L110H features a new generation of Volvo’s OptiShift to improve cycle times and offer greater fuel efficiency. The improved technology integrates the Reverse By Braking function and the new torque converter with lock-up, to create a direct drive between the engine and transmission, eliminating power losses in the torque convertor and reducing fuel consumption by up to 18%. The L110H also offers a bucket levelling function that automatically returns the bucket to level from both dump and carry positions to enhance operator performance.

Powered by an 8-liter Tier 4 Final/Stage IV-compliant engine with fully automatic regeneration, the L110H wheel loader features a bucket range between 2.5-9.5 m3 and operating weight between 18 and 20 tons. Options on the L110H include Volvo’s
dynamic load weighing system Load Assist, which is powered by Volvo’s Co-Pilot touch screen. The system enables operators to monitor the amount of material moved with ±2% accuracy and easily manage work orders — since the data can be stored and accessed remotely.

Established in 1996, C-Wise recycles a wide variety of wastes into organic compost. The company is a leading Western Australian supplier of high quality carbon-based soil improvement products and embraces the concept that true sustainability is based around covering the bases of economic environmental and social responsibility. C-Wise purchased
their wheel loaders from Volvo’s Australia distribution partner
CJD Equipment.

“We are an organic composting company, so general environmental performance was a major consideration when we selected Volvo’s L110H,” Liddelow said. “We’ve been very pleased with the L110H’s performance and plan on replacing our older machines with the L110H in the future.”

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