So, few were surprised when Reno-based H.M. Byars Construction Co. decided to move away from its historical use of self-propelled scrapers for mass-excavation work and give its Volvo EC460BLC a chance to do the same job.

What was surprising to some was the payoff.

In excavation terms, the results were like being dealt a two-card 21 in blackjack. It has paid off big time.

“We’re setting company records in the cubic yards of material that we are able to move on a daily basis,” said Byars equipment manager Doug Jones.

How much? Jones estimates that Byars is moving between 10- and 15- percent more material with the Volvo EC460BLC than the firm was able to handle with its fleet of box scrapers.

“This is the modern way of doing excavation,” he said. “It was hard for us at first to change, but it’s clear that this is the way to go.”

Byars is presently preparing building sites on a large tract of rocky ground in the foothills north of Reno, on the edge of the Tahoe National Forest. Jones said that this material – which he calls “a really rocky outcrop” – had been hard on the cutting edges of the box scrapers.

“ We were always having to shut the scrapers down to change cutting blades,” he said. “The tires on the scrapers were always spinning and were wearing out, as well.”

H.M. Byars Construction was founded in the early 60s by Marv Byars and now has grown to 85 employees. Since its inception, Byars had relied upon a team of dozers and box scrapers to perform mass excavation in Reno.

Like many site contractors, Jones said Byars has discovered that an efficient combination of powerful excavators and articulated haulers is a more practical and profitable method of moving material than the scraper process.

“That’s especially true now that Reno’s valley region is just about fully developed, and we’re going up into the hills,” Jones said. “The excavators and articulated trucks are much better suited for that terrain.”

In particular, Jones said Volvo’s 47.1-ton EC460BLC is the right machine for the job.

“It’s weighted right and is very well balanced, which makes it stable when loading the artics,” he said. “And the Volvo is so smooth that our operators tell us it is almost effortless.”

Volvo’s hydraulic system is designed to respond to the slightest operator command. Boom, arm and slew priority system, boom and arm flow regeneration, and two variable axial displacement piston pumps enhance hydraulic performance, resulting in high slew torque, powerful digging forces and fast digging and slew speeds in all Bseries models. That means faster cycle times and more efficient operation across the board.

Productive and efficient

Adding to Byars’ increase in productivity, Jones said, is the fact that the Volvo EC460BLC has been a consistent performer, seemingly unaffected by the weather.

He said Byars found that a limitation of the self-propelled scrapers was that they were fair weather machines, requiring dry job sites.

“We have not lost a day to down time with the Volvo excavator,” Jones said. “Even in bad weather – rain or snow – we’re able to keep working with the 460BLC.”

According to Jones, while the excavator is running, it’s moving more material in the same amount of time.

“The speed of loading is one of the first things we noticed,” Jones said. “It’s just so much faster to load with the Volvo excavator than it was using the scrapers.”

Byars’ satisfaction with the Volvo extends far beyond the productivity records, however. Jones said the fuel- efficient Volvo engine has helped the firm hold down its fuel costs.

“The fuel economy of that machine is incredible,” he said.

Byars’ EC460BLC, like all Volvo B-series excavators, is powered by a turbocharged 6 cylinder diesel engine with direct injection and charged air cooler that is built to respond to the unique demands of excavation. Among the highest rated torque at the lowest RPM in its class, the Volvo engine is well matched to the hydraulic system’s components and design to provide exceptionally high fuel efficiencies, especially mass excavation.

Personnel costs trimmed

Jobsite personnel costs have also been reduced, Jones said, as Byars has found that while skilled operators are needed for the excavators, the articulated haulers require less skilled drivers than those needed to run the scrapers.

“Now the only person who needs to be concerned with the grade is the guy operating the excavator,” Jones said.

He added that it was a challenge to find qualified people to run the scrapers, which meant salaries were higher.

“Those scrapers were rough,” Jones said. “We could really only use younger guys who could withstand the constant pounding that their bodies would take over the course of a day.”

Jones speaks highly of the firm’s new Volvo EC460BLC. He also has high praise for Arnold Machinery Co., the Volvo dealer servicing Byars. Of Arnold, Jones says, “They are great.”

“The salesmen with Arnold are always full of many good ideas and the service department treats us well,” he said. “They continually come to us with such great ideas, and they have really helped us grow.”

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