Industrial equipment supplier Smith Power Equipment (SPE) – a division of Smith Mining Equipment – is aiming to change the ‘bigger is better’ mindset of the construction materials and equipment market in South Africa by offering construction equipment developer Kubota’s 3 t Kubota U30-6 mini excavator.

SPE supplied the excavator to Cape Town-based Mburg Mini Plant last month.

SPE sales executive Bruce Dearlove notes that SPE is the sole distributor and importer of the Kubota mini excavator in South Africa, with units available in 5 t and 8 t capability, since 2014.

“The Kubota U30-6 – valued at R505 000 (excluding VAT) – offers a high-power performance, which enables it to execute a range of jobs that normally call for larger conventional machines,” he says.

Dearlove explains that the mini excavator is powered by a Kubota D1703-M-E3-BH-11 engine, which can deliver 20.5 kW of power at 2 200 rpm.

“The U30-6 punches above its weight, with an impressive bucket breakout force of 30 kN, representing a 113% increase, compared with the previous Kubota 3 t U30-5 mini excavator.”

With an overall length of only 4 530 mm, an overall height of 2 455 mm and [a width of] 1 550 mm, Dearlove enthuses that the U30-6 is suited for Mburg Mini Plant’s space-restricted line of work, as the ability to fit onto a standard trailer makes it easy to move the machine from site to site.

“With Kubota’s boom-swing technology, the machine allows for direct digging operation close to walls or buildings without having to reposition it. Combined with Kubota’s zero tail-swing function, which always keeps the tail of the excavator within track width when swivelling, the machine is very suitable for operation in the typically tight places in which we work,” he explains.

The excavator can work across a range of applications, he adds, which includes trenching, concrete demolition, grading and drilling. It also offers greater flexibility in accommodating a range of attachments – such as a breaker and a mulcher – to execute various duties, Dearlove notes.

The additional service ports for attaching hydraulic attachments, such as a breaker, however, is a one-way hydraulic attachment, with the standard third-line hydraulic return system allowing oil to flow directly back to the tank without running through the control valves.

“This contributes to less oil contamination, reduces back pressure and allows for greater oil flow efficiency,” Dearlove explains.

Further, the Kubota’s auto idling system helps to increase fuel savings. “When control levers are in neutral for more than four seconds, the engine automatically switches to idling mode. When the operator moves any control lever, the engine’s revs per minute automatically return. While this feature translates into reduced noise and emissions, especially at sensitive urban sites, a fuel saving of up to 10% is achievable,” he explains.