A Hinowa tracked mini dumper supplied by Access Platforms Sales is playing a critical role in a project to turn a disused Victorian schoolhouse overlooking a Scottish estuary into two homes.
Building contractor JD Freeman is using the Hinowa HS701 High Tip mini dumper for a range of material moving tasks at the site near Dunoon on the Firth of Clyde.
Given the site conditions, the mini dumper is proving to be an essential tool, without which the work would be much more arduous and take longer to complete, says business owner Duncan Freeman.
Versatile and rugged
He added: “When we took on this project, because of the topography and the layout of the site, I realised having a mini dumper would be a big help so decided to invest in one.
“I looked around at all models on the market and was impressed with the Hinowa HS701, especially the high tip version. It looked like it would have the versatility and ruggedness we needed, and so it has proved.”
The Victorian schoolhouse is built on sloping ground. It requires reroofing and extensive reconfiguration to transform it into two three-bed homes, complete with a stunning view across the firth.
Efficient and safe material moving across difficult ground and in confines spaces was always going to be a critical success factor for the project, which is where the ride-on Hinowa HS701 High Tip comes into its own.
Rough ground
For example, Duncan Freeman and his team have used it to support the stripping of roof tiles by extending its dumper bucket to full height, allowing tiles to be dropped into it.
When full, the waste tiles are transferred from the mini dumper to a telehandler bucket and the material can be transported across rough ground to a skip while the tile stripping can continue.
The Hinowa HS701 High Tip is also proving essential to transport many tonnes of concrete, aggregate and soil around the site – materials that would otherwise have to be moved by wheelbarrow.
Duncan Freeman said: “The Hinowa mini dumper is saving us hours and hours of manual labour, which is a health and safety risk as well as very hard work. It means our productivity shoots up and we can keep the project on track, which controls our costs.
“It’s a very robust piece of kit and can handle the slopes and soft ground around the site with ease. I can honestly say I would not want to try to take on a project like this without it.”
Efficiency savings
APS Sales Manager Jonathan Wiseman said: “It’s great to see the positive impact the Hinowa HS701 is having on Duncan’s work.
“His experience proves the point that the productivity gain is like having a team of labourers working for you, so investment costs are very often more than off-set by efficiency savings.”
The Hinowa HS701 mini dumper (also known as a dumper bed) has a maximum weight capacity of 550kg with a rated volume of 0.29 cubic metres.
The high tip version can lift its load to a height of 2379mm (the distance to the top of the fully tipped bucket), allowing materials to be easily loaded into a skip or a flat-bed truck.
Extending tracks
In its standard format, the mini dumper is just 758mm wide, which means it can be moved through a standard single doorway or through a garden gate.
JD Freeman selected a version with optional extending tracks, which widen the track width to 1058mm, providing extra stability, especially across sloping or uneven ground.
Duncan Freeman said: “Given the terrain we’re working across, this has proved to have been a good investment. The Hinowa feels very stable but being able to widen the tracks gives us additional confidence over the most difficult ground.”
JD Freeman selected the version with a Kubota diesel engine. However, the Hinowa HS701 mini dumper can be supplied with a Honda petrol engine. It can now also be supplied as a zero fumes and low noise electric mini dumper with lithium batteries.
Find out more
APS supplies a range of Hinowa tracked mini dumpers, including the HS1102 (rated volume 0.34m3), Hinowa HS400 (load capacity 400kg), and Hinowa TX3005 swivel mini dumper (load capacity 2,875kg).
Talk to APS about how Hinowa mini dumpers can support safer and more efficient materials handling on your work sites. Telephone: 01480 891251. Email: sales@accessplatforms.co.ukaccessplatforms.co.uk.
