Atlas Copco Construction Technique recently supplied eight off MB1700 hydraulic hammers to longstanding customer, EPH Plant Hire. “To meet increasing demands in the hire industry, we have increased our rental fleet with the purchase of eight new Komatsu PC200 excavators which have been fitted with the Atlas Copco MB1700 hammers,” states EPH Plant Hire’s Enzo Chiocchi. Enzo explains that EPH Plant Hire was established in 2004 to accommodate the demand in the hire market for quality excavators with hammers. “We are situated in Centurion, Gauteng, but our hire footprint covers the entire country including neighbouring countries, Lesotho and Mozambique.”

EPH Plant Hire’s specialised fleet of excavators, fitted with hammers/peckers or buckets, comprises 30 machines ranging from 5 ton mini excavator wheeled excavators up to 30 ton machines. The company purchased the first hammer from Atlas Copco in 2007 and due to the hammers’ outstanding quality and performance over the past six years, it simply makes sound financial sense to continue supporting the Atlas Copco brand. The 1700 and 2200 hammers are ideally suited to their fleet and can be fitted to EPH Plant Hire’s carriers i.e. excavators ranging from 20 ton – 35 ton machines.

The MB1700 hydraulic hammers also boast a number of operator and maintenance friendly features such as the self-greasing and auto control systems. “A consequence of low maintenance is increased uptime and productivity,” remarks Enzo. “Atlas Copco hammers always hit harder and last longer so when it comes to hydraulic hammers, Atlas Copco remains our hammer supplier of choice.”

Discussing the current market climate, EPH Plant Hire Sales Manager, Brendan Badenhorst, says there are numerous challenges in this highly competitive market. “One of our main challenges is the fact that many sites are located in remote areas. Customers rely on the reliability of our equipment because they simply cannot afford downtime. It takes time to reach outlying areas. To address this challenge, our main focus is on the long distance service and maintenance. We have developed an effective service structure that includes multiple service teams to keep our machines running smoothly so that we can keep our customers’ downtime to a minimum, regardless of their location.”     In closing, Brendon says, “To protect our reputation as a supplier of hire equipment that delivers maximum performance and reliability, they purchase only the best brands, like Atlas Copco, to reduce the risk of equipment failure and unplanned downtime for our customers; this gives us a competitive edge.”

Atlas Copco Construction Technique, one of four business areas within the Atlas Copco Group, supplies portable compressors and generators, road construction equipment, construction tools and all related services. “Our wide range of world-class construction equipment meet the stringent demands of the construction industry across diverse applications including demolition, compaction, levelling, screening, recycling, rock drilling, concrete surfacing, etc.,” says Atlas Copco Business Line Manager Construction Tools Division, Neville Stewart. “Our hammers, engineered to ensure maximum performance and rugged reliability, incorporate features that protect the customer’s investment as well as the environment,” concludes Stewart.