Baker Groundworks have long kept a keen eye on technological advances within the construction industry

In this time, he has embraced the technological advances of machine control and tiltrotators saying it has added huge efficiencies to the way the company undertakes their day-to-day operations for their clients. The bulk of the work undertaken by Baker Groundworks centres around the housing industry and the installation of roads and sewers, services, drainage and taking plots up to slab level. “We are only a small team, but very efficient in what we do.” Richard commented. “We like to work on the initial infrastructure side of a development, preparing sites for the build team and keeping it relatively simple for ourselves.”

Richard’s small team is very focussed on the efficiencies of a job. Traditional groundworks companies deploy a 14-tonne class excavator to undertake all of their plot work from foundation excavations to services and drain works. Baker Groundworks is not a traditional company. The latest excavator to join the fleet is a Liebherr R926 Compact. This near 30 tonne compact tail swing machine replaces a 4-year-old R 920 Compact which had served the company well and showed to many that a larger machine can undertake the intricacies of plotwork just as well as a smaller machine. “We had a lot of people questioning our approach.” Richard explains. “We knew it would work though. We wanted a machine capable of undertaking all but the deepest of drainage projects, the R 920 Compact did it. We wanted a machine capable of creating road boxes, The R 920 Compact did it. We wanted a machine capable of putting intricate footing in and servicing each plot. The R 920 Compact did it. We made sure we specified it right though, it’s no good buying a standard machine and hoping it will deliver everything.”

Richard’s specification included Leica machine control, two-piece boom and a full engcon EC219 tiltrotator package. This specification was carried over to the new arrival, all of which is increased in size to match the new machine. “We couldn’t do without the GPS or the tiltrotator nowadays.” Richard comments. “They work so seamlessly as a package enabling us to work smoothly and accurately. Having the new Liebherr has certainly increased our abilities when it comes to bulk earthmoving. But the benefits have also been noticed when it comes to the more complex and finer operations.”

The team have recently completed a project in West Bromwich for client Stavecon where Richard was contracted to undertake the installation of roads and sewers for a new housing scheme. The remit also included taking the plots up to slab along with the installation of drains and services. “Having the 30-tonne machine with the engcon has really opened up things for us.” He comments. “I’ve found myself tracking around even less than before. The reach of the machine is great and having the power of the engcon on the end just makes life so much easier for me.”

This is the fourth engcon tiltrotator Richard has had. Moving up the sizes each time, the latest tiltrotator is an EC226 which has been supplied from the factory colour-matched to the grey Liebherr. Fitted with a removable gripper cassette, the EC226 and top hitch both use EC-Oil allowing Richard to remove the tiltrotator within seconds should he need to. “It’s a brilliant addition to the engcon and whilst the Tiltrotator spends most of its time on the machine, we do occasionally take it off if we are bulk earthmoving or using a breaker.”

With the engcon playing a major role in the day-to-day operations Richard undertakes, having the ability to seamlessly work with the Leica MC1 system through the engcon ePS, ensures Richard gets the best out of both additions to his Liebherr. “We are all about making the job easier, safer and more efficient for ourselves.”

He explains. “If we can achieve these goals, we can make it more profitable too. “The combination of Leica and engcon does this and with the pairing now on a larger, more productive machine, we are finding further economies in scale.”

The team have recently moved to a new site where Richard’s Liebherr is playing a supporting role to his 35 tonne Hitachi. “We have a lot of deep drainage in made up ground on this project.” He explains. “Whilst the Liebherr could cope, we decided a bigger machine would be better. This is why I am on backfilling duties.” The versatility of the big Liebherr and engcon come to the fore in the bad ground. Unable to straddle the trench as would be the norm, Richard sits adjacent to it pulling and spreading the fill evenly in layers before replacing his Scandi-style bucket for his engcon plate compactor. “This is one attachment we couldn’t be without.” He says. “It’s far easier and safer using this than trying to lift a remote-control compactor in and out of a trench every couple of minutes. I’m only backfilling about 4 or 5m at a time and in shallow layers which means I’m a lot more productive.” Sitting centrally to the trench, the reach of the Liebherr and the ability to rotate the engcon to place and spread the material exactly where he needs it. It is then a quick changeover to thoroughly compact the material before moving to the next layer.

A huge suite of attachments adds further versatility to the package allowing Richard to dig, grade, lift and place a variety of material around the site. “Once you have a tiltrotator, it opens your eyes to what can be achieved with just one machine.”

Richard has been running engcon tiltrotators since 2007 and finds the UK back up and service to be excellent. “I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t had any issues.” He comments. “But the ones I have had have been minor and following a quick call to Andrew (Badham), the parts have been delivered and the repairs done. They are a very robust bit of kit and whilst we do take care of them, they are on the machine to do a job. I don’t think I could cope without the engcon nowadays! I’m just so used to what I can do with it.”