Battling the elements

Due to its remote location and the arduous nature of its work, McFadyens Contractors requires machinery that is fit for purpose, built to withstand the toughest conditions and comfortable for operators spending a day at the helm.

The firm is based in Campbeltown which lies by Campbeltown Loch at the foot of the Kintyre peninsula in Scotland. Founded in 1901 it now has around 100 employees and offers civil engineering contracting as well as plant hire and quarry supplies across Argyll and Bute.

Since JCB was founded in 1945, it has always been at the core of McFadyens’ business, and the company has bought hundreds of items of JCB equipment over the years. Over the last seven decades, JCB excavators, dump trucks, compaction rollers, telescopic handlers and wheeled loading shovels have all powered the McFadyens’ fleet alongside its other specialist plant and cranes.

The latest addition – a JCB 220X tracked excavator – is currently working on a £15 million flood prevention scheme near the company’s headquarters in Campbeltown and is already receiving praise for its comfort and reliability.

Rugged construction

The JCB 220X was engineered for strength and thanks to 4 years of development and thousands of hours of extreme testing it can hold up against even the toughest jobs in the toughest of environments. It has undergone machine shaker rig testing to replicate 15,000 hours of tracking and vibration. 30,000 window and door operation tests to prove component quality. Hot and cold climate testing (55°C to -30°C) in controlled conditions and locations around the world. The JCB 220X Dieselmax engine has been tested to 110,000 hours in 70 different machines across the toughest environments. A vital reassurance for a fleet that operates in the extreme weather and ground conditions regularly experienced on the West coast of Scotland.

McFadyens Contractors’ Managing Director, Darren Kelly said: “We have a longstanding relationship with JCB, and we choose them for the reliability and durability of the machines. As a contractor in a very rural location, we need that reliability. The build quality on the new 220X is excellent – it’s more robust and all of the ergonomics have been upscaled. The operators’ comfort is key for us and the cab in the 220X is the best on the market. We’re very happy with the performance.

“We work in a remote area and it’s rugged work so the machines are really put through their paces. We undertake a variety of works with clients such as Scottish Water, SSE, SPR, National contractors and Forestry and Land Scotland. We carry out a vast array of different disciplines from major utility installations, wind farm and forest road infrastructure including roads and bridges, turnkey design and build projects for private clients and of course extraction and processing of aggregates in our 3 operational quarries. The machines are perfect for all the work we do. They’ve never let us down.”

 

Man and machine

Such is McFadyen Contractors’ commitment to JCB products, they have built their business model around the machines by giving each operator the responsibility of maintaining their own machine, which is then replaced every 3-4 years or at 10,000 hours. This ensures that the company is consistently running an up-to-date fleet and maximises resale value and operator loyalty.

McFadyens Contractors’ Managing Director, Darren Kelly said: “Our fleet is very modern, we replace our machines every 3-4 years. We buy them all outright and replace them after 10,000 hours when we get a new JCB. Where we differ from other companies is that we operate a one man one machine policy. Each operator is responsible for maintaining their own machine. It’s like their baby, they’re very proud of it and look after it. We find that when we go to replace them, they look as good as when we bought them.”

The level of trust McFadyens Contractors’ has placed in JCB is testament to the relationship that has been forged between the company and their local JCB dealer, Scot JCB in Glasgow.

As Darren explains: “We’ve always been a loyal JCB customer from the very first machine. One of the reasons we have such a good relationship with them is down to Scot JCB – the support and care we receive is second to none from customer aftersales to spare parts and equipment diagnostics. We love the way they call to follow up after a sale to see how the machine is performing – that personal touch with the salespeople goes a long way in business. We trust them to deliver. It’s a truly two-way relationship and we want to continue to grow that relationship as the company grows.”

A bright future

Over its 123-year history, McFadyens Contractors has built up a diverse and loyal client base due to its ability to tackle and achieve a huge range of challenging contracts. At the heart of its success is its relationship with a trusted partner in JCB and the durability of the machines it manufactures. It’s a relationship that is built to last – just like the equipment it is founded on.