SDLG wheeled loaders are able to keep working in Russia’s sub-zero winter temperatures
Two factories in Russia’s greater Moscow region are using SDLG wheeled loaders to help distribute sand and gravel for use in new roads being built across the region
With Russia one of the world’s fastest growing market economies, its need for infrastructure expansion has meant more roads and, as a result, a massive increased need for sand and gravel production. Two sand and gravel factories near Moscow are said to be helping produce the new roads, sidewalks, and also, buildings.
One of the facilities, the Vostok Prom Beton sand and gravel factory, located in the Kaluga area 180km south-west of Moscow, has been operating for five years, moving 300tonnes of material a day. The sand and gravel remain in the region and are sold to customers who use them in road and building construction. The factory has a fleet of 17 machines, including two5316 SDLG LG956L wheeled loaders alongside excavators, bulldozers and separators.
The SDLG wheeled loaders are able to keep working in the sub-zero temperatures they have to contend with during the long Russian winters. And, surprisingly, their operators say that keeping the pair of LG956L’s in good working condition isn’t as hard as you might think. “You’ve got to run them with winterised diesel and make sure you change the engine and hydraulic oil, and they’ll keep right on going,” said Vostok Prom Beton factory manager Sergey Barinov.
Two other LG956L wheeled loaders are working at the Bolshoe Snopovo sand pit, located in Snopovo, 65km north-west of Moscow. Here the machines are separating rocks from sand and moving as much as 1,000m³ of sand in a 10-hour shift. The sand is hauled away to make cement that’s being used in the construction of the new 700km Moscow-Saint Petersburg highway. The factory has been in operation for two years with the sand estimated to last another 18 months.
“As long as you don’t shut the wheeled loaders down for very long, it’s not a big problem,” said Vladimir Klabukov, owner of Bolshoe Snopovo when asked about the challenges of cold weather working. “If you do have to stop them, then you’ll need to use an additional heater to preheat the machine before starting it up again.”
At both sites, the machines work long days, going for up to 23 hours and only taking a break for one week of holidays after the New Year. SDLG is one of the most prominent Chinese construction equipment manufacturers in Russia. Both Barinov and Klabukov discovered the brand a few years ago — and now say they’re loyal customers.
“The engine on the SDLGs is very powerful, but fuel consumption is low,” Barinov said. “The loaders are comfortable for our operators, and the cab is wide, spacious and keeps warm in the winter. The tyres on the SDLG are durable, which is an important factor with the wear and tear our machines sustain here. SDLG has proved itself reliable, time and time again.”
Klabukov had worked with SDLG wheeled loaders alongside competitor brands in a previous position and felt that the price and quality of SDLG were more attractive than that of other machines. He plans to stick with SDLG, whose buckets he says are optimal for loading.
His Snopovo factory purchased its SDLG wheeled loaders through RBA, an equipment dealer with 23 locations, including one nearby in Moscow. “It’s important to have service technicians who can get to us easily and quickly when we have a problem,” said Klabukov.
Vostok Prom Beton first bought SDLG wheeled loaders in 2008. After running them for 15,000 hours, the company sold them and replaced them with a new pair of LG956L loaders, purchased from another SDLG dealer in Moscow called SDT — smaller than RBA but more specialised, with 70% of its business coming from SDLG wheeled loaders.
“For us, spare parts are extremely important, but fortunately SDT has a massive store of spare parts,” added Barinov. “If a vital part on one of the loaders breaks, the company sends technicians as soon as possible to replace the parts. The company takes care of us pretty well.”
With Russia one of the world’s fastest growing market economies, its need for infrastructure expansion has meant more roads and, as a result, a massive increased need for sand and gravel production. Two sand and gravel factories near Moscow are said to be helping produce the new roads, sidewalks, and also, buildings.
One of the facilities, the Vostok Prom Beton sand and gravel factory, located in the Kaluga area 180km south-west of Moscow, has been operating for five years, moving 300tonnes of material a day. The sand and gravel remain in the region and are sold to customers who use them in road and building construction. The factory has a fleet of 17 machines, including two
The SDLG wheeled loaders are able to keep working in the sub-zero temperatures they have to contend with during the long Russian winters. And, surprisingly, their operators say that keeping the pair of LG956L’s in good working condition isn’t as hard as you might think. “You’ve got to run them with winterised diesel and make sure you change the engine and hydraulic oil, and they’ll keep right on going,” said Vostok Prom Beton factory manager Sergey Barinov.
Two other LG956L wheeled loaders are working at the Bolshoe Snopovo sand pit, located in Snopovo, 65km north-west of Moscow. Here the machines are separating rocks from sand and moving as much as 1,000m³ of sand in a 10-hour shift. The sand is hauled away to make cement that’s being used in the construction of the new 700km Moscow-Saint Petersburg highway. The factory has been in operation for two years with the sand estimated to last another 18 months.
“As long as you don’t shut the wheeled loaders down for very long, it’s not a big problem,” said Vladimir Klabukov, owner of Bolshoe Snopovo when asked about the challenges of cold weather working. “If you do have to stop them, then you’ll need to use an additional heater to preheat the machine before starting it up again.”
At both sites, the machines work long days, going for up to 23 hours and only taking a break for one week of holidays after the New Year. SDLG is one of the most prominent Chinese construction equipment manufacturers in Russia. Both Barinov and Klabukov discovered the brand a few years ago — and now say they’re loyal customers.
“The engine on the SDLGs is very powerful, but fuel consumption is low,” Barinov said. “The loaders are comfortable for our operators, and the cab is wide, spacious and keeps warm in the winter. The tyres on the SDLG are durable, which is an important factor with the wear and tear our machines sustain here. SDLG has proved itself reliable, time and time again.”
Klabukov had worked with SDLG wheeled loaders alongside competitor brands in a previous position and felt that the price and quality of SDLG were more attractive than that of other machines. He plans to stick with SDLG, whose buckets he says are optimal for loading.
His Snopovo factory purchased its SDLG wheeled loaders through RBA, an equipment dealer with 23 locations, including one nearby in Moscow. “It’s important to have service technicians who can get to us easily and quickly when we have a problem,” said Klabukov.
Vostok Prom Beton first bought SDLG wheeled loaders in 2008. After running them for 15,000 hours, the company sold them and replaced them with a new pair of LG956L loaders, purchased from another SDLG dealer in Moscow called SDT — smaller than RBA but more specialised, with 70% of its business coming from SDLG wheeled loaders.
“For us, spare parts are extremely important, but fortunately SDT has a massive store of spare parts,” added Barinov. “If a vital part on one of the loaders breaks, the company sends technicians as soon as possible to replace the parts. The company takes care of us pretty well.”
