One of Poland’s largest suppliers of feldspar is Strzeblowskie Kopalnie Surowców Mineralnych, based in Sobotka and nestled against Mount Sleza. This area in Lower Silesia is rich in minerals with Sleza a centre of granite production.
Strzeblowskie Kopalnie has been operating a fleet of
The quarry produces feldspar and granite aggregates, much of it for use in the ceramics industry. Janusz Kozyrski, chief executive of the company, said annual output ranges from 850,000-950,000tonnes.
“We had to purchase a large wheeled loader to carry large quantities of material. In fact, we were looking for the so-called big shovel with simple technical solutions,” he said. “We were able to test the machines in our quarry conditions.”
The loader was provided with a specially reinforced 5m³ bucket and a counterweight. “The lifting system is very strong and designed specifically for heavy loads. It provides optimum unloading angles along the entire range of movement and its high tractive force facilitates loading,” said Kozyrski.
“The DL420-5 loader is operated in our facilities in two shifts and by two operators. The Scania engine is compliant with Stage IV standards, providing high torque at low revs. The engine has an output of nearly 260kW. The DL420-5 is very manoeuvrable and the five-speed ZF PowerShift gearbox that works in automatic or manual mode, along with the lock-up torque converter, provides lower fuel consumption.”
An operator can choose between three different operating modes - eco, normal and power. An additional "power-up" function allows intensive use in work mode by reducing gear shifting time by fully pressing the accelerator pedal. The large cabin space, good visibility, air conditioning, reversing camera, the comfortable seat, central lubrication and the quick-fit connector are all elements that allow the operator to work for many hours in excellent conditions, explained Grzegorz Rojewski, who is responsible for equipment and the homogenisation plant.
“The warranty period for our loader covers three years without any operating hours limit. The new machine has worked over a thousand operating hours without any fault,” said Rojewski. More Doosan purchases are being considered, he added.
