Antec’s Reed series of shotcrete pumps have supported a range of infrastructure works for O’Sullivan Civil Contractors. As CEO Kenneth O’Sullivan tells Road & Infrastructure, the pumps’ balance of reliability, power and durability offer major benefits for operators within the industry.
O’Sullivan Civil Contractors is a leading shoring expert in providing anchoring, piling and shotcreting, and the team rely on the latest industry technology to complete their works.
With more than 30 years in the industry, O’Sullivan Civil Contractors has contributed to the construction of landmark infrastructure projects, and commercial, residential, and mixed-use developments throughout New South Wales, including Newcastle, Sydney, South Coast and the Central Coast.
And when it comes to shotcreting, the business relies on a “team of highly skilled and motivated workers”, in conjunction with what CEO Kenneth O’Sullivan says are some of the most reliable pumps that the company has ever used – the Reed concrete pumps from Antec.
“For the equipment that we use as a company, we aim to minimise downtime for repairs, which is why I have continued to purchase these pumps,” O’Sullivan says.
Utilising the A40HP Concrete Pump, the team at O’Sullivan Civil Contractors use predominantly wet-mix to carry out their shotcreting works.
O’Sullivan praises the pumps’ durability, adding that the pumps’ low maintenance requirements have particularly impressed him.
“I have owned other pumps and they just don’t last, the quality in these pumps definitely stands out for us,” he says.
Enhanced durability
Reliability for O’Sullivan Civil Contractors is particularly important, with the company engaging in projects with different levels of demand, including different shotcrete volumes, varying work hours and difficult terrain.
“The projects which we complete really do range from major works to smaller jobs, so we require machinery and equipment which can support our flexibility as a business,” O’Sullivan says. “I have had other brands of pumps and we ran them for years, but since we have been using the A40HP Concrete Pump, I haven’t looked back.”
O’Sullivan says his operations rely significantly on the sustained operation of such equipment.
“We can be on a different job every day, or we can work on a major project for several months. These pumps are working every day for us, and they can run between 8 to 12 hours every single day,” he says.
“We currently have three pumps as part of our equipment range, and I am very close to adding a fourth.”
Featuring a concrete pressure of 1172 psi, the A40HP Concrete Pump is designed to push shotcrete harder and further for operators. This, combined with an 82 horsepower Perkins diesel engine, helps to make sure that the pump can push a consistent level of wet or dry-mix concrete for any given project.
A key standout for O’Sullivan is the product’s durability. The design of the A40HP Concrete Pump enables the machine to withstand long operation hours at a high intensity.
He says even minor features such as chromed concrete cylinders instead of standard steel cylinders contribute to a resilient product design.
“I have been really impressed with the lack of maintenance that is required with this pump. I have been using the same pump for six years. With other brands I would have replaced most of the pump’s major components by now. With this pump, I am yet to replace a single major component.”
The pump also comes with eight hoses in total, ensuring that operators such as O’Sullivan Civil Contractors can further reduce downtime.
The pumps’ distributor, Antec, also supports customers long after a sale has been completed. Antec’s Business Development Manager for the Concrete Division Ryan Kupronow says that the A40HP Concrete Pump personifies robustness.
“These units hardly ever fail if they are serviced correctly,” he says. “We offer in-house servicing and a comprehensive local parts inventory from our head office in Blacktown. We also ship nationally.”
Manoeuvrability at no cost
The A40HP Concrete Pump consists of a lightweight design, allowing operators to partake in shotcreting jobs in tight spaces.
O’Sullivan admits that he has experienced a new level of adaptability by using the A40HP Concrete Pump, as compared to larger industry models.
“We have done some specialised work on some marine equipment and these pumps are really suited to this work as they are mobile and versatile,” he says. “The pump provides us with that versatility to get into tighter places, while also packing a punch. For something so small, the pump can complete large jobs quite easily.”
Safety is also an important aspect of the A40HP Concrete Pump, with its ‘true reverse’ feature. This feature differentiates the product from ball valve pumps, allowing the operator to reverse the flow of concrete to relieve pressure within the system.
This feature can be useful where there is chance of blockage due to a dislodged rock jam. Such an issue can be resolved quickly and safely thanks to the feature, as Kupronow explains.
O’Sullivan has so far been pleased with the production of the pump, saying that the features have all contributed to a product, which has outlasted previous pumps he has used.
“Honestly, the reason why I keep adding the same model to our fleet is the original A40HP Concrete Pump which I purchased six years ago,” he says.
“It’s still running, and I foresee that our other pumps will also continue to run for many years to come.”
This article was originally published in the November edition of our magazine. To read the magazine, click here.
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