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It's Kubota All The Way For Exsel Plant & Tool Hire
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When Roger Pearce set up his one-man plant hire business in April 2004, customers were offered a single piece of equipment; a Kubota mini excavator.
Three years on, Exsel Plant & Tool Hire has taken delivery of its 15th Kubota, a 2.8 tonne KX61-3, the latest model in its growing mini fleet – without the necessity for any warranty claims during this period.
Starting with £5,000 in his pocket, Roger Pearce has built up the Bishops Waltham, Southampton, company into a highly successful hire operation. In addition to Kubota minis it offers dumpers as well as a wide range of tools.
The go-ahead plant hirer has ploughed all the profits back into the business, spending over £300,000 on plant and tools without the need of external finance.
At 2.8 tonne the KX61-3 becomes the largest machine in his all-Kubota mini fleet, which up to now consisted of a mix of 800kg K008-3 and 1.5 tonne KX36-3 models.
The KX61-3 has a 4270 mm long arm fitted as standard to provide a maximum digging force of 14.7 kN (1500 kgf). The digging force of the bucket is 21.5 kN (2190 kgf).
Like all the models in Kubota's popular KX Series it has advanced hydraulic systems to improve its response and reduce energy wastage and can outperform larger and more costly competitive machines. It features an ergonomically designed control lever layout for smoother operation with reduced driver fatigue.
It was supplied, like all the other minis, by Kubota dealer Grant Plant (Maidenhead) Ltd., equipped with 12″, 18″ and 24″ diameter standard buckets plus a 48″ diameter grading bucket.
Roger Pearce outlined the reasons for sticking with Kubota and not mixing and matching his mini fleet, despite checking out other makes. “They are reliable machines – I have had no warranty claims at all in three years – they are ruggedly built to withstand an often tough working environment; are easy to operate; and have modern styling with good clean lines, which customers like.”
He said that the unique Kubota 'ANTI-THEFT' security system, the first and still the only one of its kind fitted as standard equipment by a mini excavator manufacturer, was an added bonus. “It has saved me from having machines stolen while they were out on hire a couple of times.”
The KX61-3 was delivered by Grant Plant to a site in Maidenhead where BSP Project Developments Ltd, which is building 12 luxury apartments, immediately put it to work.
Said Grant Plant's Andy Grant: “Roger Pearce is a hard worker who has built up a profitable business after starting out on his own. We are pleased that together with Kubota we have helped contribute to his well-earned success.”
Kubota is the world leader in mini excavators and provides the largest range of minis available from a single manufacturer. Customers can select from 18 base models, spanning the weight categories from 850kg to 8-tonnes, and including the widest choice of the increasingly popular zero tail swing machines.
With a legendary reputation for quality, performance, reliability and excellent resale values, together with unbeatable support from a nationwide network of specialist dealers, their market leading productivity and versatility make them the ideal tool for many different applications and end-users, from civil engineering to landscaping, and plant hire companies to owner operators.
