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Kubota scales the heights at Glencoe
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Working at heights of up to 3,600 ft on a rugged Scottish mountainside is all in a day's work for a Kubota mini excavator.
The 5 tonne KX161-3 machine is a key member of the maintenance team at the Glencoe Ski-Mountain Resort in Argyll. Set amidst some of the most stunning scenery in Scotland, the centre attracts 30,000 skiers each season.
Normally found working at ground level, the mini has proved to be the ideal tool for a variety of jobs at the ski resort, from trench digging to repairing damage to roads and paths during the off-season.
It's also used to move pieces of heavy equipment around in its buckets, including fetching new electric motors needed for the resort's seven ski lifts and taking the old ones away.
The standard specification machine was supplied by local Kubota dealer, Young Plant Sales, of Doune, Perthshire.
It is equipped with a pin-type manual Quick Hitch for the speedy fitting of three different sized buckets and a ditch cleaner. Like all new Kubota minis, from 1.5 to 8 tonnes, it has the unique 'ANTI-THEFT' security system fitted as standard equipment. This is based on an individually programmed key for each machine, incorporating an immobiliser system, that replaces the former universal starter key.
As the company that operates the ski resort has a policy of being environmentally friendly in everything it does, it chose the rubber track version so as to avoid any damage to the ground's surface.
Said operations manager, Bob Munro: “The Kubota is a handy piece of equipment that's not heavy enough to chew up the mountainside but robust enough for the jobs we need it for.
“As well as being used for a host of general maintenance jobs throughout the year, we plan to put it to work clearing snow this winter. With its excellent stability it has no difficulty in driving up and down the mountainside, and it’s easy to operate.”
Added Brian Young, managing director of Young Plant Sales: “It's pretty unusual for us to supply a machine that spends all its working life on the side of a mountain. We are confident that with its proven reliability the mini will be able to withstand everything that a tough Scottish winter can throw at it.”
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 range from 850 kg to 8-tonnes, and including the widest choice of the increasingly popular zero tail swing machines.
Sales have continued to increase significantly, further boosted by the incorporation of a unique key-based 'ANTI-THEFT' security system – the first and still the only one fitted as standard by a mini excavator manufacturer.
Kubota mini excavators have a legendary reputation for quality, performance, reliability and excellent resale values, together with unbeatable support from a nationwide network of specialist dealers, and their versatility makes them the ideal tool for many different applications and end-users, from civil engineering to landscaping and plant hire companies to owner operators.
