Six months ago, Deals on Wheels reported on the supply of Hyundai loaders by Porter Group to Ravensdown fertilizer stores. Since then, the relationship has grown and more Hyundai machines have been added to a diverse and hard-working fleet.

A quick visit to talk with Ravensdown’s general manager of operations, Kevin Gettins, at the Napier office quickly confirmed the ongoing good report card for Porter’s and Hyundai. With five new loaders being added in the last six months, I was keen to hear Gettins experiences of using Hyundai and Porter Group. It quickly became apparent that service and reliability are the core values here. “Service and reliability are the most important aspects. Especially backup support given the geographical spread of stores, works and quarry locations,” says Gettins. And looking at the locations where the Hyundai loaders are used, it’s no easy task, but is achieved via Porter Group’s strong nationwide network. Seeing a list of where the various loaders are deployed makes for interesting reading.

Six Hyundai HL740-9 units are in service at Rata, Tuakau, Fielding, Stratford, Ashburton (as seen in DOW243), and Woodlands (Invercargill). Masterton has a HL757-9, with Wanganui using an extended lift arm (for loading high side bulk trucks) version of the same, the HL757XTD-9. Methven, which handles a lot of palletised product along with bulk, has the Toolmaster variant – the HL740TM-9, the quick hitch system allowing fast and frequent changes between bucket and forks. A HL760 demonstrator unit is also currently in use at their Te Puke branch.

When Deals on Wheels visited the Severn Street store in Napier for this issue, a HL730-9 was working. Units at Rata, Tuakau, Masterton and Napier are all new additions since February, making for 11 Hyundai units in service at the time although that is likely being added to as I type. It’s always interesting to hear operators’ decisions behind buying certain gear, especially in a diverse hard-working fleet like this. At Ravensdown, Gettins says loader specifications are chosen to “fit the purpose for the store location. A variety of store designs impacts on loader size”. He was certainly right in saying I would see a good example at the Severn Street store. Their large A-framed building had multiple stockpile bays accessed via a tight turn from a narrow corridor.

Watching the HL730-9 in service there scoop up product to load into a hopper bin feeding a conveyer loading system was very informative. The Hyundai seemed well suited to the task and the operator had a smile on his face before and after using it, always a good sign. Powered by a Tier-III certified six-cylinder Cummins QSB 4.5 engine, the HL730-9 makes a useable 125HP at 2100rpm with 408lb.ft of torque on offer. The electronically controlled Cummins engine uses a high-pressure common rail fuel system, delivering power through three operator selectable modes – power, standard or economy. The transmission has four different modes while the clutch features three cut out modes. Diagnostic information and machine performance can be remotely accessed via Hyundai’s Hi-mate GPS equipped remote management system. The 9-series machines have been designed with extended service intervals. Long life hydraulic filters are rated up to 1000 hours and Hyundai certified “long-life” hydraulic oil is good for 5000 hours.

When it came time to select new gear, Gettings says a group of five people was established. This included two loader operators to make sure the right gear was selected for the job. And they’d likely report the same as Gettins about the best features being “visibility for operator and comfort. Fairly easy to operate and reliable”. Fuel use is reported as good and the machines have no trouble at the larger sites moving anywhere from 500 to 1000 tonnes of bulk products daily. With Gettins saying Ravensdown is “pleased with product, pleased with support”, it’s easy to see why this 18-month relationship is going strong. He’s quick to point to the service by Porter Group.“Matthew White keeps the relationship strong, gets involved quick and early, sorts things out. His boss Darren Ralph is the same, very proactive,” says Gettins.

As reported in the earlier issue, these machines work in a very harsh and corrosive environment. A quick look up close at the HL730-9 in Napier showed the attention to detail that make these units reliable. Denso tape was visible on the Hydraulic fittings and lanolin coatings keep the electrics safe. The Napier unit is fitted with the same hub covers as seen on the Ashburton unit to help minimise product tracked out of the store by wheel hubs. Porter Group also retrofit the Hyundai machines with a very accurate on-board computer load cell technology to weigh and measure product.

Well it looks like Porter Group and Hyundai are going to keep adding more machines to a diverse fleet of 90-100 differing makes and models with the way the current eleven Hyundai machines are performing. Certainly a growing relationship. “And the relationship is good. We’re big on relationships at Ravensdown. We rely on people to help us out when we need it and in return we help them out,” says Gettins. 

Story courtesy of Deals on Wheel