Amrize Finds Success with First Deliveries of Volvo R70 Rigid Haulers
Equipment dealer Nors supplied the 65-metric-ton off-road truck, which Amrize put to work at their demanding Pitt River Quarries location near Vancouver, hauling blasted rock down mountain roads.
“The accuracy and control of the braking system solidified the R70 as the right machine for Amrize,” said Tony Spake, director of strategic accounts in aggregates and mining at Volvo CE. “They need strong downhill performance, and this truck definitely has it.”
The R70 rigid hauler includes two standard retardation systems for downhill machine control. The modulating rear brake retarder helps maintain a controlled engine speed, while the transmission fluid retarder limits wheel lock-up and reduces brake wear.
Based on the success of this milestone delivery, Amrize has since expanded its Volvo CE rigid fleet by ordering more R70s and R100 haul trucks for its fleet at three locations.
Machine and Dealer Reliability Exceed Expectations
Amrize relies on rigid trucks, articulated dump trucks, wheel loaders, excavators and more to keep their operations running smoothly, and they’ve partnered with Nors for years to build a solid fleet.
At their Pitt River Quarries site, the R70s support Amrize’s 250-acre operation in the production of more than 1.5 million metric tons of aggregates per year.
“This is a busy site, so it’s important for us to have a reliable, high-performance machine that can produce every day in demanding situations,” said Bob Short, director of performance at Amrize Building Materials. “It doesn’t help us if it’s in the shop or we’re waiting for things. With Nors and Volvo, we’ve got a great partnership where they make sure that we get a quality product and Nors keeps it up and running.”
The high level of productivity, uptime and service was the catalyst for fleet expansion, prompting the addition of more R70s and 95-metric-ton R100 haul trucks to fleets at three different sites in British Columbia and Ontario.
Services Elevate the Experience — and Profits
As the branch manager of Nors’ Surrey dealership, Bruce Witwer attributes his company’s long-lasting relationship with Amrize to quality products and after-sales service.
That includes Volvo CE's telematics system, and, in the near future, Connected Map. This site solution provides visibility and data on all machines — regardless of brand — to optimize traffic flow, productivity and safety.
Another service that Amrize takes advantage of is Volvo CE’s Equipment as a Service (EaaS) offering, also known as a fleet capacity agreement (FCA) in their industry.
“This means quality communication among the customer, dealer and OEM to support all products properly and ensure uptime is consistent,” said Witwer.
Volvo CE’s EaaS is a long-term, tailored agreement where the customer doesn’t buy machines — they purchase their use as an all-inclusive service. They pay as the equipment is used, typically by the hour rather than weeks or months. This allows the customer to use machines exactly when and where they’re needed, with all maintenance and repairs included and managed by the dealer and Volvo CE.
Amrize Vice President in the General Vancouver Area, Nelson Tome, says being the “partner of choice” for professional builders across North America is a job that every employee takes seriously, and machines like the Volvo R70 make that possible.
“Success at sites like this is not just about producing volume,” he said. “It’s about producing high-quality products that meet the unique requirements of our customers on a timely basis.”
Thanks to strong partnerships with Nors and Volvo CE, the machines and services that allow his team to do that are available and dependable.
To learn more about the Volvo R70 rigid dump truck, visit volvoce.com/united-states/en-us/products/rigid-haulers/r70.