T. Louch Plant Hire Ltd has reaffirmed its confidence in the superiority of Kubota mini excavators by updating its fleet with nine 1.5 tonne zero tail swing U15-3 machines.

They replace nine two-year-old 1.5 tonne KX41-3 minis on long-term hire to a utility company, who are using them on gas main replacement work in London and the South East.

They join three other minis in the Didcot, Oxfordshire plant hirer's all-Kubota fleet, two recently bought KX41-3s and a 3 tonne KX71-3, which are also on hire to the utility company.

The latest batch of machines, like the previous three, was bought from Leach Lewis Plant, which has a depot in Witney.

Supplied with 9 and 12 inch wide buckets, Leach Lewis met Louch's requirements by taking the teeth off the buckets and welding on an extra toe plate to prevent damage to underground pipe work during digging operations. This also extends the life of the buckets.

T. Louch Plant Hire's owner, Trevor Louch, said: "I have tried other makes of minis before and consider Kubota to be the best of them all. They are pretty much trouble free and I get good back-up service from our local dealer, Leach Lewis. It's a case of why change if you are satisfied with what you have got?"

He said he was also offered a good finance deal through Leach Lewis, while the new three-year standard warranty now being offered by Kubota was also very appealing.

Formed in 2003 by Mr Louch - a former mayor of Didcot - and his wife Shirley, the hire firm also stocks a range of compressor generators.

The Kubota U15-3 has a maximum dig depth of 2,310mm, with a digging force of 15.4kN, and has a maximum reach of 3,840mm,

It has a variable track width which is adjustable in seconds from 1240mm down to 990mm. This lets it slip through the narrowest of doorways or gain access to tight and awkward working areas.

Like other Kubota minis the boom cylinder is mounted on top of the boom for maximum protection, particularly during breaker or dumping operations. The hydraulic hoses are routed through the cylinder boom for maximum protection.

It features Kubota's unique 'ANTI-THEFT' system, the only key-based security system of its kind fitted as standard equipment by a mini excavator manufacturer.

Designed for fast, convenient movement between sites, the U15-3 delivers safe and high performance digging, particularly in confined and awkward areas.

About Kubota

Kubota is the UK, European and world leader in mini excavators and its machines have a legendary reputation for quality, performance, reliability, versatility and excellent residual values, coupled with outstanding dealer support, and all models now carry a full 3 year warranty as standard – providing unbeatable value for money, a vitally important consideration in the current economic climate.

With the widest range of minis available from a single manufacturer, Kubota provides 19 base models spanning the weight range from 850kg up to 8 tonnes and including the largest selection of highly versatile zero tail swing machines from 1 to 5 tonnes – all featuring world leading Kubota engines to provide economic and environmentally sound performance.

The compactness, productivity, versatility and cost-effectiveness of Kubota mini excavators make them ideal for many different applications and end-users; from building, construction, civil engineering, quarrying, demolition, recycling and landscaping, to plant hire companies, utilities and owner operators.