A forward-thinking Scottish plant hirer has purchased 16 new JCB excavators as it capitalises on major investment in the Scottish renewable energy market.

Kilmarnock-based Blackwood Plant Hire, which operates across Central Scotland, has invested heavily in its fleet of equipment making it well placed to serve civil engineering clients delivering the infrastructure for renewable energy projects. It has recognised this growth area as the Scottish Government strives to meet its target of providing 50% of Scotland’s electricity from renewables by 2020.

The company has updated its fleet with 16 new JCB machines comprising one 8025, one 8085, four JS130, five JS145, one JS160 LGP (Low Ground Pressure) and three JS220 models. This takes the total number of JCBs to 48 – nearly half of Blackwood’s 105 machine line-up.

The investment has been funded by Blackwood’s success in landing a series of renewable energy and rail contracts and the new models have already been put to work. The new JS160 LGP model with its 1500mm wide tracks has been responsible for drainage work at Elvanfoot in South Lanarkshire as part of the high profile £600 million Clyde wind farm project. The JCB has been excavating drainage channels in the surrounding grassland to counteract the impact of the wind farm’s infrastructure. This will ensure the area’s natural water levels are maintained so sheep can continue to graze. The new wind farm will ultimately feature 152 wind turbines with a maximum total generation capacity of up to 456MW - enough energy to power over 200,000 households.

Director, Tom Blackwood Jnr said: “We were quick to recognise the opportunity to provide plant to serve the renewables and rail sectors and developed our fleet and expertise accordingly. We have chosen JCB machines this year as none of its competitors could provide the same performance, value for money and backup. The excavators themselves are excellent, with the JS200 models especially impressive. We have a great relationship with our dealer Scot JCB while the package from JCB Finance has allowed us to expand our fleet at the speed necessary to maximise the opportunities available.”

Established in 1960, Blackwood Plant Hire has traditionally offered a range of plant and equipment for hire to customers ranging from DIY to large-scale construction firms. With a fleet of excavators, backhoe loaders, site dumpers, articulated dump trucks and compaction equipment, it has built an impressive network of clients, supplying to major Scottish contractors such as: Land Engineering, Raynesway, Carillion and Scottish Water. In recent years, the company has evolved to meet the growing need for specialists in renewable energy development and has become Link Up approved enabling a series of projects for Network Rail.