Kobelco ED160-7 Blade Runner proves its versatility on Hertfordshire estate project
A Kobelco ED160-7 Blade Runner equipped with a Steelwrist tiltrotator has allowed landscaping contractor A&B Gardening to tackle a wide variety of tasks with one machine on a major private estate project near Luton in Hertfordshire.
Purchased from Molson Equipment, the unusual 14-tonne-class machine has been used for everything from earthmoving and grading to lake work, forestry and landscaping — reducing the need for multiple machines and operators.
Awesome Earthmovers caught up with A&B Gardening Managing Director Ben Jepps to find out why the Blade Runner has become such an important addition to his fleet.
One machine for a wide range of work
Ben has worked in landscaping and groundworks for more than 15 years, with experience ranging from grounds maintenance and forestry to operating construction equipment.
The Hertfordshire project called for that full range of skills.
Work included building up and reshaping areas of the estate, levelling ground, redistributing subbase and screened topsoil, woodland management and dredging lakes before creating new islands.
Around 2,000 tonnes of silt also had to be removed from one of the lakes.
Normally, such varied work could require several different machines. Bringing the Kobelco ED160-7 Blade Runner onto site allowed Ben to take a different approach.
“It’s more than a one-trick-pony machine,” he told us. “I’m looking at it as a long term investment. Its ability to do so many jobs is good for business efficiency and means I can get work done on time.”
Why Ben chose the Kobelco Blade Runner
Interestingly, Ben had not originally been looking for a Blade Runner.
After being referred to Molson Equipment by another landscaping company, he contacted Sales Director Stuart Butler while considering the replacement of some older equipment.
His original requirement was for a forestry-specification 14-tonne excavator.
After visiting Ben on site and learning more about the range of work A&B Gardening undertakes, Stuart suggested the Kobelco ED160-7 Blade Runner instead.
“As soon as Ben told me about all the different projects he was working on, I knew that this machine would suit his needs,” said Stuart.
For Ben, the additional versatility justified moving away from his original plan.
“Once Stuart suggested the Blade Runner, it made complete sense with everything we were doing,” he said. “It’s a no-brainer to do everything with one machine. Yes, I’m paying a little more, but getting a lot more from it.”
Six-way blade adds dozer capability
Central to the Blade Runner concept is its six-way Power, Angle and Tilt blade.
The blade can be angled 25 degrees left or right, allowing material to be pushed away from the machine’s direction of travel. It can also tilt by up to 455mm on either side, making it useful for applications including slope grading, ditch work and forming culverts.
Self-levelling and float functions can be controlled from a thumb button on the joystick.
The blade has a stated capacity of 1.6m³, while the excavator offers a 0.7m³ ISO-heaped bucket capacity and digging force of 105.4kN.
According to the machine specification, digging cycle time is reduced by 10% compared with the previous model, while output is increased by 10%.
Steelwrist tiltrotator adds further versatility
Ben’s machine takes the concept further with the addition of a Steelwrist tiltrotator.
The unit provides unrestricted 360-degree rotation together with 45 degrees of tilt in either direction, significantly expanding the range of positions in which buckets and other attachments can be used.
The ED160’s attachment mode can also adjust machine settings to suit the selected tool.
For a contractor moving between excavation, landscaping, grading and forestry applications, that flexibility is a major part of the machine’s appeal.
“Rather than having to have two machines — a dozer and excavator — I can have one man and machine to do everything,” said Ben.
“It is game-changing in increasing our efficiency and productivity, all without the challenges of having to recruit more staff.”
Undercarriage designed for difficult terrain
The ED160-7 also benefits from a reinforced lower structure suited to the type of varied ground conditions Ben regularly encounters.
Its track motors are normally associated with 20-tonne-class machines, while the crawler tracks are curved and plated to help minimise damage when turning on finished ground.
The machine also provides 455mm of ground clearance, helping it negotiate uneven surfaces.
For A&B Gardening, the combination of a strong undercarriage, excavator upper structure, six-way blade and Steelwrist tiltrotator has created a machine capable of moving rapidly between very different tasks.
Ben describes the specification as unlike anything else he had considered.
“No one else makes anything like it,” he said. “It’s a really cool spec and is different and unique from anything out there.”
First Kobelco leads to another purchase
The ED160-7 was Ben’s first machine purchased from Molson Equipment, but it was soon followed by a Kobelco SK10SR-2E.
Ben also worked with Molson on a distinctive pink and white finish for the Blade Runner in memory of his partner’s mother, who had passed away from cancer.
Dealer support has proved equally important.
When a problem with the diesel tank cut-off threatened to interrupt work, Ben contacted Stuart and a technician was on site the following morning to resolve the issue.
For a growing landscaping business taking on increasingly ambitious projects, the Blade Runner has ultimately provided more than just another excavator.
Its combination of digging, grading, dozing and attachment capability has allowed A&B Gardening to approach complex projects with fewer machines while retaining the flexibility needed to move quickly between very different types of work.
Read the full Awesome Earthmovers feature
This article is based on a feature originally published in Issue 30 of Awesome Earthmovers. Read the complete feature, including the full story and original photography, in the digital magazine.
