SANY excavators will be playing a major role in a £40m upgrade to the water network at Peterhead in Scotland over the next couple of years. Main contractors AG Wilson Civil Engineering, who are based in County Armagh in Northern Ireland, could have as many as 12 SANY models on the site once the project is fully up and running.

Included will be a recently acquired 40 tonne SANY SY390H excavator and two SANY SY215C machines from SANY’s Irish dealer, Sleator Plant. They join a number of other SANY’s ranging from eight tonne upwards, in addition to a SANY SY155W rubber duck which has been fitted with an Engcon tilt rotator.

Work on the first phase of the upgrade to the water network is already underway between Peterhead and Auchiries and should be completed soon, while the second phase from Auchiries to Ellon is scheduled to finish in the summer of 2026.

Scottish Water, which is publicly-owned, is working with Caledonia Water Alliance along with AG Wilson to deliver this major investment to improve resilience in the water supply in the north east of Scotland. It will involve the installation of almost 23km of new trunk main.

Civil engineering contractors AG Wilson are no strangers to Scotland, having raised their reputation and profile across the country since 2016, successfully completing a number of projects. In 2022 they acquired a permanent base in West Riverside Farm, which already had some warehousing in Carron Valley, near Stirling, and added a fully equipped office. It has proved to be an ideal location from which to serve the whole of Scotland. This latest contract from Scottish Water is their biggest yet in the region.

Since its inception in 1979, AG Wilson Civil Engineering has built a reputation for delivering comprehensive civil engineering services to both private and public sectors across the UK and Ireland. Their 45-year history is marked by technical expertise, a dedicated workforce, and a commitment to integrity on every project.

The company’s three primary work categories are civil engineering, marine construction and fusion welding services – and they are clearly big fans of the SANY brand which now makes up the largest contribution to their machinery fleet, with a total of 16 SANY excavators which in addition to the new  40 tonne SANY SY390H excavator, two SANY SY215Cs, and two SANY SY75Cs, also includes five 8-tonne SY80U excavators, a 16-tonne compact wheeled excavator, and two 16-tonne SY155U units, all working on projects in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and underscoring AG Wilson’s ongoing commitment to integrating high-performance equipment into their operations.

Another Milestone

This latest investment marks another milestone in the strong relationship between AG Wilson and Sleator Plant, a partnership that began with their first SANY excavator purchase in December 2021.

“The impressive specifications of the machines make SANY an excellent choice for their business. AG Wilson’s trust in our team also played a crucial role in their decision to place a large multi-unit order,” says Aaron McCaul, General Manager at Sleator Plant who will be introducing the SANY brand for the first time to visitors to the National Ploughing Championships this September at Ratheniska in County Laois, ahead of the opening of a brand new Sleator Plant depot close to Dublin Airport.

“We believe SANY’s five year warranty across the range underlines the manufacturer’s strong belief in the reliability of their machines which are built using high quality components and are powered by leading brand engines. We are delighted to have enjoyed a long standing relationship with AG Wilson and trust we will continue to do so for many years more.”

AG Wilson director Derek Wilson adds: “We were initially attracted by the very competitive price of the machines, but equally the five year warranty is also a big factor in staying with the SANY brand. The excavators are extremely well built and we have found them to be very reliable.”

“Initially, when we invested in our first SANY machines our operators were a bit sceptical, but that quickly changed. They are very happy with the performance and comfort of the excavators which make up the biggest part of our 40 strong machinery fleet.”

Certainly, the latest 24 tonne SY215Cs to join the fleet leave nothing to be desired. All of the controls are within easy reach from the air-suspension seat which can be individually adjusted to offer the operator a comfortable workstation. The consoles move up and down with the seat, providing the best possible protection for the operator even in the event of impacts. Alongside the ergonomic controls is a 10“ touch display providing razor-sharp images from the machine’s two cameras, while the flat design of the engine cover allows a view of the rear working area.

The SY215C’s automatic climate control system adds to the working environment, while other standard features include a radio with an additional USB port for the driver‘s own audio devices, as well several large storage compartments for everything the driver needs close to hand.

Heavy Duty

Also new to the fleet, as we mentioned, is the heavy duty SANY SY390H which is powered by a Stage V Cummins engine and an efficient Kawasaki hydraulic system. Like all SANY machines, it has also been designed with the operator in mind. The air suspension seat is the central element and can be adjusted in various directions to allow easy access to the controls.

The consoles are connected to the seat and move along with it. Some of the other elements adding to the comfort include heated seating, automatic air conditioning, a refrigerated compartment, plenty of storage space, a radio and a USB port.

A rear camera and a side camera are installed as standard, with the images being displayed on a 10” touchscreen HD monitor, either individually or in various combinations, to provide an accurate picture of the working area and enhance site safety, while six maintenance-free LED spotlights provide excellent illumination, especially in low light conditions.

Also working on the project when we visited the Peterhead site were two recently acquired seven tonne SANY machines. The SY75C is one of the most powerful SANY compact excavators. Powered by a Stage V Yanmar engine and efficient, load sensing hydraulics, its design allows for easy manoeuvrability and increased versatility. The position of the boom enables the excavator to lift higher loads over longer reaches than comparable machines in this weight class.

Other features include responsive and precise controls, an ergonomic and comfortable operator’s seat, clear instrumentation and large high resolution colour display, air conditioning for improved operator comfort and LED work lights for maximum visibility in low light conditions.

Being fully utilised on the Peterhead project, too, was the SANY SY155W rubber duck, with its Engcon tiltrotator which was supplied by dealers Ballyward Plant Services in County Down. “The tiltrotator has transformed the rubber duck into an even more versatile addition to our fleet. We wouldn’t be without it,” says Derek. “Currently, we are using it mainly on road crossings and in our compound at Peterhead to load and offload material from our trucks.”

Service & Support

AG Wilsons tend to keep their excavators for up to 10,000 hours, so regular servicing is essential and Derek says they find the SANY excavators have been designed to make that task very easy for them, with all the main service points conveniently located and accessible, and as for the support they get from Sleator Plant, he adds: “We have an excellent working relationship with the team there, built up over many years dealing with them and anytime we need to call on their services they don’t disappoint.”

Thank you to Awesome Earthmovers magazine for the quotations used in this SANY in Action article and for providing the fantastic pictures.