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mySK260LC-10

Country: Iceland
Customer: Suđurfell ehf
Operator: Reynir Reynisson
Dealer: Verkfaeri ehf

Renowned as the ‘land of fire and ice’, Iceland is home to just 330,000 people, the vast majority of whom are based in the capital Reykjavik and surrounding areas. However, the Nordic island attracts nearly two million tourists each year from the USA, Canada, United Kingdom and China, which is putting pressure on the country’s property market and causing house prices to soar.

Iceland’s booming tourism has led to an increase in foreign buyers and with a limited supply of property, house prices are increasing rapidly. In fact, the nationwide residential property price index surged by over 23% in the past year, which is almost triple the annual growth of 8%. The average residential property price in the centre of Reykjavik is now around €400,000.

As the house prices in the capital grow increasing prohibitive, particularly for first-time buyers, areas with more affordable housing outside of the centre, but still within a commutable distance, are a good compromise.

Suđurfell ehf, a relatively young construction company based in Hafnarfjörður, is currently working on such a development in Njarðvík, around 10 minutes’ drive from Keflavík International Airport and 30 minutes from Reykjavik. The company, which is run by Halldór Bergmundsson and Guđjón Þór Jónsson, specialises in groundworks and residential construction, and is currently using a Kobelco SK260LC-10 to help prepare a site for some new houses.

“We haven’t been working on this job site for very long,” explains operator Reynir Reynisson. “We should only be here a couple of weeks before we move on to our next project. Our job here is to level the ground in preparation for some new houses. With the Kobelco SK260LC-10, we can work very quickly, even though the ground here in Iceland is very hard!”

The SK260LC-10’s enhanced durability means that it can withstand the toughest terrain and working conditions, even while delivering an increase in working performance. The machine also benefits from Kobelco’s innovative Integrated Noise and Dust Reduction (iNDr) technology, which promotes low noise and easy maintenance, and is ideal for working on residential developments where noise levels need to me kept to a minimum.

Forty-nine-year-old Reynir uses the SK260LC-10 to clear excavated earth and rock from the site in order to prepare for the building works. Travelling across the uneven terrain and high mounds of volcanic material is no problem for the machine. “The Kobelco is very easy to operate,” continues Reynir. “The controls are easy to use which means that I can be very precise when digging. It’s also very quiet, inside and outside the cabin, which is important as we don’t want to disturb the residents too much.”

Suđurfell ehf also has an SK350LC-10 on its fleet, which is currently working on a new development in Kópavogur, around 30 minutes outside of Reykjavik. Halldór explains that fuel consumption was a big factor when purchasing both machines. “Fuel efficiency was one of the reasons we decided to purchase the SK260LC-10 and SK350LC-10,” he continues. “Both machines have very big Ad-Blue tanks, which reduces the downtime for fill-ups. I know we’re using a lot less Ad-Blue with these machines, even though we’re always working in Heavy (H) Mode. It makes a big difference to our operating costs as fuel in Iceland is so expensive.”

The weather in Iceland is notoriously unpredictable and you can often see all four seasons on an average day! In addition, there are only around five hours of effective daylight during the winter months, so operator comfort and safety are also paramount. “In winter we’ll mount extra lighting to the SK260LC-10’s boom,” explains Reynir. “Although we’ll have less daylight, we still have to get the job done so need to find ways to operate quickly but safely.”

“We’ve only had the machine a couple of months but I’m very impressed with the comfort of the cabin. I have plenty of room to move around and it has lots of home comforts like a radio, storage tray and cup holder. I’m sure working long hours in this machine will be really comfortable.”

Key benefits
• Power meets Efficiency
• 5% improved digging volume in H-Mode
• 10% fuel reduction in S-Mode
• Reinforced attachments for optimum durability
• 80% decrease in NOx emissions
• Redesigned upper deck for easy maintenance and all-round visibility.

Machine specification
Operating weight 25,500 kg – 26,400 kg
Engine rated power 137 kW
Bucket capacity 0.81 m3 – 1.40 m3
Drawbar pulling force 244 kN
Swing speed 10.2 min -1
Bucket digging force 170.0 kN / 187.0 kN

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