Lewis Quarries has highlighted the reliability, fuel efficiency and productivity of its SANY SY305 excavator after three years of operation in one of the UK’s toughest quarrying environments.

Operating in challenging conditions where stone blocks weighing up to 60 tonnes are regularly extracted and moved, the quarry’s management team says the machine has delivered consistent performance while helping maintain productivity year-round.

John Lucas, Operations Manager at Lewis Quarries, explained that durability is critical in the demanding quarry environment. “The reliability of the SANY is good. Down here it’s a harsh environment and the machine gets knocked about a lot, but nothing has broken and it hasn’t let us down yet.”

Lewis Quarries specialises in the extraction and processing of large stone blocks used in applications including building stone and flooring products. The SY305 plays a key role in the operation, extracting material from the quarry face before it is loaded into dumpers and transported to the processing yard.

The company purchased the machine as a replacement for an ageing excavator and, despite initially having limited knowledge of the SANY brand, the results have exceeded expectations. “Before we bought the digger, there weren’t many SANY machines in the UK and we didn’t know much about them. After three years of ownership, we’ve found it to be a very durable machine.”

Lucas admitted he was initially sceptical but quickly became impressed by the excavator’s performance. “The SANY performs just as well as any other machine we’ve operated. It’s got plenty of power and it’s very fuel-efficient compared to other machines we’ve had here.”

Equipped with a ripper tooth attachment, the SY305 regularly handles some of the quarry’s toughest extraction work. “Some of these blocks are extremely heavy and difficult to get out. With the ripper tooth, the machine manages to rip through the material and pull them out with no issues.”

Operator comfort has also been a major benefit, with Lucas highlighting the comfortable cab, user-friendly controls and excellent visibility. Cameras mounted around the machine have proved particularly valuable when loading dumpers in restricted areas. “When we’re loading into the dumper it’s quite a tight area to swing around in, so the cameras really come into their own. Having the camera feeds displayed on the screen helps make sure you don’t catch the counterweight or hit anything around you.”

After three years of intensive quarrying work, the SY305 continues to impress. “We’re currently pulling out a very large block, probably around 40 tonnes, and the machine doesn’t seem to take much notice of it. It’s been a dependable machine for us and continues to perform day in, day out.”

Lewis Quarries has also praised the support received from SANY and dealer C&O Construction. “The communication from SANY and our local dealer C&O is excellent and whenever we need assistance, the support is there.”

Having proven itself in some of the most demanding conditions, Lucas says he would have no hesitation recommending the brand. “We’d definitely recommend SANY machines across a range of industries. Certainly in quarrying, they’ve shown themselves to be good, hardy machines.”

Watch the full testimonial.