Volvo’s excavator range
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Volvo has leveraged 180 years of technical know-how and 75 years of excavator experience to develop some of the world’s finest earth moving machines.
With a history that can be traced all the way back to 1832, Volvo CE views themselves as one of the true pioneers of the construction equipment industry. With world-famous innovations such as wheel loaders and articulated hauliers, Volvo CE says they have revolutionised the construction equipment industry.
The history of Volvo’s excavators is closely linked to that of Swedish company Åkermans Gjuteri och Mekaniska Verkstad, founded in 1890. The company started out manufacturing equipment such as pumps and grinders and later moved into construction equipment. Åkermans’ first excavator was built in 1939, an eight-tonne Åkerman 300 rope-shovel model powered by a Volvo engine, which became almost an instant success and marked the start of the company’s international expansion.
Focused on excavators
The excavator business gradually increased and by 1956, Åkermans specialised only in this business. During the 1960s, the company introduced its first hydraulic excavator and these machines helped make Åkermans one of the most innovative engineering companies in Sweden during the 1970s.
Åkermans’ engineers continued to develop high-quality and high-performance excavators and in the 1990s, the company was brought into the Volvo family. Åkermans experienced engineers were now tasked with developing excavators under a new brand, Volvo.
Asian footprint
In 1998, Volvo CE expanded its excavator business and established an Asian industrial footprint through the acquisition of a well-established excavator factory in Korea.
With hydraulic excavators accounting for the majority of construction equipment machines built globally, having a cost competitive manufacturing base and a highly skilled workforce was essential for the future success of the product. Following this acquisition, Volvo added 180 years of industrial experience and Åkermans’ long-running legacy in European excavator design. This was combined with a strong focus on quality, safety, and fuel efficiency and so development began of a new generation of excavators.
Subsequently, Volvo invested heavily into the Korean manufacturing plant in Changwon, harmonising it with the company’s global standards. The first two Volvo models from the facility—the EC210 and EC240—were launched in 1999 and the Volvo hallmarks of quality, safety, productivity, and fuel efficiency were immediately apparent.
Larger machines
Volvo CE also used technology and know-how from its other product lines such as wheel loaders and articulated hauliers—which are considered by many to be world-leading in terms of fuel efficiency, productivity, and total cost of operations—to develop its excavator range.
Over the years, the excavator range has been continually growing in size to match the growth of its haulier equipment. The most recent addition is the 90 tonne Volvo EC950E excavator, which was launched this year.
Still uncovering new ground
Volvo is world-renowned for its commitment to safety. Within the context of excavators, that means protecting both operators and those around them.
Volvo also works closely with its customers to constantly develop new features to bring down their total cost of ownership. The innovations introduced by Volvo to its excavators include automatic engine shutdown and auto-idle functions for fuel efficiency; load-sensing hydraulics for reduced power consumption; ergonomic and intuitive controls for better operator productivity; and wide-opening hoods for safe and easy access to components during servicing.
Dedicated teams
These breakthroughs are a result of the intense research and development work carried out at Volvo CE’s 11 R&D centres and 15 manufacturing facilities worldwide.
Here, dedicated work teams use the Volvo Production System, a unique production philosophy that uses highly advanced technologies and techniques to ensure Volvo’s quality standards.
Today, Volvo CE’s Changwon factory manufactures a broad range of world-class excavators for customers in Oceania, Asia, Europe, North America, and other parts of the world.
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