Trans-Tomaco is a family company based in Castellón in Spain, founded in 1950 by professionals from the world of transport, logistics management and earthmoving. Since then, the business has fulfilled all of its clients' material transport needs. Its vehicle fleet is three years old on average and is diversified in order to meet the demand of operators with modern and state-of-the-art equipment.
The latest addition to the fleet at Trans-Tomaco is the purchase of a new Doosan DL380-7 wheel loader to move raw materials used in the manufacture of porcelain stoneware flooring in the Castellón area. The ceramic sector in Spain is of vital importance at a national level, but above all in terms of exports. Spain is the benchmark in the industry and one of the main European and world exporting countries in this market, with 90% of production being concentrated in the province of Castellón.
Raw materials for the industry arrive at the ports of Castellón and Valencia, or come from mines in various Spanish towns, and are transported by truck to the ceramics plant. Using the new Doosan DL380-7 loader, these materials are collected and fed into hoppers, so that the ceramic atomizer has a continuous supply for the manufacture of tiles. The dependability of the wheel loader is paramount, because production cannot be stopped once the ovens are switched on, as the process is continuous.
“We need to stack a large amount of material, mainly white clay, to feed the hoppers quickly and reliably. We are talking about a movement of at least three thousand tonne of material per day, in two shifts,” comments Raúl Martínez Paula, the machine operator in charge.
“The Doosan DL380-7 wheel loader provides us with a large loading capacity and it is faster and guarantees a better performance with lower fuel consumption. We now have a 4.3 m3 shovel that improves the effectiveness of the work considerably. With this greater load capacity we have made gains in efficiency.”
The DL380-7 is part of the new generation DL-7 wheel loader family, which offers maximum capacities from 2.8 to 6.4 m3. In addition, the Z-bar lift arm provides high breakout forces and lifting capacities, especially for heavier materials, and a large dumping angle to efficiently unload materials.
“We highly value the speed of movement, the power and the low fuel consumption - everything goes well together. This machine is very easy to operate, manoeuvres perfectly both indoors and outdoors, and performs and runs very well,” adds Raúl Martínez Paula.
The Doosan DL380-7 wheel loader features a Stage V engine that primarily uses Selective Catalytic Reduction, plus a longer lasting Diesel Particulate Filter, with a fully automatic regeneration process designed to manage itself, without operator intervention. Eliminating exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) from the engine leads to much lower fuel consumption and fewer particulates in the exhaust.
With no EGR needed and a new selection of power modes available - SAT2, Standard or Power - the new generation Situation Awareness Technology (SAT2) power management system automatically scans the machine’s activity and adjusts the engine’s output according to real time analysis of the boom pressure, pump pressure and output shaft.
Raúl Martínez Paula added: “Previously we owned another Doosan loader, a DL300 and we were satisfied with its performance so we weren't considering changing brands. Compared with the old machine, the new loader is more modern, sleaker and very comfortable. It is larger, the cab is very spacious, comfortable and has a better finish. It has an 8-inch touch screen that is easy to read and use, with all the functions integrated in one place. Visibility from the operator's station is unbeatable.”
Inside the cab, the DL380-7 wheel loader offers enhanced operating comfort, an enhanced steering system and advanced electronic controls. Using the new Doosan Smart Key system on the control panel in the cab, the operator can start the machine using a keyless device, helping to prevent machine theft. The Smart Key system provides remote door control, door lock and unlock, door release, searching and other functions. The control panel also includes two USB sockets.
The new cab has a Grammer Actimo XXL seat with fully adjustable horizontal and vertical suspension settings, a pneumatic lumbar function and seat heating as standard. The new EMCV (Electric Main Control Valve) joystick fully integrated in the armrest is another standard feature in the cab, providing the operator with smoother and precise controllability of the lift arm and attachments on the wheel loader.
Raúl Martínez Paula continued: "It is also worth noting the breakout force of this loader, as well as its high traction that facilitates the penetration of even the hardest materials. This is a very safe and robust machine and we also opted for the DL380-7 because of the confidence provided by the service of the Doosan distributor, SUMAG MOP, and the professionals in their workshop, together with that offered by Centrocar, exclusive importer of Doosan in Spain, Portugal, Angola and Mozambique, who we have been working with for many years.”
Photo caption: l to r - Isidro Prieto from the Commercial Department of SUMAG MOP, together with Raúl Martínez Paula, driver in charge at Trans-Tomaco.