OPERATOR PROFILE
on point Northern Irish groundworks contractor Darren Gordon says his new Rototilt R4 tiltrotator has been a good investment. Chris McCullough finds out why
Above: A tiltrotator allows for angled movement without repeatedly moving the excavator
At the start it took me a good month to get the hang of the controls for the Rototilt.
G
etting the right digging angle on a compact construction site can eat up time, moving the excavator backwards and forwards, as well as using extra fuel. On top of having to watch out for overhead cables and other equipment, excavator operators traditionally had to keep a close eye on fellow site workers as well. That was all before tiltrotators were invented, giving excavator operators extra flexibility on sites – once they master the new control functions on the joysticks. Using a tiltrotator allows operators to twist, turn and reach into the most acute angles on a site without having to keep moving the excavator. Tiltrotators also improve safety on sites as they can cancel out the need for extra labour; but they do come with a hefty price tag, which has to be justified by the business owner. Having heard a lot of talk about tiltrotators, County Down groundworks contractor Darren Gordon scoured the internet to view them working in videos before deciding if the investment would be a worthwhile one for his business. Gordon runs two Hyundai 140 excavators in his business based in Annalong and, as he works on his own, thought a tiltrotator would be a very useful addition. “I’ve been operating excavators for the past 25 years,” he says. “I carry out any type of work for the construction industry on housing sites or any other type of site. “I also work in the agricultural industry as well
preparing sites for buildings and digging out ditches, enough to keep me busy. “I had heard about tiltrotators for some time before taking the step to actually research what exactly they can do and how useful one would be for me, if at all. “After a few hours of watching videos on the internet I decided to go for one and set out to find what was available in Northern Ireland.”
R4 MODEL Over the years, Gordon has operated a number of 14-tonne Hyundai excavators and currently runs a new Hyundai HX140LC. He also has an older 2015 Hyundai 140 that he uses as a backup machine. Gordon did a bit of searching locally before he could find anyone distributing the tiltrotators, but finally came in contact with Aiden O’Neill from Cullion Plant Service based near Dungannon, which is the agent for the Rototilt range of tiltrotators in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. “After making enquiries with Aiden at Cullion Plant Service, I ordered the R4 model as it suits my 14-tonne Hyundai 140,” explains Gordon. “The machine arrived just as the coronavirus pandemic was taking hold in March and it took a bit of getting used to.” Rototilt’s R4 model tiltrotator is designed for excavators between 10 tonnes and 16 tonnes. It is built with an oil-filled rotor housing cast in a single piece for maximum lubrication
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