The SENNEBOGEN 870 M loads a truck with coal from the barge it is unloading at Lindy Paving’s Neville Island Terminal dock. The 870 M can unload three barges in approximately 7 1/2 hours per day.

NEVILLE ISLAND, PA – As the largest asphalt paving contractor and manufacturer of quality asphalt products in Western Pennsylvania, Lindy Paving, Inc. processes a lot of coal, sand, limestone and other aggregate material. Much of this material is offloaded at Lindy’s busy 19 acre Neville Island Terminal located on the Ohio River. At the very heart of the terminal’s barge offloading operation is the purpose-built SENNEBOGEN 870 M, a rubber-tired material handler Lindy Paving delivered by Gibson Machinery.

“We were originally considering a modified excavator, but realized it would have all kinds of features that we would never use,” says Tim Lang, Equipment Manager for Lindy Paving, Inc. “On the other hand, SENNEBOGEN machines are made strictly for handling material. They’re very easy to operate, and very easy to maintain. They’re purpose-built for our application.”

Headquartered in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Lindy Paving, Inc. has consistently delivered award-winning asphalt paving and quality product manufacturing to Western Pennsylvania since 1979. Including its Neville Island Terminal, Lindy has four locations in Pennsylvania. Lindy Paving can produce any mix design for commercial, municipal, or state projects and “will call” sales to independent contractors. Lindy Paving’s overall capabilities include asphalt production, asphalt paving, pavement design, milling, quality control, and testing services for sub base, concrete and asphalt.

It all started with a cold call
Gibson Machinery’s equipment specialist, Jim Iudiciani, recalls introducing himself to Neville Island Terminal Site Superintendent, Dan McFarland, during his first visit to the site. “Dan told me that they were looking for a new machine at their other site on the Island. I introduced him to the SENNEBOGEN line and he suggested that I contact Tim Lang, their Equipment Manager”, says Iudiciani.

It was presented to Mr. Lang how SENNEBOGEN machines were purpose-built material handlers as opposed to modified excavators. To this point, Mr. Lang had not heard much about SENNEBOGEN, but he liked the concept.

“Then Dan McFarland introduced me to Steve Jacobs, the Dock Site Superintendent,” remembers Iudiciani. “I went down to the dock to get job specifications to size up the right machine for the job. Steve supplied me all the information and the machine was delivered in November 2006.”

Neville Island Terminal Dock is a continuous, non-stop operation
Equipped with a 4 ½ yard Young Clam Shell Bucket, the rubber-tired SENNEBOGEN 870 M moves up and down the Neville Island Terminal’s dock, offloading barges that have been secured in place. The machine moves continuously from one end of the barges to the next, loading waiting trucks with material. The trucks then exit, make their dump and come right back for more. After one barge is emptied, the 870 M moves onto the next one and the process continues. Since the machine was commissioned, Lindy has increased its production significantly. 

The absence of what Lang calls “unnecessary bells and whistles” on the SENNEBOGEN 870 M makes it easy to service onsite. He appreciates the top-notch attention he receives from Gibson Machinery. “They understand our needs and they take care of things promptly – although after 4000 hours of service, we haven’t really had any major problems with our SENNEBOGEN,” says Lang.

The SENNEBOGEN 870 M is equipped with a 4 ½ yard Young Clam Shell Bucket.

Being on wheels not only speeds up the 870 M’s barge unloading application, it gives Lang the mobility he needs to move around the yard. This is especially critical when the machine is called into service at the other end of the facility to stack sand, salt or dirt. “It’s like driving a car,” says Lang. “A rubber tired SENNEBOGEN was definitely the way to go for us.”

The visibility offered by the 870 M’s elevating cab is a feature much appreciated by Lang and his operators. “Being able to see into the 1500 ton jumbo barges we have to offload is something my operators really like – that and not having to crawl up into the cab. Being able to go up and down in the cab at the touch of a button is a really nice feature.”

“It’s a continuous, non-stop operation,” says Lang. “Pound for pound, our SENNEBOGEN 870 M does exactly, if not more, than what we were promised and by far outperforms any modified excavator we could have had.”

About SENNEBOGEN
SENNEBOGEN has been a leading name in the global material handling industry for more than 50 years. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, SENNEBOGEN America offers a complete range of purpose-built machines to suit virtually any heavy lift or "pick & carry" application. A growing network of distributors supports SENNEBOGEN sales and service across the Americas, ensuring the highest standard of professional machine support and parts availability.

Constantino Lannes, President
SENNEBOGEN LLC
2835 Jeff Adams Dr., Charlotte, NC 28206
Call toll free: 1-877-309-0099 or fax (704) 347-8894
E-mail – sales@sennebogenllc.com
Visit the web site at www.sennebogen-na.com

- SEPTEMBER 2008 -