Probably the luckiest new operator in the UK Mark Canning

Mark Canning of Porteous Groundworks, has a special edition Hidromek HMK 140LC with a custom black and orange paint job.

One Point Survey, a Leica Geosystems dealer, has also fitted the machine with 3D machine control, integrating the system with a Holp Rototop rotating attachment and Strickland buckets.

Peter Haddock caught up with Mark when the machine had been delivered directly from the MPS South West stand at the Royal Cornwall Show by Jason McCullough

Capturing his first moments testing it out, Peter also got to sit on the tracks for this interview.

Mark:  “Operating excavators is quite new to me, but I'm ready to give it a go. It's great being in the seat of a brand new machine today as I've always been on the ground, looking at other operators using the kit.

"I have been on some of the other machines, but this one feels like it has more power than it should for its size, so it will take a little getting used to.

“Fortunately, I have already been using the Holp and Leica system, which is just way quicker when it comes to getting the job done, particularly when you can turn your bucket without changing it every time. It's a lot less hassle."

A Porteous Groundworks engineering team supports Mark and the operator team. They use Leica Geosystems surveying equipment, software and its ConX cloud-based solution to create and send 3D models directly to the machines onsite. 

Talking to Mark about how this has helped him, he added:

"With the way our engineers set up the model, it's very straightforward. They give us finished floor levels, dig levels, and concrete levels.

“When it comes to actual digging, the offset function in the Leica tablet reduces it all to the required depth, making the excavation process much simpler.”

Mark joked: ”It will certainly be a lot easier than keeping the black and orange machine clean in dusty site conditions."