Oman-based Naeem Dhofar Trading Company, a specialist in sand and aggregate production, has been crushing wadi rock at its 7.5-acre, purpose-built facility located at Wadi Dahboon, around 100 km north of Salalah, since 2015. Around 3,700t of rocks are delivered to the site each day, of which around 3,000t are crushed and screened in a single 10-hour shift. From this, a range of products are produced, from natural wadi sand to aggregates as large as 20 mm, and they are used in ready-mix, road building and general construction sectors in Oman.
These materials are particularly abrasive and put a lot of strain on equipment at the site. To mitigate this impact, Naeem Dhofar has employed an SDLG L958F wheel loader to handle the bulk of the heavy lifting. The L958F is responsible for loading the wadi stone (hard limestone pebbles that measure up to 30 cm in circumference) into tipper trucks for delivery to the site’s crusher hoppers. It is also used to clear fines, manage stock piles and load the finished product into trucks.
The F-series wheel loaders from SDLG were launched last year. The 17-tonne L958F is one of the most popular models in the Middle East and Africa. It is fitted with a standard 3.2m3 bucket and features a rated load of 5.4t, a maximum breakout force of 194kN and 162kW of power.
SDLG’s wheel loaders are designed for corrosive environments by having fewer electronic features than premium machines and less parts that can corrode, which keeps repair costs low.
Devanand Bugde, plant engineer, said: “Wadi stone is a particularly harsh material, and one that places extreme demands on equipment. Add summertime temperatures that extend well into the 40°C bracket and a general atmosphere of crusher dust, and it is fair to say the working environment is demanding. The L958F is proving to be productive and reliable in a difficult environment. This machine has impressed us with its power, quick cycle times and overall performance levels.”
