Family-Run Contractor Powers Business With Volvo Trucks, Including A New FMX 540 Globetrotter

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Civil engineering contractor W M Donald’s new Volvo FMX 540 Globetrotter is an 8x4 tridem rigid mounted with a triple fan suction excavator to support its work on major infrastructure projects in Scotland. (Photo courtesy of Volvo.)

W M Donald, a family-owned civil engineering and construction contractor based in Aberdeen, Scotland, recently expanded its fleet with the addition of a Volvo FMX 540 Globetrotter. The latest acquisition brings the total number of Volvos to five out of the seven trucks the company owns. The 9-tonne (9.9-U.S.-ton) front-axle truck has a D13K engine with 540 horsepower (397 kilowatts) and 2,600 N-m (1,917 pounds-foot) of torque to power work on major infrastructure projects throughout northeast Scotland, where it will operate five to six days a week. The new FMX is an 8x4 tridem rigid with a deep blue livery and is mounted with a triple fan suction excavator to allow the company to easily excavate around existing utilities.

“We have about 80 conventional excavators in operation at any one time,” explains Ewan Riddoch, managing director of W M Donald. “There are a lot of existing utilities in the ground and putting an excavator bucket and a utility supply together is not a good idea, as there’s always the risk that something could get damaged. When we suspect there are utilities in the area, we can suction excavate around them, which is a lot safer. No one wants to get a reputation for being a careless contractor.”

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“When we suspect there are utilities in the area, we can suction excavate around them, which is a lot safer,” says W M Donald Managing Director Ewan Riddoch. “No one wants to get a reputation for being a careless contractor.” (Photo courtesy of Volvo.)

About The FMX 540 Globetrotter

The FMX is designed for agility and durability with a tight turning circle. It has a redesigned cab with more space and improved visibility along with V-shaped LED headlamps with headlamp protectors, anti-slip steps, and a digital dashboard display. The truck is equipped with Volvo’s I-Shift automated 12-speed transmission as well as software for construction and off-road uses. W M Donald also added aluminium air tanks and Alcoa Dura-Bright alloy wheels. The company also opted for the Globetrotter cab with the One Bed Resting package and the Media package with navigation for the comfort of the driver.

“The driver is very impressed with the turning circle,” Riddoch says. “He really likes the cab environment as well, with great visibility. There is more space to move around and he has plenty of storage to keep all his wet weather gear and equipment.”

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Source: Volvo