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E X C AVAT OR S
ONE MAN AND HIS DIGGER
Mark Palmer-Broughton’s faithful Takeuchi TB216 is a breed apart, according to its owner
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f as an operator you’ve learnt your trade on excavators of 20-tonne and upwards – and can point to more than 15 years of experience at the controls – then the more diminutive class of machine should be yours to command. For the last three years Mark Palmer-Broughton of On Your Marks Plant Hire has been digging out the footings for extensions, excavating swimming pools, and undertaking all manner of landscaping and small building works. Previously, however, he has worked on units anything up to 80 tonnes in size, and that gives him invaluable insight into the power, versatility and performance of his Takeuchi TB216 – not to mention considerable prowess at the driver’s seat. “I bought my first Takeuchi to do some extra work of my own on weekends,” recalls the Berkshire-based owner/operator, “and things just really took off from there. There’s a lot more demand for mechanised solutions on even the smallest jobs now because builders have recognised just how quickly you can complete the works and move on to the next. When they hire me they get a very
driveways, levelling, or more substantial swimming pool projects, there’s so much a digger of this size can do.
Industry experience
“The thing that really stands out is the digging power that’s at your disposal from a relatively small unit.” experienced digger driver and a machine as a single package. I’ve been working alongside a friend of mine, landscaper Christian Light at CJ’s Garden Maintenance for the last few years and, whether it’s that kind of job,
From his own knowledge of the excavator market Mark new that Takeuchi was the brand he wanted to invest in when he was setting up his business, and it’s proven to be the right decision, with his current TB216 the second unit he’s owned from the Japanese compact plant specialist: “It’s a superb machine and I don’t think there’s anything else like it on the market,” he continues. We caught up with Mark and his 1.6 tonne unit on an extension in Newbury where he was digging the footings for a 4metre extension, as well as removing the spoil for the foul drainage connections. Mark bought the TB216 from Takeuchi dealer, CBL last year and it’s been in daily use since, even during the darkest days of the lockdowns. Indeed, Mark reports that he has been even busier during the pandemic as many homebound property owners look to maximise their living space and enhance outdoor areas.
CPN I MARCH / APRIL 17
