Next Generation CAT® 323 With Cooper Civil
The Next Generation Cat® 323 excavator has made a huge impact for Cooper Civil Pty Ltd in delivering more for their business.
The Cat 323 has a new cab designed to enhance operator performance. It comes equipped with standard features such as keyless push-button start, large standard 8” touchscreen and 10” touchscreen (Option with 360-degree Birdseye) monitors with jog dial keys for control and sound-suppressed rollover protective structures. This offers the next level of operator comfort, safety and quiet operation.
The Caterpillar team caught up with Cooper Civil’s Directors, Rhys Cooper, to talk about the new edition to their business.
“The first time kind of blew my mind. The whole cab all redesigned and the cameras everywhere. It’s good to see that there’s time, money and thought being put into this [machine].”
“The 360 camera can work so much faster without thinking about what’s behind you because you can see it… I’ve been on a night shift and working on a bridge, I didn’t have to worry or think you’re going to hit something and hold the whole show up” Cooper said.
The Cat 323 offers extended and more synchronized maintenance intervals, therefore does more work at a lower cost. Furthermore, reducing maintenance costs by up to 15 percent over the previous series.
“The ground level daily maintenance is a breeze for the operators to walk around and check everything, it’s safer for our technicians to operate” Cooper said. Cat Connect Technology is integrated into the 323 next generation excavator, which increases operating efficiency by up to 45 percent over traditional grading operations. It also consumes 20 to 25 percent less fuel than the previous, corresponding models. New Smart mode operation automatically matches engine and hydraulic power to digging conditions, optimizing both fuel consumption and performance.
“The operators that are operating these machines are proud to operate, and this is something that a lot of people always talk about. They want to be operating them, and want to come and have a look at the machine” Cooper said.
Cooper said how much the Cat 323 has made a difference to the business, and how operators have embraced the machine.
“Workers and I can’t stop raving about the machine. One of our top operators, a couple of days into using it, rang me and said; ‘you know how sometimes you have those bad days, I don’t have bad days anymore,’ and that’s ever since he’s been on the 323” Cooper said. “It ticks all the boxes!”
Once Cooper Civil bought their first Cat machine, they were not only satisfied with the machine itself, but also what it opened up for their business.
Cooper said, “Working with Cat has been sensational… It’s kind of what you want in a support package, and Hastings Deering have done that. They treat us like we’ve owned 20 bits of gear and that made us buy Cat from then on out.”