Winning the heart of Halawa with the Liebherr R 9150
As Hawaii’s largest concrete producer, Hawaiian Cement relies on the Liebherr R 9150 as its primary excavation equipment at Halawa Valley Quarry. The Liebherr R 9150 excavator plays a vital role in supplying essential materials for residential, commercial, and public construction projects to support Hawaii’s infrastructure network with high quality construction aggregate.
As population and development rise, the pressure on Hawaii’s infrastructure continues to intensify with many systems exceeding their intended lifespan. Amidst these challenges in Hawaii, local companies are actively contributing to the island’s economy by generating resources, fostering employment opportunities, and supplying locally sourced materials, including the largest concrete producer in the state, Hawaiian Cement. Hawaiian Cement is a vertically integrated construction materials company that plays a crucial role in Hawaii’s residential, commercial, and public construction projects.
Due to Hawaiian Cement’s extensive reach, the company owns the Halawa Valley Quarry situated on the island of O‘ahu. Originally opened in 1939, the quarry is capable of producing more than one million tons of aggregates and manufactured sand per year, which is then provided to businesses throughout Hawaii as well as to Hawaiian Cement’s three concrete plants.
To keep up with high demand on the quarry, Hawaiian Cement utilizes their Liebherr R 9150 to provide a powerful digging solution. The R 9150 excavator provides Hawaiian Cement with an efficient machine that has less downtime and improved cycle times, allowing it to fill up the passing trucks faster.
First class customer service
For Hawaiian Cement, one of the most critical deciding factors for working with Liebherr was the company’s reputation for providing exceptional customer service. “Because we’re located on an island, responsiveness is critical to our success,” says Sean Haggerty, vice president of support services, Hawaiian Cement. “There is no such thing as ‘next day’ for us in Hawaii.”
Shipping equipment to Hawaii demands precise planning to overcome logistical and geographical hurdles. Due to Hawaii’s remote location in the Pacific Ocean, narrow roads, and rugged terrain, Liebherr acted with precise coordination between sales, purchasing, logistics, and customer service to ensure smooth and safe operations through shipping, delivery, and commissioning. Factors such as permitting and environmental safeguards to preserve the island, also play a significant role when working on an island.
From the outset, the Liebherr USA team impressed Hawaiian Cement with its technical knowledge, professionalism, and ‘get-it-done’ attitude. “Working with the Liebherr team from the conceptual phase through to design, build, and commission was nothing short of exceptional,” explains Haggerty.
Once delivery was complete, the shovel was built on site, commissioned, and placed into operation immediately to harvest blast rock to load into haul trucks. “From the first day we started the project through completion, I have been impressed at the build team’s technical knowledge, professionalism, and attitude,” said Aaron Oga, maintenance manager.
Increased productivity
Serving as the only cement provider in Hawaii, onsite productivity and fleet cohesion are vital for the excavator’s day-to-day activities. As the primary digging equipment at Halawa Valley Quarry, the R 9150 seamlessly synchronized with the quarry’s haul trucks to ensure a perfect pass match, avoiding unnecessary delays. With the R 9150, the customers’ haul trucks can now be filled in three passes, rather than the four that were previously needed.
This machine was designed to accommodate a wide array of uses and integrates seamlessly into various applications. As one of the most powerful excavators in the 150-t class for the quarry and mining market, the R 9150 reaches the highest excavating forces and an optimal cycle time.
“Because of the R 9150’s class-leading payload capacity and its increased fuel efficiency, we believe that this excavator is a fantastic asset to help Hawaiian Cement meet its expanded productivity targets,” says Nathan Goerke, Regional Sales Manager, Southwest, Mining, Liebherr USA, Co.
New partners
Liebherr USA continues to support Hawaiian Cement with ongoing training and development for onsite personnel, focused on the operation and mechanics of the R 9150. This training will be provided by a mixture of onsite Liebherr technicians and remote monitoring services to ensure the health of this excavator for years to come.
“We are excited for our new partnership with Hawaiian Cement which will allow us to demonstrate the high quality of Liebherr’s equipment and support services to the local area,” continues Goerke.
