Suction Excavators

We’ve invested in two high-tech suction excavators to drive efficiency on our long-term alliance contracts with Anglian Water.

The new machines use powerful suction fans to rapidly extract material through a 250mm nozzle attached to a telescopic arm, completing excavations up to 16 times faster than manual digging.

As well as saving time, the non-destructive vacuum process enhances safety by minimising the risk of accidental strikes on buried utilities and service infrastructure. The removed material is collected within the vehicle’s separation chamber, where micromesh filters extract dust and fumes.

Keyhole excavation using the excavator’s nozzle also produces a neater finish and means a smaller working area, minimising disruption and reducing the need for lane closures on highways.

The use of the machines enables us and Anglian Water to dispatch eight fewer team members to each excavation, freeing up operatives to carry out other valuable work elsewhere.

Jim Davey, Associate Director at Clancy Docwra, said: “Investment in new innovative tools and methods is more than important than ever if we are to meet Ofwat’s challenge to deliver a more efficient, resilient and affordable network in the next asset management period. This state-of-the-art technology will allow us to finish jobs faster, minimising supply interruptions for Anglian Water customers and reducing disruption to the public.”

David Ward, Director of IMR and Head of Treated Water Distribution at Anglian Water, said: “Clancy Docwra’s use of vacuum excavator technology means completing essential work in a way that is safer, quicker and less intrusive compared to conventional excavation methods. Together with our alliancing partners, we will continue to encourage fresh thinking and new processes to provide the best possible service for our customers.”