A new Bobcat E88 8.9 tonne mini-excavator has been specially modified in Sweden with a number of features, including remote control, for work on building ventilation shafts for the Förbifart Stockholm (Stockholm Bypass) road tunnel project in Stockholm.
The Stockholm Bypass project, carried out by main contractor AF Gruppen, is one of Sweden's largest infrastructure projects. Its goal is to create a series of underground motorway tunnels between the Kungens Kurva interchange in the south of Stockholm and the Häggvik interchange north of Stockholm. More than 17 out of 21 kilometres of this bypass, more than 17 out of 21 kilometres, are being built underground.
The bypass will become the world's third longest road tunnel in the proximity of a city, after the Westconnex Tunnel in Sydney and the Yamate Tunnel in Tokyo. 140,000 vehicles per day are expected to use the bypass.
The Bobcat E88 in Stockholm was originally adapted to meet the special regulations of underground works in the mining region in Kiruna in the north of Sweden. The Bobcat E88 was adapted and supplied by Luleå-based Nordkust Maskin AB, the company responsible for sales and service of the entire Bobcat range in the area from Umeå to Kiruna in northern Sweden. This is in collaboration with Bobcat Sverige AB, the main Authorised Bobcat Dealer for Sweden, with its head office in Kristianstad.
The close proximity of Nordkust Maskin AB was another reason for the choice of the Bobcat E88 excavator, as the company is ideally placed to provide service and support for work in Kiruna. Nordkust Maskin AB managed this project in close collaboration with Bobcat Sverige AB and Bobcat Company and as a result was able to deliver the heavily modified E88 excavator on time for the customer, Bergteamet AB, a specialist shaft and tunnel contractor, based in Boliden in Sweden. Nordkust Maskin is working on another E88 adapted for the mining industry that will also be used for a drilling application.
