Skip to main content

Volvo excavators are DNA of India’s SVA

Indian extraction company SVA Blue Metals is producing millions of tonnes of aggregates/year, using a fleet of Volvo excavators SVA Blue Metals was founded three decades ago by the father of present owner R Ramakrishnan, who handed the business over to his son 15 years ago. The company runs a facility in Karanampettai village close to the bustling industrial city of Coimbatore, around 471km from Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu state, and has a license to extract from a portion of the site – with a view
March 28, 2014 Read time: 3 mins
Indian extraction company SVA Blue Metals is producing millions of tonnes of aggregates/year, using a fleet of 2394 Volvo excavators

SVA Blue Metals was founded three decades ago by the father of present owner R Ramakrishnan, who handed the business over to his son 15 years ago.

The company runs a facility in Karanampettai village close to the bustling industrial city of Coimbatore, around 471km from Chennai,  the capital of Tamil Nadu state, and has a license to extract from a portion of the site – with a view to expand capacity in the future, depending on market conditions and demand.

The company excavates large chunks of blue metal rock, also rather surprisingly known as jelly, which is a coarse particulate material used in the construction industry. This is among some of the most popular materials for extraction in the world and is indispensable to road building because of its predictable, uniformed properties and its value as a low-cost reinforcement material that binds well with cement to form concrete.

It has been used for several decades to manufacture concrete but is also used in road base, railway ballast and many other civil construction and commercial building materials. The by-product is also used as a substitute for sand.

“You will find our aggregate used in numerous construction applications,” said Ramakrishnan. “Because the ore extract is crushed and mixed with other materials it doesn’t keep its colour but it’s in high demand because of its versatility. It strengthens metals’ molecular structure for construction use.”

Assisting SVA Blue Metals in its operations are five Volvo machines including, two Volvo EC210 BLC, two EC210 B-Prime and one EC290 B-Prime excavators. They excavate the blue metal rock, which is then transported from the quarry and sent to major customers in India. The company bought its first Volvo excavator in 2007 and plans to extend its Volvo fleet. The machines work 12 hour shifts, 25 days/month for 10 months/year.

“The business grows by the day, so it makes sense to invest in Volvo machines in order to meet the ever-growing demand,” said Ramakrishnan. “The machines are extremely productive and fuel efficient, which is why we use this quality brand of equipment. I also believe that Volvo excavators have a longer life cycle than other brands of machinery, meaning less machine downtime and more value for money.”

The Volvo EC210B-Prime excavator has an 110kW low-emission, turbocharged diesel engine with water cooling, direct injection and after-cooler system, especially developed for excavator use. The machine is said to be suitable for any job site, contributing to good fuel economy, low sound level, less wear and a longer life. The automatic idling system also reduces the engine speed to idle when levers and pedals are not being used.

SVA is also said to be pleased with the service it gets from Volvo CE’s local dealer, Advanced Construction Technologies. The dealership has been running for 25 years and is a leading provider of construction solutions and equipment in India.
Ramakrishnan is the president of the Karanampettai Blue Metal Quarry Owners Association, which helps to promote the blue metal industry.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Volvo wheeled at work in Qatar sand plant
    May 29, 2013
    Wheeled loaders are operating in the world’s largest sand cleaning plant. Located 50km from the capital Doha, Qatari Primary Materials (QPMC) operates one of the world’s largest sand cleaning plants. With temperatures reaching 40°C and 64,000tonnes of aggregates needed to be handled for every export shipment, Volvo Construction Equipment’s wheeled loaders are helping with operations in the gas-rich state. Volvo CE is involved in one of the country’s largest industrial operations, having provided QPMC with a
  • Volvo’s 75 tonne EC750E excavator makes Eastern European debut
    December 18, 2017
    Polish cement company Cementownia Warta has taken delivery of a Volvo EC750E excavator, the first delivery to Eastern Europe, according to the manufacturer. The EC750E crawler model is working at Cementownia Warta’s limestone operations, said Dariusz Gawlak, managing director of Warta and vice president of the Polish Cement Association. Gawlak expects more infrastructure projects coming on stream next year, signalling a general rise in demand for cement.
  • Construction equipment sells well in China
    April 5, 2012
    Century deal for Volvo CE Volvo Construction Equipment sold 100 heavy excavators to mining, highway and real estate company Tang Sunrise Investment during its sales promotion in the Chinese city of Fuquing.
  • An Indian quarry is boosting output with new Volvo CE machines
    July 29, 2015
    A quarrying operation in India is seeing the benefit of new machines for its fleet Indian quarry firm Pearl Mineral and mines, extracts some 7,200m3 of granite/year from its two granite quarries at Chimakurthy and Andhra Pradesh. Pearl Mineral and Mines is one of the top producers and exporters of Indian granite, with more than half of its produce sold overseas. Located on India’s south-eastern coast, the company produces stone, ranging from giant blocks to tiny chips. The Green Pearl granite quarry