For construction companies such as Califam Constructions, rock breakers are an essential tool. They don’t just break the ground, but can also make or break the business’ reputation in delivering successful projects.
Califam Operations Manager John-Paul Caligiuri values full well the importance of having quality attachments in the arsenal.
The company has been and continues to be a long-standing market leader in the construction of hydraulic infrastructure across greater Melbourne.
“Our pivotal areas of expertise are sewerage reticulation and trunk outfall works, while also successfully delivering drainage and water supply projects,” John-Paul said.
“We have been consistently delivering the highest quality assets to our clients for over 40 years. As an accredited contractor with the Melbourne Retail Water Agencies, Califam has extensive experience working as both principal contractor and as a subcontractor across a variety of projects differing in size, scope, ground conditions and materials.”
Califam is a family business, founded in 1974 by Michael Caligiuri. He began operating locally and built a reputation as one of the major contractors delivering sewer and water reticulation works, earthmoving and plant hire across Melbourne.
Over the next two decades the company grew and diversified and in 1999, Michael’s sons Anthony and Joseph joined the team, followed by his other three sons John-Paul in 2003, Andrew in 2004 and Luke in 2006.
“The company has grown and thrived within the industry as Melbourne’s growth boundary has expanded. With extensive knowledge, experience and expertise in sewerage infrastructure, Califam’s services continue to be in high demand in the booming land development sector,” John-Paul said.
For the tasks at hand, Califam makes sure to use the best equipment available. The main part of the fleet comprises excavators ranging in the 35t–90t range.
“These are predominately Kobelco and Hitachi machines,” he said.
“We also use a number of tool carriers, versatile machines that are designed to handle multiple attachments, making them adaptable for various tasks on a construction site. These are mainly JCBs, Liebherrs and Cats.”
And importantly for Califam, all of the machines, including the excavators, run rock breakers.
“When it comes these tools, Epiroc is the brand we go to,” John-Paul said.
“We have recently purchased two HB7000s to replace the HB7000 breakers we purchased and have run for over 12 years.
“We decided to go with the HB7000 given their proven record as a reliable hammer on our large Hitachi ZX690 excavators.”
These high-performance hydraulic rock breakers have been designed for heavy-duty demolition and excavation tasks in industries like mining, construction, and quarrying.
Part of Epiroc’s renowned HB series (Heavy Breakers), the HB7000 stands out due to its impressive power and durability.
“The hammer has a number of features that we utilise during excavation,” John-Paul said.
“Its Intelligent Protection System allows the hammer to adjust to the type of rock being broken as well as restricting blank firing.
“The proven reliability as well as a slim design which allows us to keep deep trenches narrow are also great.
“We also have a number of other HBs, the HB4700s, and have had a HB3000 in the past. We have found the HB7000 to be the best of the lot given all of its benefits.”
Califam purchases all of its Epiroc hammers through the BA Equipment Group (Breakers and Attachments) in Somerton.
“We have been dealing with Victorian branch manager Michael Baumann and the team for many years — right back from when they were trading as Breakthru Hammers — and have managed to continue a successful relationship since they became a part of BA Equipment,” John-Paul said.
“We use BA Equipment for all of our service and parts when it comes to Epiroc hammers, and they have been fantastic.
“Given our relationship with BA Equipment, we would foresee us continuing to purchase equipment from them into the future.”
Baumann said Epirocs were definitely a best- seller at the dealership, which sells a range of hydraulic hammers, screening buckets and demolition attachments.
“Among the equipment we sell, about 90 per cent is Epiroc,” he said.
“Everybody is aware of the Epiroc brand, which is known for reliability.”
He said the HB7000 was definitely one of the most popular models in the trenching industry for sewer contractors.
“But they’re all in demand. The HB3600 is another, the HB4700 also: it is the design of the hammers due to their body size, which creates a narrow trench that becomes a cost saviour to contractors,” he said.
Baumann said the connection with Califam began when he first met Anthony and Michael back in 2008.
“I remember their main concern was the need for reliability, which was mentioned a few times in our first meeting,” he said.
“Califam bought its first hammer in August, 2008: a HB7000 Atlas Copco/Epiroc.
“They were impressed with the performance and purchased two more HB7000s. That was followed by another three.
“From here a relationship grew through the years where I meet the rest of the team: John- Paul, Luke, Andrew, and Joseph.
“Califam appreciates the service provided by the HB7000 and its running costs. Their first HB7000 is still working today, 14 years later. This was the deciding factor on the purchase of the two new HB7000s.
“Califam were well-versed in its history of being a reliable workhorse, and valued the support we gave them for 14 years through service and spare parts.
“They know that the HB7000 Epiroc is a reliable and better hammer, particularly now with the new IPS system and the HATCON (Hydraulic Attachment Tools Connectivity) GPS Tracking available.”
HATCON enables next level fleet management by monitoring operating hours, location and service intervals of tools. By logging in to the My Epiroc app on either computer, tablet or mobile phone, users have access to all their data and get notifications when it’s time for service.
The GPS-function is also a good contribution to an anti-theft system, easily enabling the location of Epiroc tools to be determined.
Baumann is delighted with the partnership between Califam and BA Equipment.
“Just as I have seen the reliability of the HB7000 Epiroc improve, I have also seen the team at Califam grow,” he said.
“There is constant liaison, and attention to service, etc. We do keep in touch with the team regularly through service and spare parts.
“The HATCON system on the new hammers alert us when service is required.
“In short, the feedback we get from the team at Califam has only improved our product to where it is today. It has been important to listen to what requirements help improve their production.”
HB7000 features
- Exceptional impact power: The HB 7000 delivers a high-impact energy output, making it ideal for breaking hard rock, concrete, and other tough materials. It offers excellent power-to-weight ratio, which enhances efficiency in tough environments.
- VibroSilenced system: Epiroc’s VibroSilenced Plus technology significantly reduces noise and vibration during operation. This feature not only protects the operator but also minimizes wear and tear on the machine, extending its service life.
- Intelligent Protection System: IPS makes the breaking process even simpler for the operator by automatically adapting the breaker’s operating behaviour to any working condition. Uptime is higher since, with its fully automated functionality, IPS requires no operator intervention or reaction and thus there is no interruption of the working process.
- HATCON: This app makes sure the utilisation of your fleet is evenly distributed with position and operating hour monitoring of each tool. The GPS position of every tool is provided.
- Energy recovery: The breaker includes an energy recovery system, which recycles recoil energy to increase the impact power and reduce hydraulic demand from the excavator. This helps lower fuel consumption and operational costs.
- AutoControl: AutoControl is a feature that automatically adjusts the breaker’s frequency and power output to match the material hardness. This optimises performance and ensures more efficient breaking with minimal wasted energy.
- Long service life: Built for longevity, the HB 7000 is equipped with robust components and features like a dust protection system to prevent debris from entering the critical parts, reducing the need for frequent maintenance.
- Easy maintenance: The HB 7000 includes fewer wear parts, and it’s designed for easy replacement and servicing. This contributes to reducing downtime and overall maintenance costs.