KCA Site Services built its reputation by solving tough problems for Western Australia’s mining and civil sector — so the fleet has to be just as dependable as the people running it.
When Adam Wilson dared to dream by starting up his own mining services company in 2016, he could have been forgiven for having concerns about taking the leap of faith.
But what began as a cautious toe in the water has ended up making a splash, with Adam’s KCA Site Services now regarded as one of the leading providers of mining, civil and construction recruitment solutions and equipment hire in Western Australia.
Adam said he and co-founder Kade Lang saw some gaps in the industry at the time for the sort of expertise that KCA provides.
“I came from a mining background, starting up as a truck driver early on in my career and then worked my way up the ranks through different positions and then into a management position,” he said.
“I saw the need for better equipment services for the mining industry, so with the knowledge that I had evolved over the time, I wanted to get in and have a go and try and see if it could work.
“Obviously there were a lot of unknowns at the start. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I thought there would be no harm done in having a try and finding out areas where we could improve clients’ return on investment as well, by delivering tasks quickly and efficiently for them.”
On the equipment side, KCA primarily deals with dry hire, with options for clients to hire-to-buy.
“We have the ability to make things happen for our clients without a lot of red tape,” Adam said.
“We also understand mining equipment and what equipment is going to be suitable for a mine site. Our mining knowledge has gotten us to where we are today.”
Meanwhile, the recruitment division runs the gamut from blue to white collar workers: “from operators to professionals,” Adam said.
KCA’s success is measured by the fact that the company is one of the most widely-used support providers by many Tier 1 miners.
“The majority of our clients are in the WA Goldfields. Obviously gold’s pretty strong at the moment, so the majority of our business is in the region,” Adam said.
“We also have some clients in the South West, and we do a bit in the Pilbara as well.”
Adam said the KCA strategy was simple: maximise productivity and safety underground and on surface, while keeping whole-of-life costs predictable.
“What sets the company apart isn’t just the knowledge of our staff, but a personalised service that helps solve the complex problems of our clients,” he said.
“Our aim is always to create long-term partnerships built on trust and respect, which is why we say ‘If it doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t work for us’.
“Everything we do is based on our core values — safe and supportive environments; hard and smart work ethics; straight down the line transparency; and client-centric thinking links every division of our business.”
The first fleet
KCA’s growth is reflected by its staff of more than 250 people, and also by the size of the fleet, which consists of 75 mobile plant assets.
Adam said that it was imperative for the business to use only top-quality and reliable machinery, and for him, that meant leaning heavily on Volvo Construction Equipment across its hire and project operations.
“Out of the 75, 53 of them are Volvos,” he said.
The majority are Integrated Tool Carriers (ITCs), wheel loaders with quick-change attachment systems allowing them to perform various tasks with different tools.
The key feature is the hydraulic quick coupler on the lift arms, enabling rapid attachment changes and allowing the machines to be quickly fitted with various tools like buckets, forks, booms, brooms, and specialised tools.
The Volvo ITCs are sourced from CJD Equipment, with whom KCA has a robust partnership.
“CJD is a relationship-driven and personable business,” he said.
” KCA and CJD share a passion for innovation and being client-centric, we’re providing equipment and people without the hassle and that’s what we get in return from CJD as well.
“We’ve curated a great working relationship over the years.”
Adam’s been with CJD from the start, buying his first — an L120 wheel loader — in 2017, six months after KCA began.
“That asset is still with us today, nine years later, and still going strong: a testament to how good it is,” he said.
Indeed, when we caught up with Adam at the CJD premises in Perth, he was eyeing off two brand new wheel loaders that he had ordered from CJD.
“We just ordered these L120H wheel loaders with Tier 3 engines, which don’t need AdBlue diesel exhaust fluids,” he said.
Tier 3 engines primarily rely on internal engine modifications and exhaust gas recirculation to reduce emissions, rather than relying on aftertreatment systems like Selective Catalytic Reduction that require AdBlue.
“The AdBlue was just an extra cost that we don’t need, therefore adding to fuel efficiency. As well, operators don’t have to worry about topping up the tanks with the fluid,” Adam said.
Adam was impressed with the L120H, the successor to Volvo’s well-known L120F.
“The majority of our fleet were L120F loaders but they’ve now been discontinued, so we’ve transferred over to the L120H,” he said
Such is the belief in Volvo’s reliability and quality that KCA has another 22 more L120H ITCs on order from CJD this financial year.
“We’ll soon have them going out to our clients in the Goldfields and Pilbara,” Adam said.
The L120F was a powerful all-rounder with the manoeuvrability needed to perform heavy and demanding work, featuring Volvo HTE 200-transmissions, providing smoother shifting and lower fuel consumption, as well as a larger cab with improved visibility and safety.
All Volvo wheel loaders are developed with the power and speed to ensure maximum productivity at a mine site.
The low-emission engines go beyond legal requirements, with reduced sound level in the cab contributing to better operator comfort and performance.
“In WA, our customers are spending 90 to 95 per cent of their time underground, and these machines provide an underground-friendly and comfortable environment for the operator,” Adam said.
The underground mining environment can be especially harsh, but the wheel loaders’ precision steering mean even the smallest locations can be navigated with ease.
Volvo wheel loaders also feature an intelligent load-sensing hydraulic system, providing exact distribution of hydraulic power when and where it’s needed, regardless of engine revolutions per minute.
But Volvo is always innovating, always out for improvement. Despite the many outstanding features of the F series, the L120Hs go one step further.
Not just a refresh of the proven L120F, the new model is a leap forward in productivity, efficiency, and operator experience.
The H-Series carries Volvo’s design philosophy of blending raw strength with advanced technology, giving contractors, quarry operators, and miners measurable gains over the earlier versions.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the top-of-the-rank quality of service backup offered by CJD.
“I can’t talk highly enough of it. The service and after-sales support is fantastic,” Adam said.
“We value the support that we get from CJD, they’re only a phone call away and whenever we need assistance, they make it happen.
“We will remain aligned with CJD. The Volvos are great products and a trusted brand and always innovating as a top priority. So for us, we won’t be looking anywhere else.”
Of course, it’s not just wheel loaders in the KCA arsenal.
Adam also uses a number of excavators, including the Volvo ECR50D and EC220DL, diggers which serve different purposes and have distinct characteristics.
The ECR50D is a compact excavator, known for its zero-tail swing and ability to work in confined spaces, while the EC220DL is a larger, more powerful machine designed for heavier digging and lifting tasks.
“Despite its size, the ECR50D offers impressive digging and lifting capabilities, making it a versatile machine for various applications,” Adam said.
“The reinforced digging equipment and undercarriage contribute to the machine’s durability, ensuring it can handle demanding tasks.
“Our clients find them useful for applications such as trenching, utility work, and projects where space is limited.”
For larger-scale digging and lifting tasks, customers opt for the EC220DL, a larger machine designed with a focus on performance and fuel efficiency.
“Features like Volvo’s ECO mode, new hydraulic system, and a premium Volvo D6 diesel engine contribute to reduced operational costs and maximised fuel efficiency,” Adam said.
“The spacious and safe cab with excellent visibility and ergonomic controls contributes to operator comfort and reduced fatigue.
“Suitable applications include road construction, quarry work, trenching, and other applications requiring a larger, more powerful excavator.”
A prosperous partnership
CJD Equipment Regional Sales Manager Anthony Brown remembers well the time when KCA first opened its doors in 2016.
“They didn’t waste time looking around — their very first purchase was a Volvo L120F from CJD,” he said.
“Adam already knew the Volvo reputation spoke for itself. With a strong background in the underground mining sector, he’d seen firsthand how reliable and consistent these machines were.
“Many underground contractors were already running Volvos, and Adam recognised a clear opportunity to meet demand by hiring that equipment out to clients.”
What began with a single loader has now become a full-scale partnership. Today, KCA’s passion for Volvo equipment has grown into a fleet of more than 50 machines — and the numbers keep climbing.
CJD Equipment WA State Sales Manager James Daniels said the level of trust between the manufacturer and KCA has grown to such an extent that he anticipated the relationship to continue for many more years to come.
KCA buys from the manufacturer regularly, often placing large fleet orders year after year.
“Right now, they’ve got around 15 machines on order with us for this financial year alone. Each one is customised with site-specific features right here at our CJD workshop,” he said.
On the day, Anthony walked Adam through the standout features on the latest batch of L120s — proof once again of just how central Volvo machines have become to KCA’s business success.
“For KCA, it’s all about the linkage at the front for the ITC configurations,” he said.
Volvo has a patented lift‐arm design on the L120 known as the Torque Parallel (TP) linkage, often referred to as a “TP linkage”. This design uniquely blends the strengths of both traditional Z-bar and parallel lift systems.
It facilitates a number of functions, including:
- High breakout torque across the entire lift range, even at maximum height
- Nearly exact parallel movement of the bucket during lifting, ensuring it stays level and stable
- Enhanced visibility and precise control, with better operator sightlines and bucket handling
- Excellent bucket rollback and fill characteristics, reducing spillage and optimising load capacity
“Most competitors stick with a traditional Z-bar linkage,” Anthony said.
“That means operators are constantly working both the bucket and boom levers just to keep the load level. It’s tiring, and to make matters worse, the bucket often loses its roll angle as it lifts — which makes precise material placement a real challenge.”
That’s where Volvo takes a different approach. Designed with the operator in mind, the machines offer effortless control and accuracy, saving time and frustration on the job. And the advantages don’t stop there.
Fuel efficiency is one of the first things clients mention when making the switch. Volvo’s high-torque, low-RPM engines deliver more power with less effort, translating directly into lower fuel costs.
“Add to that lower emissions — thanks to the shift from Stage 3 to Stage 5 engines — and you’ve got machines that are as efficient as they are sustainable,” Anthony said.
Then there’s the operator experience inside the cab. Far from being just a seat behind the wheel, the Volvo L120 loader cab is a carefully designed workspace, blending ergonomics, visibility, and advanced safety features.
It’s a space built for productivity — and for keeping operators comfortable and protected throughout long shifts.
In short, Anthony said, it’s the combination of engineering, efficiency, and operator focus that sets Volvo apart.
“Whether it’s the clean-air Care Cab, intuitive controls, or smart safety systems like radar detection and collision mitigation, everything is designed to reduce fatigue, increase productivity, and protect both operator and machine,” he said.
To help ensure the wheel loaders continue running at full capacity, CJD provides general servicing and maintenance with the support of its parts-and-service department.
Machines can also be modified to the customer’s specifications, which more than satisfy clients like KCA, who can often require project-specific equipment.
This responsibility lies in the main with CJD’s Volvo Construction Equipment outside sales representative Matty David, who was also present when Adam inspected his new loaders.
“My main role is to go out on site, visit customers, promote our parts services for their machines, and just provide feedback back to CJD on how we’re performing and where we can improve,” he said.
“When KCA needs parts and service, I go down to the site to deliver the parts and make sure everything is ok.
“And of course backup and maintenance is no problem.
“We have a team for KCA at the ready; all Adam needs to do is call. We have teams and branches to support all our Volvo Construction equipment out there.”