KEMROC EK 110 Chain Cutter in Trenching Project in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Caterpillar 330 | Cutting Limestone in Kharg, Riyadh.
Long-Distance Rock Trenching in Saudi Arabia
On large utility, pipeline, and infrastructure projects, trenching performance often determines whether a contractor stays on schedule and within budget. When the ground conditions include rock, the challenge becomes even greater. Contractors need equipment that can deliver accurate trench dimensions, consistent daily production, low wear costs, and reduced rework while controlling total excavation expenses. This was the exact challenge faced on a major trenching project in Riyadh (Al Kharj), Saudi Arabia, where the contractor needs to excavate 40 kilometres of trench through limestone. To meet these demands, the contractor selected the KEMROC EK 110 Chain Cutter mounted on a Caterpillar 330 excavator.
Precision Trenching in Limestone Rock
The project requires continuous trenching through 30 MPa limestone (4,351 psi) with trench exact dimensions of 600 mm width and 2 meters depth. Maintaining these dimensions over such a long distance is critical, as even small increases in trench width can significantly increase excavation volume, transport costs, imported backfill requirements, fuel consumption, and project time. This is where the KEMROC chain cutter makes a measurable difference. Unlike traditional breakers that can create irregular trench profiles and uncontrolled over-excavation, the excavator chain cutter performs controlled continuous cutting, producing straight trench walls, consistent trench width, and accurate trench depth.
The Higher Productivity Led the Contractor to Choose KEMROC
One of the main reasons the contractor purchased the KEMROC EK 110 chain cutter attachment over other solutions was higher productivity. On long-distance trenching projects, production speed directly affects downstream crews such as pipe installers, utility teams, surveyors, and reinstatement contractors. Delays in trench excavation can slow the entire project. By using the KEMROC excavator trenching attachment, the contractor is able to benefit from continuous cutting progress, reduced stoppages, and reliable performance in hard limestone conditions. This helps maintain project momentum and supports efficient workflow across the entire 40-kilometre route.
Reusable Backfill Material That Reduced Project Costs
Another major advantage reported from the project was the quality of the excavated spoil. Traditional breakers often create oversized rock fragments that require additional crushing, removal, or imported fill material. In contrast, the KEMROC chain cutter trenching attachment produce fine-grained reusable backfill material, allowing the contractor to reuse spoil directly in the trench. This reduces truck movements, loweres disposal costs, minimizes the need for imported backfill, and improves overall site logistics. On a project of this scale, these savings have a significant impact on total cost per metre.
Low Pick Consumption for Better Operating Economics
Tool consumption also playes an important role in the project’s economics. The contractor reported consumption of only 2 round attack picks per 100 cubic meters, demonstrating excellent wear performance in limestone. Low pick consumption means lower consumable costs, less downtime for tool changes, and higher machine utilization throughout the project.
CAT 330 + KEMROC EK 110: A High-Output Trenching Combination
The combination of the CAT 330 excavator and KEMROC EK 110 trench cutter created a highly productive rock trenching solution. Instead of investing in separate dedicated trenching machines, the contractor transformed a standard excavator into a specialized excavator trenching machine capable of handling demanding rock cutting trenching applications. This approach offers additional benefits such as fleet flexibility, easier transport between sections, lower capital investment, and the ability to return the excavator to general duties when needed.
Why Lowest Purchase Price Does Not Mean Lowest Total Cost
This job site report demonstrates an important lesson for contractors worldwide: the cheapest excavation method is not always the lowest total-cost method. When productivity, wear parts, rework, haulage, backfill, fuel, and project delays are all considered, advanced chain cutter attachment technology can deliver stronger commercial results than traditional alternatives. For utility corridors, pipelines, drainage systems, and infrastructure trenching in rock, the KEMROC EK 110 excavator chain cutter trench solution proved that precision trenching can also be highly profitable.
40 Kilometres of Results: Productivity, Precision, and Profitability
Across 40 kilometres of limestone trenching, the contractor is achieving what every contractor aims for: higher productivity, controlled trench dimensions, reusable spoil, low pick wear, and better overall project economics. The KEMROC EK 110 Chain Cutter transformed a standard CAT 330 into a high-output excavator chain cutter trench solution capable of delivering controlled trench dimensions over 40 kilometres of limestone ground.
The contractor chose KEMROC for higher productivity, and the project also is benefiting from reusable spoil, low pick wear, and lower over-excavation risk. In competitive infrastructure markets, that combination matters. More metres. Less waste. Better margins. That is the value of smart trenching with KEMROC.