The construction industry is a key contributor to the Philippine economy. The Philippine government’s flagship infrastructure project, which was renamed “Build Better More” by the current administration, was introduced to propel the country to achieve a more developed and connected life among Filipinos. One of the big projects is the Metro Manila Subway Project, which Mayon Machinery Rentrade Inc. is part of.
Mayon Machinery Rentrade Inc. is a company that provides rental & sales of new or used equipment to construction and industrial sites in the Philippines. For the Metro Manila Subway Project, the company rent out Atlas Copco’s QAC1100 1000KVA TwinPower and QAS130 generators for the construction of the first 7.3 kilometres section of the project from the Depot in Valenzuela to the north Metro Manila, including the depot, three stations and six shield tunnels, which connect the stations.
Generators play a significant role in the Metro Manila Subway Project, as they supply electricity to the entire site, and it is also used for critical standby or backup power in case of electrical shortage. “Atlas Copco QAC1100 generators have two generators in one platform, which gives us flexibility because the generator can run 100% power load or lower power loads. This generator ensures our energy requirements effectively,” says Mr. Charlie Payumo, the Account Manager from Mayon Machinery Rentrade Inc.
Tunnel excavation for the project commenced in January 2023. The tunnelling work involves the construction of six underground tunnels with a total length of 9.5 kilometres with an inner diameter of
6.1 metres. Furthermore, the project will use up to six earth pressure balance tunnel boring machines (TBMs). With using twice the power from Atlas Copco’s QAC1100 1000KVA TwinPower generators, the machine works excellently to prevent the Tunnel Boring machines (TBM) from being stacked up when an electricity shortage occurs.
Other than that, a QAS130 generator is also used for the project. Atlas Copco's QAS range is built for multi-drop use and designed to be moved regularly with safe movement capabilities and guaranteed performance, even in the harshest conditions. The generator has a built-in Power Management System (PMS) which enables the optimisation of fuel consumption and expands the generator’s lifetime. The QAS130 generator makes perfect power for Temporary Facilities and small electrical devices in the subway project.
While most work stops at night, workers at construction sites are still very much awake. Nighttime construction is a necessity in the industry, as it gives the workers the ability to work more efficiently when the heat and daytime activity won't slow down the process. “Keeping the team on the ground productive is one of our responsibilities, so providing them with the suitable tools is crucial,” continues Mr. Charlie Payumo. For the Metro Manila Subway Project, Mayon Machinery Rentrade Inc. is also powering up the project site with 3 units of Atlas Copco HiLight V4+ light tower. The LED light tower from Atlas Copco can give 4000 m2 light coverage that is suitable to brighten up the construction site. Atlas Copco HiLight V4+ light towers provide a robust set of lighting options that match any site requirement. Moreover, the HardHat® canopy technology protects vital internal components and ensures that performance and appearance are optimised for years of continuous service. Its compact dimensions are also an advantage as it make the light tower easy to transport and can be set up in any location of choice.
Being part of the construction industry, productivity plays an important role. This is one of the reasons that Mayon Machinery Rentrade Inc. is using Atlas Copco's products. "Atlas Copco products have been a big part of our projects and have not let us down. The after-service support is also proactive, Atlas Copco team always respond quickly especially when we need immediate action when there is an emergency in the unit," added Mr. Charlie Payumo.
Atlas Copco just recently celebrated its 150 years of innovations. For a century and a half, Atlas Copco has been driving development and delivering breakthrough innovations to customers in many different industries. The Power Technique business area provides air, power and flow solutions through products such as mobile compressors, pumps, light towers, and generators, along with several complementary products. The business area innovates for sustainable productivity across multiple industries, including construction, manufacturing, oil and gas and exploration drilling.