We put our recently acquired cruiserweight Kobelco vibrostone column piling rig up against our heavyweight RTG rig. Keen to compare the relative performance of the rigs we delivered them to a project in Liverpool, lit the blue touchpaper and stood back! Was the Kobelco overpowered by the bigger machine or did it dance rings around it and make it look foolish? Well what we got after three weeks and almost 6500 piles was a draw.

The performance of the Kobelco came as a welcome surprise as it is not a purpose designed rig – we have adapted and refined it from an excavator body and a vibro mast. Since we took delivery around a year ago we have had it in training ready to square up to the RTG and it has vindicated our faith. There will be future rematches where the two will be treated as equals.