The Wiltshire based contractor made its move in response to demand from customers and an increase in heavy earthwork opportunities in the region.

Tom Church, Managing Director for the Plant and Transport Division, said: “Our earthworks division has been the cornerstone of MJ Church with our current contracting business growing out of this and now with a great team in place and a foothold in new sectors for us such as commercial, industrial and residential we are able to move on again looking at the heavier side of earthworks.

“This £1m investment will enable us to work in larger earthworks and contracting schemes as part of our 5-year plan to re-establish M J Church in Bulk Earthworks as well as continuing to drive forward our Civils, Waste and Plant and Transport business’s.

“We are hugely excited about the new machines arriving with the Kobelco 50tonne excavator being the first one to land.”

Following the arrival of the Kobelco, a 35tonne Kobelco excavator, a 38tonne Volvo excavator, a 48tonne Volvo excavator and five 30tonne Volvo dump trucks will all be delivered.

Four smaller 8tonne Kobelco excavators have also been added to the plant fleet.