Stevens Equipment Rental took delivery of its 1,000th machine, a Cat 980 with Cat Detect AEB, making it the first in the UK to offer the collision-mitigation system. The deal with Finning underscores demand for active safety tech in construction.
Alpha Score of 52 reflects moderate overall profile with moderate momentum, weak value, moderate quality, moderate sentiment.
Stevens Equipment Rental took delivery of its 1,000th machine, a Cat 980 medium wheel loader, and in doing so became the first UK company to offer Caterpillar's new automatic emergency braking (AEB) on a wheel loader. The 30.9-tonne machine, one of a pair bought from Finning, arrived in a celebratory livery.
Andrew Stevens, managing director, said the milestone reflects five decades of fleet expansion. "We are pleased to mark our 1,000th machine milestone with the Cat 980, which brings increased efficiency and ease of operation to customers working in the most demanding applications."
Stevens specified the new Cat 980 with AEB after positive feedback from a 2025 purchase of a Cat 972 that included object detection and mitigation. AEB is a function within the Cat Detect collision mitigation system. It uses an integrated sensor and smart camera to track obstacles and people on site. If an obstacle or person enters the critical zone and the operator does not take evasive action, AEB automatically applies the service brakes.
The system also includes a Motion Inhibit feature that prevents shifting into gear from a stationary position if a person or object is detected in the critical zone. The loader notifies the operator with an on-screen alert.
Neil Baxter, key account manager at Finning, said the dealer was "thrilled to share this milestone moment" with Stevens, which has consistently invested in fleet and technology to serve its customers.
Stevens said safety is embedded in its ethos. "We are proud to be the first in the UK to offer the Cat 980 with Cat Detect featuring the new AEB technology function," the company said. "This innovative function will actively intervene and halt machinery to prevent struck-by incidents."
The Cat 980 with AEB is now available through Finning in the UK.
Drafted by a large language model from the source reporting linked above, then screened by automated publishing checks. It is not read by a journalist before publication. Some articles cite our Alpha Score. Verify prices and figures against the original source. Educational coverage, not personalized advice.