Construction Machinery ME April 2014

ISSUE 30 APRIL 2014

MAKING A BID

What the auctions are telling us

CONEXPO REVIEW

Grit and glamour from the show

TAKING CONTROL Transform your operation

PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ

Plus: RAW POWER

* NEWs & VIEWs * sElf-lOAdINg mIxERs * HITACHI HITs BIg TImE * ANd muCH mORE

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Contents

26 IS S U E 3 0 4 a p r Il 2 0 1

04

Editorial Are losses acceptable when building for the global stage?

06

NEws What’s happening across the region in construction machinery?

10

NEws aNalysis A look at how Hitachi Construction Machinery Middle East is expanding from both the UAE and Turkey.

page 28 FROM METRO TO TRAM

“The Dubai Tram project came immediately after the Dubai Metro project and a large number of lessons learnt on the Metro.”

14

Stian Overdahl talks to Sitech’s man in the Middle East about keeping the region’s road builders on track.

20

thE Port sidE Port technology that is helping the region grow from ship-toshore.

24

46

hEavy hittErs: JohN taylor

10

a talE oF two hoUsEs How Dubai’s major auction houses are changing as the market develops.

28

sitE visit: tyiNg UP thE tram A look at the Dubai Tram project with Abdullah Yousif Al Ali, acting CEO of the RTA’s Rail Agency.

34

20

50

Raw power

43 TOP TEN: GUIDE TO GETTING A RETURN ON INVESTMENT CMME gives you its take on working out that all-important RoI. Page 46 SHOW REVIEW: CONEXPO 2014 CMME goes to the US to see what machines were leading in Las Vegas. Page 50 DOING THE FULL 360 CMME takes a tour of D’Avino’s brand of revolving self-loading concrete mixers. Page 51 THE LAST WORD A big Cat goes shark hunting for conservation.

Page

38 NEW RELEASE ROUND UP What’s hot in new machinery this month?

Page

Editor’s Letter

GROUP GROUP CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA GROUP CEO NADEEM HOOD GROUP COO GINA O’HARA PUBLISHING DIRECTOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5471 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR VIJAYA CHERIAN vijaya.cherian@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5713

A Price too high to PAy?

T

he governing body that runs one of the world’s most popular sports will be hoping that millions of fans are looking forwards rather than backwards in the run-up to the FIFA World Cup which starts this summer.

However with overruns on stadium and infrastructure projects causing headaches for the hosts Brazil, I am beginning to question whether projects on this scale can ever be justified especially if we can’t protect those tasked with the construction.

We heard with dismay this month that yet another worker has been killed during the construction of a stadium in Brazil.

Fabio Hamilton da Cruz fell 8m while helping to install temporary seats at the Itaquerao stadium on behalf of construction company Fast Engenharia. The press office of the Hospital Santa Marcelina in Sao Paulo confirmed the death, stating the worker did not survive serious head injuries. The Itaquerao Stadium will be familiar to readers aware of the crane collapse that killed two workers in November last year. It is alleged that that accident was caused by the crane trying to lift a section of the roof while set-up on unstable ground. His death takes the number of those killed to eight (including one death by heart attack) during the construction process leading up to this year’s FIFA World Cup. As their scale has increased over decades, the awarding of these prestige events are sold to the host country and the global community as an opportunity to drive infrastructure and foreign investment that will trickle down to the impoverished and disenfranchised. A report in the Financial Times highlighted the fallacy of this argument in a country and economy as large as Brazil.

The report reminded readers that the country’s minister of sport Aldo Rebelo’s list of expected benefits from the World Cup included $12 billion of investment in urban transport, ports, airports, stadiums and tourism infrastructure. As criticism and the deathtoll rises, a year down the line his words ring hollow as the tournament grows closer. Rating agency Moody is quoted by the FT as predicting that the event will “generate only 0.4% of additional gross domestic product for Brazil in a 10-year period and the infrastructure spending envisaged amounts to just 0.7% of the country’s total investment planned between 2010 and 2014.”

Given the boost the games will give to Brazil (2010 hosts South Africa estimate a 9% annual increase in visitors in the years following the event) perhaps its unfair to measure it by Moody’s method, but with much of that spending localised and limited, there are many in Brazil questioning whether the benefits, including a promised extra 3.6 million jobs, have been overblown and oversold.

Bill Shankley, the late-Liverpool FC manager, once said that football was not like life and death, it was much more important than that. Unfortunately it appears to be a view that Brazil shares fully and most tragically.

EDITORIAL GROUP EDITOR STEPHEN wHITE stephen.white@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5477 DEPUTy EDITOR GAVIN DAVIDS gavin.davids@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5480 INTERNATIONAL EDITOR STIAN OVERDAHL stian.overdahl@cpidubai.com MARKETING & ADVERTISING COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR MICHAEL STANSFIELD michael.stansfield@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5497 MARKETING MANAGER LISA JUSTICE lisa.justice@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5498 MARKETING ASSISTANT BARBARA PANKASZ barbara.pankasz@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5499 DESIGN ART DIRECTOR SIMON COBON JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER PERCIVAL MANALAYSAY CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION CIRCULATION AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER ROCHELLE ALMEIDA rochelle.almeida@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 368 1670 DATABASE AND CIRCULATION MANAGER RAJEESH M rajeesh.nair@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9147 PRODUCTION MANAGER JAMES P THARIAN james.tharian@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 440 9146 DIGITAL DIGITAL SERvICES MANAGER TRISTAN TROY MAAGMA WEB DEvELOPER JOEL AZCUNA PUBLISHED BY

Registered at IMPZ PO Box 13700 Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 440 9100 Fax: +971 4 447 2409 www.cpimediagroup.com PRINTED BY Printwell Printing Press LLC © Copyright 2014 CPI All rights reserved while the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

ISSUE 30 APRIL 2014

Stephen White, Group Editor, CMME

MAKING A BID

What the auctions are telling us

CONEXPO REVIEW

Grit and glamour from the show

TAKING CONTROL Transform your operation

PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ

Plus: RAW POWER

* NEWs & VIEWs * sElf-lOAdINg mIxERs * HITACHI HITs BIg TImE * ANd muCH mORE

NOW ONLINE You can now catch the online edition every month at: www.constructionmachineryme.com

4

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

April 2014

News Round-Up

NEWS New machines, new offices, new projects, new initiatives – we look around the region at what’s new this month.

STATE OF THE NATION ConExpo opens with pentup demand, rising property prices and increasing demand for residential construction, expected to assist the US industry in 2014 and beyond.

Komatsu demos robot construction worKs

Komatsu America showed four intelligent Machine Control (iMC) dozers at the ConExpo show in Las Vegas, along with 20 other machine models, comprising nine excavators, five wheel loaders, two trucks, two larger dozers, one tracked log loader and one forklift.

The first iMC dozer was launched last year at Bauma, boasting factoryintegrated machine control technology, a result of Komatsu engineering and an alliance with Topcon.

The first iMC dozer was sold early last year, with a Belgian contractor purchasing a D61PXi-23.

According to Komatsu, the iMC dozers seamlessly transition from rough dozing to finish

grading, allowing operators of all levels of experience to operate the machines.

“The robust integrated sensor package on the iMC dozers eliminates the daily hassles of installing/removing GNSS antenna(s) and cable(s) from the blade, as well as the associated wear. Improvement in combination rough dozing efficiency is up to 13% higher in iMC machines, compared to add-on machine control systems for tested models.”

The Komatsu-only intelligent Machine Control technology is scalable to select other products manufactured by Komatsu. Among the machines on display, a number will also feature Tier 4 Final compliant engines.

Speedy blames missing millions on ME management Middle East book out to the tune of $8m, confirms Speedy

U

K-based equipment rental company Speedy Hire has confirmed that it has lost $8 million (£4.8m) plus associated costs in its International Division, which services the Middle East, due to “the deliberate actions of a small number of employees”.

Speedy first identified the “accounting irregularities” last year, and hired law firm Goddard and accountants Deloitte to conduct an independent legal and forensic investigation into the irregularities.

Speedy says that the employees responsible have now left the business,

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CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION MIDDLE EAST MIDDLE EAST

September April 2014 2011

and a new management team has been appointed.

“The company has strengthened internal cost controls and implemented a new reporting structure which will provide much greater transparency on activities within the International Division,” said Ishbel Macpherson, Speedy’s chairman.

“Over the last four years, Speedy has established a platform in the Middle East, built local relationships and won major contracts.

“The discovery of the activities of a small number of individuals that resulted in these accounting irregularities has

been more than disappointing.The Board has acted quickly and decisively to confirm the impact, embedded a new management team and improved financial controls.

“Whilst there will be an impact on both the current and previous financial years, the Group remains committed to our customers in the region and positive about the opportunities.”

Company intelligenCe

Sennebogen on time in PakiStan

InternatIonal Heavy equIpment (IHe) llC, part of tHe ZubaIr automotIve Group and one of tHe larGest ConstruCtIon maCHInery sellers In tHe sultanate of oman, has added lift truck manufacturer Jungheinrich to its stable of brands. Ram mohan, iHe general manager, noted that Jungheinrich is considered as one of the world’s leading brands in the material handling equipment, warehousing and material flow engineering sectors, as well as the european leader in warehousing technology.

Sennebogen’s dealer in Pakistan, AJCL, has delivered a new 640 HD crawler crane to the state railway company, Pakistan Railways.

The robust duty cycle crawler crane is being used to perform maintenance tasks on the vital railroad network and for numerous lifting tasks as new tracks are laid.

Since 2013, Ahmed Jaffer & Company Ltd (AJCL) has represented Sennebogen since 2013 in Pakistan as a Sales and Service Partner.

One of its first sales was the 640 HD. As one of the first sales successes, AGCL was able to deliver a new 640 HD duty cycle crawler crane to Pakistan Railways.

The state railway company has local building yards which handle ongoing maintenance and service of railway lines. In this regard the priority was to find a reliable, flexible crane capable of handling high safe working loads, and that also offers safe stability in the rough terrain on the railway embankment.

KobelCo and manItowoC Have Celebrated a deCade of produCtsHarInG partnersHIp tHIs montH, wItH a CelebratIon event at Conexpo aKIHIKo tsuKamoto, president and Ceo of Kobelco Cranes, and manitowoc Cranes’s president, eric etchart. the agreement sees Kobelco supply manitowoc-branded crawler cranes in classes up to 120 US ton, and for them to be sold around the globe by the manitowoc’s distribution network. at the same time, manitowoc supplies all-terrain cranes to Kobelco for sale in Japan. market leader in the global backhoe segment JCb Has announCed plans for a new entry level baCKHoe model, tHe 3Cx. the machine will be aimed at large fleet owners and rental customers around the world. initially it will be rolled out in the key markets of north america and latin america, before being offered in other territories in europe, Russia and the middle east. With a number of unique selling points, tHe new 3Cx wIll Go Into produCtIon later tHIs year at JCB’s Savannah plant in georgia.

tendeR UpdateS

1

IndIan ContraCtors larsen & tourbro Has won a $600 mIllIon (2.187bn qatari riyal) road project in qatar, the al wakrah bypass, tHe larGest ever sInGle road ContraCt outsIde of IndIa for l&t. the contract win followed on from another successful bid earlier in the month in oman, where l&t have been contracted to widen the existing 76km road between bidbid and sur, a project worth $252.3m. In qatar, asHGal awarded the design and construction contract to l&t, with the project scheduled to be completed in 62 months.

2

tenders wIll be released by tHe munICIpalIty of abu dHabI to deliver a chain of supermarKets and servICe sHops in the emirate. temporary facilities to be erected for a period of five years are part of the municipality’s plan to provide ease of access for amenities in areas of the emirate that do not currently have a permanent community market. modular design and construction processes.

A factor in purchasing the crawler was its long reach of approximately 12m, and the two, strong 12kN winches.

In addition to logistics at the building yards, the machine is also used as a lifting device for new construction and extension of the railway lines.

Currently a second parallel railway line of approximately 200 km is under construction between the cities, Sahiwal and Lahore.

With the flexible duty cycle crawler crane, the workers there are able to safely unload the long track elements and

ultimately place them on the ballast bed.

The Sennebogen 640 is equipped with a 168kW diesel engine and telescopic undercarriage, as well as a reinforced track system.

The comfortable Maxcab offers the operator an ideal overview and an ergonomic, high function work environment. A camera system, including seven colour monitors, together with the extensive series production lighting package ensures an optimal all-around view.

Kalmar wins Dubai DP worlD orDer DP World has ordered two state of the art reachstackers from kalmar, part of Cargotec, for the Jebel ali new container terminal 3 (t3) in Dubai. t3 will open for business this year as the world’s largest semi-automated facility, featuring 1,860 metres of quayside and a 70-hectare yard. the new generation reachstackers, named gloria, is designed to handle loaded containers and has the capacity to stack 45 tonne (9’6”) containers five-high in the first row. the order was placed in January 2014 and delivery is scheduled for June 2014. gloria’s onboard Can bus technology, the machine is being interfaced with DP World’s local port automation system. this interfacing provides constant data transfer of the key operating parameters from the machine including fuel consumption, oil and water temperature, speed level, and operating and idling hours. it also sends signals on the current working boom lift length and angle, together with the spreader height. a new eco drive mode will contribute to a reduction in fuel consumption. kalmar was delighted that DP World has selected its new generation reachstacker, said Suresh ananthanarayan, kalmar Sales middle east and africa. “as the focus on reducing costs of ownership continues, kalmar leads the industry through its combination of advanced technology and innovative

solutions. gloria offers unsurpassed performance, and with the Can bus operational information, our customer now has the critical performance data readily available to help them achieve optimum efficiencies.

“While we continue our commitment towards DP World in its path of continuous growth, we are proud to introduce gloria in the middle east, having previously supplied the customer with our DRF model reachstackers. We would like to congratulate them on the inauguration of the construction of t3 which is a considerable achievement.”

With t3 providing an additional annual capacity of 4 million teU, it will take the total capacity of Jebel ali Port to 19 million teU. the new terminal will be part of Jebel ali’s integrated multi-modal hub, offering sea, air and land connectivity.

September 2011 April 2014

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION MIDDLE EAST MIDDLE EAST

77

News Round-Up

Tadano in Iraq The Republic of Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources has purchased seven Tadano GT-550E-2 truck cranes.

Germans optimistic for 2014 German manufacturers of construction equipment and building material machinery are expecting a 5% rise in sales in 2014, says industry association VDMA, with incoming orders for construction equipment currently up 7%. The Middle East markets are picked out as one of the few global areas, along with Russia and South-East Asia, where business is currently going well for building materials machines. BRIC nations, as well as South Africa and Indonesia were seen as weak.

VolVo CE roCks hEaVy mEtal in Qatar Volvo Construction Equipment machines are playing a key role at a scrap metal sorting plant in Masaieed that feeds into Qatar Steel’s enormous reprocessing plant.

50km south of Doha, Qatar Steel has its 707,000 m2 reprocessing plant, staffed by 1,650 employees.

To meet the growing demand for steel in the region, Qatar Steel has embarked upon a series of initiatives aimed at increasing its production capacity, and there is a further 375,000 m2 reserved for future developments.

The company takes small amounts of the scrap metal at a time and puts it through its furnace, casting and rolling process in order to produce sheets of recycled metal.

Saba Engineering, located on the coast of Masaieed’s industrial city, is contracted by Qatar Steel to provide it with scrap metal, with ships transporting large bulks of scrap metals to the site every day from countries across the region, where it sorted into categories for processing.

16 operators on site use two Volvo EC240 B-Series excavators, one EC460 B-Series, two EC240 B-Series with magnetic plates attached to attract certain metals to the attachment (making it easier for the machine to sort through the scrap metal pile) and three EC240 B-Series excavators with specialised grabs.

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CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION MIDDLE EAST MIDDLE EAST

September April 2014 2011

The scrap metal is crushed and sheared into smaller pieces to make it more manageable. The metal is then transferred to a hauler, which transports the loads to Qatar Steel’s processing plant for melting.

They work surrounded by different types of scrap metal, including hardened processed metals that will be re-processed and mountainous ready-to-use metals that are imported. Volvo CE’s scrap handling excavators feature hydraulics ready-made for a range of waste and recycling attachments, including shears and grapples. Volvo offers 20 different attachments that can be programmed into the excavator’s memory.

“We use our Volvo machines 20 hours a day and each on average consume 300 liters of fuel every day,” says Yameena Ahmad, site supervisor at Saba. “We have had the machines for six years and they are still in good condition and look new.”

The EC240 B-Series has a turbocharged, 4-stroke diesel engine with water cooling, direct injection and charged air cooler. With 134kW (180 hp) of power, the engine has been developed especially for excavator use, providing good fuel economy, low noise levels and a longer life. Saba has been working with Araco, Volvo CE’s dealer in Qatar for more than six years.

KOmatsu launch Galadari Trucks and Heavy Equipment (GTHE), authorised dealer of Komatsu in the UAE, is launching the latest Komatsu Excavator (PC200-8MO) in the UAE market.

“We can look back on a satisfactory business year overall; given all the heterogeneity of our sector”, said Johann Sailer, chairman of the VDMA’s Construction Equipment and Building Material Machinery Association.

With a seeming thaw in relations with

POwerful POtains Potain tower cranes are currently at work building one of the world’s longest cablestayed bridges in the mountains of southern China. Thrashed by high winds and monsoon conditions, the cranes are working 1,500m above sea level to build the Duge Beipanjiang Bridge, which will span 720m on completion.

Iran, manufacturers are hoping that this market will again emerge, where German brands enjoy a good reputation, said Sailer.

“We know about the good reputation, which our machinery and plant enjoy there. The customers are there, the demand is there and also the desire and will of the German industry to deliver.”

The problem is the banks. Currently it is simply not possible to get any capital investment”.

The EU’s emissions directive is causing a stir in the market.

“A topic of constant worry for manufacturers is the implementation of the EU emissions directive,” explained Sailer. “In some companies this issue has tied up R+D capacities by almost 100 percent. As a result, innovations have fallen by the wayside.”

Value, Ready To Work

Shantui‘s value proposition made Shantui a leader in China’s fast-growing construction machinery industry.

Now, with a fully diversified line of products and a mature international sales network, Shantui is uniquely able to put that value proposition to work globally, meeting the need for value and exceeding the performance expectations of heavy construction machinery customers around the world.

It’s the Shantui Way.

Tunis Société Commerciale de Matériels (COMAT) www.comat.tn +216-74468710 Azerbaijan Grand Motors LLC www.grandmotors.az +994-125647494

United Arab Emirates General Navigation And Commerce Company (GENAVCO) L.L.C (Member of Juma Al-Majid group)

www.genavco.com +971-43961000 Oman General Engineering Services Est. (Genserv) (Member of Juma Al-Majid group)

www.genserv-oman.com +968-24490755

Qatar Al Arabia Heavy Equipment Co. L.L.C.

Saudi Arabia -Arabian Bugshan Group

Iraq Al Ittihadia General Trading Co.

(Member of Al Fardan Group)

(Earthmoving machinery)

( Member of Sardar Group)

www.alarabia.com.qa +974-44971090 Bahrain ZAYANI MOTORS W.L.L. www.zmotors.com +973-17703703

www.abugshangroup.com +966-14931018 -Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Co., Ltd.

www.sardargroup.com +964-662569888 Algeria S.A.R.L. SOCOPE www.socope.net +213-43273939

(Concrete machinery)

www.kanoocom.com +966-22632959 Kuwait Bahrah Trading Company W.L.L. www.bahrahtrading.com +965-1802008

www.shantui.com

News Round-Up

rAj stones hAs A Crush on sAndvik

Quarry returns to terex fold A UK quarry in the Derbyshire Peak District has returned to the Terex fold, purchasing its first Terex rigid haul truck in more than 25 years.

Longcliffe Quarries originally had used Terex R35 trucks, but then went on to use 50- and 60-tonne capacity trucks from a competitor brand.

Longcliffe has now bought and is using a Terex TR70, a 65-tonne capacity truck, powered by a 567 kW Cummins engine.

Quarry manager, Ian McDonald said that the TR70 was able to fulfil their operation’s specific requirement for its haul trucks.

“We need the truck to be able to run under our front line shovels but also require it to be able to be loaded by our smaller wheeled loaders when moving waste material. Terex was the only manufacturer able to give us a low enough body yet retain the payload requirement.”

Another determining factor was the physical width of the truck, said McDonald.

“We needed a truck that could fit through the tunnel and yet again Terex was the only manufacturer that could meet our requirements,” explains Mr McDonald.

As with the rest of the Longcliffe fleet, the TR70 truck sports Longcliffe’s corporate colour scheme. Being painted on the production line at the Terex facility in Newhouse, Scotland, meant the Terex truck was able to be put to work straight away.

“The finish on the paintwork is excellent!” commented McDonald.

“Previous vehicles from other

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CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION MIDDLE EAST MIDDLE EAST

September April 2014 2011

suppliers have had to be stripped down and repainted in our workshops causing delays to getting the vehicle into action. This wasn’t an issue with Terex.”

Along with the special paint scheme, Longcliffe also specified various aftermarket features including a hydraulically folding access step and the TDL360 degree surround camera system, which were provided and installed by Terex distributor TDL. The revolutionary system provides a bird’s eye view of the truck and its working environment on the in-cab colour screen and reduces potential blindspots around the vehicle. The system utilises four standard cameras mounted to the front, off and near sides and rear of the TR70 truck.

Longcliffe also requested that TDL included its extended oil change facility, through which engine oil and filter life is extended by at least four times resulting in reduced oil usage and disposal cost.

Another potential cost saving option fitted to the TR70 truck was the TDL Tyre Monitoring system.

“Tyres and their maintenance cover a large proportion of the trucks running costs and TDL believes the Tyre Monitor can reduce these costs by monitoring pressures every 15 minutes and alerting the operator should any tyre drop or exceed a certain pressure,” said TDL Areas Sales Manager Gaz Bourne . Alerts are brought up on the in-cab monitor and scans can also be sent via TDL Telematics to the maintenance teams via email or text message.

Raj Stones, a quarry based in Fujairah, UAE, has seen its aggregates production increase through the use of a CH660 cone crusher, built by Sandvik Construction.

Raj Stones, which began operations in 2004, expanded with the acquisition of another quarry named Raj Rocks LLC in 2008, and in a short time has developed a highly successful operation, supplying for the construction industry in the UAE, Qatar, and wider region.

Owned by Raj Group, the Group produces in excess of 8 million tonnes each year of high quality gabbro aggregates, as well as rock products for asphalt and ready mix plants. Across its two quarries it has total estimated mineral deposits of 265 million tonnes and both quarries possess multi-stage crushing lines.

In order to modernise their production capabilities, Raj Stone purchased Sandvik CH660 cone crusher, capable of producing aggregate

to the required specifications at a throughput of between 450-500mtph.

The new cone crusher would replace their existing Sandvik-supplied H6800.

With hydraulically adjusted CSS, optional automation, a choice of several different crushing chambers, and many other high performance features, each model is versatile, user friendly and highly productive.

The CH660 has proved to be ideal for Raj Stones’ secondary requirements because of the new design of the intake flow. Other features are its automatic overload protection, and the automatic setting system, ASRi. The Sandvik CH660 design as used by Raj Stones has undergone an extensive upgrade designed to optimise operations.

Al-QAhtAni sold 70 units At ConstruCtion MAChinery show Saudi dealer Al-Qahtani & Sons has confirmed that it sold 70 units at the recent Construction Machinery Show.

Managing Director Khaled El Shatoury said that due to a successful event he was going to sign up for next year’s Construction Machinery Show.

“100 more units are under discussion.

Because of that, we have booked our location for next year’s exhibition,” he said.

Preparations for the Dammam event started at Al-Qahtani at the

end of 2013. The early started contributed to a busy and productive week at the show.

“Giving all attention for every piece of work, it resulted in the perfection of the macro picture in all directions,” added El Shatoury. “We have delivered a positive message for our clients, our competitors, and grabbed new clients.

I think gaining such an appreciation from all members in the construction equipment sector is a great honor and will encourage us to work very hard to keep the same level

of style, image, and standards.”

Al-Qahtani is the dealer for Chinese brand LiuGong’s heavy equipment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as Terex, Genie, Boge, Atmos and many others.

He continued: “We are a special case. There is no ceiling for our ambitions, like a river when we are giving, like a flood when we are aiming, like one soul team when we are doing. Because of that we believe that we are the future of construction equipment in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

AFGHANISTAN FAMCO (Al-Futtaim Auto & Machinery Co. LLC) + 971 4 213 5100 (UAE) famco@alfuttaim.ae AZERBAIJAN Aztexnika Ltd + 994 502 452 555 a.yuksel@aztexnika.az BAHRAIN A.A. Bin Hindi B.S.C (c) + 973 17 703078 ciesales@binhindi.com GEORGIA Elite Motors Ltd + 995 577 769 615 zantelidze@elitemotors.ge IRAQ Sardar Automobile and Machinery Trading Co. + 964 750 344 4701 ihsan@sardarmachinery.com

THE NEW EW205D: QUICK, STRONG AND VERSATILE

KUWAIT Al-Zabin International Group Co. For Heavy Equipment + 965 2433 4721 alzabin@alzabinkuwait.com LEBANON AMTRAC (Abdelmassih Trading Company) + 961 3 425625 michel@amtrac-lb.com PAKISTAN VPL Limited + 92 42 111 875 875 uzair.shahid @panasiangroup.com QATAR Arabian Agencies Company WLL + 974 44 50 0925 araco@araco.com.qa OMAN GENSERV (General Engineering Services Est) + 968 244 90755 sales@genserv-oman.com SAUDI ARABIA FAMCO (Al-Futtaim Auto & Machinery Co. LLC) + 966 2 680 4444 famco@alfuttaim.sa SYRIA Nassib Saad Est. Trading & Import + 963 11 222 5432 i.saad@saad-syria.com TURKEY Ascendum Makina + 90 216 581 80 00 info@ascturk.com TURKMENISTAN Ez Aziya-Hyzmatdash + 993 124 37278 h.hangeldyev @aziya-hyzmatdash.com UAE FAMCO (Al-Futtaim Auto & Machinery Co. LLC) + 971 4 213 5100 famco@alfuttaim.ae YEMEN Elaghil Trading Co + 967 1 207 470 elaghil@y.net.ye

With rapid cycle times and road speeds of up to 36 km/h, the EW205D is built for productivity.

The rigid reliability of the steel undercarriage ensures stability and strength. And a wide range of Volvo attachments can be fitted quickly and easily using the quick-coupler, making this machine a versatile addition to any fleet. Discover a new way.

volvoce.com

News Analysis

The future’s orange February’s deal with Rolaco is the latest step in Hitachi Construction Machinery Middle East’s powerful progress in the region.

I

n February it was announced that Hitachi Construction Machinery Middle East Corporation FZE (HMEC) had signed a dealership Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saudi Arabia dealership Rolaco Trading, bolstering the presence of Hitachi Sumitomo Crawler Cranes in the Kingdom.

The agreement signed by HMEC’s president Hidefumi Sameshima and Rolaco’s COO Sami Alhalabi secures a platform for the distribution of Hitachi Sumitomo’s cranes in the Kingdom as well as signals another landmark in HMEC’s considerable progress in the region.

According to Sameshima, HMEC is experiencing improved sales in a range of markets from Mozambique to Turkey.

“Hitachi Construction Machinery (HCM) has a great opportunity to grow in this region in the upcoming years,” he enthuses.

Passing a glance over the territories that HMEC covers from its Istanbul and Dubai offices, he is particularly proud of the company’s contribution to Turkey’s surge in government-owned large projects.

“The HMEC Turkey Branch territory is in the center of several long-term, enormous projects such as Istanbul’s Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge Project (Third Bosphorus Bridge), Turkey’s new Underground Rail Network and tunnel connections crossing the Bosphorus, and the New Istanbul Airport Project which has been hailed as ‘Turkey’s

biggest project’,” he explains. “In addition to all of this, Turkey will be celebrating the100th Anniversary of their nation in 2023. The big tenyear picture of HCM in Turkey looks very bright and challenging.”

Beyond Turkey, HMEC’s president says his company has a “great opportunity” to grow in this region in the upcoming years.

“Currently, HMEC is seeing increasing business environments in countries like Saudi Arabia, the GCC countries, North and East Africa, and UAE. With HCM’s high quality products, HMEC has the opportunity to make a huge impact. Our dedicated Dubai and Istanbul staff and our dealerships will support the Hitachi Brand resulting in success without a doubt.”

The mining and quarrying market remains relatively strong and Hitachi factories continue to produce new technology for a traditionally conservative sector.

“In addition to maintaining its position as a leader in manufacturing excavators, HCM Group has also been manufacturing Hitachi Sumitomo Cranes, Hitachi Wheel Loaders and developing, manufacturing advanced technology in mining machines, he explains. “Due to the increasing fuel prices, electric driven excavators and AC driven dump trucks have become popular Indonesia, Australia, Norway, South Africa, Zambia, and Mozambique. This advance technology allows HMEC

To The job Training HMEC’s ZX-5G New Product Training Course at the Hitachi Dubai Headquarters three-day event was led by guest facilitator, Ooi Youji from the Hitachi Construction Machinery Technical Training Center last summer.

The training course co-instructors included Hitachi Construction Machinery Middle East Corporation product support manager, Ramzi Tumallah and Hitachi Construction Machinery Middle East Corporation product support assistant manager, Melaku Kenea.

The ZX-5G New Product Training Course was attended by Hitachi dealers from across the MENA region.

Engineers and technicians from Al Fairuz (Oman), Obaikan (Qatar), Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo (Bahrain), Omar Alesayi (Saudi Arabia), Rock Plant (Kenya), and Boodai Trading Co. (Kuwait) were provided interactive learning and sharing opportunities focused on Zaxis technology and what makes it the leader in hydraulic performance.

Hitachi Construction Machinery Middle East Corporation Product Support General Manager, Hideki Shimada welcomed all and shared the agenda overview that included new ZX-5G series product information supporting the machine’s low maintenance and new computerised systems. ZX-5G product features and general information filled the 3-day course.

Simulation and demonstrations provided the attendees data for ZX-5G comparisons to ZX-1 and ZX-3 models.

According to HCME, lectures and discussion introducing the new multi-functional monitor and troubleshooting for all electrical components gave a thorough overview of the new ZX-5G line-up.

The ZX-5G features a sophisticated hydraulic system, improved maintenance features, more comfortable operator environments, as well new IT systems built in for monitoring and performance.

to offer a wider range of products to the customer.

As we develop more cutting edge technologies such as using GPS systems, HMEC will stay competitive and thrive in the MENA territory.”

Full line manufacturers often have the advantage of being able to cater for a number of different sectors. Even if one goes into decline, another can be nearing peak demand. However, the huge geographical spread of HMEC means that it is currently serving a huge variety of markets and sectors.

“Our MENA territory has vast possibilities in development. For example, East Africa is in the midst of major agriculture market growth and the entire infrastructure is being upgraded including the Railway Network,” says general manager of sales and marketing Piet Hein van Bakergem.

“Many of the major ports are in redevelopment stages thus increasing all general earthmoving on and offshore activities. In addition, HMEC is scouting out fresh dealerships in the MENA territory adding to HMEC’s overall positive market share position.”

Last year launched a new range globally of its Zaxis excavators, including the ZX200-5G and the ZX350H-5G. The range features improved hydraulics, upgraded electronics, and better performance for operators. A three-day new product training course, attended by Hitachi dealers from across the MENA region, helped to place the focus on the potential for the machines in the Middle East and Africa.

According to van Bakergem, HMEC is optimistic that the 5G series of excavators is strong enough to provide a platform for further progress.

“The launch of the new 5G Excavator Series is a dominating factor in HMEC’s exciting future.

5G with its excellent new features and options supports the end-user, overall production, and of course supports low maintenance,” says

van Bakergem. “The smooth and profitable performance of these machines make them valuable to this market. The Hitachi Sumitomo Crawler Crane Brand continues to grow strong within the territory and in more Northeast African countries. This all supports the HMEC Dubai office as the territorial shop for HSC crane purchases. The growing market shares and growth/expansion of the territory is inevitable.”

It is fair to say the heavy equipment industry in the region has not fully realised the potential of social media in the sale and use of machinery but HMEC is one of the few with a fully developed strategy.

“HMEC has recently made a successful and strong social media presence,” says senior marketing coordinator Julie Ow. “The Dubai Headquarters has gained valuable social media support from all countries in our MENA territory and worldwide,” she explains. “The Hitachi Dubai headquarters and Turkey branch office can have direct, instant 24/7 communication with Hitachi dealers, HCM headquarters, and the Hitachi endusers current and future. HMEC’s social media presence enables our staff to use these marketing tools as enhancers to support the final “face to face” interactions between Hitachi and our customers.”

September 2011 April 2014

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Expert Opinion

Prepare for testing times Fluke’s Steve Hood, general manager, Middle East, Africa and Turkey argues progress in wifi tech should allow for greater testing accuracy in infrastructure.

A STEVE HOOD GENERAL MANAGER FLUKE

mid today’s challenging business environment, innovation raises a meaningful ground for efficiency, safety, practicality and most importantly, cost competitiveness.This is particularly significant in our emerging part of the world where mega-projects are taking shape necessitating the embracement of the world’s best practices on a broad cross functional/ sector basis. This includes the World Cup 2022 in Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid City in Dubai, The Abu Dhabi Western Region expansion plan, Kuwait Airport expansion and the numerous mega projects in the region’s largest market Saudi Arabia without underestimating Lebanon’s energy projects offshore, Egypt’s and Jordan’s civil nuclear projects, North Africa’s modernisation of the Libyan and Algerian energy and infrastructure sectors as well as Turkey’s rapid advancement into the world’s top 10 economies.

A common ground for them all is the stride towards gaining local, regional and even global reputations for many generations to come, something that requires a complex building process and preventive maintenance thereafter.

The visionary projects I mentioned and their complex construction processes – a fundamental aspect for them – demand that their electrical systems remain sustainable decades after they were begun.

Electrical testing has evolved over the years as companies in various sectors including petrochemicals, oil refining, the pharmaceutical industry and similar environments struggle to prevent electrical failure – as well as reducing the risk for malfunctions, business interruptions, human casualties, financial loss

and, ultimately, protect reputations.

Detecting power interruption, determining current imbalance, load study, measuring ground fault currents, measure incoming voltage, measure incoming current, and single phase measurement procedures all represent fundamental aspects in electrical testing that need to be dealt with impeccably, efficiently and instantly.

Progress in electrical testing gathered force until the wireless testing system which has recently revealed breakthrough solutions including a very cost-effective approach to measure four variables simultaneously, as well as simultaneous readings on two different floors, clean and safe measurements, rapid walkthroughs and inspections, substituting a virtual second or third man on-site at all times and equipping an entire team of technicians with a more complex and instant data acquisition system, and charting voltage, amperage, and temperature variances.

An example is the set of test tools, the Fluke CNX system wirelessly connect multiple measurement modules and sends simultaneous readings to a master device up to 20m away, allowing users to troubleshoot problems quickly and efficiently. A rugged, customisable tool set allows users to choose various measurement modules based on their specific troubleshooting scenario.

(With a wireless system, engineers and technicians can expect no more run around while seeing up to four measurements – DMM and 3 modules – on one screen, in one place at the same time, setting up the modules, taking the readings from up to 20m away and viewing and analyzing readings from 10 tools at once on an adapted PC to get a complete

“PROgRESS IN ELECTRICAL TESTINg gAThERED FORCE UNTIL ThE WIRELESS TESTINg SySTEM WhICh hAS RECENTLy REvEALED BREAKThROUgh SOLUTIONS INCLUDINg A vERy COST-EFFECTIvE APPROACh.”

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understanding of the situation. This is in addition to no more writing down solutions through capturing up to 65,000 sets of min/max/avg readings over single to multiple logging sessions using the recording capability.)

To meet today’s tight deadlines, saving time and money by taking multiple measurements simultaneously offers solutions while isolating intermittent events or record signal fluctuations without even being there using the log function on the modules.

Uncomfortable positions are also avoidable through setting up the measurement once, stepping back and reading it as many times as you want, when you want, from where you want thus, increasing safety by taking readings in a separate location from the point of measurement.

For example, a technician can deenergise a panel, connect voltage or current modules to all three phases, close and re-energise the panel, and then conveniently read the measurements outside the arc flash zone. The wireless system modules format also overcome existing tools supporting preventive maintenance efforts. This complements predictive maintenance as it is becoming an absolute necessity offering tangible cost savings solutions over routine or time-based preventive maintenance while optimising safety levels to unprecedented highs especially within the unprecedented growth currently witnessed in the Middle East, Turkey and Africa.

Innovation often remains incomplete without adequate training, and rapid on-call maintenance paving the way for companies running smoother than ever especially in critical timings where seconds are by all means priceless. By leveraging the most common electrical test tool – the multimeter – the Fluke CNX system allows technicians to extend their existing capabilities and skills, helping them meet market demand for more complex three-phase work without re-training on more complex test tools.

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Heavy Hitters

Making the grade With contractors in the GCC busy building roads, railways, airports and ports, there are serious savings to be had – both in time and money – for contractors who have already adopted machine control technology. Stian Overdahl talks to Sitech’s John Taylor

PULL FACTS:

43% Diesel savings estimated by SITECH Gulf

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1%

Proportion of machines in the GCC fitted with MC

I

f you’re a contractor or fleet manager working in construction, and your company is involved in infrastructure projects, the odds are that you’ve heard of machine control or are already using it. After all, it’s a technology designed to improve machine performance and efficiency, reduce the reliance on highly-skilled operators, and lower overall job costs. So what’s not to like?

For machine control in the Middle East, it seems that there is simultaneously both good news and bad news. The bad news is that uptake of machine control (MC) in the Middle East lags behind the rest of the world (less than 1% of machines here equipped with MC); the good news is that contractors can make their fleet suddenly perform dramatically better by adopting the technology. Bad news is that implementing MC across a fleet has a cost; the good news is that in the long term their business will become more profitable through lower operating costs, and ROIs can be low. The bad news is that MC is still relatively new in the construction machinery market, which means that there can be problems with compatibility, and not all manufacturers are equally invested in MC; but the good news is that there are some excellent players in the market with long track records, who are delivering proven results.

Almost all equipment used in repetitive, process actions can be fitted with machine control (MC) technology. MC for bulldozers and motor graders can be used to complete earthworks to a high level of precision, and with far less reliance on operator skill.

Excavator sensors allows operators to quickly dig to accurate depths. And many manufacturers have developed automation controls for their specialised machines, such as BOMAG with its highly accurate compaction controls for its rollers, or Wirtgen, with a slipform paver that can pave according to the surveying plan, without the use of pegs. In the tower

“HE’S A VERy HIGH SKILLED WORKER THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST SALARy AND IS A BIT OF A PRIMADONNA. WE’VE TAKEN THAT ADVANTAGE AWAy FROM HIM.”

crane industry, anti-collision controls automatically prevent tower crane clashes, and put in place safeworking parameters for operators.

Japanese manufacturer Komatsu has invested signficantly in machine control technology, and is allianced with Topcon. Its most recent and advanced product is its machines equipped with intelligent machine control (iMC), notably its D61PXi-23 launched at Bauma last year, while four iMC dozers are being shown this month in Las Vegas. The iMC technology is fully integrated into the dozer during the factory build, meaning that the sensors and controls are built into deep into the core of its hydraulics. Komatsu believes it’s the most sophisticated MC product on the market, and it can transition seamlessly from rough dozing to finish grading, allowing operators of all levels of experience to operate the machines.

When activated, the blade lowers until it meets the target surface or until the blade load reaches a maximum. Before the blade overloads, it automatically rises to minimize track slip and maintain forward momentum.

This maximses productivity and minimises track wear and damage to the target surface. Factory integration also means that the sensor packages and cables are internal, or placed in areas of the machine that will protect them from daily wear. Internal testing by the company suggests that improvement in combination rough dozing efficiency is up to 13% higher in iMC machines than for other brands of addon machine control systems it tested.

A major provider of machine control tech in the GCC is SITECH Gulf, part of Mohamed Abdulrahman Al-Bahar group of companies, which operates in Oman, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. SITECH itself is a global brand, established as a partnership between Trimble, one of the oldest innovators in the field of surveying equipment and MC, and Caterpillar.

The technology can be implemented on almost any brand of equipment, whether Komatsu, John Deere, or Volvo CE, though in all cases, the newer the machine the easier the installation process will be (new machines can be specified as ‘Trimble-ready’ from many manufacturers). Nevertheless, buyers using Caterpillar machines will be able to receive more machine information through the VisionLink

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Heavy Hitters

“I THINk THESE CONTRACTS ARE GETTING

BID SO TIGHT NOW, TO BE REAlly luCRATIvE, CONTRACTORS WIll HAvE TO ADOPT MACHINE CONTROl TECHNOlOGy.”

software relating to machines usage or fault codes.

John Taylor, COO for SITECH Gulf, says that the company has made significant strides in the past year, since the company held a well-attended demonstration day in Abu Dhabi, while working individually with companies to prove to them the benefits of the technology has borne results.

“We have really started to get our ball rolling here even in the past few month,” says Taylor, noting that the company’s products are being used on many of the major projects underway here. It seems that currently the most profitable use of MC is on levelling machines – dozers and graders – as well as rollers and pavers, all machines that play a core role in infrastructure projects. “The technology really shines on road construction, airports and railways. Our tests on road projects show a double in production for graders when using our technology.”

When the company provides a demonstration on a customer’s site, they also do an in-depth study giving a precise comparison of the productivity of the MC-enabled machine versus the ordinary machine working on site. One demo with a MC-enabled D8 showed it to be more productive than the two other D8s working on the site; the conclusion was that a single, automated D8 could do the work of all of the three machines originally working on the project. “[These reports] really open up a contractor’s eyes to what the benefits of machine control are, beside the accuracy and other things,” explains Taylor. “If we can actually double or triple their production, that’s where we pique their interest.”

He says it’s easier to convince customers working on larger projects to adopt the technology, since they know they have a lot of work to do, and the savings can be easily quantified. But over time contractors with MC-fitted machines are likely to move these machines around to other job sites, where projects

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may only last several weeks. The technology can be deployed in a 2D or 3D configuration, with the latter more accurate but also costlier. 2D grading uses laser sensors, and is highly effective for fine grading of flat or sloped surfaces, controlling the height of the blade. 2D is fine where what is needed is a flat, levelled surface, such as a carpark or port area, and is even more accurate in this case than GNSS, but lasers will not measure the horizontal position of the machine, which is needed for roads and other similar designs. 3D grading uses GNSS (GPS) antenna, which measures the position and slope of the blade and compares that to design data for rough grading and mass excavation on complex design surfaces.

The systems are integrated with the surveying technology, and both 2D and 3D can be operated in either automatic or manual mode.

Machine control obviously isn’t cheap when compared with buyng a new GPS for your car – but for contractors working on a major project the cost savings are signficant. Manpower reductions are dramatic, with workers are no longer needed to pound stakes and check grades. Existing GPS base stations and rovers are compatible with the system.

ROIs vary. Taylor says that a study in Al Ain on a dozer showed that the cost of the upgrade, for a dual GPS, would have paid for itself in 168 days of work.

In 23 hours of work during a field test, the single D8 managed 9000m2 of work, while two other D8s, each working 23 hours, only managed a cumulative total of 6500m2. The study was carried out over three days, rather than being extrapolated from a small test period. Taylor says that during a demo they involve the contractor in measuring the production, since some of the numbers are ‘unbelieavable.’

“We want to make sure they’re involved with it, and understand that they’re real numbers. We can calculate diesel savings, and also man-power savings, since stakers aren’t needed. The Al Ain demo was also a neat project since they were leasing the machines, so there was an exact monthly cost for each of the machines.”

Production gains proven As background for this article, SITECH Gulf’s John Taylor provided to CMME a number of productivity reports it had completed for contractors in the Gulf. Since, while there exists signficant literature and reports on the productivity gains from MC, nothing quite compares to seeing the improvements on your own worksite. The typical demonstration is to equip one machine with control systems, and then benchmark that against another similar machine working on the same project, having both machines complete a day’s work on different patches.

One customer demonstration used a Cat 14M grader, fitted with a GCS 900 dual GPS system. This operated alongside a grader working in the conventional way on an embankment, using the string and dip method to attain the top level within allowable tolerance – thus three workers were engaged in the

measuring. For the sub base first layer, following the rough grading, the grader completed the final grading of a 220m long, 27m wide strip in 90 minutes, whereas the conventional method takes a minimum of 8 hours. For the top layer, final grading took 115 minutes, versus 4 hours for the conventional method. But how to calculate the cost savings? There are obviously a lot of variables.

Since the grader can cover more ground, a contractor can own fewer machines in his fleet, also lowering the fuel cost. The number of surveyors is reduced, and the helpers are not needed. SITECH calculated a saving of 77% per square metre that needed to be graded for the contractor; while for the individual machine it calculated a production increase of 353%: the normal production machine was able to complete 495m2 per hour (averaged from the 12 hour shift),

while the machine control equipped machine was able to finish 1747m2 per hour (it completed the same amount of area in just 3 hours and 25 minutes). A second test pitted a Caterpillar D8 equipped with AccuGrade against two D8s. the result was that the single D8 increased productivity by 27% over both of the conventionally operated machines. The single machine completed an area of 9000m2, while the two machines in the same shift completed 6571m2. Diesel savings were 63%, while labour was reduced by 96%, in part since no survey control stakes were needed.

The AccuGrade method was also far more accurate (accuracy of 1.5cm versus +/- 16cm for the conventional method). The conclusion was that a single D8 with machine control could have replaced all three dozers with nearly the same production – but obviously for a fraction of the price.

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Heavy Hitters

Topcon using drones to map Europe Global provider of surveying and machine automation equipment Topcon has anounced that it will offer aerial mapping services to customers in Europe, following a strategic partnership with MAVinci announced last year.

The Sirius Pro technology, which makes use of an an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) drone aircraft, is designed to produce the most accurate solutions for automated mapping of construction sites, pipelines, disaster areas, mines, quarries, regardless of the terrain.

The drone is a fixedwing UAS capable of producing high quality and pre-positioned aerial photography, without the need of extensive ground control. According to Sander Jongeleen, mobile mapping product manager for Topcon Positioning

Group, “By adding Topcon’s solutions to the UAS and ground control station, the Sirius Pro is the first commercially available UAS that can reach 5cm accuracy without the need for ground control points.

This leads to an enormous reduction of operational cost and allows mapping of areas that are not easily accessible with high accuracy.”

Key advantages of the UAS tech include its ability to work in mountain areas, with the flight plan adapting to elevation model; it is able to cover areas that require multiple flights, the flight plan automatically splits and rejoins for post processing; the machine has a simple hand launch, and it is also able to land in areas where automatic landing is impossible with assisted auto-pilot mode.

But how does it feel for the operators in the cab?

Taylor says that, as can be expected, there’s a fair amount of trepidation – if not outright fear – from machine operators, when they see SITECH installing sensors and antennae on the machine, with screens in the cab. In one case, an operator asked him – through a translator – if he would need a college degree. But, after 20 minutes, he was able to work the machine perfectly. Taylor says that from a user point of view, it’s designed to be easy and intuitive, including large screens, with information that is very simple rather than showing complex information.

“We have not had any issues from operators.

What this technology does is transform mediocre operators into pretty good operators. For example, the king of the road job-site is the finish grade operator. He’s the guy that can get you that high consistency before you pave, so you don’t have to remill and grind it up. He’s a very high skilled worker, that demands the highest salary and is a bit of a primadonna. Now, with machine control, we’ve taken that advantage away from him. It’s as easy as a flick of a switch, and you can have an operator with far less experience producing very good grades.”

SITECH Gulf also liases with consultants, when it is needed, to convince them of the efficacy of the MC technology. The quality of earthwork finishing is also noticeable – so contractors can expect to win further contracts on the basis of high productivity and accuracy. There’s also the reduced possibility of a contractor having to redo sections which might not meet the consultant’s spec. While grading operations are a popular technology to adopt, it’s not to forget the other areas where machine control can

be utilised. MC from SITECH for rollers can produce a colour-coded passcount for operators, letting them know how many passes they have completed, and still need to do, as well as measuring a relative compaction value. Excavators can be equipped with MC that will show the operator precisely how deep to dig, or in the case of a island project, can allow them to place marine armour accurately underwater at the required position and depth. Pipeline projects will also benefit from the precision of machine control enabled excavators, especially for gravity feed pipelines where the accuracy is required.

Taylor says that when they first began selling MC technology local contractors were very hesitant, and it was only being used by the international contractors in the region. This view has now certainly shifted, especially when contractors see their competitors utilising MC, or see it on all the machines exhibited at the international shows.

“Over the last few years, you’ve seen the equipment manufacturers push GPS very hard, and I think that’s helping. You see it at Bauma, World of Concrete and ConExpo,” surmises Taylor. “I think we’re at a turning point here in the Middle East, and I think we’re on that edge to where we’ll really start to see some rapid adoption over the next few years.”

The screwing down of contract bid prices also means that contractors who don’t adopt risk missing out on business or profit, he believes.

Mistakes on a project can further erode already-thin profit margins. “I think these contracts are getting bid so tight now, that for them to be really financially lucrative, contractors will have to adopt machine control technology.”

A study in Al Ain on a dozer showed that the cost of the upgrade, for a dual GPS, would have paid for itself in 168 days of work

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Port Technology

From ship to shore

January 6th, 2014: Opening date of the region’s newest port, King Abdullah Port (KAP), north of Jeddah TOS: Terminal Operating System

Across the the GCC signficant investment is being made building new ports or expanding existing operations, as economies are diversified beyond oil and gas. The scale of investment should have sellers of equipment to the sector salivating, but are demanding and choosy customers. CMME International Editor Stian Overdahl investigates.

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P

orts have long been a lifeblood for coastal cities in the desertous GCC nations, and more recently have played a pivotal role in their economic development. Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port plays a major role in the history of the Emirate’s stratospheric growth since it opened in 1979, while Jeddah’s seaport has been able to take advantage of the city’s strategic location on the East-West transshipment route through the Suez Canal.

Currently there is significant investment in the port sector, as existing ports expand their capacity, and new ports open, including, in January of this year, the region’s newest port, King Abdullah Port (KAP), north of Jeddah in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC). And this is being matched by on-shore developments, include building of rail links with the new GCC rail network, landbridges, as well as the development of new industrial zones such as KIZAD in Abu Dhabi and KAEC. With a steady flow of containers and cargo into the region, the major ship to shore (STS) crane are at the coal face of unloading docking ships, ships that are growing steadily in size. The largest supplier of ship to shore (STS) cranes in the world is Shanghai’s Zhenhua

Port Machinery Company (ZPMC), a consequence its economy of scale, and direct access to cheaper steel than is available in Europe, which is the major cost determinant in a crane weighing nearly 2000 tonnes.

Barely a month goes by without announcement of a new delivery by ZPMC to the region. Jebel Ali received four new STS cranes in December from the Shanghai yard, the first of a batch of 19 to be supplied to the new Terminal 3. Once the order is filled, Jebel Ali will have a total of 98 STSs. And in January, Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) added another three to their existing six at the new Khalifa Port, at a cost of $28 million.

Each super-post-Panamax STS crane is 126.5 metres high and weighs 1,932 tonnes, while it has an outreach of 65 metres (equivalent to 22 containers) and a lifting capacity of 90 tonnes. With nine STSs, the port can now handle up to 315 containers per hour (35 containers per crane, per hour). The port is currently receiving vessels with capacity of up to 14,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit).

Other STS suppliers include Liebherr, which secured a contract to supply three cranes to King Abdullah Port. The Germany manufacturer has also supplied a mobile harbour crane, and 22 rubber tyre

Salah aimS for zero breakdownS The Port of Salah has announced a four year plan for a zero-breakdown port, within the Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) programme. The TPM is a system designed by the Japanese Institute of Plant Maintenance.

Based on an eight pillar framework it aims to achieve zero breakdowns, zero accidents and zero defects.

The plan came as the Port announced it was was the first in the world to have met the TPM requirements, with the programme

having already been implemented on six of the worst performing machines on the site.

This included a crane with a monthly average of 14 failures or more than 300 abnormalities.

At a presentation attended by Port management, the 70 initial TPM team members and twelve model machine team leaders presented how they tackled the poorest of each major machine at the container terminal.

“When our Process Excellence team first

introduced the target of zero breakdowns it seemed impossible,” said Mustafa Al Balushi, TPM Manager at the Port of Salalah.

“After rolling out TPM we proved that zero breakdowns is possible and achievable through teamwork between departments. This means culture change and understanding of operators to take ownership of their equipment.”

Transforming the six model machines from having the highest

breakdown frequency to zero breakdowns was achieved within a total of ten months. Total average breakdowns were reduced by 72% while mean time between failures was increased by 223%.

Having successfully passed the pilot phase, the TPM team at Port of Salalah has now expanded to include 200 port employees, and will tackle 50 of the port’s major machines across more departments, including the general cargo terminal and the marine department.

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Port Technology

gantry cranes (RTG). Liebherr’s RTG have a hoisting height of 1-over-6 containers, are eight containers wide plus the truck lane, and have a maximum 64 tonnes twin lift. A major point of difference for the German supplier is its unique hoist rope reeving arrangement which results in extremely effective no-sway operation in trolley travel, gantry travel and load skew directions. Liebherr believes its RTGs regularly achieve throughput figures which are 35%– 40% higher than those of RTGs with a conventional 2-fall vertical rope reeving arrangement.

At the Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi, both the gantry cranes and the stacking cranes are rail mounted, an infrastructural design feature aimed at a long life with low maintenance costs. When it commenced operations in September 2012, Khalifa Port was the first semi-automated Port in the Middle East, and this played an significant role in the equipment procurement process. For an automated port, the Terminal Operations System (TOS) is the crucial piece of IT infrastructure that ensures that machines operate efficiently, and that cargo is correctly tracked.

Jan Grinwis, terminal equipment manager at

Etihad Rail MoU signEd with Khalifa PoRt Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Etihad Rail, providing the framework to plan an integrated bulk and container railway terminal facility at Khalifa Port.

The MoU is seen as a significant step for the UAE’s rapidly-progressing

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rail network and the country’s growing ports and industrial sector.

The station would link Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad) and the adjacent Khalifa Port with the railway network, creating a transportation system combining sea, road and rail.

Ultimately the Etihad Rail network will also

form part of the wider GCC railway network, connecting the UAE with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Commenting on the signing of the MoU, Dr Nasser Al Mansoori, CEO of Etihad Rail said: “Etihad Rail’s railway terminal connection at ADPC will play an essential role in the

overall connectivity of the railway with key centres of economic importance to the UAE and the region, enabling a stronger and more efficient supply chain. Etihad Rail’s connectivity to Khalifa Port and Kizad will also enable our customers to realize further growth and expand their reach in the UAE and GCC.”

ADPC, says that the integration of the TOS with the automated stacking cranes (ASCs) was viewed as the riskiest interface in terms of equipment. Ultimately, Konecranes won the supply order for 30 ASCs, worth $117 million, since it was able to supply an integrated TOS system. More Konecranes supplied an additional six machines for $42m, with another order the same size to be delivered. As ports increasingly look at the benefits of automisation, software is essential.

“Looking at market developments, more and more full system implementers are developing.

Konecranes, Cargotec and Terex. These are global suppliers who can supply a whole range of container handling equipment. Cargotec, who recently took over TOS supplier Navis from Zebra Technologies Corporation and Terex Corp, who took over Demag Cranes, became owner of Gottwald. For the customers this is intended to result in lower overall implementation costs,” said Grinwis.

Recently Konecranes introduced its Automated RTG (ARTG) system to the container handling industry, saying that it had solved the problems that have been preventing the adoption of automated RTG operation. Built around Konecranes’ 16-wheel RTG, the ARTG can handle handle the wide range of yard surface variations, and can handle the multidimensional complexity of truck traffic, which flows along the container stacks in an automated operating model. Software was also a factor when Kalmar, part of Cargotec, won an new order this year from DP World to supply two of its new generation reachstackers to the Jebel Ali T3, on top of an existing order for seven empty container handlers, placed in December. Kalmar’s new generation reachstackers, named Gloria, is designed to handle loaded containers and has the capacity to stack 45 tonne (9’6”) containers five-high in the first row.

Gloria’s onboard CAN bus technology is being interfaced with DP World’s local port automation

system, the first time this has taken place. The interfacing will provides constant data transfer of the key operating parameters from the machine including fuel consumption, oil and water temperature, speed level, and operating and idling hours.

Other information it sends includes signals on the current working boom lift length and angle, together with the spreader height. For safety purposes, the twist lock/unlock condition and the spreader job type messages are also received.

Suresh Ananthanarayan at Kalmar says that these features, along with the ability to interface with the existing system, would contribute significantly towards safety and operational efficiency.

“As the focus on reducing costs of ownership continues, Kalmar leads the industry through its combination of advanced technology and innovative solutions. Gloria offers unsurpassed performance, and with the CAN bus operational information, our customer now has the critical performance data readily available to help them achieve optimum efficiencies.”

In addition to improvements in productivity, automisation can increase the number of jobs available that are attractive to a state’s citzens. DP World’s Jebel Ali Terminal 3 will be the largest semiautomated facility in the world when it becomes operational. Inaugurated by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai in January, the new operating regime has allowed a signficant number of Emiratis to be employed.

The new cranes are operated by remote control, with operators situated in a quayside operations hub,

viewing short circuit camera displays and receiving vital information through instrumentation.

Consequently, 30% of the new quay crane operators that have been recruited are Emiratis, and of those, a third are women. The figure is even higher for RMG operators, with 70% of those recruited Emiratis and 70% of that group being Emirati women.

ADPC’s Khalifa Port remains a semi-automated environment, with operators positioned in-cab in the STS and the straddle carriers. In the future there is the prospect for full automation, with all operators removed to the command centre. Ports are highly controlled environments, and as far as equipment is concerned, emissions and evironmental impact are also a factor. The sector is one of the few areas in the equipment market in the Middle East where calculations of emissions are a signficant part of equipment procurement. And in addition to procurement, machinery departments can also consider retrofitting exisiting equipment to improve environmental outcomes.

DP World has successfully electrified eight diesel powered Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes at Jebel Ali Port, a switch which it expects will reduce monthly diesel consumption by 109,000 litres in average, saving on energy costs and reducing emissions by almost 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year. The electrification was supervised by global engineering group Cavotec, who is a proponent of on-going electrification of RTGs, as well as offering shore power solutions, which enable ships in port to switch off their engines and connect to shore-based electrical power supply, thus reducing emissions in ports and surrounding areas.

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Special Feature

Selling the lot CMME International Editor Stian Overdahl talks to two legends of the Middle East auction scene to see whether they’ve ever had it so good

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$

24 million worth of equipment. 255 trucks, trailers, buses and vehicles, including one fire truck. 395 pieces of compact construction equipment, including 23 tandem vibratory rollers and 15 motor graders. 153 machines for lifting and material handling. And that’s just one day of sales at the Ritchie Bros’ (RBA) Middle East auction HQ in Dubai’s Jebel Ali freezone, a snapshot of how important the auction houses are to the equipment trade.

RBA’s December auction was particularly successful in terms of the total value of equipment sold, and of the average sale price. The auction featured a large number of late model MAN truck tractors, with a 2008 MAN TGA40.400 6x4 selling for $75,000. Every auction has a unique flavour in terms of consignments, whether it’s unused equipment being sold, newish trucks and vehicles, or heavy concentrations in certain machinery segments, particularly if an individual contractor is making a major disposal of assets, or even – as some times happens – shutting up shop and selling the lot (an example of this was seen when a contractor retired and sold 62 pipe laying machines through RBA in Dubai). And given the tumultuous business environment, sales can be forced through financing and credit arrangements.

Speak with Steve Barritt of RBA in Dubai or Keith Lupton at World Wide Auctioneers (WWA) – two men that have a long-standing presence in the used equipment trade here – and odds are that they will have an excellent idea of what is coming to market, and why, though it’s not information they’ll be sharing with a construction machinery journalist.

There’s always a busy calendar of sales in the Jebel Ali Freezone – Ritchie Bros held its latest auction in Dubai in March, which was followed by a WWA sale across three days in early April.

In recent months WWA has run through some heavy hitting auctions, including a disposal of port equipment for ADPC, held at the Mina Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi. A lot of the consignments were older, high-hour machines, as well as chains and metal items destined for the scrap metal merchants.

Bidders were treated to a quick fire, US–style unreserved auction, says WWA’s veteran.

“The public were impressed with the efficiency of the show, and quickly got into the mood,” says Lupton. “The bidding was robust, and the sale generated $860,000.”

Traders bought all the forklifts (high hour units,

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Special Feature

since they were bought by the port in 1999 and 2006 for loading work), and the machines are likely to all be exported. once the auction was completed, all that was left over was office furniture. speaking about rba’s december auction barritt says that they were particularly pleased with the turn-out as well as turnover: “there were strong prices, and it was the biggest crowd we’d ever had. people have got the confidence again, and that speaks well for the market here in 2014.” he believes this year will progress well, with the high volume of contracts being released – and completed – resulting in a natural demand for turnover of used machinery. looking back, barritt notes that while the first half of 2013 was very flat, the second half was very positive. saudi arabia is the largest market in the gcc, though barritt says that there has been a tendancy for contractors in ksa to purchase machines from auctions in north america, perhaps believing that the machines are better quality or have been better maintained. markets elsewhere, including in africa, are buying an increasing proportion of machines – barritt says that while they previously sold roughly 65-75% of their lots into local markets and the rest further afield, the split is the past 12 months has been roughly 50/50. another factor that could influence the auction trade this year is the return of buyers from Iran – if or when the sactions are lifted – with the long-running trading restrictions meaning that the market there is starved for used machinery.

“If Iran gets the sanctions removed, there will be a huge impact on the middle east equipment market. they’re desperate for equipment over there,”says barritt. the value of the Iranian currency, which has dropped severely against the us dollar, means that buyers there will be forced to purchase second hand machines rather than new. screwing deeper down into the individual lots, and trends emerge. auction bidders are of course costdriven in every aspect of their buying, and it’s worth noting that as far as fuel efficiency is concerned, diesel in the uae has the most expensive diesel in the region, making fuel consumption a vital aspect

“If Iran gets the sanctIons removed, there wIll be a huge Impact on the mIddle east market. they’re desperate for equIpment.”

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of a machine’s tco (total cost of ownership) profile. machines that have been built in India by wellknown brands are finding their way to the auctions here via traders, sold new, and lupton says that at first there were good prices, but these have tailed off a little, “as there is still a sense that made in germany or usa or uk is better. but some end users have been happy with their bargains, despite no warranty.”

It’s not a practice that will find any favours from local exclusive distributors, but according to lupton: “auctioneers like new product so they produce a good ‘draw factor’ for us.” as far as new is concerned, rba has sold a number of new or near new machines in recent auctions, which may have had virtually no hours on the meter, and have probably sat in storage for a number of months or even years. a feature of fleet ownership in the middle east is that many machinery owners like to increase fleet size, rather than regularly selling down. and while there were many sales forced during the lean years, now that contractors and rental outfits have got their balance sheets in order, they’re happy to hold on to equipment for longer, even if it is only in anticipation of future work.

In terms of ascendent brands, chinese machines are improving in value as their build quality increases, and lupton says that not only are the products much improved, but spare parts availability is also coming on stream with the agents setting up shop. “prices are still soft really, as the middle east buyers see the units as a ‘cheap’ alternative, although generators are gaining traction. korean products are now seen as robust and quality and are

concrete@saudidiesel.com.sa

special feature

doing well, especially hyundai.” but, says lupton, the truck and car market remains the domain of the old badges. “in trucks, mercedes, volvo, scania and hino have an almost unassailable position, though some contractors give kamaz some business based on a sturdy russianbuild character.” one of the main dynamics in machinery buying is long-term reliability versus up-front purchase cost – a cheaper machine may be less reliable, but it will pay for itself quicker. but one additional factor for middle east buyers is computer-driven technology, which is too difficult to for a contractor to repair in their own workshop. a break-down in the field that requires diagnostic equipment can cause delays. lupton says that many buyers will seek to buy machines that have minal amout of tech. “kawasaki have an admired and enthusiastic following because of this fact, they are still repairable on site and come with Japanese build quality.” internet buying is an area of the auction trade where one imagines that further growth is only inevitable. in 2013, ritchie bro’s saw a new high reached for online buyers – with online bidders purchasing more than $1.4 billion of equipment in 2013, or approximately 37% of total sales. and recently iron planet announced that it had surpassed 1 million registered users on its website. “this is an exciting milestone for us because it demonstrates that more than 1 million users recognise ironplanet as a trusted marketplace for buying and selling equipment,” said greg owens, ceo of ironplanet in a statement. “we’ve attracted these users because of our ongoing dedication

to innovation and delivering what they need: a convenient and reliable equipment solution.” the company believes it’s internet-only model offers customers a more efficient way to buy and sell. “the equipment sells from the owner’s location, saving sellers the expense and hassle of moving items to a physical auction site. the weekly auction schedule allows equipment owners to consign and sell in as few as 30 days,” noted owen. both rba and wwa offer online bidding, though here in the middle east internet usage lags behind other markets. barrit says that prospective buyers still want to see the machine in real life before bidding. and how strong is the bidding? there’s certainly been some strong sales in recent months, but no one is suggesting a return of the boom years. lupton can be relied on for a ‘warts and all’ opinion on the state of the construction industry, and, giving cmme a realistic appraisal of where things stand currently, believes that margins are a little thin to be truly comfortable, but that longer term things are headed in the right direction. “in the region there is a very large volume of work forecast, projected and confirmed. however, wages are still stagnant and staff, operatives and employees still chaffing at the wage bit, whilst rents – industrial and domestic – have risen sharply, and day to day living costs have increased. at the same time, clients are keeping contract values very sharp.

“Despite the very “up beat” tone of the media in reality the market place is still very cautious and the ‘good times here again’ as yet that mood has not trickled down to very hearty sales of new or second hand machines. the mood of all is very optimistic, but overheads are still eating away at contractual profits; and this is reflected in the careful buying of plant and conservative expenditure on equipment. but with expo 2020, fifa world cup in Doha, railway expansion in the region, new roads and more houses and recreation facilities, the future is rosy but not quite there yet.”

“Despite the very ‘up beat’ tone of the meDia, the ‘gooD times here again’ mooD has not trickleD Down to sales.”

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Site Visit

Tying up The Tram A look at the Dubai Tram project with Abdullah Yousif Al Ali, acting CEO of the RTA’s Rail Agency. Gavin Davids reports

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Originally planned for completion in 2009, the Dubai Tram project has endured a difficult developmental run, with the economic crisis having delayed it until 2012, and then subsequently to 2014.

E

ver since the Roads and Transport Authority launched the Dubai Metro project in 2009, the city has seen a constant focus on the improvement of its public transport network. Having first opened with 10 of 29 stations in 2009, Dubai Metro’s Red Line was declared complete in April 2010. This was swiftly followed by the completion of the Green Line of the Metro in September 2011, extending the metro transport network across the entire city.

Originally planned for completion in 2009, the Dubai Tram project is intended to make the city even further connected but it has endured a difficult run. The economic crisis delayed it until 2012, and then subsequently to 2014. It was finally announced, at the end of last year, that testing on the trams would commence in January 2014, ahead of a scheduled November 2014 launch.

“The Dubai Tram is expected to further consolidate the public transport image in Dubai and help improve the accessibility and mobility within Dubai in general, and the new leisure and business districts of the city in particular,” says Abdullah Yousif Al Ali, acting CEO, Rail Agency – RTA. “Being the first of its kind in the region and one of the most sophisticated tram projects in the world, it will add more value to the existing public transport networks in Dubai.”

On 25 January, 2014 the RTA announced that testing on the $1.02 billion project would begin, with the first zone nearly completed and ready for operation. The second stage of testing has been pencilled in to start on April 16, the authority says.

Testing on zone three – that which connects Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence – is due to begin on 14 June.

“Test activities include both static and dynamic tests. The first test run went exactly as planned and testing will continue until October 2014 to ensure that all systems are performing and the safety of the tram during operation is assured,” Al Ali explains.

Given that the Tramway is being built in the midst of pre-existing infrastructure, the challenges associated with the project are considerable. One of the main causes of the delays has been that the construction team, consisting of a consortium of Alstom, Besix and Parsons, have had to work around utilities that could not, under any circumstances, be interrupted, as Al Ali explains. “(Furthermore) there were a large number of road diversions in an already congested area.

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As a result, there had to be coordination with a number of developers, who all had different and sometimes conflicting needs,” he adds. “The project came immediately after the Dubai Metro and a large number of lessons learnt on the project were implemented. These are used to develop and improve the works on new projects.”

He says the first notable lesson learned was that early coordination with all the stakeholders ensures that their needs and requirements are included in the contract. Secondly, the tram and metro projects should be run as an integrated programme of sub-projects to ensure the proper integration of all activities related to the successful launch of revenue service. Al Ali is quick to point out that the consortium is working together with the consultant, Systra and the RTA team, to successfully deliver the project, pointing out that the teams are in daily communication to resolve any issues or difficulties that may arise. The over-arching plan for the Dubai Tram project is to eventually integrate

“THE RTA’S STRATEgIc PlAn, AIMS To DEvEloP

An EffIcIEnT InTEgRATED MulTIMoDAl PuBlIc TRAnSPoRT nETWoRk foR DuBAI.” 34

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with the rest of Dubai’s transport infrastructure. As such, the consortium and the RTA Rail Agency have worked together to ensure that the tram stations are accessible to commuters.

“The building of some of the tram stations near Metro stations was intended to provide a direct link and transfer of passengers between the two modes of public transport. The Dubai Metro project comes as part of the RTA’s strategic plan, which aims to develop an efficient integrated multimodal public transport network for Dubai,” he explains.

With the deadline for completion fast approaching, much remains to be done. With the current project extending a total of 14.6km, with 17 stations along the way, Al Ali says that Phase I of the tram project is just the start, with plenty more to come.

“The RTA has developed a comprehensive Rail Master Plan that responds to the current and future needs of Dubai,” he explains. “The plan has adopted some proposals for new rail lines (metro and tram), as well as the future extension for some existing lines.”

“In this domain, the current Dubai Tram project is 10.6km, which extends between Dubai Marina and the Tram Depot near the Dubai Police Academy.

It represents Phase I of the Dubai Tram project.

Phase II will be extended for a further 5km and seven stations to both the Mall of the Emirates and Burj Al Arab at Jumeirah Road.”

Product Focus

Raw power EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW. page 54

VEgaS ViRtUOSO

D’avino’s self-loaders in the region mix.

page 39

page 39

SWiNg SEt

Meet Wacker Neuson’s new zero tail swing mini excavator.

page 54 iN tHE NEW MiX

CMME looks at New Mix’ new Cifamanufactured concrete pump – the k38L.

MakiNg it Pay

Construction Machinery ME’s wants to help you work out that all-important Roi on your next fleet and plant purchase.

page 44 CONEXPO

CMME’s been ConExpo and talked to US manufacturers.

page 48 CRaWLiNg aLONg

Manitowoc launches two new crawler cranes sporting VPC technology at ConExpo.

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Raw Power

Linden Comansa 30LC1450: a Crane apart Why get it?

The besT view crane buyers can buy

t SpecificationS: • Jib tip: 16T @ 60m/60T @ 58.4m • Maximum load: 48t • Max load: 34.5m/37.2m with Powerlift • Line Speed: 0–259m per minute • Drum capacity: 1,450m • hoist: 200 kw • Max. jib length: 60m • pipe bends: 27.4cm

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he ambitious multibillion-dollar project to widen the Panama Canal is having wide reaching impact on industries tied to the world’s shipping industry and tower cranes are certainly no exception. The expansion will mean that ports need to be able to handle bigger ships, more cargo and faster turnarounds. High capacity tower cranes, like the Linden Comansa 30LC1450 recently erected in Paducah, Kentucky are helping busy ports like the Paducah/McCracken County Riverport Authority (Riverport) deal with today’s vessel traffic and be ready for tomorrow.

While the dramatic size of the 30LC1450 sets it apart, the features that the Linden Comansa flat-top tower cranes provide make it an unparalleled choice for heavy-lift work and container cargo in an active port. The 200 kW high-speed motor offers a maximum speed of 259 meters per minute and a minimum speed when loading its maximum 48 tons of 21 meters per minute. The Powerlift system allows for a 10% improvement of the load chart with reduced speeds.

This feature, along with anemometer and digital indicators, is standard on all Linden Comansa cranes in the LC3000 Series. As an option for the Paducah crane, Linden Comansa America also included a ‘Prohibited

Zones‘ function. The Paducah model is a 48 ton crane, but can also be configured for either 32 or 64 tons.

“The differences in tower crane technology between the old 8000 and the new 30LC1450 are dramatic,” says Bill Carbeau, Vice President of Business Development for Linden Comansa America. “Digital readouts for wind, radius and weights are clearly displayed and crane operators can easily monitor all functions for proper operation. In addition, the frequency drives for slewing, trolley and hoisting movements allow for much less consumption of electricity.”

For enhanced comfort of the crane operator, the 30LC1450 in Paducah has an optional “Panoramic XL” cab. It includes the advantages of the standard “Panoramic” cabin (acoustic insulation, full view of the load and work area, tinted glass, etc.), but it is half a meter longer. There is enough room for a small refrigerator, an air handling unit and a microwave or any other small appliance. The crane is also equipped with lights to illuminate the jobsite.

With an innovative design that allows the upper part of the jib be folded up and down to save money on transport, the modular design of the LC3000 series enables Linden Comansa to deliver the biggest cranes as a highly affordable solution.

Two new ManiTowoc VPc crawlers why geT TheM? Hi-tecH on lower weigHt cranes smaller footprint Manitowoc has launched two new crawler cranes sporting variable position counterweight (VPC) technology at ConExpo, three years after first launching a VPC capable crane at the last Las Vegas show. The VPC was previously available on Manitowoc’s large scale 31000 crawler crane, which, with a 2,300 tonne maximum lift weight, is designed mainly for super large lifts in the energy sector, especially nuclear. The two new cranes, the 300 tonne MLC300 and the 650t MLC650, are likely to have a wider array of uses, including the energy sector and infrastructure.

The VPC system moves the counterweight laterally from the pivot point in response to the lift weight, in part reducing the total amount of counterweight which must be transported to a lift site, which is ordinarily a major cost on any lift.

The counterweight moves along the rotating bed and is automatically positioned based on changes in boom angle. Other advantages include reduced ground preparation, lower ground-bearing pressure.

The counterweight boxes are also designed to be common across multiple crane platforms.

“The VPC is game-changing technology,” said John Kennedy, SVP crawler cranes. “This new

technology will have a significant impact on the lifting industry, as it enhances crane capacities, reduces mobilization time on the job site, and in the end, saves customers a significant amount of time and money.”

Kennedy said that both cranes are ideal for energy-related projects, including refineries, petrochemical installations, and power plants, as well as infrastructure applications. The smaller footprint plus the Variable Position Counterweight system enable the cranes to easily move around a job site, and a VPC-MAX capacity enhancing attachment allows increased capacity for heavy lifts that would usually require a wheeled-type lift enhancer.

The MLC300 features 96m of boom and has the option of a fixed jib attachment of 30m. A 96m luffing jib can be added to extend its reach to 144m.

Meanwhile the MLC650 has a 104m main boom to which a 30 m fixed jib can be added. A 101m luffing jib can be added to reach a maximum 157m .

The VPC-MAX attachment increases capacity and boom and jib combination lengths, which for the MLC300 translates to a maximum boom and luffing jib combination of 168m, while for the MLC650 the boom and luffing jib combination stretch out to a total of 205m. The MLC650 maximum capacity increases to 700t with the VPC-MAX installed. sPecificaTions (Mlc650) • Main boom length: 104m • Jib length: 30m • luffing jib extension: 157m • weight: 650t

fUso’s new heaVy hiTTer why geT iT? largest payload class manoeuvreable FUSO has developed a new medium-duty truck based on the existing platform of its popular lightduty Canter trucks, with the new vehicle to be rolled out in more than 40 countries worldwide.

With a GVW of 8.55 tonnes, and a payload of up 6 tonnes, the truck is “A real payload champion,” said Kai-Uwe Seidenfuss, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), Senior VP of Sales & After Sales.

“The all-new Canter medium-duty truck is a weight-lifting champion. Designed for optimum capacity without compromising on compactness or maneuverability, the new Canter 8.55-tonne truck sets the benchmark in offering customers the largest payload in its weight class. The Canter continues to

pave the way in the global trucking industry.”

The features of the Canter medium-duty truck are the very embodiment of the compact truck and features a high degree of maneuverability. Key innovations include Duonic, the world’s first dualclutch automatic transmission for commercial trucks, and an optimised powertrain sharply reduces fuel consumption while offering a smoother drive.

sPecificaTions • gVw: 8.55t • Payload: 6t • Power 9c15: 110 kW (150 hp) • Power 9c18: 129 kW (175 hp) • Transmission: Duonic dual clutch

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Raw Power

THIrd TELESCoPIC CrAWLEr FroM LInk-BELT WHy gET IT: fast on site good Roi

SPECIFICATIonS: • Boom length: 33.5m • Full capacity: 45t • Counterweight: 11t • Height on trailer: 3m • Width on trailer: 3.5m

Link-Belt is launching its third telescopic crawler, the 45 tonne (50USt) TCC-500, a development that shows the company’s seriousness about growing its share of the market for telescopic crawlers.

The TCC-500, which has already been built and tested at the Lexington plant, will be shown at ConExpo in Las Vegas in March. Link-Belt is telling its distributors about the new crane, and shipping to customers is expected to start by early March.

“We think this crane will get a lot of attention from the utility market,” said Pat Collins, product marketing director. “It has a 33.5m, full-power boom and 45t of capacity, which is more in line with what the utility market is looking for.

It’s also been designed for ease of transport.

We’ve engineered it to hit the weight targets so transportability is easy and efficient.”

Collins said the TCC-500 “gives customers a second option below our TCC-750 for less

ZEro TAIL SWIng MInI FroM WACkEr nEUSon WHy gET IT: Revised cabin easy RetRo-fitting Wacker Neuson has launched a new zero tail swing mini excavator, the EZ38, designed for maximum functionality on tight job sites. The machine is characterized by flexibility in use and a great deal of maneuverability. For contractors, this means a variety of application areas and a high level of economic efficiency.

The 3,755kg operating weight machine is built with a 1.6L Yanmar engine, and vital specs include max breakaway force of 3,516 daN, and biting force max of 23.31 kN. Hydraulic flow rate is 117.6 l/min.

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Operators of the machine will benefit from the comfort of the completely revised cabin, which is compact on the outside, spacious on the inside – a combination that every operator enjoys. For on narrow or complex job sites, as is often the case in urban areas, the operator does not have to worry that he could damage the machine while working or block traffic.

The rear of the compact EZ38 excavator never projects over the excavator’s undercarriage. At the same time, the cabin interior is designed to be spacious and ergonomic. The flat spacious footwell of the EZ38 excavator can also be expanded through fold-down accelerator pedals.

The mini excavator has up to three auxiliary control circuits, and offers connection options for a variety of attachments and therefore more flexibility for the contractor.

Thanks to the standard fitted additional section on the manifold block for the control circuits II and III, these can be retrofitted with minimum effort if necessary. This makes the compact excavator even more productive and provides for versatile application areas in the long term.

An optional Vertical Digging System (VDS), gives the machine additional flexibility in use.

SPECIFICATIonS (S570): • Shipping weight min: 3,580 kg • operating weight min: 3,755 kg • Biting force max: 23.31 kN • Breakaway force max: 3,516 daN • digging depth: 3,110 mm • dumping height max: 3,220 mm • digging radius: 5,300 mm • L x W x H: 4,800 x 1,740 x 2,500 mm

demanding and/or more cost-sensitive jobs. It’s simple to operate, tough and rugged.”

And the bells and whistles are aplenty, from audible and visual alert systems to rear and winch view camera systems.

The TCC-500 offers an impressive capacity chart that rivals lattice crawler cranes with a similar base rating. The four-section, full-power boom on the TCC-is built with box-type construction of high tensile steel consisting of one base section and three telescoping sections.

The vertical side plates of the boom have diamond-shaped steel impressions for a higher strength to weight ratio. Fly jib options include a 8.7 to 15.5 metre, two piece bi-fold lattice fly, stowable, offsettable to 2, 20 and 40 degrees; maximum tip height is 50 metres. Link-Belt has designed the TCC-500 to move quickly and easily on or off the jobsite. With a standard counterweight package of 11MT.

dEMoLITIon WASTE TooL FroM ATLAS CoPCo Atlas Copco has launched its latest hydraulic attachment, the Hydro Magnet, a range of tools for recycling plants, scrapyards and the demolition industry. The attachment enables iron and steel to be separated quickly and easily from concrete waste for subsequent recycling.

The attachment is installed on the existing grapple or shear installation, and requires no extra generator or electro cable on the carrier; hydraulic power provides automatic flow and pressure control by means of a sophisticated flow divider.

A high activating voltage rapidly achieves the magnetic power to attract a large amount of ferrous material and hold it firmly in place.

A shock alternation of the polarity accelerates demagnetization,

resulting in fast material drop and a magnet plate free from even small pieces of steel.

Two Hydro Magnets are available in two versions, as a fixed magnet (F), or a mobile magnet with chain link (M). Load capacities range from 280 up to 7,500 kg.

The electronically controlled generator is made of corrosion free alloy and has a digital control device in a waterproofed body. Atlas Copco’s digital generator control technology gives a magnetization and demagnetization process cycle that is up to 25% shorter than conventional magnet controllers.

Ten Tips

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Ten Tips

tS = RoiuIred S o C t n e me req inveStm nce the tI

SavingSmu/la – and maybe a lIttletertofoo rsIummpulela. sIwould be r(ssavtoInwgs/eItIghme)bef/ ore

le for sue, a bet s of facto It’s a sImp es a serIe sts Is an Is av o c le r l ngs. u Il yo st your savI t that to recoup ment and In tIme. bu I st o ve r In = t r u r yo Investmen values fo realIstIc you have

iS veRSatiLitY an iSSUe, oR wiLL it be USeD foR a HanDfUL of SPeCifiC taSKS? Consider opting for a versatile machine with potential to carry more attachments unless you are a specialist contractor who sells itself as niche.

How faSt mUSt it RUn? for just-in-time operations, speed can be especially important. will it free up an operator to perform other tasks?

How often wiLL it be oPeRateD? the longer machines are used the greater the wear and tear on them and therefore the faster they will lose their residual value.

Larger fleets tend to keep their value batter.

Top 10 GUIDE TO ROI CMME gives you its take on working out that all-important RoI

M

maCHineS taKing oveR are production increases or new tasks expected, or will the machine simply do the same work as a previous machine? again consider versatility in your inventory unless you fight for work based on your speed.

SPeeDY PRoDUCtion if more production is foreseen, will the equipment speed up one part of the process, only to have bottlenecks elsewhere negate the benefit?

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Ten Tips

realistic expectatiOns are expectations of what the equipment can do realistic, or is the plant manager responsible for the purchase grasping at straws or seduced by the technology? Before you sign up for new machines make sure you fully analyse its potential uses.

Financial cOsts Obvious on the surface but many companies are seduced by a low ticket price before considering the total cost of ownership or the cost of finance itself. l

take rOi seriOusl Whether y yo

u’re runn ing a 15-p contracto erson oper r, you sho ation or a uld knoW equipmen 400-perso before bu t Will pro n major ying Whet vide an ad her a piec equate ret e of urn on in vestment (roi).

OperatiOnal cOsts Will the machine be fuel efficient, does the manufacturer have a reputation for good support and maintenance. also look for machines that are straightforward and fast to fix on site. Greater uptime saves and makes money.

sHippinG expenses if you’re buying from abroad make sure you look into the cost of freighting. considering buying from markets with favourable shipping rates can save millions. writers.

HOW lOnG Will it last?

Do your research beforehand to make sure your purchase will survive whatever you throw at it for not only as long as you need it but also how long a potential used buyer may need it for.

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Show Review

GrippinG Stuff CMME is at ConExpo to talk to US companies to find out what they have to offer for the Middle East and North Africa.

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L

enny, the driver of the limousine that arrives at departures courtesy of ConExpo, used to run a mining company. Now he ships people to and from the airport. Many of those passengers who come to the desert-bound bauble these days come for the industry conventions that fill the weeks of endless sunshine, he says. Crossing the entrance to the famous strip where dreams are occasionally made and fortunes often broken should be a cue to turn tour guide. Instead he tells CMME that he remains in awe about the machines that used to help him make him a living.

“I love this show. I love the machines. I’ve been spending all week driving slowly past them.”

Beyond the draw of the big hotels and casinos, Las Vegas relies on the 22,000 conventions such as ConExpo held each year to keep the economy of the city ticking over. At 125,000, Las Vegas has 50,000 more hotel keys than Dubai to fill, so unsurprisingly the 130,000 people that visited ConExpo during the week were warmly received.

Of all the large construction shows, ConExpo is probably the least geared up for Middle East visitors.

While China passed the US at the turn of the decade to become the largest single market in the world (according to the Global Construction Report 2013, China and India and the emerging markets account for 52% of all activity), at 12% it remains a large

“ThE CONTRACTORS DON’T BUy hERE. yOU SEE

pEOpLE COME hERE WITh ThEIR OpERATOR. IT IS SORT Of A VACATION. IT’S pART Of ThE ShOW.”

enough market to easily support a show of ConExpo’s size. The latest round of releases of equipment bent on adhering to emission regulation changes means that it was even harder to spot the earthmovers suited to the region at this year’s event. however CMME found there were still plenty of products on offer that could find potential buyers in the region. The magazine was especially keen to talk to the US companies that are active in the Middle East.

Italian-American company Case for instance which has been at the lead of introducing Tier 4 final compliant machines were understandably eager to show-off their 921f wheel loaders and 28.1t CX250C Long Reach model excavator but was also keen to stress that it can offer the Middle East and Africa with suitable versions. As well as offering its skid steer and compacts, it also said the CX250C model is offered in dedicated fuel-efficient engine configurations for Africa and the Middle East markets. With an 8m boom in the Long Reach version, the CX250C crawler excavator can reach up to 18m. The 921f wheel loader is offered in dedicated fuel-efficient fpT Industrial engine configurations which it claims “assure great power output while reducing fuel consumption and operating costs.”

Redesigned from the ground up, its M Series threemodel line-up of dozers – the M1150, the M1650 and M2050 models – are powered by fuel efficient engines provided by fpT Industrial with specific emission-compliant engine configurations for Africa and the Middle East markets. The M Series dozers provide superior performance in load response, max torque and achieve lower emissions and higher fuel savings, says Case. With a new cab-forward design

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Show Review

built for maximum visibility and comfort, and a robust C-frame for heavy earthmoving, “the M Series dozers offer durability and higher productivity in every working conditions”.

Franco Invernizzi, senior director, Africa and Middle East, said that it is rare to get visitors from the region buying at the show, but then added that same can also apply to even North American plant owners. “The contractors don’t buy here. You see people come with their operator, ask questions,” he says. “For them it is sort of a vacation. It’s part of the show.”

With Tier 4 final now crossed he says suggests that the industry now has an opportunity to think once again about the design of the entire machine.

“Apart from the engines, in the last ten years we haven’t seen a lot of innovation,” he muses. “All the money went into the engine. Hybrid technology didn’t work out. If you look at Volvo (its stand) it’s the same machine they’ve been showing for a while.

I do hear rumours about Tier 5 but if you think of Africa all the used machines came from Europe without regulation - for me, it’s good because we don’t get a big flow from Europe but for Europe itself it means they can only sell it there.”

While the US’ Environmental Protection Agency appears to be listening to industry concerns regarding further changes, he issues a word of warning to those in the EU looking to push regulations even further. “They could kill the industry,” he says bluntly.

Pennsylvania headquartered JLG debuted its record breaking JLG 1850SJ Ultra Boom at the show promising that the 19-storey reaching self-propelled lift can go where no lift has gone before. Ewan MacAngus, Developing Markets Director, said the show was an opportunity to catch-up with customers and new products. He added that JLG has begun to see a return to more favourable conditions back in the Middle East.

While the Caterpillar stand was pitched at

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“I WENT To EGYPT IN 1995 AND WE SoLD GrADEr SYSTEMS To SAUDI CoNTrACTorS IN CAIro.” North American buyers, the world’s biggest heavy equipment manufacturer chose to focus on cutting edge technology. Its Cat Connect technology suite offers an all encompasing telematics approach for customers with mixed fleets. Developed with Working with Sitech partner Trimble, Cat said it is now are complete source for telematics.

The team at Trimble updated CMME on the progress of Sitech on-site in Tunisia. Joe McNamara, business development manager, Heavy Civil Construction told CMME that its technology had found a niche in infrastructure projects across North Africa and the Middle East.

“I went to Egypt in 1995 and we sold grader systems to Saudi contractors in Cairo. We have history but it used to be about agriculture now it’s all about road building.”

+96522259555 -6060 rafiq.mikhail@kharafinational.com UAE&OMAN SANY UAE

Special Feature

Loading up for the region =

The team at Italian company D’avino has just created the Ferrari for self loading concrete machines – but its stripped down cousin could be an essential purchase.

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onExpo has been described as a theme park for the construction industry, but looking a little further than the fanfare and spectacle of the big attractions and you found plenty of smaller niche manufacturers pitching their wares to the North American market.

On its way to meet with recent InterMat Middle East attendee D’Avino, CMME caught up with companies that are also distributing in the Middle East such as: Bair, a father and daughter spare parts supplier; as well as Austria’s Schaeff and its hydraulic cutting attachments; and Turkey’s Cukurova.

Each of these companies share a common belief that there is much more to the world than their domestic market. Long time Bobcat partner Italy’s D’Avino is preparing to step-up its presence in the region with its self-loading concrete mixers.

On its stand at ConExpo was its striking 360 Delta 4 Self-loading concrete mixer. The sleeklooking orange and black machine boasts a net output of 4.5m3 but it’s most impressive feature is its ability to load and cast through a full 360o with continuous rotation (including the cabin).

It also offers 4-wheel drive and steering has an articulated bucket integral with the rotating frame. As the operator is able to fully rotate in the cabin, the only heads that will turn will be those looking on at its sports car-like line.

Unfortunately for now international sales director Dr Domenico D’Avino tells CMME the Delta will not be coming to a region that prefers its machines to be as straight forward as possible.

“I’m not sure this can be considered for say KSA,” he says. “We hope so in the future.”

When D’avino was established in 1950 by Pasquale D’avino it was set-up to convert military transports and war materials as well as repairing and transforming cable excavators. As Italy slowly recovered from the aftermath of the Second World War, the company moved into the planning, designing and assembling rock crushing equipment. Following its customers’ requirements it also began selling large earthmoving equipment

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to mining and quarrying operations. By the mid1970s the company was ready to move back into manufacturing, focusing on compact and agile concrete equipment.

“Since 1975 we have been design and manufacturing our own mixers,” says D’Avino. “We also developed a loader line but we’ve had to phase it out due to a lack of competitiveness. As I am sure you know Volvo and Kubota (for instance) can benefit from large scales of economy. We cannot not. If you go into the market at the same price level, then you will be rejected. And we were rejected.

“I’m sure in India and Brazil you can produce under licence and be profitable but, well, we make concrete mixers.”

In a world where the majors are continually looking to diverse their ranges there is something comforting in the fact that the industry can still sustain the smaller niche players. Furthermore, now that true innovation is largely lost in the market (in part this is thanks to a decade of emission regulation changes), companies like D’Avino are perhaps our best chance to see new ideas filtering into inventories.

Obviously R&D does not come cheap. When asked how much the Delta cost to develop he replies playfully, “don’t ask me” before quantifying the company’s investment in a more arguably useful way.

“We spent seven months with five people and 4,000 sqm and we built this,” he says pointing to the machine. “So it means money.”

The D’Avino brochure takes a rather different

“EVEn AFTER THREE yEARS OF InTEnSE

USE, THE MACHInE CAn SHOW A RETURn On InVESTMEnT AnD KEEP A RESIDUAl VAlUE.”

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approach to showcasing its products. With it split between the company’s conventional line of selfloaders and the more ‘out-there’ unconventional products under the Delta branding. The region’s more conservative buying habits are much more likely to peruse one side but purchase from the other.

“I totally agree,” he says. “We don’t think of the machine as one that is for the Middle East or Africa.

It is much more for Europe or the United States.”

Whichever page the plant buyer may turn, he is adamant that D’Avino’s lines can deliver a reasonable set of figures in terms of return on investment.

“With Delta for instance, I am showing them that even after three years of intense use, the machine can show a return on investment and keep a residual value,” he continues.

With countries like Brazil imposing importation fees of upwards of 26% (intended to protect local businesses, it more frequently acts as a way to ring-fence global manufacturer investment in the country), the onus is on D’Avino to concentrate on more accessible export markets such as the Middle East and Africa.

In comparison to the Delta, the bright yellow of machines like the Master 440.2 (4-stroke, 4 cylinder turbo diesel that tops out 74 kW @ 2.300 at maximum powerr; 4x4 Hydrostatic; operator turret rotates) seem to hail from a different era of technology. However recent sales in the region suggest that there is a definite demand for them, especially the 440.2 in KSA. “The 440.2 has just been sold to Jeddah,” he adds.

D’Avino’s machines can fullfil a number of roles. In a urban areas with a lack of space their low-footprint make them incredibly flexible. Conversely they can also operate in remote locations not requiring largescale pouring or needing touching up after the main pour. Potential for them abounds although much of its aspiration are pointed towards the Kingdom.

“The product is very new and it is always an effort as we need to put it there on a consignment basis but our competitors are not quite there. Saudi has 60% of the total GCC GDP and that is enough for me to think we can get a little money,”

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