Construction Machinery ME June 2015

ISSUE 44 JUNE 2015

spreading The mix

hot sales of asphalt plant and equipment

HYDRAULIC PRESSURE: 3,989psi

282

Crushing iT

304176 118

using crusher buckets to recycle material on-site

3,400

CURRENT LOAD: 3,000KG

935

618

7,800

TOTAL DISTANCE TRAVELLED: 11,721KM

10,550

8,903 TEChNOlOgy

7,867

11,100

980

12,235 15,000 6,025 10,120

big daTa’s power

ENGINE: 2,200RPM

9,560

The race to harness big data’s power to predict breakdowns and boost productivity Plus: RAW POWER

* NEWs & ANAlysis * ThE lAsT WORd * kiT sPOTTiNg * ANd MuCh MORE

Contents

page 38 Paving to satisfaction

IS S U E 4 4 5 JU n E 2 0 1

Volvo CE and FAMCO’s strategy for road construction equipment has seen them win new customers in KSA and UAE.

06

Editorial Qatar should take steps to ensure that the 2020 World Cup doesn’t become a public relations nightmare.

08

NEws A round-up of the latest kit sales and office openings.

14

Kit spottiNg A Terex Trucks TA400 articulated hauler is spotted in a gypsum mine in Nevada.

18

HEavy HittErs Ammann’s plans to bolster its service offering and grow its road construction equipment sales in the region.

22

oN tHE covEr: Big data’s powEr The race to harness big data’s power to predict breakdowns and boost productivity.

23

34

26

crusHiNg it How hydraulic excavator crusher buckets can improve material processing on-site.

34

clasH of tHE 5t loadErs The five-tonne payload is one of the most tightly contested segments for wheel loaders, by both value and premium brands.

56 46 52

Raw power

44 NEW RELEASES The latest and greatest new releases from the world of construction machinery. Page 49 TOP TEN Ten tips on boosting your financing prospects when it comes to buying new kit. Page 52 ON FIRM FOOTING Options for cost-effective foundation work.

Page 56 THE LAST WORD New York City likes Potain’s new electric tower crane so much it will expedite permits for its power.

Page

FASTER, FUEL EFFICIENT

Contents

F SERIES

10% FUEL ECONOMY

Models 721F, 821F and 921F deliver 10% fuel saving,with reduced exhaust emissions

PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY

Four mode power control and new generation five-speed transmission result in faster cycle times and increased productivity

CASE LOADERS DRIVE PRODUCTIVITY

New generation of axles, new chassis, new Hydraulic hoses lay out, Larger buckets and special tires, designed for hostile environments, Waste & Scrap handling BioGas, Compost and Agricultural applications

Country Bahrain UAE Kuwait Qatar KSA Lebanon Jordan Egypt

Dealer

Abdulla Ahmed Nass & Sons Al Shirawi Enterprises Instant Access Co Nasser Bin Khaled & Sons Co Roots Group Arabia Someco The Commercial & Industrial Co (C.I.C) Unimar Egypt

Contact Number

+973 1 770 31 23 +971 4 371 85 85 +965 2 225 99 72 +974 4 458 01 38 +966 2 699 66 28 +96 1 125 36 00 +96 2 550 62 60 +202 3 346 51 80

Web Page

www.nassgroup.com www.alshirawienterprises.com www.instantaccess-co.com www.nbks.com www.arabian-roots.com www.somecointernational.com www.cic.com.jo www.unimaregypt.com

www.casece.com

Online

LAUNCH PARTNER

Construction Machinery ME’s home on the web MOST POPULAR

EDITOR'S CHOICE

READERS' COMMENTS

1

Egyptian national killed in Qatar crane collapse At least three others were injured in fatal incident on busy highway in Doha.

2

Atkins makes key appointments in Middle East property division British consultancy announces senior architectural roles for Janus Rostock, David Tripney and Mark Kelly.

3

Futuristic bridge to Dubai’s Bluewaters Island gets green light A $130m contract has been awarded for bridge linking $1.6bn island that is set to become home to world’s largest Ferris wheel.

PHOTO GALLERIES

Dubai’s theme-park megaproject under construction MEConstructionNews.com paid a visit to the Dubai Parks and Resorts project near Jebel Ali. See photo galleries at: meconstructionnews.com/photos

Ramsey Meyer, via email, ‘New UAE property regulations “prevent overheating in Dubai”’

READER POLL

Should contractors be obliged to provide mentalhealth support for workers?

4

Dubai outlines tender timeline for Route 2020 metro line Construction of 15km route serving Expo 2020 site is scheduled to begin early next year, the Roads and Transport Authority said.

5

Chinese construction firm builds 57-storey skyscraper… in 19 days Broad Sustainable Building Company says it also wants to build world’s tallest skyscraper in just three months.

New UAE property regulations “prevent overheating in Dubai” It is probably true that the UAE mortgage cap and registration fees have had a limited impact on the Dubai property market. But what is really causing prices to come down is fear of another property downturn and negative sentiment in the market. I’d characterise it as a ‘decline’ rather than a limit on the market ‘overheating’.

77% 11% VIDEO

Volvo Trucks launches auto traction control in FMX model System will be standard on all FMX trucks sold in the Middle East with front-wheel drive capability.

See videos at: meconstructionnews.com/videos

Yes: All firms should provide access to psychiatrists

No: Firms could voluntarily do so, but not forced to

5%

5%

No: Addressing such issues is up to the local government

No: This isn’t a major problem, there are more pressing issues

Log on for the latest from across the Middle East construction sector. Write to the editor at contact@meconstructionnews.com 4

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

June 2015

AFGHANISTAN FAMCO (Al-Futtaim Auto & Machinery Co. LLC) + 971 4 213 5100 (UAE) famco@alfuttaim.ae AZERBAIJAN Aztexnika Ltd + 994 502 452 555 a.aslanbayov@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 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 OMAN GENSERV (General Engineering Services Est) + 968 244 90755 sales@genserv-oman.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 SAUDI ARABIA FAMCO (Al-Futtaim Auto & Machinery Co. LLC) + 966 12 680 4444 famco@alfuttaim.sa SYRIA Nassib Saad Est. Trading & Import + 963 11 222 5432 g.ali@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 UZBEKISTAN C&H International + 998 711 475 003 hojinhan88@gmail.com YEMEN Elaghil Trading Co + 967 1 207 470 elaghil@y.net.ye

POWERED TO DIG The 48 tonne EC480D has been built to dig as efficiently as possible. Superior cycle times are backed up by improved fuel efficiency to make this machine a real powerhouse on site. The Volvo D13 engine works together with the advanced hydraulics to deliver dependable power with high torque. When it’s supported by superb Volvo aftersales services, the EC480D is powered to dig – and keep on digging. Building Tomorrow.

WEBSITE http://goo.gl/QRP2Vc

volvoce.com

Editor’s Letter

GROUP GROUP CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA GROUP CEO NADEEM HOOD

Focus on Worker conditions risks damaging Qatar’s cup

T

here is an inevitable pattern leading up to a major sporting event. The world’s media scrutinise the host’s readiness, and pounce on any event as if it is proof that the event’s very existence is in jeopardy. South Africa, London, Sochi and Brazil – all experienced versions of this, only for the focus to suddenly shift once the actual sporting event began and the media had something else to report on.

Qatar’s experience with the scrutiny arising from being awarded the 2022 World Cup has been rocky. Apart from any issue of corruption claims as part of the wider FIFA imbroglio, construction worker conditions remain under the microscope. International journalists have visited construction sites to interview labourers and have been to their living compounds (last month BCC reporters were arrested on trespassing charges and briefly detained), while international organisations have compiled detailed reports.

But while Qatar has made various changes, such as construction of new labour accommodation, it hasn’t addressed the underlying issues of labour regulations. To its critics, the system presents opportunities for abuse of workers’ rights, including withholding of passports and under-payment.

Last month, Amnesty International released a report with the self-explanatory title ‘Promising little, delivering less: Qatar and migrant labour abuse ahead of the 2022 Football World Cup’. The earthquake in Nepal has also brought the restrictions on some workers’ freedom of movement into starker relief.

While it is certainly true that Qatar has taken steps to improve worker conditions, and that construction companies have been more proactive in ensuring workers have safer working conditions and better living standards, more needs to be done. While FIFA has been toothless in its demands of Qatar, this should not lull those tasked with charting the course for the Cup’s preparation into a false sense of security. After all, it is the corporate sponsors who bankroll the World Cup and help determine its success. Sponsors like Coke, VISA, Adidas and Hyundai will be careful to check which way the wind of public opinion is blowing.

There is also the bigger picture of what Qatar wants to achieve beyond the Cup. The country has a vision of creating a flourishing tourism industry, which will boost the revenues of companies such as Qatar Airways as well as provide returns for the large private investments in the hotel and leisure sector. Qatar has a lot to offer to the tourism sector – it has many charms, and a feeling of Gulf authenticity that tourist hotspot Dubai largely doesn’t – but most journalists headed to Doha these days aren’t going to produce travel pieces showing the old Souk or its flourishing contemporary art scene. Every negative news report is a lost chance for Qatar to brand itself as a refreshing destination for international tourism.

Qatar should take steps to ensure that the country benefits from the increased spotlight that comes with the World Cup, and to move on from the current situation, rather than spend the next seven years with the negative PR hanging like a millstone around its neck.

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5471 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR VIJAYA CHERIAN vijaya.cherian@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5713 EDITORIAL EDITOR STIAN OVERDAHL stian.overdahl@cpidubai.com +49 176 271 203 87 REPORTER JERUSHA SEqUEIRA jerusha.sequeira@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5477 SUB EDITOR AELRED DOYLE 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 DESIGN ART DIRECTOR SIMON COBON DESIGNER LUCY MCMURRAY CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION MANAGER SUNIL KUMAR sunil.kumar@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5476 PRODUCTION MANAGER VIPIN V. VIJAY vipin.vijay@cpimediagroup.com +971 4 375 5713 DIGITAL WEB DEvELOPER MOHAMMAD AwAIS WEB DEvELOPER UMAIR SHAMIM 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 2015 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 44 JUNE 2015

SPREADING THE MIX

Hot sales of asphalt plant and equipment

HYDRAULIC PRESSURE: 3,989psi

282

CRUSHING IT

118 304176

Using crusher buckets to recycle material on-site

3,400

CURRENT LOAD: 3,000KG

935

618

7,800

TOTAL DISTANCE TRAVELLED: 11,721KM

10,550

8,903 TECHNOLOGY

7,867

11,100

980

12,235 15,000 10,120 6,025

BIG DATA’S POWER

ENGINE: 2,200RPM

9,560

The race to harness big data’s power to predict breakdowns and boost productivity PLUS: RAW POWER

Stian Overdahl, Editor, CMME

6

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

June 2015

* NEWS & ANALYSIS * THE LAST WORD * KIT SPOTTING * AND MUCH MORE

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

News Round-Up

NEWS New machines, new offices, new projects, new initiatives – we look around the region at what’s new this month WOrKINg ThE PALM Bauer Spezialtiefbau is involved in the foundation work for a hotel project on the Palm in Dubai.

1,562 piles with diameters of up to 1,200mm are being installed at depths of up to 30m for the excavation pit, and vibro-compaction work is being carried out over an area of 60,000sqm.

Acico buys 2nd cement unloAder

Kuwait-based Acico Construction Co has bought a second road-mobile unloader from Siwertell, part of Cargotec. Acico took delivery of its first Siwertell mobile unit in July 2014.

Siwertell provides a range of unloaders for handling of bulk materials, and its road-mobile unloaders are suitable for handling free-flowing dry bulk cargoes such as cement, alumina, sulphur, grain, feedstuff and fertilisers.

The trailer-based diesel-powered Siwertell 10000 S road mobile unloader will be used at Shuaiba Port in Kuwait to discharge cement at a rate of 300t/h. Its double bellows system allows

continuous unloading operations, and a dust filter minimises dust creation. Scheduled for delivery by the end of May 2015, the unit is under construction at Siwertell’s manufacturing premises in Bjuv, Sweden.

“The growing numbers of satisfied customers placing repeat orders is a great confirmation of the high quality and efficiency of our unloading solutions,” said Jörgen Ojeda, director of mobile unloaders at Siwertell.

Siwertell mobile unloaders were originally designed for handling cement. As they do not need any local civil engineering work, they are able to work as soon as they are delivered.

Caterpillar to open $7m regional training centre in Dubai New training facility for Middle East and Africa expected to be operational by end of the year

C

onstruction equipment giant Caterpillar has announced that it will build a $7 million regional training centre in Dubai for the Africa and the Middle East (AME) market. The 1,700sqm centre will offer hands-on technical and sales training in machines and power systems to Caterpillar’s dealers in the region. It will employ about 40 technical staff primarily recruited from around the region, enabling the 7,000 technicians employed at AME Cat dealers to enhance their product knowledge.

“Our training centre in Dubai is a key part of our plans for the Middle East and Africa and will ensure Caterpillar and our dealers can be relied upon for providing

8 8

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION MIDDLE EAST MIDDLE EAST

September June 2015 2011

unsurpassed support to our customers,” said Nigel Lewis, vice president for Caterpillar’s Distribution Division in Europe and AME. “This is an important region for Caterpillar and we expect to see strong, continued growth for our customers, and we will grow to support that.”

The centre will be equipped with a lab for scheduled oil-sampling analysis, to meet the required turnaround time of emergency samples and cut downtime of Cat products in the region.

The centre, in Caterpillar’s Middle East parts distribution centre and regional sales office in Jebel Ali, Dubai, is expected to be operational in the last quarter of this year.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

September 2011 June 2015

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION MIDDLE EAST MIDDLE EAST

99

News Round-Up

CIFA SELLS 7 PuMPS TO AL FALAh rEADy MIx CompaNy

iNtElligENCE

Italian concrete equipment manufacturer CIFA has sold seven K58L truck-mounted concrete pumps to Dubaibased Al Falah Ready Mix, according to Wajih Eit, CIFA’s vice head in the Middle East.

Part of the larger Abu Dhabilocated Al Falah Holding, the ready mix company is one of the largest in the region, and its current projects include the Doha Metro – Red Line North project.

It also has an exclusive concrete-supply deal for a major housing project in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. According to Al Falah’s website, the Jazan Southern Border Housing Complex will consist of 7,000 homes built at a cost of $1.9bn by the Ministry of Interior.

The project wins in Doha and in Jazan required fast mobilisation of equipment, and the K58Ls were already in stock at the main CIFA factory in

Road construction specialist Bomag has restructured its road paver division in line with its worldwide sales strategy, and to include former tEREx gRoup models.

Bomag sales of road pavers will be divided into three regions: Europe, the middle East and africa is one group, North and latin america the second group, and asia/pacific the third, with the specialisation due to specific construction requirements influencing daily paving operations. the markets in Europe, the middle East and africa are covered by locations in Boppard, germany and alfonsine, italy for sales, service, spare parts and production.

Italy. Of the seven units, three were sent to Saudi Arabia, two to the UAE and two to Qatar.

The largest in CIFA’s Steeltech series of truck-mounted pumps, the K58L, built over five axles, has a six-section boom with a maximum height of 57.1m.

According to Eit, Al Falah Ready Mix has a fleet of around

40 truck-mounted pumps, 30 batching plants and over 200 truck mixers, of which 50% are CIFA products.

CIFA, part of Zoomlion Group, sells a full range of concrete equipment products, including batching plants, transit mixers and underground machinery.

Kobelco cranes sales up 40% in Middle east Kobelco Cranes has announced 40% sales growth in the Middle East for its fiscal year ending 31 March, 2014. The Japanese manufacturer was aided by a weak yen, decreasing the cost of its machines in overseas markets. The exchange rate averaged 109.76 yen to the uS dollar during the 2014 fiscal year.

According to the company’s fiscal results, the high growth in Middle East sales came as a result of demand from an increased number of energyrelated projects, although Kobelco’s “absolute number” of sales is not high, said the company.

Kobelco Cranes shipped in total close to 3,000 units over the 12 months, with 500 cranes sold

in Japan (an increase of 20% over the previous year) and 2,400 shipped to overseas markets, where the brand recorded growth of 10%.

The main growth areas were APAC, with 20% growth, and North America, with 10% growth. Sales were steady in Europe and North America, while in China, which accounts for roughly 35% of the world market, sales declined by 10% as an expected economic recovery was delayed. With total sales of $596.5m, Kobelco Cranes estimates its share of the global market for crawler cranes to be roughly 30%, including its OEM supply agreement with Manitowoc.

The company is 100% owned by Kobe Steel.

aWp manufacturer gENiE has announced that, due to increased demand for products and services in the Europe, middle East, africa and Russia region (EmEaR), the company will strengthen its existing genie Service Support team with a network of authorised genie Service providers (agSp) EmEaR-wide “as part of our brand’s focus on continuous improvement, this organisation is a big step forward for our customers in terms of uptime,” said matt SkipWoRth, terex aWp service manager for EmEaR. “Bringing more points of service and more people with the right skills closer to local markets, this aSp network now enables us to respond more rapidly and efficiently, with a level of service adapted to our customers’ specific needs.”

ZoomlioN has announced a new set of product colour options. the new colour themes – cosmic cobalt grey, gravel grey and aurora green – are designed to signal the company’s transition towards high-end and smart service-oriented manufacturing. at a press conference in ChiNa, 12 flagship products were shown in the new paint coat. the company is expected to finalise the design for its entire range of products and begin initial release by June, making them all available by the end of this year.

tENdER updatES

1

Hyder Consulting has been appointed to develop the architectural design for a publiC transport system in tHe saudi City of JeddaH. the plan for the transport network includes metro, ferry, bus and cycle services, as well as public spaces and retail areas.

2

dubai’s transport authority has outlined the timeline for tenders for ConstruCtion of tHe route 2020 metro line, which is scheduled to begin early next year. the new line will extend 15km between nakheel Harbour and tower station and the expo 2020 site. the rta will start receiving requests for pre-qualification as of may 31 this year, and the shortlist of consortia qualified to undertake the project will be selected on June 30 this year.

10 10

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION MIDDLE EAST MIDDLE EAST

September June 2015 2011

News Round-Up

AWPs Up There are now 1,120,000 aerial work platforms (AWPs) in the world-wide rental fleet. This is up 8% from last year, according to new research from IPAF.

elevator installation begins at 1km tower

liuGonG announces $45M r&d centre LiuGong will boost coordination between its three existing international R&D facilities in India, Poland and the UK, with a new R&D hub in Liuzhou, southern China. The new $45m facility is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to globalise.

The company is investing close to 5% of total sales into R&D, amounting to over $70m in 2014, said David Beatenbough, vice president of LiuGong and project lead for the new Development Centre.

“For LiuGong to continue our growth path, we need facilities that enable our gifted design and engineering teams to innovate and utilise the technologies that will drive the future of our machines.”

The company is working on a host of new products, including new bulldozer products as a result of its acquisition of Dressta, which was finalised in 2012. At the new centre, the initial focus will be to undertake major research, development and testing on LiuGong’s lines of wheel loaders, excavators and graders.

One of the first projects will be the completion of research and development, as well as testing the second phase models of H-series wheel loaders. The first of the

H-series loaders, the 5t payload 856 H, was recently launched in the GCC. Laboratories at the centre will be used to develop sophisticated measures to test and optimise all aspects of machine performance, such as structural design, materials science, electronic and hydraulic efficiency, cooling, vibration and noise, said Beatenbough. The laboratories will offer accelerated endurance testing as well as a wide variety of performance testing.

The facility has an area of 110,000sqm, with offices for 1,200 workers, a test centre, a prototype centre, seven laboratories and three design studios.

“One of the biggest objectives of the new Development Centre will be to encourage greater interaction between our R&D facilities worldwide: expert teams exchanging information and better utilising resources, and a more efficient process in turning technological development into application,” said Zeng Guang’an, chairman of LiuGong.

“There is no doubt that once the facility is operational, it will improve our experimental and research abilities, while enabling us to incorporate key technological advancements into our products.”

$28.6m Cost of new Komatsu factory in Chennai, India. The plant will produce 2,500 hydraulic excavators per year (7 to 45-tonne classes), and can be expanded up to 3,000 units annually.

Finland’s koNE Corporation has begun installing the elevators at Saudi arabia’s kingdom tower, expected to be the world’s tallest building when completed in 2018. owned and operated by the Jeddah Economic Company (JEC), the kingdom tower is expected to reach a height of over a kilometre. koNE areeco, the company’s joint venture in kSa, has been involved in the planning and design of the lifts over the past two years. it will provide a total of 57 elevators and eight escalators. the project team is working on preinstallation activities for the fitting of the

elevator system’s guiderails, expected to begin by the end of 2015. installation of the elevator cars will then progress as the structure rises. “i am delighted we are now at the stage of taking the next leap with koNE in the construction of the kingdom tower,” said mounib hammoud, JEC’s chief executive. “koNE is the only vertical transportation service provider in the world capable of delivering what we need at the kingdom tower – specifically the capability of travelling at a speed of over 10 metres per second with doubledeck elevators to reach the highest liveable floor in the world in 52 seconds.”

two new liebherr crAnes for Abu dhAbi Ports Abu Dhabi Ports has taken delivery of two new mobile harbour cranes from Liebherr, to be used to handle the increasing volume of general cargo and part of an ongoing upgrade to the general cargo handling equipment in Khalifa, Zayed and Musaffah ports. Capable of lifting up to 65t, the new harbour cranes will complement Abu Dhabi Ports’ existing cranes, capable of lifting up to 100t.

September 2011 June 2015

CONSTRUCTION TIONTION CONSTRUC CONSTRUC MIDDLE EAST EASTEAST MIDDLE MIDDLE

11 11

News Round-Up

yANMAr ACquIrES 70% STAKE IN hIMOINSA

Yanmar has acquired a 70% stake in Himoinsa, a Spanish manufacturer of generators, as part of a consolidated operation agreement signed between the two companies. The move is a bid

by Yanmar to increase international sales and deepen its penetration of the global portable power market.

Himoinsa president Francisco Gracia said that the arrangement would strengthen the market positions of both firms “and enable Himoinsa to add generator engines to its product line”.

According to Yanmar, the company aims to increase its presence in the rapidly-growing global energy system market. “Building on a broad base of operations in diesel engines and industrial machinery, Yanmar now seeks to strengthen its position and increase its overseas sales ratio by over 60% in this field.”

Gracia also said that no changes to company names, branding or employee structuring would take place at either firm as a result of the arrangement.

Yanmar has supplied Himoinsa with engines for its gensets and light towers since 2006, and Gracia described the agreement as “a logical evolution”.

“To gain competitive advantage in the global market for Himoinsa as

eGyptian national Killed in Qatar

much as for Yanmar, we have sought to strengthen our mutual ties, resulting in our current partnership.

Our distribution network will benefit from this agreement. We believe the bond created between the two companies will be stronger than if we were operating separately [and] give us a more prominent position in the global market,” he elucidated.

Himoinsa prides itself on being a vertically integrated manufacturer of gensets that produces the full range of components, including alternators, electric controllers and canopies, in eight production centres worldwide, but it has always relied on external engine suppliers, due to the capital-intensive and high-volume requirements of engine manufacturing.

The company was founded in the 1980s, with the vision of creating a market-ready application from the engines that it imported from Italy.

Himoinsa is distributed by Al-Futtaim Auto and Machinery Co. (FAMCO) in the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, where in recent years it has steadily increased its market presence in both generators and lighting towers. Its product portfolio includes diesel generator sets from 3kVA to 3,000kVA and gas generator sets from 8W to 3.5MW. Himoinsa president francisco Gracia and yanmar executive takehito yamaoka shake on the agreement.

12 12

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION MIDDLE EAST MIDDLE EAST

September June 2015 2011

at least one construction worker has been killed and three others injured following the collapse of a crane on one of doha’s busiest roads. according to local media reports, the accident happened while the crane was being erected. according to a report by the Cairo post, the deceased was Egyptian, as were two of the injured, citing Walid haggag, a spokesperson for the Egyptian embassy in the Qatari capital. the incident occurred on the morning of Sunday, 17 may on F Ring Road, with witnesses telling doha News that parts of the crane fell across both lanes of traffic near the old air Force Roundabout. pictures shared on social media showed damage to cars and huge sections of the crane spread across the road. although

the exact cause of the incident has yet to be determined, eyewitnesses on the scene speculated that strong winds may have contributed to the tragedy. an official from medgulf, the local construction company that owned the crane, told doha News that a subcontractor had been in the middle of installing

it when it collapsed. the crane was not operational at the time, he added. “god rest his soul in peace, and we sincerely hope something like this doesn’t happen in the future,” the official said. he confirmed that Qatari police were investigating the accident, and added that medgulf would be conducting its own investigations.

aertssen taKes on a terex cc 2400-1 aertssen machinery services middle east has taken delivery of a terex CC 2400-1 lattice boom crawler crane. the crawler has a maximum lifting capacity of 400t and a maximum load moment of 5168 tonne metres and will be used for mainly oil and gas and construction jobs. equipped with main boom, luffing jib and superlift, it is one of the most powerful cranes in its class.

With operational bases in abu dhabi and doha, aertssen specialises in heavy lifting and transport. tony nuyts of aertssen machinery services described the new crane as the perfect machine. “extremely versatile with

impressive load charts, it delivers proven reliability and performance. it was our preferred choice from the start. terex have also been very supportive throughout the purchasing process, which is all-important with such a major investment.”

Christian Kassner, senior sales manager middle east at terex, commented: “i’m delighted that the CC 2400-1 was the customer’s first choice. We enjoy an excellent working relationship with tony nuyts and his team, and i’m confident that this latest purchase will only serve to reinforce that relationship.”

STRONG ON BUSINESS

SUITABLE FOR VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION APPLICATONS

RANGE K GVW: UP TO 40 Tons (6x4) and UP TO 48 Tons (8x4) Available in different axle conямБgurations.

September 2011 June 2015

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION MIDDLE EAST MIDDLE EAST

13 13

Kit Spotting

Terex Trucks TA400 ArTiculATed dumper

Where: In a gypsum mine in Nevada, USA

A

Terex Trucks TA400 articulated dumper truck has passed the test at Adams Claim Mine in Nevada. While the mine produces some of the highest purity gypsum in the region, with heavy demand for its output, the mine’s haulers are required to make a challenging 1.2km haul cycle from the bottom of the pit, hauling material up a 10% grade.

Operator Art Wilson Company traditionally uses 45t rigid haulers, but these require substantial roads and struggle to pull on the high grade in the slippery underfoot conditions experienced during bad weather. During winter, even a light layer of snow in the mine makes it difficult for the rigid trucks to navigate the slope.

When tested on the site, the TA400 impressed with its ability to climb the slopes, and even more with its descent. “The retarder system in the TA400 really stood out to us,” says mine operator Paul Wilson. “We

14

cONsTrucTiON

middle eAsT

June 2015

also tested a truck with a single retarder system and wet disc brakes, which overheated on the downhill when trying to keep up with the TA400.”

The TA400 has a dual retarder system – a modulating transmission retarder coupled with an efficient exhaust brake and fully-enclosed oilcooled multidisc brake. The TA400’s 330kW Scania turbocharged diesel engine develops 2,255Nm torque, allowing fully loaded trucks to easily pull the 10% grade. The three axles are locked in permanent all-wheel (6x6) drive, perfect to maintain traction on slick roads or difficult surfaces.

Following the mine tests, the company purchased four of the 38t ADTs. Steady and consistent is the motto at the Adams Claim Mine, according to Wilson. “We don’t run fast; we run steady,” he says.

“We run at about 16.1km/h and are more concerned about getting material out of the pit consistently, rather than speedily.”

Heavy Hitters

Ammann has a wide range of equipment used for road construction, from asphalt plants to soil compactors and asphalt pavers.

16

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

June 2015

Spreading tHe mix

Ammann is reinforcing its Middle East office to boost service levels and has plans for new products, explains Günter Tesch, regional director for Middle East and Africa

H

eadquartered in Langenthal, Switzerland, Ammann Group is one of just a handful of industry players which effectively cover the full process of road construction, from the asphalt batching plant to pavers and rollers, as well as concrete batching plants. While the company is best known in the Middle East for its asphalt batching plants – it has sold more than 4,000 globally, and sells more than a dozen each year into Saudi Arabia – it wants to expand its market share for pavers and compactors, and has a strategy to do so.

After all, explains Günter Tesch, the regional director for the Middle East and Africa, the company is a full-liner when it comes to compaction, from large single drum rollers, to pneumatic tyre rollers, to its comprehensive range of light equipment, which includes trench rollers, walk-behind compactors, vibratory plates and rammers.

The company is building the strength of its aftersales offerings and the ability of its dealers to respond to customer demands, in order to improve unit sales, explains Tesch. Its Dubai office in the DAFZA airport free zone is being reinforced with extra service staff, and they are building up a sizeable spare parts stock as a buffer for their dealers. The firm is also scouting larger premises so it can hold more spare parts.

The enlargement follows on from the sales and service integration of Elba Middle East within the Ammann office, after Elba was acquired in early 2014.

Elba produces both smaller mobile concrete batching plants and larger static plants and has a longstanding presence in the GCC, including major sales to ready-

mix companies in Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, with more than 100 batching plants in the region. Tesch says the process has been successful and integration into the sales channel has helped boost sales.

However, the current effort by Ammann is part of a wider move across the group to boost its share of the road construction equipment market, namely pavers and compactors. Tesch says the investment in after-

“IF yOu CAnnOT

DELIvER ASPHALT, IT IS A DISASTER, THE WHOLE CHAIn WILL STOP, AnD WE knOW WHAT THAT MEAnS”

sales is one important way to help achieve this goal.

“The first roller is sold by the salesman, the second is sold by the after-sales. If we want to grow – and we will grow – we have to invest in after-sales, so that is exactly what we are doing.”

In the earth-moving industry, a single machine breakdown costs companies time and money in lost production. Breakdowns in road construction can be even more critical.

Tesch says they have good experience of this with their asphalt batching plants, where a breakdown has major ramifications. “If you cannot deliver asphalt, it is a disaster, the whole chain will stop, and we know what that means.”

With the plan to build its presence in the paver market, the firm is bringing in a paver specialist for maintenance and repairs, as well as application support. On the product side, the company is focused on reliability and robustness, and Tesch says their paver products are easier to maintain, repair and operate than those of competitors.

Their current paving range is matched to road construction demands in Europe, where small to medium sized pavers are preferred since larger pavers are not able to manoeuvre on inner-city jobs; the company is continuously working to enhance its paver range to meet global needs, says Tesch.

On the compactor side, Ammann is “a real full-liner, from the smaller rammers to the largest pneumatic tyre rollers [PTR]. There is no gap,” Tesch says. The Middle East market remains relatively stable in terms of overall unit demand, but technically it is improving, with customers asking for higher specifications and more advanced machines.

A growing area of market appreciation in the Middle East is intelligent compaction, as customers want to avoid unnecessary passes, overcompaction and undercompaction. Ammann’s proprietary system, ACE, measures the stiffness of the target surface – whether asphalt or soil – and regulates the frequency and the amplitude of the roller’s vibrations. Once a surface has been correctly compacted, the roller stops.

June 2015

COnStrUCtiOn

middLe eaSt

17

Heavy Hitters

GrowinG demand for PmB and raP There is high demand from owners of asphalt batching plants to produce asphalt using polymermodified bitumen (PMB). Using PMB results in a final road surface with a number of enhanced characteristics, including greater rigidity and durability, which is wanted for surfaces that experience the high summer heat of the Middle East, or heavy traffic volumes.

Tesch says Ammann is able to provide full support to customers who wish to modify the bitumen, as well as in other areas such as low-temperature recycling.

“All the equipment is needed, but the knowledge has to be

18

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

June 2015

conveyed to the customer to allow them to do it in the right way. It’s purely application.”

Use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in asphalt mixes is set to increase in the GCC. Yet while many road contractors have batching plants capable of using RAP in the mix, whether it is allowed to be used (and in what quantities) differs between municipalities across the region. Levels of competence and experience also differ between contractors. Asphalt is one of the few materials that can be 100 % recycled, and while other materials lose value every time they are recycled, asphalt can

be reused a number of times.

The practice has grown steadily in Europe and the United States, where much of the road construction work is rehabilitation of existing roads, which may require removal of older asphalt layers.

In the Middle East, where most projects are for the construction of new roads, the need is less acute.

Nevertheless, contractors can save money by using RAP, and even in countries where it is not allowed to be used on municipal roads, it can still be used on smaller projects that require construction of internal roads that will not support road traffic.

Fuel consumption and operating costs are the major cost drivers. ACE can improve performance in both areas, where operating costs can be broken down into productivity, wearing and spare parts costs, as well as the quality of the work. ACE reduces overall fuel consumption by eliminating unnecessary passes.

Fewer passes also means lowered maintenance costs and improved overall utilisation of a roller. nevertheless, as with any new technology, there is always a level of apprehension among potential customers, which can be overcome through production demonstrations. “Simply by doing demos and convincing customers to use the system, ACE is becoming better known. I think in the next years there will be a growing market for it.”

On some major projects, such as airports, intelligent compaction systems can be a requirement from a consultant, but Tesch says demand comes from across the sector. “The demand for high-quality work is everywhere.” The highly sensitive ACE system can also be used in a few specialist applications, such as compacting surfaces on bridges, where compaction without a control system can affect the stability of the structure.

One trend in the road construction sector is an increasing focus on pavers and rollers from a handful of major players in the earth-moving sector. This hasn’t gone unnoticed by Tesch, but he doesn’t view them as a threat.

“Road construction is a niche market, and we have been in this for many years and gained a lot of experience. It’s totally different from a mass manufacturer of graders or dozers or whatever. It’s a different approach. We focus on our know-how and we’re doing it well.”

As Ammann looks to penetrate the market for road machinery, there is one statistic in its favour: 80% of contractors who own asphalt plants use it on their own construction jobs, and 20% on-sell to paving (in Europe, the opposite is the case: 80% of paving companies buy in asphalt). That means their sales teams have already knocked on most of the doors in the region where buyers of road construction equipment can be found. “It gives us an advantage that we are able to build packages for a customer, that they have one company as a one-stop shop,” says Tesch. “It makes life easier for them.”

With the desire to grow, Ammann needs to diversify and play to its advantages, says Tesch, which is the package of product and service it provides the customer. “Service is one of the keys for our success in the future, and that is why we are investing in it.”

Expanding the Dubai operation will increase the total number of service technicians to eight. Two of these will focus on providing better after-sales for mobile equipment and supporting the Ammann dealers in the region, who will also benefit from the larger supply of spare parts, concentrated around critical parts. Having a supply in the region means they can get parts to a dealer in just hours, helping to mitigate some of the issues that lead to slower supply times, such as import barriers, restricted transport options and customs. “It is not always the fault of a dealer if he doesn’t have a part in stock,” says Tesch.

Meanwhile, it’s no surprise that a larger group of four to six technicians will concentrate on Ammann’s flourishing business selling asphalt batching plants; according to Tesch: “We are market leaders in the

2/3

But wait!

A last-minute change of plan...

Itʻs tight – but weʻll get to the bottom of this!

This job calls for unparalleled levels of power, speed, and agility.

Lucky heʻs on our side!

E20 Good work – now the whole community can breathe easy.

Built to Bobcat’s high equipment standards, Bobcat excavators are designed to deliver strong performance in low weight machines to put operators and owners in charge of labour-saving strength and productivity. The Bobcat line of compact excavators is a perfect example of our approach to design: never stop making it better.

LATER THAT NIGHT… BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING!

Heavy Hitters

GettinG asPhalt there on time

There is wide demand for asphalt plants and equipment in the Middle East, whether it is for major highways projects or service roads for metro projects, or supporting infrastructure for industrial sites.

While there are a few industry stories of paving with asphalt that has already cooled, most work in the Middle East is done to a very high standard. Mishaps do occasionally occur, says Tesch, but whether road contractors get the asphalt to the pavers in time comes down to site organisation.

“Logistics are one of the key factors if you want to build a road. If the distance is too long, if you are not covering the asphalt on the truck, or the production temperature was too low or too high, [then the quality will be affected].

These are all factors, it’s job-site management. You cannot blame the plant if the guy is paving with a too-low temperature.”

“An ASPHALT PLAnT IS nOT A MACHInE, IT HAS A LIFETIME OF 25-30

yEARS. JuST IMAGInE SAvInG OnE LITRE OF DIESEL PER TOnnE OF PRODuCED ASPHALT, HOW MAny MILLIOnS OF LITRES IT WILL BE In 30 yEARS”

high technology level batching plants in the whole region.”

Technicians will focus on servicing the batching plants, as well as their wider requirements: assembly, erection, shifting plants and helping customers move them. The market demand is not only for troubleshooting, but also for advanced maintenance works such as pre-inspections to make sure that downtime is eliminated. Service staff will check plants periodically and provide advice on what to do to keep them operating at the correct standard, and provide training for operators and maintenance.

With that comes the prospect of growing the service contracts business. When it comes to maintenance of plants, some customers simply don't have time, explains Tesch, so service contracts allow advanced maintenance. nevertheless there is plenty of flexibility around a package, depending on the individual customer’s strength. A package can concentrate on the control system, the burner or the control system. “Most of the time customers have a good mechanic, but don’t have a good electrician."

Current appetite for investment in new plants remains high in the region, and customers continue

20

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

June 2015

to buy premium, factoring in the possible savings over a lifetime. “An asphalt plant is not a machine, it has a lifetime of 25-30 years. Just imagine saving one litre of diesel per tonne of produced asphalt, how many millions of litres it will be in 30 years. Therefore, to compare prices with prices and values with values, it’s quite difficult.”

Ammann has a modular production system whereby all the high-tech components are produced in Switzerland with Swiss quality control and then delivered to the different world-wide manufacturing sites, where the finished plants are built using these components. “We are not doing Europe and [lowertier] export plants. There is no quality difference between a plant made in China, Brazil or Germany.”

100% Percentage of asphalt that can be recycled

Tesch says that while there has been no slowdown in purchases of new plants in response to the lower oil price, forecasts for future sales have been conservative, and it will influence the release of the projects.

“We feel that some of the projects are postponed or slowed down, some have stopped completely. There has been a little bit of slowdown. But we expect the oil prices to come up again, [and] in general we are quite optimistic on the asphalt plant side for the next coming years.”

The Middle East is in effect addicted to building roads – as Tesch notes, “If you want to build up economies, you need infrastructure.” It’s not just the headline events like the World Cup in Qatar creating demand, it's general investment in social infrastructure, such as the metro system. “Every metro station needs a service road. Asphalt is really a business for the future.”

Looking forward, Tesch sees Ammann in a much better position to support the customer, with stronger support in the field and high availability of spare parts. “For us, it’s clear that we can sell more, but this goes along with a better service. In three to five years, we want to be in a much better position.”

Feature

Big data’s Power

For major manufacturers like Caterpillar and Komatsu, the race is on to harness the predictive power of big data, to improve machinery up-time and performance in the field

w

hile the construction machinery industry remains by and large a traditional industry – you can still find machines from the 1960s on some job-sites in the region – manufacturers and end users are embracing the opportunities of the digital age, through improved on-board controls, advance diagnostics and machine control. These technologies improve up-time and performance of machines in the field, but OEMs are also looking to improve their predictive abilities by harnessing the power of big data.

22

CoNstrUCtioN

MiddLe east

June 2015

This is part of a general focus on the industrial internet and the Internet of Things, which has been estimated to be a market one day worth $19 trillion, encompassing the whole range of activated technology, from smart phones to cars to construction equipment.

Earlier this year, Caterpillar bought a minority stake in Uptake, a tech start-up in Chicago. Uptake was already developing predictive diagnostics and fleet optimisation solutions for locomotives for ElectroMotive Diesel (EMD), a subsidiary of Caterpillar, and its success made Cat consider the possibilities for the wider field of construction equipment.

Meanwhile, arch-rival Komatsu is collaborating with General Electric to develop its nextgeneration mining equipment, as well as providing recommendations for optimisation of mines to Komatsu customers, by using GE’s high-powered analysis of data collected by sensors on dumpers.

The new initiatives coalesce around the concepts of big data and the Internet of Things. The term ‘big data’ refers to increasingly huge data sets which can be mined for information, while the Internet of Things refers to embedding objects with electronics to connect to wider networks. Construction equipment manufacturers see opportunities to

Hitachi to build autonomous haulers by 2017 Hitachi Construction Machinery has announced plans to develop an autonomous drive system for the AC-3 range of dump trucks it supplies to the global mining industry. Hitachi already supplies control systems for bullet trains in Japan, and believes leveraging in-house technology could boost efficiency on busy mining sites. According to a press release, it expects its Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) to be ready for delivery to customers by 2017. The new system will benefit from existing technologies used in the haulers, including the AC drive system and fleet management systems from Wenco Mining Systems.

Wenco has over 25 years’ experience with fleet management

systems for surface mining.

Acquired by Hitachi in 2009, the two companies will work on the new system together, with Wenco’s software and hardware providing high levels of accuracy when tracking machines on-site.

A key feature of the AHS system will be an electric steering module inserted between the steering wheel and valve, so that the equipment can be controlled remotely without significant change to the existing steering system.

Additional equipment will include sensors and communication controls that can be retrofitted to existing AC-3 dump trucks. This option will allow fleet owners to change quickly between autonomous and manual operations.

In an autonomous operation, a machine fitted with AHS technology will carry out sitebased tasks in line with the map data, routes, speed limits and job tasks. The location for dumping will be pinpointed through the collection of data from the onboard sensors, as well as the dynamic path generation logics embedded into the system, allowing the autonomous hauler to perform a task with accuracy down to the centimetre, as efficiently as an experienced operator.

Longer term, Hitachi’s goal is to offer a package that ensures multiple pieces of equipment can interact with each other from the beginning of a hauling cycle through to the loading and dumping sites.

“DATA rEMAIns An UnTAppED rEsOUrCE FOr MAny OrGAnIsATIOns AnD bUsInEssEs – wITh ThE rEAlIsATIOn OF ThE vAlUE OF ThAT DATA rEMAInInG A ChAllEnGE” aggregate the data from their fleet populations, to develop sophisticated models to predict machinery breakdown and to provide enhanced analytics to their customers. while existing solutions such as on-board diagnostics can measure the performance of individual components, a big data solution would monitor streams of data coming from a machine and provide a more sophisticated picture of machine health, predicting impending breakdown or component failure more accurately. As breakdowns can be expensive, both through lost time and from damage to surrounding components in the case of a

major failure, better predictive powers would mean savings for customers.

The largest seller of equipment in the world, Cat has a natural advantage in leveraging big data, with both the resources to invest and the largest dataset – the over three million Cat machines operating across the planet. The company has a solid track record of investing in data solutions to improve machine performance – witness its Cat AccuGrade products and heavy collaboration with Trimble – and is clearly focused on advancing the predictive powers of its monitoring software.

In March, when Caterpillar announced it was

buying a stake in Uptake, chairman and CEO Doug Oberhelman was bullish about the benefits.

“Customers use our current technology for fleet monitoring and to track fuel efficiency, idle times, location and more. Our existing solutions are effective, but it’s time we take it to the next level.”

Oberhelman feels that Uptake’s software will transform the “quintillion bytes of incoming data we see every day” into useful information to send back to customers. “we want to empower our customers with the insight necessary to shift from a reactive ‘repair after failure’ mode to a proactive ‘repair before failure’ stance.”

June 2015

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

23

Feature

Mining is a sector where big data can be used to optimise site design and machinery performance, since fuel costs for huge haulers and excavators play such a large role in the cost per tonne of extraction, and therefore profitability.

while Komatsu stands second in the OEM table, rather than partnering with a smaller start-up as Cat has done, it has partnered with another giant: GE, whose total revenue in 2014 was $148.6bn. while GE is a big player in the industrial market, with a product portfolio including locomotives, jet engines and the AC engines for Komatsu’s large dumpers, it has also invested heavily in data centres to make good use of the huge volumes of data it receives. GE estimates there are more than 10 million sensors built into the $1 trillion-plus worth of equipment it has sold. Komatsu is now taking advantage of that computing scale, and hopes to return the benefits to its customers.

It’s starting with customers in the mining industry. As is typically the case with high-tech additions to the machinery industry, production applications are best-placed to take advantage of new developments, since minute savings in a single cycle result in major savings across a year of operation. Also, their repetitive nature makes them suited for analysis and primed to benefit from automation.

Komatsu will collect data from sensors on its large dump trucks working in the field and send it to GE’s data centre for analysis, for example improving calculation of the best route through a mine, as well as optimal speeds and braking patterns. According to a report in nikkei Asian review, the two companies have done trials at a copper mine in Chile, and plan to offer the data analysis service to customers later this year. while Komatsu’s own analysis alone can boost fuel efficiency by 5%, combining it with GE’s big-data analysis capabilities lifts that figure to around 13%.

24

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

June 2015

“CUsTOMErs UsE OUr CUrrEnT TEChnOlOGy FOr FlEET MOnITOrInG AnD TO TrACK FUEl EFFICIEnCy, IDlE TIMEs, lOCATIOn AnD MOrE. bUT IT’s TIME wE TAKE IT TO ThE nExT lEvEl” This means massive fuel savings on a large mine; on a site with 300 trucks, a 1% improvement is estimated to save $4.1 million a year in fuel costs.

Other companies in the industry are following suit, and those which are part of a larger group have a natural advantage. hitachi ltd has its own data systems division, which in February this year announced it would buy Florida-based pentaho, an established big data company, for a reported price of over $500m. “Data remains an untapped resource for many organisations and businesses, with the realisation of the value of that data remaining a challenge,” said Kevin Eggleston, a senior vice president at hitachi Data systems. As a result of in-house experience building control systems for bullet trains in Japan, hitachi CM has embarked on a venture to build autonomous haulers by 2017 (see side box).

The automotive sector is also focused on data analysis. volvo Truck’s I-see product (available in Europe) uses topographical maps to help improve gear changing and acceleration to save fuel. The system also takes in road condition data from individual volvo trucks, making it available to other drivers. Data about a trucking route can also be used

to recommend the right vehicle for a specific job.

Following on from its acquisition of a stake in Uptake, Caterpillar has founded a new Analytics & Innovation division comprising both Cat and Uptake staff in Chicago, hoping to accelerate the company’s platform for utilisation of big data. It has also seeded money in a venture capital fund to invest in emerging technologies that could enhance product and service development. rob Charter, a group president with responsibility for Customer & Dealer support, describes the analytics and innovation as a huge opportunity for competitive advantage. “we have a unique opportunity to connect data from the broadest product line that cuts across multiple industries. we can transform the mountains of incoming data – from a single machine or engine, an entire job-site, the supply chain, a shipping location and much more – into valuable information for our customers and suppliers more efficiently and effectively than anyone else.” how quickly and profoundly OEMs can integrate the predictive advantages of big data in their systems remains to be seen, but the possibility of higher productivity and more up-time means the opportunities are too big to ignore.

Recycling

crushing it Compact but highly productive, excavator-mounted crusher buckets allow contractors to recycle construction waste on-site

26

cOnstructiOn

MiDDLE EAst

June 2015

30,000 tonnes The volume of construction and demolition waste created daily in Dubai in 2008

W

hen a contractor is faced with a large amount of construction waste on a project site, the traditional methods of dealing with it can be ineffective or costly. Bringing in a mobile crusher is expensive and requires a considerable volume of waste to be cost-effective. Trucking the waste away to be dumped or recycled (at plants such as Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra Construction and Demolition Recycling Facility) remains expensive, with a cost per tonne to shift, as well as environmentally unfriendly with extra heavy vehicle road traffic.

A contractor can also potentially reuse the waste on-site, but if they can’t process it effectively then they are unable to use it for its full potential, which may result in buying extra aggregates where properly recycled material might be suitable.

Hydraulically powered bucket crushers are viable, cost-effective and increasingly popular in the region.

They are offered by a number of manufacturers in a range of sizes, and the larger buckets can crush in excess of 100 tonnes per hour (t/h) of material. The excavator-mounted attachments can be used on any hydraulic excavator, and with the larger-thanaverage size of excavators in the GCC, contractors are able to easily run large-capacity bucket crushers. For recycling applications, these are normally paired with a screening attachment, available from most firms who produce the crusher attachments.

The first to enter the Middle East market was MB Crusher eight years ago, and the company is a familiar sight at major regional trade fairs.

Despite it being a novel concept, when contractors first encounter a bucket crusher they are quick to understand the benefits, says Najmeddine Sahraoui, area manager at MB Crusher.

Customers include civil construction contractors, demolition workers, recycling operations and quarry operators. They’re also favoured by utilities contractors, because the excavated material can be crushed and used to bed in pipes. “The idea is to save money, time, and to recycle the material you take from the ground by crushing and screening.”

There is increased demand from customers who want to carry out recycling on-site, especially concrete. Sahraoui says that one customer in Kuwait uses its crushers and screens to produce aggregate

for reuse or sale to other contractors. its relatively low unit price means it is especially popular with smaller contractors, explains Sahraoui.

The company also has a line of crushing and screening buckets that can be used on smaller equipment, such as skid steer loaders, backhoes and mini-excavators.

Despite their smaller size, these offer extremely high standards of productivity. The range is entirely produced in their factory in italy, using high-strength Hardox steel.

A newer entrant to the GCC market is Hartl Crushers, which in october 2014 signed an exclusive distribution agreement with FAMCo for the Gulf region. Dominik Hartl, the company’s CEo, says he’s excited about market demand in the Middle East. “Potential in the market is enormous. With this strong relationship with FAMCo, we expect a long-term relationship.”

The Austrian company has a long history of providing equipment to the quarry industry, explains Hartl, grandson of the company’s founder. His father and uncle were innovators, developing in 1977 a crusher unit on wheels in response to the needs of their own quarry.

With a high throughput rate, the Powercrusher was marketed as the world’s first mobile crusher unit. This was followed by a fully mobile recycling plant for concrete in 1980, and the business focus shifted to manufacturing quarry equipment instead of quarrying.

Today, Hartl Crusher sells a range of bucket crushers and screens, as well as a recently launched mobile screen plant. With four different bucket crushers, the HBC 950 and HBC 1250 are the two largest in the range, best suited to the GCC region due to the preference for larger excavators. The HBC 950 and HBC 1250 crusher buckets have production capacity of 35-85t/h and 50-110t/h respectively; production capacities vary based on material, feet size and gap

“THE iDEA iS To SAvE MoNEy, TiME, AND To RECyClE THE MATERiAl you TAKE FRoM THE GRouND By CRuSHiNG AND SCREENiNG” June 2015

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

27

Recycling

GCC reCyClinG round-up

Recycling practices vary across the region, depending on local regulations and recycling facilities.

But an emphasis on sustainability and cost benefits means recycling is on the rise across the GCC. Using a fixed or mobile crushing plant and screening operation is a must for dealing with large volumes of construction and demolition waste.

Abu DhAbi is leading the way when it comes to recycling of construction and demolition waste.

There are a number of factors in its favour, including government vision and the fact that its distance from the quarries in the north of the uAE means that cost per tonne of virgin aggregates is higher, making recycled material more price-competitive.

The Abu Dhabi municipality mandates that certain large projects must source at least 40% of aggregate from recycled material. The Etihad Rail project is one prominent example. it sourced a significant volume of material from the Al Dhafra recycling plant for use as sub base for the rail bed. The material meets the specifications set by the municipality.

Managed by habtoor Leighton Group (hLG), the Al Dhafra facility can process 5,000-7,000t of material per shift, and the product performs as well, if not better than, virgin natural materials. it has been specified as suitable for use as road base aggregates and on structured and non-structured backfill projects.

Abu Dhabi’s Estidama rating programme also requires contractors to have a waste management plan on-site, and to use material on-site or otherwise prevent it going to a landfill. The higher the Estidama rating, the greater the volume of material which must be diverted, which encourages the use of onsite equipment to process material, either bucket crushers or larger mobile crushers, depending

28

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

June 2015

on material volumes. One prominent project, the recently opened Yas Mall, achieved a Two Pearl rating, requiring it to divert at least 70% of the waste it produced from the landfill. in practice, 75% of waste was diverted during the construction phase, a process which included the crushing and screening of more than 39,000t of concrete on-site (the high volume was due to a change in construction plans that saw many elements on-site demolished).

DubAi naturally has a record as a major producer of CDW. At the peak of construction in 2008, Dubai Municipality calculated that the emirate was producing 30,000t of construction and demolition waste daily.

Things have certainly improved since then, with the Green building Regulations of 2012 requiring that recycled content must account for at least 5% of material used on a project, while at least 50% of the waste created must be diverted from landfills.

QATAR has one of the highest levels of per capita waste generation in the world, and is seeking to scale up its use of recycled materials in the construction and demolition sector. A report last year from the Qatar Development bank (QDb) estimated that the annual revenue potential from construction and demolition debris was $104m (QR387m). This can only be expected to rise as construction projects

continue, and recycling has extra incentives in Qatar since it has high raw material costs, much of which must be imported through a busy port.

Meanwhile, on-site recycling helps reduce heavy vehicle traffic and thus general road congestion. Last year, an official from the Ministry of Environment, Dr Khaled hassan, said that in order to ensure sustainable supply of sand and other raw materials, Qatar is recycling a huge amount of excavation waste. About 20% of concrete waste is recycled, and this may rise to 50%. “Qatar is also working to find alternatives of sand, gabbro and other raw materials to reduce its dependence on imports,” said hassan.

SAuDi ARAbiA currently has no systemic requirement for the recycling of construction and demolition waste (to this author’s knowledge). but with the country’s size and many remote job-sites, the demand for on-site recycling is driven by high transport costs for hauling virgin aggregates over large distances.

Projects that feature extensive use of excavators with breakers to level rocky ground in preparation for civil construction projects are good candidates for the use of bucket crushers; these sites typically require a small crusher to process the material, but moving the rock to the crusher is time-consuming and requires trucks or haulers. Excavators using crusher buckets can perform the same function.

June 2015

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

29

Recycling

setting. For gypsum, production for the HBC 1250 can be up to 128t/h. in practical terms, this means a single excavator can crush up to 1,000 tonnes per day.

Hartl says the chief benefits of the crusher bucket are the ability to crush material at a far lower cost per tonne than with tracked mobile plants, and the fact that it can be used on remote job-sites where hauling virgin aggregates would incur extra costs.

But there are obstacles to adoption. Some contractors are reluctant to use recycled material if they are unfamiliar with its application, says Hartl. on this front, he says their product is well-suited since it produces the cubical material needed for construction work such as sub-base.

The parallel jaw-crushing action of competitor crusher buckets can result in a flat or flakey material shape. By contrast, the Hartl crusher buckets use a patented Quattro or figure-eight movement, with the jaw crushing higher on the face, allowing larger stones to be crushed and higher through-put. As the material moves down the chamber, it is worked a second time, resulting in the desired cubical shape.

The origins of the Quattro movement go back 40 years, when the company used it for larger jaw crushers. However, its function is more important on the bucket crushers, since the crusher only touches the material a single time, and there is no chance to shape the material using the multi-stage process that is possible with larger crushers.

Contractors who see the output immediately recognise the quality of the material, explains Hartl. “it is very important for contractors that the material is produced with a top-quality, very cubical shape.

That’s their key to success, and the Quattro movement can provide this better than any other motion on the market.”

The global market for crusher buckets is growing, though there are regional differences. in Europe, the focus is on recycling, while in latin America and

The large excavators in the Gulf means that bigger crusher buckets can be used.

“iT iS vERy iMPoRTANT THAT THE MATERiAl iS PRoDuCED WiTH A ToP-QuAliTy, vERy CuBiCAl SHAPE”

Mobile sCreen plant hartl Crusher recently launched a new screen plant which is highly mobile and far less expensive than a tracked screening plant, though with a lower capacity.

When paired with a crusher bucket, customers can extract three fractions; in combination with a bucket screener, this can be increased to four. This corresponds to customer demand for a cheaper way to produce multiple grades.

Depending on the material, throughput can reach up to 90m3/hour, and the mobile screen plant (designated hSP 3300) has high screening efficiency, says Georg haberfellner, chief designer at hartl Crusher.

“The main advantage lies in the screen box’s electro-hydraulic drive, which provides more power

30

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

June 2015

than comparable pure electric drives and is also much more robust and durable. At the same time, with this drive system the speed of the screen’s rotation is continuously variable and a reversal of rotation direction is also possible. The screen box is spring-mounted and thus provides the best power transfer for both screen decks. All components are high quality and are designed with component protection in mind.” hartl also offers electrically-driven conveyor belts which provide a maximum discharge height of 2.5m. The folding mechanism guarantees simple belt changing and reduces transport dimensions to a minimum. The screening system, including conveyor belts, consumes only 14kW of electrical power.

the Far East, it is aggregate production out of small quarries and borrow pits. But the technology is also enabling recycling opportunities in markets where it has not previously been common, says Hartl.

Apart from demand in civil construction, MB Crusher has seen good business from quarry operators in the region, who like being able to use it in areas where it would be difficult to place a mobile crusher, or with smaller volumes. in these cases, crushing with an attachment avoids the cost and time of using trucks to transport material to the primary crusher.

The quality of material produced by a crusher bucket is as good as that produced from a static crusher, says Sahraoui, and when operators realise they can eliminate transport costs, the business case is pretty clear. “A bucket crusher can never replace the mobile or the fixed crusher, but it’s an instrument that can be used alongside existing plants,” he explains.

And using only a single machine to crush in hard-toreach areas of a quarry can save costs in terms of staff, consumption of fuel and maintenance.

MB claims to sell the largest bucket crusher in the world, the BF150.10, the ‘Records Bucket’. This is matched to excavators 70t and larger, and has a total weight of over 10t.

But this hefty specification is more than compensated for by its output: with a load capacity of 2.30m3, it can produce 120m3 per hour. The firm has sold a number of units to Saudi Arabia, and is in discussion with customers in Kuwait and Qatar.

Sahraoui expects demand in the region to continue to grow, based on the number of requests for quotations they receive. “our forecast for the region is positive; we expect to strengthen our relationships with our customers and partners.”

30

YEAR S 1985 -201 5

GLOBAL SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

ADVICE EXPERT TEAM LOCAL SUPPORT WOLRDWIDE

FINANCE LEASING SOLUTIONS FINANCE SOLUTIONS

C

EL

EB

R ATI N G

SERVICES* SPECIALIST TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MAINTENANCE & WARRANTY PROFESSIONNAL TRAINING GENUINE SPARE PARTS

HAULOTTE MIDDLE EAST FZE – DUBAI AIRPORT FREE ZONE – PO BOX 293881 – DUBAI – UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Tel: +971 (0)4 299 77 35 – Fax: +971 (0)4 299 60 28 - Email: haulottemiddle-east@haulotte.com - www.haulotte.ae

* Please contact us to discuss which services are applicable and suit your needs.

www.h aulo tte.co m June 2015

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

31

Feature

Clash of the 5t loaders Nowhere is the clash between premium and value more pronounced than in the five-tonne loader segment, as newer brands offer lower-cost machines while established players develop new offerings in response

t

he application requirements of a wheel loader customer can be split between production – such as a quarry, where machines are expected to perform arduous tasks for long shifts – and the less demanding roles, such as stockpiling. Loaders may be expected to perform in both roles, but the general rule of thumb is that the larger the machine, the more production work it does.

While the established machinery brands have traditionally focused on building the most reliable and productive machines possible, for some of the highly engineered loaders the cost of ownership can only be returned in production applications, where a lesser machine has longer cycles and breaks down more frequently.

Conversely, if a production machine is used for a less demanding role such as stockpiling, truck-loading or general construction work, then it’s harder to earn back the machine’s cost.

As customers have learnt, in these cases it makes more sense to look for a cheaper option, such as a second-hand or value segment loader.

And when it comes to cheaper loaders, manufacturers – especially those in China – are happy to oblige customers.

SDLG, the Volvo CE-owned Chinese manufacturer, has a large range of equipment including excavators and graders, but its five-tonner, the LG958L, is the most popular, confirms Jan-Erik Eriksson, SDLG’s regional business manager in the Middle East. “This is a modern designed machine

with excellent comfort and high performance, and we are happy that all the product improvements done on the 2015 models have not affected the cost.”

“This is thanks to a very competent engineering department. In a few markets we are appreciating a market share above 50%, and that tells us that our customers are accepting the product and our after-market support given.”

The machine has an operating weight of 16.6t, and is powered by a 19 litre Weichai engine delivering power of 162kW at 2,200rpm. The loader has a maximum breakout force of 168kN, and maximum torque of 860Nm. Forward travel speed can go as high as 38km/h, while reverse maximum travel speed is 23km/h. The LG598L has a height of 3,382mm, length of 8,020mm and dump height of 3,120mm; standard bucket capacity is 3m3.

Eriksson says that SDLG has a “tremendous focus” on improving its entire after-market operation. “We are very well aware that a customer that buys a value machine has the same demand as any other premium brand customer.

"The only difference is that a value brand customer works with a tighter budget, but his uptime expectations are equal to all other customers’, and his commitment to his customers is important for us. We have to deliver uptime – simple as that!”

The task is made easier by the simplicity of their machines, he explains, with experienced mechanics and product specialists to focus on the repairs. “[There are] no troubleshooting

“WE ArE VEry WELL AWArE ThAT A CuSToMEr ThAT buyS A VALuE MAChINE hAS ThE SAME DEMAND AS ANy oThEr prEMIuM brAND CuSToMEr“ 34

CoNstrUCtIoN

MIddle east

June 2015

Bottom left: LiuGong’s 856H features some impressive design improvements over the previous generation loader. Top left: Caterpillar has led the way among traditional brands by offering a ‘down-specced’ wheel loader in the five-tonne value segment, the 950 GC. Above & top right: SDLG’s top-selling machine in the Gulf is its five-tonne wheel loader, the LG958L.

tools needed, no computer that has to be hooked up in an IT network is needed, and when a fault happens to the machine it is fixed in no time, with a minimum of lost production time.”

Typical current applications for the LG958L include load and carry and rehandling operations, but Eriksson is hoping that with the introduction of the motor grade in the SDLG line (replacing Volvo CE’s discontinued grader line), the wheel loader will see good use on road construction job-sites.

Saudi Arabia is by far the largest market for wheel loaders in the GCC, and a large group of customers gravitates to value purchases. XGMA is one company that has made in-roads, selling large volumes of loaders into the Kingdom. It launched its h range in 2013, with 3-8t payloads.

Its 5t payloader is offered with three different wheel base options, and benefits from improved efficiency over the previous generation, thanks to the updated XGMA hydraulic system.

LiuGong is another, represented by Al-Qahtani Vehicle & Machinery Co (AhQ) in Saudi Arabia.

The company has a busy launch schedule and

June 2015

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

35

Feature

recently released its new 17.8t wheel loader with a 5t payload, the 856h. It is the first in a new generation of h-series wheel loaders, and in the Middle East will replace the current 856G. The machine makes extensive use of technology from LiuGong’s two major joint ventures in China, with engine producer Cummins and axle and gearbox producer ZF. David beatenbough, vice president in charge of LiuGong’s research and development, says the 5t payload machine will eventually be followed by a 9t payload class loader, and machines with 7-8t, 3t and 4t payloads will all be introduced to the market over the next 18 months.

The Middle East version will use a GCIC engine, produced out of the LiuGong-Cummins joint venture, with a power curve specifically developed for wheel loaders. In the Middle East, most machines will likely be sold with axles and transmissions from the ZF-LiuGong JV. The project to design the h-series began in 2010, says beatenbough. “This is the first time that we’ve done a true integrated design from the ground up for a wheel loader. In the past it was more bolting components together, and there was very little looking to see how systems work when they’re coupled with other systems. This changes all of that.”

36

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

June 2015

“ThE WorLD hAS ChANGED, WE SEE A TrEMENDouS ShIFT To NEW MArKETS AND NEW CuSToMErS WITh DIFFErENT VALuE DrIVErS“ The machines have been designed by the LiuGong team with all the component systems integrated, including the software controller. “We build our own controller, writing the software and optimising the machine for the needed applications.”

Common features across the range are improved fuel efficiency, a new and wider cabin and improved rear visibility. The machines have been developed

by LiuGong’s internal industrial design team, the first project they have worked on.

The development process also included extensive reliability testing, with around 50,000 hours of testing, says beatenbough. “This gives us a lot of confidence in the component reliability and the whole machine reliability.” The majority of the testing took place in China, since temperature extremes and a full range of operating conditions can be found across the huge country. but h series loaders were tested globally, and a number of 856h units were tested in the Middle East.

Existing LiuGong customers will notice improved efficiency, coming from the tuned engine curve and the integration with the controller, says beatenbough.

“In terms of owning and operating costs, they’re going to see a difference. you’ll see the same machine response for less fuel-burn.” but with the onslaught of five-tonners from the value brands, the traditional brands have responded. Caterpillar has launched a downspecced 5t payload wheel loader, and other traditional brands are preparing similar offerings to bring to market.

The drive for Caterpillar to produce a loader in the 5t payload class came out of discussion with Pilot controls are used on the Caterpillar 950 GC, and are a common feature on many value segment loaders.

They are cheaper than the more sophisticated electrohydraulic (EH) option, but lack EH's programmability.

Top: SDLG’s top-selling machine in the Gulf is its fivetonne wheel loader, the LG958L. Above: The smaller SDLG LG938L has a rated capacity of three tonnes.

customers, explains Frank Stadelmann, a product application specialist at Caterpillar’s S.A.r.L (EAME) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and one of the architects of the machine’s development.

Customers were adamant that they wanted a stripped-back machine to fit their business models and the current economic climate, a machine with lower owning and operating costs which could be paid off over a shorter period.

“The world has changed, we see a tremendous shift to new markets and new customers with

different value drivers,” explains Stadelmann.

“Whereas in the past there was a pretty consistent type of customer we were serving, we see that that spread is growing, from those who value our traditional products and those who don’t value them so much. We needed something new.”

Caterpillar already had a wheel loader in the 5t payload class, the 950h, which remains the high-performance machine in the segment. but according to Stadelmann, the 950h doesn’t represent an attractive value proposition for all customers in the market – it’s a global machine, the outcome of a ‘one machine fits all’ approach.

While it has better performance and lower fuel costs, and pays for itself over the machine’s

lifetime, “Customers have to be prepared to pay more to get more,” he says. “From the customer interactions we had, we all got the message we had to do something different to remain attractive for a large portion of them.”

The 950 GC will be attractive with companies that have an eye on shorter economic cycles or less market certainty (needing to pay off the machine faster, with less appetite for large upfront investment), customers in new markets (with smaller equipment budgets), and those looking for specific wheel loader applications, with the machine most effective in a support role rather than in continuous use.

Stadelmann sees the machine being used for truck loading, hopper charging and stockpiling, and general construction job site work. Mostly it’s a machine that will be used throughout the day for different jobs, rather than continuously as a production machine. on the front end, the bucket is easy to load, with wider mouth, longer floor and curved side plates, making it easier to pull out and carry a load. on the technical side, Caterpillar took a mixed approach, introducing some new high-end components as well as going for the more basic options, such as using pilot hydraulics to control the arm and bucket, rather than an electrohydraulic (Eh) pilot system. The advantage of a pilot hydraulic system is that it is easier to maintain, since it is less complex – the control instructions are sent down a slim hydraulic hose.

While with the Eh system it’s possible to programme functions such as lift kick out and return to dig from inside the cab, with a pilot hydraulic system the magnets on the arm have to be manually adjusted to change kick-out heights.

There’s also no video screen in the cab, another simplification. “owners were saying they want operators to load trucks, not to play around with the screen or be distracted by a message that might pop up,” explains Stadelmann. one high-tech element on the 950 GC is its idling control. The system solves an old-fashioned problem: high idling time, since on average a 5t loader in the Middle East is idle up to 40% of the time. When the parking brake is applied on the 950 GC, the idling control reduces the engine speed even further, down from the ordinary 900rpm idle speed to 600-650rpm.

Another fuel efficiency feature is the loadsensing hydraulic system, with load sensors and a variable displacement piston pump which scales back power to the loader arm and bucket when there is a light load; the pump only delivers the amount of oil and pressure needed, reducing fuel consumption and wasted energy, with the energy used to power the wheels instead.

The loader is powered by a C7.1 engine, with a power rating of 168kW (225hp). It is fed with a common rail electronic injection system, tuned for lower grade fuel and using only about three quarters of the injection pressure capability – with lower pressure, the system is less sensitive to dirty high-sulphur fuel. Meanwhile, a triple fuel filtration system, including a fuel-water separator and dual filter, further ensures trouble-free day-today operation.

June 2015

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

37

Pavers

Volvo CE and FAMCO continue to make steady in-roads into the market with their line of asphalt pavers and road construction equipment

38

CoNsTRUCTioN

Road waRRioRs MiddLE EasT

June 2015

The recent open day in Abu Dhabi was a chance to demonstrate machinery features and provide expert guidance on application and after-market from Volvo CE’s application and support staff.

i

n early 2013, Volvo CE head of EMEA Thomas Kuta and then-president Pat Olney toured the FAMCO premises in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. There was a special focus on road construction equipment, a segment of the market receiving more attention and support from Volvo and from FAMCO. Two years later, that strategy seems to have borne fruit.

Speaking with CMME, Kuta says there is a simple answer to the question of how this has gone: “Very good. FAMCO made an investment plan for Saudi Arabia – the engine of the Gulf – and they are implementing it exactly according to plan.

Our position in Saudi has strengthened in the past two years.”

Back-up and support is especially important for the paving business, says Kuta, and Volvo CE has provided support via application specialists and a major parts centre in Dubai.

Kuta says new buyers of pavers are both existing buyers of the Volvo CE earthmoving range and entirely new customers. Existing customers are naturally easier to sell to, but the brand is increasing its market share across the Gulf.

In the last year, the strength of the markets in the Gulf has made it one of the two engines of growth in Kuta’s EMEA region, along with traditional markets of northern Europe. In that time, the market in Russia has collapsed and Africa’s overall sales are dropping, since its major buying sector, mining, is in a downward cycle. Sales in southern Europe remain far below their pre-GFC highs.

CMME caught up with Ahmad Halwani, FAMCO’s regional head for construction and agricultural equipment, at a recent product day in Abu Dhabi.

Focused on road construction products, it followed on from similar events in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

Halwani says the event is a chance to connect with local contractors. “We felt that particularly Abu Dhabi contractors prefer to have an event that is done here.”

“WE WAnT OUR CUSTOMERS TO MAKE MOnEy, BECAUSE IF THEy MAKE MOnEy, THEy WIll DEFInITEly COME BACK TO US AnD BUy MORE MACHInES”

The Abu Dhabi emirate has a number of major road construction projects, with plenty more in the pipeline as part of the larger 2030 Vision. Halwani says there are a number of developments underway and planned which will require new roads to be built. “If you want to build a residential area, or a commercial area, or an industrial area in the Western Region, definitely you need the roads and the infrastructure.”

With experts from FAMCO and Volvo CE on hand for demonstrations and discussion of key product features and applications, the event was designed to refamiliarise contractors with the product’s features and benefits.

“Customers feel more confident when a good distributor is supporting them. They also get reconfirmation on the latest updates and features of the machines and what makes our machines better than the competition in terms of productivity, ease of operation, ease of service and total cost of ownership.”

Halwani says they’re confident about their paving product, both its performance and its aftersales support. The company has sold a number of its flagship ABG7820B models, including to customers in Abu Dhabi. There are also plans for Volvo CE to launch a new paver product in the region later this year.

“To optimise the paving job, we always advise contractors about the advantages of having a complete set of Volvo Road Machinery working on their sites, including Volvo Rollers. Efficient compaction is equally important as laying the mat, in order to have the best finishing quality in terms of density and smoothness. Contractors can save time and money, as Volvo machines operate

The ABG7820B Volvo CE’s flagship asphalt paver model is the tracked ABG7820B. Designed to meet the stringent quality requirements of modern roads, it is equipped with an electronic paver management system (EPM2), which supports the contractor by storing and analysing machine data. The system provides the operator with optimum overview and control of all paving functions.

It is equipped with an ultra-sonic sensor for material control and digital grade control sensors for aqua rate levelling.

Power is provided by the powerful Volvo D7 engine, with ample reserve power for all applications. It also has a smart power mode, since most applications do not require the high output capacity of the engines. When the driver selects the smart power mode on the EPM control unit, the engage speed is lowered, resulting in lower noise emissions and fuel savings of up to 15%. It has a maximum paving width of 11m and maximum paving thickness of 300mm, while top paving speed is 20m/min. Hopper capacity is 13.5t, and operating weight is 14.6t, rising to 18.7t when operating with a screed.

June 2015

CONSTRUCTiON

MiDDLE EAST

39

Pavers

Volvo CE and FAMCO’s strategy for sale of road construction machinery is boosted by the large number of customers who already own Volvo earthmoving equipment, making single-brand fleets an option.

at their best together. Besides this, they benefit from having a single point of contact when seeking support for their equipment.”

Their focus is on understanding the customer’s business, and so recommending the right machines.

“We understand very well the customer’s business in contracting, we understand that margins are very, very slim and it can be make or break. So we need to really understand a customer’s application and select the right machine, so that when he does a job he does it in the most optimised and most cost-efficient way so he can make money at the end.

We want our customers to make money, because if they make money, they will definitely come back to us and buy more machines.”

After-sales is also a strong point, and as a mass manufacturer of construction equipment and a dealer with large volumes, economies of scale guarantee a high level of support for specialised road construction products. “As long as you own a Volvo machine, you will get fully professional support to keep your machine running in the best possible way.”

FAMCO is able to support customers who run their own maintenance operations, completing additional inspections and advising them if there are any issues which require them to take corrective measures. Alternatively, they can offer a preventive maintenance package for the machine, or go even further and offer a complete solution, with an extended warranty and a maintenance package including preventive maintenance and repairs.

In Saudi Arabia, where FAMCO acquired the Volvo CE dealer in 2012, the business has developed steadily, says Halwani. He expects the number of road projects in the Kingdom to remain steady, both with new road projects and refurbishment of existing roads.

On top of new product offerings, another area

40

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

June 2015

“FAMCO MADE An InVESTMEnT PlAn FOR SAUDI ARABIA – THE EnGInE OF THE GUlF – AnD THEy ARE IMPlEMEnTInG IT ExACTly ACCORDInG TO PlAn. OUR POSITIOn HAS STREnGTHEnED” where Volvo CE is quite active and advanced is its programme for the buy-back and refurbishment of used machines. It offers a full refurbishment programme through its paver factory in Germany, an option currently under development in the Middle East. In this scenario, the paver is shipped to the factory and fully overhauled, and then

offered for sale as an approved used machine.

Halwani says the total cost depends on the age and condition of the machine. “A 10-year-old machine can be fully refurbished at roughly 6065% – maybe less – of the cost of a new machine.

So there is real saving. And you can get a machine which is almost as good as new.”

Al-Qahtani Vehicle & Machinery Co. Tariq Al-Qahtani & Brothers

Product Focus

Raw power EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW. page 45

cOmpact lifteR

Bobcat launches two new compact telehandlers.

page 49

tOp ten tips: HOw tO get finance

page 47

tips on financing machinery purchases.

BetteR gRading trimble upgrades its dozer control system.

page 52 On fiRm fOOting Options for cost-effective foundation work.

page 56 nYc gOes electRic

potain’s new electric tower crane is finding favour with contractors and municipal authorities.

June 2015

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

43

Raw Power

GCC-tailored loader

Why get it?

LiuGonG’s CLG888 features LarGer radiator and CooLinG CapaCity for MiddLe east workinG Conditions

CLg888 SpeCifiCationS • engine: Cummins Tier 2 QSM11-C315, 235kW gross power • transmission type: Countershaft, power shift • Bucket breakout force: 260kN • Dump clearance at full height discharge: 3,330mm • Length with bucket down: 9,270mm

44

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

June 2015

L

iuGong has launched a new wheel loader specifically designed for the requirements of the Middle East. The CLG888 is a 30t operating-weight loader with a 4.5m3 standard bucket size.

“The CLG888 wheel loader marks the start of a new era at LiuGong and introduces a new level of productivity and service ability to the Middle East market,” said the company.

The wheel loader has a Tier 2 Cummins QSM11-C315 engine, developing 235kW gross power from its 10.8 litres. The Middle East tuning is designed to allow the machine to work long hours in the hot and dusty conditions typically faced by construction equipment.

This includes an improved radiator adapted for the heat and an air pre-cleaner filter system, which improves overall engine efficiency in dusty conditions and prolongs the service life of

the main air filter system.The air-conditioning system is built using Japanese components and larger fan capacity, which LiuGong says provides better reliability and comfort compared with past AC systems, with cooling and heating capacity increased by 35%.

The AC enhancement is part of a larger cab redesign that provides more workspace, broader visibility and better noise insulation and shock absorption. An adjustable mechanical suspension seat means more comfort for operators.

Productivity features include ZF technology deployed in the driveline system for greater drive efficiency. The loader arms are built with a double swing arm z-bar linkage, which has high torsion resistance and long durability.

This allows the machine to carry a heavy load and powerful breakout force in tough digging, with maximum breakout force of 260kN.

Up high anD CLoSe Why get it?

HiGHer CapaCity 5394rt JLG sCissor Lift offers Greater produCtivity JLG has launched the 5394RT, an 18m rough-terrain high-capacity scissor lift that lets operators place more personnel, tools and materials in the platform for more productive shifts. A lower horsepower engine results in lower fuel costs.

Features include steel hoods for toughness and auto-levelling outriggers for rapid set-up. It has a standard 1.15m multi-position roll-out platform extension that is extremely smooth and easy to use.

For even more space, customers can add an optional MegaDeck platform extension that adds an extra 2.03m of working space.

“The JLG 5394RT gives users the big-job reach they need and the serviceability they want,” said Paul Kreutzwiser, JLG Industries’ category director for scissors and vertical lifts.

“The engine compartment offers easy

access to all service points and a swing-out tray for more serious maintenance work. The tilt-down modular ladders are easily lowered or removed for even better component access.”

The scissorlift offers excellent gradeability and is well suited for commercial construction, steel erection, panelling installation and stadium or convention centre construction.

5394Rt SpeCifiCationS • Machine width: 2.31m • platform capacity: 680.4kg • platform height: 16.15m • engine: Kubota D1305, generating 18.5kW • Lift time: 59 seconds • Maximum drive height: 9.14m

foR tight LiftS Why get it? new BoBCat CoMpaCt teLeHandLers are perfeCt for Confined spaCes Bobcat has launched two new 6m compact telescopic handlers designed for construction and rental markets, the TL358 and TL358+. Their compact size makes them a candidate for work in

confined spaces, such as on industrial sites.

They complement the existing compact range, including the TL360 and TL470 telehandlers, sitting below the larger telehandlers such as the range-topping 18m T40180. The new telehandlers are both powered by a Perkins 1104D-44TA Stage IIIA engine providing 74.5kW of power at 2200rpm.

Capable of operating in confined spaces and at great speed, the maximum lift capacity of the TL358 is 2.6t, while the TL358+ has maximum lift capacity of 3t. The maximum lift height of both models is 5.8m, with 20-inch tyres.

The hydraulic system is controlled by a single Bobcat joystick in the cab, linked to a Load Sensing Valve block to allow flow sharing, depending on operator choice and application need.

The new machines have a narrow-frame design, with a width of 2.1m (compared to 2.3m for the TL360/TL470

models). Combined with a height of just 2.1m, this results in excellent comfort and visibility for machines of their size. They are also short machines, only 4.5m long with a 2.8m wheel base for enhanced stability and a short turning radius of just 3.77m.

The cab can be mounted in two modes – in a low position that results in the very low 2.1m height, or in a higher position to optimise visibility for the operator from the cab. While 20-inch tyres are standard, the telehandlers can also be equipped with 24-inch tyres for better ground clearance and traction. They are equipped with a fully automatic hydrostatic transmission, with an inching function for smooth drive and continuous speed variation up to 40km/h (with 24-inch tyres) without gear change. tL358+ SpeCifiCationS • engine: Perkins 1104D-44TA, providing 74.5kW @ 2,200rpm • Maximum lifting capacity: 3,000kg • Maximum lift height: 5,800mm • Maximum horizontal reach: 3,103mm • Maximum travel speed: 40km/h (option)

June 2015

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

45

Raw Power

kanoo’S foRkLift LaUnCh Why get it? wide ranGe of Lift truCks witH Great deaLer support froM kanoo MaCHinery Kanoo Machinery, a member of the Kanoo Group, has introduced a new range of Hyster and Utilev forklift trucks in the UAE and wider GCC market.

The forklifts were unveiled at a materials-handling event at the Kanoo Machinery premises in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on April 14 and 16 respectively.

The event was organised to exhibit a three-tier offering, including premium, standard and utility Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) forklifts, to guests, suppliers and customers. Kanoo Machinery is the authorised distributor for Hyster and Utilev in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar.

The company introduced the Hyster Fortens premium forklifts alongside the Hyster TX as a tougher and lower-cost offering, available in five capacities ranging from 1.5-3.5t, with engine options covering diesel, LPG, petrol or dual fuel.

The forklifts can be used in a wide range of applications including logistics, manufacturing, agriculture and construction.

Additionally, Kanoo Machinery also revealed a lower-intensity utility range from Utilev. The Hyster and Utilev brands are both owned by US-based

manufacturer Nacco Materials Handling Group (NMHG).

Deon Klerck, divisional manager of Kanoo Machinery, said the material-handling equipment market in the Middle East is considerably different to that in other parts of the world. “For this reason,

ReLiaBLe LifteR Why get it? senneBoGen’s teLesCopiC CrawLer is a usefuL addition to any JoB-site Sennebogen has launched a new 50t telescopic crawler crane, the 653. The pick-and-carry crane is designed around the principles of maximum job-site flexibility and easy transport. The machine is powered by a 129kW diesel engine and up to two hydraulically driven 50kN winches, with winching speeds of up to 115m/min.

The boom can be continuously extended and retracted over a length of 30.4m. The boom is built as a Full-Power Boom, meaning it is a multipart telescopic boom that is always friction-locked.

It has retractable joystick-operated hydraulics (rather than a single-cylinder step procedure), and the machine can be set to any boom length variably and quickly via joystick, saving time and allowing effective working. The fly boom extends the maximum reach height to 43.4m.

The crawler undercarriage of the 653 is ideal for working on both small and large construction sites, as the machine can be

46

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

June 2015

653 SpeCifiCationS • Boom length: 30.4m • extended with fly boom: 43.4m • Crawler track width: 3m (extendable to 4.5m) • engine: Cummins, with 129kW • Winch speeds: Up to 115m/min

we have been working very closely with NMHG for the last 12 months in an effort to develop products that cater to these specific needs. We now offer the market three significantly different value solutions in the mainstream three-tonne diesel forklift truck market segment.”

variably driven even at full load. Even in rough terrain, the telescopic crane has excellent manoeuvrability and can operate on inclines of up to 4°. At 3m wide, the extendable crawler tracks save space during transport and can be extended out up to 4.5m support width when in use. The 5.34m crawler tracks with optional track shoes up to 800mm wide ensure low ground pressure and optimal stability.

The Maxcab comfort cab, with automatic air conditioning and a spring-cushioned seat, offers the crane operator a comfortable working environment. The cab itself can be tilted up to 15° as standard.

An optional hydraulic cab elevator and standard camera system also improve the overview of the work area. Sennebogen’s SENCON control and diagnostics system offers a clear presentation of all operating parameters and easy, intuitive user control, as well as the ability to process error messages quickly. It also reliably monitors the load moment limitation system.

To improve service levels, the central maintenance and lubrication points are conveniently placed for easy access during maintenance and daily servicing.

aDDeD ContRoL fRoM tRiMBLe Why get it?

Better perforManCe on dozinG and CoMpaCtion witH triMBLe GsC900 upGrades Trimble has announced new versions of its GCS900 Grade Control System and Trimble CCS900 Compaction Control System, with improvements for dozers and machine-to-machine communication capabilities for soil, landfill and asphalt compactors.

The new GCS900 features GradeMax Plus, which increases dozer productivity by allowing the operator to grade faster and more consistently, with tighter accuracy. The system uses the Trimble GS420 Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensor to detect the rate of acceleration and changes in orientation. Trimble has also increased the rate at which the GCS900 system drives the valves on the dozer for smoother, more consistent control and rapid recovery of the dozer blade, allowing operators to grade higher quality surfaces at faster speeds. In practice, this means operators can grade a wider range of complex surfaces without constraints. For example, operators have the freedom to rotate the dozer blade during operation on steep slopes while maintaining constant grading speeds.

“With the release of the latest version of the system, we are taking machine control to a new level,” said Ryan Kunisch, marketing director for Trimble Heavy Civil Construction. “GradeMax Plus technology allows contractors to grade between 35 and 40% faster on average, depending on the dozer type and the material being used.”

For compaction the new system introduces wireless data share, machine-to-machine communication that gives operators the ability to share mapping data between compactors on the same site in realtime. This allows each compactor to see the work being done by other compactors, so that operators know which areas have been compacted and which areas still need to be completed.

In addition, new layer management functionality allows operators to view the layers or lifts other compactors are working on. This means more consistent compaction while reducing the amount of under- and over-compacted areas, improving surface quality, and saving time and fuel. The machines communicate using a Wi-Fi network.

poWeR Up Why get it? new doosan enGines extend HiMoinsa’s Generator power ranGe By 21% Spanish generator manufacturer Himoinsa has added to its range of products with an additional thirteen genset models, powered with new Doosan engines. The full range of industrial generator sets with Doosan engines, which until now offered a power range of 118-657kVA in prime power, has been increased to 750kVA in prime and 823kVA in stand-by.

Of the 13 new models, seven are designated for 60Hz territories, and six are designated for 50Hz. The new models incorporate engines that provide an increase in power of up to 21% and an ATB improvement of up to 16%.

Himoinsa manufactures generators with engines from Yanmar, Iveco, Scania, MTU, Doosan, Hatz and Lombardini, generating power ranging from 10 to 750kVA. Himoinsa has also introduced its new AS4006V lighting tower (pictured), to

extend the Apollo range. It incorporates a new vertical raise telescopic mast, activated manually, which optimises transport space, allowing eight units to be transported in one 20-foot container and up to 18 in a 40-foot container.

The result is two and four more units to be transported in the 20’ and 40’ containers respectively, compared with the AS4006 and AS4008 models.

With a manually raised mast which reaches a height of 9m, the lighting tower can operate up to 70 hours non-stop, more than seven days without refuelling, and illuminates nearly 3,000sqm.

The tower has four metal halide lights, each with 1000W, offering a total of 384,000 lumens. The mast rotates through 360 degrees. aS4006V SpeCifiCationS • Lights: Four metal-halide, each with 1000W • Mast height: 9m • illumination area: Nearly 3,000sqm • emitted light: 384,000 lumens

June 2015

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

47

REACHING OUT | 3614RS & 4017RS Telehandlers

DESIGNED FOR RENTAL

BUILT FOR WORK

SIMPLICITY WITHOUT COMPROMISE. JLG introduces the RS Series of Telehandlers; designed by rental for rental.

All set to go to work, the RS Series is available in two models. Both models offer added comfort, improved serviceability and a lower cost of ownership. Constructed with proven components and a standard two-year warranty, the RS series of telehandlers are an attractive and productive addition to your fleet.

www.jlg.com JLG Industries | JAFZA View | PO Box 262728 | LB 19, 20th Floor, Office 05 | Jebel Ali | Dubai | emacangus@jlg.com

Ten Tips

If you’re declIned If your loan application is declined, try to find out the exact reason. It may be something that can be quickly rectified, or you may need to work on improving your credit profile.

PaPerwork clear corporate accounts naturally help make the solvency of your business clear to any bank or finance company, with records of your accounts and current contracts. records of your fleet assets and sales of used equipment can also be important.

Top 10: How to get Finance Getting financing on your equipment frees up cash-flow

Better resIduals finance companies are normally more eager to finance purchases of wellknown brands that have established residual value; lesser-known machinery brands may take it upon themselves to educate financial companies about their machine.

fInance assets Having finance for equipment rather than a general business loan normally means a lower interest rate. likewise, finance for roadgoing equipment or a large machine that has registration may be easier to obtain financing for than a general plant; depending on the market, this may require a commercial mortgage.

keeP your kIt servIced a lender financing your purchase over a longer term may want to inspect your current equipment fleet in order to see how the asset will be maintained for the duration of the loan. Having a well-maintained fleet of equipment makes them more likely to agree to the loan, or even to longer terms.

June 2015

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

49

N E W

H I - R E L I A B I L I T Y

I S

P O S S I B L E

Iveco with

W W W . I V E C O . C O M

Ten Tips

sHarIa-comPlIant sharia-compliant financing may be an option in your market. this operates similarly to a lease, where the title is vested with the finance company and you pay rent on the machine, rather than interest on a loan, and depending on the arrangement ownership may be transferred to you at the conclusion.

warranty and servIce contracts a service contract or lengthy dealer warranty can reduce the risk to the lender that the equipment will break down. this should provide them with better security that the machine will keep working and keep earning you money, so could qualify you for a lower financing rate.

oBtaInIng fInance Is often an ImPort ant Part of runnIn BusIness. In order ga to ensure you can get the best rates, sure you’ve made make your busIness attr actIve to lenders. there Is IncreasIn For smes, g support In the ma rket place, Includ run lenders and lo Ing statean coverage In ks a.

dealer fInance many equipment dealers have associations with finance companies or banks (some with more than one). this can streamline the financing process, since the financier has experience with equipment financing and understands the value of the equipment you want to buy.

sHoP around finally, after optimising the credit profile of your business, shop around for the best deal. as in any industry, finance companies will meet you in the middle to retain you as a customer or win your business.

sme sPecIal Programmes

In some markets, special assistance programmes are available for smaller companies (smes), whether from the government or even from a dealer.

June 2015

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

51

Feature

a firm footing As buildings become more complex and expensive, the need for reliable, sustainable and cost-effective technologies in foundations is gradually growing stronger.

Jerusha Sequeira examines the options

52

ConStrUCtion

miDDLE EaSt

June 2015

Technology associated with building foundations has seen a dramatic change as new methods and techniques are explored.

a

s important as a building’s design and structure are, there’s no denying that what lies underneath is just as crucial.

Technologies for building foundations have evolved and improved over the years, and alternatives to traditional deep piling methods have emerged. But among contractors and government entities, there remains a tendency to rely on the familiar, perhaps to be safe rather than sorry.

CMME decided to speak to professionals to find out where the industry is heading and what alternative solutions can be offered to deep foundations.

For the high-rise construction projects increasingly dominating skylines across the country, piling remains a must. The most common method in Dubai remains rotary bored piling, says Peter Titus, managing director of Total Foundation Solutions (TFS), a company supplying specialist equipment for deep foundations and piling across the GCC. However, alternative piling methods such as continuous flight auger (CFA) are becoming more widely used, due to their cost-effectiveness, Titus says. “In Western Europe, the United States, parts of South America, CFA is the main method you would use because it is so much cheaper. Everyone is trying to trim the cost of their overall building, not just the foundations. And they’re looking to find ways to do this faster and cheaper, so CFA is the main method used in France, Spain and the UK.”

CFA piles are formed by drilling a continuous flight auger into the ground. The sides of the hole are supported at all times by the soil-filled auger, eliminating the need for temporary casing or bentonite slurry. Upon reaching the required depth, concrete is pumped down the hollow stem as the auger is steadily withdrawn, and a reinforcement cage is placed into the wet concrete after withdrawal of the soil by the auger.

In addition to being cheaper, a key advantage of CFA is that it’s much faster, Titus notes. “The time you spend making each pile is reduced. You can auger the pile, pump the concrete, lift the cage and drop it in, say, one fourth or one fifth of the time it would take you to excavate using a kelly bar system.”

However, CFA does pose limitations in terms of the depth and diameter of the piles. CFA piles can be drilled down to 41m deep and 1.5m in diameter using high-torque specialist CFA rigs.

“If you get very tall buildings like the Burj Khalifa, you have piles much deeper and much larger in diameter than this can provide,” Titus explains, adding that in this case, the rotary bored piling machine works best. micropiling machines are also becoming more popular, he points out.

“All these different machines are used to be able to create holes in the ground, temporarily or permanently,” he says. The problem is that soil is not uniform or homogenous. Additionally, in

coastal areas the water table is quite high, and once a contractor excavates below it, water begins to appear. While contractors have traditionally overcome the issue by dewatering using pumps, this is quite an expensive process.

A way around this is by casting a jet grout bottom plug. Jet grouting is a technique of creating a pile using in-situ soil and grout mixed together under high pressure to create a soil-reinforced column.

Jet grouting improves the soil’s mechanical characteristics while decreasing permeability, Titus notes. A jet grout bottom plug can be created well below ground level by casting multiple short jet grout columns in an overlapping arrangement to cut off the influx of water into a future excavation.

Commenting on how the market is shaping up, Titus says that while piling and diaphragm walling machines were mainstays in the past, micropiling machines are more in demand now as construction needs evolve.

“We have a lot of buildings here which are valuable and need to be retained. Sometimes some of them have had some issues with settlement or differential settlement.” Additionally, some clients are also looking to extend existing buildings, which will need foundations to be strengthened.

“The trend is heavily moving towards micropiling, so to have something small enough to put in through a building, adjacent to a building, under a building,

“THE TrEnD IS movInG ToWArDS mICroPIlInG, So To HAvE SomETHInG SmAll EnoUGH To PUT In THroUGH A BUIlDInG, ADJACEnT To A BUIlDInG, UnDEr A BUIlDInG, InvolvES USInG SmAllEr mACHInES” Ground improvement techniques have emerged as viable alternatives to deep foundations.

June 2015

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EaST

53

Feature

Convincing the industry to take on new techniques and methods will take time, due to deep-rooted beliefs in traditional methods.

involves using smaller machines. The same machine can create a jet grout column, when used with a very high pressure pump.”

These techniques are becoming popular as the market realises that drilling large piles isn’t always necessary, he adds. “Definitely that’s the new demand, where we have buildings that might require extensions or remedial work if there’s some problem.

There is more and more understanding that perhaps you don’t have to give a large diameter pile under a villa.”

Ground improvement It is this understanding that has spurred the rise of ground improvement techniques as a viable alternative to deep foundations, when piling may not be entirely necessary. one company specialising in soil improvement techniques is menard vibro, which offers cost-effective alternatives to deep piles or deep concrete footings.

“Quite often, the prices that are given or the recommendations that are given for piling or for certain types of foundations are not necessary because of what we do, which is to offer an alternative,” explains Jason redgers, regional

54

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

June 2015

business development manager at menrad vibro.

The firm offers a host of services including rapid impact compaction, dynamic compaction, vibro compaction, vibro replacement (with stone columns) and vertical drains.

The improvement methods can be broadly classified as either using additional material, in which the soil is reinforced; or without additional material, with soil compacted. redgers reiterates that for high-rises, piling is the right option. “But certainly, when they’re looking at warehouses, villas, residential areas, even mosques and lots of industrial units, piling is not necessary because of the loads of the building. It can be done by improving the bearing capacity and the settlement control of the ground.”

As the majority of soils in the UAE and GCC are sandy, the recommended ground improvement techniques are vibro compaction or dynamic compaction. However, in oman and parts of Qatar where silt or clay are present in the soil, one should consider stone columns or dynamic replacement.

In the vibro compaction technique, loose granular soils are compacted by penetration of a vibratory probe or vibroflot. Based on results from a test zone,

“GroUnD ImProvEmEnT IS A morE vAlUEEnGInEErED oPTIon. YoU ArE USInG lESS rESoUrCES, So YoU HAvE no ConCrETE AnD no STEEl. From An EnvIronmEnTAl PoInT oF vIEW, YoU Don’T HAvE THE ExTrA TrAnSPorT AnD THE ExTrA USE oF DIESEl”

The Last Word

likes New York City s and has electr ic crane r mits to expedited pe for them obtain power

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

t i s e k i l C Y N

c i r t c e l e s e n s tow e r c r a

’s easier to house gas, it n ee gr ss le d for refuelemitting less or no nee 8 tower is 41 e er R the M Th . in in ta rst Po mainta c cranes are ges. “Electri ome of the fi following an y n ch l pa oi m d co an e th ling cranes sold by EXPO last year are at Auringer. ur from New N CO future,” says at r ch n pe u finding favo la su so d its al an is es re er u ap at The fe r says the D g skyscr ies. Auringe it work buildin e largest r or th fo th is g 8 au in 41 ty sh e en pu York Ci York City. Th ildings has be es, wit h a u to B an s cr of it talls in New b t ji rm en g pe m n g part ditin nge of luffi , even expe d working polin the MR ra ectr ic cranes ty of 26.5t an el ci e to reduced pa du ca , at ft th li em e th iv r dr fo ic er tr w maximum ec el obtain po . But it’s the se and oise. elecradius of 60m reduced noi in g lution and n in lt permits, the su e re an t, cr ar r ap la it file building pu but u po yo sets t, a ou it en h g d in “W ge ts drag ons, mak ge si is ly al em su el u es n di NYC. r the power tr ic portio an areas like ng permits fo e first ti th di of pe o ipex tw in dense urb g is n ts newer equ the city igging is usi anes. It wan of its jobcr o to ic US Crane & R tr tw er si ec on el ea a e ic t, for th efficien Nor th Amer t. ger says the that is more ec n t ri 418s sold in sp u en in A m m to To er and easi ny owner in ta k n ic d ai qu m ke s or sites. Compa w e it of the 418 ar er, itowoc even n them an M advantages w ai po to tr and electr ic Less wit h the city line speed three efits of elec e n e as c h be n rc e a pu th n te to on s in a an m pl ’s it d an . anes – e running ter this year tr ic tower cr Having a cran more units la ns great relaea ic m a tr ly r ec fo pp el s made the mains su f of The crane’ el es di tween us ce on the uge advantionship be ss maintenan er le w power is a h po to .” ed at are us ot only is and the city generators th of a tage too. N er n less chance d ee an gr , s 8 es wa 41 an e the cr The cran crane the MR st year es, wn affecting launched la diesel cran nset break-do a ge es O. an ov XP th m NE re CO at It also

S

availability. nt from the cost compone uation. ownership eq

56

CONSTRUCTION

MIDDLE EAST

June 2015

CMY

K