Construction Machinery ME June 2018

ISSUE 80 JUNE 2018

PLUs

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SS E N H G U O T F O T S IN QUE brings

s Ud TrUckesTer fOr in iTs QU nsTrUcTiOn heav y cO

G N I V O M X I M T HE

ixers M T i s n a Tr

eir h t s s u c s di s r e r u s t c Manufa s and innovationrket product egion’s Mixer Ma for the r

CONTENTS JUNE 2018 6_News The latest news from across the region and further afield.

12_Rough aNd Ready Al Faris takes delivery of two new Liebherr LRT rough terrain cranes, becoming the first operator in the Middle East to do so.

14_MagNa’s opus Regional head of specialist off-the-road tyre manufacturer, Magna Tyres, tells how the company has made its mark on the region.

18_haMMeRiNg hoMe Ritchie Bros. and Euro Auctions discuss the trends in the region’s auction market and tell CMME about how the internet is driving sales.

36

10 D SpoTTeD r Down un wleer

22_goldeN baTch Dubai-based Golden Ready-mix is all set to leverage its new centrally located batching plant to supply concrete to big projects in the city.

24_iN quesT of ToughNess UD Trucks launches its Quester for construction model in the Middle East.

r e w o raw p 32 _ N e w R The latest

e l e a se s

d of m the worl releases fro

10

cra Manitowoc Perth kick starts ject subway pro

ry.

n machine

constructio

sit Mixer.

Tran eN 34_Top T maintain and be safe on your te,

era How to op

lgies.

The Mix t, their new models and techno g N i v o M arke 36_ iscuss the m er makers d Ne Transit mix MilesTo uck. a o T s l peR hau ion of 5000th heavy mining tr M u d T a 40_c product rates the giant celeb Equipment

12

14 18

24

2

EDITORIAL JUNE 2018

GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5471 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR VIJAYA CHERIAN vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5713

EDITORIAL EDITOR ANIRBAN BAGCHI anirban.bagchi@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5715 Sub EDITOR AELRED DOYLE aelred.doyle@cpitrademedia.com

ADVERTISING

horses for courses

SALES ExECuTIvE TOM BROMLEY tom.bromley@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5496

On the surface of it, the world of construction machinery can appear to be a uniform sector with similar machines and characteristics all over the world. After all, to the lay observer, it’s the same excavators, loaders, dumpers, truck mixers and cranes anywhere on the planet.

Of course, those of us who are in the thick of this wonderful world of machinery know how misleading this impression is.

In the global machinery market, the devil is in the details, the nitty-gritties in the nuances. And it’s not only the most obvious differences of emission regulations that I’m alluding to here, that even passenger cars are subject to.

While a Toyota Camry is more or less the same vehicle whether on the streets of Shanghai or Seattle, the same can’t be said about a Cat 320 excavator, for instance, on a job site in Dubai or Dublin.

For starters, the machine in Dublin is more likely to be a 323 version of the 320 series, but even leaving the minutiae of nomenclature aside, the two machines, ostensibly from the same series, are not the same. Each is designed to stand up to the vagaries of its target market and has been adapted to perform to the optimum in its own set of conditions. In other words, manufacturers do a certain amount of customisation to their machines based on the target market.

Now take this customisation further.

Instead of adapting a product to the broad specifications of an entire market or territory, adapt it to each separate job or function. Not many manufacturers

do this, but Magna Tyres does. The offthe-road tyre maker actually goes in and consults with prospective customers, then studies the jobs and conditions its tyres are meant to perform in before going back to the drawing board with the results of that study - and designing a product as per the requirements. In this issue, the Dutch company’s regional head tells CMME just how Magna goes about this and other production tasks.

Still on the theme of customisation, transit mixer manufacturers and truck makers do something similar for their products sold in the Middle East and though these are more adaptations than customisations, and not so detailed as Magna’s, they make a vital difference in performance, as UD Trucks and the big mixer heavyweights tell us in this issue.

To end with custom from customisation, the Eid celebrations fall in the middle of this month and CMME wishes you the best of the festive season.

Eid Mubarak!

DESIGN ART DIRECTOR SIMON COBON simon.cobon@cpitrademedia.com

MARKETING MARKETING MANAGER SHEENA SAPSFORD sheena.sapsford@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5498

CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION DISTRIbuTION MANAGER SUNIL KUMAR sunil.kumar@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5476 PRODuCTION MANAGER VIPIN V. VIJAY vipin.vijay@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5713

WEb DEVELOPMENT MOHAMMAD AwAIS SADIQ SIDDIQUI

FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA (1959-2015) PRINTED by EMIRATES PRINTING PRESS LLC PUbLIShED by

Licensed by TECOM to registered company, CPI Trade Publishing FZ LLC whose registered office is 207 – 209, Building 3, Dubai Studio City, Dubai, UAE. www.cpitrademedia.com

Anirban Bagchi Editor, CMME

© Copyright 2018 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.

It fits, but will it do the job?

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4

ONLINE JUNE 2018

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FeATUReD

CONSTRUCTION

WOMeN IN CONSTRUCTION SeRIeS: The NeeD FOR bALANCe

UK Government lacked ‘bravery’ as Carillion became

I want to say thank you

a ‘time bomb’

for doing your bit for ‘Women in Construction’ with these articles on the site. Greater diversity is an absolute necessity for the construction industry going forwards and one of the

CONSTRUCTION

strengths of the industry

Abu Dhabi government

in the region is its ability

sign agreement to speed up

to draw on the experience

construction licenses

and knowledge of people from many different kinds of backgrounds and

In Pictures: On site at Marina Gate II

experiences. In my opinion, there has been a lot of progress in terms of greater participation of female co-workers in the industry

CONSTRUCTION

but there is still a lot more

Vox to set-up new IMAX

to done. In my experience,

screens in Saudi Arabia

many of the roles women find are in administration or in the softer skills of construction such as design or architecture.

That’s not just in the Middle East but across the globe,

CONSTRUCTION

however slowly with time

Premier Estates launches The

we will see more and more

Terraces project at Meydan

women on site. Having said that, and reading some of the interviews you’ve published, it is heartwarming and re-assuring to hear many of these professionals being treated as equals and with respect

CONSTRUCTION

KEO and InSite complete Dubai’s new Bluewaters Bridge

Feature: New schemes suggest Abu Dhabi market has bottomed out

on projects.

Name withheld by request

Š Terex Cranes 2018. Terex, Demag and Above, Ahead, Always are trademarks of or licensed by Terex Corporation or its subsidiaries.

The new AC 300-6

Above and beyond.

Take your business to the next level with the new Demag AC 300-6. It delivers class-leading reach combined with strength, including the ability to lift 15 t on a fully telescoped 80 m boom.

To allow for high versatility, the AC 300-6 can be adapted to the needs of a variety of jobs and is the smallest crane in the Demag AC range with a luffing jib.

The HAV and many components are shared with Demag 5-axle cranes — increasing your return on investment and reducing the amount of spare parts you need to have on hand.

Above. Ahead. Always. www.demagmobilecranes.com

S W NE 6

Factory-Fitted option

Doosan anD Trimble Team up for excavaTor TelemaTics

jecTs, o r p w e n offices, w e n , s e hin arounD k o new mac o l e ives – w T a monTh i T s i i n h i T w e ne w whaT’s n T a n o i g The re STRONG Q1 AT

Doosan and Trimble have announced a

VOlVO CE

collaboration to introduce the Trimble

Led by strong

Ready telematics suite as a factory-

demand in

fitted option for Doosan excavators.

Asia, Volvo

According to Doosan, the move is in

Construction

response to the increasing demand

Equipment (Volvo

for grade control systems. The OEM

CE) saw a 30%

company added that the Trimble Ready

rise in net sales

option will be available direct from

year-on-year in

its factory through Doosan Smart

the first quarter

Solutions, for use with Trimble GCS900

of 2018, leading

2D and 3D Grade Control Systems.

to jumps of 33%

System uses GNSS, GPS, laser, sonic

whopping 79% in

or total station technology to give

operating income

operators access to design surfaces,

for the period.

grades and alignments on a display

Melker Jernberg,

inside the excavator cab. The system

Volvo CE’s new

accurately positions the excavator

president, told

bucket in real time, improving

the global press

productivity and efficiency.

at Intermat in

Saudi company buys 37 Genie boom lifts Genie has supplied 37 self-propelled telescopic boom lifts to Saudi Arabian industrial service provider Expertise Contracting Co (ECC).

The order comprised a mix of Genie S-65 and S-85 boom lifts offering maximum working heights of 2027.9m, and also notably included the first two Genie Xtra Capacity (XC) SX-135 XC boom lifts in the country.

With this delivery, ECC now has an aerial access fleet of 85 Genie units.

The Terex-owned powered access brand added that the Genie SX-135 XC combines more up reach and outreach than any other machine in this category on the market, and has been in such high demand that ECC plans to invest

in more Genie XC machines by the end of this year, said a company official.

“We have always been extremely satisfied with Genie aerial work platforms, as well as the reliable service support provided by our local Genie team and their authorised service providers in the region,” said Mohammed Ashraf, director of Industrial Supplies, ECC. Since their delivery earlier this year, all 37 new Genie machines have been in high demand from customers operating in a broad spectrum of sectors in the region. Among them is Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), with ECC purchasing its two Genie SX135 XC telescopic boom lifts as part of a maintenance contract with SABIC.

The Trimble GCS900 Grade Control

in results and a

The GCS900 system displays site

Paris that net

plan and grade information in the

sales jumped to

cab, enabling operators to obtain

$2.43bn in the

higher precision finishing with a

quarter, compared

reduced number of passes. This

to $1.86bn in the

allows faster completion of jobs with

corresponding

minimal supervision, said Doosan.

period last

The system also does away with

year. Adjusted

the need for subcontractors to

for currency

provide survey and grade checking

movements, Q1

information, which eliminates waiting

2018 results were

time. Since the system ensures

up 33% year-

that jobs are completed correctly

on-year while

the first time, it also removes the

the 79% rise in

need for additional finishing runs,

operating income

leading to savings of both time and

saw it grow from

money on fuel and machine wear.

$187.6 million in

According to Doosan and Trimble,

2017 to $335.6m

the use of a common grade control

this year.

platform across an entire excavator fleet allows portability of the system between machines and machine types.

Flexible and scalable components can be used on a variety of machines, improving productivity and reducing personnel and machine costs.

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8

neWS roUnd-Up JUNE 2018

Landmark

jlg celebraTes a DecaDe in miDDle easT

Saudi rental company in $2m Doosan order

RECORD Q1 AT

Saudi equipment rental services provider EJAR has placed an order for 50 compressors with Doosan Portable Power (DPP) in a deal worth around $2.3m.

The order, finalised at Intermat in Paris last month and to be supplied through TAMGO, the authorised DPP dealer in the Kingdom, was for the Doosan 9/235HA portable compressor model, which provides 23.4m3/min of compressed air at a rated operating pressure of 8.6 bar. The 9/235HA is ideal for the full range of compressed air applications, from construction, rental, utilities and manufacturing to quarrying, water well drilling, sand blasting and the oil & gas industry, said Doosan.

Gaby Rhayem, regional director, Middle East and Africa for Doosan Bobcat

at $440.8m, a

NEW NAME FOR PHIlIPS lIGHTING Global lighting technology major Philips Lighting NV has announced a change of name to Signify NV, after the amendment of its articles of association.

Signify will continue to use the Philips brand for its products.

WACkER NEuSON Wacker Neuson has reported its highest ever first quarter revenue 9% rise year-onyear. Growth was

Powered access major JlG celebrated

primarily driven

its tenth anniversary in the Middle

by increasing

East last month, marking a decade of

demand in the

supplying new aerial work platforms

North American

and telehandlers, services and parts in

and European

the Middle East, southern Africa, and the

sectors. The

Caspian and India regions.

company’s

EMEA, said: “The 9/235HA is a long-time staple of our industry and is the most popular compressor of its type in the Middle East and Africa. EJAR chose the 9/235HA for renewal of the company’s rental fleet, based on the outstanding performance

and durability of our products over many years.”

The 9/235HA has a Doosan airend and is powered by a Cummins engine. DPP says its design ensures high unit performance, durability and reliability in the tough Middle East environment.

Cat s introduCetor a new exCav tools

its range as expanded h ls o To irk Wo e new mult Caterpillar ts with thre en m ch se ta r at res for u rs of excavato g new featu in er n ff o s el od tools that ca processor m rpose-built u p , le ib 2, ex 33 e MP rge, fl ion task. Th requiring la any demolit ly al be multiu rt to vi ed le n hand s are desig el d o d m 5 MP36 g to be paire MP345 and asic housin b a w lo al that easing processors w sets, incr f up to six ja strong g in with any o deliver atility and w , job-site vers ower hile crushing p cutting and ress on the reducing st carrier.

JlG currently operates in the region

other brands,

from its location in Jebel Ali free trade

Weidemann

zone in Dubai, where its office has

and Kramer,

10 full-time employees, led by Ian

also saw strong

Hume, appointed in 2017. Celebrating

performance.

its landmark, the company said it is

The increase in

focusing on supporting its customers in

revenue was even

the Middle East throughout the lifecycle

higher when

of their equipment, not only providing

adjusted for

new machine sales, but also delivering

currency effects,

service, product training and spare

coming in at 14%

parts. Training is mostly conducted at

over the same

dealer or distributor locations and can

quarter last year.

be a general product introduction or more technical in nature, for example to improve equipment service.

Globally, JlG has also launched its largest hybrid AWP, the H800AJ, and expanded its 600 series of telescopic booms with two new crawler versions.

9

New Bahrain plant for Ariston Thermo

Ariston Thermo has inaugurated a new 7,000sqm production facility at Bahrain International Investment Park (BIIP).

The Italian HVAC manufacturer said the new plant will employ 50 people and manufacture Ariston-

branded storage electric water heaters that will be mainly marketed in the MENA region.

The new plant provides a maximum annual production capacity of up to 250,000 electric water heaters and is in line with the sustainable model of the group, said Ariston.

“I would like to warmly thank all the Kingdom of Bahrain authorities for the welcome and the support received,” said Carlo Andreatini, director for Rapid Development Countries and Americas at Ariston.

“With this new production

CAT STRONG IN SignS oF recovery

FIRST QuARTER

inTermaT 2018 recorDs more Than 173,000 visiTors

Caterpillar saw a 31% rise in sales

site in Bahrain, we aim to strengthen our presence in this area, where the Ariston brand is already leading the water heating category for many years. Keeping production close to the most important markets is indeed a key pillar of our group’s growth strategy that allows us to better and promptly respond to the specific needs of our customers.”

Zayed R. Alzayani, Bahrain’s Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, present at the inauguration, said: “The selection of BIIP for Ariston’s first manufacturing facility in the region demonstrates the quality of the location and the competitive advantages which Bahrain has to offer to global companies.”

SAlES RISE AT TEREx CORP Terex Corporation has reported first quarter 2018 sales of $1.3bn, a yearon-year rise of 25%.

Sales for the Terex Cranes business segment grew 19% to $314m, driven by higher demand and the favourable impact of foreign exchange rates.

Operating performances also improved in the period, compared to the first quarter of last year.

Saint-Gobain to build Multi Comfort House

and revenues for Intermat 2018 saw 173,300

as “lively and vibrant…

the first quarter of

visitors from 160 countries

confirming the growth

this year, reporting

and 1,400 exhibitors attend

perspectives of a sector

figures of $12.9bn

the triennial construction

driven by innovation and

for the quarter,

equipment exhibition in

which has set its sights firmly

compared to

Paris in April, one of the

on the future”, Comexposium

$9.8bn for the same

premier exhibitions of

added that construction

period in 2017. The

its kind in the world, said

contractors, manufacturers,

company added

organiser Comexposium.

equipment and solutions

that profit per

Around 30% of them came

suppliers, rental companies

share rose to $2.74,

from outside France.

and distributors from the

described as a first-

Europe, Middle East and

quarter record. The

Comexposium, even

Africa zone saw tangible

corresponding

though visitor numbers

proof of a positive trend.

figure for the

According to

were slightly lower than

“At this edition, the

previous year was

the 183,000 at the previous

introduction of the new

$0.32 per share.

edition, this year’s show

business meetings service

Adjusted profit per

was held “amid clear signs

was a big success, with

share more than

of economic recovery and

more than 3,000 business

doubled to $2.82 in

in a distinctively business-

matches recorded, offering

the quarter .

conducive climate”. The

proof of the new-found

numbers were also recorded

vitality of the market, and

during a week that saw

of the pertinence of our

France affected by industrial

approach linking up supply

action, the organiser added.

and demand,” said exhibition

Describing the event

director Isabelle Alfano.

Saint-Gobain is building a Multi Comfort House in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi – one of 30 worldwide and the first in both the Middle East and any hot region of the world. On completion in end-2019, it will demonstrate Saint-Gobain’s “technologies for improving health and well-being by optimising the human experience within the built environment”.

“Feeling good in a building is about having the perfect

amount of light, the proper level of sound, the ideal temperature and a constant supply of fresh air. It is about design and technology, beauty and safety, efficiency and sustainability. This is precisely what Saint-Gobain can provide and demonstrate through this state-of-the-art Multi Comfort House,” said CEO Pierre-André de Chalendar.

The 400sqm project was designed on a 2,200sqm site

by Germany’s Obermeyer.

10

KIT SPOTTING JUNE APRIL 2018 2016

ManitoWoc craWler kick starts australian subWay project

W

hen work began on the ForrestfieldAirport Link subway project in the western Australian city of Perth late last year, a Manitowoc MLC650 was one of the first pieces of kit on the site.

The 650t capacity crawler crane was used to assemble the first tunnel boring machines (TBM) on the construction of the new rail link, which will connect downtown Perth with the city’s airport. Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift provided the lifting power to build one of the two TBM units, and sent its Manitowoc MLC650 to handle the task.

The $1.38bn Forrestfield-Airport Link is the Australian government’s latest effort to strengthen public transport in Perth and improve access between the city and its airport. Central to construction of the underground rail system are the TBM units, which each weigh over 160t and measure 7m in diameter.

They arrived at Forrestfield by truck, which is where the MLC650 was used to assemble and lift one of them into position. It is currently

working on an 8km stretch of the tunnel that will link Perth’s foothills with the city’s downtown area.

Drilling began last year and is expected to continue for two years.

“The Manitowoc MLC650 made assembly of this giant TBM seem easy and effortless,” said David Taylor, business development manager at Tutt Bryant. “The crane’s unique VPC gave us ample lift ability, positioning the counterweight automatically and offering unmatched versatility.”

According to Manitowoc, its unique VPC system automatically positions the counterweight to fit the required lift. The counterweight moves along the rotating bed and is positioned based on changes in boom angle and lift load.

Advantages for customers include reduced ground preparation, lower ground-bearing pressure and less counterweight, without sacrificing capacity.

Employing one of the largest crane fleets in Australia, Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift currently operates over 150 units, including pick-andcarry, rough-terrain, truck-mounted, all-terrain and crawler cranes.

11

“The Manitowoc MLC650 made assembly of this giant TBM seem easy and effortless. The crane’s unique VPC gave us ample lift ability, positioning the counterweight automatically and offering unmatched versatility”

12

NEW MODEL JUNE 2018

rough and ready Al FAris becomes the First crAne service provider in the region to tAke delivery oF liebherr’s new rough terrAin crAnes, oFFering clients Added Flexibility, oFF-roAd cApAbility And sAFety

W

ith no dearth of lifting jobs in construction, oil & gas and infrastructure projects, the Middle East is prime territory for the mobile crane. And keeping in mind the region’s general landscape with rough and often extreme job-site conditions, coupled with the harsh climate, it is not difficult to see why the rough terrain crane (RTC) is high among the list of favourites in the local lifting sector.

Recognising this, the large crane and lifting services providers in the region – and there are quite a few of note – have RTCs as a prominent part of their fleets, on call for jobs in demanding and difficult-to-access locations. In fact, in an intensely competitive market, what gives a service provider the edge is often how

modern, capable and ready its fleet is – and this is not lost on one of the biggest names in the market: Al Faris.

The Dubai-headquartered company is a 26-year old-giant that operates throughout the MENA region and has become a by-word for quality in the heavy lift and crane services sector. A family-owned business since 1992, Al Faris provides “state-of-the-art lifting and transport equipment for safe, innovative and reliable solutions in heavy lifting and transport”, according to director Kieve Pinto.

Al Faris has a workforce of more than 3,000 and currently operates across the MENA region with offices in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain as well as the UAE. The company’s comprehensive network of depots, service engineers, technicians and dedicated teams of professionals complements its extensive fleet of cranes to provide solutions for lifting jobs ranging from the regular to the extreme. This has enabled it to be partner of choice for several important and big-ticket projects in the region, Pinto points out.

And now, Al Faris has added another feather to its

cap with the addition of two new Liebherr RTCs to its fleet, becoming the first company in the region to purchase the Liebherr LRT 1090-2.1 and LRT 1100-2.1 RTCs and introduce them to the Middle East.

“These are the new generation RTCs from Liebherr, which deliver maximum safety, off-road capability, performance and flexibility. RTCs are in demand in several regions of the world, such as here in the Middle East, and Liebherr is manufacturing them after many years owing to industry demand,” Pinto explains.

The partnership between Al Faris and Liebherr is a strong one, he adds, as “Liebherr produces best-inclass cranes with the latest technology”. Indeed, Al Faris’ fleet boasts numerous all-terrain and crawler cranes from the German giant.

“In an industry where safety standards are of utmost concern, these two new LRTs have high lifting capacities with added safety features due to Liebherr’s special features, such as VarioBase technology, safe access points and a flat deck. A unique feature of the cranes is that they have a 360-degree slewing

13 Holger Amann, director, Liebherr Middle East (right), handing over the new Liebherr LRT rough terrain cranes to H. W. Pinto, founder and managing director, Al Faris Group.

range that allows unlimited turning. Both the cranes feature superb all-terrain manoeuvrability. Moreover, their ergonomic design makes them comfortable and practical for operators, ensuring better application in lifting operations, faster crane set-up time and faster operation,” says Pinto.

According to Liebherr, the LRT 1090-2.1 has a 90t capacity with a 47m full power boom. Its bigger sibling, the LRT 1100-2.1, ups the capacity to 100t and sports a 50m pinned boom. The two cranes were unveiled last year at the Conexpo construction machinery trade show in Las Vegas.

Both models are powered by a Cummins diesel engine developing 264bhp of power and a high 990Nm of torque. A six-speed powershift transmission from DANA and large 29.5 R25 tyres guarantee the required off-road capability for the two-axle cranes.

The LRT 1100-2.1’s 50m telescopic boom has a Telematik telescoping system on which the various telescoping sections can be extended independently with a single cylinder. Stability is ensured with 14t of

counterweight. The lifting capacity of the LRT 1100-2.1 is around 15% higher than that of the LRT 1090-2.1, which features a 12t counterweight with its 47m telescopic boom, using a telescoping system that consists of a two-stage hydraulic cylinder with a rope extension mechanism. Maximum hoist heights are 66m for the 90t model and 69m for the 100t model, with maximum lift radius of 50m and 54m respectively.

The VarioBase variable support base developed by Liebherr as standard on the new LRT cranes makes an important contribution to enhancing safety, allowing each individual outrigger beam to be extended to arbitrary lengths. The crane work is controlled by the load moment limiter within the LICCON controller, which precisely calculates the maximum load capacities for the current situation. This prevents accidents through human error during the assembly process and when hoisting loads.

Liebherr adds that VarioBase also provides greater flexibility on job-sites. As a result of the increased lifting capacities when hoisting over the supports,

the crane can hoist loads normally reserved for the next higher crane class.

As a comprehensive crane service provider, Al Faris will be providing qualified crane operators to its customers and also taking care of maintenance, Pinto explains.

“Our operators have undergone Liebherr-specific training by the manufacturer’s competent product trainers, and so have our engineers, technicians, and all our service and maintenance teams. We have a stateof-the-art facility in Dubai for service and maintenance, with qualified technicians working to international standards. So our customers can rest assured that our cranes will be performing in peak condition.

“This region is open to using new technology and is always excited about it. Our customers will prefer these cranes due to their added safety, faster setup and economical performance, resulting in cost savings. Al Faris is proud to be the first and so far the only company to offer these new Liebherr cranes to customers in the Middle East.”

14

HARD HITTERS JUNE 2018

Specialist off-theroad tyre maker, Magna Tyres, gets 28% of its business from OEMs and counts some of the biggest equipment brands in the world among its customers.

“Being a specialised OTR and industrial tyre manufacturer has enabled us to have a great presence in the OEM space with brands such as Terex, Liebherr, Tadano and other such major global names. Then, construction and mining companies that are global players also use our products as end users�

15

Magna’s opus

An estAblished nAme in the off-the-roAd tyre mArket, mAgnA tyres hAs mAde its mArk in the middle eAst equipment tyre mArket with product innovAtion, rAnge And quAlity, the compAny’s regionAl heAd tells CMME

F

or a tyre manufacturer that started production only in 2006, Magna Tyres has indeed come a long way and left its indelible tread marks on construction, mining, plant and other off-road sites all over the world.

The Dutch manufacturer of off-the-road (OTR) tyres has in a short span of time become one of the most prominent names in the industrial and heavy-duty tyre space. But the company has a long heritage of dealing in rubber manufacturing to fall back upon as a foundation for its success.

DRI Rubber in Waalwijk, in the south of the Netherlands, has been in the rubber compounding business for over 42 years. The family-owned firm produces master batches of rubber compounds for the global market, providing the raw material out of which tyres are made.

Using this as a head start, one of the members of the next generation of the owning family started Magna Tyres 22 years ago. Initially, the lack of a tyre production facility at home made the company lease one in far-off China, producing OTR tyres under the Magna Tyres brand using European technology and DRI’s rubber compounds and raw materials. Then a second production base began operations in Taiwan, where the company now produces its solid tyres. This year finally marked the homecoming of Magna Tyres as it opened a production facility at home in Holland. With three manufacturing bases, Magna now makes OTR tyres for the entire world.

But how does the Middle East fit into the company’s global operations? CMME put that question to Vijay Nambiar, GM for the Middle East, Africa and Indian subcontinent at Magna Tyres. A veteran of the industry, Nambiar has worked in the region’s tyre sector for several decades with big global names such as Bridgestone and Michelin.

His first association with Magna Tyres was in 2011, when he set up the brand’s first dealership in the

region, marking its entry to the region. Then, when the company finally opened a direct regional office in the Middle East, the Magna management chose him to head operations in the region.

“As a specialised OTR player and also having our own rubber compound business in the same group, we have the expertise that helps us to create some of the best-quality products in the business. We are currently supplying tyres to 130 countries globally. From our Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) office, I’m in charge of the entire Middle East, Indian sub-continent and Africa, except South Africa. As a geographic spread, this is the biggest area for Magna and my general estimate is that this area contributes at least around 35% of the company’s sales,” he tells CMME. Having a rubber compounding specialist as your parent company is always a good thing, Nambiar adds. “This is an advantage for us and we are able to hold some 12% of the mining tyres segment worldwide. We always analyse the territories we operate in and the usage patterns of our customers. Being a proprietary company is also a plus, as it means we’re a leaner entity, a lot more flexible when compared to some of the huge multinational tyre giants.

“Generally, in the mining or OTR tyre segment, advantages are calculated on a cost-per-hour (CPH) basis rather than the cost-per-kilometre calculation more prevalent in the commercial tyre segment. When we talk about the CPH of Magna’s tyres, we consistently provide the segments we serve with the best CPH figures, which means they get more value for money and return on their investment when using Magna Tyres.”

This distinction has allowed Magna to become a major player in the coveted OEM supplier arena, with a huge 28% of its business coming from the OEMs, Nambiar reveals. “Being a specialised OTR and industrial tyre manufacturer has enabled us to have a great presence in the OEM space with brands such as Terex, Liebherr, Tadano and other such major global names. Then construction and mining companies that are global players also use

16

HARD HITTERS JUNE 2018

Congo MInE

customised for success “That is our specialty in

Magna Tyres’ specialty is

tyre has a TKPH and we go in and

customisation. As Vijay Nambiar

study the operating TKPH that

the mining segment. Other

says, Magna is uniquely able to

the customer is aiming for in their

manufacturers may have standard

offer tailored tyre solutions to

operations. Then we design and

products, but we go in and

customers based on specific needs.

manufacture a tyre which suits that

make a tyre specially designed

One of the biggest examples

operating TKPH,” Nambiar says.

to work for many hours in those

is a mining company in the

“If your TKPH is, let’s say, 500, I

particular conditions. Whether

Democratic Republic of Congo.

need to give you a tyre to work for

it’s a Komatsu, Case, Hitachi,

“We went to the mine and

that TKPH. If it is higher, then it’s a

Caterpillar or Volvo, this will

studied the operations of the

waste of money; if it is lower, it will

determine the size of the tyre.

customer in detail before we

be damaging for your business.”

But each machine is working in different conditions, so we analyse

designed a tyre for them. Apart

Magna does the operating

from the standard cost per hour

TKPH study and then makes a

the condition of that particular

(CPH) calculation, we also looked

tyre according to the results.

operation. Everything remains the

at the ton-kilometre per hour

A tyre the Congo mine is very

same on the surface, but instead

(TKPH), which is a more accurate

happy with is a customised

of a general tyre we will change

measurement of costs and returns

version of Magna’s M Terrain

the compound internally, which

in a mining environment. Every

range for articulated haulers.

will show in the performance.”

our products as end users. Ports and quarries are again segments where we have a sizeable presence. In fact, ports are also a speciality segment for us, as well as cranes, where we have several premium products.”

Magna’s main focus in the Middle East is on sales, technical support and marketing. “Since we opened our regional office in RAK, we have grown exponentially and signed a lot of end user contracts. We have also appointed many distributors in countries around the region where we previously had no presence. We are still looking for partners wherever we feel we need to bolster our presence,” Nambiar says.

Magna Tyres offers customised tyre solutions to its customers, such as articulated hauler tyres developed specifically for a mining operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Second range Apart from having Magna as its premium product, the company also has a second range of OTR tyre products, called MTP. Aimed at those customers for whom buying Magna may be a stretch in terms of their budgets, MTP is also a product from the Magna Group and is a scaled-down version of the Magna Tyres brand, Nambiar adds.

“Having MTP in our offering makes us able to provide total solutions for a broad spectrum of customers – from the small end user to the big fleet owner and mine operator, and equipment rental company.

We sell both MTP and Magna brands in the Middle East and we sell them through the same distributors. We do not give MTP to a different set of distributors. Our intention is not to create two competing product lines; rather, we want to give a solution to all our users. So if our distributor is pitching for a deal and the customer says his annual budget does not allow for Magna products, then we can go in with MTP as well, which also carries the same commitment to quality as a tyre sporting the Magna brand.”

Magna Tyres’ recent success in the region, which includes deals such as the one signed with Al Faris cranes and others in Oman and Saudi Arabia, also owes a lot to the company’s understanding of the conditions and special requirements of the region.

“This region has many peculiarities. Among them of course is the very high ambient temperatures, going up to 50 degrees Celsius and beyond. And when a tyre is running, its temperature can go up to 80 and sometimes even 100 degrees. We do have tyres to match all these kinds of requirements.

We study all the conditions of whichever region we operate in and make our products accordingly,” Nambiar says.

As a rubber compounding company at heart, Magna has developed specialised tyres which meet the high temperature requirements of several areas of operations.

For instance, there are refineries and smelting plants where temperatures often go up to hundreds of degrees Celsius in pockets, and the company has tyres made out of special compounds for such applications. It supplies tyres for many such operations, such as for

17 slag pot carriers at smelting operations.

With its extensive range for all conditions and a multitude of applications, Magna Tyres is a supplier to many customers in the Middle East in the mining, quarrying and industrial sectors. An example of this is its recent deal with Al Faris for supplying mobile crane tyres.

Magna also has a global contract with Sarens, among the best-recognised global names in the cranes and heavy moving sector.

“We have a wide product portfolio based on customer needs and feedback.

An example is the MA04 tyre, which is in our giant OTR tyre range for the mining segment. We now have the MA04+ for giant rigid dump trucks like Cat 777 and Komatsu 785. The tyre has more depth and is more cut-resistant,” Nambiar explains.

“Our M Terrain range is for the articulated dump trucks. Its special feature is 60mm of rubber, which means we have increased the volume of rubber to wear out. It was under test for more than a year before we launched it at Intermat this year, and has been very well received. Similarly, for the port segment we have launched the M Terminal for terminal tractors. It comes in two sizes – 310 and 280.

“These are routine aspects of our operations. We have more new tyres being developed. We are always striving to change our product mix and to improve our tyres to offer the best in terms of technology, performance, durability, utility and value to our customers.”

Magna also has stringent policies to choose its distributors. Once a company meets those requirements, rigorous training ensues for its people before appointment as

authorised distributors.

“We also regularly visit customers and dealers, adding value to the entire experience of using Magna Tyres. And then, of course, we have constant ongoing training for our distributors so that their knowledge and handling of our products meet our strict standards. Because of our stringent standards, we are growing at a slower pace than people might expect. And that’s the way we like it. We would not like to grow fast by compromising on quality and standards. Our intention is to grow at a pace that allows us to give 100% attention to each customer and each and

Vijay Nambiar (left), GM, seen here with Berto Beulenkamp, COO, at the Big 5 Heavy, is leading Magna Tyre’s operations in the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Africa regions.

every aspect of our business. We are a detailoriented company, and we need to take care of many minute things before we grow – and that takes time,” explains Nambiar.

“We are not in the business of selling. We would rather have people come in and buy from us on the strength of our products rather than go out and sell to them. We give solutions to our customers and also products that work for them – and they keep coming back to us. Our customer retention is 100% and we have happy customers who recommend our tyres to other customers.”

Al FARIS ConTRACT

rising to expectAtions Magna Tyres has signed an annual contract with Al

Faris,” says Vijay Nambiar.

“They already knew

in both Saudi Arabia and the UAE for 2017-18.”

This is just the beginning

Faris Equipment Rentals

about our products through

LLC to supply tyres for the

the OEMs. Whenever they

of a sustained cooperation

all-terrain cranes in the

bought a new Terex crane,

under which Magna will

Dubai-headquartered rental

it came to them shod with

provide Al Faris with a high

company’s fleet. The first

Magna tyres. So they knew

level of support through

batch of 445/95R25 Magna

the product already when

its premium products and

MA03 mobile crane tyres

we pitched, which made

after-sales service, he adds.

have already been fitted to

our job easy. When we

Al Faris’ mobile crane fleet.

went in, we found them

are specially designed for

The Magna MA03 tyres

willing to listen and discuss.

mobile cranes in highway

in this region, we were

They were also looking

and off-road applications.

trying to increase our

for a high-quality tyre

They are designed to last,

customer base by targeting

partner, and who better

with a non-directional tread

companies here. We

than the OEM supplier?

design contributing to fuel

started talking to several,

So, we were able to get the

efficiency and ensuring

one of which was Al

deal for their operations

excellent operating comfort.

“When we started

18

AUCTIONS JUNE 2018

Hammering Home Ritchie BRos and euRo auctions tell CMME aBout how the inteRnet is dRiving auctions and how Recent equipment auctions in the Region have highlighted the pRevalent tRends in the middle east’s used machineRy maRket

19 Ritchie Bros.’

Dubai auction last month saw around 1,600 pieces of equipment being bid for by more than 840 bidders, who vied for items such as the Cat pipelayers below.

i

t’s no surprise that around 1600plus pieces of equipment came under the hammer at Ritchie Bros.’

(RB) latest auction in Dubai last month as more than 840 bidders battled each other to own the choicest pieces of kit on sale.

That’s, of course, not unusual at any RB auction, as Karl Werner, president, International, tells CMME. What is surprising, though, is the general economic landscape that the sale took place in and the fact that it managed to be a success despite it.

World over, the equipment sector is making a comeback so far this year, with the big OEMs such as Volvo, Terex and their ilk reporting buoyant – and for some, record – first quarter figures. Sales are up in most locations around the world, but not in the Middle East.

“For sure there is a supply imbalance in the Middle East,” Werner says. “In the rest of the world there is a shortage of equipment, and demand has been driven by infrastructure projects and booming economies in certain areas. So, we are seeing demand again in China and South-East Asia; the US is big now with high demand there. It’s the same in Europe.

But the only place globally where we see an inversion of that is in the Middle East. But no, this state of affairs in the local market is not reflected in the proceedings of our auctions.”

The reason for this is RB’s business model and the way it operates, he explains. “There’s more supply than demand locally in the GCC but we mitigate that by heavy marketing into places like Africa and South-East Asia to bring buyers in. Looking at our May auction, we have registered bidders from over 70 countries. So we are doing our job, bringing people in, and that helps support the pricing,” Werner says.

“The challenge with machines in the GCC is that they are built for this market, so in terms of emissions, they are not portable and not marked to go to Europe or the US. They are stuck in these markets here and Africa is a good choice, as well as Asia. So those are the areas we focus on to bring the buyers in.

“On the whole, there are more machines being sold from this region and there aren’t so many buyers from this region as there used to be. The market’s a little tighter but we have to work harder here to get the right buyers into the market. And because of our business model, which gives us worldwide reach, our auctions here are still recording high turnover.

“However, we are still seeing some project activity in the UAE, and Kuwait is still quite active. There are challenges in the market but our auctions are finishing strong. We are still seeing demand here in this market.”

But the patterns have changed a little, Werner

concedes, citing Saudi Arabia as an example.

“Saudi remains challenging. There aren’t too many buyers from there, but then because of a challenging projects scenario there, may be a lot of people are liquidating their assets.

We do find a lot of machines coming out of Saudi. The Saudi market turned sour on us as a buying market about three years ago. Since then it’s mainly been a selling market. There are a few Saudi buyers at our auctions, but if you talk to the OEMs, manufacturers, dealers and distributors in Saudi, new sales are down considerably over the last three years.”

Despite the scenario RB has managed to grow steadily in the Middle East. And now it is bringing in more value-added services. One such service is logistics.

“We started RB Logistics as a service company in the Netherlands about three years ago. We are expanding it now into the Middle East. We are trying to make it as easy as possible for customers to move their equipment and we will take care of it from start to finish when someone buys something. This means ground transportation, then shipping and on the ground on the other side as well. It’s like a door-to-door service for equipment you have bought or want to sell at our auctions.

And we broker the transport deals; we don’t have any vessels or trucks, so we go out, get bids from service providers, get the lowest price possible and then pass that on to our customers,” Werner explains.

Extending the RB Logistics services to the Middle East was a decision based on demand, Werner reveals. “There are lots of freight forwarders here in the region, especially in Dubai, so we thought we can provide good service for our customers and expand it here.

Add value, that’s the key – we always try to see whether we can add value.”

Another way RB is adding value to its buyers and sellers is through IronPlanet, the onlineonly auctions company - and RB’s latest acquisition. “The integration with IronPlanet was a massive project and now we’re fully into execution. Hands down, across the industry, we have the best portfolio available now as far as multi-channel offerings are concerned. We have the best-in-class live auctions through RB and the best-in-class online auction platform through IronPlanet,” Werner points out.

A service that RB is offering after the acquisition is Marketplace-E, a reserved online marketplace through IronPlanet. This is a departure of sorts for RB, as it is known for unreserved auctions, but Werner feels it accommodates more customers. “Basically, we can now fit in any requirement of a seller. So, we are becoming more of an asset management company with a diverse offering,” he says.

20

AUCTIONS JUNE 2018

IrONPlANeT ACqUISITION

new online channel Since Ritchie Bros. acquired online auction company IronPlanet, it has diversified its channels to buy and sell machinery. Besides live unreserved onsite auctions, the company’s portfolio now also includes a reserved online marketplace, called Marketplace-E, and monthly online auctions on IronPlanet.com. For the July edition of the monthly online auction, the Dubai team is preparing something special: A massive online event with special focus on equipment from the Middle Eastern region. Businesses in construction, mining and other industries will have a great opportunity to sell or buy items they need at this event.

Selling equipment on IronPlanet. com is a little bit different than selling at a live unreserved Ritchie Bros. auction. The biggest difference? Items are exclusively sold online, inspected by a team of qualified equipment specialists and can be sold directly from the owner’s yard without having to transport to an auction site. For added buyer confidence, IronPlanet offers IronClad Assurance, which lets buyers know that inspectors have personally visited the item, taken pictures and conducted a comprehensive inspection of key systems and components.

RB may be growing its service offerings, but the auctions sector itself is also growing in the region. A recent entrant is another global auctions heavyweight, Euro Auctions. So how does this affect RB’s business?

“RB has been in the market - the GCC market in Dubai - for over 20 years and so we have very deep roots here. We have a multi-national team here and great customer relations, and we have built a level of trust with buyers and sellers that takes a long time to develop. We are very proud of that, so we don’t mind competition, because competition drives innovation. There is always place for people in the market, however, it takes a long time to build trust, especially with auction companies.”

Euro Auctions has been conducting

Euro Auctions, the latest global name to enter the Middle East equipment auction space, has started out well from its large premises in Dubai, with two successful auctions this year.

unreserved auctions of plant and equipment since 1998 and today holds over 70 major auctions every year, including a number of offsite sales for leading plant hire companies, for cessation of trading, retirement sales as well as stock and fleet rotation. The Northern Irelandheadquartered company has 10 permanent auction sites worldwide, with its latest facilities added last year in Dubai and Hong Kong.

While figures for Euro Auctions’ May sale from their Dubai facility were not yet available at the time of going to press, its last Dubai auction in early March drew in a high number of bidders looking to acquire fantastic deals from an array of equipment being offered.

The final hammer total was of almost $3m, 30% of which was transacted online. Average lot prices were up over 20%. reflecting the improving quality of the equipment being consigned to the auction. New bidder registrations also rose by approaching 100 new or first-time bidders - around one-inthree of whom placed successful winning bids.

Bidders came from across the Middle East as well as from Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan; there was also a strong Western European presense, mainly from the UK, Netherlands and Spain.

Jonnie Keys, Euro Auctions’ commercial manager, says: “The quality of equipment being offered in Dubai appeals to global buyers as does our strong market presence. Both bidders and vendors like what we have achieved in the region in such a short space of time and are backing us to continue to deliver a viable and effective solution for buying and disposing of plant in the region. They appreciate the knowledgeable staff and facilities we offer in Dubai along with our access to quality equipment; coupled with the overall service and global reach Euro Auctions provides.”

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22

HARD HITTERS JUNE 2018

23

Golden batch Dubai-baseD GolDen ReaDy-mix is all set to leveRaGe its new centRally locateD batchinG plant to supply biG pRojects in the city anD use it as a spRinGboaRD foR fuRtheR expansion

W

ith the clock ticking down towards Expo 2020, sentiment remains upbeat in Dubai’s construction sector, and in the UAE’s construction landscape in general.

The positive impact that projects related to the event are having on the UAE construction sector has made it the GCC’s top market for delivering construction growth this year, according to the GCC Construction Survey by Pinsent Masons.

An industry-wide study of sentiment published early this year, the survey found that construction sentiment had improved by 7% (from 32% to 39%) in the UAE, from the previous year - the second year in a row that it has improved. The ongoing development in the country fuelled by Dubai’s Expo-related projects has also been good for the ancillary industries, with readymix suppliers being some of the main beneficiaries.

One such company looking to benefit from this optimism and growth is Golden Ready-Mix, a Dubai ready-mix supplier. The company has made heavy investments on itself in its quest to tap into this growth and become one of the best-known names in the UAE construction industry.

Among these investments is a brand-new facility in Dubai’s Al Quoz area, says E. R. Menon, CEO of Golden Ready-Mix. Built in anticipation of the market getting busier, one of its main calling cards is its central location in the city.

“Large new projects are being announced, with some likely to be completed before 2020. Others will

continue for the next 10 to 15 years, projects like Deira Island, Dubai Creek Harbour and Dubai South – these are all long-term projects that will go beyond 2020.

So for me the market will be very strong until the year 2020, but after that I expect to see a certain drop in volume, but it will continue to be active,” Menon says.

In fact, so confident is Menon about the market continuing to stay active that Golden Ready-Mix has invested in a twin batching plant in the new location in Al Quoz. The plant can theoretically do 360 cubic metres per hour, and about 280 cubic metres per hour of actual production. “That’s quite good enough for that location,” Menon thinks. “It means that in 10 hours, we can do 2,800 cubic metres. I’m targeting that kind of daily production rate.”

Elaborating about the present production targets of the plant, Menon says: “We’ve finalised a few contracts in that area, so we are already guaranteed a moderate daily production target, but the target is to do about a half million cubic metres there by the end of this year.

“However, there is a certain size of market, and we will obviously be taking a share of that market wherever we are, regardless of how many trucks, pumps or plants we have. My target is not to go for volume. The more you go into increasing volume, the more you’ll need additional plants, equipment, and with that comes additional investments.

“Tomorrow, if the market goes down, we need to be in a situation where we’re not sitting around with huge overheads, which is what happened to companies during the crisis before. We want to reach an optimum level of business and production, and then try to improve prices, if possible.”

The facility required a considerable investment, especially since Golden chose to have a twin batching

24

HARD HITTERS JUNE 2018

NEw plANT

Key fiGuRes plant production capacity: 280 cubic metres per hour Total investment: $11 million Civil work cost: $2,72 million Ice plant cost: $2,72 million pump boom length: 62m

plant and use the best equipment from well-known global brands.

“The civil works alone cost $2.72m. We have a twin batching plant which necessarily has to go with two ice plants, the aggregate shortage and all those ancillary facilities.

With the ice plant and all the other facilities, it’s another $2.72m invested. Then, when you look at the trucks and pumps, and all the other equipment which has to be made available to service production, it’s about $11m in total investment,” Menon reveals.

Top-notch equipment With the sort of budget at their disposal, and the desire of not cutting corners when it came to the kit, Golden has equipped itself with some “top-of-the-range” machinery in terms of technology.

“We use German equipment, with some items from China. The Chinese manufacturer we use is Sany, which also owns Germany’s Putzmiester, so they’re real quality suppliers. We also have two of the largest mobile pumps in Dubai, with 62m booms. I don’t know if anyone else has got them. I do know a lot of companies have 56m booms, and we also have two of them,” Menon points out.

Coming from a ready-mix background and having spent more than 30 years in the industry, Menon has a clear idea what equipment is ideal for his business, both in terms of value for money and in terms of servicing and running costs.

“We have now got a mixture of German plant machinery, trucks from Renault and Scania, while our pumps are both German and Chinese. The ice plants are also from Germany and China – it’s a mixture of good quality,” he says.

Using high-quality machines not only leads to commensurately high-quality results but also to more eco-friendly outcomes. But here, Menon’s main concern is the official norms and regulations, which are already set at very high levels.

“We are already under huge control checks from Dubai Municipality’s environmental department and other departments, for

“Our focus has always been on quality, on building a good name and reputation… and we have some good and important projects in hand.

We want to be known as one of the premium quality ready-mix suppliers in Dubai”

25 A new batching plant in centrally located Al Quoz allows Golden Ready-Mix to supply concrete to some of Dubai’s most prestigious projects, says CEO E. R. Menon.

RuSHINg To THE SITE

centRaliseD location Golden Ready-Mix’s decision

left with just one hour to do

to set up its batching

the job,” Menon explains

plant in Dubai’s Al Quoz

“If I need to do a

area is a well thought-

5,000-cubic metre raft

out one for the company,

foundation in 20 hours, for

says CEO E. R, Menon.

example, then I will probably

“Al Quoz is a key area

need 100 trucks on that job

for our operations. It’s a

alone, while still supplying

centralised location from

to other sites, which then

where we can service all of

becomes a constraint.

our projects in that area.

“Therefore, location is

With our facility in Jebel Ali,

prime. We’re very close to

when you consider the traffic

National Cement Factory,

constraints and distance, it’s

and we can get onto Al Khail

too far away. For example,

Road in less than five minutes

we did a project in the Creek

– going in any direction

Harbour and the transit

from there is very easy.”

time was around one hour.

The Al Quoz plant is central,

Generally, concrete is given

but it was very difficult to get

two hours from the time of

permission to operate a newly

batching until it is placed

formed ready-mix plant.

for usage on-site. So, out of

Golden’s installation was also

those two hours, if one hour

a bit slow because they were

is spent just getting to the

busy with other things, but

site, then the contractor is

finally the facility is on stream.

waste management, pollution control and environment, obviously. All these aspects were taken into consideration when building the Al Al Quoz facility. We want the plant to be as clean as possible. It would be more like a batching plant that’s operational in a city that’s already developed. We won’t be contributing to pollution; in fact, we want to be as green as possible,” he states.

Coming to the manpower required for the operation, he clarifies that Golden is already adequately staffed, management-wise. The only additions for the Al Quoz facility are drivers, operators and some supervisory staff. The plant requires around 100 staff to keep it operational to its potential.

“Our focus has always been on quality, on building a good name and reputation.

We’re almost there, and we have some good and important projects in hand. We want to be known as one of the premium quality ready-mix suppliers in Dubai.”

Golden Ready-Mix is now fully operational, he says and even though the company was established in 2007, a management change only happened in 2015. “Now it is made up of the most experienced personnel in the industry, who have been involved in many prestigious and landmark projects in Dubai.

We’re now in a good situation, and we want to build on that,” Menon says.

Speaking of building on a good situation leads us to Golden’s plans for the future.

And here the CEO delves into the plans that the company has to branch out and expand its operations. A plant is planned in Dubai Industrial City, he says, and will soon be taken up. And another base – a depot - is being planned in Sharjah’s Al Hamiryah Free Zone.

“For Al Hamriyah, the land development is already done, it’s just the civil works and installation of the plant that needs to be done. I expect that to take three to four months. Approvals are in place, the land is ready, levelled, compacted and fenced.

Everything is there,” he informs.

The Dubai Industrial City facility is going to be a permanent location for Golden, he adds. “We have a huge plot there and we have a huge complex planned. That will have a ready-mix facility, plus some areas for precast and for an Advanced Laboratory Centre,” Menon says.

With the wheels turning at the Al Quoz facility, Al Hamriyah planned to come on stream by June, and everything, including DIC up and running by the end of the year, Golden Ready-Mix is beautifully poised to reap rich rewards from its dedication to quality and decision to be close to its customers.

26

NEW LAUNCH JUNE 2018

With the new heavy-duty Quester, UD Trucks is targeting the Middle East’s construction sector, especially customers who prefer Japanese technology.

“The Middle East conditions are tough, with the varied terrain, high temperatures and payloads. To ensure the new models meet the needs of our customers, we tested them in real conditions for over a year (in the GCC).”

27

In quesT of Toughness

UD TrUcks laUncheD iTs QUesTer for consTrUcTion TrUck in The MiDDle easT lasT MonTh wiTh The aiM of capTUring The heavy-DUTy MarkeT ThroUgh a coMbinaTion of econoMy anD bUilD QUaliTy

T

asting success in the Middle East with its new trucks launched over the past couple of years has made UD Trucks hungry for more.

When the Quester range was launched here in 2016, UD came in primarily with the long-haul model. Waiting in the wings was the heavy-duty Quester for construction model, which was launched last month for the region.

CMME was in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) in the UAE for the launch of UD Truck’s Quester for construction last month. It marks the company’s most fully-fledged and modern heavy-duty construction platform since being bought by Volvo Trucks a decade ago. There’s a new chassis, transmission, rugged features to tackle the rigours of the construction sector and much more to the truck.

At the official launch in RAK, the Japanese heavy truck maker unveiled the new Quester models designed for heavy construction, with the Quester 6x4R-40-ton and 8x4R with hub reduction completing the heavy-duty Quester range, which was launched in the Middle East, East and North Africa (MEENA) region in 2016 and designed, sourced and manufactured for customers in the Middle East and other growth markets.

Commenting on the new Quester models, Mourad Hedna, president of UD Trucks MEENA, says: “We are very excited about the arrival of the Quester 6x4R-40T and 8x4R, which complete the Quester model range line-up. The Middle East conditions are tough, with the varied terrain, high temperatures and payloads. To ensure the new models meet the needs of our customers, we tested the model in real conditions for over a year (in the GCC). We are confident that the now complete range of Quester, with its proven fuel-efficient engines and UD Trucks quality, will set new standards of efficiency in the Middle East and other growth markets.”

28

NEW LAUNCH JUNE 2018

BEHiNd tHE WHEEL

Driving iMpression

Climbing into the cab of the

are both built suitably strong

Quester, what is immediately

for the Quester’s job profile,

apparent is the simplicity and

the engine is just as ruggedly

solidity of the cockpit layout.

built, with the truck not

In line with the positioning of

requiring frequent shifting.

the Quester, there is nothing

It seems as if the high torque

over the top or unnecessary.

will pull it out of steep climbs

No frills or luxuries.

with heavy payloads.

This is not to say that

Handling and steering

the quality is not top notch

are nimble for this size of

or that anything has been

machine. While there is

overlooked. The fit and

body roll, it’s surprisingly

finish of the dashboard is

less than trucks from some

suitably robust, as if it can

more illustrious competitors

take way more knocks than

we’ve driven lately.

the typical life on the region’s job-sites can throw at it.

Upon starting the

Overall, the impression is of a robust and stronglybuilt machine, with precise

engine, the vibrations are

and immediate handling and

surprisingly minimal for a

positive steering feedback.

truck in this bracket and

The controls are well laid

for the sort of application it

out and easy to reach and

has been designed for. The

engage, while the large

manual transmission has

gauges are clearly legible.

12 forward ratios, of which

If there is one gripe – and

six can be found at a time

we’re nit-picking here – it is

on the stick shift, with a

that the 12 ratios of the ‘box

mode switch changing the

are not available in a seamless

availability to the other six.

manner. It may be distracting

Engaging the first gear and

while negotiating a job-site

releasing the clutch, there

to find and engage the ratio

is no jerk or shudder with

flip switch when the engine

a tipping dumper body on

demands an urgent shift

the test mule. As the truck

from eighth down to five or

moves forward, it is easy to

four, which taps the meatiest

discern a torquey engine

section of the torque curve.

that demands upshifting.

The sandy desert test track

The test drive’s lasting impression, however, is the air

with a few mini dues seems

conditioning, which cooled

to be child’s play from there

the cab down in minutes

onwards. The truck just

and kept the temperature

demands to be driven roughly.

low. Looks like all the local

If the chassis and suspension

testing has had its benefit.

Taken as a whole package, UD looks like it is successfully bringing premium truck technology and services down into the more rustic climate of the value end of the market. Despite helping to create the Japanese truck industry and bringing what was then state-of-the-art technology like the vertically opposed piston engine (the name UD comes from the company’s Uniflow Diesel engine) and later pioneering the SCR model in the 1980s, the company lost its ground to competitors in the global market.

Investment from Volvo Trucks since it took 100% of shares in 2007 has seen the company take on the sales of the Swedish companies own trucks in Japan and crucially helped boost its manufacturing and development abilities. And then there is “Gemba”, UD Trucks’ own philosophy of excellence, which it incorporates into every step it takes to produce its trucks (see box).

UD Trucks’ expanded range now offers products across a wide range of medium and heavy-duty segments. In 2016 the heavy-duty Quester truck was launched in the region, followed in May 2017 by the medium-duty Croner truck. The introduction of these robust new products, as well as the addition last month of the new heavy-duty

range for heavy construction – the Quester 40t /24’ tyres with hub reduction and the 8X4 Rigid - now makes its regional offering complete, the company says.

The all-new Quester range has proven a particularly strong seller in the Middle East, because it was specifically built with the region’s customers in mind. With the Quester, UD Trucks wanted to develop a multi-purpose truck that met the wide variety of needs specific to the region, including off and on-road use, construction, distribution and long-haul.

The launch of the Quester range in the region was a major step forward for the company, the Quester’s success relies on the fact that it was developed focusing on essential key areas. It excels on the functional key needs of a typical truck user in Middle East. It is a truck that combines the best of the two offers: the European touch and Japanese quality.

According to UD Trucks the Quester range also focuses on the features that make businesses grow. These include fuel economy, payload, robustness and a wide range of applications and variants with high maintainability to extend the uptime of the truck and provide a higher RoI for customers.

Fuel economy is delivered by leveraging

29

“We wanted to develop a multi-purpose truck that met the wide variety of needs specific to the region, including off and on-road use” high technology in core components: modern high torque engines and complete drivelines, aerodynamic design and the UD fuel coaching system all serve fuel efficiency.

Robustness is delivered through a very robust chassis that offers many variants for different applications including hub reduction axles, 8x4 variants. “The newly introduced HD 6X4 40T and 8X4 rigid will enable us to compete fully in the heavyduty construction segment and we have great ambitions with this product in the region,” says Hedna.

These new models boast reinforced front suspension, higher ground clearance and an 11-litre engine (GH11E) based on the Volvo Group’s global technology resources in combination with Japanese manufacturing quality. Features such as fuel economy, payload, robustness and a wide range of applications, not only to meet different needs of the customers but also extend uptime.

Like the rest of the Quester range – and indeed all other UD products – it was developed with a Japanese hands-on, field-oriented approach established on a customer and factory floor perspective – the embodiment of UD’s Gemba philosophy of excellence. The Quester is built and refined based on insights from customers’ day-today needs and cutting-edge knowhow

gained from UD Trucks’ experience in Middle East and the Volvo Group’s global footprint, says the company.

According to Hedna, the 40T version of the Quester enables it to compete in the heavy-duty construction segment. He emphasizes that the heavy range from the Japanese manufacturer was built with the Middle East in mind.

“After the all-new Quester range proved a particularly strong seller in distribution and long-haul transportation, we wanted to develop a multi-purpose truck that met the wide variety of needs specific to the region, including off and on-road use, and construction,” says Hedna. “Our Quester model focuses on the features that make businesses grow. These include fuel economy, payload, robustness and a wide range of applications and variants with high maintainability to extend the uptime of the truck and provide a higher ROI for customers.”

The new Quester range is robust and strong, utilising a combination of global technology and Japanese craftsmanship.

The new range combines the best of three worlds; UD’s heritage of Japanese craftsmanship and customer care, Volvo Group’s global technology and aftersales know-how, and cost efficiency through local know-how.

WiNNiNg pHiLosopHy

The geMba spiriT What is gemba? It could be a

lives and breathes with the

site office, or the workshop,

truck, the driver, is also our

or the coffee house across the

customer. But Gemba is also

road. Wherever it is that your

in the workshop as it’s where

best ideas become fleshed

service is happening. It’s about

out and ready to be put into

being extremely close to the

practice, that’s your Gemba.

customer where we are taking

From the Japanese it can be translated to a place

care of their truck for them.”

The original philosophy

where value is added. You

was founder Kenzo Adachi’s

can add Gemba to your list

who 82 years ago set out to

of great Japanese-inspired

“build the trucks the world

approaches to manufacturing

needs today”. Adachi typified

like Kaizen or just in time.

the Gemba spirit that is the

“The word Gemba is where

company’s calling card. He

things are happening,” says

took his first LD1 truck and

Jacques Michel, president,

ND1 engine out on a 13-day,

Volvo Group Trucks Asia & JVs

3,000km hike on the roads

sales, giving his take on the

of Japan. Given that Japan

concept. “Where are things

was far from the advanced

happening when you think

country it is today, it must

about a truck? It happens in

have been a bruising jaunt

the plant, in engineering and

but Adachi returned with

development but Gemba also

zero breakdowns and his

happens in the customer’s

company’s (then called Nihon

hands. The person who

Diesel) reputation intact.

Powered Access rePort Powered Access Report – Gaining Access The powered access sector is a vitally important part of the construction landscape. Useful in both construction and maintenance, powered access products are not only used for façade and cladding work, and for working at heights, but also remain behind for maintenance purposes once a project is complete. and with recent advancements in the sector, powered access products now offer ever greater reach and height, along with fuel and power options for a variety of usage conditions.

Manufacturers, Dealers, Services and Trends CMME takes a look at the powered access sector in a report that will cover the major manufacturers, dealers, rental companies and service providers, as well as the machines, projects, training, safety and trends in the sector.

Contact us Now The Powered access report will reach over 45,000 industry professionals across the Mena region via print and digital issues of Construction Machinery Middle east august 2018 issue.

Tom Bromley adverTising tom.bromley@cpitrademedia.com +971 56 834 2600

anirban Bagchi ediTOriaL anirban.bagchi@cpimediagroup.com +971 50 945 6963

31

R E W O P RAW EED TO N U O Y G N I EVERY TH

KNOW

34

32_neW reLeases The latest releases from the world of construction machinery.

36_MOving The Mix Transit mixer manufacturers look to new models and technologies to keep their edge in a popular segment.

TOP 10: ixer TransiT M n TiPs OPeraTiO

and intenance Safety, ma ng tips for usi operation your mixer.

40_caT’s MiLesTOne Caterpillar’s giant mining hauler reaches 5000th production unit.

32

NEW RELEASES JUNE 2018

JlG adds Crawlers to 600 series Boom lifts Why get it?

HigH plaTform capaciTy, fasTer lifT speeds and mulTifuncTion operaTions

JCB launChes CompaCt traCked teleskid Why get it?

Telescopic boom brings single mosT innovaTive developmenT in compacT loaders JCB has built on its wheeled Teleskid model’s success to introduction a new tracked machine – the 3TS-8T. Based on a large-platform compact tracked loader chassis, the Teleskid delivers all the manoeuvrability benefits of the compact leader design with the added advantage of a long-reach telescopic boom.

“This is the single most innovative development of the compact tracked loader concept since its launch 20 years ago. The machine lifts higher, reaches further and digs deeper than any other compact tracked loader of this size,” said JCB chief Innovation and Growth officer Tim Burnhope.

The extending boom raises maximum loadover height to 3.8m with the boom extended, almost 1m more than the standard retracted boom. In addition, the JCB Teleskid delivers a forward reach at ground level of 2.25m and a maximum reach at full height of 1.7m, allowing the operator to load or unload a truck from one side. The loader has a rated capacity of 732kg with the boom extended, rising to 1.67t retracted, offering a significant boost over the wheeled model.

Tipping the scales at 5.72t with a full operator’s cab, or 5.66t with a canopy, the tracked Teleskid boasts a retracted tipping load of 4.78t, retaining a substantial 2.09t maximum load with the boom extended.

As well as the additional loading height and forward reach, the Teleskid’s telescopic boom provides the operator with the option of digging or powering attachments at depths of up to 1m below ground level, to remove tree roots, clear ditches or work below grade.

The Teleskid’s single arm geometry allows the machine to deliver bi-directional parallel lift, with bucket self-levelling on raise and lower. Standard auxiliary hydraulics provide 90l/min of flow to power attachments with the arm extended, or a high-flow 125l/min with the boom retracted. Leakfree connectors on the boom head have a pull clip to release hydraulic pressure, for easy changeover of attachments.

The machine has a solid undercarriage with twin-speed track motors. The wide, traction lug rubber tracks provide maximum grip in difficult ground conditions. The Teleskid is powered

by JCB’s 4.4l EcoMAX diesel engine, delivering 74hp and 400Nm of torque.

SPECIFICATIONS

Jcb 3Ts-8T Teleskid Net power: 74hp Torque: 400Nm Max loadover height with boom extended: 3.8m Loader capacity with boom extended: 732kg

JLG has expanded its 600 series telescopic boom lifts launched at Conexpo last year with their addition of crawler versions – the 600SC and the 660SJC. “The series offers class-leading platform capacity, allowing operators to bring more tools and material to the work area,” said Jan-Willem van Wier, senior product marketing manager, JLG EMEA. “The new 600S has an unrestricted capacity of 270kg, which represents a 20% increase over its prior model, with a restricted capacity of 455kg. The unrestricted capacity of the 660SJ has increased by 50% to 340kg, with a restricted capacity of 250kg.”

Lift speeds on these new booms are faster with the ability to operate multiple functions at once significantly improved, enabling them to reach full height quickly for increased productivity. In addition, the machines are easier to transport. Their lighter-weight telescopic booms allow multiple transport configurations.

The new 600S and 660SJ include the JLG SkyGuard enhanced control panel protection system as standard. The SkyGuard sensor, when activated by approximately 23kg of force, stops all functions in use, temporarily reversing the unit.

33

Cat updates pl61 line of pipe layers Why get it? increased performance, load capaciTy and safeTy feaTures wiTH easier mainTenance Caterpillar has launched its updated PL61 line of purpose-built pipe layers with improved safety and performance features.

Retaining its familiar comfort and easy maintenance features, the new PL61 offers 18.14t of maximum load capacity. An easy 3,240mm transport width, combined with the support of Cat’s extensive dealer network, makes for easy transportability and availability of the equipment when and where needed by customers, says Caterpillar.

The PL61 offers both open and enclosed cab models, featuring a factory integrated roll over protective structure (ROPS) to help protect operators and the machine in case of a rollover. The rear window exit and the quick

drop release function are now common across the Cat pipe layer product line for added safety.

The PL61 features an available rear vision camera with a dedicated display providing added visibility to the back of the machine.

The Load Monitor Indicator (LMI) is also available and is a mandatory attachment where required to meet regional regulations.

In addition to comfort and ease of operation, the new PL61 offers faster steering response than its predecessor for superior manoeuvrability on the pipeline, while a more robust fuel system stands up to lower quality fuel. Powered by Cat’s ACERT diesel engine, the PL61 meets the highest global emissions standards, while a configuration is also available for less regulated markets.

Maintenance is fast and easy with ground level access to grouped service points.

According to the company, the worldwide Cat dealer network understands the unique

support required by pipeline job-sites, especially in remote areas, and is the single source for parts and service on all components.

Telematics is taken care of by the Cat Connect LINK technologies, which wirelessly connect users to their equipment, providing insight into machine or fleet performance.

The machines feature integrated Product Link suites, providing easy access to timely information such as location, hours, fuel usage, idle time and event codes. Data is available via Cat’s online VisionLink user interface.

SPECIFICATIONS

caT pl61 pipe layer Net power: 130hp Max load capacity: 18.14t Shipping width: 3,240mm Shipping weight: 17.5t

34

TOP TEN JUNE 2018

01 clEaN REgulaRly Make sure to clean your mixer on a regular basis, including the mixing paddles and drum. Clean the mixer using a water hose to wash away fresh concrete before it starts setting; setting makes it harder to get rid of at a later stage.

02 REmOvE cONcRETE build-uPs If you see concrete build-up in the drum, use a high-pressure water pump to remove it. If a high-pressure water pump is unable to remove the build-up, carefully chip it away with a chisel.

: n e t p to d n a y t e f a s r e mix s p i t n o i operast eration p o e F a s r e steps Fo he mixer r u o Follow t y F o nance e t n i a m and

03

caREful ON TuRNs With the way mixed concrete behaves due to its viscous state – just as any other liquid or semi-solid material – the centre of gravity of the transit mixer is usually at a precarious point of stability which is easily disturbed by inertia caused by lurching motions. Be extra cautious while turning, always ensuring a slow enough speed for stability.

Keep g rotatkein ep the drum

ant to It is import direction the mixing in g n ti ta ro t 3-4rpm eed – abou sp g n ti a it g a at not only nsport. This a tr g n ri u d – cy of the e consisten th s in ta in a m ents it ut also prev concrete b arts, the mixer p sticking to the life and improving f the mixer. efficiency o

04

35

05

06

clEaR PaTh Construction job-sites are usually littered with debris, material and a host of tools and implements, not all of which are safe for tyres. Clear any steel rebar, timbers with nails, wire and other objects that may damage the transit mixers’ tyres, and ensure the pathway to the discharge area is free.

ENsuRE fiRm aNd dRy gROuNd Before driving into the discharge area, ensure the ground is adequately firm and dry. A transit mixer is a considerably heavy piece of equipment and can easily sink into wet and muddy ground or sandy soil and construction debris. Keeping the drum level or within a safe recommended angle is also a plus for quick and effective discharge of the concrete.

BlocK wheelse mixer,

rating th Before ope truck heels of the block the w d n inertia vibrations a so that any that get tating drum unable from the ro wheels are e th to d te ke and transmit parking bra e th r e w o ges or to overp le. Use wed ic h e v e th move ents to ing implem other block ubly d eels as a o jam the wh easure. protective m

09 08

slOw dOwN aT dischaRgE While approaching the discharge area, always maintain a slow, crawling and even speed, not exceeding 10km/h. This will prevent sudden, jolting stops or starts which, combined with the inertia of the vehicle and its load, might lead to a loss of stability.

maiNTaiN adEquaTE disTaNcE While the drum is rotating, it is important to stand clear of certain areas for safety. For example, do not climb the ladder or platform, or stand on the chutes while the drum rotates and the mixing paddles spin inside it.

Serious injury may result.

10

07

safETy kiT All mixer trucks in your fleet should be equipped with a safety kit. Among other things, the kit should include fire extinguishers, flares, spare fuses and light bulbs, a first aid kit and accident report forms – with the aim being to tackle minor emergencies for both men and the machine.

36

COVER STORY JUNE 2018

Moving the Mix

With transit mixers among the most important pieces of kit in the middle east’s concreteguzzling construction landscape, major players in the sector discuss the models and technologies they have devised for the region

T

he most ubiquitous of all construction machinery and related equipment on the roads of the GCC countries is not the crane or the dump truck, the excavator or the skid-steer, but the humble transit mixer. Indeed, so high are its numbers on our roads and so much is it a part of normal everyday traffic, that it has become commonplace enough to not catch the eye.

But this often-ignored piece of kit is actually the bulwark of the construction sector anywhere. Whether it is the boom times of not so long ago or the leaner present economic scenario, the GCC countries never stop building. And this keeps the wheels and barrels of transit mixers in the region turning as they rush from ready-mix concrete plants to job-sites with their cargo of the ready-to-pour stuff that the skyscrapers, bridges and flyovers of the region are made of.

The importance of the transit mixer to the construction process cannot be overstated. Without this piece of equipment, the furious pace of construction that countries like the UAE are used to seeing would slow down considerably. Every project would need its own concrete plant built adjacent to it on-site – which is surely a financial and logistical impossibility.

Now that we have established the importance of the transit mixer – not that it needed establishing – let us look into what the equipment is all about and what its exponents offer in the market.

A name that readily comes to mind is CIFA. The Italian concrete product specialist, now owned by Chinese giant Zoomlion, makes some of the best and most cutting-edge mixer products.

Speaking to CMME about CIFA products and the concrete equipment market in the region, Wajih Eit, GM, Zoomlion Gulf, says: “The demand for concrete in the region is quite different from one country to another. While in Saudi Arabia it’s lower than previous years, in the UAE there’s a huge demand for concrete, especially in Dubai, where different big projects were launched

37 Part of CIFA’s HD series of transit mixers for the Middle East, the HD15 is the only mixer with 15 cubic metres of nominal capacity that can be installed on a four-axle truck.

recently and are under construction already. We can say the same for Kuwait – important investments in the construction sector were released in 2017, which of course increased the concrete demand.”

Coming to his company, Eit says the Zoomlion Group is one of the biggest worldwide machinery suppliers and has also been able acquire leading European companies, such as CIFA SpA (Italy), one of the three global leaders in concrete equipment.

“One of the strategies of our group was to unify all the construction machinery businesses units under Zoomlion’s umbrella. We know very well that any project requires different equipment, so my main target today is to ensure smooth and complete coordination among the different business units we have - Concrete Equipment, Tower Cranes, Mobile Cranes, Earthmoving and Piling Machineries – within our team, and to provide a complete solution to our customers with our high level of support, service and follow-up,” Eit adds.

And in the discharge of this strategy, CIFA assumes great importance as the company’s concrete arm. “Already today, CIFA is enjoying a very wide and high-level dealer network in the region. In order to support them properly, and consequently our end users, we’re invested not only in human resources, but also in spare parts. Our hub in Zoomlion Gulf today is already geared up to deliver CIFA parts to the whole region in less than 24 hours,” Eit says.

“We are now closer to CIFA customers in the region with a branch under the Zoomlion Group - Zoomlion Gulf - which I’m in charge of. Our group presence in Jebel Ali includes a 10,000sqm yard and hub for spare parts. The stock includes CIFA equipment and spares. Zoomlion Gulf will be the regional distributor for CIFA spare parts in the GCC region.”

CIFA’s strategy for the UAE market in 2018 will be direct selling of its transit mixers to end-users, having onboard a complete team of sales, engineers and technicians, besides the stock of parts and machines suitable to cover the whole region, not only the UAE. “Our main target is to give full support to our dealers by having a dedicated team following their business - we have people in different countries in the GCC - and the stock of machines and parts to shorten delivery time and reduce their investments in terms of inventory. However, for the UAE market only, we decided to have a direct sales strategy and ensure that we have all that is needed - subsidiary, dedicated team, inventory, investment and focus on our products - within the country.”

CIFA earlier used to follow a policy of customising its products for the Middle East market and its conditions. But a couple of years ago, the company took the very significant step of introducing a whole series of products, the HD – Heavy Duty - specifically for the Middle East countries.

“Harsh environments, high temperatures and bumpy desert tracks are home for these mixers. Specific solutions were developed such as wider drum rollers, drum anti-rebound systems, increased chassis beam resistance, oversized heat exchangers, and so on.

The HD series has just been enlarged with the HD15, the only truck mixer with 15 cubic metres of nominal capacity that can be installed on a four-axle truck,” says Eit. CIFA has also developed the first plug-in hybrid truck mixer in the concrete industry, the Energya. This mixer is able to keep the drum rotating when the truck engine is turned off using batteries and an electric motor. With the Energya, CIFA has experienced up to 30% of reduction in fuel consumption, lower CO2 emissions and the benefit of a significant noise reduction that is good for cities or closed worksites, such as tunnels. The company says the Energya is already working successfully in many European

38

COVER STORY JUNE 2018

countries but is not yet mainstream. However, CIFA hopes to be a pioneer in bringing new sustainability in the concrete mixers industry.

Another concrete specialist, Germany’s Putzmeister, which is also Chinese-owned after being acquired by Sany a few years ago, styles itself as a very niche transit mixer maker. Most noted for its concrete pumps, Putzmeister does, however, offer mixers as an on-demand product for its Middle Eastern customers.

Speaking with CMME, Paul Bruns, regional director, Middle East, at Putzmeister, says: “Four years back Putzmeister acquired a company called Intermix in the south of Germany.

Intermix was founded by the owners of the Stetter company after they had sold Stetter to Schwing. Intermix now makes transit mixers for Putzmeister.

“Capacity-wise Intermix is small, though it is a premium manufacturer. Its main focus is Germany, France and the European markets, where its high-quality offerings are more in demand. Of course, it’s in our interest to also sell transit mixers under the Putzmeister brand in the Middle East region, so we have recently changed or developed the Intermix products a little bit further to build a product portfolio to also cater more for the needs of the Middle Eastern customer. The mixers have the Putzmeister branding on them, so of course that is a guarantee of quality and performance that the market knows us for,” Bruns says.

“The changes that Putzmeister has made are a combination of the welding and the steel.

Our steel is high-quality Bormagan steel from Thyssen in Germany. So, steel is one of the major components of our GCC specifications.

Of course, everyone has a different welding technique and a slightly different drum capacity, but then what matters is that the mixer, the gear box and the hydraulics are all German made.

“Another important factor for this region is to adjust the product to, first of all, bumpier road conditions, so obviously the drum support has been prepped for more stress.

Then there is the heat, which is a major issue, so you cannot use the same cooling fan or the same cooling requirements as in Europe.

So, this is another major modification on all our mixers for this region.

Liebherr and Putzmeister offer transit mixers in the region, with the former’s 1204 (above) and the latter’s Intermix derived models proving popular in the Middle East.

“With Europe being a sophisticated market with several demands, we also developed digital tools and telematics to improve production and the delivery; it’s like you have it in trucks and other fleet maintenance or management systems.”

Speaking of telematics brings us to the latest development s in the sector, and Laith Haboubi, regional business director, Middle East, Turkey, Africa and India, for GCP Technologies, says: “With more than 22,000 ongoing projects worth $2.5 trillion across the GCC construction sector, there is a clear need for technology to allow the industry to maximise its market potential across the board – operationally, commercially and quality-wise.”

GCP is a solutions provider for monitoring concrete from production to pouring, including monitoring systems for transit mixers with its Verifi system. “The visibility into operations provided by the Verifi system provides ready-mix producers the opportunity to make improvements around asset utilisation, mix design optimisation and job-site performance metrics. Additionally, Verifi in-transit managed concrete has the highest quality,” Haboubi says.

With electronic monitoring of the mixed concrete, the process generates data, which is owned by the ready-mix producer and stored securely in the cloud. Furthermore, clients have the ability to access data in real time through a browser-based portal that couples limited reporting, an executive dashboard and the ability to send real-time messages to and from the truck. (see box).

Another European giant that is very active in the Middle East’s transit mixer space is

39

ClOud-baSEd SYSTEm

monitoring the mix

American company GCP

in pursuing the technology

Applied Technologies’

further. We will continue our

Verifi In-transit Concrete

sales process in the Middle

Management system uses

East, leading to our first

sensors installed on ready-

customer in that market.”

mix trucks to measure,

Describing the Verifi In-

manage and record concrete

Transit Concrete Management

properties in transit. Using

system as an “innovative

cloud-based technology, Verifi

technology” and the “only one

customers are able to connect

of its kind in the marketplace”,

with real-time data to monitor

Haboubi explains that the

and improve the quality and

system monitors, measures

performance of concrete,

and manages concrete slump

increase productivity and

and other properties from

accelerate job completion.

batch plant to job-site.

The system has been

“It provides visibility to data

available since 2010 and

in real time to help producers

now GCP has acquired

and contractors consistently

Canada’s SensoCrete, whose

meet target concrete

technology it intends to use

specifications, while lowering

in the existing Verifi system to

production costs and reducing

extend the number and type of

waste. Every managed load of

concrete properties measured,

concrete arrives at the job-site

offering ready-mix customers

within specification, ready to

a greater range of data and

be discharged without any

more commercial advantages.

manual adjustments,” he adds.

Already operational in the

“On installing Verifi

US, GCP Technologies now

producers could realise

intends to expand the reach

savings of $3-5 per cubic

of its Verifi systems. “Global

metre. Importantly, improved

expansion of the Verifi system

service, quality and a

is currently underway,” says

differentiated offering to

Laith Haboubi. “The positive

the market could increase

feedback we have received

market share and revenue.

from the Middle East would

Another benefit of the system

indicate a strong need for

is the positive impact on

intelligent monitoring and

sustainability. We estimate

management systems in the

there is potential for reduction

regional ready-mix concrete

in cement and fuel usage from

industry. We have presented

less high-speed revolutions

to several customers who

and reduction in waste from

have all been very interested

less returned concrete.”

Liebherr, which offers a line-up of 14 models in the region with various capacities and features. The 12.9 cubic metre HTM 1204 model, available in both truck and trailer versions, is one of Liebherr’s best-selling models in the region and is popular at numerous jobsites in the region. However, not resting on its laurels, Liebherr has recently introduced the 1304 model with the Middle East specifically in mind.

Ali Kassem, regional sales manager, Concrete Equipment Division, Liebherr Middle East, says the new model is also a 12-cubic metre model, built on the new Mercedes Arocs truck chassis, but it provides more internal volume on the same footprint and exterior dimensions to control spillage, backflow and viscosity of the concrete being transported.

“Being a very new model, we are still familiarising customers about the 1304’s benefits. The market has moved to the 12-cubic metre models, and when we tell customers that our new model is the 1304, they ask whether they can fill 13 cubic metres, whereas the model is still a 12-cubic metre mixer but has more water volume.

“A larger water volume helps the concrete to be more fluid in the mixer, but that increases the risk of spillage while driving. So, we increased the water volume so that users can fill high-flow concrete without the risk of spillage on the road,” Kassem explains.

Liebherr also signed an agreement with Diamler Commercial Vehicles last year which will see the latter supply it with 200 units of Mercedes-Benz Actros trucks for Liebherr transit mixers to help firms across the UAE deliver on their infrastructural commitments in a growing construction landscape.

The partnership comprises a supply of 200 Actros 8x4 trucks with 12-cubic metre Liebherr mixers, out of which 100 units were supplied to one of the largest ready-mix companies in the UAE. The state-of-the-art technology comes with a ‘Connected Trucks’ concept where a “Fleetboard” system is used for vehicle tracking and driver performance measurement. The combination of Mercedes chassis and Liebherr mixer bodies is a perfect technically coordinated fit, and forms reliable and high-quality truck mixer units, say the two companies. EMC, the authorised MercedesBenz distributor in Abu Dhabi supplied the vehicles with a five-year extended warranty.

Additionally, EMC also provided driver training courses for enhanced safety on the road and economical driving techniques.

Markus Mueller, Liebherr’s marketing and sales director, says: “This strategic partnership with EMC aimed to increase our existing mixers to address the growing demand in the infrastructural industry where comfort, economy, driving dynamics and variety are concerned. It is also the result of our business expansion strategy in this market.”

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Experience the progress.

Economic transport of concrete with the HTM 1304 • Ideal solution for High Flow Concrete • Longer lifetime • User-friendly design

Liebherr Middle East FZE P.O. Box 2540 Dubai Tel: +971 4 889 1740 E-Mail: ali.kassem@liebherr.com www.facebook.com/LiebherrConstruction www.liebherr.com