Construction Machinery ME December 2020

ISSUE 108 2020 DECEMBER

PLUS

UT WORKINGKFLEAET-PO IT

ORS T C A P M O C ODELS M W E N W ITH ROLLING MENT P I U Q E G KIN ROAD-MA

R O F E S A AC S D A RO

EX-D 7 0 1 1 E H T OF N O I OF T E C T U I D U S O R L L T IN FU WITH THEOR, CASE OFFERS A OAD PROJECTS COMPACTEARTHWORKS ON R R O F S E N I H MAC

UAE: +97143385461/+971503690590 Bahrain: +97317700008/+97336044006

Saudi Arabia: +96611812182/+966581458696 Kuwait: +96522050269/+96560022453

Oman: +96824597950/+96897750443 Qatar: +97444076300/+97466969521

In a world of tough working conditions where everything’s hard going, the JCB 116D makes things easy. It rolls harder, drinks less and is easy to operate and maintain, saving you both time and money. With a simple mechanical fuel injection system that overcomes poor fuel quality and an engine and hydraulics designed to work in perfect harmony, the JCB 116D has been built to work anywhere. Your world is hard enough. JCB just made it a whole lot easier.

For more information, contact your local dealer.

www.jcb.com

CONTENTS

DECEMBER 2020 6_NEWS The latest news from across the region and further afield.

12_LIVING ITS LEGACY CMME speaks with Kannan Chandrasekaran, Kanoo Machinery’s head of UAE and Oman operations, about how the group is performing.

18_A CASE FOR ROADS With the introduction of the 1107EX-D compactor, Case CE now offers a full suite of machines for earthworks on roadbuilding projects.

18

22_COMPACTS FOR COMPACTION

10 SPOTTED R DE DOWxNTruUckN s’ ADT re

Bobcat expands into the roadmaking equipment segment with the launch of its first range of light compaction machines.

R E W O P RAW E L E A SE S

chinery. ruction ma st n co f o d the worl leases from The latest re

28_ NEW R

EN 30_TOP T eps to Ten basic st

ger

extract lon

tter work life and be

10

Te g with haulin impresses an in Australi landfill site

12

22

. ompactors

c from your

es.

ND SHIN Y actors excellent top layer finish A H T O O 32_SM give contr halt pavers Volvo CE Vogele and

asp

T G FL AT OU st in the compaction sector.

N I K R O W _ 34 the late e details on makers giv Major roller

E e. , CAT-STYL hines play the iconic video gam N A M C A P 40_ its mac video sees Caterpillar ’s

32

ninth trials

34

2

EDITORIAL DECEMBER 2020

GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5471 MANAGING PARTNER VIJAYA CHERIAN vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5713 EDITORIAL EDITOR ANIRBAN BAGCHI anirban.bagchi@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5715

THE YEAR THAT MUST NOT BE NAMED This has been a year that seemed like a neverending dark fantasy movie. And even now, as we near the end, it seems it’s not over yet and the villain of the piece is still at large, lurking in the shadows, ready to strike back.

The very fact that it has been banished to the shadows, however, speaks volumes about the way the world has tackled a year that will go down in history as one memorable for all the wrong reasons, even though everyone woudl like to forget it. But the lessons the year leaves behind and our collective resilience in the face of adversity need to be remembered.

In construction, that resilience came in the form of contractors and rental companies stretching to keep projects operational despite the constraints. Just as great, if not greater, was the spirit and dedication of equipment dealers and manufacturers as they kept parts supply open and ensured customers received timely service – all while keeping the safety of their own employees and stakeholders in mind.

In the process, the entire sector gained some valuable knowledge – that of better utilisation of resources at its disposal and the importance of adopting and adapting to new technologies. Video-conference with customers when direct contact was not feasible, and running training webinars is simple enough. The technology involved in these is easy as child’s play, usually requiring minimal cost. Cometh the time and there was little hesitancy to use them.

What was more surprising – and encouraging – to note was how telematics, machine control, remote monitoring and operations and other IoT enabled features, which the region has hitherto avoided for cost reasons, suddenly became sought after.

And with good reason too, as Dynapac explains in this issue. The road machinery

specialist’s Dyn@Link telematics system helped its personnel monitor customer assets during the worst of the pandemic, logging performance data to spot potential trouble, pre-empting them with preventive maintenance, and also troubleshoot problems in their machines working many hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away.

Without the Dyn@Link, there would have been no way to ensure high uptime and continuous work for Dynapac customers.

Similar stories can also be found with the likes of Volvo CE, JCB and most other major brands, indicating a need for the new technology systems and willingness to invest in them.

Some manufacturers have also taken the bull by the horns this year, such as Bobcat, which bided its time for most of 2020, pushing back planned launches of important models.

Finally, in the last few months it went on a launch spree that has so far seen it introduce various new models – such as skid-steer and compact loaders, backhoe loaders and telehandlers, while promising more in 2021.

The company has also ventured into the completely new segment of light compaction equipment with equally satisfying results, proving that courage will be rewarded.

As we roll into 2021 with hope, we see that what hasn’t beaten us has only made us stronger. Happy New Year!

Anirban Bagchi Editor, CMME

SUB EDITOR AELRED DOYLE aelred.doyle@cpitrademedia.com ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER BRIAN FERNANDES brian.fernandes@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5479 DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR SIMON COBON simon.cobon@cpitrademedia.com DESIGNER PERCIVAL MANALAYSAY percival.manalaysay@cpitrademedia.com MARKETING ADMINISTRATION EXECUTIVE ZAARA KHAN zaara.khan@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5470 CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER VIPIN V. VIJAY vipin.vijay@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5713 DISTRIBUTION MANAGER PHINSON MATHEW GEORGE phinson.george@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5476 WEB DEVELOPMENT ABDUL BAEIS SADIQ SIDDIQUI FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA (1959-2015) PUBLISHED BY

The publisher of this magazine has made every effort to ensure the content is accurate on the date of publication. The opinions and views expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect the publisher and editor.

The published material, adverts, editorials and all other content are published in good faith. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publisher in writing.

Publication licensed by Dubai Development Authority to CPI Trade Publishing FZ LLC. Printed by Printwell Printing Press LLC. CPI Trade Media. PO Box 13700, Dubai, UAE. +971 4 375 5470 cpitrademedia.com © Copyright 2020. All rights reserved.

Experience the Progress.

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4

ONLINE DECEMBER 2020

MOST POPULAR

FEATURED

CONSTRUCTION

WATCH THE FIRST SECTION OF THE LINK LIFTED INTO PLACE

CSCEC secures $2.2bn loan to finance work on CBD project in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital

ON ONE ZA’ABEEL

CONSULTANT

Saudi Arabia moves ahead with privatisation of water sector with WTTCO launch

ADVICE: Top ten ways to improve construction

MACHINERY

ACT Crane & Heavy Equipment expands fleet with 16 new Demag cranes

CONSTRUCTION

GE’s Grid Solutions business wins major maintenance contract in Kuwait

Congratulations to everybody concerned with this uplifting - sorry, couldn’t resist! - story (Watch the first section of The Link lifted into place on One Za’abeel). This is undoubtedly one of the most impressive feats of engineering and lifting we have seen in recent years and a reminder what we do better than most of other places in the world. Namely, stretching the boundaries of what’s possible. The numbers alone are just staggering: 8,500 tonnes of steel (apparently that’s the same as 14 A380s!) lifted to the height of 100m over one of the busiest interchanges in Dubai. The technology, planning and logistics needed during a pandemic to do it are equally impressive. I think in the past we may have taken these kinds of project for granted but it is great to see the UAE push the envelope once again. I’m sure most of us veterans of the industry here are happy to preach that we can learn from the mistakes of the past but let’s allow ourselves a moment to enjoy our peers’ accomplishments on this.

Well done all!

MACHINERY

Caterpillar plays PAC-MAN in latest Trial Series video

READERS’ COMMENTS

ANALYSIS: Taking green building mainstream

Name withheld by request

NEXT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AT BOBCAT

We invented the compact equipment industry, and now we’re reinventing it.

Get the complete solution for any jobsite with our line-up of powerful and versatile machines: R-SERIES BACKHOE LOADERS M-SERIES COMPACT LOADERS LIGHT COMPACTION RANGE SMALL ARTICULATED LOADERS For more information, contact your local dealer or visit www.bobcat.com

6

GIANT OTR TYRE

BKT READY TO TEST NEW EARTHMAX SR 468

JECTS, O R P W E FICES, N F O W E N , HINES OUND R A K O NEW MAC O L IVES – WE T A MONTH I T S I I N H I T W W E E N HAT’S N W T A N O I THE REG

Global off-the road (OTR) tyre

NEW CEO FOR

heavyweight, Balkrishna Industries

CNH INDUSTRIAL

Ltd. (BKT) has announced it will soon

CNH Industrial,

go into the testing phase with its new

the owner of

57-inch giant Earthmax SR 468 tyre

brands such as

developed for rigid dump trucks.

Case Construction

The Indian multinational said the

Equipment, New

prototype of the huge tyre is ready

Holland, Iveco

and has been made in the 40.00 R 57

and FPT, has

size, with tests to commence shortly

announced the

by BKT engineers, which will go on

appointment of

until at least spring next year. The new

Scott W. Wine

tyre joins BKT’s large Earthmax family

as its new chief

of radial tyres for off-road vehicles

executive officer,

equipped with all-steel structures

effective January

which provide greater resistance to the

4, next year.

casing and hence against damage.

Wine joins CNH

According to BKT, a special feature

Industrial from

of the Earthmax SR 468 is the tread

Caterpillar launches new 349 excavator

North American

design and the compound developed

company Polaris

to limit heat generation. The E-4

Inc. where he was

depth of the tread provides extreme

CEO since 2008

resistance in highly challenging

and chairman

conditions, said the manufacturer.

2013. He has

to manufacture the Earthmax SR 468

Caterpillar has introduced its Next Generation Cat 349 excavator which replaces its older 349D2 model and promises to offer up to 45% more operating efficiency, up to 25% more fuel efficiency and up to 15% less maintenance costs over the previous model.

Cat said the new 349 has the industry’s highest level of standard factory-installed technology to enable improved operating efficiency, including Cat Grade with 2D. The system gives operators visual guidance to grade via the standard touchscreen monitor so they can make more accurate cuts and is readily upgradable to Cat Grade with Advanced 2D or 3D for enhanced accuracy.

Technology features also include Grade Assist, which automates boom and bucket movements to help operators of all skill levels improve their results; Cat Payload for increasing operators’ loading efficiency with on-the-go weighing and real-time payload estimates calculated without

also previously

was delivered to its plant in Bhuj,

held executive

Gujarat, in January, but was installed

positions

only after full operations resumed

with United

following a temporary shutdown

Technologies

due to Covid-19. The new machines

Corporation,

to manufacture the new tyre were

Danaher Corp. and

installed by BKT engineers with

Allied Signal Corp.,

online support from the supplier.

swinging to help prevent overloading and underloading trucks; and Lift Assist to quickly calculate the weight of the actual load being lifted and compare the result to the rated capability of the excavator. Visual and auditory alerts indicate whether the machine is within a safe working range.

Other technology features are E-Fence, which prevents the excavator from moving outside operator-defined points, helping protect the machine, underground utilities and other objects from damage; and Cat Product Link, which provides a constant stream of wireless information available via the online VisionLink interface, allowing machine managers in the office to quickly evaluate critical operating information.

“Fuel efficiency is work per unit of fuel, and the 349 does more work per unit than the 349D2,” said Cat. The new Smart Mode system automatically matches engine and hydraulic power to digging conditions, reducing fuel consumption.

and CEO since

which became

BKT said the new tooling required

Rajiv Poddar, joint managing

Honeywell

director, BKT, said: “Despite the

International,

pandemic and the extreme difficulties

Inc. after a 1999

caused by the situation, in BKT we

merger. He also

achieved the impossible: going ahead

served as a United

very determinedly but with a similar

States naval

focus on people, who for us are the

officer.

company’s real assets. With this giant 57” tyre, the prototype of which has been made thanks to the extraordinary determination of my fellow workers, we wish to send a positive message to the market, to our partner distributors and to our end users.”

8

NEWS ROUND-UP DECEMBER 2020

RAISING CAPACITY

ACT expands fleet with 16 new Demags

Saudi crane rental company ACT Crane & Heavy Equipment, part of Arabian Consolidated Trading, has expanded its crane fleet with 16 new Demag mobile cranes.

The Saudi Arabian company, which was founded in 1986, specialises in the provision of mobile cranes and is also engaged in numerous

other business areas. As part of its latest crane fleet expansion, ACT recently put four Demag AC 160-5 and two Demag AC 300-6 all-terrain cranes into operation, and these are being followed by four Demag AC 100-4, four Demag AC 250-5, and two Demag AC 500-8 units.

Deepak Jain, senior sales manager, Middle

East, Tadano Demag, said: “We have an excellent and longstanding business relationship with ACT Crane & Heavy Equipment and are very proud of the fact that our products meet their exacting requirements. It’s proof of the quality behind these products and of the trust we’ve earned. ACT is driven

by Hassan Al Naimi, who is really inspiring in the way he is driving the business, it is more than a pleasure to work with someone who has such a great foresight.”

ACT as a group has interests in industrial trade operations, petrochemical and petroleum plants turnaround services, industrial cleaning services, emergency medical care, wood and construction material trade operations, industrial equipment sales and pallet production operations.

NEW SARENS ANE ING CR ELECTRIC RVY LIFTS FOR HEA n -7 all-terrai

QR CODES FOR SINOBOOM MEWPS Chinese powered access maker Sinoboom’s European arm is delivering MEWPs with QR code decals as standard.

Scanning the codes with a smart phone camera app accesses all information for that particular machine.

e AC 450 g troduced th in as h ag dard amon Dem a new stan lls ca ea it h ic ic the bas id crane, wh mpany said co e h to T ” s. ls C AT ive whee seven-axle -7 was to “g le ew AC 450 n e th isting six-ax d in ex s beh ative to it rn t te ac al p l m fu er g it as co a more pow e of keepin iv ct h je it b w o , e le h th nal ax cranes, wit the additio arts despite rp te 80m main n u an co as s h as it The crane . ce an of rm g capacity better perfo imum liftin ax m a h o it o main b m boom w extends the jib g n ffi lu 195.5t. A he crane’s um 81m. T to a maxim gth system len maximum is 132m.

TADWEER EXPANDS ABU DHABI USED TYRE RECYCLING FACILITY NIKOLAI SETZER IS NEW CONTI CEO Continental AG has appointed Nikolai Setzer as its new chief executive officer and new executive board chairman until March 2024. Setzer,

The Abu Dhabi Waste Management

49, was confirmed

Center (Tadweer) has opened its

by the company’s

expanded used tyre recycling facility

Supervisory Board

in Abu Dhabi with a capacity to treat

as the successor

70,000t of used tyres annually in

of Dr Elmar

partnership with a private sector

Degenhart, 61,

company for the safe disposal of used

who stepped down

tyres, lowering health and eco risks.

from the position

The private sector partner is Tarheel

on November 30

Collecting Wastes LLC, an Abu

for health reasons,

Dhabi-based firm with over 10 years

with Setzer’s

of expertise in waste management

term beginning

and environment services. Under

December 1. Prof.

the partnership, Tarheel collects

Wolfgang Reitzle,

and cleans used tyres prior to their

board chairman,

recycling and treatment at the

said: “Nikolai

dedicated facility, which has recycled

Setzer has our

nearly 17,000t of tyres this year until

utmost trust and

the end of the third quarter.

confidence.”

Tarheel has set up a new integrated automated plant in collaboration with its Italian partner to increase total facility capacity to 100,000t annually, and said In expanding the facility, it seeks to reduce the health and environmental risks of burning tyres,

9

50 new Groves for Tamimi Rentals Saudi Arabia’s Tamimi Rentals has ordered 50 units of Grove GRT8100 rough-terrain cranes (RTC) to drive its expansion and help win more work in the kingdom’s oil & gas fields.

According to an announcement by Manitowoc, the owners of the Grove brand, the first GRT8100 cranes have already been delivered to Tamimi Rentals, with others to follow over the coming months.

The 50 new cranes will join a fleet that already includes over 40 Grove all-terrain cranes, as well as a number of older RTCs. They will be dispatched to a range of job-sites where typical lifts will include placing heavy machinery at shorter radii, for example when

moving rigs, or lighter picks, working with fully extended booms for longer periods.

Mohammed Fahad S Al-Tamimi, CEO of Fahad S Al Tamimi & Partners Co (Tamimi Rentals), said:

“We chose Grove GRT8100 rough-terrain cranes because they have a very good load chart which is about 25% stronger than competitive machines. We also liked the precise and customisable

DOOSAN SALES SMART CONSTRUCTION

MARR CONTRACTING TEAMS UP WITH BUILDAL FOR AI ON JOB-SITES

RISE IN Q3 Doosan Infracore saw a 4% increase

movements that the Crane Control System (CCS) offers.

Having close control is very important when lifting complex and expensive equipment around oil rigs. In addition, we know that Grove cranes are reliable, having operated many all-terrain and rough-terrain cranes from the company down the years, and we have a strong relationship with our local dealer, Kanoo Machinery.”

The GRT8100 has a 100t maximum capacity combined with a five-section, full power boom that extends up to 47m, and which can increase its length to 64m with the use of a jib. Power comes from a Cummins QSB6.7L engine and the model offers an overall GVW of nearly 55t.

NEW KONECRANES ELECTRIC FORKLIFTS Konecranes’ new heavy forklifts come with silent, fully electric drivelines and zero direct emissions.

The E-VER line, part of its Ecolifting family, is its first allelectric lift truck.

It cuts energy consumption by up to 70% over a diesel engines, with a lithium-ion battery taking 45 minutes to fully recharge.

Kobelco, Leica team up for remote operations

in year-on-year Cranes from The Men From

Simon Marr, managing

sales figures in its

Marr’s (Marr Contracting

director, Marr Contracting,

financial results

Pty Ltd) will now be

said incorporating BuildAI’s

for the third

equipped with a cloud

artificial intelligence to his

quarter this year,

based AI software system

company’s cranes would

reporting sales of

that automatically reports

allow Marr’s and its clients to

$1.7bn, up from

construction progress after

use real-time data to improve

the $1.6bn in Q3

the heavy lift crane specialists

overall project outcomes

2019 - a pleasant

announced a collaboration

at an important time when

surprise in a global

with tech start-up BuildAI

businesses needed to think

construction and

to fast-track artificial

differently about how to drive

equipment sector

intelligence (AI) on job-sites.

productivity and efficiency.

reeling from the

Marr Contracting, which is

“Despite the massive

effects of Covid-19.

working in important projects

technological advancements

Doosan attributed

around the world, such as

in other sectors, our industry

the performance to

Turkey’s new Canakkale

hasn’t changed much in terms

a recovery in both

Bridge over the Dardanelles

of technology over the last 20

developed and

Strait, said that in the first

years. Where manufacturing

emerging markets,

strategic partnership and

productivity has grown

and strong growth

significant investment since

by 3.6%, construction

in China.

BuildAI launched in 2019, it

productivity growth is sitting

has taken a minority stake

below 1%. This is why we’re

in the start-up and The Men

joining forces with BuildAI

From Marr’s cranes will

to bring developments in

be the first in the world to

technology to analyse real-

adopt BuildAI technology.

time lifting data,” Marr said.

Kobelco Construction Machinery (KCM) has announced a collaboration with Leica Geosystems to develop integrated 2D and 3D machine control solutions which can be operated remotely. Part of Kobelco’s ‘K-DIVE CONCEPT’ - the Japanese equipment maker’s remote-control system – the system involves manipulating a dedicated cockpit with displays showing the job-site from an office. Operators can control excavators remotely without going to the real job-site.

“With a focus on bringing more efficiency, safety and productivity through digitalisation to the heavy construction industry, KCM and Leica Geosystems are working together to help facilitate the remote operation of excavators. The relationship will take advantage of Leica Geosystems’ knowhow in relation to K-DIVE CONCEPT’s next generation Telework System using remote operation technology for operators,” said Kobelco.

10

KIT SPOTTING DECEMBER APRIL 2016 2020

TEREX TRUCKS ADT IMPRESSES DOWN UNDER

A

Terex Trucks TA400 articulated hauler has been working hard at a site in Swanbank, near Brisbane, Australia, carrying out a variety of jobs from remediation of landfills to stormwater management. The TA400 was bought by civil and demolition works company DECC recently to work on the landfill site, and has already impressed the DECC team with its ability to perform in tough conditions.

DECC specialises in demolition, environmental, civil contracting, earthworks, remediation and decontamination services, as well as project management and constructoin consulting services. Josh Cutts, DECC’s national plant manager, says: “We have pretty rough conditions in demolition, so we choose equipment that’s tough, reliable and efficient – but without that hefty price tag. We do lots of

landfill jobs from design, construction, monitoring, remediation and postclosure management. The TA400 dump truck is performing a lot of these landfill jobs for us. It has been giving us heavy-duty and efficient performance in the various conditions that it has been used in so far.”

DECC has a fleet of over 100 machines, including articulated dump trucks, excavators, skid-steer loaders and road trucks. With many jobs at the Swanbank site, the company was recently in the market for another ADT. “We had a requirement for an additional dump truck, so we got a Terex Trucks TA400 on trial,” says Cutts. “We used it for a couple of weeks before buying one. Apart from the landfill jobs where it is being used currently, we plan to use this machine across various other sites and jobs.”

Since April 2017, Terex Trucks has partnered with equipment supplier

Porter Group to exclusively represent the company throughout Australia.

Michael Carter, national sales manager for Porter Equipment Australia, says: “With all the investments and improvements that have happened since Volvo Construction Equipment took ownership of Terex Trucks in 2014, they are now producing great ADTs. The trucks are robust, reliable, powerful, and they can handle whatever terrain and conditions you throw at them – which is exactly what the TA400 has proved to DECC on this landfill site. These days Terex Trucks are a bit like a best kept secret – people don’t realise how much they’ve changed over the last few years, but when they test one of the latest generation models they never look back!.”

The TA400 is the largest articulated hauler on offer from Terex Trucks, with a maximum payload of 38t and

heaped capacity of 23.3m3. Powered by a high performance, fuel efficient engine with a gross power of 444hp, the TA400 meets the demands of the extreme operations, including quarries, mines and large-scale construction projects. For less regulated markets such as Australia, it is fitted with a fuelefficient Tier-2 engine.

“We want to show customers that Terex Trucks has come a long way over the last few years, and with the latest generation machines, there has never been a better time to invest in a Terex Trucks’ ADTs. Since Volvo CE acquired Terex Trucks, we’ve made substantial investments and improvements in our people, processes, products and facilities. These improvements can be seen in our latest products, the TA400 and TA300, two robust and reliable off-highway dump trucks,” concludes Lee Irving, regional business manager, APAC/Oceania at Terex Trucks.

11

“The trucks are robust, reliable, powerful, and they can handle whatever terrain and conditions you throw at them – which is exactly what the TA400 has proved to DECC on this landfill site”

12

INTERVIEW DECEMBER 2020

LIVING ITS LEGACY

AMONG THE OLDEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL HEAVY EQUIPMENT PROVIDERS IN THE REGION, KANOO MACHINERY IS LIVING UP TO ITS OWN HIGH STANDARDS IN THE WAY IT IS SERVING CUSTOMERS DESPITE THE COVID -19 CHALLENGES, COUNTRY MANAGER FOR UAE AND OMAN, KANNAN CHANDRASEKARAN, TELLS CMME Please give a brief overview of Kanoo Machinery (KM) and its operations, mentioning the history, journey and association with its principals.

Kanoo Machinery is a part of the Kanoo Group, which is one of the oldest and most prominent business houses in the Middle East. The Group started way back in 1890 as the Yousuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Company in Bahrain, working in the shipping sector. So, it is a 130-year old company with a great legacy. Around 60 years ago, some of the company’s directors moved to Dubai, as well as to other places in the GCC, and now the Group is present in almost every country in the region and has major operations all over the GCC and beyond in diverse fields, such as energy, shipping, travel, industrial, machinery, real estate, etc.

At its core it remains a family company and carries forward the legacy into the present day, in which the Group is organized into several arms, each dealing with a separate area of business. Kanoo Machinery itself is part of the Group’s Industrial & Energy Division. In this division, we also have the Oil & Gas and Power and Industrial Projects arms. And we also have another company called Ahmed Ali Kanoo, which deals with chemicals. All of these businesses report to the Group CEO of Industrial and Energy, based in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Coming now to Kanoo Machinery, we are the distributors of many leading machinery and equipment brands across the GCC, such

as Lincoln Electric, Sullair, Massey Fergusson, Perkins, Hyster, Snorkel. Grove and of course Bobcat, among others. We have a major presence in the engines, forklifts and logistics equipment, mobile cranes, agricultural machinery, welding equipment and of course the construction equipment sectors.

Most of the brands that we represent have been with us for many decades, sometimes stretching to 40-60 years. A prime example is our association with Bobcat, which is now more than four decades old and we distribute Bobcat products in both the UAE and Bahrain.

It is among the top-three most important brands for us among the 15-plus brands that we represent. It is a very important business for and we’re very happy and proud to be associated with Bobcat for so long.

The other two in our top three are Perkins in the power and engine sector and Hyster for forklifts. And this is counting their importance in terms of contribution to the Group’s revenue. When it comes to prestige brands, we can also include Grove and Snorkel to that list. But to be clear, all brands are equally important for us and we value all our partners immensely, which is why they have stayed with us for so many years.

How has Kanoo Machinery performed in these times of Covid-19? What measures have you taken to keep business running as usual for your customers and partners?

There is no doubt that Covid-19 has been

13 Kanoo Machinery counts Bobcat among the prestigious brands in its stable, along with Perkins, Hyster, Snorkel, Grove and others.

Their association with Bobcat is for over 40 years now.

14

INTERVIEW DECEMBER 2020

extremely challenging, not only for us but also for every business across the region and even the world. Overall, the compact equipment segment dropped by about 30% in the pandemic but even in these tough times, we increased our market share because of our focus and efforts and by giving the best possible customer service 24/7.

A big reason for this is our customer service initiatives. An ongoing initiative that has brought us results is an activity we’ve named “100% Customer Excellence Movement”. It is a set of objectives with which we wanted to give 100% customer service, which started in June 2019. As part of the movement, we put up in bold letters what we mean by 100% customer service excellence, and we publicized what were the things that we would do. Under the activity, every employee of Kanoo Group in the UAE wears a patch with our promise to customers written on it and whenever a customer asks, our employee explains the concept to him and gives him a card which outlines the objectives we aim to achieve.

There are bold commitments under these objectives. For example, we said that every sales enquiry would be replied to within 24 hours, but only after thoroughly assessing the application. When a customer places an order for a forklift, for example, we don’t just ask them for the type of brand they prefer and the model they want; we do more than that. Our sales teams have been trained as consultants and they study the requirements and come back to advise about the right product for the right application, as the customer may not always have the clearest

“At its core it remains a family company and carries forward the legacy into the present day”

Fahad Kanoo, CEO of the Kanoo Group, and Kanan Chandrasekaran (left), country manager, UAE and Oman, at the Kanoo Machinery integrated facilities in Dubai’s Al Quoz Industrial Area.

idea about what will suit their requirements or there may be some other product we have that is even better for their requirements.

This is only one example. Also, for every enquiry we give the enquirer a spare parts quotation within that day if the enquiry is received in the morning, and the following day if it is received in the evening.

When it comes to service, we increased our first-time response rate to a full 100%.

We have set up a 24/7 tollfree number and an email address, both going directly

to our divisional service manager, and he immediately allocates the resources for the service job and sends them out. Even if the calls come in at 10pm or 12am, he attends to them and sends the mechanics as soon as possible, thereby assuring maximum support.

During Covid-19 we focused more on the 24/7 support, services, parts, annual maintenance contracts, and increasing the perception about Kanoo Machinery being a reliable service provider. All this won us an additional market share.

Our focus was firmly on existing customers, on service and parts. Increasing the brand perception of Kanoo Machinery was vital and we also did several promotions in terms of free maintenance, free check-ups and parts campaigns. We’ve focused all our efforts during the pandemic on ensuring service with safety and came up with the slogan: ‘You stay safe, we take care’ We have involved all our 220 employees in this effort. Every day, we would spread this information on our social media, showing one of our employees holding a placard with the 24/7 phone number and an email address. We put out all our news and developments on social media to reach out to our customers and got a lot of enquiries. The focus of our efforts is market support instead of new sales and that in the end helped us increase our numbers - focusing on the customer, going out to the customer wherever possible and paying close attention to after sales service.

What were some of the other initiatives and measures being taken within the company?

15 The Kanoo Group is very proactive, thanks to our Chairman. Under his initiative, we started selling thermal imaging cameras and sensors by the end of March, just days after the pandemic struck the UAE in a big way.

Digital thermometers were immediately dispatched to all our offices and we started implementing safety steps right away, such as checking the temperatures of our people and isolating anyone at even a semblance of any symptom. There were a couple of cases in our company, but they were isolated immediately thereby greatly limiting our number of cases to a mere few.

When dealing with customers, our service department would call and inform them that our people are all tested and there is nothing to worry about. We told customers to isolate their machines that needed work and we would come and do the service. All our employees in showrooms were given masks and we even distributed masks printed with the Kanoo Group logo in April 2020 to everyone. It was made mandatory to enter our premises only with masks and whenever possible we had our people work from home.

Please describe your network, the services that you provide and the level of efficiency

Kanoo Machinery’s facilities include full back-up support and repair services for all its brands and their models with trained, qualified and certified personnel, such as for Bobcat backhoe loaders.

that customers obtain from you – and what are the factors that go behind this.

Kanoo Machinery has seven branches in the UAE. We have full–fledged branches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and separate parts counters with mobile service vans stationed in Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Al Ain and Abu Dhabi.

And we have another base and parts centre in the Mussafah Industrial Area. An advantage for our customers is that our parts counters are open 8am-6pm on all days except Fridays.

Service is also available on all these days.

Also, our staff is technically qualified.

Our mechanics have ICI certifications, our supervisors are diploma holders and most of our salespeople are qualified engineers. All of them are also trained and certified by the manufacturers either locally or in their plants.

In fact, because of our long association with many manufacturers, we have in our teams master trainers who can train other trainers.

Thus, we are very advanced in terms of overall certifications. Some of our master trainers are also sought by training centers such as DP World to train their own trainers. They visit the customers and train their workshop managers and are authorized to do that.

We also have the set up to remotely monitor the machines we supply, and this is something we use ourselves in our rental division. We remotely monitor our entire rental fleet of 400–500 units using a monitoring device embedded in the machines, which enables us to view all its parameters. If the engine temperature rises we get an alarm; if the hydraulic pressure falls we get an alarm; if a customer is trying to take our rented machine outside the geofenced area we get an alarm – basically, we remotely monitor the units and ensure smooth running and near 100% uptime for customers who have rented from us.

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HARDKIT NEW HITTERS DECEMBER AUGUS2020 T 2019

PICKERS AND MOVERS

WITH SPIDER PLUS BRINGING PICK-AND-CARRY CRANES INTO ITS RENTAL FLEET, THE UAE NOW HAS A DEDICATED, EFFICIENT AND SAFE SOLUTION FOR MOVING AND PLACING MATERIAL ON SITES

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t’s a challenge all contractors have faced at various stages of a project: there is material to be moved from one place to another on the job-site and there’s either too little fire power you can throw at it, such as making workers carry it by hand, or go in for an overkill by using the heavy machines to do a light job.

Now, however, with the new pick-andcarry cranes being made available by Dubai-based rental company Spider Plus, there is a safe and efficient solution to this problem that is less wasteful than using the heavy earthmovers to lift and carry things around and way faster than having workers do the moving manually.

Spider Plus executive manager Joe Duffy feels the time is right for the region to adopt the use of such equipment to improve both safety and efficiency.

“There are some things that should not be done on a job-site but everyone has done it at some time

or another – such as just shoving hooks onto a telehandler or forklift, or dangling a sling off such machines to suspend a load from them, which you then carry around the job-site. There is frequently the thought that ‘I’ll just use a forklift and hang something from it or a telehandler and hang something from that’, which may work technically but is not the safest or most efficient thing to do. It’s not something that should be done in this day and age. But that mindset is gradually changing and there are products available in the region now, such as our pick-and-carry cranes, to help in bringing about that change,” Duffy says.

“The introduction of better equipment like the pickand-carry cranes is also going to help further with HSE improvements, because in all fairness to people that sling loads from telehandlers and carry them around, they haven’t necessarily had access to an adequate pick-and-carry machine. And when there are plenty of telehandlers in the market, you tend to make do with what you have.”

But Duffy now feels it’s the time when all that will start changing with Spider Plus’ latest offerings.

“We’ve brought over some mini pick-and-carry cranes from GGR in the UK. They are very small, easy to use, easy to manage and have not just lifting but also transportation functions - hence the nomenclature ‘pick-and-carry’. They provide a lot of flexibility on job-sites not just for smaller installations, whether they be for glass or MEP materials, but also if you are transporting things outside or within the buildings.

Think of them as a crane with the capabilities and same ease-of-use as a forklift” Duffy says.

“We’ve started with a limited number in our rental fleet to introduce them to the market here, and we intend to bring more in once the market has seen them and discovered the benefits of their diverse utility down the line.”

Describing the models available with Spider Plus he explains that the cranes are manufactured in Europe and Spider Plus obtains them through the GGR Group

17 in the UK after they are duly tested and certified.

The units that have been brought in by Spider Plus now are the G20 model, a 2t-capacity pick-and-carry crane that can lift up 2t of weight and drive off with it to wherever it needs to go. The model also has a reasonably high reach and can go up to 5.3m in height, while the operating radius can extend to 3.5m. There is a hydraulically extending boom with a manual additional extension if extra height is needed and the G20 can also operate at a smaller half a metre radius .

Duffy adds that the G20 is also quite quick when it comes to the ‘carry’ part of its duties and can transport the load it has picked up at reasonable speeds around the job-site. Two speed modes are available and while an operator has to walk behind the unit to control and steer it, the operator’s walks will be quite brisk.

The ground contact is provided by rubber wheels and stopping power comes from electromagnetic brakes, which makes the G20 inherently safe. When it is not moving the wheels are clamped, preventing

movement and ensuring stability under load. Safety is also enhanced with a built in Safe Load Indicator (SLI) system, making the pick-and-carry crane as safe as any other crane but with more flexibility.

Elaborating on the uses the machine can be put to Duffy explains: “They are very useful for both construction and maintenance applications and a number of other uses, for example in factories, warehouses and even airports. Suppose you need to do maintenance on heavy vehicles or machinery, you can use the G20 to pick an engine out of a truck and drive off with it to the engine workshop without too much struggle, as opposed to a typical engine crane where you have to pump it up and then push it along.

“Also you don’t need to worry about clearing a large space around the work area, because the G20 does not need to be set up. It works at full capacity at any point in time so you can pick up, say, a piece of glass you need to install from outside a structure, can go through the doorway, do the installation and then

“You can change water pumps or MEP or HVAC units up on a roof.

Equally, they are great if you need to install steel beams within a tower or if you are having to do construction inside a mall or even inside a villa - they are very much a jack of all trades”

drive off again. The unit can be utilised for winches as well, so you can use them within buildings in the same manner that you use a spider crane when installing facades or transferring materials up and down.

“You can change water pumps or MEP or HVAC units up on a roof. Equally, they are great if you need to install steel beams within a tower or if you are having to do construction inside a mall or even inside a villa they are very much a jack of all trades. Another feature of the machines is that they are fully electric and emission free, making them environmentally friendly, and perfect for closed spaces or confined areas.”

Though the G20 units have only recently joined the Spider Plus rental fleet, they have already done a few minor projects, such as lifting and placing jobs where they saved customers from the need to get a permit to bring in a mobile crane on the side of a road.

And Spider Plus has also previously sold some units to the Dubai airport where it is part of the airport’s maintenance fleet, Duffy reveals.

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COVER STORY DECEMBER 2020

The Case 1107EXD compactor is an 11t machine that provides 32t of compaction force. It drives both the drum and rear tyres hydrostatically and also offers an airconditioned cab.

“The 1107EX-D has been accepted very well by our customers from the very beginning. Its build quality and performance are both top-notch. And it is also equipped with some leading-edge machine control systems�

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A CASE FOR ROADS

WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE 1107EX-D COMPACTOR, CASE OFFERS A FULL-SUITE OF MACHINES FOR EARTHWORKS ON ROAD PROJECTS, WITH DOZERS AND GRADERS THAT OFFER COMBINATIONS OF IDEAL SIZE, FEATURES AND POWER

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ravelling down a stretch of smooth tarmac, the last thing that people think about is what went into the building of that road - but ponder a moment and the enormity and complexity of the task can inspire awe.

It all starts with the earthworks, of course, which form the foundation layers of any road. On top of this come several layers of material, and each needs to be spread out, flattened and smoothened to a specific level - or grade – and then compacted together in just the right way to provide firmness and support to the layer on top of it. The final asphalt layer is only the proverbial tip of the iceberg; with so much below it. The trick in getting a road right is to get its foundation and earthworks right. And this is where Case Construction Equipment comes in with its wide model portfolio.

The CNH Industrial brand is among the few construction equipment makers out there to produce the entire range of machines for earthworks in roadmaking - from the powerful excavators and bulldozers to the precision motor graders and the heavy soil compactor. Having one brand supply all the vital equipment for a project through one dealer is always useful for contractors or rental companies, as the single source or one-stop-shop concept allows the fastest and most efficient aftermarket support. And

this is part of Case’s USP where roadmaking equipment is concerned.

Zane Barnard, product specialist, Case Middle East and Africa, says: “When you’re doing earthworks on a road project, you can get your complete range of machines from us.

Our excavators will dig out and lift the material from the surrounding areas of the proposed road and dump it where our dozers will push the material and spread it in the desired way to give the road its basic shape; our graders will then smoothen, level and contour every layer, and our rollers will do the compaction.

“Starting off with the dozers, Case offers middle or small sized dozers equipped with PAT (Pitch, Angle, Tilt) blades. They do the land preparation, and bulk material moving if needed. The dozers also make light work of base material spreading. As the aggregate materials become smaller, we get a Case motor grader in to spread and cut material and build up our layers. For each layer, the Case compactor will run a pass and ensure good compaction. We then get to the final cut which is highly specialised and the grader is brought back into action,” Barnard explains.

And to do all this, Case offers three dozers – the 1150L, 1650L and 2050M; three graders – the 845B, 865B and 885B, and a soil compactor – the 1107EX-D. Of these, the compactor is among the recent introductions in the Middle East.

“We introduced the 1107EX-D in the region this year. It is a ‘made-in-India’ model, much like our very popular 570T and ST backhoe loaders. It’s a single drum compactor

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COVER STORY DECEMBER 2020

PLANT VISIT

CASE SHOWCASES INDIAN MANUFACTURING Case demonstrated the manufacturing capabilities and standards of its plant in Pithampur, India, to key stakeholders from the Middle East and Africa late last year, taking 60 delegates on a seminar and tour of the facility which manufactures the 1107EX-D compactor that is sold in this region.

The aim of the “Made in CNH Industrial India” event was to showcase the Case Pithampur plant, a bronze certified World Class Manufacturing (WCM) site.

WCM is a pillar-structured system based on continuous improvement, designed to eliminate waste and loss from the production process

by identifying objectives such as zero injuries, zero defects, zero breakdowns and zero waste. To certify improvements, a system of periodic third-party audits evaluates all of the WCM pillars, forming an overall score for each plant.

Neil Woodfin, VP, Construction and head of Global Alliance at CNH Industrial, said: “India is a manufacturing hub and a strategically important market in CNH Industrial’s global growth plan. The ‘Made in CNH Industrial India’ initiative is a reflection of our excellence. The state-of-the-art

weighing in at 11,030kg and is packed with features. Kicking off with an air-conditioned closed cab option, it has a two-speed hydrostatic transmission with drum drive for outstanding gradeability. The compaction drum up front boasts a drum wall thickens of 32mm, ensuring longevity and reliability.

The industry standard for an 11t compactor is a 22mm drum. We went upsize on it and this extra drum thickness enables it to carry a little more weight, which transfers into the compacting effort on the ground and complements the vibration system.

“A vibrating compactor has two key features: frequency and amplitude. Frequency is the speed at which we move the compacting drum from a vertical Top Dead Centre (TDC) point to a Bottom Dead Centre (BDC) point.

This is measured in time as Hertz. Amplitude is the distance the drum will move in millimetres between TDC and BDC. The rule of thumb is the longer the travel distance (amplitude), the higher the impact. The 1107EX-D delivers a massive 32t of compaction force at 31Hz and an amplitude of 1.8mm.”

Coming to other features, Barnard elaborates: “The cab is one of the highlights in this machine. Before we launched it over here, we listened to our customers, who said they wanted an airconditioned, closed cab with full ROPS/FOPS design. So that’s the way we designed it. We put the cab on the machine and tested it rigorously and it turned out to be very suitable. This was because of the extra weight of the cab, which gave it an added ability to compact the soil. So now we have an 11t machine, which produces the compaction of 32t. This is quite remarkable and a class-leading figure putting the Case soil

The three bulldozers Case offers in the region come with PAT blades and tracks desgned for better floatation on sand.

The hydrostatically driven mediumsized units are ideal for roadworks.

facility in Pithampur is amongst the best in the country and the adoption of global manufacturing standards has further increased the plant’s role

compactor right up there with the big boys and very hard to compete against.”

The 1107EX-D is available in two versions.

With the cab it is a 110hp machine while power for the canopy version is 100hp. Both use the robust 3.9-litre made-in-India FPT S8000 diesel engine, which is tuned for a higher output in the cab version because the air-conditioning system draws more power and, as Barnard explains, “you don’t want that coming at the cost of performance”.

“The 1107EX-D has been accepted very well

in our overall construction equipment business plan.”

CNH Industrial has a significant presence in India with three manufacturing plants of which Pithampur caters to construction equipment needs. The plant is the fastest growing bronze level WCM certified plant. A full range of construction equipment is built there, supported by research and development.

Apart from the 1107EX-D vibratory compactor, it also produces Case backhoe loader models that are popular in the Middle East.

by our customers from the very beginning.

Its build quality and performance are both top-notch. And it is also equipped with some leading-edge machine control systems and telematics,” he states.

“On big projects you’ll see several compactors lined up behind each other with a radar measuring the front compaction.

The telematics units then tell the machines and operators where to run and the radar up front measures the ground compaction in real time. They can tell you how many passes you need to do, so there will typically be one low pass with one unit, followed closely by a second machine to which the information is relayed to tell him how fast to drive, how much compaction pressure needs to be sent down, and then a third machine might also be following on, also guided by the telematics information relay.”

Case’s technology partner for telematics and machine control is Leica Geosystems, Barnard informs us, and the company can offer these technology aids on its compactors, as well as graders and dozers - all of which “come out from our factories ‘play ready’ for Leica systems to be installed”.

Providing more details of the 1107EX-D, he adds: “Our compactor comes with a drum drive, which means that along with the tyres on the rear axle, the steel drum of the machine is also driven by the engine. This helps when working up a slope, achieving an awesome 20° gradeability.

“The machine is fully hydrostatic and so the power is transferred to the drum for both the travel and vibration motors hydrostatically, which is apparent when you see the two sides of the drum and the hoses connecting the

21 machine’s hydraulic heart to the drum. The pump drives both the front and rear in this machine, so the engine basically only works the hydraulic motor, which does the rest.

“Using a hydrostatic system enables the 1107EX-D to put more power on the ground, because we’re not transferring through a differential or a torque convertor, in which a lot of power is lost. This is why with a hydrostatic drive we can use a smaller motor to power the unit and still deliver the same power onto the wheels because there is no loss.”

There is also a padded drum option on the 1107EX-D, Barnard adds. This is useful when the material being compacted is wet. It helps dry the material quicker and increases the compaction surface area.

The compactor aside, Case also, of course, offers the other tools of the roadmaking trade – the dozer and grader, along with other earthmovers necessary at various stages of roadbuilding, such as excavators and wheeled loaders.

“Normally, before the process kicks off, excavators and wheeled loaders are brought in along with the dozers to either remove or add material where needed. On the dozer side this is where our 2050M XLT comes into play, moving material with the aid of a Semi-U production blade. The next step is contouring and landscaping the soon-to-be roadway. All three dozers we offer are useful in this process, each fitted with a PAT blade, making grading, contouring and landscaping quick and easy. Our dozers are packed with essential features for the region and all are hydrostatic, meaning we put more power to the ground and deliver better traction and movability. Another important feature is

Case motor graders come with a three-radius involute patent blade. The 885B model is popular in the region and was recently revamped, adding bigger tyres for better floatation on sandy terrain.

our V-shaped cooling system that increases surface area and improves cooling efficacy.

Our dozers are also fitted with extra-long tracked undercarriages for greater floatation in demanding conditions,” Barnard says.

“There’s a misconception that laying a road down is initially about moving massive amounts of material. But you’re better served if you’re using a PAT blade, because the job is more about contouring than about moving a lot of material. Case dozers offer just the ideal size and performance package for road

building, with fuel economy and productivity, and minimal wastage in terms of power.

“We also offer three motor grader models in the region, which come in a range of weight and power: the 845B, 865B and the popular 885B. With this last model, all the tweaks that Case has done is paying off for us now in terms of sales and market share, which are quite good for the machine. For example, we increased the tyre sizes for the 885B since its launch here around three years ago and now it sports bigger tyres so that we get better floatation on soft sand.

“Our graders also have a three-radius involute patent blade, which rolls the material instead of pushing it, reducing the load on the blade and consequently on the engine as we reduce friction caused by pushing material.

By rolling it over, you use less power, making the grader more efficient, return better fuel economy and also move the material faster.

“Moreover, our fully automatic transmission prevents machine stall at low speeds and operators like feature as it allows them to just concentrate on driving the machine – with the option to shift manually if required to hold a gear for a particular operation.”

Though the years, Case has refined its machines to tackle every aspect of earthworks for roadbuilding, Barnard says, with the result that now with the mix of its dozers, graders, soil compactor and other earthmovers, the brand offers one of the best packages for roadbuilding contractors with advanced and robust machines, packed with innovative tech and solutions. “In the final analysis, all these innovative solutions from Case add up to incredibly versatile and efficient machines for roadbuilding,” Barnard signs off.

POPULAR IN THE ROUGH

CASE DELIVERS 125 UNITS IN ANGOLA In what was one of its largest deliveries for 2020, Case announced earlier this year the delivery of an order comprising 125 units of earthmoving machines to the Angolan government.

Announcing the delivery to the Angolan Ministry of Transport, Case Middle East and Africa regional headquarters in Dubai said the order consists of 35 units each of Case’s 2050M bulldozers and 885B motor grader. The 570ST backhoe loader and CX220C crawler excavator make up the rest of the order.

Case said the order is a sign that the global and regional

construction equipment sector is beginning to see an uptake in activity amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, “as governments of countries with downward trends in contagion enter into their respective next phases, reinstating select construction activities”. The “substantial” delivery in Angola is the result of a tender won by Redondo y Garcia SA, a key Case partner.

Aftermarket services tied to this delivery are being supported by Case

dealer Ivecar SA. Despite the logistical slowdown related to Covis-19, the delivery was successfully concluded.

“Throughout the pandemic crisis, Case has continued to support its global dealer network and to maintain aftermarket services,” said Case MEA. “With Angola being one of the highest spenders on roads in Africa, infrastructure development is crucial to the country. Case machines will be used to support the construction and maintenance of the country’s roads.”

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NEW LAUNCH DECEMBER 2020

“Most job-sites in both construction and internal landscaping...almost always involve light compaction equipment.So our aim was to be a one-stop-shop solution provider for our customers and give them all the equipment they might need“

Bobcat’s new light compaction range has seven families: vibratory rammers, vibratory forward plates, reversible vibratory plates, hydrostatic plates, walk behind rollers, trench rollers and tandem rollers.

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C

ompaction applications are essential to numerous industries, and no construction site is complete without a soil and asphalt roller. This is usually not a large 10t machine; instead it’s the small compaction equipment necessary in jobsites, such as landscaping and villa construction.

And since Bobcat has a great many of its customers answering to the small contractor or small job-site description, the company recently expanded its product portfolio further to offer a full range of light compaction machinery, developed in collaboration with the Ammann Group.

Speaking to CMME from Bobcat’s EMEA headquarters in Prague, Daniele Paciotti, product line manager for attachments at Bobcat EMEA, and Katinka Kincses, junior product manager for attachments, say that while Bobcat is known for compact earthmoving equipment, it’s driving force is offering solutions for job-sites.

“Most of these job-sites in both construction and internal landscaping, and such other applications, almost always involve light compaction equipment.

So our aim was to be a one-stop-shop solution provider for our customers and give them all the equipment they might need on a construction site that typically has heavy use of the type of machines that Bobcat makes,” says Paciotti.

“Basically, this was a segment we were missing out on when we catered to our typical customer

COMPACTS FOR COMPACTION

BOBCAT’S ‘NEXT IS NOW’ CAMPAIGN HAS SEEN IT INTRODUCE SOME EXCITING NEW COMPACT, LIGHT COMPACTION MACHINERY, WHICH MOVES THE BRAND FAMOUS FOR SMALL EQUIPMENT INTO THE MINI ROLLER AND SMALL ROADMAKING EQUIPMENT MARKET

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NEW LAUNCH DECEMBER 2020

profile of compact construction equipment users, and so we plugged this gap. Unlike before, now our customers will not need to go elsewhere for any of their equipment needs for jobs such as those that require light compaction equipment,” Kincses adds.

“We launched the new small compaction line in October. Since then, the feedback has been very positive from our customers and dealers. Since there is almost no construction site that does not use small compacting equipment, customers are

Launched under the company’s “Next is Now” initiative, Bobcat’s light compaction range offers the latest technologies, such as remote controlled operation for the new trench roller.

happy to note that they can get these from us now along with the other equipment we are known for. The dealers also recognise that this is very complementary to the products that we offer. We already have around 60 units on pre-order even before opening sales of the line officially, so the response has been positive.”

The new Bobcat Light Compaction Range covers seven different product families and 37 models in total, to meet work requirements on almost any construction

job site. Bobcat said earlier that the light compaction machines are designed to offer maximum performance, while not compromising on comfort, safety and simplicity of use.

“The range includes vibratory rammers, vibratory forward plates, reversible vibratory plates, hydrostatic plates, walk behind rollers, trench rollers and tandem rollers. Of these one family, the ride-on tandem rollers, will be launched later, starting March next year, and will comprise five models. The ones that we have already launched are the rammers with six models, forward plates again with six models, the reversible plates with 12 models, the hydrostatic reversible plates with four models, two models of walkbehind rollers and two again of trench rollers. Out of the new models launched, we’ve had the most enquiries from the Middle East about the walk-behind rollers,” explains Kincses.

The new light compact equipment line was launched as part of Bobcat’s “Next is Now” event a couple of months ago that saw the company launch a plethora of new models in several of its existing lines, such as skid-steer loaders and mini excavators as well as announce its entry into new small machine classes, like the compact wheeled loader.

The company said then that whereas In its first 60 years, it created the global compact equipment industry and changed how the world works, it was now “reinventing everything”. In fact, ‘Next is Now’ is its way

BOBCAT ASPHALT SPREADER ATTACHMENT

THE TOOL FOR SMALL ROADS The new soil and asphalt spreader has an operating weight of 675 kg and a standard operating width of 190 cm or optional width of 196 cm. Designed to save time and labour costs, the Bobcat soil and asphalt spreader can be used to lay asphalt and other materials to create pavements; to widen and repair existing roads; to backfill, pave over and cover trenches and to lay sub-base materials. Thanks to its offset feature, the new attachment can also lay asphalt without the loader needing to pass over the spread material – thus ensuring an unblemished and smoother finish.

The new attachment works with an average working speed

of 50-120 m/min, requiring an oil flow of 45 l/min and an operating pressure of 250 bar. It offers manually adjustable thickness of layer materials from 0-100 mm and for a perfect finish, it has hydraulic side shift and adjustable side wings to guide materials. The soil and asphalt spreader also has a lockable, floating transverse tilt up to 5° to compensate for sloping terrain.

The spreader is easy to use, clean and look after, with a simple design that is key to the low maintenance requirements for the attachment, increasing uptime, consistency and

providing more time on the job.

The new attachment also provides comfort and productivity with a

relatively low weight for transport purposes and maximum efficiency due to a much more compact design compared to that of larger, dedicated machines for spreading soil or asphalt.

“Bobcat has a Plug&Play system that means that the attachments arrive ready to mount on the loader without having to do any additional work.

The attachment also has an ACD (Attachment Control Device) that communicates with the Bobcat loader and when it is connected, it is automatically recognized and the machine is set up appropriately.

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BOBCAT GRADER ATTACHMENT

SCORING HIGH ON A SMALL GRADE TPPL, a major players in public works in France’s Pays de la Loire region, has purchased new Bobcat compact loaders - T770 tracked model - equipped with a grader with 3D GPS guidance. For its grading work, TPPL chose the Bobcat T770 compact track loader with its 3D GPS guidance system.

Olivier Durand, a machinery operator at TPPL for 12 years who has been working exclusively on graders for seven years, including the new T770 model, says: “Thanks to the compact size and manoeuvrability of this Bobcat loader, I am between 30% and 50% faster on grading work compared to the old grader I used before.

The handling is extremely easy and enjoyable. The steering is intuitive and precise. I am able to get my

bearings very quickly. The versatility is also very convenient.

With the various attachments that are easily interchangeable - grader, bucket, forks - I can do different tasks much faster than before.

The low engine noise is also very valuable when you’re sitting all day right above it. Visibility is good. The T770 is also equipped with a reversing camera that works very well from all angles.“ The 3D GPS guidance system provides very precise grading (in semi-automatic

of showing that “what’s next for the industry is happening right now at Bobcat”. A Bobcat statement had said it was introducing “more powerful, more efficient products that offer the agility, versatility and toughness”, which were “combined with very significant product diversification and expansion into new markets and complemented by more intelligent, more connected technologies and services”.

Gustavo Otero, president, Doosan Bobcat EMEA, says: “With ‘Next is Now’, Bobcat is empowering people to work more efficiently and to enable them to achieve more than ever before. We are advancing more powerful, more efficient and smarter equipment and technologies in an expansion that offers an enhanced and much wider choice of products to increase opportunities for our customers.”

Roy Haaker, VP, Sales and Marketing, Doosan Bobcat EMEA, adds: “Inspired by the ‘Next is Now’ philosophy, Bobcat is launching an unprecedented number of new products and product categories… presenting new technology, showing the industry where it will be heading now and in the future.”

The light compaction range is the product of this new move and philosophy of the company and part of this new launch spate. Giving more detailed information about the backend of how the new light compaction line came to be, Paciotti adds: “These machines are made in an

The seven families of Bobcat’s new light compaction line, of which six have already been launched, include vibratory rammers and vibratory forward plates, as well as walkbehind rollers.

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or fully automatic mode) based on topographic surveys downloaded directly using the on-board software. Durand can now work on grading jobs with less than 5mm accuracies without mistakes. This saves considerable time, with customer satisfaction close to 100%.

OEM collaboration between Ammann and Bobcat. We selected these products and had Ammann manufacture them for Bobcat with our branding.

“The idea is to give customers added value with us through services like, where possible, 0% interest rates or such other Bobcat sales incentives and campaigns.

We went with Ammann as we think that to make an impact on any market, we need quality products made by an expert in that particular segment.”

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27

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

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30

TOP 10: OR COMPACT CE TIPS N A N E T N I MA rollers

28_NEW RELEASES

ing with Make work me sier with so safer and ea ractices. basic best p

The latest releases from the world of construction machinery.

32_SMOOTH AND SHINY Asphalt pavers provide the right finish to the well-surfaced roads of the Middle East.

34_ROLLING FLAT OUT Manufacturers of rollers and compactors discuss the Middle East market for their products and their wide range of models for various compaction jobs.

40_CAT’S PAC-MAN Equipment giant plays iconic game for new Trials video.

28

NEW RELEASES DECEMBER 2020

NEW CONTI AIR SPRINGS FOR EXTREME TEMPERATURES WHY GET IT? ABLE TO KEEP TRUCK CABS COMFORTABLE IN BOTH VERY HIGH AND VERY LOW TEMPERATURES Continental has developed new HiTemp sleeve air springs, which are able to withstand temperatures between -40 and +100 degrees Celsius. The automotive technology company said the project is being implemented in close collaboration with a market-leading shock absorber manufacturer and will see a well-known Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer equip as standard all of its truck cabs with sleeve air springs.

“Truck drivers often cover vast distances, with the vehicles frequently experiencing a wide range of different regions and climate zones over their service life. To ensure that the driver’s cab is kept safe and comfortable in the summer heat of the Middle East and North Africa, Continental has developed the HiTemp solution, which performs reliably even under extreme temperatures,” said the company.

The air springs meet the increasing demands on truck components, said Continental, with the stricter exhaust-gas standards heating up the engine compartment to a much greater extent, making for extremely hot operating conditions. The advantage of the sleeve air springs is that they allow for easier heat management and offer the manufacturer greater flexibility when defining the installation space of the cab mount. There is no need for a heat shield to protect the air springs against intense heat radiation. This makes them function significantly cheaper than previous solutions.

NEW NATIONAL CRANE NBT60XL BOOM TRUCK WHY GET IT? BEST CAPACITY AND REACH COMBINATION IN ITS CLASS, BOTH FOR BOOM TRUCKS AND TRUCK CRANES Manitowoc has launched the latest model in its National Crane product line with the 60t-class NBT60XL boom crane, which combines “strong and long like never before” with the best capacity and reach combination in its class, both for boom trucks and truck cranes.

Bob Ritter, product manager of boom trucks at Manitowoc, said: “The NBT60XL is set to take on all competitors in the 60t market. Whether it be a boom truck or truck crane, this machine features the best combination of boom length and load chart capacity with a sturdy operator’s feel and plenty of comfortable manoeuvrability to get to and from any jobsite. Additionally, its commercial truck carrier adds a level of comfort, customisation and travel speed not yet available to the truck crane market.”

The NBT60XL can be fitted to several standard truck options expanding layout configuration options for customers. It also features a hydraulically removeable

counterweight configurable from zero to 7.2t, allowing it to take on much heavier picks. When equipped with the National Truck Crane (NTC) package, this machine will feature additional job-site setup flexibility with four outrigger positions, optional two-camera system for increased jobsite visibility, and a fully integrated wireless wind speed indicator, Manitowoc added.

“In order to get even more capacity and maintain overall agility, these ‘truck crane’-style counterweights offer many combinations allowing operators to take what is needed for the job and still meet any roading regulations,” Ritter said.

The NBT60XL offers a 46m, five-section, full-power boom, giving the crane a long reach while still keeping it highly roadable, with the overall vehicle length coming in under 13.7m. When equipped with the optional 11m offsetable lattice jib, reach for the crane can be increased to a maximum of 60m. An optional two-piece 8-13.7m telescopic jib gives a platform height of 62m.

SPECIFICATIONS

NATIONAL CRANE NBT60XL Boom length: 46m Boom sections: 5 Vehicle length: 13.7m Lifting capacity class: 60t

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TADANO LAUNCHES NEW TELESCOPIC BOOM CRAWLER CRANE WHY GET IT? GERMAN BUILT MACHINE USEFUL IN VARIOUS LIFTING SCENARIOS WITH HIGH MANOUVRABILITY SEVERLA CONFIGURATIONS Tadano has introduced a new telescopic boom crawler crane with a lifintg capacity of 156t and a maximum load moment of 590 metre-tonnes.

The company announced that the new model, which was developed and built by Demag in Zweibrücken, Germany, and made its concept debut at Bauma 2019. Now that Demag is part of the Tadano Group, the crane is being relaunched

as the Tadano GTC-1800EX. The crane closes the gap between the 130t and 220t capacity classes. It has a track width that can be adjusted as necessary in both symmetrical and asymmetrical configurations so that it can be used for applications in which space is at a premium, such as bridge construction projects.

It is also useful in construction work, where can move and telescope components, as well as luff down and retract the boom and then travel underneath roof structures to get to where it needs to be. It can also work as an assist crane when carrying out wind turbine pre-assembly work.

Tadano added that the load charts for the new crane’s 60m-long main boom are excellent even when lifting on inclines of up to 4°, requiring less topographical ground preparation on-site than a lattice boom crawler crane. For example, it can lift 34t at a radius of 12m when working on an incline of 4° with the main boom at a length of 30m.

Tadano says with a main boom length of 60m, the GTC-1800EX already features the longest reach in its class. This can be increased further with main boom extensions five, 11, 17, and 23m long, that can be mechanically and hydraulically offset. This makes it possibel to have a maximum system length of

up to 83m. The 5m extension can be folded onto the side of the main boom for transport to save space. ”There are good reasons for including the telescopic boom crawler crane in the Tadano brand: Tadano has a long tradition with these products and a very strong line of telecrawlers.

SPECIFICATIONS

TADANO GTC-1800EX Max lift capacity: 156t Max load moment: 590 metre-tonnes Main boom length: 60m Max system length with boom extensions: 83m

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TOP TEN DECEMBER 2020

02 01

BEGIN WITH CHECKS Complete a brief walk-around of the machine before starting work for the day to see if something is off. Look for loose wiring and hoses, check for leaks and check the electrical controls. If a switch isn’t working, make sure a wire isn’t loose. Test the centre joint and parking brake, and check backup alarms, warning beacons and headlights.

INSPECT SHOCK MOUNTS The shock mounts of the roller should also be checked before beginning a shift.

These are the rubber mounts that isolate the vibration of the drum from the operator, directing the energy from the drum into the mat. A crack in the shock mount that is wider than the thickness of a coin means it should be replaced.

Always replace failing shock mounts on all sides of the drum.

: N E T P O T R O T C A P COM S P I T E C N A N E T N I WORK R E MA T T E B D ER LIFE AN LONG SOME H T I W S R EXTRACT OMPACTO C TION R A U R O E Y P O M D O FR A RE A N C R O F S P BASIC STE

leting the From comp making change to il o d e d n e recomm h coolant, ave enoug sure you h will help s in check id u fl ll a g keepin t its full engine is a ensure the heck of e el. A bri f c v le e c n a perform l on the nance deca re the mainte n e an also su machine c t a s are that all fluid ls. ve le l a m opti

03 CLEAN AND LUBRICATED DRUM During the morning visual inspections, make sure the drum surface is undamaged and clean. Failure to keep the drum clean or having damage on the surface will result in imperfections in the mat. The drums are the core of the roller. Whether a vibratory or oscillatory system, check oil levels on a weekly basis and top up if low. Low oil levels will damage drum bearings, leading to replacement cost and down time.

CHECK ALL FLUID LEVELS

04

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06 05

INSPECT THE WATER SYSTEM If the water system is not working properly, asphalt will start sticking to the drums. Try to always fill the tank with clean water from a known source.

Water goes from the tank to the sprinkler bars and sprays out over the front and rear drums, serving as a lubricant to prevent asphalt from sticking to the drum, so it’s important that the water is clean and won’t clog the system.

CHECK AIR FILTERS Making sure the air filter isn’t clogged can help ensure that the engine won’t run too hot. A dirty air filter leads to generating higher levels of exhaust than normal. If the air filter is dirty, you should replace it rather than try to clean it out with compressed air, which can sometimes do more harm than good.

CHECK HYDRAULIC SYSTEMlevel inside

il hydraulic o y.

Check the ent regularl m rt compa e ed in g g n n a e h c e e th ds to b e e n il o lic but The hydrau 2,000 hours d n u ro a r e ons in usually aft ommendati c re e th w e always follo Also chang e’s manual. in h c a e c m n a e n th een mainte the oil betw arts its colour st intervals if and turning dark . y g din

09 08

MONITOR DRUM SCRAPERS Keeping drum scrapers well-maintained is a vital though often-overlooked maintenance area. Drum scrapers hold the water to the drum to ensure proper lubrication so if they’re worn, you’re going to lose water between the scraper and the drum and asphalt will start sticking to the edges. The scraper system needs to have the correct contact with the drums at all times to spread that water consistently and minimise the potential for asphalt sticking.

PROPER MACHINE USE Improper usage, such as using too high an amplitude or frequency for the job can fracture the aggregate and damage a compactor. Overcompaction is another easy way to damage the machine. By continuing to vibrate the machine even after reaching the density required not only is the asphalt damaged but also the machine by prematurely wearing the shock mounts.

07 10

FUEL UP AT DAY’S END Fuelling the roller at night instead of the morning removes the air from the tank and reduces the likelihood of condensation in the tank. Moisture will add water to fuel and cause problems. Also, filling the tank at the end of each day gives a productivity gain right away the next morning.

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HARD HITTERS PAVERS DECEMBER AUGUS 2020 T 2019

SMOOTH AND SHINY

THE WELL-SURFACED ROADS THAT THE MIDDLE EAST TAKES FOR GRANTED ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY ASPHALT PAVERS, WHICH PROVIDE FOR A WIDE RANGE OF ROAD LAYING APPLICATIONS AND EXCELLENT TOP LAYER FINISHES, SAY VOGELE AND VOLVO CE

T

he surprising thing about the surface of a road is that if you’re noticing it while you’re travelling on it, it’s probably for the wrong reasons.

A smooth and ripple-free stretch of tarmac, such as we often see in the Middle East, is rarely noticed by people who use that stretch. But stop and ponder and you’ll marvel at the machines that built it.

The cornerstone of road machines is the asphalt paver, which crawls over a stretch of flattened, prepared surface on tracks or wheels, carrying the asphalt mix that it lays down underneath and spreads and smoothens with a screed to form the final surface.

Among the global leaders in the pavers segment is the Wirtgen Group’s Vogele, represented in the UAE by Genavco. Saif Khan, national sales manager at Genavco, tell CMME that with projects such as the Dubai International Airport, Al Maktoum, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah airports, the Dubai Autodrome and the Yas Island Formula 1 track in the UAE – as well as

numerous important highways - made with Vogele pavers, it is no surprise that the brand is the runaway market leader in the pavers segment.

“Vogele has a wide range of models for the Middle East. The most preferred Vogele paver here - and across the world - is the Super 1800-3. It covers most jobs globally and is the most popular size of machine.

But there are other popular smaller pavers too, such as the Super 800 and Super 700, which can do specialised jobs like cycling tracks and small roads or underground car parks. They have screeds of 1m in width that can extend up to 3.4m. We’ve sold a few last year, primarily to contractors doing small road projects or maintenance, building cycling tracks, etc.,” Khan says.

“And then we have the Vogele Super 3000-3, the biggest paver in the world, going up to 18m. This is for specialised jobs, such as airport runways or superhighways - jobs you want to do without any joints or with minimal joints. We have sold its predecessor, the Super 2500, to some customers here who have done airport jobs at Dubai International, Al Maktoum and Sharjah airports. These are big pavers with screed widths of 11-16m or 18m, as required

in these specific cases. But most road construction job-site requirements are addressed by the Super 1800-3, an 8.5m machine. This is popular because even if a customer is laying two lanes on a highway, with each lane being 3.75m, you’re looking at 7.5m for two lanes and 1m for the shoulder, which is apt for the 8.5m paver. It can do the complete job at one go with minimum joints, and this makes it popular.”

The Genavco-Wirtgen combine has kept its market lead intact during the Covid-19 situation, he adds, as “luckily, the road construction business is not affected the way other businesses are”.

“This is because even during Covid-19 and the lockdowns, infrastructure and roadworks were on, albeit with certain guidelines for contractors. So, they needed the machines to complete their projects. We’ve had a good market performance, both last year and in this one, and our market share on the pavers is about 80-85% in the UAE. In the asphalt machinery, we are the market leaders by far in the UAE for many years now. And we are able to sustain this position due not only to the product quality of the Wirtgen Group but also because of our aftersales service quality that keeps

33

“This delivery further cements our 35-plus years’ relationship with AlGeemi for FAMCO during which they purchased wheeled loaders and wheeled excavators And now, based on that trust, they have gone for Volvo pavers as well” customers in this relatively small and difficult market coming back to us. This is why most major projects and road contractors here use our machinery.”

Another popular asphalt paver in the Middle East is Volvo’s ABG Paver P6820D and a look at its key feature tell us why. It is powered by a 179hp Volvo engine with high torque at low RPMs, increasing productivity at lower fuel cost. The paver also has thick track pads for longer wear resistance which increases the replacement service interval, thereby reducing operating cost.

A Hydraulic Track Tensioning system along with two large properly-spaced composite track rollers keep the track from touching the frame, extending track chain life and smoothening operation. The front apron is hydraulically operated and when raising it along with the hopper wings, all material is funnelled to the conveyor, stopping entry of cold material.

The Screed Assist system prevents the screed from sinking into the material due to its weight when paving with material having low load bearing capacity. The screed load device prevents start-of-paving bumps by ensuring consistent mat quality through the entire

length of the job. Also, a screed tensioning device allows a consistent angle of attack across the full width of the screed for smoother paving. Finally, Volvo’s Care Track Monitoring System remotely tracks the machine to reduce fuel consumption, optimise machine and operator performance and proactively manage maintenance to maximise uptime.

The latest success for the P6820D paver is a delivery to Al Geemi & Partners Contracting Company by AlFuttaim Auto and Machinery (FAMCO), Volvo CE’s exclusive UAE distributor. AlGeemi is a 40-plus-yearold contracting giant in Abu Dhabi, classified under the UAE government’s highest category: ‘Special Category: Roads, Bridges and Buildings’.

Ahmad Jamal Anis El Balaa, GM, AlGeemi, says the company has a prominent role in the construction of some of Abu Dhabi’s fundamental infrastructure and iconic buildings, and is among a few companies capable of undertaking projects with $1bn in value.

Speaking about what led to the successful sale, Samer Juneidi, divisional manager-CE, FAMCO, says: “Volvo CE is known for their Swedish quality and safety standards. The new machines will maximixe

AlGeemi’s productivity while minimising their total cost of ownership. This delivery further cements our 35-plus years’ relationship with AlGeemi during which they purchased wheeled loaders and wheeled excavators from us and we gained their trust in our machinery and in our aftersales solutions. And now, based on that trust in the FAMCO partnership and the Volvo brand, they have gone for Volvo pavers as well.”

Eyad Turki, national sales manager-CE, FAMCO, adds that while all Volvo machines increase productivity, durability and reliability, and lower total cost of ownership, a clincher for the AlGeemi order was the strong aftermarket support FAMCO has provided before for its 35-machine Volvo fleet, comprising wheeled loaders and wheeled excavators The recently-bought Volvo paver will help serve the company’s projects and customers’ needs across the UAE. Fadi Saliba, finance manager, AlGeemi, adds: “We chose FAMCO because we’ve been working with them for a long time. The support they’ve offered, with excellent sales and aftersales services, and their network across the UAE, ensures the maximum return on investment for any business.”

34

COMPACTORS DECEMBER 2020

Hamm has a range of rollers in the market, with over 100 available in various sizes, capacities, types and designs and for various purposes, with the volumes coming from the 10t capacity range.

“The advantage of oscillation is that it does not pass on the vibrations of the drum to the surrounding buildings and structures like vibratory rollers do. When you need to work in a residential area, the vibration from a typical vibratory roller can break windowpanes of surrounding buildings or harm the structures. Oscillation rollers do not have this disadvantage�

35

WORKING FLAT OUT

WITH THE MIDDLE EAST A HOTBED FOR ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE, ROLLERS AND COMPACTORS CONTINUE TO BE AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT MACHINES IN THE REGION. CMME SPEAKS TO THE MAJOR MANUFACTURERS TO FIND OUT THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECTOR

T

he Middle East is a region that has come to be known for the quality of its roads and highway infrastructure. In a place where the automobile is so important for personal mobility, its is no surprise that the surfaces that those automobiles move on are made to the top standards.

Of course, behind the smooth roads of the region there lies an entire industry of machines, machinery users and manufacturers. And when we speak of smoothness, no other machine assumes greater importance than the road roller or compactor. Furthermore, due to the ever-ongoing road building activity in the region, this is a region the major manufacturers of road making equipment give due importance to, with the consequence that all the global names in the segment are present here in full force with their machines.

When it comes to rollers, the major players in the region are the Wirtgen Group’s Hamm, Ammann, Dynapac and Bomag – all road equipment specialists – and the other major equipment brands such as Volvo CE and JCB. Hamm and the rest of the Wirtgen Group is represented in the UAE by regional machinery powerhouse Genavco and Saif Khan, national sales manager, explains the various types of rollers his company and its principal offer.

“Among the types of rollers available, the

single drum roller is primarily used for soil compaction; the double drum roller and the pneumatic tyre rollers are used for asphalt.

Water sprinkler systems are also used with the asphalt rollers, so that the asphalt does not stick to the drums or tyres. After a paver spreads the asphalt, the initial compaction is done by the double drum roller, which compacts down the asphalt into place. Then the tyre roller comes in to do the final surface closing, or to add the finishing touch and finesse the surface of the asphalt road and make it smooth. Before either of these types of rollers come in, however, the soil compactor has already worked on the road being built, smoothening and flattening several layers of soil and other material that go below the final paved asphalt top,” he says.

“Hamm has perhaps the biggest range of rollers in the market, with over 100 available in various sizes, capacities, types and designs and for various purposes. What Hamm brings here to the Middle East is of course the models best suited to this region and the kind of roadworks that we have here. Typically, in this part of the world, the soil compactor is an early requirement for road construction, primarily the 10t-class units, while we’ve also sold the 20t class in some applications. Heavyweight models are preferred when compacting thicker soil, but the traditional volume end of the market here is for soil compactors of around the 10t capacity range.”

He adds that for asphalt work, most contractors again prefer the 10t-class double

36

COMPACTORS DECEMBER 2020

drum rollers, while for thinner layers and internal or smaller roads a 7.5t-class model is also popular. For smaller jobs, such as maintenance or for road shoulders, the 1.52.5t class is most favoured.

“The pneumatic rollers are usually eight-wheel rollers, whether for us or the competition. The load per wheel requirement there varies from 2.5-3t, so the machines are ballasted accordingly. For us, the standard pneumatic roller is the 16t model, but we see users increasing its weight while ballasting

Volvo is a major player in the compactor market with a complete model range. It’s new 135hp PT220 pneumatic roller has a high-speed travel mode and several ballast options.

it. There are slots available on the machine to load iron bars or bottom plates to do so.”

Khan adds that the most recent development in Hamm rollers is the oscillation rollers. both double and single drum. “The advantage of oscillation is that it does not pass on the vibrations of the drum to the surrounding buildings and structures like vibratory rollers do. When you need to work in a residential area, the vibration from a typical vibratory roller can break windowpanes of surrounding buildings or harm the structures. Oscillation

BUILT FOR THE REGION

VOLVO LAUNCHES PT220 PNEUMATIC TYRE ROLLER IN MIDDLE EAST Volvo CE has introduced a new pneumatic tyre roller in the Middle East and Africa market, which is more powerful and fuel efficient as well as quieter in operation.

Volvo CE announced that the new PT220 roller features a Volvo D5 Tier-3 compliant turbo-charged diesel engine and incorporates safety features such as Roll Over Protective Structure (ROPS) sunshade, reversing alarm and automatic engine shutdown.

The announcement added that the PT220 compacts using the forces of mass and manipulation and can be adapted to a variety of

applications by adding or removing ballast or by adjusting tyre inflation pressure. The positioning of the tyres, four each on front and rear, helps to ensure uniform surface coverage while rolling.

Volvo added that the tyres’ kneading action against the material surface provides excellent compaction and an isostatic suspension for the front tyres helps to keep the roller stable on irregular surfaces as well as maintain uniform tyre contract pressure.

Other highlights of the PT220 include dual seats with a sliding console to give the operator the most convenient

work position and the best view of the work area. In addition to equal forward and reverse speeds, the hydrostatic drive also features a high-speed travel mode that allows operators to get to the worksite quickly.

For increased compaction versatility, the maximum weight of the machine can be increased using a number of ballast options, including water.

The PT220 is powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder Tier 3/Stage IIIA engine with an output of 135hp. Volvo says it is fuel efficient and exceeds the requirements of exhaust emission legislation across the machine’s intended market.

rollers do not have this disadvantage. Also, for certain road making processes, such as when laying roads on a flyover or bridge, there is no other way than to use oscillatory rollers as the vibratory ones will damage the concrete structure. Oscillatory rollers also provide much quicker compaction than vibratory ones.”

The main difference int he way the two work is that in the vibratory roller the drum is moving vertically up and down fast, acting as a hammer to beat the asphalt or soil in place, while in the oscillatory it is moving horizontally, mashing the material to be compacted by transferring the forces tangentially.

“Customers we’ve sold oscillatory machines to are all extremely happy with them. Of course, they are more expensive than vibratory models, but the results are commensurate with the expense. Of course, it does not matter much on a greenfield highway project whether the roller is vibratory or oscillatory, so there vibratory ones are preferred. Oscialltory rollers are actually very popular in places such as Europe, where the temperature window in which the paved asphalt remains hot enough to compact and set is much smaller than here because of the climatic conditions and so oscillatory models are preferred due to their quick action and fewer passes required to do the job.”

Genavco’s latest offering is Hamm’s new HP240 pneumatic roller, which comes with a hydrostatic drive rather than the conventional geared drive. “It is a totally new design with great visibility and ease of operation for the operator and quicker results.We have the first lot here and had planned a customer open day to introduce it, but that is now not possible due to the Covid-19 situation. So, we are promoting it through other means, such as taking the machine to customers’ locations.”

“On the whole, the most popular roller models for us across our range include the HD110 double drum roller, another 10t class roller. The HD75 is another - a 7.5t double drum model. And we also have the small rollers such as our HD8VB, HD12VB, HD10VB, and others, with the numbers here indicative of the drum width. We are the only company that supplies a 100% made in Germany range to our customers here, while most competitors bring in at least some of their rollers from developing countries. Our customers are very happy with the performance and reliability of our machines,” Khan explains.

Meanwhile, at JCB, the compaction side of the business is no less important for a company known for its heavy earthmoving machines and compact equipment. Describing the JCB compactor line-up, Oliver Boenisch, general manager, Compaction Global Growth, JCB Sales, says the brand’s offerings are in four

37

“The 116D is the ideal machine to cover a wide range of jobs, from very largescale and heavy-duty applications down to medium-sized infrastructure projects” variants in the soil compactors segment with operating weights from 7.6t to 18.3t and five variants in the tandem roller segment, with operating weights from 1.7t to 8.6t.

Describing their uses Boenisch, says: “Soil compactors are typically used in heavy rolling applications for urban projects like roads and car parks over typical small, medium and largescale road construction as well as mining, airports, harbours and railways. Tandem rollers are primarily used in asphalt compaction applications for road maintenance, like patch works, smaller road sections, urban roads for models below 5t operating weight and heavy-duty road construction. Smaller models, such as the JCB CT160 and CT260 are also getting used on soil compaction jobs, where bigger machines have no access due to constrained space. We’re increasingly selling both soil compactors and tandem rollers to rental businesses, which is another tough environment we have considered when developing our models.”

The jewel in JCB’s crown where compactors are concerned is the 116D. Going into the reasons why the machine is the company’s flagship in the Middle East, Boenisch says: “This region has an extremely high demand for new infrastructure such as road, railways, airports and seaports. This requires an enormous amount of earth moving and, of course, compaction. The 116D is the ideal machine to cover a wide range of jobs from very large-scale and heavy-duty applications down to medium-sized infrastructure projects.

For customers in the Middle East, the 116D is the standard size of machine. The market stats confirm this. This is why JCB has invested a

The 116D is JCB’s flagship roller in the Middle East with a high centrigugal force of 256kN and a drum shell thickness of 28mm.

The company says it performs 25-85% faster than competitors.

lot of effort to make this machine the best solution right from the start.”

Detailing some of the key features of the 116D, he adds: “This is a machine that rolls harder, drinks less, is easy to service and also looks good and feels good for owners and operators. Moreover, it’s easy to find though JCB’s Livelink telematics system.”

Coming to each of these descriptive features one by one he explains that the model comes with a five-year airtime contract for JCB’s Livelink, which massively

improves customers’ machine management by giving cost, productivity, safety and maintenance advantages.

The 116D features a high centrifugal force of 256kN developed by its unique single piece vibrator shaft. The drum shell thickness is 28mm plus two stiffener rings of 10mm on the edges, which increases the vibrating mass significantly and makes the drum robust and durable to withstanding tough applications such as rock compaction.

“These features together ensure the 116D does the job 25-65% faster than other machine in this segment. This is proven in numerous field tests and we are happy to repeat them.

The cost saving potential for users is just tremendous. The high gradeability of >55% with vibration is also an important feature when it comes to jobs in mountains or landfill sites.”

Moving on to the engine of the 116D, Boenisch states that it is driven by JCB’s proven Dieselmax engine, which is a hightorque motor that required less RPMs and therefore less fuel consumption. Being TIier 3 certified with low fuel consumption the 116D is also an environmental-friendly unit.

“And when I saw it drinks less that doesn’t only mean less fuel consumption, it also means less customer cash consumption through intelligent design features such as free of maintenance centre joints or triple-fixed rubber mounts on the drum – both increasing the component lifetime significantly and reducing cost of operation,” Boenisch emphasises.

PROVING IN INDIA

AMMANN ARX 91 ARTICULATED TANDEM ROLLER PASSES A TOUGH TEST An Indian contractor tested an Ammann ARX 91 Articulated Tandem Roller on a jobsite and was extremely pleased with the results.

The Ammann ARX 91 “was able to achieve the desired compaction at our jobsite in fewer passes, which resulted in overall savings in fuel/diesel costs,” according to Anurag Surana, general manager, Mechanical, at Prakash Asphalting & Toll Highways India Ltd. He mentions the ARX 91 was 5% to 8% more fuel efficient than other products in its segment.

Surana further adds that the operators were pleased with the Ammann compactor: “Our operator was also very

comfortable driving the ARX 91, with excellent visibility to the front and rear drums till the edge even while compacting closer to the edges. All the controls are conveniently located on the operator platform providing operator comfort with zero fatigue allowing the operator to work longer hours at a stretch.”

The ease of access to service points and Ammann’s support drew a special praise. In conclusion, Surana states: “We would consider procuring the Ammann Articulated Tandem Roller Model ARX 91 highly in the future for our fleet.”

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COMPACTORS DECEMBER 2020

Among other useful design elements that aid maintenance, he points out that all maintenance points are easily reachable from ground level. The centralised service station for the hydraulics eases machine health checks while the air filter scavenge system connects the air-filter with the exhaust pipe, which causes a vacuum. As a result, dust and dirt in the air-filter is automatically blown away. This reduces the service effort, prolongs the filter lifetime and reduces operational cost.

“If worse comes to the worst and the engine doesn’t start, our towing pump is fast and easy to release the hydraulic brakes to tow the machine out of the way.”

The design and operator experience of the 116D is another point that has garnered plaudits from users, and Boenisch says: “The 116D has great visibility both front and rear. The front frame is raised so that the operator can comfortably see the machine’s front-end. This is particularly important when loading the unit on a trailer. The rear bonnet is flat and has a very low angle. This ensures we have best-in-class rear visibility. An intelligent rear chassis design enhances the rear view through the mirrors to ensure you always stay in the roller track and work safely. With all of its features, the 116D became exactly what we expected for our dealers in the Middle East: a popular machine amongst customers with high rotation.”

Another reason for the acceptance of JCB compactors in the region is the way the company customises its products for the Middle East. “If you desire satisfied customers

JCB’s roller stable also includes smaller models, such as the CT160 and CT260, which find use on compaction jobs, where bigger machines have no access due to constrained space.

you have to modify machines prior to bringing them into service in the Middle East. The region is a challenge for machinery due to the harsh environment as well as tough applications. Also, the fuel quality is different to what we are used to in, say, Europe. Machines in the Middle East must stand the heat and the fuel. They have to be robust, reliable and easy to repair,” Boenisch explains.

In the case of the 116D the making it suitable for the region entailed rigorous testing and proving in extra-hot climates

during its development. Other features that make it more suitable for region include a mechanically driven engine, which can withstands poor fuel quality better than a common rail engine and is also easy to service and repair even by mechanics other than the dealer’s. This makes repairs more readily available, faster and cheaper for customers. To improve lubrication of the fuel as it is available in the Middle East, the 116D comes with a Fuel Lubrication Filter, which protects the fuel injection pump, the injectors and finally the engine itself.

According to Boenisch, some other key common features make all JCB compactors popular propositions in the Middle East.

These include JCB’s Livelink Telematics, which improves cost management, productivity, service and safety; and AVC (automatic vibration controls), which switches vibration off when machine is static to avoid inhomogeneous or over-compaction.

While having advanced and robust machines tailored for the region, JCB, like everyone else, has had to face the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and adapt to new ground realities. Recounting the brand’s experience in this regard, Boenisch says: “Yes, Covid-19 has affected our roller business.

When the pandemic tightened its grip in the first quarter, we felt the first impact with supply chains breaking up. This affected our output against a huge order bank. As we all know, the global demand then fell in quarter two with many countries going into lockdowns

ROLLING IN THE FUTURE

BOMAG PRESENTS AUTONOMOUS ROBOMAG Robomag is the name of the fully autonomous tandem roller developed by Bomag as a technological study. According to the roadmaking equipment specialist, Robomag builds on the knowledge gained by Bomag in cooperation with the Technical University of Kaiserslautern when converting road rollers to fully autonomous systems. Technologies such as GPS, Lidar and state-of-the-art position sensors are used in the Robomag.

Bomag says it is making its vision of fully autonomous construction machinery a reality with With Robomag.

A fully autonomous tandem roller, Robomag can be used completely independently in a defined work area. For loading or

manual operation, the Robomag tandem roller can be operated simply by remote control.

The system obtains information on position, situation and movement using a combination of different technologies for spatial orientation, environmental perception and environmental safety. A comprehensive safety concept with sensory environment recognition is used to prevent collisions.

In addition to the fully automatic mode, the Robomag also has the option to follow manually entered movement patterns so the roller can perform its task autonomously even with

special compaction jobs. It goes without saying that the roller has a mechanical emergency stop mechanism in every mode.

While the tandem roller travels autonomously, Bomag’s well-known Asphalt Manager 2 takes care of the intelligent active control and monitoring of the compaction power. At the same time, Asphalt Manager 2 ensures that the compaction performance is comprehensively and transparently documented.

Robomag is a pure technology study and serves Bomag as a vision for the not so far future. Bomag gave a sneak peak of the future machine study at Bauma last year, where visitors experienced Robomag working autonomously in a live demonstration.

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“Our most important rollers are the CA class soil compactors, which are very popular in our region. For asphalt paving, our most popular model is the CP275 pneumatic roller” and pausing construction activities. Also, we had to close our plants for some weeks during April and May. Our people are our highest priority and we have implemented several safety measures to make sure the whole team remains healthy. Now, however, I‘m happy to report that since May we have returned to full operations with a very healthy order bank stretching far into next year.”

Thar order bank is testimony that JCB is looking at the future with positivity, and Boenisch adds: “The Middle East is huge and has a massive potential for infrastructure development. Therefore, we focus our machine development on this environment. We see some positive signs of growth remerging in the region, particularly in Saudi Arabia.”

Meanwhile, at another giant of the roadmaking equipment sector, Dynapac, Issam Gharaibeh, regional business line manager – MENA, says: “Our most important rollers are the CA class soil compactors, which are very popular in our region for a long time now. A new version of the CA30, launched just a few weeks ago, is our flagship soil compactor. For asphalt paving, our most popular model is the CP275 pneumatic roller.

Our single and tandem rollers are of course available with vibration and oscillation features and the pneumatic are the static rollers.”

The Dynapac range in the Middle East is made for the working conditions of the region,

Dynapac’s most important soil compactor in the region is the CA30, whose new version was launched recently. It is part of the company’s popular CA class and has Dyn@Link telematics.

Gharaibeh adds. The machines Dynapac supplies here also meet some internal regulations stipulated by each country in the region on a country-by-country basis.

“What you can use in the UAE, for example, you may not be able to use in another country in the region because of certain local laws and regulations. Overall, the machines we sell here are made to suit the job-site conditions of the region, such as being able to work in very high temperature, often above 50-degress Celsius.”

Dynapac has consistently been among the

top-three players worldwide and that holds true for the Middle East as well, Gharaibeh points out. “We are either number one, two or three depending on which country in the region you look at or the category of machine. When you take the entire region and all machine categories as a whole, we are among the top three. When customers are looking for rollers, pavers or other roadmaking equipment, we are invariably on their minds.”

Covid-19 has been a mixed bag for Dynapac, affecting it in some countries in the region, but enabling it to do even better in others than in normal times. “Some governments have not only continued with infrastructure construction through the pandemic, but also taken advantage of the opportunity provided by the lower traffic in these times, especially in the lockdowns, to ramp up their roadbuilding efforts,” explains Gharaibeh.

“Due to this, we have not been as affected

by Covid-19 as may have been expected.”

This is also due to the fact that Dynapac was able to support its customers by using technology to the fullest. “Our machines are connected and monitored by telematics such as Dyn@Link, and we were able to troubleshoot remotely using this technology.

We are always close to our customers, and even during Covid times we used all tech tools we could to maintain that closeness, such as frequent teleconferencing, etc.”

This customer focus is the reason, Gharaibeh believes, that Dynapac counts some of top companies as its customers.

“Saudi Aramco is a key long-term customer for us, and we also have projects in Egypt. Our machines are also working on projects with the UAE’s Etihad Railway. Our biggest market here is KSA and most of the projects there are related to Aramco, where a major contractor is using Dynapac equipment extensively.”

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THE LAST WORD DECEMBER 2020

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