Construction Machinery ME October 2018

ISSUE 84 2018 OCTOBER

Plus

aCKs R t W e n G n I Z a L b t t y Res ’

tRiden of jouRneyin the success ast Middle e

Qua LI t y a Zen FoRin g

ex act ds standaR anese M ake jaP oPul aR bR ands P

t s u Rob dy a e R a nd

tRucks t l u a n e R

’s d n a r b e th t a k o o l on y es a l k n a i t s E e s M CM ces o r p n o i product

TIME WILL TELL Quality is our system!

volvoce.com

Volvo Construction Equipment has always adopted a systematic approach to quality.

Each individual part and function has been designed for optimum performance, and to interact efficiently and seamlessly with one another. Meanwhile, Volvo Services stands by to deliver first class preventive maintenance and parts availability. With every passing day, it will become more obvious to you how your Volvo excavator is saving you both time and money… and giving you peace of mind instead. You’ll begin to understand why people refer to Volvo as a “premium brand”. And the true value of owning a trustworthy and capable piece of machinery will be reflected by the figures on your bottom line. Contact your closest Volvo dealer to find out what you can gain by choosing a premium excavator.

CONTENTS OCTOBER 2018 8_News The latest news from across the region and further afield.

16_a Rich haul A fleet of Volvo articulated haulers is working in Dubai’s Al Maktoum airport expansion project, hauling away tons of sand, rock and earth night and day.

20_blaziNg New TRacks Shyam Gyanani. MD, Trident Tyres, a maker of tyres for compact and mini equipment, reveals how his compnay’s has carved its niche in the market.

24_a zeN foR qualiTy With their passion for perfection, Japanese manufacturers are constantly

42

pushing the boundaries for quality products and services.

r e w o p raw 34_ New R The latest

e l e a se s

14 SpoTTeD y mans in Geg r crane help

achinery.

struction m

d of con m the worl releases fro

om line.

r your bott eN 38_Top T , saving fuel is always good fo

14

D ema w bridge to build ne ay on motorw

the price No matter

. dy aNd Rea on and comes away impressed T s u b o R Ly _ 40 ory in Trucks’ fact Renault CMME visits

eRs ioN dRiv e heavy construction trucks.

T c u d o R terise th 44_ p logy charac and techno s es n h g u To ipe diRecT p ject.

R o f d R ro ld Reco for water p 48_ a woR necht uses microtunneling Germany ’s

24

Herrenk

20

44

28

Experience the Progress.

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Liebherr Middle East FZE P.O. Box 2540, Jebel Ali Free Zone Dubai / United Arab Emirates Phone: +971 4 8891 888 E-Mail: info.ldu@liebherr.com www.facebook.com/LiebherrConstruction www.liebherr.com

4

EDITORIAL OC TOBER 2018

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

French Flair Many moons ago, when I was a reluctant and inattentive participant in French classes in school, yearning for the play field while stubbornly resisting the imposition of another subject on what I still claim was an overburdened young mind, I still couldn’t help let a few common expressions of the language seep in.

Perhaps because no other language quite captures the feelings these expressions so succinctly encapsulate – or may be because of the English penchant for appearing erudite with a smattering of French – some of these common French aphorisms have come to be absorbed and oft repeated in English.

So, despite only being able to say ‘I don’t speak French’ in French, I still retain and often use such expressions of the language as ‘tour de force’, ‘piece de resistance’, ‘savoir-faire’, ‘raison d’etre’, and such others.

Which brings us to the French truck maker Renault Trucks. If you pardon my smattering of French on this, the impression I got from visiting the firm’s production facility in Lyon, where it makes the trucks that are gaining popularity fast in the Middle East, can be put this way: The entire production process is a technological and organisational tour de force that shows that the brand’s raison d’etre is to pursue excellence, helped by the savoir-faire of its engineers to infuse the trucks with what is their piece de resistance – robustness.

Now that I’ve got that out of the way – and exhausted my bag of French clichés for the year in the process – let me come out of this bout of Francophilia and tell you about the rest of the issue. Japanese manufacturers are just as well known for their obsession with quality as Renault Trucks, and we take a look elsewhere in this issue at what some of them

are doing to extend quality into their services and processes.

Indian compact and small equipment tyre specialist Trident also talks to us about how it has found great acceptance in our region with its innovations in the tracks and tyres sector. Some of those tyres would be apt for the machines of powered access maker Snorkel, whose CEO reiterates the company’s commitment to safety, new technology and the Middle East We also look at the way Volvo articulated haulers have been working round-the-clock at the Al Maktoum airport expansion project in Dubai, providing peace of mind to the contractor with their reliability. Keeping on trucks, we explore the heavy construction offerings from major global manufacturers, which are only a small step down in terms of capacity from the heavy haulers.

Our trip to Lyon last month has given us enough fodder at CMME to bring you much more about Renault Trucks and the Volvo Group, to which it belongs, so readers may have to put up with my French inspiration for a while.

Perhaps I should have paid attention in those French classes in school, after all!

Au revoir! A beintot!

ADVERTISING SALES ExECuTIvE TOM BROMLEY tom.bromley@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5496 DESIGN ART DIRECTOR SIMON COBON simon.cobon@cpitrademedia.com DESIGNER PERCIVAL MANALAYSAY percival.manalaysay@cpitrademedia.com MARKETING MARKETING MANAGER SHEENA SAPSFORD sheena.sapsford@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5498 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 MOHAMMAD AWAIS SADIQ SIDDIQUI FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA (1959-2015) PRINTED by PRINTWELL PRINTING PRESS LLC PUbLIShED by

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

Anirban Bagchi Editor, CMME

© Copyright 2018 CPI. All rights reserved.

While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

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ONLINE OC TOBER 2018

MOST POPULAR

ReAdeRS’ COMMeNTS

feATURed

CONSTRUCTION

SURvey fINdS UAe CONSTRUCTION INdUSTRy IS geNeRALLy POSITIve ON ShORT TeRM PROSPeCTS

CAMCO awarded flagship Riyadh Metro O&M contract for Lines 1 & 2

CONSULTANT

Aurecon bolsters Middle East expertise with two new appointments

feature: Asbestos – fighting a silent killer in the UAe

CONSTRUCTION

Siemens wins eight year O&M contract in Egypt

CONSULTANT

Hyperloop TT creates first draft of core safety requirements and certifications

CONSTRUCTION

Nakheel awards Ali Mousa & Sons Contracting $150mn Dragon Towers contract

feature: Women in Construction – Tatjana dzambazova, AI strategist, Autodesk

This result is so split you are left with coming to your own half-empty and half-full assessment of what is going on in the market as we reach the final quarter of 2018.

Certainly, when you are told that suppliers, contractors and consultants in the UAE construction industry share a ‘generally positive’ outlook for the next six months, you are left wondering what that means. While I agree that it is important for construction companies to have a set of indicators to serve “macroeconomic and operation management” purposes by anticipating events, I’m not entirely sure how much store we can put into the results of a survey that is only looking six months ahead. Particularly, as most people will have a highly objective view based on their own experience. However, as pointed out in the story, changes in the oil price and laws should make the medium/long term prospects look brighter.

Name withheld by request

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S W NE 8

First look

FMS Tech To ShowcaSe eagle eye 2K aT giTex

jecTS, o r p w e N oFFiceS, w e N , S e hiN arouNd K o New Mac o l e iveS – w T a MoNTh i T S i i N h i T w e New whaT’S N T a N o i g The re

its FMS Eagle Eye 2K at the region’s annual technology exhibition, GITEX Technology Week, from October 14-18.

According to FMS Tech, the FMS

EMEAR CuSTOMER

cameras - one facing the road and

SuppORT hEAD

the other facing the driver, which are

Guntram Jakobs

integrated with the IVMS device.

Designed for optimum security

as ithe new

in fleets, the camera system

customer support

is a four-channel digital video

director for Terex

recorder for in-car surveillance.

It uses an embedded processor

Cranes in the

and operating system with 3G

Europe, Middle

GSM WiFi router and the latest

East, Africa and

technology for audio and video

Russia (EMEAR).

compression and decompression,

The decision which

large capacity SD card recording,

came into effect

high intelligence and high stability.

from August 1,

increases operating efficiency by up to 45% over traditional grading operations.

The standard Cat Grade with 2D system – which is readily upgradeable to more advanced Cat systems provides guidance for depth, slope, and horizontal distance to grade through the standard touchscreen monitor, making operators more accurate.

By design, the Next Generation excavators produce more work per unit of fuel than the models they are replacing, says Caterpillar — up to 15% more fuel efficiency for the 336. New Smart mode operation automatically matches engine and hydraulic power to digging conditions, optimising both fuel consumption and performance.

Offering extended and more synchronised maintenance intervals, the new Cat excavators do more work at a lower cost and reduce maintenance costs by up to 15% over the previous series.

Technologies (FMS Tech) will highlight

Eagle Eye 2K consists of two smart

Cranes Mobile

Caterpillar has introduced its new Next Generation 36t size class excavators — the 336 and 336 GC — which are designed to increase operating efficiency, lower fuel and maintenance costs, and improve operator comfort compared to previous models.

According to Cat, the new excavators offer unique combinations of features designed to match contractors’ productivity and cost targets. The new 336 features standard integrated Cat Connect Technology and the most power and lift capacity of the two models for maximum productivity at the lowest cost. The new 336 GC, meanwhile. combines productivity features with reduced fuel consumption and maintenance costs for high reliability and low-cost-per-hour performance.

The new 336 has the industry’s highest level of standard factory-equipped technology to boost productivity.

Integrated Cat Connect Technology

Fleet Management Systems and

TEREX AppOInTS

has been appointed

Caterpillar launches new 36t excavators

With an aim to ensure safer roads,

The in-cabin security cameras

was made against

provide high quality recording,

the background

live streaming, snapshot for

of the company’s

driver ID verification and violation

global ‘Execute-

recording, playback capabilities

to-Win’ strategy,

for heightened security, and wired

with which it

or wireless camera options.

aims to regain its

The system records and stores the

global leadership

information on the device storage

position in the

locally and also sends event-based real-

industry. Thomas

time video feed to the control room.

Schramm, Terex

“We want to demonstrate how the

Crane’s VP, Sales

community, our clients and we, can

& Service, Mobile

work together to make roads safer,” said

Cranes, EMEAR,

Bassam Alkassar, founder and CEO, FMS

sad Jakobs is a

Tech. “The FMS Tech engineers and I will

respected industry

be there in person to help the visitors

person and a 17-

better understand the solutions.”

year Terex Cranes

In addition to the FMS Eagle Eye

veteran. He has

2K, FMS Tech will be showcasing

extensive industry

their other fleet management

experience in

solutions and efficient devices.

various customer

The company, which has provided

support positions

fleet management systems for

in both Europe and

almost a decade, is the first company

the USA at all levels.

to be approved by Dubai’s RTA for the Dubai Limousine Taxi Risk Management Solutions (RMS).

In addition to the FMS Eagle Eye 2K, FMS Tech will be showcasing their other fleet management solutions and efficient devices.

COMMANDING POWER AND VERSATILITY

EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES OF OUR BACKHOE LOADERS At Bobcat, we develop loaders, excavators, telehandlers and more than 100 attachments to get your jobs done.

60 years ago, we started with our first skid-steer loader to support farmers in North Dakota with their daily jobs. Since then, we’ve developed our versatile backhoe loaders, which are designed to excel in the most demanding construction jobs But instead of looking back, we focus on the future. And so, we’re bringing you our most powerful machine with: best-in-class HP engine powerful and versatile for all your applications 2-year warranty on powertrain as standard Discover the Bobcat family of construction machines.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR BACKHOE LOADERS RANGE AT WWW.BOBCAT.COM Bobcat is a Doosan Company. Doosan is a global leader in construction equipment, power & water solutions, engines, and engineering, proudly serving customers and communities for more than a century. Bobcat and the Bobcat logo are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries. © 2018 Bobcat Company. All Rights Reserved.

10

NEWs roUND-UP OC TOBER 2018

UrbaN PEoPlE FloW

KoNe parTicipaTeS iN arab FuTure ciTieS

New Tadweer facility to recycle demolition waste

SALES GROWTh AT hAuLOTTE French powered access major Haulotte Group posted an increase in sales of 13%, to $340.1m, in the first half of

Elevator and escalator giant Kone

2018, compared

Corporation shed light on major

to $310.4m in

developments in urban people

the same period

flow at the 5th Arab Future Cities

last year. The

Summit in Dubai last month.

company saw a

The Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center (Tadweer) has opened a new facility to recycle construction and demolition waste in Ghayathi in the emirate’s Al Dhafra region.

Located near the Ruwais oil fields and the UAE-Saudi Arabia border, the new facility will help ease the pressure on Al Dhafra landfill, which is anticipated to receive construction and demolition waste in the range of 60,00070,000t per month with

an average daily inflow of 1,500-2,000t, said a statement from Tadweer.

With a minimum production capacity of 31,000t per month and 150-200t per hour, the new facility recycles construction and demolition waste and provides recycled aggregate for the construction of roads and other infrastructure projects, said Tadweer, adding that opening it is part of its efforts to support Abu Dhabi’s mandate of diverting 75% of waste

from its landfills. A mobile crusher has been set up at the new facility to accommodate the existing stockpiles as well as the incoming waste intended for recycling.

Dr. Salem Al Kaabi, acting GM, Tadweer, said: “In addition to complying with the latest global practices in waste treatment, the new facility is fitted with state-of-the-art systems and technologies to allow Tadweer to recycle larger volumes of waste in future.”

Joakim Modeen, head of Service

14% growth in sales

Business, addressed urban megatrends

in Europe, driven

in people flow and their effect on vertical

by strong demand

transportation. Furthermore, discussed

from major rental

the inevitability of the use of data and

companies in most

cloud storage to improve urban mobility.

European markets.

Samer halabi, regional managing

Sales in Asia Pacific

director, Kone Middle East

grew 12%, led by

Africa tackled the paradigm shift

China, while Latin

affecting the transportation and

American sales

mobility sectors as cities absorb

climbed 17%. Sales

more numbers. he discussed the

in North America

imperative to convert vertical and

rose 10%. Net profit

horizontal transportation solutions

rose to $22.4m,

to smart modes in order to increase

6.6% of sales.

effectiveness, reduce technical failures and improve the flow of urban life.

“At Kone, we have been exerting all our efforts in researching and devising smarter solutions that will alter the way people move in and between buildings.

It is a dear topic to Kone,” said halabi.

VolVo unVeils electric compa ct wheel loader concept Volvo Cons

hITAChI ACquIRES 33.3% OF ACME Hitachi Construction Machinery (HCM) has stepped into the AWP sector by acquiring 33.3% shares of American rerental specialist Acme Lift Co. The move will also add HCM earthmoving equipment to Acme’s fleet.

truction Equipm ent demonstrated the LX2 electric co mpact wheel load er concept at the Volvo Grou p Innovation Su mmit in Berlin last month. The prototype machi ne delivers zero emissions, signific antly lower noise levels, improved efficiency and re duced operationa l co sts compared to conventional machines. The m achine’s lithium ion batte ry stores enough en ergy to operate the mac hine for eight ho ur s in common applica tions, such as lig ht infrastructure, co nstruction and landscaping .

11

Genie begins new XC boom production Powered access major Genie has announced the launch of production of its new Genie S-65 XC telescopic boom lift, which will be sold in markets including the Middle East, in its factory in Umbertide, Italy.

The Terex-owned company said that the move follows strong interest in the new model among customers from the region at the Intermat trade show in Paris earlier this year. The S-65 XC boom is an EMEAR region model for Genie and will also be sold in Europe, Africa and Russia in its various versions. Deliveries of the new Genie S-65 XC boom lifts are scheduled from October this year.

With a maximum working height of 21.81m, this new model is the latest addition to the expanding Genie Xtra

Capacitiy (XC) boom lift range, said the manufacturer. Providing the ability to perform a wider range of heavier lift tasks on construction and industrial jobsites, the new S-65 XC boom offers a dual lift capacity of 300kg unrestricted and 454kg restricted to work with up to three people onboard with room for tools and materials.

The new S-65 XC is the first telescopic XC model to be manufactured at Genie’s factory in Umbertide, Italy – the Genie ‘Boom Centre of Excellence’ for the EMEAR region, dedicated to the production of the boom lifts that are popular with customer in the region. Zach Gilmor, Genie product manager, said: “Thanks to updates in the design and technology, these models carry more load than their predecessors.”

TADAnO, ESCORTS First iN soUth korEa

hyuNdai TrucK coMpleTeS doMeSTic auToNoMouS highway jourNey

TEAM up In InDIA Japanese crane specialist Tadano

WACKER nEuSOn, JOhn DEERE TIE up John Deere is entering into a strategic supplier agreement with Wacker Neuson to initially provide compact excavators in China, Southeast Asia and Oceania.

The models will range from 1.7-7.5t and are specifically designed and manufactured for customers in the growing Asia-Pacific marketplace.

Continental expands portfolio of port tyres

and India’s Escorts hyundai Motor Company’s

driver is still used to control

will manufacture

Xcient truck has completed

the vehicle manually in

rough terrain and

a 40km autonomously

certain situations, but I

truck mounted

navigated highway

think we will achieve Level 4

cranes for the

journey, the first to take

automation soon as we are

Indian market

place in South Korea.

constantly upgrading our

under a joint

technological capability.”

venture company

The semi-trailer truck, with a maximum 40t load

The trip, between the cities

announced

capacity, was semi-equipped

of uiwang and Incheon, took

recently. The new

with a Society of Automotive

place in August and was held

company, Tadano

Engineers (SAE) standard

in cooperation with hyundai’s

Escorts India (TEI)

Level 3 autonomous driving

trade subsidiary, hyundai

will be based in

system, enabling it to steer,

Glovis. The truck stayed within

Faridabad city in

accelerate or decelerate and

the expressway speed limit of

Haryana state and

manoeuvre through traffic

90kmh through the one-hour

will manufacture

without human input.

journey along one of South

20t and 80t

Korea’s busiest freight routes.

capacity cranes.

“This successful demonstration proves that

Although a human driver

Tadano and Escorts

innovative autonomous driving

was on-board to take over

will hold 51% and

technology can be used to

manual control when required,

49% stake each.

transform the trade logistics

the vehicle maintained and

industry,” said Maik Ziegler,

changed lanes during natural

director of Commercial

traffic flow, detected other

Vehicle R&D Strategy Group

vehicles, navigated tunnels,

at hyundai Motor Company.

and halted or accelerated

“At this stage, a human

according to road traffic.

Continental has announced the expansion of its port tyre portfolio with a new range of V.ply tyres featuring its new Port Plus compound developed to tackle the heat and other typical conditions of port operations in the Middle East.

The global tyre major said that in addition to the V.ply tyres, its radial tyres for port applications and its ContiConnect digital tyre monitoring platform will be available in the Middle East by 2019. Continental’s port tyre and solutions portfolio has been

specifically engineered to meet the safety standards, weather, road, payload and driving requirements in the Middle East.

Jose Luis de la Fuente, MD, Continental Middle East, said: “In the Middle East, over half of measured trucks and trailers are under-inflated, resulting in road safety risks and unpredictable costs for fleets. We believe the new port radial tyres coming to the region next year, combined with our new digital technology, ContiPressureCheck and ContiConnect, will contribute to enhancing tyre safety here.”

12

NEWs roUND-UP OC TOBER 2018

Bobcat enhances EMEA Innovation Center Doosan Bobcat has announced a swathe of investments in new technology, machinery and processes at the company’s Innovation Center in Dobris in the Czech Republic. The Innovation Center is the R&D hub of an integrated site at Dobris that also includes manufacturing, sourcing and training at the same location.

Doosan Bobcat believes the ability to design, test and manufacture Bobcat machines locally is one of the company’s competitive advantages in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. The new investments are intended to boost these advantages and involve every part of the operations in the Innovation Center, from rapid prototyping and prototype assembly to performance

and durability testing.

The Innovation Center, with 8000sqm of floor space, is a European Engineering Center of Excellence, serving as an expert R&D centre for all Doosan Bobcat engineering teams across EMEA and has global responsibility for small compact loaders and compact

excavators from 0-3t. It focuses on creating new innovative solutions, product development, research and testing activities.

Over the last 12 months, Doosan Bobcat has completed several significant investments and has installed three important technologies at the venue. These are a CNC

horizontal boring machine, CNC 5-axis milling machine and a dynamometer, which together cost around $1.65m, with 50% grants by the Czech Goverment.

The horizontal boring and 5-axis milling machines will support faster prototype builds, providing full control of the processes without the involvement of third parties.

Other important aspects are fixtures production for the Dobris manufacturing plant and testing of machining processes.

The 300 kW dynamometer with six electric generators will load test machines and allow Bobcat to optimise cooling performance in the ‘hot’ climate-controlled chamber at up to 55°C. The dynamometer allows replication of real duty cycles in a laboratory environment.

nEW pALFInGER CRAWLER CRAnE Palfinger has launched its first crawler crane, the PCC, which debuted at the IAA Commercial Vehicles exhibition last month in Hannover. Three variants will be available intitially from 50 to 150 tonne-metres. The modular system cranes are designed for terrains that normal trucks would find hard to access.

13

Volvo moves into new global headquarters MAnITOu MAKES ELECTRIC hAnDLERS Manitou is producing electric and hybrid versions of its rough terrain telehandlers with Deutz, with two prototypes handed over last month.

The fully-electric MT 1135 has a 360V power supply and a 60kW electric motor, with a 30kWh battery. The hybrid MT 1335 has a 55kW TCD engine with a 20kW electric motor.

Volvo Construction Equipment has moved into its new global headquarters located on the same premises as other Volvo Group businesses in the southern Swedish city of Gothenburg.

The construction equipment giant officially inaugurated its new global HQ at Campus Lundby earlier this month, marking the move with an official inauguration ceremony attended by senior company leaders and around 500 employees.

The company is now sharing a building with sister Volvo Group concerns Volvo Buses – which moved in on the same day – and Volvo Penta. The building is situated close to the Volvo Group headquarters and other Volvo business areas at Campus Lundby.

According to Volvo CE, the move will help to facilitate the sharing of resources, best practice and competence, as well as creating even more opportunities for collaboration.

“At Volvo CE we have always collaborated with other parts of the Volvo

Group, but our new shared headquarters will facilitate closer collaboration and cooperation,” said Melker Jernberg, president, Volvo CE. “Campus Lundby has brought us all together and it will help us build better, stronger working relationships that

will benefit our customers.”

Campus Lundby is a large site, covering an area of 375,000sqm – equivalent to 54 football pitches. Volvo said it is home to a diverse, international workforce with employees from 60 countries based at the site.

www.hitachicm.ae

Hitachi Construction Machinery Middle East Corp. FZE congratulates Middle East Crane Equipment trading L.L.C with the inauguration of their brand new facility You are welcome on our Open Day on the 1st of November

Dubai Industrial City ( DIC), Plot Nr. 5320170, Community: Saih Shuaib 3, Dubai UAE, www.mecetrading.com

14

KIT SPOTTING OC APRIL TOBER 20162018

Demag builDs new german motorway briDge H eavy loads, large equipment and limited space are usually not a good recipe for lifting operations. This was the situation in the demolition of the old Illtal motorway bridge on the A1 at Eppelborn in Germany, which had to give way to a modern structure. Steil Kranarbeiten, a crane operating company from Trier, considered its CC 3800-1 crawler crane with Split Tray the best possible tool for the very limited space.

The lack of space on the construction site proved to be a special challenge right from the start.

“The set-up of the crane required a sophisticated logistics concept, whereby we delivered the parts justin-time with 52 transports in order to install them immediately. This was because there was insufficient storage space for all parts on the construction site, which was limited by a stream and a railway line. To make matters worse, rail traffic was maintained during the construction work,” explains René Perlich, head of Large Cranes at Steil Kranarbeiten, whose team configured the CC 3800-1 for the lifts with a 72m SSL1 boom and 11.5m Superlift radius, as well as 225t of counterweight on the crane and 325t of Superlift counterweight.

Concrete had to be poured in the bank area first, in order for the unstable soil around the stream to be able to support the CC 3800-1 safely.

Subsequently, bongossi ties were also laid at the work area of the crane for even pressure distribution. This preparation work provided sufficient stability for the crane.

Out of necessity, the Steil team had to choose rather unconventional approaches even for the assembly of the Superlift mast and boom. The Superlift system structure could not be installed in one piece on the crane as usual, since the required 36m on the construction site was simply not available. “We had just about 20m available to us,” says Perlich, whose technicians installed the Superlift system “piece by piece”. The installation of the 72m main boom was another challenge – it had to be set up over the stream due to lack of space.

After the crane was ready for lifting in the intended time frame, the actual work began. The bridge was initially divided into seven segments (each up to 21m long and 12m wide), lifted one after the other by the CC 3800-1, slewed behind it and lowered down. At the storage area, the bridge parts were later broken down further and transported by truck.

“The heaviest load was superstructure 2, which weighed in at around 345t,” says Perlich, who operated the crane himself. “And this lift definitely demonstrated that we were absolutely right in choosing our CC 3800-1… we still had a lifting capacity reserve of around 10% with this crane.”

15

“This lift definitely demonstrated that we were absolutely right in choosing our CC 3800-1… we still had a lifting capacity reserve of around 10% with this crane”

16

PROJECT REPORT OC TOBER 2018

A rich hAul

A fleet of VolVo ArticulAted hAulers is combAting AdVerse conditions night And dAy to hAul AwAy the dirt for dubAi’s Al mAktoum Airport expAnsion, A project thAt seeks to continue the region’s prosperity

W

ith Dubai located within an eighthour flight from twothirds of the world’s population, the UAE can claim to be Europe’s most easterly hub and Asia’s most westerly hub. As flying has become more affordable, passenger figures are

increasing every year and Dubai’s ambition is not only to build the world’s largest airport but to become an aerotropolis, a new city created around an airport.

The air traffic hub at the heart of Dubai’s plans, Al Maktoum Airport, is already in operation with a capacity of seven million passengers a year. The first phase of the mega expansion project will see this leap to 26 million passengers a year. Ultimately, by around 2025, its capacity will rise to around 140 million people – making it by far the largest airport and aviation infrastructure hub in the world.

Indeed, the broader plans laid out for Dubai South,

the aerotropolis surrounding and encompassing Al Maktoum Airport, envisage a scale and scope that will continue to propel the fortunes of Dubai as a city long into the future. Currently under construction over an area of 140km2, or two times the area of Hong Kong Island, Dubai South will house 900,000 people.

In the near term, however, the scale of the work laid before the contractors on the ground is no less daunting. Out of the 140km2 total area of Dubai South, 50km2 is being prepared as part of the ongoing expansion of Al Maktoum Airport.

Remarkably, this entire ground preparation operation

17 The Al Maktoum airport expansion project involves moving 170 million cubic metres of earth, which a fleet of 37 Volvo A35F articulated haulers are handling with great reliability.

“The most important thing about the Volvo machines is their extremely low downtime…All of our haulers have exceeded 10,000 working hours, and we are still happy”

is being conducted by a single company, Tristar Engineering and Construction, a veteran Abu Dhabibased infrastructure contractor that has overseen dozens of critical projects in the UAE over the decades.

However, the Al Maktoum Airport expansion project sits head and shoulders above anything that Tristar has completed in the past. Logistics and fleet manager Mohammed Amer states: “You can call it a megaproject; it is not at all ordinary. I don’t think anybody has done a similar project in the UAE with such quantity.”

And the quantity is the key, because in fact, this

project is not one of area, but one of volume. It is the amount of material to be moved that is truly staggering. “We have finished 100 million cubic meters of cut and fill, and we have a balance of about 70 million cubic meters to go,” says Amer.

This is because Dubai’s desert landscape is a mix of rising dunes and sunken depressions where the sea water seeping through the porous mineral below has glued the sand together, making it as hard as rock.

Amer continues: “We have some areas where we are simply loading the trucks with excavators, but we also have hard material that is like rock where

the excavators first have to break the material up with hydraulic hammers before excavating it and loading it into the articulated haulers.”

And with so much at stake, Tristar is naturally relying on some of the best earthmoving equipment that money can buy: a fleet of 37 Volvo A35F articulated haulers.

Even so, the cutting and filling of 170 million cubic metres of sand and rock over an area of 50km2 in just two years requires a relentless effort, and Tristar’s 37 A35F haulers are working 10 hours a day to meet the tight schedule and dizzying production targets.

18

PROJECT REPORT OC TOBER 2018

VOlVO ARTiCulATEd HAulERs

driVing impression CMME recently had the

production and minimises

opportunity to drive Volvo

operational costs. Volvo

CE’s range of articulated

monitors machine operation

haulers at the company’s

and status, advising on

home-base in Eskilstuna,

the best ways to increase

Sweden, during the 30th

profitability. The weighing

edition of Volvo Days – Volvo

system guarantees an

CE’s customer outreach event.

optimal load every cycle,

With the A35G, the A45GFS

maximising production,

and the new flagship A60H,

boosting fuel efficiency and

all available to drive around

reducing machine wear.

the sprawling customer

Driving the hauler was the

demonstrations area at

definition of the term child’s

Volvo’s facility, we hopped

play. With its articulated

on board the beasts to get

design, the trailing truck body

you a first-hand impression

simply follows in the tracks of

of their prowess.

the front axle under the cab,

The first thig that strikes

enabling it to seemingly turn

you when you step inside the

on a dime and clear twisties

cab of a Volvo articulated

and bends vehicles half its

hauler is the ease of

size would not dare to enter.

ingress despite the height.

Innovative driver-assist

Well-designed footholds

features gave even a novice

and grab handles, and a

like yours truly enough

wide-opening door make

confidence to tackle steep

entry and exit a breeze,

inclines. Easily rolling up

increasing operator safety.

a 30-degree gradient, I

Once inside, the

was asked to stop right at

ergonomics continue, with

the hill’s apex, the hauler’s

the controls and displays laid

nose pointing up in the air.

out around the driver. The

Nervousness melted into ease

gauges and display screens

in seconds as the electronics

are clear and bright, even

took over, preventing slippage

on a very sunny Swedish

and keeping the vehicle at a

summer afternoon.

standstill, foot off the brakes.

A comprehensive array

The 55t capacity A60H is

of intelligent systems are

Volvo’s largest articulated

available in the articulated

hauler. Powered by a 16-litre

haulers. The MATRIS,

Volvo engine delivering

CareTrack and the On-Board

495kW and 3,200Nm, it is

Weighing system optimises

designed for heavy hauling in severe off-road operations, like quarries, mines and large earthmoving operations.

An array of customer support agreements offer preventive maintenance, total repair and uptime services.

And then there is the climate. Ambient temperatures in the UAE desert can rise well in excess of 50°C in summer, while the dryness and lightness of the sand ensure that a fine suspension of desert dust is almost always in the air. Such conditions demand that even the best equipment is carefully looked after.

However, they are also conditions that Volvo CE’s A35F haulers happen to be well prepared for, thanks to both their fully enclosed axles, which guard against the dust and circulate cooling lubricant, as well as their three-stage filtration system, which ensures that no airborne dust makes it through to the engines.

Amer notes: “The most important thing about the Volvo machines is their extremely low downtime. Volvo Construction Equipment created the articulated hauler, and to this day they continue to lead in their design and manufacture.

“All of our haulers have exceeded 10,000 working hours, and we are still happy. Now we are also doing oil analysis for the haulers because I want to monitor them very closely as they reach higher hours.

“That will help to catch any problems in the engine, transmission or hydraulic system. When you make routine scheduled oil sampling, you will know what the oil condition is within each element of the powertrain, and if there is something you need to overhaul or repair before it breaks down – because if that happens, it will cost you two, three times more to repair it.”

Tristar has experienced extremely few breakdowns with its Volvo-only hauler fleet, and that is one of the main reasons why the contractor has only stocked Volvo machines since it first invested in the D series machines back in 2007 – upon their debut in the Middle East.

Amer continues: “It’s because of the dealer, the strong performance of the haulers, the high resale value, and the low breakdown

time. But the most important thing is not to have breakdowns. We want to keep the availability of the machines at 100% and we have almost achieved this with the Volvo F Series machines.”

Tristar has a highly trained and skilled workforce, but up against high productivity targets and tight deadlines, vigilance is required to ensure that the best driving practices are maintained and reinforced.

These include, notes Amer, “using the retarder within a reasonable distance before stopping to reduce the speed gradually and not suddenly braking”, which can affect the brake life and raise the prospect and risk of breakdowns in the braking system.

To deal with the high temperatures of the Gulf summer, the haulers are meanwhile filled with unusually viscose oil to ensure its moving parts stay adequately lubricated and cooled.

Amer adds: “This is our mentality: we like to always maintain our fleet and keep it ready for any work.”

And lately, the work put to Tristar’s F Series articulated haulers has also involved the nearby Expo2020 site, where they are likewise engaged in hauling sand as part of the sitewide cut and fill of dunes and depressions.

Amer explains: “At the Expo2020 site, the haulers are shifting soft material over soft ground from one place to another, as part of cut and fill works. We’re using the articulated haulers where there is no proper road for the normal trucks.”

Across both sites, Tristar now has a total of 800 machines and pieces of equipment and a workforce of 3,000 people engaged in an array of activities. It is an exciting time, but as Amer quips: “You will never get bored in contracting because every day there are issues to work on.

Especially with equipment, you might face 100 different problems a day minimum. So you have to work in so many different directions, and every day brings new challenges.”

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20

IntervIew OC TOBER 2018

A

s a manufacturer of tyres and tracks for compact and mini equipment, Trident’s products may not be as visually prominent as the huge dumper tyres that people may imagine when thinking about off-highway tyres in the construction sector, but the company’s tyres for the skid-steer loaders, telehandlers, material handlers and aerial work platforms are probably even more significant.

The Indian manufacturer, which was established in 1997, has become a prominent player in the business globally when it comes to designing and developing solution-oriented tyres and tracks for compact construction equipment. In a journey of 21 years, it has already left its indelible tread marks on job-sites and landscapes across the worlds. And considering that the smaller equipment plays a more vital part in day-to-day life than the likes of the big dumper trucks, Trident can confidently say that it is making a daily difference somewhere in people’s lives.

So how has this 21-year journey been, CMME asked Shyam Gyanani, founder and MD of Trident tyres. “We started out with the desire and the vision to make a difference in the tyre space with quality and innovation.

And after two decades we can say that we have done that successfully. Currently, we export to about 35 different countries around the world, so we have a reasonably wide footprint. We have customers as far afield as in Uruguay, in Central America, in the US and Canada. Our tyres are running on job-sites in Europe,

BlAzing new trAcks

A speciAlist mAnufActurer of tyres And trAcks for compAct construction equipment, trident tyres hAs cArved A niche for itself with its quAlity And innovAtive products globAlly And in the middle eAst, shyAm gyAnAni, md, tells CMME

21 Trident’s innovative product portfolio includes versatile products like Over Tyre Tracks, which slip on over normal skid steer tyres to transform the machine into a tracked loader.

“What differentiates us is product development. And customer feedback is the main driver for our development strategy. We are very close with our customers and try to develop solutions which work for them”

Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South East Asia, among other regions – so it’s been a story of branching out globally for us.

“Our key markets internationally, however, would be the US and the Middle East. Together with our home market of India, these represent 65-70% of our total volumes,” says Gyanani.

Trident started doing business in the GCC market around 15 years ago, he elaborates. Starting with an export-based model In 2009, which saw the company making export shipments to its customers in the Middle East, Trident then established its regional subsidiary based out of Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE. “We’ve evolved in the Middle East now to having a stock point and a sales representative based in Dubai, whose job is to meet with existing customers and also to develop the market and sell from our stock,” explains Gyanani. Elaborating about Trident’s products and business model in the region, he adds: “We operate in two main segments – tyres for material handling equipment and for construction machinery. The material handling segment requires a fair bit of service, so that’s something for which we have an importer and distributor. But for the construction product, which does not require service, we sell out of stock. So, both are essentially B2B business models, but one is more like a business to re-seller and the other to an end-user.

“In the material handling tyres space, we have a couple of importers and distributor who bring in our products and sell and service them. We currently do not have our own service capability in the Middle East, so we work in close partnership with our distributors.”

The construction tyres is a wide segment, Gyanani adds, and Trident beaks it up into what it calls the compact construction segment, which includes equipment such as skid steer loaders, backhoe loaders, telehandlers, small wheeled loaders and boom lifts. In its other segment of operation – the material handling tyres – Trident has a strong local partner in Al Bahar, the regional dealer of no less a brand than Caterpillar and a powerhouse in construction equipment.

“They’ve been a customer for more than 15 years and it’s a good partnership. We supply our material handling tyres for forklifts to their UAE operations, and to their Qatar and Oman subsidiaries,” says Gyanani.

In the material handling segment, Trident typically provides replacement tyres for OEM fitments for various brands, whether it is Cat, Yale, or other. “These they typically come with solid tyres, which need to be replaced after they have run through their lifecycle.

So, we provide a replacement product for the same tyre that was fitted on the forklift. And this is where the service element comes in,” he explains.

“On the construction side, our product offering is actually quite different and unique, because we are replacing an existing pneumatic tyre with a solid tyre.

So there we have to replace the entire tyre and wheel assembly. For example, if a customer has fleet of Bobcat skid steer loaders with pneumatic tyres and he wants to switch to solid tyres, not only do the tyres need to be changed but also the wheel needs to be changed. That’s the nature of the construction

22

IntervIew OC TOBER 2018

Trident’s extensive range of products for compact and mini equipment includes solid tyres for telehandlers and small loaders, as well as rubber tracks for compact track loaders.

Over the tOp InnOvatIOn

trident’s over tyre trAcks be done in very little time.

While wheeled machines have

may need additional flotation, you

their own advantages over tracked

can use our OTT product, which

ones - such as low maintenance,

converts your tyred machine into a

between wheeled and tracked

robustness and speed on hard

tracked one,” says Shyam Gyanani.

mobility by converting a wheeled

surfaces like concrete or tar,

“It is a bridge between tyres

“OTTs thus bridge the gap

skid-steer loader into a tracked

or even factory environments

and tracks with the flexibility

one quickly and easily. Our

- tracked machines too have

that you can bolt the OTT

OTTs help skid-steer operators

their own specific strengths, like

over your tyres or unbolt it

function at a modest cost in

the ability to work on soft soil

in a matter of 20-25 minutes

terrains that they normally

and sand, which is a common

and you’re back to your tyred

couldn’t work in, thus increasing

terrain in the Middle East.

machine. It makes any wheeled

efficiency, productivity,

machine incredibly versatile.”

profitability and return on

“So wheeled machines are not practical for rough terrains while

Traxter OTTs consist of

investment,” Gyanani explains.

Trident also has a complete

tracked ones are not practical for

interconnected abrasion-resistant

the hard and smooth stuff. Keeping

steel segments that are looped

tested range of rubber track

this in mind, we have developed

over the tyres and the open ends

sizes, robustly constructed

our Over Tyre Tracks (OTT), which

are fastened to make an endless

with specially-compounded

bridge that gap. If you have a

track belt, thus providing tracked

wear-resistant rubber and

wheeled machine and you need to

mobility with high floatation.

spirally wound high-tensile

operate it on a surface where you

The fitment is simple and can

continuous steel cords.

and engineering requirements.

“We manufacture the wheels as well, so we provide a ready-to-fit wheel and tyre assembly. All the customer needs to do is bolt off the old pneumatic tyre and bolt in the new assembly. So, it’s a ready-to-use kind of a product with no service element.”

Gyanani notes that in the last 10 years, there is a strong trend to move from tyres to tracks.

“Tracked machines are significant and have specific advantages. Both tyres and tracks are opportunities, and it was essential for us to develop some excellent tracks for the same class of machines we produce tyres for.”

An innovation that Trident has brought to the market is its segmented, abrasion-resistant steel Over Tyre Tracks (OTT) that combine the best utility points of both tyres and tracks (see box). It is an innovation that is part of the philosophy that sets Trident apart.

“What differentiates us is product development. And customer feedback is the main driver for our development strategy. We are very close with our customers and try to develop solutions which work for them. ”

23

Total Innovation. maximum support

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

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

Oman: +96824597950/+96897750443 Qatar: +974 44076300/+974 66969521

At JCB, we’re totally committed to provide you with a range of tailored solutions that combine Innovation and first class Dealer support.

Our understanding of your industry and the vast array of products & services we offer will undoubtedly deliver better performance, efficiency, productivity, reliability, versatility and real savings that will make your business more profitable and competitive.

Go to our dealer locator to experience our innovation and first class dealer support

www.jcb.com

24

HARD HITTERS OC TOBER 2018

Flying the ‘Made in Japan’ flag is very important for global giant Hitachi, whose excavators have found success in the region due to their quality and meticulous service.

“Five years down the line, you will find that the investment on the Hitachi machine is a much better one. You’d be looking to invest in such quality machines as we offer, rather than those that have very short lifecycles and problems in after-sales support”

25

A Zen for quAlIty

Japanese manufacturers rule the spheres of efficiency and innovation with their passion for their craft, which sees them constantly up the game by providing quality products and services

I

f the names of countries around the world could be expressed as brand values, Japan would surely stand for excellence.

The land of the rising sun has carved out a much-deserved spot for itself in the global imagination as a country that excels in the products and materials it produces. To paraphrase a dialogue from the popular Hollywood flick Back to the Future: “All the best stuff comes from there.”

And this is no different in the world of construction machinery. Japanese brands stand for quality, robustness, durability, innovation and high technology. These are some of the qualities that have enabled companies from the country to occupy two of the top five slots in the global ranking of equipment manufacturers.

While number two Komatsu and number three Hitachi are well-known in all corners of the planet for their earth-moving machines such as excavators, wheel loaders and dozers, there are also other manufacturers, such as Kobelco, who stand no less for quality in their products and sectors of operation.

At Hitachi, Piet van Bakergem, GM, Hitachi Construction Machinery Middle East Corporation (HMEC), emphasises the no-compromise philosophy of the brand: “The quality of our machines is very important to us and it means that we are not making any concessions.

“The key to our success is the total cost of ownership. Other manufacturers might compete with us with lower price tags, but if we calculate five years down the line, you will find that the investment on the Hitachi machine is a much better one. You’d be looking to invest in such quality machines as we

offer, rather than those that have very short lifecycles and problems in after-sales support.”

To maximise the total cost of ownership, Hitachi makes sure to keep a customer as close as possible after a sale is made. “We work with service contracts, we are proactive in looking after the machines and we go to the remotest areas and job-sites to service our customers’ machines. We train and qualify our dealerships to perform all tasks related to Hitachi equipment successfully and up to our high standards.

Our goal is strong, positive customer feedback.”

That positive feedback depends in no small measure on Middle East Crane Equipment Trading (MECET), at least in the UAE. The company is Hitachi’s trusted dealer in the country and part of the wellestablished Luyckx group of Belgium, with whom the Hitachi brand already has a 40-year association.

Wim Aernouts, who heads MECET, says: “With us, Hitachi enjoys a deep level of trust that their machines and customers will receive the high standards of after-sales support that the brand is known for offering, and we have a proven track record of meeting those standards for more than four decades now.”

Not only does MECET have a full technical team behind Hitachi and its Sumitomo Cranes products, it also has a team handling spare parts. “We have a complete set-up to offer end-to-end solutions to Hitachi customers,” explains Aernouts.

Those end-to-end solutions were further expanded recently when MECET broadened its coverage of the UAE, putting in place a fleet of service vehicles and technicians spearheaded by Sprinter vans and a truck.

Earlier this year, Aernouts told CMME that MECET already has “two Sprinter vans in our service fleet

26

HARD HITTERS OC TOBER 2018

along with a 12t truck fitted with a loading crane, on which we have also installed a complete mobile workshop”. He now adds: “There are also several service teams that these vehicles will carry to the places where the machines are working. The smaller Sprinter service vans can obviously access more areas by virtue of their size.”

“The vans and truck are like first aid kits for the machines,” says van Bakergem.

“On-site service is par for the course in the business, but our advantage is that with parts cupboards built into the service vans, we can go in with many more parts, ensuring high on-site availability and minimum downtime.

We can literally sprint to our customers’ help.”

Those customers have voted with their chequebooks in large numbers recently for Hitachi’s mini excavators and its Zaxis series of medium excavators, especially in the operating weight ranges of 30t-plus.

A popular Hitachi model is the ZX350LCH5G excavator, which is powered by a 184kW, six-cylinder Isuzu engine and has Hitachi’s HIOS hydraulic system with an auto mode that automatically boosts lifting force by 10% when required. Among the mini excavators, Hitachi’s range goes from the 1.8t ZX17U-5A to the 6.6t ZX65USB-5A. If Hitachi prides itself on the ‘Made in Japan’ label, then Komatsu – another giant, the world’s second biggest equipment manufacturer – is all about incorporating Japan’s intrinsic values and principles into its operations. Elevating industrial processes and production to a spiritual art as only the

Komatsu, the second ranked global equipment brand, swears

by Japanese management principles such as Dentotsu for the quality it has become known for.

Japanese can, Komatsu places the dictum of ‘Dantotsu’ at the heart of its operations.

Jun Takashima, Komatsu Middle East’s managing director, explains that the philosophy in essence is about working together with customers to provide innovation designed to create new value for their business.

“Dantotsu means ‘unrivalled’ in Japanese,” he says. “It’s what Komatsu strives to be in its field. All our products and services have the philosophy of dantotsu at their heart.

All our efforts are geared towards giving our customers unrivalled quality.

“In the best of Japanese tradition, Komatsu believes that Dantotsu service and Dantotsu solutions improve customers’ ‘Gemba’, which is the Japanese term for the workplace, but not any workplace, instead a place where excellence happens. So Komatsu believes it is our duty to see that our customers achieve excellence at their workplaces – or Gemba – based on the Dentotsu – or unrivalled – products and services we give them.”

Another Komatsu innovation is the use of KOMTRAX (Komatsu Machine Tracking System) to improve customer service and experience.

“We not only improve the competitiveness of our product but also supply parts and provide service by using KOMTRAX for construction and utility equipment and the KOMTRAX Plus for mining equipment,” says Jehad Jayyousi, Komatsu Middle East’s senior marketing executive.

“Furthermore, Komatsu supplies intelligent machine control models designed to streamline and automate construction, such as the Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) for driverless dump trucks and other systems which take full advantage of leading-edge ICT benefits. Komatsu also promotes SMARTCONSTRUCTION, a new business solution that connects all information at job-sites through information and communication technology, in order to help customers realise safe and highproductivity job-sites of the future.”

SMARTCONSTRUCTION is a solutions business launched by Komatsu in Japan in

27 2015, designed to solve operational problems at job-sites. Its key element is KomConnect, an open platform that connects information about all vital elements, such as workers, machines and ground conditions, through ICT, analyses them, engages in simulations and even makes proposals.

All the people in a project can access KomConnect anytime – from smartphones, tablets, monitors installed inside the cabs of Komatsu’s intelligent Machine Control models and PCs in offices – to view and use all the stored information.

At another illustrious Japanese equipment brand, Kobelco, the aim is to establish a 10% share of the global market by 2020, with the Middle East definitely an important cog in this market share target. Koji Deno, Kobelco’s marketing and business development manager for the region, says the brand will increase its presence and provide high-quality machines to realise its aim.

“We have brought a wide model range to the market. The main demand is for the 20t and 35t classes and so we have launched the SK220XDLC-10 and SK380XDLC-10, which are brand-new, next-generation models designed for the region and can easily

KomATSu’S Tool ATTAcHmEnT

winning with eccentricity unique tool. It is a solution for rock breaking which has been patented by Komatsu,” says Komatsu Middle East’s Jehad Jayyousi. “It works on a different principle than the rock breakers. It is a hydraulic machine which delivers power to a ripper tip, not a chisel, operating on centrifugal force. In some quarry applications, One of the most important

it can increase productivity

uses of the excavator in the

by up to three times.”

GCC is in quarries as a rock

By adopting a mechanism

breaker, and Komatsu is a

in which vibrations generated

favourite in the segment. The

by the eccentric gears are

global bigwig not only offers

amplified in the accumulator,

some of the world’s most

the Xcentric Ripper enables

popular excavators in the

efficient rock breaking and

region, but also some unique

demolition. Its simple structure

attachments. One is the

allows ease of maintenance

Xcentric Ripper.

with no areas exposed to direct

“The Xcentric Ripper is a

forceful impact or friction.

JOBSITE

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answer to the heavy-duty requirements of the market with extremely low fuel consumption. We will keep providing good quality machines, high levels of service and parts, together with our partners in all countries in the region that we cover, for improving Kobelco’s market share.

“Our main model for the Middle East is the SK220XDLC-10, a 20t-class model.

And then we also have the 35t-class SK380XDLC-10. Both these models find use in applications such as general construction, mining, scrap-handling and dredging.

Customers can choose appropriate buckets from ouir options.”

Kobelco’s biggest advantage is “great fuel economy”, Deno emphasises. “Customers can make huge savings with the low fuel consumption of Kobelco excavators, and our market penetration has been helped by this.”

High fuel economy does not mean any compromise on work capability. “The productivity of our machines remains very high. Kobelco is proud of its Japanese quality and durability. For Kobelco, after-sales support is a key factor. We have a parts warehouse in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone, as well as technical teams to maximise customer uptime and support our partners,” Deno says.

28

HARD HITTER OC TOBER 2018

Scissor lifts are an important part of Snorkel’s arsenal and have proved popular in some countries in the Middle East for facilities management and servicing jobs.

“Snorkel customers in the GCC not only get a top global brand but also benefit from the back-up of a name as established and trusted as Kanoo in the region. This creates customer confidence that their operations will be fully supported, and they will have minimal downtime”

29

On the climb

Powered access major snorkel is on its way to rePlicating its global eminence in the middle east with models suited to the region’s needs and strong local tie-uPs, such as with kanoo in the uae

S

norkel is a leading global manufacturer of aerial work platforms. Founded in 1959, Snorkel produces one of the largest ranges of safe work-at-height solutions, with platform heights from 2m to 40m. Designed to be simple, reliable and robust, the Snorkel product range includes electric and diesel scissor and boom lifts, as well as towable booms and material lifts. Snorkel also offers lifts for working at low heights to replace traditional ladders or scaffold towers.

Snorkel lifts are sold through a global distributor network, including across the Middle East, that offers fast, local access to product support and spare parts.

“Snorkel was founded in 1959 and has since become a leading global manufacturer of aerial work plat-forms,” says Mathew Elvin, CEO of Snorkel.

“We have a long-standing reputation globally for our heavy-duty articulating and telescopic boom lifts, which are well-accepted in the Middle East. As the Snorkel product line has expanded, the brand is growing in popularity in the Middle East region, as many leading rental companies and contractors embrace the full mix of Snorkel products, including our industry-leading electric scissor lifts.

“We have experienced an improving market in the Middle East, which has aligned with the initiatives established by Snorkel’s new ownership, which became effective in October 2013. Snorkel is fortunate to have a well-established and reputable distributor network in the Middle East, supporting a wide range of customers. Some of our loyal customers within the region include AJI, Gulf Access Rental, Johnsons of Arabia, SafeLift, RK Access and Al-Laith. Q-Fab, our direct distributor in Qatar, has a large rental fleet that mostly comprises Snorkel scissors and boom lifts.

“The environment is always a big obstacle when consumers are deciding on which machines to use.

The heat, humidity and sand are all region-specific obstacles for the Middle East. Due to these condi-

tions, we strongly recommend users to keep up on routine maintenance checks for all machines.”

Efficient maintenance is an important factor for customers, helping to minimise downtime and maxim-ise revenues. As such, the new Snorkel scissors feature an “inside-out” tray design, which enables all hydraulic and electrical components to rotate outside of the machine chassis for easy access, explains Elvin.

Snorkel articulating and telescopic boom lifts are designed to handle the toughest conditions, and have a proven long-working life in the Middle East, he adds. The company’s model range is 58-strong and all machines are available in the Middle East.

Manufactured in the USA, UK or New Zealand, all Snorkel lifts come with a two-year parts and labour, and a five-year structural warranty as standard.

“The Snorkel range includes families of electric and rough terrain scissor lifts, electric and diesel boom lifts, towable boom lifts, personnel lifts, mast lifts, telehandlers and material lifts, as well as one of the largest selections of low level access products in the industry.”

“Innovative features that benefit the rental company, include ‘inside out’ access to all components and a single wheel nut on each wheel for faster maintenance, on-board diagnostics for easier trouble-shooting, and as many common components across the range for reduced spare parts inventory and improved familiarity for service technicians,” says Elvin.

In the Middle East, those technicians are often provided by Snorkel’s dealers, one of the largest among whom is Dubai-based Kanoo Machinery.

The association between the two entities started in 2011, when Snorkel acquired Upright lifts, which was then represented by Kanoo in the region. Since then Kanoo has looked after Snorkel’s sales and service in the UAE and neighbouring countries, providing complete service and support to Snorkel customers while maintaining stock readiness for all spares and parts, whether slow or fast moving.

The Snorkel-Kanoo combine has notched up many successes since then. Elaborating on some achievements in the last two years, Niaz Ahmed,

30

HARD HITTER OC TOBER 2018

marketing manager, Kanoo Industrial and Energy, tells CMME: “Last year we achieved a growth of around 430% in Bahrain when compared to 2016. And so far this year, we have improved on our 2017 achievements by approximately a further 184%.”

There was also considerable growth in the UAE, while despite a slide in the Saudi market last year, Snorkel is still expecting some rebound this year. “In the UAE, we achieved a growth of around 171% last year compared to 2016 and have then expanded 65% so far this year over last year’s levels. The Saudi market continues to be slow as it was in 2017, but already this year we see signs that are encour-aging enough for us to expect at least 80% of last year,” Ahmed says.

Snorkel customers and end-users in the region now include some top names in the construction, con-tracting, fleet rental, oil & gas and facilities management sectors, he reveals.

“In Bahrain we have supplied Snorkel lifts to the Bahrain Petroleum company and Mondale Bahrain. In the UAE, we have units running with Meeras, Nakheel and Emaar, to name a few top companies, through service providers and rental companies like Johnson Arabia and Al Laith. The main sector for our customers in the UAE is facilities management, followed closely by the rental sector and then the local industry. In Saudi Arabia , meanwhile, the key customers that use Snorkel products are RK Access with 42 units, NCC with 17 and Al Shwair with 10 units,” explains Ahmed.

Recognising that the Snorkel brands has scope for further penetration in the Middle East market, the Snorkel-Kanoo combine is going ahead on an action plan.

“We are offering lots of information about Snorkel to the market. Consumers look for trustworthy, knowledgeable individuals to educate them on a purchase, and we have just the right people highlighting the features and benefits of Snorkel lifts,” says Ahmed.

“Another way we are approaching the market is through the demonstration of Snorkel machinery and their capabilities and advantages at work. Coupled with the high level of aftersales support that we offer to ensure cost effective ownership, we are optimistic about our prospects in the region.

“Snorkel customers in the GCC not only get a top global brand but also benefit from the back-up of a name as established and trusted as Kanoo in the region. This creates customer confidence that their operations will be fully supported, and they will have minimal downtime. On our part, the regional partner-ship means that we can arrange the required units and parts quickly and easily from other regions in order to meet customers’ emergency requirements.”

The Snorkel A46JE is a versatile electric boom lift, ideally suited for indoor maintenance jobs. It can reach heights of 16.1m, with a working outreach of 7.35m.

BEsT sEllERs

electric elevation Snorkel products are being

Snorkel A46JE is a versatile

over articulated/telescopic

adopted into many of the

boom lift capable of working

boom design provides the

region’s leading rental

to heights up to 16.1m with

operator with a superb

fleets, and feedback has

a working outreach of 7.35m

working envelope, and features

been positive. In particular,

and a jib length of 1.5m.

powered platform rotation

the Snorkel A38E is wellrespected and very popular.

The most popular machines in the Middle East are the two electric articulated boom lifts

The best-selling Snorkel lift in the GCC and wider Middle East is the Snorkel A38E electric articulating boom lift.

Lightweight but durable

and Snorkel Guard secondary guarding as standard.

The Snorkel A38E is part of an electric articulating boom lift family that combines superb

– the Snorkel A38E and A46JE.

and reliable, the Snorkel

manoeuvrability with clean

The lightweight Snorkel A38E

A38E offers, class-leading

and quiet operation, delivering

offers a working height of up

performance, with a working

working heights of up to

to 13.5m and up to 5.9m of

height up to 13.5m and up to

16.0m from zero emission,

outreach. The battery-electric

5.9m of outreach. The up-and-

battery-powered machines.

• Electric • Silent • Rough Terrain

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38

TOP 10: ve fuel a s O T s P i T

e oil price, Whatever th d for always goo is l e fu g in sav re line. Here a your bottom do so. ten steps to

34_NeW Releases The latest releases from the world of construction machinery.

40_RObusT aNd Ready Renault Trucks takes CMME on a tour of its production facility in Lyon for a firsthand look at how its makes tough trucks.

44_PROducTiON dRiveRs Major truck makers up the strength and durablity of their onstruction and heavy trucks.

48_RecORd PiPe lay Germany’s Herrenknecht uses microtunneling for NZ project.

34

NEW RELEASES OC TOBER 2018

cat’s new B-prefix hammers Why get it? reliaBility and ease of use in plug-and-play operation for compact kit

BoBcat’s compact new telehandler Why get it?

Heavy lifting capacity on a small footprint for confined spaces Bobcat has launched a new compact telehandler in the Middle East and Africa for heavy lift handling applications in general industry, manufacturing, building materials, warehousing, quarrying and mining. With the TL43.80HF telehandler, Bobcat now offers a range of 15 different rigid frame telehandler models, covering maximum lifting capacities of 2.6-4.3t and maximum lifting heights of 6-18m.

“At Bobcat, for over 60 years we have been constantly innovating the market – always developing new machines for customers’ needs. The new TL43.80HF is no exception to this legacy, as it completes our range of telehandlers and ensures customers can benefit from unmatched loading productivity and lift capacity.

Bobcat machines are made for tough jobs, while still providing all the agility and versatility any application would require,” said Olivier Traccucci, Bobcat’s senior product manager for telehandlers.

All Bobcat telehandlers are covered by a three-year/3,000-hour warranty as standard, with the option of extending the warranty to five years/5,000 hours.

All Bobcat telehandlers are designed and produced at the company’s

plant in Pontchâteau, France.

Thanks to a high lift capacity of 4.3t and a maximum lift height of almost 8m, the TL43.80HF is a compact telehandler offering a package that brings together robustness, rough-terrain ability and ease of use for the operator. Maximum horizontal reach is 4m, while the machine is equipped with a Perkins 130hp stage IIIA engine and can travel at up to 40km/h.

A box welded frame, low load centre, long wheel base and the new massive rear counterweight give the TL43.80HF very high stability, allowing Bobcat to minimise the overall dimensions of the machine, resulting in a width of only 2.30m and a length of less than 5m from the rear to the fork face.

Together with a short turning radius of just 3.71m, this new Bobcat telehandler is a very manoeuvrable machine, a useful feature when working in confined environments. Its rough terrain capability has also been optimised for applications such as working and digging in piles of materials, with the incorporation of new heavy-duty Dana Spicer axles with limited slip differential and the outstanding tractive force available of up to 90% of the machine weight.

SPECIFICATIONS

BoBcat tl43.80f Max lift capacity: 4.3t50t Max lift height: 7.5m Max horizontal reach: 4m Engine power: 130hp

Caterpillar has introduced a new series of hydraulic hammer attachments for use with its mini and compact equipment in a range of breaking and earthwork applications. The company said the new Cat B-Prefix hydraulic hammers are available in B4(s) and B6(s) silenced and B4 and B6 non-silenced versions, and are designed for plug-and-play operation while delivering optimum life-cycle value.

The new hammers are suited for skidsteer loaders, multi-terrain loaders, compact track loaders, mini hydraulic excavators from 3-8t operating weights and backhoe loaders working in a range of construction and light demolition applications, including site prep, landscaping, masonry and concrete breaking.

The B-Prefix hammers use a simple design that ensures reliability, versatility, and ease of use and maintenance. As a package solution, the matching Caterpillar-designed hydraulic kits are also offered and the best fit for Cat machines, providing customers with a breaker package with superior design and benefits.

Flat-top mounting enables a compact working envelope and compatibility with a full complement of brackets, to suit preference of coupler, linkage kinematics or machine size. The bushings can be replaced on the job-site and the lower bushing can be rotated 90 degrees for improved wear performance.

The housings have also been designed to facilitate common maintenance items, with grease fitting and gas pressure check points easily accessible.

35

comansa launches new heavy tower crane Why get it? ideal for Heavy and fast lifting in large industrial, mining or construction projects Spanish tower crane specialist Comansa has launched the 21LC1050 tower crane, a new model designed to lift heavy loads.

Offered in three versions with maximum loads of 25t, 37.5t and 50t, it can be erected with reaches of 30-80m with separate configurations for every 5m increment in reach. An optional jib configuration is also available, allowing a special reach of 85m.

The characteristics of load, reach and mechanisms of the 21LC1050 make this model ideal to offer an optimal result in large industrial or mining projects, as well as for the construction of buildings with prefabricated and steel structures of great tonnage, says Comansa.

The design of the slewing part of the 21LC1050 is similar to the company’s other successful 21LC series models, the 21LC750 and 21LC660. Instead of having an apex element, the jib and counterjib join directly on the slewing part, which allows a much faster and safer assembly. The 21LC1050 also shares a large part of the jib and counterjib sections with the 21LC750 and 21LC660, which allows investment optimisation for customers who already own these models.

Among the novelties in

the 21LC1050 is the design of its counterjib, which like the jib allows numerous different configurations to better adapt to the needs of each job. Always having a counterjib radius as short as possible avoids possible interference with buildings or other cranes present in the same project, thus increasing safety.

The complete counterjib structure consists of five modular elements that allow up to six different configurations. Thus, when the crane is assembled with a maximum range of 80m, the counterjib radius is 31m, being able to reduce, for example, to 27m when the jib is 50m, or to 21m when the reach is 30m. In addition, the counterjib radius in all configurations can be reduced by one additional metre with steel counterweights, offered as options.

The 21LC1050 is erected on a new tower section of 2.5m in width, compatible with the rest of the mast sections of the same width from Comansa. In fact, this section, called D36B, will become the standard of other Comansa models with similar sections, such as the 21LC750 or the LCL700 luffer. In its version with fixing angles, the 21LC1050 reaches a freestanding height of

73.3m, exceeding 98m when combined with other sections of the larger width from Comansa.

The hoist cable of the 21LC1050 is compacted and only 20mm in diameter, which allows all hoist mechanisms to have drums with high rope capacity. The standard mechanism, 65kW, has capacity for 720m of wire rope and reaches speeds of up to 166m/ min in the 25t and 37.5t versions, and 83m/ min in the 50t version. For projects in which it is necessary to reach higher speeds (up to 300m/min), two optional mechanisms are also available, of 110 and 132kW respectively, as well as the possibility of issuing with Lebus drums with capacity for 1,570m of rope.

SPECIFICATIONS

comansa 21lc1050 Max load: 50t Max jib length: 85m Max power: 132kW Lifting speed: 300m per minute

36

NEW RELEASES OC TOBER 2018

terex trucks updates articulated hauler Why get it? new advanced transmission for improved fuel economy and performance

atlas copco launches fifth generation gensets Why get it? smaller footprint, improved fuel economy and lower tco Atlas Copco has launched the fifth generation of its flagship QAS generator range, which promises a 20% smaller footprint than comparable models along with reduced engine emissions, faster plug-and-play paralleling and lower total cost of ownership.

The new QAS5 has been developed for a smooth transition towards the phased adoption of EU Stage V, the latest emission norm coming into force in European markets next year. The first five models in the range are new versions of the QAS 80, 100, 120, 150 and 200 generators. The QAS models also come with Stage IIIA engines.

Noise levels are also lower – 5-8dBA quieter on average than comparable models – through technologies such as a VSD motordriven fan that adjusts the cooling flow to the engine’s specific requirements. A high-capacity fuel tank and an integrated variable speed drive motor are also among the features, while fuel consumption is 5% lower than the industry average for equivalent models.

“This year we are celebrating 30 years of leadership and innovation in the realm of mobile generators and are proud to mark the occasion with the introduction of our QAS5 range. The fifth and latest generation of QAS gensets are designed from the outset to meet end users’ evolving needs for sustainable productivity, increased operational flexibility and compliance with environmental and regulatory obligations,” said Adrian Ridge, president, Atlas Copco’s Power and Flow division.

Terex Trucks has updated its TA300 articulated hauler with the introduction of a new and improved transmission. The 28t workhorse will now incorporate the latest EP320 transmission from ZF as standard.

This results in a 5% improvement in fuel efficiency, as well as enhanced performance and productivity, compared to the previous model working in the same application.

The new transmission comes with eight forward gears as well as four reverse gears, higher overall gear ratio spread, equal ratio steps between gears and optimised gear shifting with partial load shifts. All of this helps to ensure smoother gear shifting and thereby higher levels of operator comfort. The TA300 is also equipped with true independent front suspension as standard, further enhancing operator comfort and enabling excellent traction control and maximum productivity in the most challenging of conditions.

In addition, the hauler’s maximum speed has increased to 55km/h, up from 50km/h.

As a result, customers can achieve faster cycle times and lower cost per tonne. Other operational features include automatic shifting with manual over-ride, a hydraulic

integral retarder and a hydraulic powershift longitudinal differential lock. Together, these help to ensure safe and productive operation, as well as reduced fuel and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) consumption on job-sites. The TA300 also now comes with long-life transmission fluid, increasing the length of time between oil maintenance intervals from 1,000 to 4,000 hours.

“Introducing the new transmission to the TA300 articulated hauler continues Terex Trucks’ commitment to install product performance and productivity improvements that lead to lower operational costs for our customers,” said Scott Pollock, product manager at Terex Trucks. “Developing and testing the new EP320 transmission for the TA300 was a collaborative effort between Terex Trucks and ZF. The new transmission has been calibrated specifically for the TA300 and rigorously tested for two years internally and by operators on real jobsites, working in a variety of conditions.

Operators have had nothing but praise for the upgraded machine. Among some of the most commonly cited benefits are the improved fuel efficiency and performance, as well as the smoother gear shift quality.”

The TA300 is powered by a fuel-efficient, diesel particulate filter-free Scania DC9 engine.

SPECIFICATIONS

terex trucks ta300 Capacity: 28t Top speed: 55km/h Engine & transmission: Scania DC9 & ZF EP320 Oil maintenance interval: 4,000 hours

38

TOP TEN OC TOBER 2018

01 BaNish idliNg If operators sit in an idling machine because the other steps in the work process are lagging - or even to keep the air-condition running – you waste fuel.

According to several studies, the Middle East has a high idle time. Operator training can help combat this by improving workflow, as can telematics and buying machines with special low-RPM idle modes.

: n e t p to l e u f e v a s o t tIps prices, saving fuel e r the e tom lin v e t t o a b h r W u o d for y o o g s y a is alW

03

dOwNsizE The Middle East has a tendency of investing in larger machines. That might make sense for heavy jobs, but if you take a cannon to a gunfight, you’ll be wasting ammunition - in this case fuel. It’s also beneficial to have smaller machines to perform certain jobs. Many compact machines, including skid steers, telehandlers and backhoe loaders, also have extensive attachment ranges that boost their utility.

02

ChECk ThE TyrEs As with any other motorised vehicle that require contact patched with the ground, the condition of those contact patches contributes to fuel economy even in construction equipment.

Ensure your tyres or tracks are up to it and perform regular checks on your machines’ drive components. Underinflated tyres or damaged tracks will guzzle through a lot of juice just getting your machine about the job-site.

Invest In a tIlt buckeetxcavator

allow opes Tilt buckets nkments, sl a b m e n o need to work without the s e c a rf su r n them. and othe y repositio chnique to frequentl requires te t e k c u b lt aster Using a ti can only m rs to ra e p o which While this ra training. through ext sive, n be expen training ca e th it pays off in . n ru g lon

04

39

05

06

TraiN aNd PrEParE The productivity of a machine ultimately depends upon its operator. And a productive operator is a well-trained operator. Regular refreshers and dealer training days remind them of the basics and help them acquire more advanced techniques.

Competitions, while fun, can also help cement the importance of good operation.

guard yOur fuEl Apart from the fuel burnt by the machines during work, lack of security in storage can also result in loss through fuel theft, which can occur both from storage points as well as from the equipment itself. To prevent theft, store fuel in safe and secure places that are constantly monitored. In the machines, an extreme option is to weld the tank shut after refuelling, but a simpler solution is to track usage and match to fuel burn by using telematics systems.

08

ECO-friENdly kiT It may not be common practice in the Middle East yet but the global construction machinery sector has plumbed for machines that have eco-friendly features such as hybrid engines and low-RPM operation modes for less strenuous tasks. Purchasing machines with eco-modes and training operators in correct selection is a good way to prevent over-use of fuel.

opt for neydw raulics

es, h With engin nstantly l design co ically and genera achines typ m w e n , g improvin built into r efficiency bills for have highe lower fuel to g in d a ls and them, le pare mode m o C . ts e e ide on newer fl re you dec fo e b d n u which shop aro to ascertain e a purchase th e ill hav machines w l ua lowest ann . ls il b l e fu

09 usE TElEmaTiCs aNd maChiNE CONTrOl The data obtained from monitoring machines can tell how and where to tweak their usage to increase efficiency and reduce fuel consumption. Machine controls can also dramatically increase productivity when used on machines such as graders and dozers, which lowers the operating hours required and the fuel burnt.

07 10 sTrEamliNE OPEraTiONs If your job-site isn’t running efficiently, then machines will be driving extra distances or waiting too long between functions. That’s a recipe for higher fuel burn. To control this, engage in process optimisation, bringing in consultants from the manufacturer or dealer, or other professionals if you cannot do it in-house.

40

COVER STORY OC TOBER 2018

T

o an outsider looking in, the French can seem an engaging set of people. As obsessed with all things artistic as scientific, as enthused by gastronomy as by gasoline – or diesel – powered wonders. Take a closer look and a pattern emerges: what they seek is something new, different and…magnifique!

This quest for the new and the magnificent led Marius Berliet - one of the pioneers of the French automobile industry, and indeed the father of the country’s heavy vehicle sector – to produce the T100 in 1957. A literal behemoth of an automobile, the 102t GVW supertruck, built to work in the oil and mining sectors in North Africa and conquer the vagaries of the daunting Sahara, was powered by a 29.6 litre Cummins V12 engine. So mammoth was the vehicle that the steering required a separate engine of its own for power assist, and only three were ever made – or needed.

It is fitting that Renault Trucks, the descendent of Berliet’s company, decided to squeeze in a visit to the Berliet Foundation museum in between a visit to their EMEA production facilities in Bourg-en-Brasse near Lyon, just to emphasize that it shared the same DNA of robustness as it’s ancestor.

But cut to the factory, a spanking modern, World Class Manufacturing (WCM) certified facility where the robustness that the T100 stood for has been refined and magnified

exponentially in Renault Truck’s existing model range.

Jean-Philippe Bertuzzi, PR manager, Corporate Comm and Media Relations, greets us at the factory. Our guide for the tour, he informs us that Renault Truck’s Bourg-enBrasse facility is spread over 120 hectares on which stand 11 buildings, including the workshops for various components and stages in the pre-assembly stage.

“For us, the production process starts not at the factory but right at the moment a customer signs on the dotted line with any of our dealers. They decide which particular truck the customer needs for his operations, and in what configuration. After they agree on the specifics, our work starts.

So, you can surmise that all trucks produced here are made to order. The configurations, specifications and requirements of each and every truck have been pre-decided by the customer in consultation with the dealer.

Once the specification reaches us, we validate it at our Saint Priest facility in Lyon, and if all options ordered are cleared then the order passes to this plant for the assembly to begin.”

The first step in the process is the issuance of a computer-generated fabrication number. Each truck to be manufactured has its own unique number, which is its internal identification number and with which all its options are linked.

“The number is communicated to all our suppliers and they then have to deliver to us all the parts and components specified on the paper as asked. So this fabrication number controls all the logistics inside the factory.

All of the required components arrive at the

Renault Trucks’ models popular in the GCC, such as the C and K construction and heavy ranges, are made in its Lyon production facility in a process that ensures toughness.

Robust and Ready Renault tRucks takes CMME on a touR of its plant in lyon to see the pRecision manufactuRing of its tough constRuction tRucks. aniRban bagchi comes away impRessed

41

42

COVER STORY OC TOBER 2018

“All of the required components arrive at the factory one day before the assembly of the truck begins. This enables us to keep a low inventory and operate on a very lean basis, which reduces cost”

TEST dRiVE

c is foR simplicity On the test track at Renault Trucks’

to the D (for drive) position and you’re

well-appointed cab, the extremely

step off the accelerator pedal. “We

Lyon premises, expert driver

ready to go. The electronic system

comfortable and ergonomic seat

have the exhaust brake, the engine

trainer Gael Dubos greets yours

automatically selects the appropriate

position and the entire seat-steering-

brake and the transmission brake

truly in front of a C520 truck.

ratio, taking the load into account.

dash-controls geometry, is that the

working together to slow you down.

truck is super easy to drive. I’m feeling

You don’t even need to touch the brake pedal,” he assures me.

“For manual override, all you need

“This model is not built either for complete on-highway, long distance

to do is to flick a switch to turn off

no different to driving a big SUV,

cargo hauling, or designed for

the auto gear select and then use a

except for sitting much higher up.

True to his instruction, the

quarrying, mining and the heaviest

stalk on the steering column, pushing

The steering is light, giving me

truck quickly retards and slows

off-road use. But it is perhaps our

up or down to select your gear as

no inkling about the bulk of the

down as I leave the gas pedal free,

most versatile model for every

the case may be,” Dubos adds.

vehicle as I guide it into the curves

and I take the bend with ease.

Fully aware of the limits of my

other use in between,” he says.

and turns on Renault Trucks’ test

“Trained drivers will use the brake

novice truck-driving abilities, I

track. It is responsive, too, and there

on this truck only in emergency

he hops in on the opposite side and

keep the gear on automatic and

is no lag between my input and

situations. The other built-in systems

explains the systems in the vehicle.

hit the gas pedal to take off, which

the wheels changing direction. Of

take care of most other retarding

“The C truck has a robotised gearbox

automatically disengages the

course, it’s not sports car-sharp,

needs. Not only is this safer and

with 13 synchronised gears. There’s

parking brake. As our test mule is

understandably so, but it’s nothing

more stress-free for drivers, it also

a crawler gear for the rough and

unladen, we automatically start

a lay person who drives a compact

does wonders for the fuel economy

heavy stuff, or to protect the clutch

in fifth gear, with the number

sedan to work can’t handle.

and reduces overall wear and tear,”

when the truck is overloaded.”

indicated on the digital dashboard.

As I climb onto the driver’s seat,

As we start moving, what strikes me

The gear system is simple to use, he explains. Toggle a switch on the dash

immediately, apart from the plush,

factory one day before the assembly of the truck begins. This enables us to keep a low inventory and operate on a very lean basis, which reduces cost.”

The daily production of the plant is 136 vehicles in a single shift operation and, of course only the components and materials that will go towards the day’s production can be found on the factory floor on any given day, after arriving at the plant the day before, Bertuzzi explains. There are 1,350 employees in total and the average age of the workforce on the assembly line is 42 years.

And then there are the driving

says the man who travels all across

aids. Approaching a sharp bend

Renault Truck’s EMEA market to

on the track, Dubos tells me to

train its customers and drivers.

“The line is a mixed assembly operation for all our models. This means that the workers are required to be familiar with all the various models and assembly groups.

They do not specialise on any model or any part of the production process. Instead, they are periodically rotated around the various sectors of the assembly line so that they remain adept at the various skills that we require. This not only gives them more knowledge of the entire process, but also makes their jobs less monotonous. For the company, the added advantage is the

Renault Trucks’ C range of trucks suit a variety of tasks, such as construction and cargo, with a refined cab and various safety features built in to aid the driver.

flexibility that such a system gives us.”

As a WCM plant the facility follows some innovative techniques to save time and effort while still ensuring precision. One such is ‘Pick to Light’. When parts are delivered to any station they come in trays or bins arranged in arrays. Each tray or bin has a small light attached to it. If the light is on, then the worker is required to pick a part from that particular tray for the next vehicle that is arriving at his station. The requirement is to always pick one single part and then press a button next to the light. If the light comes on again then

43 he is required to pick another part, and so on. But if it stays off then he has completed his part-picking from that tray.

Another interesting feature of the assembly of Renault Trucks is that the process is performed upside-down. This is one of the results of synergies within the Volvo Group which took over Renault Trucks in 2001.

“Previously the trucks were assembled the right side up, but that meant workers had to stand under the vehicle and work with arms raised up high over their heads throughout their shifts. This led to fatigue and health issues,” says Bertuzzi.

“When we joined the Volvo Group, we adopted their assembly technique, which is to turn the vehicle upside down to assemble it, getting it at a more natural, fatigue-free position for the workers for more precision.”

But what is upside down must be set upright again. At a particular point in the assembly process, when the frame has been completely worked on, a specially-designed overhead crane lifts up the vehicle and flips it in mid-air and sets it down the right side up to continue down the line for the main body and sheet metal to be attached.

That body is also delivered by the aerial route. Finished body shells are lifted up and placed on overhead conveyors, which carry the shells to the station where they will be mated to a chassis. The chassis is placed on a designated spot on the assembly line and the overhead body shell carrier is electronically precision-guided to lower and place the shell exactly over the required points of the chassis.

The two are then joined together by expert hands at the station and set on their way to continue down the line for further processes.

Finally, when a finished truck rolls off the line it goes straight to the test bench, where it is extensively tested and inspected before being pronounced worthy to sport the Renault Trucks brand. After a visual inspection of key components and fittings, the truck is sent to the factory’s test track.

The first lap around the speed ring is to warm it up. It’s then taken up to its maximum speed of 90kmh-plus. After a lap at this speed during which its stability is also tested on the speed ring’s curves, the test driver slams the brake pedal hard at a designated point on the track to test the emergency braking. To pass the test, the vehicle has to stop within the stipulated 81m distance marked on the track, hauling down from 90kmh to a standstill.

And with the meticulous thought behind the assembly process, coupled with precision operations and expert hands performing to high levels of trained and practised exactitude, it is no wonder that almost all the trucks sail through with flying colours.

FuTuRE mainTEnanCE

dRiven by data Seamless machine connectivity is a reality in today’s automotive and machinery world. Harnessing the power of IT and telematics, manufacturers are connecting their machines on the roads and job-sites and accumulating vast amounts of data.

Speaking with CMME on the sidelines of the visit to Renault Trucks’ production base in Lyon, Loic Mellinand, senior VP, Product & Sales Support, says: “People talk about it a lot in the car industry but for us it’s been a reality for some years. We are roughly 100,000 trucks that are connected and generating data every day and the data is for customers’ productivity.

But it’s still a new concept and our customers are not used to having so much data, sometimes not even comfortable with it. So, our job is to help them make some value of the data. It’s trendy to have this technology but if you do nothing with it, it’s not much value.”

Renault Trucks has been commercialising for the last five years a web system called Optifleet, where customers can have access to a lot of

operational data of their vehicles, in particular fuel economy and driver behaviour.

“It’s standard in all vehicles in our heavy-duty line and we have a core of customers buying it and exploiting it.

So it’s starting to work, and mainly for smaller customers who may not have a big IT infrastructure,” Mellinand says.

“Larger customers want to integrate the data in their own mainframe systems, so we are selling selected data to those big accounts that want to see them in their management systems and not as a separate web platform. This is a fairly big trend with key accounts.

“The interesting part is the services that will leverage the data and here we have two things we believe can add value. One is around maintenance of vehicles.

With our algorithms, we can now see a pattern in the vehicle’s behaviour and can predict a number of things that could happen. This ability to predict a problem is now a working reality and we are starting to roll out this functionality step by step, and it’s probably the

next benefit that customers will get out of the data generation.

Mellinand explains that customers will start to “get calls from us in the near future” saying that a pattern happening on the vehicle has been identified, which will lead to a problem.

“And before the problem happens we can fix it. That brings value to a customer instead of having a vehicle stranded on the side of the road, with a load that needs to be delivered. That’s a service we will offer in the near future.”

The other dimension for development is around fuel economy. With the mass of data that is being collected, Renault Trucks can also see how a vehicle is behaving.

“Is it specified well to the needs of the customer; is the need of the customer changing or is the driver not behaving the way he should? We can offer mitigation steps, for example, driver training. For our customers, fuel economy management is a relatively complex topic, with a lot of dimensions, and this new facility can help bring visibility to a complex topic,” Mellinand says.

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ConstruCtion truCks OC TOBER 2018

Production drivers With heavy-duty trucks being invaluable contributors to the construction process, major manufacturers are Widening their product portfolios and focusing on service and back-up to improve productivity

D

espite being less conspicuous than the heavy equipment such as the excavators, cranes and wheel loaders on any job-site, the heavy-duty truck is vital to the construction landscape and is perhaps the biggest driver of production on projects.

The Middle East market is fiercely contested by the wellknown global brands, with big names such as Mercedes, Volvo, Iveco, DAF, etc, all in the fray, jostling for a slice of a pie that they believe has promise to grow.

At Iveco, part of the CNH Industrial Group, the brand has made inroads into the Middle East market with its latest Trakker, Astra and other ranges of heavy duty trucks, and Davide Diana, marketing and product director, Africa and Middle East, says: “Iveco aims to consolidate our position in the GCC, with our strong start in Kuwait and keep growing in the rest of the Middle East. Sales of our light range has also started improving considering the big existing market and our understanding of customer needs.

“The regional market has been in decline in the last few years, mainly due to the fall in oil price.

Saudi Arabia, one of the most important markets in the area for heavy truck, is especially a concern.

Our projection is that the market will remain stable for the next two years, with a small increase in 2020.

“The heavy range represents Iveco’s core business in all the main markets in the Middle East. Iveco is particularly strong in the off-road construction segment - mainly tippers, concrete pumps and transit mixers - with the Trakker and the Astra models.”

Also, its on-road models for long haulage, such as the Performer and the flagship Stralis, are in good

45 Italian truck heavyweight Iveco has brought its entire range to the Middle East and boasts of the Trakker, Astra and Stralis X-Way ranges in the heavy-duty sector.

“The heavy range represents Iveco’s core business in all the main markets in the Middle East. Iveco is particularly strong in the off-road construction segment - mainly tippers, concrete pumps and transit mixers - with the Trakker and the Astra models”

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ConstruCtion truCks OC TOBER 2018

VolVo FMX

the truck that moved mountains The Volvo FMX is not only among the most popular construction and heavy trucks in the Middle East, but it has also attained somewhat of a legendary status in the UAE after working in one of the country’s biggest and most historical infrastructure projects – the Jebel Jais road in Ras al Khaimah, that winds up to the UAE’s highest mountain peak.

For eight years, a fleet of 33 Volvo FMX trucks worked round-the-clock to carry more than 5.5 million cubic metres of rock and aggregates to build the 36km Jebel Jais road, braving extreme terrain and weather conditions without any major breakdowns or accidents.

This should not come as a surprise because ahead of its arrival in the Middle East, the FMX was extensively tested

demand in the region, he adds, as is the smaller Eurocargo, favoured for general municipal work such as garbage collection.

“Iveco is able to cover all the main segment in the region, from mining and quarrying to construction, contracting companies, logistics and transport, municipality and tenders. Our best-selling model in the region’s heavy segment is the Trakker, thanks to the robustness of the vehicle combined with the quality, performance and low fuel consumption

Heavy-duty trucks are vital for the building and quarry sectors where they are used for transporting material to and from job-sites located in remote, inaccessible areas.

of its Iveco engines,” Diana reveals.

“Iveco is the only manufacturer in the world that covers the full spectrum of sectors - light, medium, heavy, special on-road and off-road - with its vehicles under the same brand name. We offer strong and resilient vehicles for every load and mission with reliable quality that won’t let you down when you have to complete a job. Our modern and powerful engines are reliable, safe and efficient, with low fuel consumption and operating costs that support our customers’ profitability.

in the region to ensure that it can tackle some of the roughest, most demanding off-road conditions in the world.

The innovative gearbox is the first transmission of its kind which has been specifically designed for heavy longhaulage and construction applications.

The truck has high ground clearance to operate in tough environments and a comfortable cabin for drivers.

The Volvo FMX is a perennial favourite in the Middle East’s heavy haulage and construction truck fleet. In 2016 it was relaunched with a crawler gear and several upgrades. The new Tandem Axle Lift function makes it possible to disengage and raise the second driven axle, giving better road grip and up to 4% lower fuel consumption when driven without a load.

In addition, durability and a widespread professional assistance network in the region means that our customers enjoy high uptimes.

We also support them with financial solutions.”

One of Iveco’s main activities for 2018 was the launch of the new Stralis X-Way throughout the Middle East. The aim behind the launch was to widen the choice and options for customers and to provide a vehicle in every category of demand in the market.

“So, in the heavy range we have the Trakker 410hp, while the light range will offer a wider choice in terms of engine power. Furthermore, the switch to Euro 4 is a big opportunity for the UAE. Our customers will benefit from a more open power range, in both light and heavy trucks. They will have the possibility to improve their businesses with more missions and more versatile vehicles, which are even closer to their counterparts in the European market,” Diana says.

Iveco also has an uncompromising stance regarding its after-sales support, and Diana explains: “We have strong partners in the entire Middle East, in all the countries that we cover. This coverage means and assurance to our customers and potential customers of high-quality service from highly-qualified technician with appropriate parts availability.

The customer is the king for us before, during and after the sale.

“Product quality is obviously the key factor. But we want Iveco drivers to feel they are always protected by a trusted partner, especially across vast and demanding regions.

With its integrated service and parts system, Iveco is a working man’s best friend.”

47 Over at Mercedes Benz trucks, the Actros has been such an intrinsic part of the oil & gas, construction and hauling sectors for so long in the region that it is surprising that it has only been here for two decades. In fact, Mercedes Benz Trucks MENA and its Abu Dhabi distributor Emirates Motor Company (EMC) celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the Actros in the region with the launch of a special commemorative edition, put together in a consultative collaboration.

“The launch of the 20 Years Actros Edition is yet another milestone in the success story of our iconic flagship truck in the MENA region,” says Roland Schneider, president and CEO of Daimler Commercial Vehicles MENA. “The model’s state-of-the-art safety features and the highly fuel-efficient drivetrain underline the technological leadership of MercedesBenz Trucks. The Actros provides the ideal product for customers seeking the highest safety and efficiency standards.”

The Actros’ success story in the region is underpinned on decades of offering quality and reliability, which has seen it put more than 44,000 units on Saudi roads alone.

Going neck and neck with Mercedes in popularity is another regional favourite, Volvo Trucks. A ubiquitous sight on GCC roads and job sites, the Swedish giant is greatly popular in both Oman and the UAE, where its FMX construction truck range has the distinction, with its partner FAMCO, of playing stellar roles in such demanding projects as the Jebel Jais mountain road in the UAE. The latest entrant in the fray is Dutch giant DAF Trucks, which rolled into the UAE late last

year in partnership with Al Naboodah Group Enterprises (ANGE). Michiel Kuujs, director, sales operations, DAF Trucks, told CMME at the launch: “Apart from heavy haulage, we are also looking at the ready-mix and concrete sectors, and are looking to break into the heavy, rigid construction truck sector soon as well. Customer satisfaction and low cost of ownership are of vital importance to us.

In accordance with that, you have to find partners such as ANGE that share the same values and understand the challenges.”

Dutch giant DAF Trucks launched its heavy construction range in Dubai late last year, entering the market in partnership with local heavyweight Al Naboodah Group Enterprises.

Concurring with him, Ajit Kumar, COO, Commercial, Transport and Electrical at ANGE, added: “We partner with brands that best fit our philosophy of bringing to the market products that add value to us, to our customers and to all stakeholders who are part of this ecosystem. DAF is a prime example of such as partner.”

Given the strength of the sector and the optimism among the market players, the Middle East heavy truck market remains open for business.

MerCedes Benz AroCs

special commemorative edition The Arocs has been an intrinsic part of the oil & gas, construction and hauling sectors in the region for two decades now, a fact that Mercedes Benz celebrated last year with the launch of the special 20 Years Edition.

The special edition Arocs is the product of a partnership between Mercedes-Benz Trucks MENA and Emirates Motor Company (EMC), its Abu Dhabi distributor.

The truck is powered by a fuelefficient yet powerful six-cylinder engine (Euro 3). It has Mercedes’ spacious L-Cab and benefits from a reduced engine tunnel (170mm) and larger headroom (1460mm).

Power transfer to the two

driven rear axles is via a twinplate clutch, and the 16-speed Mercedes PowerShift automated gearbox enhance performance.

Safety systems include electronic Telligent braking with ABS, acceleration skid control and optional Active Brake Assist, whose three radar beams constantly scan up to 200m ahead, alerting drivers both visually and audibly when it detects a potential collision.

In the technical and specifications department, the Arocs is powered by a V6 engine developing 394-435hp of power and 1,850-2,100Nm of torque. The 3.3m wheelbase supports a gross vehicle weight of 38t, which rides on a 6x4 axle configuration.

48

THE LAST WORD OC TOBER 2018

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