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XCMG is back and backed by service and support
XCMG EMBRACES NEW TECHNOLOGY
XCMG is a leading manufacturer of construction equipment and mobile cranes. With new models and a renewed approach to customer support, XCMG Cranes Australia is looking to make greater inroads into the market.
XCMG CRANES AUSTRALIA IS THE EAST
coast distributor for XCMG cranes. Company owner and director David Kapahnke explains his commitment to product support and maintenance and his expectations for the XCMG range and why he is impressed with the approach from the Chinese factory. 26 years ago, Kapahnke started D&D Diesel Services from the back of his ute. This business has since gone on to form XCMG Cranes Australia.
“I was working for a business servicing and maintaining various types of construction machinery when I realised, I was making more money with my weekend jobs; I decided to go out on my own full time. I was working from the back of my ute, and living in a semirural area, I was servicing tractors, small trucks and smaller pieces of construction
equipment which were being operated by the local farmers. We also expanded our services into crane repairs and servicing,” he said.
“We slowly built up the customer base and moved into a workshop in Rowville and it was then that we started to examine the equipment market for products to sell rather than just focusing on maintenance and repairs. We started off by selling the used equipment we were refurbishing in the workshop. We were buying various types of equipment, overhauling and selling them and this included loaders, excavators and skid steers.
The business went well and after 10 years, Kapahnke and his team decided their services were well suited for new products and so he began investigating the market for brands to represent.
“We started with smaller types of equipment and moved up in size to large sized construction equipment and we also took on the Dieci telehandler product which we still handle. More recently, we’ve moved to the XCMG product where we handle construction equipment including wheel loaders, excavators, rollers, graders and more importantly the crane side of the range. We’ve set up a division for the crane business and we have people in Melbourne, Newcastle, just north of Sydney, and in Queensland. We are focused on the east coast with the product, and we are looking to expand our coverage with more people. We also have a network of sub-contractors who are also focused on supporting the equipment in various industry sectors,” said Kapahnke.
“We have a sales and repair operation in Melbourne, and we have a sales and product manager based in Newcastle who is busy visiting and providing back up support to customers with equipment in New South Wales. We aim to turn the market’s perception around regarding Chinese equipment.
“It used to be that equipment was sold and the customer left to worry about how he kept it going. We are a business driven by support and service; it is in our DNA. Currently, XCMG is setting up a warehouse in Melbourne to support the XCMG product nationally, this includes cranes, construction equipment and anything branded XCMG. We plan to back the customers who have cranes out in the field and help to improve the market’s perception of
The functionality of the onboard computer, the sensor technology, the screens and the way the operator uses the machine have greatly improved.
the XCMG brand,” he said.
Over the last two decades, Chinese manufactured cranes and construction equipment has come a long way says Kapahnke, but the lack of local support has let the product down.
“In Australia, Chinese manufactured product still has a bit of a stigma attached to it, but over the last 20 years, the quality and performance of equipment has improved out of sight. This is especially the case with XCMG.
“XCMG has been the number one manufacturer for construction equipment and cranes in China, for the last 30 years. Last year they reached number one in the world in terms of crane sales, and they are number three in the world for construction equipment sales,” he said.
“They have proved themselves to be a manufacturer of quality product, they offer great warranties with everything they do and every time we give them feedback from customers, they listen and are continually examining ways to improve their products. XCMG also wants to improve awareness of the brand in the major global markets,” said Kapahnke.
Kapahnke explains which crane models XCMG Cranes Australia has been bringing in and what the local market can expect to see from the XCMG brand.
“XCMG is well known locally for its truck cranes, so we started off bringing in the 25t and 30t capacity models and we recently sold two crawler cranes, a 150t capacity and a 220t. These are on order and should be arriving shortly. We’ve also got some stock orders coming in which includes more 25t and 30t truck cranes and a 60t all terrain.
“The all terrain will be a stock item to show interested customers. We’ve got a lot of interest in the 100t to 220t capacity all terrains and we are bringing in machines in this range. As well as the all terrains, we are bringing in crawlers, rough terrains and more models of the truck mounted cranes. “XCMG has been the number one manufacturer for construction equipment and cranes in China, for the last 30 years. Last year they reached number one in the world in terms of crane sales, and they are number three in the world for construction equipment sales.”
XCMG has been the number one manufacturer for construction equipment and cranes in China, for the past 30 years.
