Small But Powerful

Demand is growing for compact machinery, including mini excavators and compact tracked loaders.

As infrastructure within cities in the GCC matures, the demand for equipment shifts from predominantly larger machines to greater use of compact equipment, including mini excavators, for maintenance of infrastructure rather than greenfield development.

This poses unique challenges for machinery, including limitations for mobility, accessibility and manoeuvring, which grows the market for compact machinery, says Heba Gandy, UAE Marketing Manager at Al Futtaim Auto and Machinery Company (FAMCO), the exclusive distributor for Volvo Construction Equipment in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Volvo’s compact excavators have the raw power to meet any challenge, she says. The Volvo CE range extends from its 1.5-tonne machine – useful for jobs such as a small trenching job in the middle of a busy highway or a garden with limited room for manoeuvre – up to its 7.5-tonne machine, capable of performing multiple heavy-duty jobs at a construction site, with attachments including bucket, breaker and material handling.

The mid-segment 3.5-tonne EC35D compact excavator is the most popular machine in the range of smaller diggers, followed by the 2.5-tonne machine, says Gandy. “The Volvo CE EC35D compact excavator is at the forefront of our Volvo offering, which based on the market feedback is by far the most powerful and reliable machine in its class segment, currently being deployed in various segments – landscaping to construction to demolition.”

Market growth for the compact excavator segment in the UAE and GCC is expected to follow the trajectory of developed markets in Europe and North America, says Gandy. “No doubt we are on the verge of seeing this product segment come out of the shadows and take the market from its bigger siblings.”

“For a contractor, maintaining a mature fleet of specialised machines with multi-tasking capability is a key to optimise their operations to drive profits forward – this can only be achieved by opting for the right machine with right options at the right price with superior performance, entailing more uptime, reliability, productivity and support.”

Key performance and total cost of ownership (TCO) highlights for the compact excavators include the Volvo engines, known for fuel efficiency with high torque and low RPMs, reducing fuel bills for contractors. Overall, Volvo CE offers a one-stop support package for its compact excavators range, with all major components manufactured, tuned and assembled within the Volvo Group only – a total harmonic solution, says Gandy.

Another important aspect is operator safety and comfort, with Volvo Seats, ROPS Cab or full AC Cab available, based on machine configuration. Other advanced features include telematics service Care Track, which supports contractors in optimising operations and ensures that necessary operator training needs are evaluated and addressed to extract maximum performance from the machines while retaining operator satisfaction.

Next-generation machines

Mohamed Abdulrahman Al-Bahar, the Caterpillar dealer, is seeing increasing demand for both micro and mini excavators, says Mamoun T Mutair, Product Manager – Building Construction. “The trend is increasing in both micro and mini excavators, as customers start seeing the value of having this product in their fleets.”

Popular weight classes include the micro sizes of 1.5-2 tonnes and the 3- and 6-tonne mini excavators, says Mutair. These segments are serviced by Caterpillar’s range of Next Generation mini excavators, designed for strong performance, operator safety and comfort.

The machines are equipped with auto idle, which reduces unnecessary fuel burn, and other performance features include greater dig performance and more tractive effort to increase productivity; as well as a dig-to-blade front linkage geometry that speeds up clean-up tasks. The machines also travel faster, dig to blade, and outperform any competitive models with regard to digging and trenching.

Caterpillar’s Next Generation mini excavators have a range of features to keep operating costs low and aid performance.

When it comes to overall ownership costs, a competitively priced basket of service parts gives confidence in lifecycle costs, and a tough, all-steel-design with wrap-around counterweight protects vulnerable areas of the machine. Additional tie-down points are conveniently located to ease trailer transportation, notes Mutair.

For ease of operation, the Next Generation machines have a number of compelling features, including a stick steer control – this means the machine is operated similarly to a skid steer, making it easier for skid steer operators to use; cruise control, so the operator can fix the speed within a job-site; and a sealed and pressurised cab with AC option

When it comes to serviceability, the Next Generation mini excavators boast a specially designed tilt-up cab that offers access to all components and reduced service time. All common maintenance points are easily accessible through all-around service door access in addition to the tilt-up cab, increasing job-site productivity.

The compact tracked loader

Another machine that’s highly manoeuvrable on smaller job-sites is the compact tracked loader. Less common than its skid-steer cousin, it still has a number of benefits. Bobcat’s CTL range features a high sprocket track drive system, giving the machine increased lift capacity, stability and low ground pressure – all highly advantageous on job-sites in the GCC and Middle East, says John Chattaway, Loaders Product Manager at Bobcat.

“This enables the CTL to be used in applications where heavier loads need handling, such as palletised materials to be carried within work-sites. The low ground pressure also allows the machine to move around work-sites that are almost finished without damaging the ground surfaces – particularly important in landscaping where the hard materials are laid and the soft-scaping is supported by the CTL.”

The added stability of a CTL also allows precise working for grading work, where the Bobcat laser-controlled grader manages a finish down to 3mm, ideal when grading in confined indoor areas is required, he says.

“This stable and solid operation also translates into higher productivity when using road planers and wheel-saws. The applications that make use of the low ground pressure are typically landscaping and municipality jobs where minimal ground disturbance on already finished surfaces is important.”

Compact track loaders can be used to transport heavy loads on-site, thanks to increased stability and low ground pressure.

Nevertheless, Bobcat CTLs have many features in common with the brand’s skid steers, such as smart cooling systems that react to the workloads used and transverse engines for balance and ease of service.

“All our loaders also benefit from performance options such as the High-Flow hydraulics and Attachment Control devices that allow plug-and-play use of Bobcat’s extensive attachments range. Uniquely, the CTL has a high track drive sprocket that keeps it away from dirt and debris for increased durability, and the idlers and rollers have dual flanges to improve the ride and avoid de-tracking,” says Chattaway.

Key attachments for the compact loaders include pallet forks, while the standard attachments of brushes, sweepers, augers and hydraulic breakers are complemented by more specialised attachments such as laser-controlled graders, road planers and wheel-saws, he adds.