Strong Contenders

Crawler excavators are typically the workhorse machine on most construction sites, and the latest models from major brands focus on enhanced performance, lower ownership costs, and the latest technologies to measure and improve performance.

On large projects such as the Expo 2020 site in Dubai, excavators are key pieces of equipment that can determine work progress for many contractors. If a contractor is running slow – especially on a project with stiff penalties for late work – then it will likely need to rent additional machines or add to its fleet, notes Zane Barnard, a construction product specialist at CNH Industrial. That makes the productivity of excavators a key contributor to effective project delivery and profit.

Excavators are typically used in the GCC as they are elsewhere, for activities including trenching, truck loading, levelling, lifting and mass excavation. But in areas with tough ground conditions, “Hammering is a more critical part of what an excavator does in the Middle East than anywhere else in the AME region,” says Laurent Sarignac, an excavator marketing specialist for Africa and Middle East with Caterpillar.

All about production cost

Caterpillar has recently launched a new range of excavators, including the 330 and 330 GC, the 336 and 336 GC, and the 320, 320 GC and 323. All the Next Generation hydraulic excavators enjoy a reduction of up to 20% in maintenance costs over their predecessors, regardless of size, says Sarignac. “This is mainly driven by extended service intervals, a new electrohydraulic main valve that results in the removal of the pilot lines and associated filters, as well as a reduction of the hydraulic oil tank capacity.”

When it comes to calculating the total cost of ownership (TCO) for a machine, Shahir El Essawy, business director for Hub South (Middle East and Africa) at Volvo Construction Equipment, sees a simple equation with costs on one side and production and earnings on the other.

“A customer only earns money when an excavator is working, so uptime and reliability are key to start off any discussion on costs or revenue. Any downtime, no matter the reason, will create cost – and eliminate revenue,” he says.

El Essawy points out key features on the Volvo CE D-series excavators, such as ECO-mode in combination with high-torque, low-RPM engines. “These boost both production output and fuel economy, compared to certain other OEMs.”

The Swedish construction equipment manufacturer also runs uptime centres with the aim of proactively detecting indicators that, left unattended, can cause downtime and increase costs, says El Essawy. “We also use the system to detect and inform customers about sub-optimal utilisation of our excavators, such as excessive idling, running the machine on sub-optimal power settings or exceeding service intervals – just to name a few.”

OEMs are focused on improving serviceability, reliability and performance of machines.

Case Construction Equipment launched its new C-series excavators, which Barnard describes as “pretty much bullet-proof”, in the Middle East in 2019. Features include an improved electronic control system which manages the fuel consumption of the machine more accurately. “By doing that we managed to save 8% on fuel efficiency, and increased the cycle time to make the machine more productive.”

The strength of the booms, arms and undercarriage was also enhanced, says Barnard, while the track rollers were widened, meaning more tread material for longer life. The new machines also come with a raft of new technology features, including full-colour in-cab display units that provide diagnostic information about machine health. The large and spacious cab has plenty of storage space, USB charging and air conditioning, while the cab itself is mounted on special viscous cab mountings that reduce vibrations from the engine.

LiuGong has been selling its equipment in the Middle East for more than 10 years, and its best-selling crawler excavator is the 922E. “This machine has large digging force and fast movement. Using LiuGong’s patented IPC (intelligent power control) system, the engine and hydraulic pump can be coordinated to work in optimal torque and fuel efficiency, to ensure that the excavator can perform efficiently and the fuel consumption is minimised,” says Wei Haifeng, a product application expert with LiuGong Middle East Company.

He further adds that the use of a Cummins engine, a Kawasaki hydraulic system and other first-class components ensures high reliability, while the design of the large radiator group and the option of high-power air conditioners are particularly suitable for the Middle East markets.

Technology-rich

Caterpillar has invested heavily in new technology on its machines. Its Performance range of excavators come with standard technology features aimed at improving operator efficiency and job-site safety. “Grade indicates in real time where the bucket is vis-a-vis a reference point and helps the operator know how close or far he is from his target, without having the need for a surveyor; Payload calculates the weight of the material moved; Lift Assist shows the tipping limits of the machine and gives visual indication of possible range of motion,” says Sarignac.

There are also active control and guidance features, including E Fence to prevent machine movements beyond a limit set by the operator, and a grade assistance tool that operates the stick and bucket cylinder to follow a pre-defined slope while the operator only operates the boom cylinders (some features are standard on some machines, while others can be added through software updates). Another feature is a Bluetooth module fitted into Cat work tools such as the bucket or hammer, allowing the machine to recognise the tool and automatically adjust flow, pressure and other parameters.

On-board technology can dramatically boost production.

Two types of fleet owner

Do fleet owners want the highest levels of technology possible? Barnard says there are two sides to this. Some customers, in Africa and parts of the Middle East, especially smaller fleet owners, “just want something that is basic – that you can sort of fix with a screwdriver and a hammer and it will keep going”.

But larger fleet owners that are more likely to be using telematic and site management systems do want the latest features, he says. “[These] customers really want that technology inside the machines so that they can track and trace it, and monitor the machine from their laptop, and have the machine tell the operator exactly what he needs to do and how to do it.”

Defraying maintenance costs

Maintenance is of course a big part of a machine’s cost, so any features that extend maintenance intervals or make servicing easier contribute to the bottom line. Volvo CE’s El Essawy says that – to a large degree – ease of maintenance is also linked to safety. “We know that approximately 80% of injuries involving excavators occur not when the machine is operating, but when the operator enters or exits the machine, or during service when the operator climbs on the machine and they slip or fall down.”

The OEM has reduced the need to climb onto its excavators by having ground access service points for filters and other check-points. And when an operator does have to climb, “We have designed the access to the top of the machine with safety in mind, for example by having a punched-holes anti-slip surface covering all the top area of the machine. Even if grease or diesel is spilled on this area, the surface still retains the majority of its anti-slip functionality – this is safety in practice,” says El Essawy.

The market for new construction equipment purchases remains challenging.

In the cab

Many manufacturers also focus on improving the operator’s experience. “Caring for the operator is key – a tired or unskilled operator can cause downtime or sub-optimal production levels simply by not operating the machine well. Comfortable cabs attract the best operators,” says El Essawy. In the case of the Volvo CE excavators, low engine RPMs means silent cabs, and A/C with high cooling capacity in the cab means additional comfort.

For Caterpillar, all models from the 320 GC onwards feature automatic air conditioning, radio, 8” monitor with touchscreen and a rear-view camera. Visibility is improved and ROPS is standard, says Sarignac.

Increased focus on fuel consumption

One trend from some fleet managers is more attention to fuel consumption performance. 

While subsidised fuel means fuel consumption has typically not been a major concern for many fleet operators in the GCC, this is changing, especially in the UAE, where fuel subsidies were removed, notes Barnard.

El Essawy notes that fuel costs in the Middle East have risen over the last few years and are an important part of the cost structure. “We keep fuel consumption low by producing our own engines, and deploying a patented system for ECO-mode that decreases the fuel consumption, while the level of production is unaffected. Our recent field tests tell us that we have a very effective system that is unparalleled in the industry.”

Challenging outlook

Many OEMs are seeing a slightly challenging business market, though there are some bright spots. “The Saudi market for new machines sales is strengthening over previous years and shows encouraging signs for 2020 and beyond. The rest of the GCC market is softening, and the positive effect of Expo 2020 is fading as a growing number of related projects are completed or nearing completion,” says Caterpillar’s Sarignac.

Wei says that in recent years, LiuGong has witnessed a contraction in construction market investment. “At present, there are fewer large projects and new construction projects, and the project is fragmented. The customer’s demand for holding machines has decreased, and the proportion of leased use has increased.”