Even the rains could not play dampener, as visitors ensured brisk business for vendors
By JAYASHREE MENDES & MITALEE KURDEKAR
Bracing up for a mega event, and one that will mainly be held outdoors under the sun implies that all factors coordinate and remain merciful,
including the weather. Excon 2015, the mega expo for the construction equipment industry, did not see any such thing. The inclement weather played
havoc in Bengaluru where the expo was held from November 25-29. What made it worse was that the venue, Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), spread across 220,000m2 of display area was a riot of grunge and this was a day before the opening. With over 800 exhibitors ready to
open the next day and more than 35,000 business visitors expected to turn up, there was much bewilderment as vendors wondered at what the outcome would be.
Consider the above scenario. The outdoor area alone saw more than 250 companies camping with equipment, with each equipment weighing a minimum of 1,000 kgs and going as high as 2 tonnes. And each vendor could have a nothing less than 5-15 equipment on display. One can imagine the
desperate measures they would have taken to salvage the situation.
But all that is behind now. Excon 2015 could be considered a runaway success considering that most vendors did roaring sales — a vast difference from the last three years that saw a dismal market as sales dropped drastically as did the contracts. Vipin Sondhi, chairman, Excon 2015 and
MD & CEO, JCB India Limited said, “The scope and reach of Excon has been growing over the years and today we see the greatest number of industry and visitor participation, making it the biggest ever exhibition of CE not just in India but also in South-East Asia. There are participation from 22
countries with country pavilions from China, Finland, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Spain, Turkey and UK.”
This year, Excon, was themed around “Build India - Invest in Development, A Shared Responsibility” which primarily reiterated the industry’s role and responsibility as a partner in national development. The focus was on four key enablers: Facilitating growth and competitiveness, promoting
infrastructure investments, developing human capital, and encouraging social development. Besides these, Indian Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association (iCEMA) organised a two-day conference around - Rebooting Infrastructure on the sidelines.
The event was inaugurated by Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping and saw the launch of a report on Indian Construction Equipment Industry - Vision 2020 prepared by iCEMA, an affiliated body of CII. The report sets out the current demand and forecast for the industry till 2020 with projected market size for major equipment and predicts the Indian construction equipment industry to grow to $5 billion by 2019-20 from its current size of $2.8 billion.
Devendra Kumar Vyas, CEO, Srei Equipment Finance Limited (Srei BNP Paribas), said, “This year we expected to do business of more than Rs 500 crore during the event. But more than numbers, we were hopeful that this event would lift up the spirit of the infrastructure equipment sector which
has gone through a challenging phase.”
Like always, Excon 2015 saw new technologies and launches from all the segments of CE including heavy llifting and cranes, earthmoving, road construction, concrete, components, and others. A large number of companies saw this as an apt opportunity to launch new products after having invested in research & development over last two years. More happening besides the technologies was the introduction of telematics and safety features that was introduced across several machines. Quite like others, P Palaniappan, business head & senior VP, Mahindra Powerol, said, “Generally speaking, there is a sense of euphoria at Excon this year. People are very bullish. There is hope that the coming year will be
very good for the construction equipment industry and any business related to that. There is positivity to this exhibition.”
More encouraging was the fact that companies that have always shied away from the event also participated this year. For instance, Manitowoc Cranes India entered the exhibition as a standalone participant for the first time.
Wilfried Theissen, MD, Putzmeister Concrete Machines, was only stating the obvious when he said that Excon is a great way to connect with new and existing customers. From a German perspective, the Make in India programme has also aroused great interest among equipment manufacturers in India.
Many of the players were also present not just based on future possibilities but also from their past. Neil Woodfin, brand leader for construction equipment, Asia Pacific, CNH Industrial, said that immaterial whether there are new launches, this is one platform that will always pull crowds.
“There is a kind of curiosity about this event and India is ready to scale up as there is a sense of determination on the part of the government to fast-track projects,” he added.
There was also a consensus that earthmoving equipment will remain the biggest contributor in terms of value and volume. However, some categories — such as tower cranes and mobile cranes — would grow disproportionately, driven by increased investments in real estate projects.
Like one company spokesperson said, “Rains are an auspicious sign.” Looking back, and thinking about the manoeuvring through the craters caused by the rains, we think it was all worth it.
ATLAS COPCO CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUE
For companies like Atlas Copco who believe in innovation for better quality of roads, continuous improvement in technology
is a must. Not only is it necessary to invest in innovation but it is also imperative that they adapt technologies that has been adopted in developed countries.
Speaking about some of the new technologies the company has showcased at Excon, Nitin Lall, GM, Atlas Copco Construction Technique Customer Centre,
says, “We are launching the CC425 tandem roller in 2016, and have recently launched the baby roller CC125 which are both displayed here at Excon. Our compactors achieve the required density in less number of passes and therefore are more fuel-efficient.”
Atlas Copco insists that it offers products suitable for Indian conditions and did some innovations with re-engineering. “We believe in consistently upgrading our product portfolio keeping in mind the product gaps. In keeping with this belief, the smallest portable air compressor in it’s class – the XAT 197 has also been introduced. The XAT 197 with a 417CFM @ 150PSI is the smallest size compressor in this market segment with high power to weight ratio. With these features, the XAT197 is a value for money compressor with the best fuel economy when compared to other compressors
in its class.”
In a first, the company is also introducing portable generators. With a new light tower, the QLTV15, and innovative Atlas Copco HardHat canopy, it now also offers lightweight and compact light towers. This complete offering now enables them to provide uninterrupted power, air and light on the move.
Besides, the company is also keenly looking at the light compaction and concrete range with new upgrades. Although growth is mainly driven by its portable compressor division, going forward, Lall says that going forward it sees growth in all three business lines of construction equipment. “We see good sales in hydraulic attachments. We are observing that sales of excavators and backhoes are on the increase. When sales of these equipment
go up, the attachments usually also follow. I believe that a growth of 15-20% for Atlas Copco Construction Equipment is possible.”
As far as research is concerned, it has a team in India and Europe who collaborate to create a product. “We invest in a project
and product before commencing full time production. All the products you see coming from Nashik and Chakan are the efforts of our R&D teams,” says Lall.
BALKRISHNA INDUSTRIES(BKT)
If you are a preferred supplier to international OEMs in industrial, construction and agricultural tyre segments, then you have definitely arrived. Quality conscious users in countries like Europe and America prefer BKT as their supplier, reinforcing the superior quality and performance
of the company´s products. “I can say with some pride that each of our products go through 450 stages of tests thus making them reliable with the lowest claim ratio in the industry,” says Rajiv Poddar, joint managing director, BKT.
Excon is a good platform for component manufacturers to exhibit new products and also give visitors a glimpse into the company’s plans thus creating a lasting impact on minds, he added.
And while BKT is among the world’s leading manufacturers of off-highway tyres with over 92% of its products exported to more than 130 countries across five continents, it is looking to grow its presence overseas. Speaking at Excon, Poddar said that the company has plans to more than double its turnover, through a combination of strategies which include product innovation, marketing and brand-building.
With more than 2,300 SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) for various kinds of applications, BKT is a one stop shop for all off-highway tyres solutions. “As speciality tyres are our core business and our bread and butter, we’re constantly trying to accommodate the need of every end user of OHTs,” explains Poddar. “Currently, our capacity is about 160,000 tonnes per annum, and with Bhuj coming on stream we will be able to bring that capacity up to 280,000 tonnes per annum — nearly doubling the existing capacities. Its full production should be with us soon,” he added. With the future of off-highway tyres segment being radial, the new greenfield unit at Bhuj will focus on radials. This facility will also produce Ultra large and Giant OTR tyres up to 51” rim diameter.
In terms of research & development, BKT designs, develops and releases 150-160 new tyre sizes each year. It is the first off-highway tyre manufacturer in India to be REACH compliant for its entire range of products and has the world’s fastest turnaround time of 8-10 weeks for new product development. The company has also achieved the international Standard for Quality Management System (ISO 9001:2008) & Environmental
Management System (ISO 14001:2004) certification.
In the near term, BKT prefers to focus on a three-fold strategy of expanding its reach in the global market through the launch of new products and extension of its existing ranges. BKT’s vision is to double its current 6% market share in speciality segments.
ACTION CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT (ACE)
At this year’s edition of Excon, Action Construction Equipment (ACE) Ltd launched the first-ever, Indian-made topless tower crane in the form of the TC 5040T and the TC 5540T, each possessing 50m and 55m jib lengths respectively. This is the first time such a crane has been manufactured in India, as they were being previously imported. They also displayed a hydraulically operated, spider-mounted concrete boom placer with a boom length of up to 21m and a 3600 continuous slew.
ACE touts itself as the market leader for pick-and-carry cranes, claiming to enjoy a 61% market share in that segment, while it has about 60% in tower cranes. Yet, they do not wish to enter any new segment, citing the reason that they already have a good portfolio. “We are not looking at expanding the portfolio any more, but we want to improve these products in terms of technology and quality,” states Sorab Agarwal, executive director, Action Construction Equipment. He is confident of future growth in the construction industry, and says, “The response to the
new additions at Excon has been fantastic. Business has been improving in the past three-four months and we expect a good time going forward.”
CASE CONSTRUCTION
Case Construction just cannot stress enough on how total cost of ownership and quality is important to the company. In a tough CE industry environment where the market has shrunk almost 40% over the last four years, the company has been able to maintain a strong market share and performance.
One of the most notable innovations that CASE has made to its machines is the incorporation of Fiat engine. It comes from their own factory in India, and therefore is tailored in accordance with changing customer requirements and industry trends. The new engine gives a run for the money, is fuel efficient, and is much superior to the ones available in the market.
Neil Woodfin, brand leader for construction equipment, Asia Pacific, CNH Industrial, says, “Quality is built into the machine and that starts with design. We ensure that components that go into the machine can be assembled easily and maintain consistency. We also try to reduce the number of electrical and hydraulic connections so that there is little resistance.”
In terms of training, the company has four training centres in India (Guwahati, Alwar, Ranchi and Pithampur), with a fifth one coming up at Hyderabad
CATERPILLAR INDIA
Manufacturing and construction equipment company Caterpillar announced its entry into skid steer loader market in India with the launch of its Cat 216B3 model. The ergonomic operator station features easy-to-use pilot operated joystick controls for reduced operator fatigue and increased productivity. The high performance power train provides high engine horsepower and torque, allowing part-throttle operation for lower sound levels and fuel consumption, while the advanced hydraulic system is designed for maximum power and reliability.
Stating that the launch of the B3 series loader will add to ‘Make in India’ initiative, John Fallows, sales and marketing director, Greater China, Korea, and India, said these machines would be manu- BharatBenz, the exclusive brand of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), showcased 11 trucks including India’s first indigenised mining truck 3143 thus making its debut at the Excon exhibition. BharatBenz 3143 is a natural
factured at Caterpillar’s production facility set up at Thiruvallur in Tamil Nadu. “It will cater to the needs emanating from various parts of the world, besides the Indian market.”
The company also showcased its Cat 424B Backhoe Loader (BHL) and its multipurpose and technologically advanced Cat B20 breaker.
Caterpillar currently has five production facilities spread across Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
DAIMLER INDIA COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
BharatBenz, the exclusive brand of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), showcased 11 trucks including India’s first indigenised mining truck
3143 thus making its debut at the Excon exhibition. BharatBenz 3143 is a natural progression towards high powered, cost efficient mining trucks that will bridge the gap in the industry that currently offers premium trucks and trucks that are underpowered.
The truck has capability as to be operated challenging terrains. It can be efficiently operated in deep mining conditions and it comes with the OM 457 Mercedes-Benz engine, with a 12-litre capacity and six-cylinders delivering 430hp. The BharatBenz 3143 is available in two variants 19.5m3 rock body and 32m3 coal carrier. Sominder Singh, VP, domestic sales, product management & network of DICV, said that BharatBenz has sold more than 30,000 trucks since its launch in September 2012. The company will continue to expand into northern market, he added. India will increasingly play an important role in the global operations of Daimler. Not only is DICV exporting India-made trucks under the FUSO brand to 21 countries, it will also
increase its market presence in 30 countries within the next two years.
ELECTROMECH
ElectroMech, the largest industrial overhead cranes manufacturer in India, exhibited its offerings for the infrastructure construction industry namely the gantry cranes in single girder and double girder configurations which can be completely customised for SWL, span, lifting height, speeds and class of duty depending on the application. They can also be provided with multiple hoisting trolleys running on the same bridge
or auxiliary hoisting mechanisms on the main trolley. Precise control of all motions is achieved through Variable Frequency Drives. Depending on the site requirement, power supply is through a cable reeling drum or an on board generator for outdoor gantry cranes. Gantry cranes are very versatile and used typically for activities in pre-cast segment yards, construction sites, storage yards and other outdoor applications. ElectroMech Gantry cranes have proven themselves to be robust and more than capable of withstanding the rigors of a variety of applications from steel yards to construction sites.
For an exhibitor, it is not just the volume of visitors that is important, but also the quality. Targeting promotion to the right audience will make the show more memorable for an exhibitor.
HESS INDIA
Hess, seeing the high potential that India offers as a market, recently showcased the RHI 500 XL and Triple station press machine from Forest Press, at Excon. The mid-sized machine models will be produced mainly with parts sourced locally.
“As the biggest machinery manufacturer from Germany, we always take part in these shows, so that our potential customers can come and see the machines for themselves,” says Manoj Kumar, MD, Hess India.
Kumar believes that India needs a clear policy and understanding between the coal industry, power plants, construction and related machinery industry to be able to achieve more, and that this can only happen if they support each other. “There is no clarity or guidelines in this regard. We
need to enforce the necessity of a proper system and include it in the education system. The biggest problem that industries in India face comes from the banking sector. Change in the banking system and the attitude towards the industry is most important. The government and RBI are taking
good steps to support the industry, but the banks are not ready to pass over this benefit to investors. Banks are comfortable with few industries like real estate and automobile and not competent or ready to explore other industries,” he laments.