Growing competition from Chinese crusher market
The hybrid system includes a new electric swing motor, power generator, capacitor and 104 kW diesel engine, and works by regenerating swing energy and storing it in capacitors, which allow for fast discharge when the energy is needed again. Needless to say, the system works best in applications where there is a lot of slewing motion, and Komatsu says that on average the system uses -25% less fuel than a comparable conventional cone crusher machine. With all this development potential, it should come as little surprise that Chinese investors are eyeing the hot spots of the Middle East. China is also one of the largest oil destination markets for the region's exporters - a fact that is leading to new development agreements.
In May, China State
Construction Engineering Corp (CSCEC) signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi
state-owned investment company Aabar that will see it channel US$ 2 billion into
real estate projects in the emirate. The latest model from Link-Belt, a
subsidiary of Sumitomo which is active in the Americas, is the 21.7 to 23.1
tonne 210 X3. The company says the Interim Tier 4 Isuzu engine offers 10% better
fuel efficiency, +7% more lift capacity, +3% faster cycle times and improved
serviceability. As with most other new machines this year, there is an auto idle
function to cut fuel consumption at times of inactivity.
Improvements have
also been made in bal mill operator comfort, with a +5% bigger cab and better
visibility. The large, 7-inch (178 mm) colour display is the main tool for
changing the machine's settings and this can also take a feed from the rear-view
camera, which is a standard piece of equipment. The Industrial and Commercial
Bank of China (ICBC) will provide the funding, while CSCEC will be the
contractor for the project, which includes the construction of hotels, office
buildings and high-end residential buildings in Abu Dhabi. In return, Aabar will
repay ICBC through the revenue it gets from oil trading.
Volvo's Mr Gardetun
also noted a surge in interest from Chinese manufacturers looking to target the
region's construction equipment market.
JCB meanwhile is making significant
changes to its excavator range, which includes installing its own Dieselmax 444
engine to its 11 to 18 tonne machines. The company says one of the key
advantages of classifier
engine is that it delivers much more torque than its predecessor.
"In general
in the Middle East, we see a strong development on the crawler excavators with
the biggest demand in the 20 to 25 tonne class. We also see a growing
competition from the Chinese manufacturers on wheeled loaders and they are
increasing their share of the market," he said.