Capital Equipment News October 2016

EXCAVATORS

Africa, including forestry, plant hire, construc- tion and agriculture, to name a few. Plant hire and construction account for a bigger chunk of the population, according to Kemp. Strati alludes to the fact that in South Africa, the 21 and 24 t excavator market is highly competitive. “In light of this, CASE has developed a highly efficient product to cater for the diversity in applications from general construction, such as road building and water works, to quarry applications, using heavy duty buckets with short arm, skeleton buckets and breaker attachments,” he says. “In the mining sector these machines are used primarily to feed jaw crushers. The super long reaches operate at harbours and even citric and apple orchards throughout South Africa,” he adds. According to Kemp, the use of a four- cylinder engine versus the normal six-cylinder has greatly improved the performance of CASE excavators in the 13-14 t category. Key benefits include reduced fuel consumption when compared with the old technology of the six-cylinder engines, as well as higher reliability and lower running costs. The CX210B and CX240B feature a vari- able control hydraulic pump which maintains optimum engine rpm during heavy load work. “Controls provide rapid and smooth reactions to power demand, resulting in greater pro- ductivity,” says Strati. “The engine technol- ogy allows high torque at low engine speed for low fuel consumption and great reliabili- ty. Both models benefit from the proven com- mon rail Isuzu engines with a frame design that minimises noise and vibrations.” An advanced filtration system with two standard fuel filters and a dedicated package for hot climates further increases the dura- bility of the machines. The B series excava- tors are said to be easy to use thanks to the intuitive working mode system and the Auto Power boost that automatically increases hy- draulic pressure according to the operation’s demands. Strati further explains that the three working modes easily adapt to every work load for maximum versatility. CASE of innovation Innovation is a key focus area for every OEM to remain competitive and increase productivity for customers. With regards to new innovations, CASE has brought together under the CASE Site Solutions banner all its services and technologies designed to help customers manage their job sites and construction activities efficiently, improve productivity and control operating costs. CASE Site Solutions comprises CASE Site- Control machine control solutions and CASE SiteWatch telematics. With the improved CASE SiteWatch, the number of machine

18-25 T EXCAVATOR MARKET STATS AT A GLANCE

Represents 60% of total excavator market in South Africa

946 TOTAL

420 Unit sales (Other sizes)

526 Units SOLD (21-25t)

Over 14 brands vying for a share of the market

Sold 526 units of total 946 excavators sold in 10 months to October 2015

16%

TIV shrunk 16% year-on- year (12 months rolling)

Demand in H1 2016 was 100 units less than same period in 2015

100 LESS

2015

JAN

DEC

managing director of DISA Equipment. “The simplicity of this machine, along with the quality of the Korean build, makes it a real contender in this class size,” says Whitehead. The heart of this machine is its improved fuel economy, thanks to the optimisation of the hydraulic system and an improved Doosan DB58TIS Tier 2 mechanical engine. The improved engine comes with the new Electronic Power Optimisation System (e-POS), an electronic control system that offers better power and fuel saving. The ePOS is complemented by a new Controller Area Network (CAN) communi- cation link allowing for a continuous ex- change of information between the engine and the hydraulic system. “For optimum control,  the ePOS system provides a perfect synchronised communication link between the engine’s electronic control unit and the hydraulic system. The CAN system facilitates a constant flow of information between the engine and the hydraulic system, ensuring power is delivered exactly as it is needed,” says Whitehead. Durability in focus The DX225LCA was designed with a special focus on machine durability and longevity of structures and components. The shape of the boom has been optimised by a finite elements design, allowing for loads to be better distributed throughout the structure. Fitted with a 9,5 m boom, the DX225LCA has a shorter 2,4 m stick, compared with the previous model’s 2,7 m. A shorter stick translates into better breakout force, especially in demanding applications, according to Whitehead. Whitehead further reasons that the decision to switch from the previous DX200 to the DX200LCA was made with the customer in mind. Over and above the increased operating weight from 20,6 t on the previous

DX200 to 21,5 t on the new DX200LCA, another big improvement is the undercarriage, which returns to the nine-roller configuration, compared with seven on the previous model. Whitehead believes that this spec upgrade is a competitive edge for Doosan’s new arrival as he argues that many of the competition’s offerings in this class size come with a shorter seven-roller undercarriage. “The longer the undercarriage, the better the stability for the excavator, especially in uneven terrain and when working with attachments,” says Whitehead. Of note is that this spec upgrade doesn’t come with any price increase for the DX- 200LCA. “We have kept the machine at the same price as its predecessor despite all the several feature upgrades, which is a big plus for our customers already operating in diffi- cult economic conditions,” says Whitehead. Enter CASE For CASE, the flagship models in the general construction excavator market locally are the 21t CX210B and the 24 t CX240B. This is complemented by the 29 t CX290, as Kemp tells Capital Equipment News that CSE caters for a specific segment of the excavator market, specifically the 21-29 t range. However, the CX210B remains the most popular in the range. Antonio Strati, product marketing manag- er, CNH Industrial Construction Equipment for Europe, Middle East and Africa, agrees, saying that the CX210B, with an operating weight of 21 t, covers this extremely compet- itive 21 t size category with its best in class lifting capacity. “The XC240B has an operat- ing weight of 24 t. If you add power and extra stability, the CX240B turns out to be the best solution for the toughest applications in the general excavator market,” says Strati. This CASE range of excavators is being oper- ated across a variety of applications in southern

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS OCTOBER 2016 21