Capital Equipment News March 2018

cost-effective, reliable and rugged solution for this group of customers. At a time when cash is tight, the new EarthMaster is competitively priced and affordable than most of the premium offerings in this segment. Key features A key feature of the EarthMaster, according to Avinash Jha, Export & Business Planning manager at Mahindra & Mahindra in India, is its banana boom, which offers 7% more reach compared with the conventional straight boom stick. “The banana boom is designed with minimum welding points to increase strength and durability. As an individual component, the banana boom can take up to 60 kN force, making it one of the strongest booms in this segment,” says Jha. He adds that the banana shape gives the machine 15% more dig depth at 4,22 m compared with other backhoe loaders with the traditional straight boom. “The banana boom achieves a higher dig depth without compromising on the end forces and utilisation of the high pressure,” explains Jha. “The boom is designed to support hydraulic system pressures as high as 250 bars, which is one of the highest among competitive offerings in this class size.” Powered by a turbo-charged, intercooled Mahindra DITEC diesel engine delivering 80 hp, the EarthMaster is said to offer best- in-class fuel efficiency. Mahindra claims to be the biggest tractor supplier by volume in the world, and leveraging its tractor engine technology, the EarthMaster is said to consume only 4,5 ℓ of fuel per hour, representing a 10% saving compared with comparable machines in this class size. With better technology and design enhancements, Mahindra has been able to significantly lower lubricant refilling requirements with extended service intervals, thus reducing overall machine maintenance costs. The machine takes 50 ℓ of hydraulic oil, with 2 000-hour change intervals, while the rear axle oil (17,1 ℓ ) has a change interval of 1 500 hours. The 9,1 ℓ of front axle oil is after every 1 500 hours, while the engine oil (13 ℓ ) is changeable after every 500 hours and transmission oil (12 ℓ ) after every 1 000 hours. “The machine comes with a standard 1,1 m³ 6-in-1 loader bucket for increased versatility, with a 0,27 m³ backhoe bucket. It is designed to take up in excess of 16 attachments from Mahindra, including a dozer blade, coal bucket, jib crane, square hole bucket, forklift and a ditch cleaning bucket, to mention a few,” concludes Jha. b

A key feature of the EarthMaster is its banana boom, which offers 7% more reach compared with the conventional straight boom stick.

ever deeper into these communities as we accelerate our drive to offer value-for-money products and services to local customers,” says Bapat. Already exporting its vehicles into other regional countries such as Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Swaziland and Namibia, Mahindra South Africa has achieved significant growth since its establishment in October 2004, with about 40 000 vehicles already operating in the field. However, the OEM is fully aware that it may not be able to leverage its existing automotive footprint to support its construction equipment. “To be able to offer the right support to our backhoe loader customers, we are already at an advanced stage of discussions with one of the renowned companies in South Africa to take the distribution and support responsibilities of this range,” says Nair. A key competitive edge of the EarthMaster backhoe loader is that it is targeted at the entry-level tier of the local construction fraternity. With the South African government’s focus on growing small and upcoming construction contractors, especially supported by the rollout of smaller lots of construction projects, Nair says the EarthMaster offers a

Perfect timing Despite the overtraded nature of the market, Pavan Nair, GM New Business Development at Mahindra South Africa, is optimistic that the timing of the launch is perfect, with the market signalling strong growth prospects following an end to a three-year downward cycle in 2017. “South Africa, and several other southern African countries are set to enjoy a favourable economic spell this year, and we are convinced that this is the perfect time for us to explore new business units,” he says. Apart from seemingly favourable market conditions, Avinash Bapat, CFO at Mahindra South Africa, tells Capital Equipment News that the company’s knowledge of the market will also play a huge factor in the quick growth of its construction division. Mahindra SA is celebrating its 14 th year in South Africa and already has an established network of dealers in all nine provinces of the country, housed in comprehensive facilities that handle sales, service and spare parts. “With 60 dealerships, in cities and towns across southern Africa, Mahindra has a growing regional footprint that is moving

Mahindra South Africa is in negotiations to appoint a dealer for its construction range

A unique feature is its banana boom, which offers 7% more reach compared with the conventional straight boom stick

The EarthMaster is powered by the Mahindra DITEC diesel engine said to consume only 4,5 ℓ of fuel per hour, representing a 10% saving compared with comparable machines in this class size

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