CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NOVEMBER 2016

4 / 44

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS NOVEMBER 2016 2
EDITOR'S COMMENT
F or a number of reasons,
construction jobs are changing,
presenting a new set of
applications which require new
solutions to undertake them.
In this edition of Capital Equipment
News, we look at the prospects of growth
for compact equipment in the local mar-
ket, all the way from TLBs and skid steers,
through to newer solutions such as compact
excavators and compact articulated loaders.
These solutions are gaining preference for
several reasons. Youwould find in the Compact
Equipment feature (Page 20) that the first big
driver for compact gear is urbanisation. As
towns continue to grow, space is at a premium
at many construction sites, hence the need
for a compact machine that can manoeuvre
through the tight spaces.
More importantly, change in application is
driving this range of equipment. There is gen-
eral consensus that we ought to see more
jobs in applications such as landscaping,
sewage, trenching and cabling. These sorts
of applications are continuously growing and
compact equipment becomes a big need.
Over the years, the TLB and the skid steer
have been the most sought after smaller
pieces of equipment in Africa, which earned
them the “picks and shovels of the local in-
dustry” accolade along the way. Even sales
figures show that these are the “bread and
butter” lines for the construction industry. In
2014, the two lines accounted for half of the
total equipment sales in South Africa, as re-
flected by CONMESA figures.
But, many would agree that the next big
thing may be the compact excavator. This
solution already accounts for over 100 000
unit sales in the global market, a figure
envisaged to double by 2020. There are
several application opportunities in plumbing,
electrical and telecommunication, as well
as in the specialised agricultural sector, to
mention but a few. It is also important to
note that the compact excavator, especially
the mid-sized units such as the 8 t, is even
taking trenching work away from the tried
and tested TLB, and one of the suppliers
argues that it is a matter of time before it
upstages the TLB because of the comparative
production speeds.
The skid steer is also up for some serious
challenge from the articulated loader. The
likes of MultiOne, Avant Tecno, Wacker
Neuson and Atlas Weyhausen, to mention a
few, are leaving no stone unturned to prove
the worth of this solution. The compact loader
is said to be economical to run in terms of
fuel consumption compared with the skid
steer, consuming six times less fuel in some
instances, while it can also load more material
per run than the similarly sized skid steer.
While there may be several comparisons
between these solutions, for me, it is all
about choosing the right solution for the job
at hand. I believe these solutions can com-
plement each other so well on sites, and
they are distinctly different solutions, with a
degree of overlap. For that reason, I believe
they can co-exist in the market.
In construction, planning goes beyond
plans and permits; it also calls for the knowl-
edge and experience to know what equip-
ment is needed, when it will be used and
for how long it will be on site. These factors
contribute to determining what construction
equipment is needed. Having the right equip-
ment and tools to do the job is an essential
part of any successful construction project.
Each piece of construction equipment
is designed for a specific purpose. When
reviewing the projects, it is important
to know what equipment is needed and
when in the construction process it will
be used. A skilled contractor can identify
what construction equipment is needed by
reviewing the project tasks. This knowledge
and experience is guaranteed to save time,
money and lots of headaches. b
NEW SOLUTIONS FOR
NEW APPLICATIONS
Munesu Shoko – Editor