Made in India, for India
ECONOMY & POLICY

Made in India, for India

CW explores trends in compactor and paver demand, and finds that indigenous machines are enjoying a good run.The compactor segment is awash with positive sentiment, with good reason.After having stayed at around 2,500 units per annum for the past few ...

CW explores trends in compactor and paver demand, and finds that indigenous machines are enjoying a good run.The compactor segment is awash with positive sentiment, with good reason.After having stayed at around 2,500 units per annum for the past few years, the Indian market for compactors is now seeing a growth to 3,500 units per year owing to the increase in road and highway projects, estimates Ramesh Palagiri, Managing Director and CEO, Wirtgen India. In India, the Wirtgen Group offers the Hamm 311 soil compactor, HD 99 asphalt compactor, GRW 15 rubber-wheeled roller, the 3520 pad foot compactor and the mini tandem roller HD 12VV.“We’ve seen a jump in the number of compactors being sold from 3,500, three to four years ago, to about 5,200 now,” says Raj Shinde, Regional Product Marketing Manager, Dynapac. “With the continued tenure of this government, we expect good growth in the next four to five years. We also expect the arena to become more competitive and price-sensitive with the entry of more players.” “Road and highway connecting projects, coastal and port projects and expressways, namely Bharatmala, Sagarmala and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna, have been driving continuous demand for heavy-duty equipment,” says Ajay Aneja, Brand Leader, Case India. “With Nitin Gadkari retaining power at the Ministry of Roads & Highways, we are expecting the positive momentum to continue as well as smooth execution of ongoing projects and bidding of new projects.”Compactors market in India is seeing a growth of 3,500 units per year.Current demand for 7.5-m pavers at 250-300 units; estimated to grow at 10% in five years.Compactors market expected to become more competitive and price-sensitive with the entry of more players.Newness in compactors“The key to market success is to put out a fit-to-market product that gives the buyer good value and necessary features, without overdoing or underdoing the offering,” says Shinde. For instance, products for overseas markets deliver more systems and software but this technology may still be premature for the Indian market where network connectivity issues are a reality in many areas, he explains. New compactors from Case India include the CASE 752EX tandem compactor powered by a new-generation FPT engine for asphalt compaction and the CASE 1107EX, 1110EX -D in its soil compactor range. Both the latter feature a turbo after-cooled FPT engine with internal exhaust gas recirculation, ensuring best-in-class fuel economy. The maximum applied force in the range of 34 tonne is among the best in the industry. The CASE 1107 EX features hydrostatic variable speed control ensuring travel at the perfect speed for every type of soil for uniform compaction while the 1110 EX-D is fit for mining application and is available in two variants: Drum Drive and Pad Foot Drum, equipped with ROPS/FOPS HVAC cabin catering to operator comfort and safety.For contractors building narrower service roads and taking on smaller works, Case India offers the compact mini tandem compactor CASE 450DX, adds Aneja. This machine is perfect for shoulder compaction.Shift to asphaltWhat’s trending in the market for pavers?In the paver segment, in the past four to five years, there has been good growth in demand for medium size 7.5-m pavers, following the push on rigid concrete pavements, according to Shinde. He pegs current demand for 7.5-m pavers at around 250-300 units, and estimates this class will grow at 10 per cent in the next two to five years. Shinde expects this good run to continue. Further, with the government’s impetus to flexible asphalt pavements for national highway projects, he also expects the demand for large pavers to grow because “large pavers are essential for wider highways that must be paved in a single pass.” The demand for large pavers grew from about 65 to 100 units last year, reckons Shinde.Indeed, with the shift in government focus from concrete roads to bituminous roads, Palagiri expects to see the demand for asphalt pavers grow in coming years.Different models of VÖGELE asphalt pavers cater to paving applications of varying width, from 0.5 m to 16 m. These include the Mini Class, Compact Class, Universal Class, Highway Class and the Special Class pavers. Vogele has introduced several innovations like pressure bars and electric heating of the screed, Niveltronic Plus operating concept and Ergo Plus operator features. The Dash 3 generation of pavers offers customers up-to-date, cost-efficient paver technology that simultaneously makes a measurable contribution to environmental protection. “With our Dash 3 pavers we also offer the Eco Plus, which helps save fuel, Auto Set Plus, pave dock assistant and other features,” shares Palagiri.Sensor pavers“We’re seeing an increased interest in sensor pavers that help contractors do more with less, such as the P5320ABG tracked paver, which delivers a basic paving width of 2.5 m,” says Dimitrov Krishnan,Vice President and Head, Volvo CE India. “We attribute this to the pressure on contractors to increase productivity both in the size of the roads they build and the speed at which they complete them.”Also, sensor pavers have intelligent operating technology that helps the machine meet the desired mat thickness, mat level and required grade, unlike regular pavers that simply follow the undulations of the road base and are, therefore, unable to give a smooth finish to a paved surface, he explains.In keeping with this increased interest, Volvo CE has introduced innovations on the P5320ABG, such as load-sensing hydraulics and an automatic hydraulic track tensioner.In Karnataka, P Prabhakar Reddy, a public works contractor, has used the P5320ABG (with two DD100 asphalt compactors and four DD90 double-drum compactors) for a string of projects, including the 344-km NH-167 that stretches from Hagaribommanahalli in Karnataka to Jadcherla in Telangana, and a road that connects to the new terminal at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.Ease of operation, paving quality and hassle-free operations are among the key reasons why Reddy opted for the paver. “Anyone can operate a Volvo machine with ease; that is a definite advantage because we face constant pressure on margins and the availability of skilled manpower,” he says. “All Volvo equipment delivers outstanding performance, particularly the Volvo P5320B ABG. We get the excellent finish we look for in every project without fail.”Another in-demand Made in India sensor paver from Volvo is the wheeled P4370B ABG, which delivers a basic paving width of 2.5 m. Pave Assist, which is powered by Volvo Co-Pilot, an on-board computer and display providing real-time data to monitor the progress and output of the paving job, is available for both models.“Imported sensor pavers from Volvo include the units offering maximum paving widths of 9 m, 10 m, 13 m, and 16 m, of which the most popular is the P6820C ABG (offering paving widths of 2.5 m to 10 m),” says Krishnan.What are compactor users looking for?Six Ammann ARS 121 compactors are handling soil work by Regal Enterprises (a subcontractor of GR Infra) for a key section of the 354-km, six-lane Purvanchal Expressway, the longest current road construction project in India.Fuel-efficiency, effective compaction, easy operation, operator comfort and virtually no maintenance are the key reasons why the contractor opted for the ARS 121, according to Ankur Tiwari, Senior Manager, Sales & Marketing, Ammann India. “Ammann ARS 121 vibratory system and compaction output helps achieve the desired compaction in fewer passes.”Clearly, fuel-efficiency and productivity are high on the radar of compactor users.“Our soil compactors are equipped with smooth drum and responsive controls that deliver exacting finishing work, which means the machines need to make fewer passes, thus getting the job done faster and, in some instances, delivering fuel savings of up to 10 per cent when compared with alternatives,” says Dimitrov Krishnan, Vice President and Head, Volvo CE India. “Versatility is also inbuilt in the soil compactors to suit the demands of varied jobs, which is something contractors look for.” For instance, Volvo’s advanced drum-control system allows the operator to easily adjust the frequency and amplitude based on the soil type and condition and material depth.Developed for India“The 311 compactor with the unique HAMM 3-point articulation and an environment-friendly CBV BS-III compliant engine was developed especially for India by a joint German-Indian team of engineers and is made in the company’s Pune production facility,” shares Ramesh Palagiri, Managing Director and CEO, Wirtgen India.With an operating weight of 11 tonne and a 2.14-m-wide vibration drum, the 311 brings high compaction force and a large static linear load of up to 30 kg per cm to the construction site. This enables the machine to perform a wide range of tasks with ease. Significantly, to take account of the often extremely high temperatures in India, the engine of the 311 compactor has been specially designed to facilitate operation at up to 55°C. In Punjab, Dilip Buildcon employed eight 311 compactors for compaction of the subbase of a new highway around Moga, as part of a project involving the earthwork and asphalt construction of the almost 33-km section of NH-52 from Moga to Shahkot. Dilip Buildcon has a fleet of over 100 HAMM rollers. For the asphalt compaction, a number of HAMM HD 99 tandem rollers were used.The environment-friendly engine in the 311 compactor is quiet and economical. Performance, reliability and service quality were among the decisive factors for Dilip Buildcon to opt for HAMM rollers. “Competent staff, a dense network of service locations and prompt delivery of spare parts and wearing parts enable us to work efficiently,” says Maninder Singh, Construction Manager, Dilip Buildcon.

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