Plant & Equipment | March - April 2022, Issue 251

March - April 2022 LAST MAN STANDING Masaha Global on Kuwait’s equipment market, its overseas expansion plans, and advances in Chinese machinery. P18 THE HEAVY ISSUEMODERN WHEEL EQUIPMENT COACH LOADER DESIGN Improving equipment performance Liebherr launches three and operating costs. new wheel loaders. P44 P56 ALSO 251 TRACKED EXCAVATORS P22 www.PlantAndEquipment.com DUMP TRUCKS P32

+965 2202 1290 Sales Dep. Ext. 8028 Rental Dep. Ext. 8231 [email protected] +965 9408 2065 +965 9449 9641 www.masahaglobal.com +965 9902 7853 +965 9912 7183

Training Specialists Draglines Loaders Shovels Excavators Graders Scrapers Dozers Trucks Wheel Dozers Compactors +61 7 4839 7746 www.australianearthtraining.com.au



hreaechIiignghnetws Tower crane sales Tower crane rentals Used Crane Sales Passenger Hoist Sales and Rental Spare parts sales for variable Model Tower Cranes and Hoists Service (Assembly, Maintenance, Repairs) ‫م‬.‫م‬.‫شركة الإمارات الحديثة للرافعات الحديثة ذ‬ For all enquiries please contact Yazan Osman (Regional Sales Director) Dubai Head Office +971 50 4529494 +971 4 8867213 Eamonn Glover (Managing Director) +971 50 6003449 [email protected] www.mehc.ae [email protected] | [email protected]

Contents March - April 2022ISSUE 251 www.PlantAndEquipment.com 18 18 LAST MAN STANDING Ala’a Ghazaleh tells James Morgan why Masaha Global’s dual status as dealer and rental operator has enabled it to expand its business, despite Kuwait’s pandemic-plagued equipment market. 44 THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT COACH Australian Earth Training is a five-year-old establishment that provides customised heavy equipment operator training to their global clients in the construction, quarrying, mining and waste industries. 52 44 22 TADANO LAUNCHES THE 32 AC 2.040-1 ALL TERRAIN MARKET OVERVIEWS CRANE 22 The market launch for the Tadano AC 2.040-1 ON THE RIGHT TRACK? is a world first in two ways. On one hand, it is the first all terrain crane to be developed jointly Al-Bahar and Hitachi tell P&E why it will take by Tadano’s Lauf and Zweibrücken locations in more than a global pandemic to dampen Germany. On the other, the AC 2.040-1 is the demand for tracked excavators on the first member of the future Tadano AC family. construction sites of the Middle East. 56 MODERN WHEEL LOADER DESIGN Liebherr has developed three new models at its Bischofshofen plant, the company’s long-standing Centre of Excellence for Wheel Loaders. Decades of experience in designing wheel loaders was one of the keys to success in the development process. 52 56 32 KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON Powerplus Group and Nigerian Sinotrucks discuss why, despite political and pandemic- related challenges, they remain cautiously optimistic about Africa’s dump truck market in 2022. 6



Middle East and Africa’s EDITORIAL Contributing Editor Leading Construction Magazine James Morgan Contributing Editor Assistant Sales Manager Munawar Shariff Kenny Ann +971 58 829 8247 ADVERTISING [email protected] Graphic Designer Sales Director Dan Fiesta Sahar Chaplin [email protected] +971 55 798 2212 [email protected] ARTWORK Senior Graphic Designer Adnan Shaik [email protected] ACCOUNTS Senior Accountant Pramila CS Kotian [email protected] Never miss an issue. PlantAndEquipment.News Subscribe for your copy of Bringing the latest equipment Plant & Equipment and construction news from around the world. Email: [email protected] Call: +97145808020 SOCIAL MEDIA MEMBER OF TERMS & CONDITIONS PO Box: 71530, Dubai, UAE Plant & Equipment shall not be liable for trade names and trade marks used by +97145808020 advertisers. No liability will be accepted for any loss occasioned by the failure of any advertisement to appear from any cause whatsoever, or for any errors therein. www.mesamediainc.com Advertisements are accepted subject to availability of space. If it is not possible to insert advertisements in the issue requested, Plant & Equipment will use its best endeavors to ensure that the advertisements are carried forward to the next issue. One month notice is required in writing for the cancellation of any series of advertisements. No guarantee can be made on the positioning of advertisements unless a contract in writing to such effect has been entered into between Plant & Equipment and the advertiser. Settlement Terms - Strictly payment in advance. Copyright: Middle East Strategic Advertising

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MIDDLE EAST NEWS STRATEGIC CONFERENCE SAUDI INFRASTRUCTURE EXPO TO DEBUT IN SEPTEMBER The new event, launched as Saudi Arabia embarks on a multi- they conduct will contribute to industry thought leadership and billion dollar infrastructure boom, will take place at the Riyadh drive projects crucial to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.” International Convention and Exhibition Center from 6-8 September 2022. Vision 2030’s bold plan to boost and diversify the nation’s economic activity is sparking an unprecedented infrastructure “We’re creating an opportunity for the most important suppliers, drive. In October last year the government established a contractors and government officials involved in the Kingdom’s $53.4bn infrastructure investment fund to catalyse private infrastructure development to connect,” said Matt Denton, sector involvement in major infrastructure projects. This President at dmg events. “Their networking and the business follows the announcement in January 2019 of the $425bn National Industrial Development and Logistics Program, aimed at transforming the Kingdom into a leading industrial powerhouse and a global logistics hub. With offices in Riyadh and Jeddah, as well as other centres across the Middle East and Africa, dmg events is ideally placed to deliver Saudi Infrastructure Expo. The company has spent a decade successfully staging events in the Kingdom, including The Big 5 Saudi, the country’s largest construction event. The Saudi Infrastructure Expo event features will draw on this pool of experience and include a strategic conference where leading figures from across the industry will share valuable insights into how new projects will progress and where new opportunities will emerge.. LARGE PRESENCE AL FARIS KICK-STARTS 2022 BREAKING BOUNDARIES IN IRAQ Al Faris Group, a heavy equipment rental company in In another project, Al Faris transported and installed various the MENA region with large presence in the United Arab components including KO drums and flare stacks ranging Emirates and Saudi Arabia, expanded into Iraq last year. Led from 25t to 78t for the West Qurna 1 oil field in Basra, Iraq. by General Manager of Iraq, Alberto Pittaluga, Al Faris are Hydraulic trailers were used for the transportation along with running in full capacity with multiple heavy transport, heavy lifting and skidding jobs in the civil, oil & gas, and power Liebherr mobile cranes used for the installation.. generation Industries with two current projects within the petrochemical industry. In conjunction with local government authorities and the support from the Iraqi army force, Al Faris has transported large items throughout Iraq in 2021 particularly in the Basra province including Khor Al Zubair and Al Qurna. Recently, the UAE-based company transported approximately 96 components of up to 150t for a natural gas liquids plant. Multiple number of convoys with prime movers and hydraulic trailers were used for the transport. 10

MIDDLE EAST NEWS FLEET EXPANSION RENAULT TRUCKS DELIVERS 10 UNITS OF K 380 P6X4 CONCRETE MIXERS Renault Trucks announced the brand’s first deal with Sijimix, well as 9 CBM transit Concrete Mixers, are set to optimise one of the United Arab Emirates’ leading ready-mix concrete Sijimix’s local operations thanks to the K range’s functionality suppliers, to supply a total of ten new K 380 trucks, which will and fuel efficiency. be used to transport concrete across the eastern UAE. The K 380 P6x4 Rigid Chassis models have a reputation for Sijimix’s ten new Renault Trucks, supplied by the brand’s robustness, exceptional reliability and optimal fuel efficiency. partner in Dubai, United Diesel, will expand the company’s They are equipped and designed to ensure maximum existing fleet of over 140 units. The K 380 P6x4 Rigid Chassis productivity and safety for their drivers, as the new models models, which meet Euro 5 emission standards and are meet concrete suppliers’ operational needs. The K 380 models, equipped with a wide range of technological features as in addition to their robust build, also reduce operational costs by minimising fuel consumption by combining a Euro 5 380hp engine, the Optidriver AT 2612F gearbox with automatic clutch, and a 445-litre tank. Sijimix’s new K 380 P6x4 trucks, which will mainly be operating from Fujairah, are also driver-centric as they feature numerous advanced technological and safety features. To minimise risk and increase safety, the trucks are equipped with EBS (Electronic Braking System), Hill Start Aid (HSA), Anti- Spin Regulation (ASR), Wheel Antilock Braking System (ABS) and Emergency Braking Assist, all of which assist drivers in tricky situations and provide comfort.. LONG REACH NEW NC-B 12-70 DEMONSTRATES ITS STRENGTH IN SAUDI ARABIA The most powerful flat-top crane of Liebherr’s NC-B series With its maximum jib length of 70 metres and a lifting capacity is currently on its first job in Medina, Saudi Arabia, where it of up to 12 tonnes, the NC-B 12-70 is reliable, economic and is part of a museum construction project. This twelve-tonne safe in its work. In addition, the tower crane also offers a jib model is Liebherr’s latest addition to its NC-B series, which is head load capacity of 2,000 kilograms at maximum jib. These designed for price-sensitive markets and customers. Thanks to technical features make the crane an optimal solution for high- its long reach, the NC-B 12-70 is suitable for both cast-in-place performance lifts in densely built-up metropolitan areas. concrete construction as well as for the precise lifting of heavy It was Liebherr’s professional approach and fast execution prefabricated parts. It is available for order now. of measures that impressed their customer, MOBCO for Construction and Civil Works, whose latest building project, the Safiyyah Museum and Park, are underway in the centre of Medina. Liebherr also offers a six-tonne version as part of its NC-B series in the form of the NC-B 6-62. The series is specifically designed to meet the requirements of price-sensitive markets and customers. Short delivery times are available for both series without compromise on in-house technologies – thanks to the production site in Pune, India, Liebherr is able to manufacture cranes in the region for the region.. www.PlantAndEquipment.com 11

MIDDLE EAST NEWS UPWARDS TREND UD TRUCKS REPORTS EXCEPTIONAL GROWTH ACROSS THE MEENA REGION IN 2021 UD Trucks has announced sales growth in the MEENA (Middle been the introduction of upgraded Euro 3 models as well East, East and North Africa) region of approximately 30 as the brand’s new Euro 5 range of its popular Quester and percent in 2021, continuing an upwards trend for the brand, Croner trucks. The launch of the Euro 5 models is a result of which had experienced 6 percent growth in the previous year. UD Trucks’ strategic vision and objective to ensure peace-of- The Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturer recorded an mind for its customers by allowing them to better prepare increase in sales in most markets, including Saudi Arabia, for running more environmentally-friendly fleets as new the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan and a number of regulations are introduced across the fast-developing region. countries in East Africa. The new range reduces NOx emissions by about 43 percent compared to Euro 4 models, while providing an enhanced UD Trucks’ flagship market, Bahrain, saw an increase of driving experience and safety. The upgrades to the Euro 3 around 40 percent, reinforcing the brand’s number one status trucks are centred around creating a more driver-centric in the country. The trucks brand also saw an increase in sales experience. They receive similar upgrades to the Euro 5 range, by about 30 percent in Qatar. Sales also grew in Saudi Arabia, including a new instrument cluster, the ESCOT automated which is UD Trucks’ biggest market by volume, by 24 percent. manual transmission, body builder module and the UD Trucks The United Arab Emirates, which hosted the regional launch of Telematics Services. the brand’s Euro 5 models, registered an increase of 22 percent compared to 2020. Another factor in the brand’s growth is its exceptional regional retail network. Their commitment to providing and delivering Outside the Middle East, UD Trucks earned positive traction the highest quality customer service and aftersales support in Pakistan where it enjoyed an impressive year. Similarly, the is supported by comprehensive warranty offers and readily brand registered significant growth in East Africa in 2021, available spare parts, which prioritise the smooth operation where a number of strategic deals for both heavy-duty and of customers’ businesses. UD Trucks’ Telematics services medium-duty trucks were signed off, despite the challenging allow its customers and retail partners to follow the trucks’ business climate. performances over time, creating a closer relationship with the brand’s customers. The growth came as a result of a fantastic collaboration and coordinated effort by UD Trucks and its partners throughout 2021 was also the year that saw UD Trucks implement its the region and their joint focus on supporting UD customers. ‘Better Life’ strategy. The strategy has allowed the truck brand The brand’s well-built and robust products, the introduction to demonstrate its commitment to providing sustainable of the Euro 5 range and upgrades to the Euro 3 line-up, a logistics solutions and to delivering a better life for both people strong retail network and partnerships, and the impact of its and the planet. This strategy reflects UD Trucks’ objective to ‘Better Life’ strategy, have all played significant roles in the becoming a Japanese leader of sustainability in the industry. company’s success. Mourad Hedna, President of UD Trucks MEENA, commented: UD Trucks’ widest-ever range, which covers almost all “The resilience our brand showed in 2020, built around a segments in the heavy-duty and medium-duty truck sector, consistent and comprehensive strategy and supported by our and the nature of the brand’s product portfolio have also been strong regional partners, provided a solid platform for us to crucial factors in this growth. The range has been developed build on in 2021. Registering about a 30 percent sales increase to meet the market’s needs by covering all key segments in the in one year is a remarkable feat. I am grateful to the UD Trucks industry. UD Trucks’ focus of launching new trucks that will MEENA team, our customers, partners, and stakeholders enhance profitability for customers by lowering the total cost throughout the region for their hard work and dedication. of ownership has also been crucial. Together, we look forward to another positive year as we An important factor in the Japanese brand’s expansion has continue on our path to become a sustainability leader.”. 12

28 - 31 March 2022 16:00 - 22:00 Daily Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center Visit us at The BIG 5 Saudi to receive exclusive offers on our machines, spare parts & after sales service.

MIDDLE EAST NEWS TEAMED UP MAMMOET AND AMS SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION OF DUBAI’S NEXT ICONIC LANDMARK Built by BESIX Construct LLC, a Middle Eastern subsidiary The Infinity bridge is 300m long, 22m wide and sits 15.5m high of a Belgian company BESIX, the Infinity Bridge (formerly above the water level. Its infinity arch rises higher; some 42m Al Shindagha Bridge) is distinguished by its unique above the creek. As a result of this, the mid bridge segments architectural design inspired by the concept of infinity. It is a would require tandem lifts by two cranes positioned on distinct landmark that promises to be a showcase of Dubai’s opposite banks of the creek and with a working radius of 140m. architectural advancements worldwide. These tandem lifts were performed with the CC-8800-1 40 steel segments of its infinity arch, ranging in weight up to handling most of the weight and could position segments on 130t, needed to be installed over the Dubai Creek and above the opposite side of the bridge, thanks to its main boom length the bridge deck, which could not support a suitably sized and a large lifting radius. crane. Therefore, the installation of the segments could only be performed by cranes operating from the creek’s banks. The entire operation was completed over a period of six months, with the last piece of the infinity arch installed in To achieve this, crane service providers Mammoet and May 2021. Aertssen Machinery Services (AMS) teamed up to install the segments, relying on a duo of powerful Demag lattice boom “Working in partnership with Aertssen, we provided crawler cranes: Aertssen with its CC 3800, positioned at the equipment with sufficient capacity and reach, along with northern side of the creek and Mammoet with its CC 8800-1, specialist engineering to support the operation of the CC positioned on the southern bank. 8800-1 to maximize the overall utilization and its capacity,” said Somnath Bhattacharjee, Crane Operations Manager for Mammoet’s UAE Branch. The AED 394 million ($105m) Infinity Bridge project is part of Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority’s Shindagha Corridor Improvement project, which covers a 13km-long road network. The bridge can accommodate 24,000 vehicles per hour in both directions and features a combined three-metre-wide track for pedestrians and cyclists. It is part of the RTA’s relentless efforts to keep pace with the ever-growing Dubai landscape. The Infinity Bridge opened to traffic on January 16th.. LARGE ORDER KICE SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH SULEIMAN ALMOHILEB KiCE Construction Equipment signed a new deal agreement and Al-Jawf regions of Saudi Arabia. The group owns several with Suleiman Almohileb Readymix to supply a large number subsidiaries including ready-mix concrete factories and of concrete pumps for NEOM mega projects. “We are honored concrete products such as hollow blocks, interlocks, mosaic to supply JUNJIN pumps to our VIP client, and to be one of the contributors to the NEOM project,” said Hany Mongy, Sales tiles, and cement tiles with high international standards.. Director at KiCE. “We decided to use KiCE JUNJIN pumps for our projects in NEOM because this brand has a good reputation in the industry, and has proven its efficiency and reliability in the major project of Saudi Arabia,” said Mohammad Suleiman Al Mohailib, owner of Suleiman Almohileb Readymix. Suleiman bin Saleh Almohileb Holding Company is one of the oldest trading entities in the Northern Borders Province 14

28 - 31 MARCH 2022 #BIG5SAUDI RIYADH INTERNATIONAL www.thebig5saudi.com CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTER RIYADH’S FIRST CONSTRUCTION EVENT OF THE YEAR! NETWORK | LEARN | GROW 15,000 400 90 50 30 Expected Exhibiting Industry CPD-Certified Exhibiting Attendees Companies Speakers Talks Countries REGISTER FOR FREE ENTRY Scan this code to register Co-located with: HVAC R Expo Platinum FM Expo Platinum Sponsor Contracting Sponsor Gold Sponsor Lanyard and HVAC Silver Sponsor Sponsor Gold Sponsor FM Expo & Saudi Clean www.alhajry-overseas.com.sa Official Paints Sponsor FM Expo & Saudi Clean Block Making Machine Media Partner Registration Sponsor Workshop Sponsor Sponsor Registration Sponsor

MIDDLE EAST NEWS STRONG DEMAND GET READY FOR THE NEXT RITCHIE BROS. DUBAI ONLINE AUCTION IN MARCH With a tightened supply of equipment and high productivity abroad, including Angola, the United States, Ghana, India, in the construction industry, the demand for heavy machinery and Belgium. continues to surge into 2022. In 2021, Ritchie Bros. saw exceptional buyer participation and price-performance at Demand for used equipment continues to increase due its heavy equipment auctions and online marketplace. The to unpredictable market conditions, chip shortages, and company is now gearing up for its next online auction in Dubai manufacturing delays. The record bidders’ numbers further on March 22-23. show that an increasing number of fleet and asset managers are turning to online auctions and marketplaces to address Ritchie Bros.’ auctions in Dubai have seen record bidder unprecedented challenges in obtaining the equipment they attendance, peaking last December with 1,200+ bidders - a need to keep their businesses running. Sellers, in turn, benefit five-year record number. Buyers totalled 290+, with 190+ from stronger pricing. from the United Arab Emirates. The top buyer countries from the region were the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, Online buying and selling methods have become the new norm and Jordan. But the auction also drew buyers from further for many international equipment buyers, especially during pandemic times with border closures and travel restrictions. It might come as no surprise that Ritchie Bros.’ online Timed Auctions have seen massive growth in domestic and cross- border buyer participation, leading to a broader international footprint and opening new buyer regions. Ritchie Bros.’ successful transition to fully online auctions and marketplaces was recognised last year when the company received the Best Innovative Auction Solutions prize at the Construction Innovation Awards 2021 for its easy-to-use online infrastructure that successfully connects consignors to buyers by expanding global reach and facilitating cross-border sales.. EXPANSION PORT OF BANDIRMA IN TURKEY ORDERS TWO KONECRANES MOBILE HARBOR CRANES Turkish terminal operator Çelebi Bandirma Uluslararasi Limani capacity curves for high handling performance. Both cranes Isletmeciligi A.S. (Çelebi Port of Bandırma) has ordered two are equipped with a fuel-optimized diesel engine and an eco-efficient Generation 6 Konecranes Gottwald Mobile Harbor external power supply. When the cranes are connected to the Cranes for their terminal on the coast of the Sea of Marmara, harbor mains, their overall efficiency will be very high, with no Turkey. The order was booked in November 2021. The cranes will be handed over in July 2022. local exhaust emissions and less noise.. Based in Istanbul, Celebi Holding’s seaport management division operates the terminal at the Port of Bandirma, offering a wide range of port services. The two new Generation 6 MHC will serve the port’s upcoming expansion plans, helping the port to increase their bulk handling and improve their management of general cargo and containers. The two Generation 6 cranes delivered to Çelebi Port of Bandırma will be Konecranes Gottwald ESP.7 Mobile Harbor Cranes, with a working radius of up to 51m and a lifting capacity of 125t. They feature a high tower cab for an excellent view over the working environment and strong lifting 16

MIDDLE EAST NEWS EXPERIENCED PARTNER CLARK EXPANDS DEALER NETWORK IN THE MIDDLE EAST Clark Europe recently selected Rumaillah Motors as sales handling as well as automated handling solutions. The service partner for the Qatari market. This strategic step has further portfolio of the logistics specialist includes maintenance and expanded the Clark sales network in the Middle East. service, financing and rental, spare parts supply, operator and service training. Through the partnership with Clark Europe, Founded in 1978, Rumaillah Motors has its company customers in Qatar now have access to the complete Clark headquarters in Doha and has made a name for itself as a range of services. In addition to the sale of all forklift classes supplier of logistics solutions throughout Qatar. The full- and warehouse trucks, this also includes all Clark accessories service provider's range of products and services includes IC and spare parts as well as a comprehensive range of services engine-powered and electric counterbalanced trucks, narrow- including rental, financing as well as area-wide service for new aisle trucks, telescopic handlers, mobile cranes, sideloaders, and used Clark materials handling vehicles. aerial work platforms, machines for container and port “We are delighted to have found an experienced partner for the sale and service of Clark materials handling vehicles in Qatar in Rumaillah Motors, who will provide our customers with reliable and competent local support,” said Rolf Eiten, President & CEO at Clark Europe. “In today’s business world, it is important to find a strong partner you can trust. A partner that has the equipment, the human resources and the extensive expertise to respond to each customer’s needs; Rumaillah Motors is that partner,” said Rauf Malik, General Manager, Rumaillah Motors.. SUSTAINABILITY TARGETS FUSO LAUNCHES NEW MEDIUM-DUTY FIGHTER FOR THE GCC MARKETS Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation recently region; Qatar plans to mandate Euro V standards starting with announced the introduction of the new Euro V-compliant 2023 models. The Euro V-compliant light-duty Canter is also medium-duty Fighter truck for GCC markets. With this rollout, already available in the UAE, Qatar, and Oman. both light- and medium-duty segments in the FUSO lineup will be available in the region with Euro V technology. Countries in the GCC have been shifting quickly to integrate sustainability targets into their national strategies. Last year, The new medium-duty Fighter is available in variants ranging Qatar unveiled an action plan to combat climate change, with from GVWs of 10.4 to 17.1 tons to support a variety of the aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030. businesses, from consumer goods distribution to construction. Saudi Arabia has also announced plans to reach net-zero Shipped as a built-up (BU) vehicle from MFTBC’s Kawasaki plant, it pairs a robust, reliable chassis with the 6-cylinder carbon emissions by 2060.. 6M60 engine that provides drivers with torque, agility, and endurance. The vehicle also delivers improved fuel economy with the optimized engine, achieving a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as well as a 80% reduction in particle emissions. Already launched in Qatar, the Euro V Fighter will also be introduced to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain within the next few months. The rollout matches the expected implementation of more stringent emissions standards in the www.PlantAndEquipment.com 17

MIDDLE EAST NEWS - COVER STORY LAST MAN STANDING Ala’a Ghazaleh tells James Morgan why Masaha Global’s dual status as dealer and rental operator has enabled it to expand its business, despite Kuwait’s pandemic-plagued equipment market. 18

MIDDLE EAST NEWS - COVER STORY G overnments the world over have seen their fiscal “We have seen numerous construction equipment companies forecasts turned upside down during the past two go out of business during the past year,” he tells Plant & years, and Kuwait is no exception. What’s more, as it Equipment. Fortunately for those working at Masaha Global, faces what is expected to be its ninth budget deficit in a row, their employer has managed to avoid a similar fate. While the Gulf country’s economic woes cannot be attributed solely other companies are either downsizing or shutting up shop, to Covid-19. Ghazaleh is looking to double the size of his sales team. Even so, things may be looking up for the Gulf state. In So, what is the secret to this success? How is it possible for January, Bloomberg reported that Kuwait had forecast a one outfit to thrive while others operating in the same sector narrower budget deficit for the fiscal year starting 1 April flounder? The answer is simple, according to Ghazaleh. The 2022, thanks to buoyant oil prices. The projected deficit of breadth of Masaha Global’s offering, coupled with its dual KWD 3.1 billion ($10.3 billion) would represent a reduction status as both rental supplier and dealer, have served to of 74.2 percent compared to this year’s estimate of KWD 12.1 insulate the company from the effects of the pandemic. billion ($40 billion). While improvements may be gradual, they are improvements nonetheless. “Most of our competitors are suffering but we are not,” he explains. “Why? Because the variety of equipment we supply But what is the situation on the ground? How, for example, gives us an advantage. Other companies tend to specialise in one have equipment suppliers fared amid such a tumultuous or two categories whereas we can cater to all requirements.” market? According to Ala’a Ghazaleh, Equipment Rental Manager at Masaha Global, conditions have been as tough as And Ghazaleh is not exaggerating. As the sole Kuwaiti dealer one might imagine. for five major manufacturers, Masaha Global sells and rents www.PlantAndEquipment.com 19

MIDDLE EAST NEWS - COVER STORY out Foton commercial vehicles, Skyboom access platforms, A major driver behind this trend, according to Ghazaleh, is Weichai generators, Heli forklifts, and – its biggest brand – SANY’s ability to implement improvements rapidly. SANY heavy equipment. “Most of our rental competitors have to purchase their “During my career, I have worked with major names such as equipment in instalments,” Ghazaleh continues. “The units Doosan, JCB and Caterpillar,” he says. “I would agree that in our fleet come directly from our partners, which is a 10 years ago, the standard of Chinese equipment was not huge advantage. I’m talking about spare parts availability, comparable. But believe me, those days are over. The machines breakdown response times, technical support and standby that SANY manufactures today are just as good as any others equipment; our ability to react quickly and effectively is on the market. By 2025, I expect SANY will have overtaken its extremely important to customers.” competitors in terms of quality.” A decade ago, it was a commonly held opinion in the Middle East’s construction sector that Chinese manufacturers supplied Masaha Global also benefits from the backing of its parent cheaper but lower quality machines than their American, organisation, Fouad Alghanim & Sons Group of Companies European, Korean and Japanese counterparts. However, with – one of the largest outfits of its kind in Kuwait. The the emergence of multibillion-dollar brands such as SANY, the multinational boasts a dizzying array of industrial interests landscape appears to have shifted somewhat. aside from construction, including engineering, power, oil and gas, automotive, investment, trading, shipping, aviation, Masaha Global’s current fleet stands at more than 2,400 units. telecoms, hospitality, and real estate. Thanks to the support of its parent company, Masaha Global has accumulated a fleet of more than 2,400 units since its establishment in 2016 – all of which are 2017 models or newer. And while the firm is licensed to sell the full range of its partner brands’ products, Ghazaleh estimates that upwards of 90 percent of its business comes from rental activities. Emboldened by success in its domestic market, Masaha Global is intent on living up to its name through an ambitious programme of international expansion. “We recently established a branch in Egypt, where we will be SANY’s official dealer,” says Ghazaleh. “We will start with a fleet of 350 units, all brand-new 2022 models. We have already placed the order with SANY and we’re expecting to receive delivery within three months.” 20

MIDDLE EAST NEWS - COVER STORY Ghazaleh is clearly optimistic about Masaha Global’s move FROM OIL TO SOIL into Egypt, a market he describes as “absolutely booming”. However, he has not finished outlining the company’s The fact that the oil and housing sectors are driving expansion plans. demand for Masaha Global’s equipment is perhaps unsurprising in a country like Kuwait, but Ghazaleh says “I can tell you that, very soon, Masaha Global will also open that soil remediation – or ‘soil washing’ – is also proving a branch in Saudi Arabia,” he reveals. “We are growing to be a major source of income. from local to regional markets. In the next phase, we might consider Qatar in the Middle East, and Algeria, Libya or “You may be aware that a significant portion of Kuwait’s Morocco in North Africa. But for now, we are focusing on land is contaminated with oil due to the Iraqi invasion our new branches in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.” of 1990,” he explains. “The United Nations has therefore mandated that it should be cleaned and treated.” Though encouraging to learn of a firm that has managed to weather the post-pandemic storm, it seems inevitable According to Ghazaleh, the soil remediation process that Covid-19 must have had some impact on Masaha requires a range of tools such as excavators, wheel Global’s operations. While Ghazaleh concedes that market loaders, dump trucks, compactors and motor graders – conditions are not ideal, he argues that setting realistic all of which are manufactured by SANY. expectations in the short term will enable the company to capitalise in the future. “Soil remediation contracts have already been awarded to several companies, and we have been supporting them “We are offering preferable rates to remain competitive and with equipment,” he tells Plant & Equipment. stay in the market,” he says. “We are now hiring more sales engineers to increase our market share and cement our position. I expect this year to be similar to 2021; not up, not down, just stable. If my predictions are accurate, 2023 will be a very good year for Masaha Global. “By setting realistic targets and working to grow our market share, I expect to be in a position to capitalise next year,” he concludes. Judging by Ghazaleh’s track record in such a difficult market, it seems plausible that Masaha Global could soon be the only game in town. www.PlantAndEquipment.com 21

MIDDLE EAST NEWS - TRACKED EXCAVATORS ON THE RIGHT TRACK? Al-Bahar and Hitachi tell James Morgan why it will take more than a global pandemic to dampen demand for tracked excavators on the construction sites of the Middle East. 22

MIDDLE EAST NEWS - TRACKED EXCAVATORS A s is the case in the wake of any crisis, economic Encouragingly, regional excavator demand is likely to witness commentators have been forced to hit the reset button an above-average uptick, according to the analysts. during recent years, and with good reason. Without making the distinction between pre- and post-pandemic Two companies well placed to capitalise on this landscape are figures, contrasting the year-on-year performance of the Mohamed Abdulrahman Al-Bahar (Al-Bahar), Caterpillar’s construction industry would be akin to comparing apples with official dealer in the Middle East, and Hitachi Construction oranges. It just wouldn’t make sense. Machinery Middle East Corporation (HMEC). Total contract awards for GCC construction projects dropped Piet van Bakergem, General Manager of HMEC, tells Plant & by 35 percent to just $69 billion in 2020, according to analysis Equipment that his team has succeeded in meeting regional from Deloitte and MEED Projects. The authors of the study requirements for Hitachi tracked excavators, despite the many note that the effects of coronavirus, coupled with falling oil challenges posed by coronavirus. prices and reduced government spending, resulted in the worst market conditions in nearly two decades. “After the slowdown caused by Covid-19 and the restart of construction projects, the demand for our equipment enjoyed Fortunately, amid ongoing relaxations in a tailwind in 2021 – a trend which we are seeing continue pandemic-related restrictions and a resurgent into 2022,” he explains. “As everyone knows, many countries oil price, things appear to be looking up were forced to close their borders and transactions were very for the Gulf’s construction sector. In limited during the pandemic. This had a significant impact on the UAE, for example, the equipment logistics and transportation, but we succeeded in managing market is on course to grow at transactions on a case-by-case basis, maintaining full support a compound annual growth and satisfaction for both Hitachi’s dealers and end users across rate (CAGR) of 7.80 percent all GCC countries.” during the period 2021-28, according to research Samer Ismail, Product Manager – Earthmoving and from Arizton Advisory Excavation at Al-Bahar, seems similarly stoic about his team’s and Intelligence. performance during the past 12 months. “Every year comes with its own challenges, and 2021 was no different,” he tells www.PlantAndEquipment.com 23

MIDDLE EAST NEWS - TRACKED EXCAVATORS Plant & Equipment. “At Al-Bahar, we are glad to have continued Orders for Caterpillar’s tracked excavators have remained supplying durable, industry-leading products along with some equally strong for Al-Bahar, according to Ismail, who explains truly customer-focused offers during this period. We also look that these units are perennial favourites among the Middle forward to a much more fruitful year for everyone in 2022.” East’s construction sites. Perhaps because of their versatility and durability amid soaring temperatures and rough terrain, the Middle East’s appetite “Demand for the right machines has always existed and will for tracked excavators tends to be maintained even during continue to exist,” he says. “New projects and growth are the most challenging of economic climates. This, of course, is inevitable; it is all about tapping into this demand with the music to the ears of companies such as HMEC and Al-Bahar, best products and a solid track record of customer support. both of which have extensive experience of supplying these units to the region. “At Al-Bahar, we have a rich legacy of more than eight decades “Due to the nature of the projects we tend to see in the Middle of serving this region,” Ismail continues. “Moreover, we have East, mid-size excavators are usually in highest demand,” says a world-renowned partner in Caterpillar, which is focused HMEC’s van Bakergem. “This is great news for Hitachi because on building products that are durable and tailored to our we are a premium construction machinery manufacturer customers’ requirements. that end users can rely on. Consequently, we are witnessing healthy levels of demand for tracked excavators, with our “In terms of our most popular models, Caterpillar’s 320 20-tonne and 30-tonne models proving the most sought after medium excavators and 336 large excavators are in highest at present.” demand, based on the current applications and project requirements of our customers.” Samer Ismail, Product Manager – Earthmoving and Excavation at Mohamed Abdulrahman Al-Bahar. But what types of project are driving current demand for mid- range and heavy-duty tracked excavators in the Middle East? Landscaping, road development, infrastructure programmes, waste-handling requirements and general construction works are among the primary segments to which HMEC is currently catering, according to van Bakergem. While Al-Bahar is also supplying Caterpillar crawlers for infrastructure and construction projects, Ismail notes another raft of potentially lucrative contracts on the horizon. “We expect most GCC countries to push forward with national railway works before long, which will lead to greater demand for tracked excavators and construction equipment in general across the region,” he explains. 24

MIDDLE EAST NEWS - TRACKED EXCAVATORS HMEC’s General Manager Piet van Bakergem (left) and Sales are easy to maintain, and Hitachi’s comprehensive service Engineer Mahmoud Said Soliman (right). package enables operators to work effectively in the toughest of environments.” The popularity of tracked excavators among Gulf-based contractors may be evergreen, but that’s not to say leading Al-Bahar, meanwhile, is looking to capitalise on tracked manufacturers such as Hitachi and Caterpillar are resting on excavator demand with the regional launch of a new efficient their laurels. On the contrary, both HMEC and Al-Bahar are and cost-effective crawler. “Our most recent addition is the continuing to expand and enhance their regional line-ups. Caterpillar 320 GX, which Al-Bahar introduced to its line-up in Q4 2021,” explains Ismail. “Our new GX models offer greater “Built on the foundation of its superb technological fuel efficiency, reduced maintenance costs and lower initial capabilities, Hitachi Construction Machinery is delivering purchase prices compared to our other popular models. This green ways for end users to cut carbon emissions and mitigate means our customers have more choice than ever before. their environmental impact, in line with life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies,” says van Bakergem. “The latest Hitachi “With the support of Caterpillar, we plan to further expand our models utilise a range of technological advances, including GX line-up with new models during the coming year, and we the new standard mode which optimises fuel efficiency. We will introduce some enhanced machines to our premium GC also have a long-standing commitment to the recycling of range as well.” components, such as aluminium parts in radiators and oil coolers, and resin elements, which are marked for recycling. As for the next 12 months, both Hitachi and Al-Bahar are confident that requirements for tracked excavators will remain “Hitachi’s environmental vision is to help build a low-carbon high in the Middle East. According to the latter, keeping pace and resource-efficient society that is in harmony with nature. with demand will represent the biggest challenge. The Hitachi Environmental Innovation 2050 strategy sets out the long-term targets that we will meet in order to contribute “So far this year, we have seen huge demand for Caterpillar to this sustainable society. tracked excavators in this market,” says Al-Bahar’s Ismail. “Of course, the pandemic has had a significant impact on the “Our new models also employ advanced technologies to global logistics sector, so ensuring we have sufficient supply to achieve excellent productivity with enhanced controllability,” meet our customers’ requirements will probably represent our van Bakergem adds. “Our cabs are comfortable, our units greatest focus.” Van Bakergem anticipates that HMEC’s order book will be similarly full in 2022, noting: “We are expecting more demand for Hitachi tracked excavators in our territory as work resumes on projects and Gulf countries continue to push forward with new developments connected to infrastructure and tourism. “We also predict increased demand for these units due to initiatives such as Saudi Vision 2030, Egypt Vision 2030 and UAE Energy Strategy 2050,” van Bakergem concludes. “Here at Hitachi, we are well prepared to support these ambitious projects with our reliable products.” IS IT STILL ‘CRAWL OR NOTHING’ IN THE GULF MARKET? Tracked excavators have reigned supreme on Middle East construction sites since time immemorial. Indeed, their wheeled counterparts continue to fulfil a supplementary role in the region, although – thanks to increased urbanisation – this situation is perhaps not as one-sided as it once was. “The Middle East’s terrain is one of the main reasons behind the continued popularity of Caterpillar’s tracked excavators, in addition to other factors such as project type, typical applications and operating budgets,” explains Al-Bahar’s Ismail. “As such, tracked excavators remain in high demand on large-scale, remote developments, although it’s important to note that wheeled models are preferred inside the region’s cities.” “Hitachi tracked excavators are still outperforming other variants,” agrees HMEC’s van Bakergem, “but with so many cities finalising infrastructure, wheeled excavators are becoming more and more commonplace owing to their multifunctional nature.” So, could the crawlers’ dominance wane as the Middle East pushes forward with urban developments? Only time will tell. www.PlantAndEquipment.com 25

MUPiCdOdMlIeNGEast Mega Projects by Plant & Equipment SAUDI ARABIA Project: Jeddah Central Development Project Client: Jeddah Central Development Company Value: USD 20,000,000,000 The Jeddah Central Development Company has launched the contribute to opening the way for the local private sector to master plan and main features of the Jeddah Central Project participate in the development, which will help shape the (previously known as New Jeddah Downtown). The project operation of promising economic sectors including tourism, will develop 5.7 million square meters of land overlooking entertainment, culture, and sports. In addition, the city the Red Sea to be financed by the Public Investment Fund will benefit from the building and development of modern and from local and international investors. residential areas, encompassing 17,000 residential units and diversified hotel projects that offer more than 2,700 hotel The project will include four notable landmarks (Opera rooms, and the provision of integrated solutions for the House – Museum – Sports Stadium – Oceanarium) and business sector. SAUDI ARABIA IRAQ Project: The Avenues Mall Phase 1 Project: Rebuild Sulphur Plant Value: USD 1,706,666,666 Value: USD 123,000,000 Client: Shomoul Holding Company Client: Ministry of Industry and Minerals Website: www.industry.gov.iq The Saudi British Bank (SABB) has signed a project financing Iraq is offering a project to rebuild a sulphur plant to agreement with Nesma & Partners Contracting Company Ltd. investors within plans to slash its imports of that substance. worth SAR2.6bn ($693m), which will be provided over three The plant, located in the Northern Nineveh Governorate, was years for the construction of a mall. the main sulphur producer in the Arab country but it was destroyed during the war five years ago. The plant utilises a Scope of work for Phase 1 of The Avenues – Riyadh massive sulphur reservoir in the Governorate, with estimated comprises the mall, parking area, gardens, and internals deposits of more than 400 million tones, the world’s largest roads. Once developed, it will include space for 1,300 stores, single sulphur reserve. The project to reconstruct the facility in addition to five multi-purpose towers consisting of hotels, by private investors was floated in 2020 but it was halted by exhibition, conference halls, residential apartments, offices, a cabinet decision on the grounds it is a strategic project. and medical facilities. 26

MIDDLE EAST NEWS - PROJECTS SAUDI ARABIA UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Project: Develop Masar Mall Project: The W Residences Downtown Dubai Value: USD 719,000,000 Value: USD 272,294,077 Client: Umm Al-Qura for Development and Client: Dar Al Arkan Construction Website: www.daralarkan.com Website: www.ummalqura.com.sa Officials in Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement to Dar Al Arkan, a leading real estate company in Saudi Arabia, develop and operate the largest mall in the holy city of has unveiled the W Residences Dubai – Downtown in the Makkah. The partnership agreement for the Masar Mall will bustling heart of Dubai, offering hotel-inspired living at one involve Umm Al-Qura for Development and Construction of the most sought-after addresses in the world. Construction Company, owner and executor of the project, and Hamat of the W Residences Dubai - Downtown is currently underway Holding. Work is set to be completed in 2026 with an and is estimated to be completed by December 2025. investment volume of $719m. The architecturally stunning tower consists of a limited The agreement, which was signed by CEO of Umm Al-Qura number of 384 exclusive, high-end residences with state-of- for Development and Construction, and Hamat Holding’s the-art appliances and fittings to compliment the exquisite Chairman, provides for the development of the mall’s interiors and give residents modern, functional, and facilities and amenities, creating many direct and indirect elegantly appointed homes. Additionally, short term rentals job opportunities. The mall will be developed over a 71,000 are prohibited to preserve the tower’s standards, ensure square-meter area and will provide more than 130,000 greater comfort and exclusivity, and maintain a higher square meters of shopping space. property valuation. OMAN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Project: Construct Four New Drilling Rigs in Oman Project: Oxford 212 Residential Project Value: USD 550,000,000 Value: USD 35,300,000 Client: Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) Client: Iman Developers Website: www.pdo.co.om Website: www.imandevelopers.com Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) will award KCA Dubai-based Iman Developers has launched its new $35.3m Deutag Energy a ten-year contract for the provision of residential project, Oxford 212, featuring a mix of studios, drilling services with four new highly automated rigs that one- and two-bedroom units, along with other key amenities will be built in Oman. The ten-year contract comes with including a rooftop outdoor cinema. options to extend for a further two years and, with those options included, has a total value of around $550m. Located at the Jumeirah Village Circle, the project’s focus is on providing a smart lifestyle to residents complete with a The innovative rigs will be constructed by International climate-controlled swimming pool, Rooftop BBQ and kids Drilling Technology Co (IDTEC) in Oman. KCA Deutag play area and intuitive everyday home automation. The Energy will invest approximately US$100mn to build the project had been developed with a focus on sustainability new rigs in Oman and expects to commence operations in and as part of it, the development has intuitive smart lighting the second half of 2023. Around 40 percent of this value will for energy-saving and eco cooling systems. be spent with Omani suppliers, including local small and medium enterprises (SMEs). www.PlantAndEquipment.com 27

AFRICA NEWS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP ETT APPOINTS THEMBA ENGINEERING AS NORTHERN CAPE DISTRIBUTOR ETT, a global manufacturing, sales, and service company With a footprint in the Northern Cape, the strategic for mining support equipment, has appointed Themba partnership with Themba Engineering brings expert advice, Engineering based in Kuruman as their Northern Cape dealer. local support, and professional after-sales service for ETT’s product range, providing increased efficiency in product support and parts to customers in the region. The Themba Engineering team consists of experienced OEM trained technicians specializing in field service and machine rebuilds. A team well known in the industry and well respected by their customers for quality workmanship and professional service. Further to product support, service, and parts availability for ETT’s water truck, lowbed trailer, fuel trucks, lube service trucks and tyre handlers, Themba Engineering can do a full rebuild on ETT equipment as well as non-ETT equipment.. WELL-DEVELOPED NETWORK HAULOTTE ADDS NEW DISTRIBUTOR IN AFRICA Centrocar, a multinational company dedicated to new collaboration, the subsidiary will be able to better construction equipment and services, has been named as address the African customers’ needs. Centrocar is a trusted Haulotte’s new distributor in Angola and Mozambique. partner, and is recognized for its commitment to customer Haulotte will benefit from Centrocar’s experience and service excellence,” said Didier Mertens, General Manager at well-developed network in the two African countries to Haulotte Africa. strengthen its brand awareness. The Haulotte Africa subsidiary relies on a network of 14 “We are very excited about our new partnership. With this distributors on the African continent.. CROSS-BORDER FAYMONVILLE TRAILER TRANSPORTS A 90-TON MILL SHELL Headquartered in Kenya, Mitchell Cotts Group is a well- known logistics services provider in Eastern Africa who relies on modular hydraulic trailers by Faymonville. Recently, the Mitchell Cotts Group combined a total of 10 axle lines in a 4+6 configuration with extendable spine deck to transport a 90-ton mill shell. The freight was loaded at the Mombasa seaport in Kenya and was transported cross-border over a distance of around 1,000 kilometers, all the way to the National Cement Company in Tororo, Uganda.. 28

AFRICA NEWS VAST EXPERIENCE VOLVO GROUP SOUTHERN AFRICA WELCOMES NEW VICE PRESIDENT Volvo Group Southern Africa has announced the appointment management, government, and fleet sales, as well as dealer of Waldemar André Christensen as the company’s new Vice and retail operations. Waldemar André Christensen was also President and Managing Director, with effect 1 February 2022. the MD of Volvo Trucks in Norway from 2016 to 2019. He is replacing Marcus Hörberg, who will be joining the Volvo Trucks team in France. Most recently, he was head of Truck Sales Operations for the Volvo European regional value chain, located at Volvo Christensen started his Volvo career in 2011 in his native headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden. Norway. He has vast experience in commercial product “The Volvo Group Southern Africa team has extensive experience in the local transport environment, and I greatly value their insights and knowledge, especially now as the global logistics industry are facing some challenging business conditions,” said Christensen. “We look forward to taking Volvo Trucks to new heights, all to the benefit of our customers, our staff and society at large.” Volvo Group Southern Africa’s head office is in Jet Park, Gauteng, and has a Volvo Trucks assembly plant in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Local operations include brands like Volvo Trucks, Volvo Penta, Volvo Bus and Volvo Financial Service.. AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT VERMEER DEALERS WORLDWIDE! The BRON 175 utility tractor features 225 HP (167.8 kW) stage V engine, dual telescopic reel carrier, variable speed hydrostatic transmission, decelerator pedal, oscillating undercarriage and V75-3 offsetting plow. 873 Devonshire Ave., Woodstock ON N4S 3B6 © 2021 Vermeer All Rights Reserved 1.800.263.1060 | ON:519.421.0036 BRON is a registered trademark of RWF Industries, a division of Roberts Welding & Fabricating Ltd. 610 Main St. West Leroy MN 48039 507.547.2864 Visit BRON online at WWW.RWFBRON.COM www.PlantAndEquipment.com 29

AFRICA NEWS INDUSTRIAL HUB DP WORLD AND SENEGAL GOVERNMENT MARK START OF CONSTRUCTION OF PORT OF NDAYANE DP World and the Government of Senegal have laid the first designed to handle two 336m vessels simultaneously, and stone to mark the start of the construction of the new Port of capable of handling the largest container vessels in the world. Ndayane. It will increase container handling capacity by 1.2 million Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) a year. In phase 2, an The stone laying ceremony follows the concession agreement additional container quay of 410m will be developed. signed in December 2020 between DP World and the Government of Senegal to build and operate a new port at DP World’s plans also include the development of an Ndayane, about 50km from the existing Port of Dakar. economic/industrial zone next to the port and near the Blaise Diagne International Airport, creating an integrated The ceremony was attended by Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, and Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, multimodal transportation, logistics and industrial hub.. Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, as well as a number of Presidents of institutions, members of the Government of Senegal, and local communities. The investment of more than $1bn in two phases to develop Port Ndayane, is DP World’s largest port investment in Africa to date, and the largest single private investment in the history of Senegal. Phase 1 of the development of the port will include a container terminal with 840m of quay and a new 5km marine channel MAJOR MILESTONE FAW TRUCKS SA ASSEMBLES 8,000TH UNIT AT COEGA PLANT FAW Trucks celebrated in February 2022 a major milestone in of R600m ($39m) and spans 30,000m². Run by Plant Manager its local history as the 8,000th locally assembled unit rolled Peng Lei, staff members are employed in the Production, out of its Coega manufacturing plant, just short of eight years Technical & Quality, Operations & Supply Chain, Finance, and after the production trial period commenced in May 2014. Human Resources Departments. The very first unit off the line in 2014 was a 15.180FL, but the All units arrive in South Africa in completely knocked-down 2022 honour befell the newly introduced JH6 28.500FT, the flagship in the current local line-up. form and are then assembled at Coega.. FAW Trucks took the top spot in the Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV) segment of the local market for the first time in the first quarter of 2021 and continues to maintain its strong sales performance in a highly competitive environment. This success can largely be attributed to a dedicated and strategically located dealer network, a reliable and consistent parts supply, and a continuing expansion of product offerings. Funded by the China FAW Group Corporation and the China- Africa Development Fund, the Coega facility was built at a cost 30

9-12 May 2022 | Cape Town, South Africa Reconnect with the mining industry in-person Mining Indaba will be back in Cape Town in 2022 Get ready to return to Cape Town as the industry unites to fuel transformations and collaborations. The must attend in- person event will bring together visionaries and innovators and connect you with your next business opportunity. Limited sponsorship and exhibition places remain Enquire today www.miningindaba.com Get ahead of the game by registering your place saving you up to £689 each with the Early Bird rate #MiningIndaba2022

AFRICA NEWS - DUMP TRUCKS KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON Powerplus Group and Nigerian Sinotrucks discuss why, despite political and pandemic- related challenges, they remain cautiously optimistic about Africa’s dump truck market in 2022. 32

AFRICA NEWS - DUMP TRUCKS A frica’s construction professionals certainly haven’t had According to Powerplus Group and Nigerian Sinotrucks Ltd, it easy during the past two years. Logistical challenges while recent conditions may have been less than ideal, there is stemming from the global pandemic have been plenty of potential – and pent-up demand – in the market. compounded by political and economic issues across multiple markets, resulting in sustained pressure for the industry. “We witnessed a slowdown in the African market in 2021, the reason being that our regional distributors were severely Commenting in December following the publication of RIB affected by the Covid-19 pandemic,” explains Roshan Siraj, CCS’s 2022 Construction Industry Outlook, the company’s CEO Head of International Sales at Powerplus Group. “In some Andrew Skudder noted: “In South Africa alone, the total value African countries, this situation was made worse by political of plans passed for building construction fell by 37 percent issues, which hampered the importation of equipment. year-on-year in the first 11 months of 2020, preceded by annual declines of 1.1 percent and 11.8 percent in 2018 and “Our Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, on the other hand, performed 2019, respectively.” exceedingly well due to the hike in coal prices. Powerplus Group moved a substantial volume of equipment, including Nevertheless, respondents to the RIB CCS survey remained dump trucks, to Indonesia, the Philippines and even Australia optimistic, with 68 percent of participants last year. predicting an uptick in project revenue during 2022, and only 10 percent “Overall, we actually experienced a surge in demand for our anticipating a decline. But equipment, spare parts and technical services in 2021,” Siraj does this buoyant continues. “Of course, we would have done even better if it mood extend to the weren’t for travel restrictions, as this would have enabled us continent’s dump to participate in trade shows and exhibitions, engaging our truck suppliers? customers as we did before the pandemic.” www.PlantAndEquipment.com 33

AFRICA NEWS - DUMP TRUCKS Edmund Okwu, General Manager of Sales and Marketing at strengthened single-casting axle housings as standard. With a Nigerian Sinotrucks Ltd – the authorised distributor of China- payload of 60 tons, it is ideal for mining applications and an headquartered manufacturer Sinotruk in Nigeria – tells Plant economical alternative to rigid dump trucks, which cost three & Equipment that his team also faced challenges in 2021, to four times more. although he remains cautiously optimistic about the market’s “Our main challenge is that, due to the weakening dollar current trajectory. and a dearth of hard currencies in the region, fleet owners and prospective customers are struggling to import new “The heavy-duty truck and automobile industry and its vehicles,” Siraj continues. “As such, they are opting for used value chain were not insulated from the adverse effects of trucks, which are readily available, and spending more on Covid-19,” says Okwu. “The impact of the pandemic is still maintenance and servicing.” being felt, especially in developing markets such as Nigeria. Okwu notes that demand for dump trucks is also on the rise We are thankful to see that our economy is recovering; in Nigeria. “This is primarily down to government efforts Nigeria’s GDP grew by 4.03 percent in the last two quarters to complete infrastructure projects in the lead-up to the of 2021, and we are also experiencing the gradual benefits approaching election,” he explains. “The real estate, dredging, of the federal and state governments’ massive investment mining and agriculture sectors are also driving demand. As in infrastructural development. We hope and pray that the such, the Sinotruk 6x4 371-horsepower dump truck is among market’s recovery continues to gain pace and is sustained.” Roshan Siraj, Head of International Sales at Despite economic and political challenges within Africa’s Powerplus Group. construction sector, both Powerplus Group and Nigerian Sinotrucks report solid demand for dump trucks. “There is definitely a need for dump trucks in Africa, as nations continue to develop infrastructure and new roads in rural areas,” says Siraj. “Mining and construction projects are driving demand for the units, and we have a complete range of dump trucks to cater to these requirements. “Our most popular model at present is the POWERPLUS PD680Z-II dump truck, which is ideal for both urban and suburban applications. We also plan to launch the POWERPLUS PD3960Z-II heavy-duty dump truck in Africa during the coming months. This model will feature a Hyva lifting device, automatic transmission, a Steyr engine and 34

AFRICA NEWS - DUMP TRUCKS Edmund Okwu, General Manager of Sales and Marketing at As for the coming year, both Powerplus Group’s Siraj and Nigerian Sinotrucks Ltd. Nigerian Sinotrucks’ Okwu agree that there is significant potential in Africa’s dump truck markets, providing external our most popular models right now, due to its strength, factors are handled appropriately. durability and efficiency. It is manually operated, easy to maintain and its spare parts are both readily available and “Based on feedback from Powerplus Group’s network of affordable. We are also seeing increased demand for Sinotruk dealers and distributors, we expect markets to open up and 8x4 models.” become more active as projects across Africa resume,” says Siraj. “Thanks to pent-up demand, we foresee a hike in requirements for dump trucks in 2022. However, this will depend heavily on how the Covid-19 situation unfolds, and whether funding from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) is maintained.” Okwu concludes: “As far as I am concerned, Nigeria’s focuses for 2022 should be economic recovery and political stability. If both are managed effectively, it should give the dump truck segment a much-needed boost. If the Nigerian naira (NGN) strengthens, exchange rate differentials drop, the rate of inflation falls, and infrastructure investments continue, I think the future of Nigeria’s dump truck sector will be very bright indeed.” NO TIME FOR DOWNTIME Africa is well known for its challenging terrain, so it’s no surprise that aftersales support is a key consideration for the continent’s fleet owners. Fortunately, both Powerplus Group and Nigerian Sinotrucks are well placed to keep their customers’ tippers moving. “This is definitely a priority for our customers,” Siraj tells Plant & Equipment. “Price is also a major consideration, but the main concern is always the availability of spare parts and technical support. “Powerplus Group recognises this, which is why aftersales is our number-one focus when entering a new market,” he continues. “By adopting this approach, we are able to retain happy customers who are satisfied with both the quality of our equipment as well as the support we deliver.” Nigerian Sinotrucks’ Okwu agrees that long-term assistance is crucial when it comes to maintaining market share. “Aftersales services are pivotal and a strong consideration when making purchasing decisions,” he explains. “We understand that the high capital investment of our customers would be futile if we failed to provide a robust support package. “Our team is capable of performing mobile, on-site truck repairs,” Okwu adds. “We stock all spare parts for Sinotruk models and can deliver at short notice. In addition, we have mobile workshop services which can also be deployed rapidly to facilitate repairs and minimise downtime. Our mission is to keep the trucks moving and our customers happy.” In focus: POWERPLUS PD680Z-II Max. laden mass: 18,000kg Engine: STEYR WD12.375 Power: 375hp Emissions: Euro II Fuel tank capacity: 380L www.PlantAndEquipment.com 35

AUPfCriOcMaINMGega Projects by Plant & Equipment EGYPT Project: Waste-To-Hydrogen Plant Client: H2 Industries Value: USD 3,000,000,000 Website: www.h2-industries.com Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone has given preliminary Industries is planning to begin work on the plant immediately. approval for H2 Industries to develop a $3bn waste-to- The waste-to-hydrogen plant will be developed in three hydrogen plant in Port Said. The 1GW hydrogen centre phases, with the final phase to be completed within 5 years. will receive four million tonnes of organic waste and non- It plans to deliver the first green hydrogen (from the plant) at recyclable plastic a year and will produce 300,000 tonnes the end of 2025, beginning of 2026. of green hydrogen a year. If the project is approved, H2 SUDAN, EGYPT NIGER Project: Railway Link Project: Dasa Uranium Project Value: USD 318,874,900 Value: USD 208,000,000 Client: Egyptian National Railways (ENR) Client: Global Atomic Website: www.globalatomiccorp.com Egypt’s Transport Ministry is in negotiations with five The Dasa uranium project is an underground mine being international financial institutions to help fund the developed in Niger by Global Atomic, a uranium mining construction of the planned Aswan-Toshka railway line. company based in Canada. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, World Bank, Asian Infrastructure The FS highlighted an initial life of mine (LOM) of 12 years Investment Bank, and Islamic Development Bank are all and covers less than 20% of the Dasa project mineralisation. reportedly in talks to fund the line. The project is estimated to have an annual production capacity of 3.8 million pounds (Mlb) of triuranium octaoxide (U3O8). The planned railway will begin in Egypt’s southern city of Aswan and end in Sudan’s northern town of Abu Hamad. Excavation of a box-cut at the project site is estimated to The 609km railway line is reportedly slated for completion commence in the first quarter (Q1) of 2022. Construction of within the next three years. the processing plant is expected to commence in 2023, with commissioning planned for 2024. The project is envisaged to produce yellowcake for sale by January 2025. 36

AFRICA NEWS - PROJECTS EGYPT MAURITANIA Project: Katameya Coast Project Project: Solar Power Plant Value: USD 190,974,203 Value: USD 55,000,000 Client: Starlight Developments Client: Kinross Gold Corporation Website: www.starlightdevelopments.com Website: www.kinross.com Starlight Developments signed an EGP1.5bn contract with Kinross, a Canadian gold mining company, has revealed plans Gama Construction to complete the construction of 100 to invest $55M in the development of a photovoltaic solar feddan of the total area of 205 feddans of Katameya Coast power plant at Tasiast mine as a part of its plans to reduce on the North Coast. the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by the organization. 434 units of the first phase of Katameya Coast have Out of the entire investment, $50M is budgeted for been sold. To keep up with growing demand, Starlight environmental, social, and corporate governance-related Developments has launched the second phase of the project, spending in 2022 for the solar power plant at Tasiast mine, built on an area of 105 feddans with a total of 336 units while the remainder will go towards a potential power line to overlooking a 2km crystal lagoon designed by SAOTA connect the Udinsk project to Russia’s regional grid, reducing International. the miner’s reliance on diesel for electricity generation. The Katameya Coast project is located on the 180 km The geothermal drilling activities for the solar panel Alexandria-Matrouh Road in the North Coast, on a total foundations will begin in the second quarter of this area of 205 feddans with a total of 770 units spaced out on year, with the solar power plant at Tasiast mine set to be 7 levels of an elevated plot of land to give all units a direct completed in the third quarter of next year. view of the sea. EGYPT KENYA Project: Green River Tower Commercial Project Project: Waste-To-Energy Plant Value: USD 285,000,000 Value: USD 52,682,412 Client: Modon Developments Client: County Government of Kakamega Website: www.modon-developments.com Website: www.kakamega.go.ke Egyptian developer Modon Developments is poised to Kakamega Governor, Wycliffe Oparanya, launched launch the Green River Tower commercial project in the construction of the Energy from Waste Plant at Mung’ang’a New Administrative Capital (NAC) at an investment of in Mumias Sub County. The plant will recycle waste collected $285m. The 30-storey tower would be launched in March from the county and convert it into electricity that will be 2022. supplied in the region. The project, which will include offices, shops, and hotel This project will produce at least 10 megawatts of electricity apartments, would be completed in four years. DMA for to be used in the county. Aim is to reduce electricity cost by Designs and Engineering Consultancy is the main consultant 50 percent to cut down on funds used by the county to pay for the project. electricity bills. www.PlantAndEquipment.com 37

GLOBAL NEWS PROTOTYPE ISUZU AND CUMMINS ANNOUNCE BATTERY ELECTRIC TRUCK COLLABORATION Cummins and Isuzu Motors Limited announced an agreement Powertrain Partnership (ICPP) formed in May 2019. Through to create a prototype medium-duty, battery electric truck to this arrangement, Cummins will integrate the Cummins demonstrate in North America. This truck represents the first PowerDrive6000 into Isuzu’s F-Series truck and will pilot the zero-emissions solution facilitated by the Isuzu Cummins truck with prominent North American fleets beginning in 2022. Following a successful demonstration and pilot phase, Isuzu will explore opportunities to commercialize medium- duty, battery-electric trucks with Cummins-powered systems across North America. Cummins and Isuzu continue to innovate and advance the future of power to support customers in achieving zero- emissions. Benefitting from each other’s unique strengths, the companies will seek opportunities to further expand collaborations to drive global growth.. STRONG PARTNERSHIP SANDVIK SECURES MAJOR ORDER IN MINING Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has been awarded An order value of approximately SEK 500m ($51m) will be a contract from BHP to the Jansen Potash project, reported in each of the first, second and fourth quarter in located in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. The 2022, as well as in the second quarter of 2023. contract follows several years of close collaboration with the customer BHP to develop the underground mining The Jansen project has the potential to be the largest equipment and automation solution. potash-producing mine in the world and is expected to operate for up to 100 years, providing a rich source The total contract value is approximately SEK 2bn ($205m) of potassium for soil fertilization purposes and hence and the delivery period of the equipment is expected to supporting food production. Start of the production is commence in the third quarter 2023 and extend to 2026. targeted for calendar year 2027.. LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE DLL ANNOUNCES CARLO VAN KEMENADE AS CEO DLL, a global provider of asset-based financial solutions, has United States. In 2013, he was appointed Chief Operating confirmed receipt of the necessary regulatory approvals to Officer and Member of the Executive Board of DLL and was formally appoint Carlo van Kemenade as CEO and Chairman of responsible for operations and IT activities across DLL’s entire the Executive Board. global network.. Carlo van Kemenade has spent the past four years as CEO and Chairman of the Board for Obvion, one of the largest mortgage providers in the Netherlands and a wholly owned subsidiary of Rabobank. The appointment of van Kemenade marks his return to DLL, a company that he joined in 1990 and where he spent more than 25 years of his professional career. During that time, he progressed through the ranks and built leadership experience in Operations, Risk, IT, Sales and General Management, including assignments in several European countries and the 38

GLOBAL NEWS ACQUISITION MONTABERT ANNOUNCES PLANS TO ACQUIRE TRAMAC Montabert, a standalone hydraulic rock breaker business Montabert will retain the Tramac brand as its Canada-based owned by Komatsu, announced it has entered into an distributor and continue to operate Tramac as a standalone agreement with Tramac to acquire 100 percent ownership of business unit under Montabert, as part of Komatsu’s global the distributor’s US and Canadian businesses. business.. Tramac supports more than 30 resellers in Canada and has distinguished itself as one of the top global Montabert breaker distributors for more than 50 years. The company operates three facilities in Canada and one in the US. Through the planned acquisition, the company aims to enhance product development, expand the rock breaker business into various global markets and provide superior service. Komatsu and Montabert leadership said their focus is on continuing the excellent service Tramac provides, and as such plans to make no changes post-acquisition to the way business is conducted within the Tramac business unit. In time, the groups plan to work together to expand customer access to products in new territories in Western Canada and globally. www.PlantAndEquipment.com 39

GLOBAL NEWS COLLABORATION SINOBOOM BV AND TRACKUNIT SIGN MOU FOR TELEMATICS SOLUTIONS Sinoboom BV, the European subsidiary of the Chinese planning, while the security of equipment is increased with MEWP manufacturing specialist, has signed a Memorandum machine location functions, including the ability to lockdown of Understanding (MoU) with Trackunit confirming the equipment remotely. telematics solutions specialist as preferred partner in the design, installation and delivery of these data services for With data that can be accessed through the app or via Sinoboom equipment. integration with a company’s own business systems, fleet management efficiency is strengthened. Customers can Sinoboom and Trackunit have collaborated closely to create accurately locate and assess equipment remotely, view the specially customized solution with the ultimate aim machine usage statistics, receive service prompts and of enhancing the customer experience. Through the data diagnostic warnings, and access everyday tools such as provided, machine downtime can be brought to an absolute equipment quick start guides. minimum through remote diagnostics and proactive service “Trackunit has worked with us to ensure that a deep level of data is available very easily to those customers who want it. The focus is on leveraging data and making it useful. The partnership seeks to provide machine insights, integrating easily to other solutions and offering strong compatibility with other telematics systems - all focused on driving an improved customer experience,” said Tim Whiteman, CEO of Sinoboom BV. “This digital partnership will help to build a solid foundation for Sinoboom customers, allowing them to manage whole fleets and individual machines quickly and easily,” said Soeren Brogaard, CEO of Trackunit.. EMISSION-FREE DISTRIBUTION VOLVO TRUCKS COLLABORATION ACCELERATES GREEN TRANSPORT OF CONCRETE After gaining good experience with a Volvo FE Electric, goals. This applies both in relation to supporting emission-free Unicon is now taking the next big step towards emission-free distribution of ready-mixed concrete and for creating a better distribution by introducing a new generation of electric truck mixers with longer range and higher payload. Therefore, the and even safer working environment on construction sites.. company intends to place the country’s largest private single order to date for 11 Volvo FM Electric models that will be converted to truck mixers and operate in Denmark. In addition, Unicon and Volvo Trucks have entered into a long-term collaboration to implement and optimize electric solutions for the concrete industry. The collaboration aims to give Unicon the opportunity to put electric truck mixers into operation that match all needs in connection with efficient and sustainable distribution of ready-mixed concrete. Unicon believes that electric truck mixers offer the most obvious technology for achieving ambitious sustainability 40



GLOBAL NEWS ZERO-EMISSIONS LOGISTICS FLEET BRIGHTDROP ADDING WALMART TO ITS GROWING ROSTER OF CUSTOMERS BrightDrop announced it is adding Walmart to its growing BrightDrop’s electric vans may begin hitting the road for roster of customers. Walmart signed an agreement to reserve Walmart deliveries as early as 2023. The retailer also plans to 5,000 of BrightDrop’s EV600 and smaller EV410 electric use electric vans to enable secure and low-emissions deliveries delivery vans to support the retail giant’s growing last mile for third-party retailers and brands via Walmart GoLocal, delivery network and goal of operating a zero-emissions Walmart’s white-labeled delivery as a service business unveiled logistics fleet by 2040. earlier this year.. Walmart plans to use BrightDrop electric vans as part of its InHome delivery service, which the retailer announced it will be rapidly expanding, going from InHome being available to 6 million households to making it accessible to 30 million U.S. households by the end of the year. Launched in 2019, Walmart’s InHome delivery service is designed to give time back to families by using highly trained associates to deliver fresh groceries and everyday essentials directly into the customer’s kitchen or garage refrigerator. To support the growth of InHome, this year the company will hire more than 3,000 associate delivery drivers and will equip them with an all-electric fleet of delivery vans to support the retailer’s goal of operating a 100 percent zero-emissions logistics fleet by 2040. COMEBACK CONSTRUCTION AND MINING MACHINERY INDUSTRY GETTING READY FOR BAUMA 2022 As bauma 2022 is preparing to open its doors in Munich machines, construction vehicles and construction equipment between October 24–30, the world’s leading trade fair for is expecting a very high level of participation: 97 percent construction machinery, building material machines, mining of the available space has already been confirmed by exhibiting companies. The mining industry, an area where bauma is the leader in Europe, will be well represented once again. Exhibitors will include such industry heavyweights as BHS Sonthofen, Herrenknecht, Komatsu, Liebherr, Schulte Strathaus and Zeppelin Baumaschinen. Other companies attending the fair will be the Matrix Design Group from the United States, Resemin from Peru, Roco9 from Great Britain, Tesab Engineering from Great Britain and Weber Mining & Tunneling from France. Another returning company will be Minearc Systems from Australia, a key market for the mining industry.. 42

Moving the World www.blumaq.com Follow us: Contact us: SPARE PARTS FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT +34 902 118 000 ALTERNATIVE SPARE PARTS FOR CATERPILLAR®, KOMATSU®, www.blumaq.com CUMMINS®, VOLVO® AND CASE® Berco dealer in WE HAVE THE PART YOU NEED Spain, Zambia, Turkey and At Blumaq, we are committed to a job well done. We invest in South Africa: state-of-the-art product development, manufacturing,and warehousing to guarantee perfect performance on your machine. Caterpillar®, komatsu®, cummins®, volvo® and case® are trade brands registered by their owners and are only used for reference purpose of the application of our spare parts. Branches in Spain: Alicante | Almería | Asturias | Barcelona | Galicia | Madrid | Mérida | Ponferrada | Sevilla | Tenerife | Zaragoza Branches in the world: Chile | United States | France | Portugal | Turkey | China | Russia | Italy | Romania | South Africa | Zambia | Peru | kazakhstan

GLOBAL NEWS - PROFILE THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT COACH Australian Earth Training is a five-year-old establishment that provides customised heavy equipment operator training to their global clients in the construction, quarrying, mining and waste industries. Headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, the small, agile team of 10 have their hands full as they mentor their clients to enhance their profits. 44

GLOBAL NEWS - PROFILE Scott Lidster, Director at Australian Earth Training, formed on the domestic market. “We work with our customers to the company in 2017 when he realised (after a seven- tailor the training to their requirements, sometimes we’ll be year career as an Operator Training Specialist with a onsite for a day, sometimes for months,” he says. With this Caterpillar dealership in Australia) that there was a real need work ethic, clients in the Middle East and Africa and other for training services in the heavy equipment market. “During regions were affected. “Like a lot of the businesses around my time at Caterpillar, I interacted with a broad range of the globe, we were affected by the pandemic. Initially, our customers across the mining, construction, quarrying, and ability to support our overseas customers with boots on the waste industries. They all spoke of a similar need - to have ground in the Middle East and Africa was taken away due to their people trained in best practice to help shift the dial on unpredictable international travel. However, we were able to safety performance, boost productivity, and help lower their support them through online meetings,” continues Lidster. owning and operating costs,” he says. How it works Digging deeper, it became obvious that there was another area that would benefit from these services - middle management. Lidster’s team is approached generally once a company’s site “Since beginning operations, we often found that some of the production or the training management team have identified leaders running a crew didn’t understand how a particular a deficiency in their operation. Australian Earth Training machine system should be set up for success; or how that would then will begin asking the questions about the operation, the affect operator output; or that when the setup is less than operators, environmental challenges, and past training events desirable, execution is compromised, leading to production to try and gain a deeper understanding of how the problem inefficiencies,” continues Lidster. Today, after more than a can be solved. “From there, we’ll communicate a plan of action thousand training events, the company is thriving and with the with our customer, and expected training outcomes with a pandemic seemingly under control, the team will be able to view to ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned with the resume providing in-person services to their global clients. training plan. Then we execute the plan,” he adds. In the last two years, with the challenges of travelling A follow-up session between three to six months post the internationally, all of Lidster and his team’s work was focused training event is highly recommended to ensure that the www.PlantAndEquipment.com 45

GLOBAL NEWS - PROFILE new processes are being applied by the workforce. “We also loader as their primary production tool loading three HD find that on our follow-up visit, operators tend to ask more 785 Komatsu dump trucks and hauling those to the crusher. questions and seek greater clarity around operating a particular Australian Earth started out by running all their operators machine,” says Lidster. The best part about concluding work through a theory session outlining best practice operating with a client are the results - an increase in production techniques. From there, operators were mentored on site while capacity, reduction in fuel burn, greater uptime of assets, they applied those techniques in the production environment. extending the ‘Mean Time In Between Failure’ events, lower The results were astonishing; the WA900 wheel loader had a owning and operating costs and more engaged operators. 30% reduction in its fuel burn. Since the life of an engine is a One of their success stories is with a quarrying customer they function of fuel burn, the training helped extend the life of that have been working with over the past four years for their engine which meant greater uptime. Production increased from load and haul operation. They have a WA900 Komatsu wheel 950 tonnes per hour to 1,200 tonnes per hour to the crusher. The best thing about this effort is that the operators involved Successful operations, greater uptime and cost savings are the were the ones who got to own these tremendous outcomes. result of Australian Earth’s training sessions. Working in the Middle East region Most of Australian Earth Training’s clients in the Middle East belong to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “Pre pandemic, the Middle Eastern market formed around 10% of Australian Earth Training’s revenues. With Vision 2030, and the Saudization initiative looming fast, we would like to see that percentage increase through helping not only the Saudi Mining industry but the Middle Eastern mining community in general. “With Saudi Arabia’s current appetite, it must expand its resources industry through its mining tenements. Their mining operations are benefiting greatly from having us train their workforce in industry-leading operator best 46

GLOBAL NEWS - PROFILE practice techniques. To imbed these habits early on in a however, is finding quality trainers who are experienced in mining operations lifecycle, can save an operation millions of their fields and can pass on knowledge in a way that is easily dollars in lost production opportunities and high owning and consumed by even a layman. operating costs of their fleets,” opines Lidster. The same can Looking ahead, Australian Earth Training wants to have a be said for the heavy construction and quarrying industries as larger global footprint in the next five years. “Our relationship well across the region. with our customers has helped us discover other streams of revenue such as by producing bespoke training videos; training Australian Earth is currently working with a mining supervisors, superintendents, and even managers,” says Lidster. contractor up in the Northern Provence region of Saudi So, although there is huge competition even in this niche Arabia which has a large mining fleet removing overburden and extracting minerals out of the ground, hauling them to a market, Lidster says there’s enough work for everyone.. (run of mine) ROM. Scott Lidster, Director at Australian Earth Training. The team With a strong focus on quality over quantity, the company works with a highly skilled team of 10 trainers. “Most of our trainers have come through an OEM system and have at least 20 years of experience in their chosen fields,” says Lidster. They maintain their knowledge by attending various industry workshops by organisations such as Austmine and the Resources Training Council. Competencies are kept current by going through numerous Site Authorisations processes and demonstrating operating techniques to customers throughout the year. “The qualifications we require for our trainers to hold are the relevant Resources and Infrastructure Industry (RII’s) certificates and the Certificate IV - TAE40116 Training and Assessment qualifications,” he adds. Their biggest challenge, www.PlantAndEquipment.com 47

PRODUCT NEWS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES JOHN DEERE REVEALS FULLY AUTONOMOUS TRACTOR John Deere revealed a fully autonomous tractor that’s ready relative to a geofence, ensuring it is operating where it is for large-scale production. The machine combines Deere's 8R supposed to, and is within less than an inch of accuracy. tractor, TruSet-enabled chisel plow, GPS guidance system, and new advanced technologies. The autonomous tractor will be To use the autonomous tractor, farmers only need to transport available to farmers later this year. the machine to a field and configure it for autonomous operation. Using John Deere Operations Center Mobile, they The autonomous tractor serves a specific purpose: feeding the can swipe from left to right to start the machine. While the world. The global population is expected to grow from about machine is working the farmer can leave the field to focus on 8 billion to nearly 10 billion people by 2050, increasing the other tasks, while monitoring the machine's status from their global food demand by 50%. Furthermore, farmers must feed this growing population with less available land and skilled mobile device.. labor, and work through the variables inherent in farming like changing weather conditions and climate, variations in soil quality and the presence of weeds and pests. All of these factors impact a farmer's ability to farm during the most critical times of the year. The autonomous tractor has six pairs of stereo cameras, which enables 360-degree obstacle detection and the calculation of distance. Images captured by the cameras are passed through a deep neural network that classifies each pixel in approximately 100 milliseconds and determines if the machine continues to move or stops, depending on if an obstacle is detected. The autonomous tractor is also continuously checking its position EXPANDING PORTFOLIO BOMAG EXPANDS ITS MACHINE PORTFOLIO BOMAG is expanding its machine portfolio with the RS 250 designed for flexible use in soil stabilization and road and and RS 300 tractor-towed stabilizers, which have a working path construction. The power-packed machines are driven by width of 2.5m and a milling depth of up to 40cm and 50cm the rear PTO shaft of a powerful tractor with 200-300hp or respectively. The tractor-towed stabilizers are optimally 300-450hp. Tractor-towed stabilizers are a new addition to BOMAG’s product range. Their design is based on numerous tried-and-tested technologies and many years of experience in the field. The new BOMAG RS 250 and RS 300 tractor-towed stabilizers can now fill a void in the fleets of construction companies and service providers looking for a flexible and economical tractor solution for milling, stabilizing and mixing soils. Available in two power classes, the RS 300 (for tractors with 300-450hp) is suitable for larger applications in stabilization, soil improvement and road construction. The lighter and even more compact RS 250 for tractors from 200-300hp is a good choice in road construction, for building embankments or slopes, and for backfilling.. 48

RUBBER-TRACK SYSTEMS PRODUCT NEWS QUAD TRACKS NOW CAREFULLY DESIGNED AVAILABLE FOR JLG 600S AND 660SJ HITACHI UNVEILS BOOM LIFTS THE ZW180-7 JLG Industries now offers Quad Tracks for JLG 600S and Hitachi has unveiled the ZW180-7, a smaller next- 660SJ boom lifts. Quad Tracks from JLG are made up of generation model from its Stage V-compliant wheel four triangular rubber-track systems, each measuring 34in loader range, which has been carefully designed to high by 54in long by 18in wide. They bolt directly to the appeal to both owners and operators. With industry- boom lift’s standard wheel hubs, offering increased machine leading safety features and unrivalled comfort in the cab, utilization and flexibility for working on a range of surfaces, operators feel in complete control of their workspace. including sand, mud, gravel, grass, paved streets with curbs, Owners benefit from the new model’s exceptional potholes and sharp transitions. efficiency and maximum uptime, as this gives them The Quad Track’s design is low-profile and developed to greater control over their profit as well as their fleet, minimize impact on ride height, track width and maximum thanks to remote monitoring tools and services provided drive speed. These features provide the machine operator by Hitachi. with the benefit of excellent floatation, minimal rutting at job sites, improved traction, greater comfort over obstacles The ZW180-7 epitomises the ultimate in comfort, with and no “break over” effect. And when the work is done, some of the lowest noise and vibration levels in the the Quad Tracks can be swapped out for regular tires, or market. Much consideration has been given to easy for use on other applicable models. An added bonus, the operation with the improved seat with mounted electric Quad Tracks do not require additional wide load transport pilot control leavers, ergonomic multifunction lever, accommodations for machine shipping when properly anti-slip steering wheel, 40% larger and fully adjustable loaded and tied down for transport. armrest with integrated controller and convenient side “There are many considerations when selecting a boom switch panel. lift for the work at hand. This can sometimes make it challenging to choose between tires or tracks,” said Randi With the Aerial Angle camera system, operators have an McClure, Marketing Manager for JLG Boom Lifts. exceptional 270-degree bird’s-eye view of the job site and The new Quad Tracks from JLG are currently available with can work confidently in challenging conditions with the new 600S and 660SJ machine orders, as well as through full LED work lights package. aftermarket on select, 2-wheel steer models. Compatibility with additional models will be available in the near Owners will be able to increase their profits due to the impressive fuel economy, efficiency, and versatility of future.. the ZW180-7. This model can be used on a wide range of applications, with three types of lift arms available: standard, high and parallel. Faster and more efficient short loading operations due to the Approach Speed Control feature, which reduces fuel consumption by 16%, further satisfy owners’ requirements. Productivity is boosted by reduced cycle times gained by the auto power up function. This automatically increases the RPM to maintain travel speed on inclines.. www.PlantAndEquipment.com 49

PRODUCT NEWS EXPANDED LINEUP JCB EXTENDS LOADALL RANGE WITH THE NEW 538-70 TELEHANDLER The JCB Loadall has been expanded with the introduction of The AGRI Super has 130hp (97kW) from this engine and the mid-range 538-70. a regular four-speed Powershift as the base transmission installation; but along with the 150hp AGRI Xtra, it is also The 538-70 is a genuine seven metre machine that slots available with a six-speed Autoshift with automatic and into the Loadall Series III line-up with 3,800kg maximum manual shifting modes in addition to torque converter lock-up lift capacity and 7.01m of lift height, placing it between the current 532-70 and 542-70 models. in the top two gears.. At 3,000 to 3,800kg, lift performance is particularly strong in the 4-6m loading-at-height zone critical for bulk loading of grain into trucks and silage into diet feeders; and there is 2,500 to 2,750kg of capacity available at full height, depending upon the version. Like all mid-range machines in the Loadall range, the new 538-70 is available with a choice of four different transmissions, three power outputs and three standard feature and specification levels. The Loadall 538-70 AGRI variant comes with JCB’s Torque Lock 4 transmission, featuring torque converter lock-up in fourth gear for power-efficient direct drive on the road, coupled to a 109hp (81kW) version of the Stage V emissions- compliant JCB DieselMAX 448 engine. ALL-NEW PRODUCT NEW HOLLAND CONSTRUCTION INTRODUCES F50C FORKLIFT DESIGNED The F50C is equipped with an automatic load control system for rough terrain forklifts. This feature provides on-the-go mast cushioning to stablize the mast under load, allowing operators to work efficiently and safely over any terrain without fear of material loss. A key byproduct of load control provides a more comfortable operating experience by reducing shock from the mast. Operators will appreciate the additional stablity while transporting and loading materials, as New Holland will offer a 12-foot mast with a 5,000-lb. lift capacity as standard. New Holland announced the introduction of the F50C rough New Holland has once again partnered with FPT Industrial to terrain forklift, marking the addition of an all-new product to power the F50C with the proven F34 3.4-liter diesel engine. its lineup of light construction equipment. The F50C has been Delivering 74 HP without using DEF or diesel particulate designed for use in specialty crop operations such as vineyards, filters (DPF), the F34 is a workhorse engine with 600-hour orchards and other fruit and vegetable applications, and service intervals and regeneration. Together, this engine features unique specifications, including an automatic load and after-treatment system package ensures operators can control system and integrated bin clamp. work uninterrupted, save time and resources on routine maintenance, while retaining the power needed to lift and haul materials as expected.. 50