Gulf Construction Online - Compact tracks see high demand in region

Loaders

T590 vertical lift path model ... popular in the region.

Compact tracks see high demand in region

Bobcat reports a marked increase in sales of compact track loaders in the region, where contractors seek safe, stable and high-performing machines that can be combined with a wide range of attachments to to carry out various types of work with the same loader.

01 April 2020

There has been a significant growth in the compact track loader market in the Middle East, according to Bobcat, which has seen a fourfold increase in sales of these machines since 2017.

Last year, the company registered an increase of around 15.2 per cent in the sales of Bobcat compact track loaders, Bobcat says while revealing results across the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) markets for FY 2019.

“Since 2017, Bobcat has increased its share of the market, with sales of compact track loaders more than quadrupling in the same period,” says Ernesto Anton, District Manager Middle East for Doosan Bobcat EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa).

The growth is being driven by increasing demand among contractors for safe, stable and high-performing machines that can be combined with a wide range of attachments that help them to expand the amount and type of work they can carry out with the same loaders, he says.

Elaborating on what is propelling this demand, Anton says: “This growth is due to the unique characteristics of compact track loaders as tool carriers and the wide array of attachments that they can work with. We sell an expanding array of attachments to Middle East customers for both skid-steer and compact track loaders, depending on the particular application. Landscaping is a much more important application in the area and customers are also looking for the high lift capacity offered by our track loaders.”

Bobcat provides customers regular demonstrations of its compact track loaders to show the high performance and the tool carrier benefits offered by its machines. Together with its comprehensive network of dealers covering every country in the Middle East, Bobcat can offer all types of training to ensure customers get the most out of their machines/attachments and have the best solution for their needs, he emphasises.

Bobcat compact track loaders provide a very stable platform for working with a wide range of attachments. Using the exclusive, quick-change Bob-Tach mounting systems on the machines, attachments can be added or removed quickly, ensuring the attachment fits securely and safely to the machine in seconds.

“Ideal for users needing to change attachments regularly, the Power Bob-Tach is a time-saving, electro-hydraulic device that makes the connection to the attachment automatically,” Anton points out.

As tool carriers, compact track loaders offer many advantages over the comparable wheeled machines. They can provide increased productivity in many conditions with a lifting capacity approximately 25 per cent more than the equivalently sized wheeled loaders, he claims.

“While wheeled machines may outperform tracked machines for sheer manoeuvrability on hard surfaces, the rubber-tracked undercarriage on track loaders ensures improved traction on rough terrain; soft, sandy surfaces and in wet, muddy conditions. Unlike crawler or tracked loaders with steel tracks, compact track loaders offer exceptional manoeuvrability and fast cycle times.

“The increased ground contact area and the lower centre of gravity means compact track loaders are generally more stable than wheeled machines, especially when shuttling backwards and forwards,” says Anton. “The much better traction of compact track loaders provides 15 per cent more pushing force than equivalently sized wheeled machines, allowing them to push heavier loads without getting stuck.”

Moreover, since compact tracked loaders are equipped with dedicated rubber tracks, they will not mark paved surfaces and are therefore ideal for travel over and use on public roads. In fact, the excellent traction and flotation is ideal when working with planer and wheel saw attachments, where the machine hugs the surface for excellent stability and provides superior pushing power and precision for cutting into asphalt and concrete, he says.

Compact track loaders are also suited for use in the rapidly expanding market for 2D and 3D laser grading systems.

Overall, the smoother ride over rough surfaces enhances operator comfort and helps keep loose materials in the bucket. The lighter ride over all terrains also helps to eliminate downtime from damaged tyres, according to Anton.

Another advantage of these machines is their low ground pressure. He explains: “Approximately three times less than wheeled machines, the low ground disturbance of compact track loaders allows them to work on delicate surfaces, such as established lawns or asphalt, minimising damage and reducing the need for tidying up after the job is complete. By distributing weight over a larger area, compact track loaders also offer a smooth ride with the high stability and manoeuvrability needed for grading and backfilling on rough terrain.”

Bobcat, he says, offers the widest range of compact track loaders, with four models offered in the Middle East, namely the T590, T650, T770 and T870, with rated operating capacities from 971 to 1,726 kg and tipping loads from 2,774 up to 4,931 kg. Bobcat also sells the company’s MT55 mini-track loader in the Middle East, with a rated operating capacity and tipping load of 254 and 732 kg, respectively.

One of the most popular Bobcat compact track loaders in the Middle East is the T590 vertical lift path model powered by the Bobcat D24 49.2 kW (66 hp) turbocharged diesel engine.

“Excellent productivity results from the high pressure of the hydraulic system, 101 litres per minute in the high flow version, which provides increased attachment performance. The T590 can be matched with over 80 different attachments,” he says.

Meanwhile, Doosan Bobcat says the total sales for Doosan Bobcat and Doosan Portable Power products in EMEA and outside the region grew by 12.8 per cent to €863 million ($962 million) in 2019, compared to the previous year. This contributed to overall worldwide sales growth of 7.2 per cent, including particularly strong performances in Europe and North America, says the company.

Doosan Bobcat EMEA produces about a third of the global production of Bobcat machines. These include compact construction and agricultural machinery such as skid-steer loaders, compact track loaders, mini-excavators, telehandlers and a vast family of over 130 kinds of attachment.

The company also manufactures portable power equipment under the Doosan Portable Power brand, including air compressors, light towers and generators.

For the Bobcat range in EMEA, the total sales units growth reached 11 per cent in 2019 compared to 2018, with impressive growth of 12.7 per cent in the sales of Bobcat skid-steer loaders, where the company is number one in the world with more skid-steer loaders sold than all of the competitors combined, it says.

It recorded an impressive 7.1 per cent rise in the sales of Bobcat mini-excavators and astounding sales figures for both telehandlers and backhoe loaders, which grew by around 16.7 per cent and 37.2 per cent, respectively, it adds.

This year, the company expects to launch 48 new or significantly upgraded products in eight different product categories of which some will be new to Bobcat.