Benefits of RoadMaster Motor Graders Over Imported Motor Graders for India
When we at Mahindra were studying the roads construction in India there were a few things that were very important but not so clearly visible in context to motor graders.
The first key insight was that motor grader is the most critical construction equipment on a road construction site and the site comes to a standstill if a grader is under breakdown. To prevent breakdowns, it was very important that the machine was designed for India, Indian operation and local conditions. This is not the case in India with almost all the motor graders being sold in India being designed for other countries and sold in India with some aggregate changes. Because of this difference in many applications there are breakdowns in graders that result in stoppage of work on site, however with RoadMaster motor graders simple design there are minimal breakdowns and even in case of breakdown the machine can be brought back into service very quickly as compared to complexly designed international motor graders
The second key insight was that all machines will break down at some point or other and when that happens how quickly can the machine be brought back to work. With RoadMaster motor graders we did this by making the machine simple and completely mechanical which any equipment maintenance person could easily check and verify with some telephonic guidance from our service engineer at site which helped our service team to quickly respond at site with spare parts, tools and personnel. In case of imported electronic graders a service engineer would have to firstly reach site to access the problem, then he would identify the cause and call for back up which resulted in unwanted production loss at the road construction site. With RoadMaster motor graders, the simple and “Made for India” design makes it better resistant to breakdowns and easy to check and repair.
The third key insight was the easy availability of spare parts. This was a problem with imported moor graders operating in India or graders assembled in India with imported parts. Many a times contractors had to wait weeks and not just days to get a small part for their grader because of which their entire site would come to a standstill. Also, the cost of the parts was a concern. With RoadMaster we could ensure that almost all the parts were manufactured in India which put us in a strong position to supply parts to our customers quickly without delay and with affordable prices not only saving the customers time in terms of downtime but also in terms of the money required for spare parts. With situations like COVID-19 which have disrupted the global supply chain, it becomes even more important to able to buy local to ensure uninterrupted supply of spare parts to ensure work continuity at site with a motor grader.
The fourth key insight was the ease of regular inspection and maintenance. This was more important in India because in other countries the machine operators are better educated and qualified whereas in India the education and qualification of an operator is mostly on the lower side. The likelihood of a machine being checked and greased regularly depends on the ease of doing the same. Many operators do not follow the regular checking, greasing, etc. because of the difficulty involved in imported graders due to the physical complexity of moving around the machine, however in case of RoadMaster motor graders the checkpoints have been integrated around places(clusters) which enables a single point quick check of multiple parts resulting in ease of checking and also in higher adherence to the activity.
The last and the most important parameter is the availability of spares stock at our dealerships across India. Unlike many other graders being sold in India, RoadMasters are only sold in areas where the dealer has ensured the minimum spare parts stocking required to ensure quick response to regular parts required as per the grader population in his/her respective area and in line with the company norms.
Added to this other important factors like lower machine cost, high quality of product, high quality grading finish, low fuel consumption and maintenance cost and it is not surprising to learn that within just 2 years from launch, Mahindra RoadMaster motor graders have reached 20% market share becoming the 2nd biggest motor grader equipment seller and probably the biggest manufacturer of motor graders In India by volumes in 2019. Many contractors who were hiring motor graders are also finding a lot of value in owning a RoadMaster over renting which has opened a new segment of customers for Mahindra.
With these positive sentiments in place it would not be surprising to see Mahindra RoadMaster to become the leading motor grader manufacturer and seller in India in 2020.
Benefits Rural Roads Enhancing Income Opportunities for the Rural Poor
%. As India is a highly populated country there is already some form of road connectivity available in most parts and the further development of these roads will be more of a case of upgradation/development than a new construction.
The current motor graders available in India today except RoadMaster are in a price and operating cost range which makes them unaffordable for use by the small contractors. RoadMaster motor graders on the other hand give the lowest cost per spreading and grading not only with conventional motor graders but also with manual laborers which possibly can be the most basic form of spreading and grading making it the most value for money spreading and grading option in India today viable for even the smaller road contractors.
The second biggest problem is in the size of the motor graders. Most of the rural roads are built passing small towns and villages where settlements usually come up adjoining the roads due to better transportation access. This further narrows the space available to travel and work for motor graders. Also since these rural roads connect several villages, the traffic cannot be stopped while constructing the road as this is the only means of transport so the graders need to be compact enough to be able to let vehicles to pass without having to get off the road. The smallest village roads in India are 3 meters wide with a shoulder of approximately 0.75m on either sides giving a total width of around 4.5 meters. RoadMaster graders with overall width at 2.1 meters allow for a space of approximately 2.4 meters for other vehicles to pass while working on the road. This is not possible on bigger graders due to the higher width coming around 2.4 meters.
The third reason why imported graders will not be able to work in smaller rural roads is the complexity in design and scarcity of dealer outlets. As rural roads are mostly in interiors in case of breakdown it will firstly take a technician days to reach the site and inspect the issue and then few more days to get the spare parts and get the machine up and running. Whereas due to the simple design of RoadMaster graders the breakdowns are less and even in case of some repair these are easy to identify and correct which can be accomplished locally with the help of qualified service engineer. The spare parts being easily available as it is a Made in India machine also adds to the faster uptime for RoadMaster motor graders.
The fourth important aspect is the quality of finish of graded material. Despite being a slightly smaller machine the quality of camber/grading with RoadMaster is comparable to that of any imported motor grader. As a result of this there is no difference in the end result in terms of quality of work.
The fifth important reason is that not only are RoadMaster motor graders designed for India but are also extensively tested in India in different applications and conditions before launch which has ensured its performance in the Indian conditions so that the customers can be rest assured that RoadMaster will accomplish the tasks it is put up to.
The sixth important reason is that Mahindra is an Indian customer centric brand which will be there for their customers no matter what. This cannot be said for the other international brands which can shut shop in India and go back leaving their customers stranded with the machine but without proper spare parts and service support.
Apart from these there are many other tangible and intangible benefits, but these benefits are themselves sufficient enough to consider RoadMaster motor graders as a superior option for spreading and grading of road material in small and medium roads.
The proof of this is in the RoadMaster motor graders sold in India in last two years. Out of the over 500 graders sold many are being used in constructing rural roads helping build an #Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Project Management for Construction: Labour, Material and Equipment
Basically, CPM is the art of directing, regulating and supervising human, equipment and material resources throughout the life of a construction project by using modern management techniques to achieve predetermined objectives of scope, cost, time, quality and participating objectives. Simply put, CPM involves overall planning, coordination and control of the construction projects from beginning to completion.
Today, CPM has become the need of the hour as the construction industry is growing at a very fast pace. Here is a look at what are the important elements of CPM and the importance of efficiency of labour, material and equipment in it.
Important elements of CPM
CPM encompasses a set of defined objectives which are accomplished by implementing a series of operations. These include…
1. Defining the project objectives and plans including the scope, budgeting, scheduling, setting performance requirements and selecting project participants.
2. Maximising efficient resource utilisation through procurement of labour, materials and equipment.
3. Implementing various operations through proper coordination and control of planning, design, estimating, contracting and construction and overlooking the whole procedure till the end.
Particularly, effective utilisation of labour, material and equipment is essential in CPM as they highly impact the construction project and construction companies. In fact, if the three factors are not dealt well, companies may be thrown out of business or mainstream construction activities and construction projects may be halted forever.
Effective labour utilisation is the key in CPM
Labour force and the skill, experience, leadership skills and motivational level of every worker affect the jobsite productivity to a very large extent. Further, labour constitutes a large part of the construction cost. Hence, as a part of good CPM process, effective labour utilisation is necessary. Project managers are aware of this fact very well and take various steps and adopt practices like maximisation of learning curve, having work shifts etc., to maximise the labour productivity. If we talk about steps taken to maximise the learning curve, then the project managers ensure that the crew works on a similar type of work throughout the project. This is because this increases the productivity of the workers as over the period of time they get familiar with the site, materials and job conditions, thus, their speed increases. Further, project managers also prefer to have work shifts at the sites as this also increases productivity and do not allow labour fatigue to hamper the work quality. Likewise, there are many steps that are taken by project managers for effectively utilising the labour at the construction site.
Effective material utilisation is also important in CPM
Material procurement and managing the cost, managing the inventory of materials and ensuring timely flow of the material are few things that constitute material management which is also an important element in CPM and planning for construction. It is because materials represent a major expense in construction, so minimising procurement or purchase costs is important. That said, poor material management can result in large and unavoidable costs during construction. Thus, project managers are always very careful about effective material utilisation.
Effective construction equipment utilisation is also a major part of CPM
Construction Equipment (CE) highly affect the jobsite productivity of a project as they have a huge impact on time and effort needed to complete a task. Further, there is a variety of CE used at the construction sites. Thus, effective CE utilisation becomes equally important for the project managers and forms an important part of the CPM. This makes it necessary for the project managers to be adequately familiar with the characteristics of major types of equipment commonly used in construction. Further, since CE have a huge impact on the entire construction cost; it is always wise for the project managers to think carefully about the right CE before renting, leasing or purchasing it. For that, project managers need to look at few things like…
1. Large jobsites with heavy load of work require large equipment and that too in large numbers and vice versa.
2. When more work has to be done in the shortest possible time, there is need for more equipment. If there is good time at hand, then work can be completed with less equipment only.
3. If the equipment has to be transported from a distant location, then it can add up to the overall cost.
4. Depending on the soil characteristics, terrain and environment, the equipment need to be chosen.
Thus, the project managers have to exercise caution in selecting the right CE as effective utilisation of the CE can result in huge profits and recognition due to the timely project completion with minimum errors. Well, here CE from Mahindra Construction Equipment (MCE) deserve a mention. Both Mahindra EarthMaster backhoe loaders and Mahindra RoadMaster motor graders from MCE are technologically-advanced, offer high performance, save energy and fuel, reduce maintenance cost and come at an affordable price. Thus, they can be the best bet for the project managers.
In a nutshell
Material, labour and equipment are the primary three resources to be considered when planning a construction project as if they are not in place and coordinated well, then the entire construction process can be hampered and the project may fail due to delays. Thus, for efficient project management for construction, effective utilisation of labour, material and equipment is a must. Hence, construction companies or contractors who want to climb the ladder of success need to necessarily pay attention to CPM and ensure that the three things i.e., labour, material and equipment are utilised in the best possible manner.
India’s Top 10 Construction and Infrastructure Projects to Come
There are roads and trains that connect every small town and village to the larger cities. However, it is amazing to know that its cities are growing and getting more commercial thus demanding more infrastructure.
Better infrastructure means better connections for a growing economy. The Indian government has planned many development projects across the next 10 years and here are a few of them:
1. Narmada Valley Development Project
This project is budgeted at $30 billion and will be the largest river development scheme. The plan is to build 3000 dams across the river aimed at building the largest ever hydroelectric projects.
2. Navi Mumbai International Airport –
Far from the chaos of Mumbai city, the government is planning to build the international airport in Navi Mumbai. This means chances of getting stuck in traffic are minimal and you will not miss your flight. However due to land acquisition, the project has been delayed.
3. Chenab River Railway Bridge
The flourishing river Chenab is set to have a railway line right over it. At $92 million this is said to be the world’s highest railway bridge over Katra which is in Jammu-Kashmir. This railway bridge of 1.3km will then be a part of the Katra-Dharam section which falls under the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
4. The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) –
This is set to be one of the most ambitious projects in the country. This project is estimated at around $90 billion as it is set to navigate through all the industrial hub points between the Delhi-Mumbai corridor that include 7 states. Once complete this project will increase India’s GDP by 25%. How is that? Currently it takes cargo around 14 days to get transferred from north to south. With this link the transfer will take just 14 hours. The 1500 km-long western dedicated freight corridor will make commerce easy and snappy.
5. Bharatmala Project
Engineered by the minds of the government, this is a road project planned to link the west of India with the east of India. So right from Gujarat to Mizoram and from Maharashtra to West Bengal, this road project will help connect many states and industries.
6. Mumbai Trans Harbour Link –
A long sea bridge is planned to connect the eastern suburbs of Mumbai with the mainland through a 16.5 sea bridge and a viaduct. Meaning it will connect Sewri which is in the central to east Mumbai with Nhava Seva across the harbour. Estimated cost of this project is Rs. 18,000 crores.
7. Inland Waterways
Somewhere with all the roads and railway system we have forgotten that India has large rivers which can be used as a great system of transportation. The government with no delays plans to develop these waterways to connect sites of commerce. Rivers like Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Mahanadi are being worked upon. Around Rs. Rs 4,000 crore is being spent by the government for developing waterway facilities in Ganga. Pradip is planned to be an intentional port due to its connectivity with an additional amount of Rs. 50000 crores in its development
8. Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT)
The business state of India gets just the lift it needs. This Tec-city will facilitate start-ups, entrepreneurship and of course existing businesses. State of the art technology will be installed for smooth communication and interaction. This is $ 20 billion budget that will see the assistance of Frances La Défense, Tokyos Shinjuku and Britain’s London Docklands.
9. Smart City Kochi – one of the expanding commercial cities – Kochi is going to a get a face lift. To encourage the city’s industrial minds the infrastructure project has been planned. The budget stands tall at $1billion and is spread over a staggering 8,20,000 sq. metres in the district of Kakkanad. This is the first of the Smart City trail to begin in South India and its first phase is said to be completed by 2020.
With all these projects in the pipeline imagine the quantum of work needed by Road making vehicles, graders and Backhoe Loaders. Increasing the demand for these machines, be it in west India or South India, North or East India, the infrastructure projects are spread across the country with the ever-evolving road and development plan. The country looked different 10 years ago and will keep getting a new makeover every decade. This demand will keep increasing as India is set to be a technologically advanced country which needs better connectivity. And this will come only through better network of roads, rails, water and air transportation. So, if you are in the business of roads, backhoe loaders or motor graders there is a lot of scope in this country.
Global and Domestic Factors Influencing the Construction Equipment Industry in India
In addition to this, rapid urbanisation, increasing foreign investments, growing construction industry and surging demand for customised equipment are few of the other major factors which are propelling the demand for CE in India. Here is a look at all the global as well as domestic factors that are pushing the demand for CE in India.
1. Increased impetus given to infrastructure sector
Particularly, it is the roads and highways sector in the current infrastructure development scenario which is expected to be the main growth driver for the CE industry followed by railways, airports and irrigation. This is because, in the Budget 2020, government has allocated Rs 1.7 trillion to improve connectivity via road, rail, air and waterways. Special focus has been given to highway construction. In fact, in the Budget 2020, government has mentioned that accelerated development of highways will be undertaken which will include development of 2,500 km access control highways, 9,000 km of economic corridors, 2,000 km of coastal and land port roads and 2,000-km of strategic highways. Also, Delhi-Mumbai expressway that is currently in the works is expected to be complete by 2023.
Further, to enhance air connectivity, government has proposed to build 100 more airports by 2024 in Budget 2020. In addition, in December 2019, government launched ₹102 trillion worth infrastructure projects under national infrastructure pipeline (NIP) to develop social and economic infrastructure in the next five years.
Apart from this, various other big ticket infrastructure projects have been announced by the government in the past few years. These include Smart Cities Mission, Bharatmala Pariyojana, Sagarmala Programme for modernisation of ports, increasing connectivity and port linked industrial hubs, Jal Marg Vikas, Housing for All and Diamond Quadrilateral for high-speed railways, river linkages and bullet trains. Even the rural infrastructure development has picked up the pace in the country. Obviously, all these projects and developments demand good CE and this has given an overall boost to the CE segment in the country.
2. Growth in the construction activities
As per the report from ResearchAndMarkets.com, the CE market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.8 per cent during Financial Year 2018-Financial Year 2024 on account of the countrys expanding construction industry. This growth in the construction sector is supposed to have a direct impact on the CE sector as more and more CE would be needed to fulfil the needs of modern construction sites.
3. Increasing need for mechanisation
Till recently, construction activities in India used traditional methods which were slow and archaic. Now, gearing up to the new realities of timely project execution with a bonus clause for early completion, quality output, higher productivity, reliability and safety and various infrastructure projects on hand, the focus is shifting towards innovation, automation and advanced technologies. Today, there is an increasing need for modernised and mechanised methods of construction and thus, more and more CE with newer intelligent features like remote access devices, automatic controls and increased sophistication as against the manual labour are being demanded. It is believed that for every 0.5 per cent increase in mechanisation, the CE demand would rise by $30-35 billion.
4. Increased foreign direct investments
In past few years, Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) in infrastructure projects have increased considerably in the country. For example, India signed a USD 500 million (Rs 3,371 crore) loan pact with World Bank in 2018 to provide additional financing for Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) rural road projects to build 7,000 km of climate-resilient roads. Likewise, many other contracts have been signed by India with foreign banks or nations.
To sum up
There is no doubt that Indian Construction Equipment industry is growing at a very fast pace. Positive developments in economic conditions, improvement in investor confidence and investments in transport infrastructure, energy and housing projects is helping the Indian CE industry to grow considerably in last few years.
Looking at this, all the CE manufacturing companies in India are gearing up well to cater to the growing demand. Particularly, Mahindra Construction Equipment (MCE) amongst the others with its offerings i.e., Mahindra EarthMaster backhoe loaders and RoadMaster motor graders is leaving no stone unturned to embrace the projected growth of CE sector in the country with grace.
Why are Backhoe Loaders so popular in India Compared to Other Developing Nations?
Earlier, their demand was majorly seen in the developed nations but with the increase in number of infrastructure projects and construction activities in the developing countries, BHLs’ demand is increasing there too. That said, particularly, the BHL demand is increasing in India as compared to other developing nations due to huge investments made by the government and private sector in infrastructure development and construction segment. In fact, with villages and farmlands giving way to more industries and buildings, there are whole of lot construction activities that are happening in the country and this is posing good demand for BHLs. Here, it goes without saying that for all these activities, backhoe is a key component.
In fact, today, backhoe loader accounts for nearly 65 per cent of the Construction Equipment (CE) segment in India. So, what makes BHLs so popular India? Well, BHLs are most popular CE in India because they can be used for multiple purposes and can easily travel on roads. In fact, they can be used for numerous applications including digging, demolitions, excavating, breaking asphalt, laying roads, transporting materials, levelling, loading and much more at the jobsite with additional attachments. Thus, one equipment with right attachment can perform various tasks and this is making them very popular in the country which is seeing massive infrastructure development today.
Reasons for the growth of BHLs in the India
1. Investment in infrastructure by the government in India is the major underlying factor driving BHL sales.
a) In the Budget 2020, government has allocated Rs 1.7 trillion to improve connectivity via road, rail, air and waterways. Special focus has been given to highway construction.
2. New infrastructure funding, reforms and procedures are also likely to stimulate the growth of the BHL segment in India.
a) In December 2019, government launched ₹102 trillion worth infrastructure projects under national infrastructure pipeline (NIP) to develop social and economic infrastructure in the next five years.
b) To enhance air connectivity, government has proposed to build 100 more airports by 2024 in Budget 2020.
3. The undertaking of highway and rural road development programs in India is also paving way for the demand for BHLs.
a) In Budget 2020, government has mentioned that accelerated development of highways will be undertaken which will include development of 2,500 km access control highways, 9,000 km of economic corridors, 2,000 km of coastal and land port roads and 2,000-km of strategic highways.
b) Also, Delhi-Mumbai expressway that is currently in the works is expected to be complete by 2023.
4. Agriculture and irrigation projects are also providing momentum to the growth of the backhoe market.
5. Land development, building construction and industrial development projects are also adding to the growth of the BHL market.
6. Unlike other CE, demand for BHLs is supported by the fact that they are highly multi-purpose equipment and can perform variety of tasks with ease.
7. The backhoe rental sector is further expected to drive the growth of the BHL market.
8. Shortage of manual labour in India is another significant factor which is likely to contribute to the growth of BHLs in the long term.
9. As against manual labour and traditional methods, BHLs lead to improved quality, timeliness, better project financials and safety. India has realised this fact and hence, BHLs are gaining immense popularity in the country.
10. Last but not the least, another factor that has increased the popularity of BHLs in the country is Indian-made BHLs best suited for the Indian needs. At present, there are many companies in India manufacturing such BHLs.
a) One of the most noted companies is Mahindra Construction Equipment (MCE), which manufactures revolutionary BHL—Mahindra EarthMaster which is highly reliable and safe and is built to suit the Indian needs and can withstand Indias rough terrain and heavy usage. The equipment comes with intelligent communication system i.e., REMOTECARE, Joystick controls, 6-in-1 bucket option and various attachments and has Banana Boom, allowing for greater depth of digging and a bigger working circle.
Future of the BHL market in India
Given the reasons above and due to the rise in the infrastructural development projects and increased spending on the construction activities, the BHL market in the country is only expected to grow further in future. If facts are to be believed, then as per Off-Highway Research, sales of the BHLs in India is expected to increase from the 21,192 units sold in 2015 to 28,000 machines by 2020, resulting in a 32 per cent increase. Thus, undoubtedly, backhoe loader in the country have all the reasons to smile as they are the most popular CE in India and will continue to be so in the future as well.
How the Simple Tractor Became the Most Popular CE of India?
BHLs which are one of the most important Construction Equipment (CE) found today at any jobsite have a very interesting history. In fact, the history of BHLs is as interesting as the equipment itself. Here, it is to be noted that although based on a tractor, BHLs were and are almost never called a tractor when both the loader and the backhoe are permanently attached. So, here is a look at how a simple tractor backhoe became the most popular CE of India.
History of BHLs
All thanks to the development of the hydraulic technology that a tractor-mounted backhoe became practical for usage in the construction segment. That said, basically, the idea of BHLs developed separately in the US and UK.
The earliest documented hydraulic backhoe was built in the US by Vaino J Holopainen and Roy E Handy Jr in 1947 and it became the foundational product of Wain-Roy Corporation of Hubbardston, Massachusetts, United States. It was in April 1948 that Wain-Roy Corporation sold the very first all hydraulic backhoe which was mounted to a Ford Model 8N Tractor. In the same year i.e., 1948, the company JCB in UK, founded by Joseph Cyril Bamford, launched the first hydraulic loader and followed that in 1953 with a backhoe with a 180° slew, fitted to a tractor. Thus, in 1953, JCB developed the world’s first BHL by adding a backhoe onto the back of a Major Loader i.e., essentially a Fordson tractor with a hydraulic excavator at the rear, a Major Loader at the front and an optional cab. Until this time, all the equipment had a common theme i.e., they were built by companies entirely separate from the manufacturers of the tractors for which they were designed.
Then a major change came in 1957 where while JCB introduced the first dedicated BHL (which was however, just a prototype), CASE Construction produced the first integrated tractor loader/backhoe in the USA (whereby all the components were manufactured and warranted by the same manufacturer). These were purpose-built, heavy-duty wheel tractors with the loaders and backhoes to go on them. This put the entire machine under the coverage of a single warranty and gave rise to their widespread use in the construction segment.
After that, the American company Hy-Dynamic, a division of Bucyrus-Erie, introduced the second purpose-built BHL in 1959 i.e., the Dynahoe Model A. The company marketed the Dynahoe as the only purpose-built BHL as previously all American backhoes were merely farm tractors fitted with front loader and rear backhoe attachments. Later, it was in 1970 when Hy-Dynamic became the first company to incorporate a four-wheel drive system into their BHLs, allowing these models to move over almost any terrain with little difficulty. However, it was not until 1971 that the first ‘over centre’ BHL was introduced by CASE Construction. This machine was better than all the previous versions in all aspects as it offered a much smoother ride and better maneuverability than the older models. After that, as they say that rest was history. Gradually, various other companies emerged on the scene and started manufacturing BHLs.
Origins in India and the present
In India, Backhoe Loader was introduced by the company Escorts Construction Equipment in collaboration with JCB in 1979-80. It was the first tyre-mounted excavation machine in the country as there were no mini or tyre-mounted excavators available at the time. Later, its affordability and multi-application versatility made it a popular machine for years to follow. Today, BHLs accounts for nearly 65 per cent of the CE segment.
At present, there are many companies in India manufacturing BHLs suited for the Indian needs. One of the most noted companies today is Mahindra Construction Equipment (MCE), a part of US $17.8 billion Mahindra Group, which started its business in 2011 in India with its revolutionary BHL—Mahindra EarthMaster. Bidding goodbye to the dated technologies employed by the earthmoving contractors in India, MCE offers next-generation BHLs backed by the engineering capabilities, manufacturing strength, distribution reach and after-sales service of Mahindra & Mahindra. Highly reliable and safe, the BHLs are built to suit the Indian needs and can withstand Indias rough terrain and heavy usage. The equipment comes with intelligent communication system i.e., DigiSense, Joystick controls, 6-in-1 bucket option and various attachments and has Banana Boom, allowing for greater depth of digging and a bigger working circle. The equipment also offers best-in-class fuel efficiency and is environment-friendly and possesses the capability of sustaining extended service intervals among others. Mahindra EarthMaster is available in the following variants: EarthMaster VX, EarthMaster SX, EarthMaster SX 90 4WD, EarthMaster SXL and EarthMaster SX- 4WD.
What makes BHLs most popular CE in India?
BHLs are most popular CE in India because they are highly versatile machines and can be used for multiple purposes and can easily travel on roads. In fact, they can be used for numerous applications including digging, demolitions, excavating, breaking asphalt, laying roads, transporting materials, levelling, loading and much more at the jobsite with additional attachments. That said, there are clear benefits of using BHLs at the construction site. These include improved quality, timeliness, better project financials and safety among others.
Given that, due to the rise in infrastructural development projects and increased spending on the construction activities, the BHL market in the country is only expected to grow further in future. In fact, as per Off-Highway Research, sales of BHLs in India is expected to increase from the 21,192 units sold in 2015 to 42,000 machines by 2020, a significant increase by any standards. Thus, undoubtedly, BHLs are the most popular CE in India and will continue to be so in the foreseeable future.
Indian Infrastructure Sector Moving to Machines Instead of Manual Labour for Construction
In fact, it is estimated that by 2025, India’s infrastructure market will emerge as the third largest in the world, which would exhibit huge demand for construction machines equipped with latest technology, owing to the advantages offered by them. Here, the question comes that whether Construction Equipment (CE) are better than manual labour? Well, the answer is a definite ‘Yes’ as CE offer a multitude of benefits over manual labour.
Here is a look at all the reasons in detail which are prompting Indian infrastructure sector to move towards Construction Equipment instead of manual labour for construction…
1. Timely project completion: Construction projects can experience significant delays in execution. One of the reasons behind project delays is that the labour force is much less efficient than an equipment. For example, Mahindra RoadMaster G75 can replace up to 15 manual labour at a small road construction site. Increasing the number of jobs done by construction equipment at your site reduces dependency on labour and increases the speed of your work. Ultimately the result is that projects are completed within the committed time.
2. Quality improvement: These days, increased importance is being given to quality of construction and thus, more and more CE are being used as opposed to manual labour as they can complete work with minimal quality defects.
3. Project efficiency- CE can easily overcome many of the limitations associated with manual labour like physical limits, socio-economic conditions and other problems such as weather conditions, health risks etc., that hamper the project’s efficiency.
4. Heavy and delicate work: At any construction site, there are many tasks which are either too heavy or too delicate in nature and cannot be performed by manual labour easily. Thus, this also makes Construction Equipment necessary at the jobsite.
5. Reduced rework and improved accuracy: It is not possible for manual labour to produce the same results every time but CE can do that easily. Thus, CE can increase the speed and accuracy as against the manual labour.
6. Cost savings and profitability- Increased productivity and reliability of CE can ultimately translate into higher profitability from fewer defect-related claims and the avoidance of delay penalties. CE can also make it easier for the companies to complete their projects within budget at a reduced overall cost. This is because CE are highly versatile and can be put to many uses as against manual labour which might have expertise in doing one task only.
7. Safety- Accidents are common at the construction sites. There are obvious safety concerns associated with workers operating on the ground, particularly within confined spaces when heavy materials are being moved around. Here, CE usage can help to mitigate or even prevent many of these risks.
, there are clear benefits of using CE over manual labour and traditional methods and this can help the infrastructure sector to beat the heavy competition in the market.
So now, if as a contractor or construction company owner, you have decided to employ highly versatile and efficient CE like the backhoe loader, then Mahindra Construction Equipment’s (MCE) EarthMaster backhoe loaders loaded with a range of features should definitely be on your list. Equipped with the superior technologies like REMOTECARE, DITEC Engine, joystick controls and Banana Boom design coupled with unmatched fuel economy and superior style, the Mahindra EarthMaster backhoe loaders can offer best of the benefits at the jobsite. By performing a variety of tasks at the jobsite, they can decrease your labour cost drastically.
If you are thinking to purchase motor graders, then also MCE’s RoadMaster motor graders should be considered which is created to offer an affordable, un-compromised and mechanised grading solution for small and medium roads in India. The RoadMaster comes with GPRS-based remote monitoring system that can help contractors keep a track of their machine with the touch of a finger. Thus, Mahindra RoadMaster can also prove to be better than the manual labour when it comes to productivity, quality, accuracy and efficiency.
In a nutshell
Given the plethora of benefits offered by CE, it is expected that in future, the infrastructure sector in the country would majorly employ the CE and just have handful of manual labourers for few tasks at the construction site. In The coming decades, it possible that CE will replace manual labours including semi-skilled and unskilled workers completely who right now make up for the bulk of workforce in the infrastructure segment. This trend would drive exponential growth of the construction and infrastructure industry in the long term.
How will the Upskilling of the Labor Force and Mechanization of the Process affect the Indian Infrastructure Sector?
As most imagine technology or innovation is not static, it’s the opposite, it’s dynamic and ever-changing and non-stop. Now more than ever, technology is changing at a rapid rate and rightly so, it is important that we adapt to it or get left behind. This is industry agnostic and is applicable to rapid mechanization in the infrastructure industry, especially in the construction industry.
The Greek philosopher Heraclitus realized this centuries ago as he quoted, “Change is the only constant”.
In a very general sense, good education and proper training would result in a skilled labor market that will
1. Help people develop to their full capacity and seize employment opportunities
2. Raises the productivity of both the workers and the enterprise
3. Contributes to boosting future innovation and development
4. Encourages foreign and domestic investment and hence increases job growth
5. Leads to higher wages
6. Expands labor market opportunities and reduces social inequalities
It is important to note that the working-age (25-59) for developing countries will slowly increase with the increasing population. According to a G20 report,
“… about 90% of India’s workers are employed at low levels of productivity and income. Half of the country’s population over the age of 25 has had no education and an additional third have at best primary schooling. Four out of five new entrants to the workforce have never had any opportunity for skills training.”
Although education standards are increasing every year, the gap between academics and the industry is widening, which causes a reduction in efficiency of the labor workforce hence vastly reducing the profits of the enterprise. If the repercussions of this are considered on a large scale, it could hinder a country’s development and technological advancement.
Streamlining on how this is important to the Infrastructure industry, it is necessary to take a look at the scale of this industry. According to IBEF’s August 2019 report, India is set to become the third-largest construction market globally by 2022 and it will receive an influx of investment approximately worth Rs. 50 trillion ($773 billion). Moreover, the Union Budget of 2019-20 allocated a whopping Rs. 24,000 Lakh Crore to the infrastructure industry.
Additionally, the VC and private sector’s involvement in the industry has also increased, according to the same report; to be precise the equity of the private sector is worth Rs. 46 trillion ($6.3 billion). With a massive influx of money, it is almost certain that innovation also plays a key role, hence it is extremely important for the people working the industry to take their skills up a notch and adapt to the growing industry. For the same purpose, India adopted an ambitious National Skills Development Policy in 2009.
Unlike other industries, it is of utmost importance that labors are skilled in infrastructure and/or production industry due to rapid technological innovation and the involvement of advanced machinery.
1. Skilled labors would be more in-tune with the nature of the job and will be acquainted with the use of machines for particular jobs. Take, for example, a motor grader, one of the most commonly used equipment in road construction, an operator would be required to undergo proper training for an approximate of 3 to 4 years to able to work on it. Training a labor on-work would lead to a reduction in the efficiency of the job as it would take time to teach, it would take a longer time to complete the job, increase overhead costs, reduce productivity, etc.
2. As another example, Backhoe loaders, another popular machinery in the Indian construction scene. Unlike motor graders, this machine requires far less training to be able to operate. Moreover, backhoe loaders are multidimensional and hence used widely in India, learning to operate it would help the worker do more with the machine.
With skilled labors, the construction process becomes
a. More efficient as skilled labors would take full advantage of the machine
b. The efficient use of machines would result in work being completed in less time
c. This would further reduce overhead costs and hence increase profits of the enterprise
d. Overall, it would increase the productivity of the job and result in satisfied consumers and producers.
As mentioned earlier, due to this growing disparity between what is academically taught and what is actually required in the field, the government of India offers training courses to bridge this gap. Programs like National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) or with the help of the Industrial Training Institute (ITI).
Consumers Trends that Will Dominate 2019
Further, given the ‘Make in India’ campaign that aims to place India on the world map as a manufacturing hub and give global recognition to the Indian economy, India is expected to become the fifth largest manufacturing country in the world by the end of year 2020. This massive manufacturing sector development in the country is expected to directly result into the growth of the infrastructure and construction machinery market which will see increased demand for modern, intelligent and automated equipment and new technologies.
That said, in order to stay ahead in the competitive market scenario, it would make sense for the consumers to leverage on the latest technological advancements and employ the best of equipment. For that, it is necessary that manufacturing trends that will dominate 2019 are understood in detail. Here is a look at these trends…
1. Internet-of-Things (IoT) will play a major role
IoT would have a bigger role in 2019 and manufacturers will increasingly leverage on IoT which involves interconnection of unique devices within an existing internet infrastructure to achieve various goals including increased efficiency, improved safety and product innovation among other things. That said, in times to come, with more significance given to predictive analytics and increased communication between machines resulting in less human intervention, IoT will only make the equipment more intelligent and lure more consumers towards it. This simply means that equipment which would use the principles of IoT well would be more in demand by the consumers.
2. Predictive maintenance would become the need of hour:
Breakdown of critical equipment and their subsequent repair is always costly for the manufacturers in terms of downtime and loss of productivity. Thus, ensuring that all the equipment are working properly remains the key priority of consumers and this is expected to increase the need for predictive maintenance in 2019. By reducing the maintenance and repair charges and enabling the equipment to self-detect the need for repairs, predictive maintenance technologies will surely gain prominence. Further, this ability of the equipment to predict when maintenance should be performed can save consumers valuable time, money and resources to a very large extent. Thus, heavy equipment like Mahindra Construction Equipment’s RoadMaster G75 and RoadMaster G90 that come with GPRS-based remote monitoring system dogosense that keeps a track of the machine with the touch of a finger, will see increased sales. Here, it needs to be mentioned that even the Mahindra EarthMaster backhoe loader that comes with the revolutionary REMOTECARE feature that allows owners to get complete control over the equipment, will also be picked up more and more by the manufacturers. Essentially, REMOTECARE is an intelligent communication system through which owners can know what’s happening with their equipment for the whole day, receive information on diesel level, engine oil pressure, transmission oil pressure, coolant temperate, air filter clogging, hydraulic oil filter clogging, battery charge statues etc., and other advance warning on their registered mobile numbers.
3. Demand for environment-friendly and fuel-efficient equipment would increase:
The year 2019 would also see increased usage of green equipment which emit far lesser amount of smoke and offer great fuel efficiency. Here, again MCE’s two of the most popular equipment i.e., RoadMaster motor graders and EarthMaster backhoe loaders deserve a special mention as the two machines are highly fuel-efficient and result in 10 per cent more savings.
4. Better systems for streamlining manufacturing processes would be needed:
In the year 2019, another trend will emerge and buyers, be it small or large, would demand for better and affordable integrated software solutions to increase efficiency and manage the projects easily. This is because the manufacturers would realise that such systems can easily streamline various processes by automating all business operations and providing accurate and real-time information. Thus, more and more consumers would want better systems and software in the year 2019 that can prevent unnecessary disruptions and delays.
Apart from the above, various other trends such as use of robotics, Big Data and business intelligence for improving production, optimising operations and addressing issues before problem arises among others will also surface in 2019.
In a nutshell
As per a report released by the Indian Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association, “The Indian construction industry is expected to grow to $5 billion by 2019-2020.” That said, in order to stay ahead of the competition, construction industry would have to increasingly invest in the right technology and equipment and to help them in doing so, construction and infrastructure equipment manufacturing companies will be required to come to the fore and produce equipment that can help the construction industry achieve the maximum production efficiency. Thus, definitely, the construction industry in the country would see exciting trends and times ahead in 2019