Volvo CE
With roots dating back to 1832, Volvo CE is the oldest construction equipment manufacturer in the world that is still operating today. Despite its impressive heritage, however, there is nothing old-fashioned about the machinery produced by the Swedish firm.
Situated at the premium end of the construction equipment spectrum, Volvo products are well-equipped to deal with extremes in temperature and humidity that are commonplace across the Middle East’s construction landscape.
Moreover, with strong regional representation from distributors such as UAE-headquartered FAMCO, and Qatar-based Araco, the after-sales support offered to local customers is second to none.
The manufacturer has also enjoyed a successful year in terms of recognition for its latest generation of products. 2014 has seen Volvo CE pick up multiple prizes, including an iF product design award for its ECR88D excavator, and a Red Dot award hat-trick for its EC380E tracked excavator, Volvo Visibility Vest, and the BP30L Identity Backpack.
Link-Belt
The past 12 months have been crucial in terms of Link-Belt’s operations in the Middle East. The US-headquartered equipment manufacturer has taken important steps to secure its long-term position in the region, entering into a partnership with Saudi Arabian construction machinery distributor, Bakheet.
“Established in 1974, Bakheet is one of the most experienced Middle Eastern companies in the heavy equipment industry, with seven locations across Saudi Arabia,” commented Roy Burger, Link-Belt’s manager for international sales.
“In 2011, contracts totalling $71.2bn were awarded to the construction sector of Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, a growth trajectory of 4.5% is projected from 2013 to 2017 in the Kingdom, placing Bakheet in a positively forecasted construction market.”
With projected figures such as these, it’s no wonder that Link-Belt has identified Saudi Arabia as a strategically important territory, and with the ATC-3210, the RTC-80150 Series II, and the TCC-500 now available for export, Burger foresees a bright future across the region.
“There are many opportunities on the horizon in the Middle East. With our solid product offering, strong distribution network, and training programme, our timing is good and we should see an improvement in business from the region,” he told PMV.
Hitachi
Hitachi Construction Machinery Middle East Corporation (HMEC) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Construction Machinery.
Established in 2011 with headquarters in Dubai, UAE, the firm supplies Hitachi-brand construction equipment across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
HMEC supplies a broad portfolio of construction equipment within the territory, including excavators, wheel loaders, and dump trucks. In addition to construction, Hitachi’s excavator line includes heavy-duty models designed for mining and quarrying applications.
Reiterating the company’s commitment to the Middle East construction sector, Hidefumi Sameshima, subsidiary president, said: “HMEC will maintain its market position as ‘the most reliable partner’ by providing a wide range of products with unmatched quality and services.”
Byrne
Representing the rental sector on this year’s power list is UAE-headquartered Byrne Equipment Rental.
The firm offers a diverse range of products to customers working across the region’s construction, oil and gas, and marine sectors.
During the last 12 months, Byrne has enjoyed strong, steady growth, and has continued to develop and expand its operations in the Middle East. The company’s 40,000m2corporate headquarters have been completed in Dubai Industrial City, it has relocated its Qatar facility in a bid to improve convenience for customers, and it has opened a 10,000m2 operational base in Barka, Oman.
Patrick Fallon, Byrne’s chief operating officer, said: “We have started to develop a number of strategic alliances, specifically in respect to our offerings within the oil and gas industry. Further details will be unveiled during the coming months. We are also working on a unique supply agreement with an international power generator manufacturer. We are working to ensure that we have ready access to products that are custom built to our specifications, so that they are ready for deployment without the traditional, lengthy delivery timelines that have become the norm in the industry.”
In turn, Byrne will continue to pursue both geographic and financial growth in the Middle East by actively working to add extra product lines to its fleets.
“The Middle East rental market has attracted many new players in recent years,” Fallon commented.
“These developments give greater choice to the wider market, and in many ways, reflect how the equipment rental industry has matured within only a few years. Coupled with the strong economic climate across the region, we see the equipment rental market increasing year on year, both in terms of product types and volume,” he concluded.
