They might not be as big as the machines themselves, but make no mistake; attachments represent serious business in the Middle East.
As customers continue to search for tools that offer the best possible value for money, products that allow existing construction equipment to be tailored to specific needs are garnering ever-increasing levels of attention across the region.
In today’s machinery industry, the ‘one-size-fits-all’ model no longer reigns supreme. In today’s climate, construction professionals simply cannot afford to field entire teams of application-specific units. In the drive increase efficiency and to maximise margins, customisation has become one of the biggest games in town.
So in what ways have attachment manufacturers been working to develop new, bespoke tools? What are today’s upgrades à la mode? PMV speaks to some of the sector’s leading experts to learn more about the Middle East’s hottest mods.
Applications Aplenty
Robi constitutes the attachments arm of Finnish equipment manufacturer Ramtec. As the authorised distributor of Ramtec products across the Middle East, Salamah Group supplies a diverse range of attachments to the region’s construction professionals.
“We sell Robi attachments in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Yemen,” explained managing director of Salamah Group Sherif Selim. “We offer a broad array of products, from multi processors to hydraulic hammers, and everything in between.”
Selim is pleased with the way that demand in the Middle East is shaping up. As he explained, a burgeoning regional construction market is good news when it comes to the prospective growth of the attachments sector.
“When you take a step back and look at how the region’s construction industry is performing as a whole, you get a good idea of the potential for growth within the field of attachments,” said Selim.
“For this reason, we are extremely optimistic about the future of Robi attachments in the Middle East, especially in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Over the next five to 10 years, we expect to see huge growth in this sector.
“This is not to say that potential growth will be limited to the construction sector,” he continued.
“Many of Robi’s attachments also offer applications within agriculture. Screening buckets, for example, can be used to sort compost. At present, the agricultural sector is growing in the UAE and KSA, which is good news from our perspective.”
Selim contends that the key to success in the attachments market is versatility. As he explained, the more applications a tool offers, the more popular it tends to be.
“Consider operations from the customer’s perspective,” he suggested. “Modern operators are looking for two main things: practicality and cost effectiveness.
Put simply, Robi products offer both. The majority of our attachments can be used for both demolition and recycling. Robi’s MP range of multi processors, for example, can be used to perform six distinct functions, including demolition, cutting, pulverising, and recycling.
“Construction is a customer-driven industry,” Selim continued. “As such, manufacturers must deliver tools that allow operators to finish jobs as quickly and cheaply as possible. Again, it is all about delivering productivity and cost effectiveness.”
Of course, attachments are not simply used to cut costs and increase profits. Bespoke tools such as these can also be used to improve safety and meet regulatory standards, such as those prescribed by the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council’s Estidama initiative. In light of such applications, Selim and his colleagues are working hard to educate the market about the benefits offered by attachments.
“We need to demonstrate to customers the extent to which the correct upgrades can streamline operations,” he concluded. “Attachments are not simply products to be sold; they offer significant returns on investment. We need to show customers just how much multipurpose tools have to offer.”
Robi MP19
- Operating weight: 2,270kg
- Maximum jaw opening: 859mm
- Maximum cutting force: 2,800kN
- Maximum crushing force: 1,350kN
- Maximum operating pressure: 320 bar
Breaking New Ground
With its international network of more than 150 dealers, Montabert offers a complete range of hydraulic rock breakers, crusher buckets, and drilling attachments for applications within quarrying and mining. In the Middle East, the company’s core activities are selling and supporting breakers.
“Montabert breakers are compatible with the carriers commonly used in this region,” said Karl Fakhoury,” the firm’s district manager for the Middle East, Turkey, Africa and India.
“We provide breakers ranging from 60kg to 5.5t. Our attachments’ unique features deliver outstanding productivity throughout a variety of terrains. For this reason, Montabert breakers are used on a diverse array of worksites across the Middle East, including metro projects, port developments, highway construction, pipeline installation, and even for underwater applications.”
Montabert’s engineering department works closely with the leading OEMs to ensure that its attachments offer maximum compatibility. In Fakhoury’s words, this enables end users to simply “plug in and play”.
“This level of flexibility allows customers to achieve a variety of applications with only one carrier,” he explained. “This negates the need to purchase multiple dedicated machines, thus reducing both the initial outlay and the cost of maintenance. Through the use of attachments, operators can develop their own multi-tool carriers, offering maximum performance and reliability.”
Whilst Fakhoury concedes that the Middle East’s attachments market is still in its infancy, he points out that customers are showing greater levels of interest in machine customisation.
“The attachments sector in this region is relatively immature when compared to the markets in Europe and North America,” he said.
“However, we are receiving an ever-increasing interest from the Middle East. After all, customers realise that attachments can cut costs and deliver excellent returns on initial investment. At Montabert, we endeavour to use our knowledge from other markets to encourage customers’ product awareness in this region.”
Indeed, Fakhoury is confident about the future of the attachments market in the GCC. Newly announced projects across the Middle East, he contends, will stimulate growth in this sector.
“My colleagues and I are very optimistic about business in 2014,”he said. “We anticipate double-digit growth and we expect continued gains for Montabert’s market share, both in the Middle East and beyond. “Personally, I believe that upcoming projects in the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia will bring about a surge for the region’s construction industry. Montabert will be ready to capitalise on this upturn.
“In the longer term, I expect to see an infrastructure boom in the Middle East,” Fakhoury concluded. “Again, customers will need breakers and supplementary attachments to get their jobs done.”
Montabert V55
- Carrier weight: 35t-50t
- Input power: 88kW
- Blows per minute: 440-1045
- Operating length: 644mm
- Operating pressure: 165 bar
Growth Opportunities
As authorised distributor for Volvo Construction Equipment and Montabert in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, FAMCO has a wealth of experience delivering machinery attachments to the region’s construction market.
Ahmad Halwani, general manger of FAMCO’s Construction Equipment Division, sat down with PMV to offer a distributor’s perspective of the Middle East’s attachment sector.
“We see the use of machinery attachments as a growing trend in this region,” he began.
“A machine is a major capital investment, and customers are beginning to use their machines for multiple purposes. Attachments for excavators, for example, have been around for a long time, and we are experiencing an upwards trend in sales of wheel loader upgrades.
“FAMCO offers a range of quick-fit, multipurpose attachments,” he continued. “Our main product focuses include buckets, hydraulic forks and hydraulic breakers. Of course, this is a relatively niche market at present, with demand from specific sectors.”
Despite the specialised nature of FAMCO’s attachments operations, Halwani sees this sector as one to watch.
“Applications have been around for a while now, but this still represents a relatively new sector for us,” he explained. “Even so, we have had proven successes and we know that there is consistent demand for these tools in the market. I think that the sector is likely to grow in the future.
“In terms of attachments, FAMCO’s priority is to increase its product offering,” Halwani concluded. “Of course, the specifics will have to be negotiated with our relevant partners, but we look forward to bringing new lines to the region over the coming years.”
Rapid Turnaround
When it comes to the field of attachments, few companies are more active than Bobcat. The compact equipment manufacturer offers more than 70 different types of add-on in total. Moreover, these tools are available in a range of sizes, having been designed and produced to fit perfectly with the manufacturer’s base machines.
“Every Bobcat compact loader is equipped with the heavy-duty Bob-Tach attachment-mounting system,” said Gaby Rhayem, regional director for Bobcat’s parent company Doosan Infracore. “This proprietary system offers spring-loaded, wear-compensating wedges for a secure fit time after time.”
Indeed, the ability for customers to carry out quick attachment changes is a major selling point for Bobcat, according to Rhayem. The Bob-Tach system has been designed to offer both speed and ease of use.
“Bobcat loaders come with a useful feature that enables trapped line pressure to be released, thus reducing the time required for hydraulic attachment changes,” he said.
“This allows operators to switch quickly between attachments whilst working on site. The optional Power Bob-Tach system even facilitates attachment changeover without the user having to exit the cab.”
Clearly, Rhayem is confident about the attachment-friendly nature of Bobcat machines. On a more general level, he is also pleased with the current landscape of this market in the Middle East.
“Attachments represent a growing market in this region, as customers become more aware of the benefits on offer,” Rhayem concluded. “We are experiencing increased sales of products such as breakers, wheel saws and planers, which is further cause for optimism.”
Bobcat WS32
- Working width: 250mm
- Working depth: 450mm-800mm
- Weight: 1,440kg
- Number of bits: 72mm
- Maximum rotation speed: 95rpm
