Utility compactors, single drum vibratory compactors, pavers, tandem vibratory rollers and pneumatic tyre rollers are among the most widely used equipment for road construction projects in the GCC. These equipment constitute the fleets of every major road construction contractor involved in building new roads, highways, parking lots, and airport runways or expanding new lanes alongside existing roads. Cold planers and rotary mixers are used extensively for road maintenance works such as milling/surface texturing of highways, urban streets and airport runways as well as soil stabilization and asphalt reclamation.
Product upgrades and new features of asphalt pavers, compactors, cold planers and road reclaimers continue to improve machine performance, manoeuvrability, and comfort, leading to increased productivity and efficiency of road construction and maintenance jobs. In particular, these features can be found in Caterpillar equipment such as the new GC series of single drum vibratory compactors; PM6xx, PM3xx, and PM8xx series of cold planers and the new RM400 rotary mixer, available in the region through Al-Bahar, the exclusive dealer of Cat branded heavy equipment in UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar.
The 11-ton CS11 GC vibratory soil compactor, for instance, is the most common size in the GCC markets. Features of the CS11 GC include high weight at the drum and high amplitude delivering superior compaction performance; pod-style vibratory system and sealed-for-life hitch bearing. The standard Eco-mode reduces fuel consumption, and the Cat engine provides ample power and consistent performance.
The PM620 cold planer with its 2.0m rotor is the most common size in the GCC markets. Features of the PM620 include a powerful 470 kW (630 hp) Cat engine; automatic load control, which senses load changes on the rotor system load and adjusts propel speed to prevent stalls and optimize production; ergonomic controls with user-friendly touchscreen LCD display; cutting system with new Cat System K rotors; highly precise Cat Grade Control system; high manoeuvrability and ease of service.
Features of RM400 road reclaimer and rotary mixer include modern controls that simplify operation; rotor drive system that allows changing rotor speeds without having to stop the machine; and different rotor options for a variety of reclamation and stabilization projects.
Ali Abu Hirra, product manager–paving and worktools, Al-Bahar, says: “Our strategy is to widen the base of our road construction customers, and therefore, we will continue introducing new products to the market, equipped with all the features needed to help customers achieve their production and quality goals with less ownership and operating costs.
Investing in new machines could be challenging for some contractors, especially under the current market conditions. This has made equipment rental an alternative solution for several contractors. For example, utility compactors and single drum vibratory compactors represent a big portion of the rental market for road construction machinery. We will also keep focusing on aftersales support by offering different solutions, i.e. customer value agreements to meet and exceed customer expectations when dealing with Al-Bahar.”