This exclusive interview sheds light on Suretech Infrastructure’s innovative approach to foundation and piling solutions, specifically focusing on introducing excavator-mounted vibro hammers in the Indian market. He also discusses the importance of operator training, sustainability initiatives, and the company’s plans for future advancements.

You recently introduced Dr. Digger EMV at Bauma. Could you tell us more about its key features and unique selling points?
One of the key challenges we have encountered is that many of the construction products available in India were originally designed for something other than our market conditions. These products have been used in other parts of the world, but the working conditions in India are quite different. In India, operators often need more formal training, and the machines must be sturdier to handle these conditions. To address this, we have customised the excavator-mounted vibro hammers, Dr. Digger EMV, to be more robust and suitable for Indian operators and working environments. Our machines are designed to be resilient even if an operator makes a mistakes, the machine is absorbs the errors rather than breaking down. This makes them much more suited to the challenges faced in the Indian market.

I understand you are also focusing on a skilling program for operators. Could you elaborate on that?
Operator skilling is a very crucial aspect of our operations. The problem in India is that operators often need a technical background or formal education to handle sophisticated machinery. They are more akin to truck drivers or helpers. This is very different from markets abroad, where operators are often engineers. Therefore, these operators need to be trained to ensure they can efficiently and safely operate the equipment.

In India, crane-mounted vibro hammers have been popular for many years. What challenges do you face in promoting the shift to excavator-mounted vibro hammers?
Crane-mounted vibro hammers have been in India since 1997, nearly 28 years now, while excavator-mounted vibros have only been around for the last 5-6 years. The key difference between these two systems is their suitability for different applications. Crane-mounted vibro hammers are ideal for driving casings, while excavator-mounted vibros are better suited for sheet piling up to 10 meters. Our problem is that customers have grown accustomed to using crane-mounted vibro hammers for all kinds of work, including sheet piling. This misconception has made it challenging to promote the shift to excavator-mounted vibro hammers. However, we are actively working to change this.

We are aggressively pushing to promote excavator-mounted vibro hammers in the Indian market. We’ve already seeded around 5-6 machines in eastern India, where the soil conditions are highly conducive. We’ve provided these machines either on a consignment basis or as demos and they are already showing great results. Customers who have used them are impressed by their performance, and prospective customers have approached us after seeing the machines in operation. The visibility and interest is growing, which is encouraging.

How do EMVs, coupled with straight booms, goosenecks, and boom brackets, increase the efficiency and productivity of sheet piling projects?
The advantage of excavator-mounted vibro hammers is that they are much faster to set up and operate than crane-mounted machines. With crane-mounted vibro hammers, setup typically takes a full day. On the other hand, excavator-mounted units can be ready to operate in just 30 minutes, which saves a full day of potential production loss. Moreover, excavator-mounted vibro hammers can pick up and drive sheet piles in a single operation. This eliminates the need to pick up the piles first and then attach the vibro hammer, which is necessary with crane-mounted systems. As a result, setup and driving times are significantly reduced, making the entire process faster, cheaper, and more efficient.

How would you compare the operating speed and efficiency of your excavator-mounted vibro hammers to traditional crane-mounted vibro hammers?
Crane-mounted vibro hammers are more powerful and larger, allowing them to handle more demanding tasks, such as driving piles in harder soils. However, their cost of operation is significantly higher. It is much cheaper if you calculate the cost per square meter or per meter of pile-driven, excavator-mounted unit. In soft soil conditions, the excavator-mounted vibro hammers perform exceptionally well and are much more cost-effective than crane-mounted machines. While crane-mounted vibro hammers might offer marginally higher productivity in certain conditions, the higher operational cost offsets potential productivity gains.

What sustainability features are incorporated into the design of your excavator-mounted vibro hammers?
The sustainability aspect of this technology is important. The entire pile-driving process is quite sustainable because sheet piles are used for crucial applications such as flood control and waste management in landfills. These applications have a long-term positive environmental impact. Furthermore, the excavators we use for these vibro hammers come equipped with fuel-efficient engines that produce lower emissions. This is a significant improvement over crane-mounted systems, which tend to consume more diesel and emit more pollutants. Our excavator-mounted vibro hammers help reduce both fuel consumption and emissions, making them a more environmentally friendly option.

Are there plans to incorporate electric-powered engines into your excavator-mounted vibro hammers in the future?
We are very excited about this. We are already working on introducing electric-powered vibro hammers and plan to launch them in the first half of 2025. This will be a significant step towards making our equipment even more sustainable. Electric engines will reduce emissions and fuel consumption, leading to a cleaner, greener construction industry.

For more information, visit: https://www.suretech.co.in/