Mahindra EarthMaster SX, the advanced backhoe loader offers a guarantee on its performance. Companies are making bold statements like “highest productivity per litre of fuel consumed or return the machine” because fuel efficiency is so important to customers, says Jalaj Gupta, Business Head for CV at Mahindra & Mahindra.

How is the demand for construction equipment faring in rural and semi-urban infrastructure projects?

Infrastructure plays a very important role in supporting a nation’s economic growth, and the same is the case with India. If we talk about rural infrastructure in the country, then it is crucial for agriculture, agro-industries, and poverty alleviation in rural areas. Typically, rural infrastructure in the country encompasses rural roads, major dams and canal works for irrigation and drainage, rural housing, rural water supply, rural electrification, and rural telecommunication connectivity. Rural infrastructure has the potential to provide basic amenities to people that can improve their quality of life. For example, rural infrastructure development can lead to improved access to market centres for rural producers, increased availability of inputs and raw materials at lower prices, and increased mobility. As per the road statistics published by the central government for the year 2012–13, rural roads span 60.39 km of every 100 km. This means that rural areas account for more than 60% of road infrastructure activity. With the focus shifting to developing rural infrastructure, including roads, houses, electrification projects, irrigation facilities, and other infrastructure, the need for construction equipment is also increasing to develop such infrastructure. This has led to the growth of many indigenous construction equipment manufacturers in the country. Of all the names, one company that has greatly contributed to the rural infrastructure development in the country is Mahindra Construction Equipment (MCE). MCE offers the Mahindra EarthMaster backhoe loaders and RoadMaster G75 Smart motor graders, which are the most affordable and incomparable indigenous equipment in the country at present and meet all the rural infrastructure development needs. The two pieces of equipment are equipped with the latest technologies and intelligent features to boost productivity and are suited to work in any environment and on any terrain in the country.

The continuous infrastructure push has fueled the need for innovative equipment on job sites. How are project promoters and contractors increasing financial scalability?

With the change in pollution norms and increasing fuel prices, machines and the technology around them must evolve. We have seen machines becoming smarter, using less fuel, and improving production. These machines are also helping control pollution by producing fewer emissions. Along with telematics, which is now available in almost all equipment, these machines communicate with the owner in the same way that any other mobile application does. It’s downright amazing how smart technology is beginning to impact the construction industry in diverse ways. This technology comes at a cost. And the question is whether our customers are ready to pay for this technology. Indian small contractors still need machines that are cost-effective and suit their applications. Any technology that is not relevant to the requirements of the site is not useful. For this purpose, only Mahindra’s R&D division is continuously working to innovate new, cost-effective products that are technologically advanced and do not hamper project budgets. Our iMAXX telematics is a cutting-edge technology that provides our customers with the most up-to-date machine information. With its features, the customer can now track the machine’s location and the fuel log from their mobile device. Geofencing and fuel theft alerts are some of the advanced features of iMAXX.

This improvement also needs highly qualified personnel for efficient management. How are businesses offering value in technical training for remote equipment operators?

The technology used in the machine is very user-friendly. We have dedicated training centres to train our sales and service teams on the technological upgrades happening in equipment. Technical qualification is a must for the people handling these machines. However, technology has assisted us in analysing and assessing the equipment. Our team is providing training to both customers and operators on machine features and iMAXX. In a nutshell, as technology advances, so does the overall TG surrounding construction equipment.

What effect does the increased emphasis on fuel-efficient and energy-efficient equipment have on the cost of equipment to contractors and the cost of equipment rentals?

Fuel efficiency measures the amount of work you can do with every litre. For a CES to be best-in-class, fuel efficiency is the primary requirement. Here are the two major benefits of using fuel-efficient cars:

Reduces cost: Do more with less. It is a known fact that the construction industry requires huge sums of money for the smooth running of the business. From small developers to big giants in the infrastructure segment, everyone is always on the lookout for various ways to reduce the costs incurred and make more profit. In such a scenario, the heavy equipment only adds to the cost, as even after purchasing these machines, companies still need a lot of money for fuel and maintenance. If the former is taken care of by fuel-efficient machines, then the cost can be reduced drastically.

Reduce energy waste: protect the environment: fuel-efficient computers emit far less smoke, reduce energy waste, and thus protect the environment from pollution. Fuel-efficient equipment benefits not only the environment but also construction companies by lowering the overall cost of equipment maintenance.

Because of the growing demand from end users for fuel-efficient equipment, CE manufacturers have begun developing technology that uses less fuel while increasing productivity and profitability. So, many companies have come up with different innovative solutions to meet customers’ expectations. Among such pioneering Indian companies are Mahindra Construction Equipment and its range of backhoe loaders and motor graders.

For more details visit: https://www.mahindra.com/