Case India’s compaction line offers proper control over the machine resulting in good compaction of the subgrade and ensures the shear strength of soil remains high, says Sandeep Mathur, India CE – Brand Leader, Case India.

How is the construction of roads and highways progressing in 2021?
The year 2020 was a tough year for all the sectors and economies. However, announcements post-mid-year helped the sector in getting back its momentum. For 2021, the Government of India has proclaimed a multitude of announcements and new projects in the budget. The government has added around 7,400 new projects which will ensure a better year for the infrastructure sector as well as for the construction equipment industry. More highway projects have been awarded in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam and all these will give a much needed boost to the sector. Further, an announcement of introduction of the Development Finance Institution providing Rs 20,000 crore have been made to launch the National Asset Monetization Pipeline and fund new infra projects. Hence, the prospects of this year are positive for the CE sector.

We at Case are ready with our equipment to help the Indian infrastructure reach new heights. We are confident that all these efforts will play an important role in reviving the sector and bringing back the economy to normalcy.

What kind of steps need to be taken to ensure the road and construction sector remains mobilised throughout the year?
The government is doing its best to ensure the pace of the sector remains stable. Multiple projects have been announced which will give the construction sector a momentum. However, last year (2020) gave a lot of clarity in terms of the sectors crucial elements. One of them is the NBFC sector. The year 2020 reflected the importance of NBFCs in a financially troubling time. It is important to widen the sector and entangle the problems/ crises which stop it from growing. This year’s budget offered the solution by changing the loan repayment policy and giving the NBFCs autonomy over the quick repayment methods. Similarly, In India, the secondary market for used building equipment is not established. Thus, the resale of the equipment used is a growing problem for sellers of construction equipment.

The absence of skilled labour is another cause of concern for the construction sector. 2020 witnessed a strong digital and technological wave. To increase India’s technology tolerance and keep this digital thrust going, we need to work on improving the skill set of labour. This year the government has also announced Rs 1.97 trillion to the manufacturing sector over five years and a rise in the customs duties on the auto parts. Although the move has been made to reduce the dependency on imported products and boost local manufacturing, this sudden increase might hit the MSME players initially a bit hard.

Even though the current budget ensures the stability of the road and construction sector, if the steps mentioned above are taken into further consideration, a strong momentum could be built for the sector helping it in the long run.

How important is the role of the shear strength of soil in the construction and maintenance of highways?
Soil plays an important role in the longevity of roads and highways. The correct layering and churning of materials and proper compaction by good equipment ensure the durability of a highway. While compacting, we need to focus on maintaining an adequate density of the materials. The lack of or excessive compacting can lead to deformation or erosion causing cracks and leaks in the concrete structure after construction.

At Case, we recognize the importance of proper compaction leading to a durable infrastructure. Case India’s compaction line offers proper control over the machine resulting in good compaction of the subgrade and ensures the shear strength of soil remains high. Case India Soil compactors come equipped with a compactor meter which helps in avoiding over compaction of the soil by analyzing the amplitude, frequency, and ICV (intelligence compaction value). The Compaction Meter determines the density of soil and other materials and acts as a defense mechanism against unseen soil compaction. The automated functions in the cab also include an electrohydraulic joystick to customize the reversing and steering sensitivity, making the drivers’ job easy, allowing them to achieve shorter cycle times and boost productivity. Case believes in doing the work rightly, which sustains for a long period.

What kind of equipment in your portfolio are witnessing a demand?
At Case Construction Equipment, we consider ourselves ‘Experts for the Real World’ a rallying cry that is not just a slogan on paper, but a permeating process across functions and geographies. Our products too are designed with this ethos, each one being an expert in solving real-world challenges. Our Vibratory Compactors are perhaps the most awarded machines in the industry and strongly anchor our road construction line of solutions. We have witnessed a robust demand for these through 2020 and are confident of the demand increasing in 2021, given the increase in road and highway projects announced by the Govt. of India during the annual budget.

With a 100 per cent FDI being allowed in coal mining, there are predictions for a surge in investments in the mining sector, further strengthening the demand for our heavy line machines such as Dozers, Graders and our newly launched 22-Ton Crawler Excavator the CX220C.

The Backhoe Loader segment, perhaps the most competitive segment in India is primed for growth in 2021, given its sluggish movement in 2020. Case India has exciting offerings in this space that are to be launched in 2021, and we’re confident that we will be able to cater to this demand with versatile, productive and reliable machines. Our current line of Backhoe Loaders continues to be our volume driver – despite an industry disruption and slowdown in 2020. Case India witnessed a surge in demand for its Loader Backhoes, reaffirming their status as best in class machines.