Mining has always been a steadily growing sector with huge demand for our excavators

- V G SAKTHIKUMAR

Managing Director, Schwing Stetter India

How do you view the demand trend of hydraulic excavators in Indian infrastructure development activities?

SCHWING-XCMG sees a growing demand trend for hydraulic excavators in Indian infrastructure development activities. With the booming of infra projects, the year-on-year growth graph is anticipated to keep rising. This indicates a positive outlook for the market, and our 'Customer-first' approach contributes heavily in maintaining our position as a recognized brand in the CE industry.

What is your take on the revival in the market for excavators?

The cost of raw material which is burdened with import duty and Covid restrictions have taken a toll on the manufacturing sector. But the market has gained a positive traction since 2021 and has followed suit with promising growth projections in the upcoming years. Metro rail projects and highway projects that are ongoing and starting in different parts of the country are acting as main demand drivers while mining has always been a steadily growing sector with huge demand for our excavators.

How is technology evolving in excavators in terms of: productivity, fuel efficiency and operational efficiency?

SCHWING-XCMG has been actively deploying top-notch excavators for the past three years backed up by our premium pan-Indian service and spares support. Our excavator product range consists of machines which fit the requirements of small-scale, mid-sized and large-scale market requirements. Our excavators are priced in economic and premium range in relation to different models available in our product range. The many features that help our machines stand out in the industry are a result of tedious and continuous market research supported our dedicated R&D department. With 18 model variants in our excavator product range, SCHWING-XCMG has been the first choice of Indian CE customers for excavators.

What are the challenges in terms of cost, technology and buying trends?

Schwing Stetter-XCMG is a manufacturer with four factories and one global manufacturing hub and we only deal in selling our machines and do not provide the option of renting our equipment. Affirming this belief, about 80% of the leads we receive are for buying our equipment and we perceive that the market trends point to rising demands in buying construction machinery. The main enquiries we receive regarding the performance or features of our machines mostly pertain to the durability of the structure and technology, the affordability of machine, consistency of output, productivity of the machine and the total reliability of the machine. The rising fuel price is also something our customers see a concern. As a company that firmly believes in customer satisfaction, we have incorporated fuel saving features that does not affect the operating power and torque of the machine.

What is your vision on the growth of excavator market in India?

At Schwing Stetter, we strike a balance in giving profitability for customer and for us by keeping in mind the struggles from customer side in product development/improvement. SCHWING-XCMG is a recognized brand in the market because of our 'Customer-first' approach for doing business. With the demand driving sectors like infra projects, expressway projects, metro rail and mining sector booming, the expected YoY growth graph is expected to keep on rising.

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