We Are Focused On Providing Comprehensive Solutions To Our Customers.

Amit Bansal

Marketing Head, Building Construction Products Division, Caterpillar

How is the construction equipment market gaining pace in India? What are the demand drivers?

Rapid expansion of mining operations and infrastructure projects in the Asia Pacific region has led to a parallel growth of the construction equipment market. Below are the key trends shaping the industry:

• Growing demand for infrastructure – The growth of construction industry is at the heart of India’s economic progress. The need for infrastructure such as railroads, roads and highways, dedicated freight corridors, airports, electrification and many more necessitates a wide variety of major infrastructure projects across the country. The Government of India is increasing its focus on development through projects like Bharat Mala, Sagar Mala, National Infrastructure Pipeline, prioritising advancements in transportation, energy and urbanisation. Together, all these projects would lead to growth of the construction equipment market across the rural as well as urban segment of the country.
• Technological advancement – Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) into machines has led to improvement in overall productivity of operations, machine health and fuel efficiency.
• Growing demand for large load capacity – Customers are looking to capture more opportunities and be a part of different projects. They want to maximise productivity and do their jobs faster and more efficiently. This has led to a rising demand for large capacity equipment and machinery.

How are you meeting the needs of customers in a time-bound and cost-effective way?

We are committed to understanding the evolving needs of our customers and delivering pioneering products and services with a focus on technology-enabled solutions and aftermarket.

Our wheel loaders are designed to handle all the jobs on worksite. The machine is fine-tuned with the right technologies for the right applications, which results in lower operating costs, higher performance, and improved reliability across a variety of applications. The machine is built with linkage options and an extensive range of work tools and bucket styles is available to customise these machines for customer’s operation. 

Our backhoe loaders set the industry standard for operator comfort, exceptional performance, versatility, and jobsite efficiency. They deliver the power and precise handling customer need when operating in areas where using larger equipment is not practical. Cat^® backhoe loaders provide superior digging, trenching, back-filling, and material handling capability and can be used for many applications, including but not limited to general construction, demolitions and excavations, landscaping, breaking asphalt and paving.

The Cat 424 backhoe loader with Cat C3.6 engine delivers 41.3% higher peak torque to improve machine performance. This provides high fuel efficiency with up to 20% fuel saving over the previous model when operated in the new Eco mode.

We are focused on providing comprehensive solutions to our customers which includes cutting edge technology, financing and aftermarket offerings designed to increase the value proposition of Cat equipment.

Our Cat Financial services help customers in making the best choice to support their business no matter how big or small, whether it be for new or used Cat machines or for repair/rebuild options to keep their current machines operational. Cat Financial provides retail and wholesale financing solutions and extended protection products to Cat customers and dealers for the complete line of Cat machinery and engines. Whether the customers are looking to finance equipment, acquire working capital, improve cash flow, or protect their investment, Cat Financial understands the customers’ businesses and has the solutions to fit their needs. We offer quality service throughout the life cycle of equipment including purchase, protect, manage, and resell.

Customer Value Agreements (CVAs) can support hassle-free service to customers at any point in the machine lifecycle to help maximise machine performance and utilisation. Customers can contact their dealer to know more about CVAs and other offers.

What are your plans for Excon 2023 to attract customers?

Excon 2023 is an opportunity to showcase our customers that we are ready to join their force and work synergically towards shaping India’s infrastructure landscape. With the construction of smart and sustainable infrastructure, which includes projects such as ports, bridges, dams, roads and urban cities, gaining momentum, we act prepared with our advanced machinery and solutions to actively support this wave of infrastructure development. This year, our objectives are:

• To showcase Caterpillar’s comprehensive product solutions with the range of Cat and other Caterpillar brand equipment, highlight latest offerings, aftermarket services and financial solutions that differentiate us from our competitors
• To highlight technology and solutions designed to improve productivity, efficiency, safety, and profitability to the customers of Indian construction equipment industry
• To reflect upon our commitment to sustainability by offering integrated and differentiated solutions that are designed to help customers reach their sustainability goals

How are your technologies and services going to address the changing needs of the customers?

Caterpillar is committed to understanding the needs of customers and delivering pioneering products with a focus on digital-enabled solutions and aftermarket. We are helping customers increase uptime and operational efficiency by harnessing machine learning and advanced analytics. These technologies enable us to provide one-of-a-kind insights backed by engineering expertise and data, empowering customers to prevent component failures and build added value into every asset.

Today, virtually all new machines come with connective capabilities built in, and we have also developed digital solutions for non-connected assets. Our easy-to-use app, Cat Inspect, is a popular tool for connected and non-connected assets alike, enabling users to download and perform step-by-step equipment inspections. Much like going to the doctor, examining equipment is an important tool for diagnosing and addressing potential issues. The app provides a streamlined approach to overall equipment management, with options to track changes, create custom reports and capture on-the-go notes. Customers can also share photos and videos in their online inspection forms, providing dealers and service techs with the information needed to provide best-in-class support.

Similarly, Cat Service Information System (SIS) puts valuable asset information within customers’ and dealers’ reach. We recently completed the digitisation of SIS, called SIS 2.0, which we’ve optimised to make it easier to use than ever. The digital system hosts repair and troubleshooting information for Cat products dating back more than 40 years. With two million service graphics and 1.5-million-part numbers, this tool is a great example of how we can create added value by digitising historic service information. SIS 2.0 also includes new remote troubleshooting capabilities and seamless eCommerce integration so that customers and service technicians can easily access repair instructions and order the correct parts.