We will be opening our training platform accessible to our customers: Haulotte Academy.

Souma Ray

- Director, Haulotte India

With the ever changing marketplace and ever increasing safety standards, Haulotte has incorporated special safety features on its range of models. Souma Ray, Director, Haulotte India throws light on the changing trends in the access equipment segment. Excerpts from the interview…

How do you see the demand scenario of access equipment in the wake of government's strong commitment of massive investment in the infrastructure?

The economic downturn unleashed by the Covid pandemic in 2020 has affected all industries, sectors and business across the world. 2021 is a year of consolidation and I feel that the specific attention given by the government towards infrastructure in Budget for 2021would certainly help in recovery on the construction, earthmoving and the industrial equipment sector. However, I don't foresee a sudden spurt in demand of access equipment in 2021 as the mood is still very cautious and businesses still are on a wait and watch approach, but for sure from 2022 onwards we are likely to witness revival in this sector.

What are the advanced technological trends evolving in the access equipment - aerial work platforms / telehandlers / scissor lifts etc? 

The evolution in technology is a constant for any equipment and so it is for access equipment too. We at Haulotte have introduced many such state-of-the-art technological features in our machines. To name a few- the HaulotteActiv Screen which is an on-board diagnostic tool which help the technicians to manage daily machine maintenance, adjust the parameters and perform diagnosis., Active Energy management system for optimisation and longer life of batteries with centralised battery filing option, Activ Shield Bar 2.0 secondary guarding and Anti entrapment system, Activ Lighting System- to aid in night-time loading and operations, Stop Emmission System for conserving fuel by automatically shutting off the engine after 90 sec of non-use. However, when power is needed the engine can be restarted by just pressing the deadman pedal.

How do you assess the shift towards electrification in the access equipment segment? Brief us on the development in your range of access equipment? 

Haulottes new generation fully electric architecture offers the same outstanding drive performance of an internal combustion diesel machine. These new generation of scissor lifts & boom lifts reinforces the direction taken by Haulotte in recent years towards versatility and environmentally friendly alternative energies: Haulotte “Blue Strategy”. More and more countries and cities there in are taking steps to reduce their environmental footprint. Accordingly, the Haulotte new generation Pulseo electric machines operate with no harmful emissions. They offer a clean alternative suited to any situation, such as Low Emission Zones (LEZ), or green construction sites. Further they can work both indoors as well as outdoors, as required. The latest Pulseomachines operate in silence (acoustic profile < 60 dB in electric mode), they are perfect for work in low-noise areas or public places without bothering people nearby.

How advanced electronics and digital platforms have impacted the safety aspects of access equipment? Could you brief couple of such features in your range you are excited about?

At Haulotte Safety is not an option. The HaulotteActiv' Shield Bar2.0 provides the highest level of safety for aerial platform operators. In an entrapment situation, the operator is pushed towards the bar and the machine stops automatically. The large clearance space, the Safety Gap, protects the operator from the entrapment.

Similarly, the HaulotteActiv' Lighting System is simply essential to ensure the safety of the driver during loading and unloading operations. Headlights and lighting points installed to avoid any risk of operator glare. Minimum of 10 lighting points ideally placed around the machine. The operator can safely access, accurately control and identify obstacles and edges clearly in the working area.

How supportive is the existing regulatory framework and what further measures do you expect from state / central government authorities? 

Unfortunately, India lacks having any regulations when it comes to working at height. Whilst in developed countries if work has to be done over 3m height, it is mandatory to use access equipment, but it's not so in India, as we can find the same traditional stop gap arrangements at working ate height, like bamboo scaffoldings, fabricated baskets hung on slings from a crane are use which not only can result in accident& fatalities but also affects actual productivity.

It is definitely the need of the hour for our government to pass legislations to entail safe working at heights.

How does the rental scenario look like? What are the major challenges the industry and the rental segments facing?

The access equipment rental segment had started to see good growth over the past 3 years prior to the pandemic which hugely affected the segment. The long stretch of lockdown resulted their entire operation to come to a grinding halt. Coupled with this cropped up issues of non-payment from customers and the reverse migration of skilled manpower that happened. Although post the relaxations of lockdown in June 2020 work started to trickle in, however they are still fighting the after-effects like Lack of funds, poor payments realisation from customers, drop-in rental rates and lack of manpower. The utilisation rates are well below the pre Covid levels.

What is your outlook for the next couple of years? Are there any new application segment opening up? Also tell us your roadmap in terms of investment / new launch etc?

For next couple of years all business segments need to consolidate and rebuild. Whilst the wait for the vaccine is over but then the deployment and inoculation of the larger population of the world will take substantial time. Under the circumstances, the approach of investments shall generally remain cautious.

As far as the Haulotte is concerned, 2021 promises to be full of news. We are building a new production unit in Changzhou, Jiangsu province in China (with an inauguration planned for 2022). This new 4.0 factory, reflecting Haulotte's ambition in Asia, will be constructed on an 80,000 m² site. The 44,000 m² building will considerably expand the range of locally produced telescopic and articulated platforms with production volumes multiplied by 4 or 5. Also, Haulotte will offer at least three new 100% electric models this year. Scissor lifts, from the Pulseo, HS15 & 18 E range are already available. An access platform will be launched at the end of February, followed by new small scissor lifts planned for the end of the year. Now, all the Haulotte model machines are 100% electric and connected with embedded software. It allows a permanent dialogue between the Haulotte machine and the user, the repairer, the rental company, the fleet manager, etc.

Finally, our global product/service offer enriched with the launch of Sherpal, our new telematics solution for fleet management. The latter goes along with our complete suite of services, grouped and accessible from a single web address: myhaulotte.com.

In addition to this, we will be opening our training platform accessible to our customers: Haulotte Academy.

In conclusion, 2021 and 2022 will be a turning point in Haulotte's approach to markets and customer demand: more attentive, more flexible, more responsive, and more innovative, further illustrating our motto: Let's Dare Together!

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