The RISE of Small Sized Excavators in Vietnam

In the bustling heart of Vietnam, where modern skyscrapers rise besides ancient temples and narrow alleyways weave intricate patterns across the landscape, a quiet revolution is taking place. Marked by the persistent hum of engines, the nimble movements of mechanical arms, and the ever-present dust of progress. I visited Vietnam recently and found small-sized excavators have become unlikely heroes of urban development, carving out a new future for Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang key cities in Vietnam ‘s north, south and central regions.

Hanoi, a city of alleys, with its thousand years of history, is a city defined by its labyrinthine alleys and densely packed neighbourhoods. Amidst tight spaces, traditional homes, small shops, and colonial architecture crowd together, leaving little room for large construction machinery. It is in this environment that small excavators have proven invaluable. I spotted a very old Kobelco machine very badly maintained yet working on a very busy street. In the old days when manual labourers with shovels and picks would spend weeks digging foundations projects dragged on forever. The arrival of compact excavators changed everything. Machines manufactured by Kobelco, Doosan and Komatsu now slip through narrow access points and perform digging, lifting, and demolition with remarkable speed and precision.

With a small excavator, a foundation trench can be dug in a day rather than a week. without disruption to the surrounding community, critical in a place where neighbours are separated by only a thin wall. Noise levels, dust, and vibration are minimized, keeping the peace in Hanoi’s close-knit neighbourhoods. The versatility of small excavators in Hanoi extends beyond residential construction. They are used to lay fibre optic cables, repair ancient drainage systems, and even assist in archaeological digs where hand tools were once the only option. As the city continues its rapid modernization, these machines are helping to preserve the delicate balance between old and new.

Deep in the south of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City pulses with a different energy. It is a city of relentless ambition, where motorcycles swarm like flies and glass towers climb ever higher into the sky. Here small excavators have found a different niche- speed and efficiency in the face of a relentless demand. New condominiums and shopping centres are sprouting like bamboo after rain. I spotted, small-sized excavators working alongside towering cranes and concrete mixers, helping contractors to quickly prepare construction sites. Whether digging trenches for utilities or clearing debris, mini excavators are valued for their manoeuvrability in the city’s increasingly congested building sites.

In Ho Chi Minh City, known to most of us as Saigon, time is everything and delays cost lots of money. Small excavators can work faster, in tighter spaces, and with fewer workers, essential for the city.  A major innovation is pairing a small excavator with specialized attachments. Hydraulic breakers, augers, and grapple buckets turn these machines into multi-purpose tools capable of tackling almost any job. This flexibility means that a single machine can shift from breaking concrete to digging post holes in a matter of minutes, maximizing productivity in a city where every minute counts. They are quiet and produce zero emissions and are ideal for work in densely populated urban areas in a city determined to increasingly enforcing environmental regulations.

Coming to the central part of Vietnam, nestled along the coast, Da Nang has transformed itself into Vietnam’s most liveable city, clean, organized, and forward-looking and here I found Doosan and Komatsu small excavators playing a crucial supporting role. Unlike Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, where construction often involves squeezing into the existing urban infrastructure Da Nang’s growth is characterized by planned expansion. New residential areas, IT parks, and green spaces are sprouting in the city. Here, small excavators are indispensable during the infrastructure phase, an essential backbone of a modern metropolis. I found them contributing to the city’s clean and orderly development, ensuring precision and minimal disruption. I could see them, installing sensors, laying fibre optic networks, and creating drainage systems without tearing up entire streets.

Da Nang’s emphasis on green spaces requires landscaping. Compact enough to work in parks and along boulevards without damaging existing trees and structures, I could see small excavators were critical in shaping the city’s many public areas.  Da Nang is vulnerable to extreme weather events and after a storm, small excavators are deployed to clear fallen trees, repair embankments, and restore critical infrastructure. They can reach places larger machines cannot, making them indispensable during recovery efforts.

Across Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, I could make out a clear trend, small excavators are no longer seen as niche machines but as critical tools for urban development. Their compact size, versatility, and technological advancement, from GPS-guided digging to remote-controlled operation positioning them perfectly for the future of construction!

Manufacturers from India, who export to Vietnam must take note and design models tailored for urban environments, quieter, cleaner, and smarter. Focus also on training programs to make sure a skilled workforce is available to operate and maintain these sophisticated machines, embedded into the urban landscape.

As Vietnam’s cities continue to grow and evolve, the humble small-sized excavator stands ready — a mechanical symbol of a nation balancing tradition with innovation, history with ambition. Whether carving foundations in Hanoi’s tangled alleys, racing against deadlines in Ho Chi Minh City’s crowded skyline, or helping Da Nang build a smarter, greener future, I could visualize these compact machines doing more than just moving earth. They are building the very foundations of Vietnam’s tomorrow by ensuring a smarter, greener and smaller future., a trend that is becoming unrecognizable in today’s Vietnam. 

Priyan R Naik
A columnist and independent journalist based in Bengaluru. He writes regularly for The Hindu, The Hindustan Times, Navhind Times, Deccan Herald, Shillong Times, The New Straits Times of Kuala Lumpur, The Star of Malaysia, Ceylon Today of Colombo, Sri Lanka and The Daily Star of Dhaka, Bangladesh.