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Ajay Aneja Chief Marketing Officer, AJAX Engineering How do you experience the demand for concrete as there are increased construction activities happening in transportation infrastructure, irrigation, and realty segments? On the back of
– Ajay Aneja
Chief Marketing Officer, AJAX Engineering
How do you experience the demand for concrete as there are increased construction activities happening in transportation infrastructure, irrigation, and realty segments?
On the back of slowdown in the construction activity, the Indian CE industry experienced 23% drop in sales at the end of the third quarter of the current financial year (Q3FY22) compared to Q3FY21, as per the ICEMA. The construction equipment sales suffered on account of multiple factors, the most noteworthy being the significant slowdown in road construction activity hitting a 4-year low of 21.3 km/day over the period April to November 2021 compared to 25.8 km/day in the same period last year. The construction ban from CAQM (Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region) in Delhi NCR and extended monsoon in some parts of Southern and Eastern regions of the country adversely impacted the growth in the third quarter.
Concrete equipment industry is also being impacted for the above reasons. Steel and cement steep price increase, coupled with the implementation of CEV 4 and huge increase in Diesel prices has impacted the end customer. On one end his costs for executing the projects have increased due to input costs going up and on the other end there has been a liquidity issue in the market.
With the active support of the Government and larger number of new projects being in progress, we can expect the demand for equipment to grow in coming months. India has one of the densest road networks in the world but lacks in the number of multilane highways.
What is the current market size of concrete equipment viz, concrete batching plant, concrete pumps, transit mixers and concrete pavers?
As per the ICEMA, Batching Plants has witnessed 45% growth YoY (YTD Dec’21) and expected to cross 1000 Units this FY 22 considering its performance in FY 22 -Q3.Concrete Pumps has grown by 75% this Financial Year compared to FY 21 (YTD Dec’ 21) and we expect the nos. to touch 1600 by end of FY 22.Transit Mixer market has done well this Financial Year with a 120% growth compared toFY 21 (YTD Dec’ 21). The TM market is expected to cross 6200 – 6400 Units in FY 22.
The Concrete Slip Form Paver market is small. Around 90% of the NHAI projects are awarded this year are with Flexible pavements and only 10% projects announced which are of concrete roads, there is large population of Existing slip form paver’s that is idle, hence the demand for new slip form pavers will take time to grow.
What are the emerging trends in concrete batching plants? What are the key solutions form the company?
Based on the value, the batching plant segment is one of the largest in India’s concrete equipment market. The growth of the segment is led by growing customer preference for higher capacity and technologically advanced batching plants. Factors such as the increasing number of construction projects, shorter completion time, and demand for customized solutions by end-users are further fuelling the growth of this segment. We have widened our Batching Plants portfolio with higher capacity batching Plants of 75, 90 & 120m³ to suit customer needs and we offer a complete range from 20 m³ to 120 m³
How is technology evolving in concrete pumping and placing?
Over the last three decades, the need for energy efficiency, higher productivity, easy mobility, and flexibility has been our focus to meet growing customer needs. Increasing urbanization, high-rise residential and commercial buildings, modern industrial infrastructure, and the nationwide rural development programs have resulted in demand for a range of concrete pumping solutions.
What are the major types of concrete pumps used in construction projects?
The Stationary Pump and Boom pumps are conventionally known Concrete pumps. At Ajax Engineering, we Introduced a new patented product – Self-Propelled Boom Pump for the first time in India as we committed to technology excellence and product innovation. Self-Propelled Boom Pump – is a complete solution that is built on AJAX’s own chassis with 4×4 transmission, three-way steering, a lightweight compact design, and a fuel-efficient engine. The 25m Boom Pump mounted on this chassis has a revolutionary design to utilize the full boom length to reach unreachable spaces in less accessible areas and deliver concrete effectively. The smaller tight turning radius is the major differentiator between the conventional boom pumps as it enables better manoeuvrability at confined site conditions. This unique product will deliver more value to customers in coming days.
What are the key maintenance practices to be followed for the upkeep of concrete equipment viz batching plants, pumps, and transit mixers?
The key maintenance practices that need to be followed for a good upkeep of Concrete Equipment are:
- Adherence to manufacturer’s recommended equipment maintenance schedules
- Ensure to follow the recommended schedule that need to be performed at the regular intervals as advised as these schedules designed to keep the equipment in peak operating condition, not only for performance reasons but also for safety reasons
- Inspect the equipment on regular basis
- Despite adherence to the regularly scheduled maintenance, wearable parts can become worn or damaged, simply through use, especially heavy use, or adverse conditions. Inspect belts, hoses, tires on regular basis and identity signs of wear and tear, also pay attention to holes, fraying and any leaks
- Involve the operators in the equipment maintenance program
- Equipment operators are the First technician as they know how each individual machine runs and can often tell when the machine is “acting up”. Inspections by the operators before and after each shift are perfect opportunities to find and identify issues before they become major problems.
AJAX’s Support Network is spread across the length and breadth of the country, ensuring customers are never far away from the timely service when required. AJAX has a wide geographical spread with more than 35+ Dealers across the Country along with over 100 touch points catering to the sales & after-sales support to its customers.
How do you look at the growth trend of various types of concrete equipment? What is the market outlook?
With the active support of the Government and larger number of new projects being in progress, we can expect the demand for equipment to grow in coming months.
In the coming years, most growth in the construction industry is likely to come from 3 main segments – the urban sector, rural sector, and the transportation sector. This indicates a robust growth of the equipment sector of India, in the near future.
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