By delivering pioneering products and digital-enabled solutions, we help them maximize value and minimize their total cost of operation.
Amit Bansal
Director, Sales & Marketing, Building Constructions Products (BCP) Division, Caterpillar India
What are the different models of skid steer loaders you offer?
Caterpillar made its foray into compact machines segment in India with the Cat®216B3 Skid Steer Loader 7 years back and is continuously growing its share in this segment. We have a wide range of skid steer loaders that we sell globally. However, in India we sell 216B3 which is the best suited model to meet customer requirements. Cat 216B3 is powered by Cat C2.2 Engine generating 48.1 HP gross Power. With its radial lift design, delivers excellent digging performance with outstanding drawbar power.
It is packed with a lot of unique and advanced features.
Can you describe the key features that enhance the performance and efficiency of your skid steer loaders?
Our skid steer loaders offer ease of operation in small areas, best in class fuel efficiency, smooth operations in tough condition, faster loading cycles & high efficiency.
Operator Comfort: Standard Pilot operated Joystick Controls, comfortable seat, and ergonomically designed console result in reduced operator fatigue and increased productivity. Advanced load sensing anti-stall hydraulic system coupled with high efficiency cooling package provides excellent and uninterrupted performance. Hand and foot throttle allows operator to better match the engine power to requirement in work.
Advanced Technology: Cat Product Link (Telematics) a standard feature, wirelessly connects customer to their equipment giving valuable insights such as location, hours worked providing the ability to track the machines remotely. Broad range of performance matched Cat Work Tools make the Cat 216B3 Skid Steer Loader the most versatile machine on the job site.
Productivity: Cat Skid Steer Loaders are fitted with a load sensing Piston pump which varies the flow according to the demands. The machine is fitted with foot throttle that can be used to adjust the Engine RPM according to the demand. It has a higher load lifting capacity. All these make the machine highly productive. Temperature could be one of the biggest challenges for a hydraulic machine and a major reason for the downtime. The machine has a patented cooling package design that keeps the hydraulic temperature at a lower level. The Hydraulic tank also has a unique bubble shape design to allow heat dissipation and remove cavitation that prolongs life of hydraulic components.
Efficiency: A very important feature of the machine is its compactness and manoeuvrability. This is because the machine e.g., Cat 216B3 is only about 5 ft wide and 10.5ft in length. It turns by skidding and can rotate within its own envelope. It requires only 1/8th of the space to make a turn compared to a back-hoe loader. Many of the high-rise building have a height restriction of 2.5m on especially basement, lower and upper basement used for car parking. This machine overall height is a shade less than 2m which makes it an ideal choice. Also, this machine can handle the ramps between these basement floors very comfortably carrying material as it is a hydrostatic machine, and all the wheels get the power and hence the traction. Though forklifts are also widely used in high rise building construction they have limitations. Skid Steer Loaders scores over them in certain areas. SSL can work in both proper flat surface and uneven soil surface in the site. SSL with pallet fork attachment can also be moved at an angle on the go while moving up and down the ramp to maintain the balance.
Easy to Maintain: The improved analytical and service capabilities such as telematics, inspections, SOS Services, as well as eCommerce platforms like www.Parts.Cat.Com, and other dealer specific mobile applications are making it easy for our customers to own, operate and maintain the equipment at a click of a button.
What type of after-sales support do you offer to your customers?
As a company, we are committed to understanding the needs of our customers. By delivering pioneering products and digital-enabled solutions, we help them maximize value and minimize their total cost of operation. We offer ‘Aftermarket Performance Customer Value Agreements’ (CVAs), to support hassle-free service to customers at any point in the machine lifecycle to help maximize machine performance and utilization. This includes dealer technician support using genuine Cat parts for certain planned maintenance and fluid health management to help identify issues before they cause unexpected downtime. Customers can contact their dealer to know more about CVAs and other offers. Long-standing Cat dealers, Gainwell Commo Sales India Pvt Ltd (GCPL) and Gmmco Ltd have all the technical information, training, access to the latest updates to provide reliable services to our customers.
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.
Cat Reman and Rebuild product offerings as well as the range of repair options help to lower the equipment owning costs. Cat equipment is built to be rebuilt and recondition and the Cat Certified machine Rebuild options can transform the used machines, bring new life to assets with like-new performance at a fraction of the cost of a new machine. Cat Reman uses less resources and helps meet global customer demand while supporting a circular economy and building a better, more sustainable world.
What future developments or innovations are you working on for your skid steer loaders?
At Caterpillar, we will continue developing and providing comprehensive solutions that help our customers become more successful with technology, financing, and aftermarket offerings. Our state-of-the-art R&D centers in Chennai and Bengaluru remain at the forefront of innovation. We continue to invest in advanced research and development initiatives to create innovative solutions that drive the industry forward. We innovate in several areas that advance our customer’s goals, including alternative fuels, batteries, sustainable power solutions, autonomy and automation, digital capabilities, supply chain & logistics, and many more.
