The difficult times and slow economy encouraged the industry players to innovate in order to come back.

– Sandeep Mathur

Brand Leader, CASE New Holland CE

The economy is on a slow growth path. What will be the impact of this on the construction equipment market?

After the second wave of Covid-19, the economy is reviving and the construction equipment industry is expected to change a lot due to technological advancements. The difficult times and slow economy encouraged the industry players to innovate in order to come back and hence, there is immense potential for growth in the near future. Also, the industry has witnessed support from the government in terms of new infrastructure development announcements in India. As earthmoving equipment is necessarily required for big construction projects, we are manufacturing machines with features that provide greater safety and security.

With continuous developments and initiatives, the construction industry will become smart and vigilant to cope with the economic transitions. The Indian market is slowly coming back on its feet and the future looks bright for the development of the country as well as the CE Sector.

What are the demand drivers for construction equipment and how geared up are you to meet this demand surge?

The rental market has emerged as one of the major growth drivers. The announcement of infrastructure projects, rising fuel prices, and other factors have contributed to an increase in the rental market. Renting construction equipment benefits both consumers and the industry since it removes maintenance expenditures for customers, allowing them to focus on smooth operations and reducing downtime. The machines may be used for a variety of activities thus saving fuel expenses.

CASE CE has always stayed on top of cutting-edge technology in order to provide consumers with the greatest products that demonstrate excellence. We are working towards providing machines on time to meet the demand and are also slated for new launches in 2022 which will potentially benefit the customers and the business.

How advanced have you been in digitalising your processes and product portfolio to ensure a better market share?

Currently, the industry 4.0 approach is prominent where manufacturers are using mechanical tools along with advanced technology to offer machines with excellent efficiency and productivity to their customers. CASE also hopped on to the bandwagon when it launched the SiteWatch platform. It is an exciting feature that comes with a new dashboard and intuitive navigation. CASE has always believed in moving forward with the new challenges and we are working towards bringing in digitalisation with new products that are smart, versatile, and loved by the customers, thus increasing our market share.

Digitalisation is on the top of the minds in the industry and manufacturers are gradually adapting to it to offer the best services to the customers. As the dependency on technology has increased, the CE industry is finding its way to use the new technology to the best of its potential.

What are your initiatives in skill development of people, especially in this post-pandemic scenario?

CASE prioritises its customers, and as a company, we offer an array of programs and training to our customers on machine operation and maintenance. We constantly conduct training on machine delivery, after market assistance, and online training if necessary due to unforeseen circumstances. Our service campaigns reach out to operators on a regular basis to counsel them on the best maintenance practices for specific sub-assemblies of machines. This service can aid the operator to understand the equipment and increase field productivity.

CASE also offers online operator training on a regular basis for the benefit of its customers. The team offers further assistance through online tutorials on the CASE YouTube channel, which clarify the functions of the equipment. During the difficult times of the Covid-19 pandemic, we even continued to give training support through online training programs to develop their abilities for improved machine operation. In addition, we provide pocket booklets for machine maintenance and decals on specific equipment for regular maintenance. These books can serve as a one-stop source for operators to become acquainted with the features of the machine.

CASE also has an interesting operators loyalty program known as the ‘CASE Sankalp Program.’ This is a technology-based digital program to engage and incentivise the operators, thereby ensure the genuine parts usage.

What are the challenges faced by you as a major player and what are your suggestions to iron out these challenges?

Being a part of a competitive industry, there are various challenges on the way to achieving the targets. There are numerous hindrances while upgrading to digital methods and automation due to a lack of adequate training and education. CASE India ensures that its customers and operators are well-trained by hosting training programs on how to use the new machines.

On the other hand, there are some challenges such as shortage of labour, shortage of availability of machines for training, etc. These challenges can be tackled gradually as the industry is thriving and there is increasing demand for construction equipment for new projects, especially for the road projects.

To address the current issues such as rising fuel prices, the maintenance cost of machines, etc, we are working towards making the machines fuel-efficient by introducing BS4-compliant machines. These machines reduce operating costs and encourage the use of alternate fuel which is beneficial for the environment. We are hopeful that with continuous support from the government, the industry will be able to iron out the challenges smoothly.

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