Author: James Morgan
Keestrack and Sandvik tell James Morgan how they are capitalising on rising demand for crushers across the Middle East’s mining, quarrying, construction and infrastructure sectors. While the Middle East has long since been a global hub for mining and quarrying operations, these sectors appear to be playing an especially important role in the region’s post-pandemic recovery. Home to several industry giants, the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, for example, was forecast to register economic growth of 3 percent in 2021 according to analysis from S&P Global, thanks in no small part to rising mining volumes. The report highlighted various drivers…
Gaby Rhayem tells James Morgan why the ongoing expansion of Bobcat’s MEA product offering is transforming the manufacturer from a compact specialist into an all-round heavy hitter. While it is not always advisable to begin a feature with a history lesson, it is occasionally necessary. Given the tumultuous few years that US-headquartered Bobcat has witnessed, this is just such an occasion. In 2018, after seven years of joint operations, the brand’s South Korean parent company took the decision to split Doosan and Bobcat into independent outfits. Last year, Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings (HHIH) acquired a controlling stake in the former,…
Category: Small articulated loader (SAL) Engine power: 18kW | 25 hp Max. tipping load: 1.39 tonnes Max. lift height: 2.65m Operating weight: 1.9 tonnes
Although Bobcat has been active across African markets for many years, it’s fair to say that the manufacturer’s activity in the region has accelerated significantly of late. Bobcat’s MEA division recently announced that it had signed new authorised dealers in Zimbabwe and Sudan, and outlined its intention to identify partners in Botswana, Namibia and Zambia in the near future. The news followed a successful first year for Sodim TP, Bobcat’s authorised dealer in Gabon. After joining forces in Q4 2020, the companies succeeded in carving out a more-than 20 percent share of the country’s compact equipment market during the course…
Ala’a Ghazaleh tells James Morgan why Masaha Global’s dual status as dealer and rental operator has enabled it to expand its business, despite Kuwait’s pandemic-plagued equipment market. Governments the world over have seen their fiscal forecasts turned upside down during the past two years, and Kuwait is no exception. What’s more, as it faces what is expected to be its ninth budget deficit in a row, the Gulf country’s economic woes cannot be attributed solely to Covid-19. Even so, things may be looking up for the Gulf state. In January, Bloomberg reported that Kuwait had forecast a narrower budget deficit…
Powerplus Group and Nigerian Sinotrucks discuss why, despite political and pandemic-related challenges, they remain cautiously optimistic about Africa’s dump truck market in 2022. Africa’s construction professionals certainly haven’t had it easy during the past two years. Logistical challenges stemming from the global pandemic have been compounded by political and economic issues across multiple markets, resulting in sustained pressure for the industry. Commenting in December following the publication of RIB CCS’s 2022 Construction Industry Outlook, the company’s CEO Andrew Skudder noted: “In South Africa alone, the total value of plans passed for building construction fell by 37 percent year-on-year in the…
Al-Bahar and Hitachi tell James Morgan why it will take more than a global pandemic to dampen demand for tracked excavators on the construction sites of the Middle East. As is the case in the wake of any crisis, economic commentators have been forced to hit the reset button during recent years, and with good reason. Without making the distinction between pre- and post-pandemic figures, contrasting the year-on-year performance of the construction industry would be akin to comparing apples with oranges. It just wouldn’t make sense. Total contract awards for GCC construction projects dropped by 35 percent to just $69…
Liebherr, Tadano and Johnson Arabia tell James Morgan why even COVID-19 hasn’t stopped mobile cranes doing the heavy lifting on the Middle East’s construction, infrastructure and energy projects. While few would argue that the global pandemic has been beneficial for the Middle East’s construction equipment market, many within the region’s mobile crane sector remain pragmatic about the effects that have been felt so far, not to mention optimistic about their companies’ prospects for the future. And why not? The sector’s long-term forecast certainly looks rosy. ResearchAndMarkets.com estimates that the size of the GCC construction equipment market will increase to approximately…
Michael Kerler, General Manager of Quarry Mining Group, tells James Morgan how Stiebel Industries’ UAE assembly facility is slashing downtime for its customers in the Middle East. Owing to the ever-increasing demand for materials used in the development of renewable energy projects, the mining industry looks set to play a crucial role in paving the way for our sustainable future. Indeed, the sector has now entered its “most important decade”, according to Rohitesh Dhawan, CEO of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM). As General Manager of Quarry Mining Group, which includes the outfits Quarry Mining, German Conveyor and…