Mercedes-Benz Trucks Concludes The Actros’ Silver Jubilee In South Africa

    December 6, 2023

    Sandvik Introduces AutoMine For Underground Drills

    December 6, 2023

    AJI Rentals Adds Energy Storage System To Its Fleet For Middle East Construction Sites

    December 6, 2023

    Big 5 Global 2023 Opens In Dubai Spotlighting Decarbonisation In Construction

    December 6, 2023
    Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn
    Plant & Equipment News
    • Home
    • News
      1. Middle East News
      2. Africa News
      3. Global News
      4. Product Updates
      5. Market Insights
      6. Mega Projects
      7. Expo
      Featured

      Mercedes-Benz Trucks Concludes The Actros’ Silver Jubilee In South Africa

      Africa News December 6, 2023By P&E Staff3 Mins Read
      Recent

      Mercedes-Benz Trucks Concludes The Actros’ Silver Jubilee In South Africa

      December 6, 2023

      Sandvik Introduces AutoMine For Underground Drills

      December 6, 2023

      AJI Rentals Adds Energy Storage System To Its Fleet For Middle East Construction Sites

      December 6, 2023
    • Magazine
    • Videos

      Bobcat TOLED Transparent Display Concept

      November 16, 2022

      Masaha Presents The New SANY STC500 Mobile Crane

      September 29, 2022

      The New Komatsu PC500LC-10M0/10R Hydraulic Excavator

      September 20, 2022

      Ritchie Bros. Auctioneer Dubai Auction, September 20-21, 2022

      September 15, 2022

      Check Out These Awesome Excavators For Sale From Anwar Al Quds

      August 1, 2022
    • Marketplace
    • Exhibitions
    Plant & Equipment News
    Home » Bobcat: Everything Under One Brand
    Middle East News

    Bobcat: Everything Under One Brand

    By James MorganNovember 10, 20236 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp
    Everything Under One Brand

    Gaby Rhayem speaks to James Morgan about Bobcat’s recent performance in the MEA region and the benefits of bringing former Doosan equipment lines under a single brand.

    It has certainly been an interesting few years for Bobcat. In 2021, Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) acquired a controlling stake in Doosan Infracore – a move that precipitated the phasing out of the South Korean brand from the heavy equipment space during 2023, to be replaced by the new brand, Develon

    US-headquartered Bobcat, which remains part of Doosan Group, appears to have benefitted significantly from this series of events. The departure of its sister brand cleared the way for the manufacturer to explore larger machinery segments, and it is now poised to absorb the remaining Doosan lines of materials handling and portable power. Few industry pundits would have expected Bobcat’s portfolio to grow so large, so fast.

    Gaby Rhayem, Regional Director – Middle East, Africa and CIS at Bobcat, certainly seems buoyed by his employer’s trajectory. Speaking from the firm’s Dobříš campus in the Czech Republic, he tells Plant & Equipment: “Starting in January 2024, Doosan forklifts, generators and compressors will move under the Bobcat brand. Everybody is really excited about this.

    “Doosan was an extremely strong and well-established brand in the construction business but, following the sale of Doosan Infracore, it will no longer be used,” he continues. “Fortunately, Bobcat is also very well recognised. Our position is strong so, for us, it’s going to be an exciting time as we start to sell these new machines under the Bobcat brand.”

    Everything Under One Brand

    The fact that crossover between Bobcat’s new and existing customer bases is limited represents another advantage for Rhayem and his team, maximising growth potential in the MEA region. “The customer portfolio for materials handling has perhaps 20-25 percent commonality with Bobcat’s existing equipment lines,” he explains. “It is a very different business, especially in the MEA region where a lot of these machines are rented.”

    Rhayem is clearly relishing the prospect of delivering Bobcat-branded forklifts, generators and compressors to MEA markets, but how are the manufacturer’s existing lines performing? “2023 has been fantastic,” he says. “Although we haven’t witnessed significant growth in Africa, our activities in the Middle East have increased by 25-30 percent, which is huge.

    The outlook for 2024-27 is also looking promising in this region. With all the projects taking place in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, I think good times lie ahead.”

    The uptick in Middle East markets has been driven in no small part by gigaprojects such as NEOM, a $500 billion development now underway in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk Province. “We are selling good numbers of machines to NEOM, including telescopic handlers, skid-steer loaders (SSLs), compact track loaders (CTLs), mini-excavators and also backhoe loaders,” says Rhayem. “We had initially anticipated a move to electrical or Tier 5 on these projects, in line with zero-emission targets, but we have not yet seen a significant shift in this direction. We expect this transition will still materialise as regulations continue to evolve and fuel quality in the Kingdom improves. It will just take a little longer than expected.”

    Commenting on the manufacturer’s most sought-after models in the MEA region, Rhayem says: “Bobcat’s famous S450 and S630 SSLs remain very popular, and our T590 CTLs are also in high demand. At the same time, we are moving a lot of mini-excavators and telescopic handlers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

    “The big surprise, however, is that we are seeing a major shift towards backhoe loaders in the region,” Rhayem continues. “These units have been very well received by our MEA customers. Orders for backhoe loaders are equal to – or even a little bit higher than – SSLs right now.”

    Turning his attention to Africa, Rhayem seems particularly optimistic about Bobcat’s prospects in Algeria. The North African nation is in the process of relaxing customs regulations that have limited the import of finished goods, including construction equipment, for several years. Thanks to this shift, international manufacturers will soon be able to resume the supply of machinery to this market.

    Gaby Rhayem, Regional Director – Middle East, Africa and CIS at Bobcat.
    Gaby Rhayem, Regional Director – Middle East, Africa and CIS at Bobcat.

    “We have identified our partner in Algeria,” says Rhayem. “It’s now just a question of getting official authorisation from the government in the form of an import licence. Once everything has been finalised, we expect our renewed activities in Algeria to represent one of the biggest milestones on the road to increasing Bobcat’s footprint in Africa.”

    As for Bobcat’s current focuses, Rhayem says his team will continue to ensure the manufacturer’s supply chain is equipped to deal with rising regional demand. “My priority is to continue delivering the correct machines for the correct applications,” he explains. “We will work hard to avoid any challenges in this respect because this is not the time to encounter issues with our supply chain. Business is booming so we need to ensure our factories are ready to build and ship the volume of machinery that our MEA dealers require.

    “We will also take steps to ensure our upcoming rebrand runs smoothly,” Rhayem concludes. “We must support our dealer network and market our new products effectively. This will take significant effort but I believe we are heading in the right direction. We understand the power of the Bobcat brand and we are determined to ensure this transition is successful.”


    The right tools for the job

    This month, Bobcat launched an enhanced version of its market-leading S450 M-Series SSL for the MEA region. Whereas previous iterations included a 2.2L engine, the updated model features the same 2.4L mechanical engine as its larger S510 and S530 counterparts, as well as a joystick control option for the first time in the standard-cab configuration.

    In September, the manufacturer introduced its brand-new B730 M-Series backhoe loader. Produced at Bobcat’s factory in Chennai, India, this model boasts a powerful hydraulic system, high breakout force and intuitive operations, enabling users to optimise productivity when trenching, levelling and loading.

    Given the brand’s unrivalled track record in the SSL and CTL segments, the continued popularity of the Bobcat S450 M-Series is unlikely to raise many eyebrows. However, the fact that the Bobcat B730 M-Series backhoe loader is already achieving sales parity with the manufacturer’s more established lines will certainly have come as a pleasant surprise to Rhayem and his colleagues.

    Backhoe Loaders Bobcat Doosan Group featured Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) MEA Region

    Related Posts

    AJI Rentals Adds Energy Storage System To Its Fleet For Middle East Construction Sites

    Middle East News December 6, 2023

    Wisdom Motor Brings 12-Meter Hydrogen City Bus In New Cooperation To Support The UAE’s Green Mobility Agenda

    Middle East News December 6, 2023

    JuffaliTrucks Launches New Website

    Middle East News December 6, 2023

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    Recent Posts
    • Mercedes-Benz Trucks Concludes The Actros’ Silver Jubilee In South Africa
    • Sandvik Introduces AutoMine For Underground Drills
    • AJI Rentals Adds Energy Storage System To Its Fleet For Middle East Construction Sites
    • Big 5 Global 2023 Opens In Dubai Spotlighting Decarbonisation In Construction
    • +971 4 5808020
    • [email protected]
    LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube

    PlantAndEquipment.news provides recent industry news, product launches, and new machinery trends for the construction and transportation markets. With an emphasis in covering the Middle East and Africa, daily reports include the following segments: heavy equipment, trucks, cranes, spare parts, asphalt & concrete plants, material handling equipment and more.

    On PlantAndEquipment.com, you will discover a leading digital marketplace to buy and sell heavy machinery vehicles, commercial vehicles, agricultural equipment, lifting equipment, and spare parts; a new and used machinery dealer directory; an auction calendar; and an exhibition calendar.

    Copyright © 2023 P&E.
    • About Us
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Contact Us

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.