A stalwart in the construction machinery supply industry in Dubai, UAE, and the Middle East region, Construction Machinery Center has made a name for itself based purely on its after-sales service. When customers stay on for decades, it’s only due to the quality of products and service.
Construction Machinery Center (CMC) was founded in 1973 and today it is a part of the RTS Investments Group. At the time, the construction machinery market in the UAE did not have any real supply, service and aftermarket support solutions. CMC started off with a few branded machines but with a dedicated team for its after-sales and parts division. From the start, the intention was to provide solutions and as their stellar service programme became evident, the machinery brands started coming in along with the customers.
Ziad Hamade, General Manager at Construction Machinery Center, says: “The company started with a total headcount of 30 employees working in the Sales, Marketing, After Sales and Parts departments. There was a lot to learn in those days, the market was also small and hence the focus was more on training and teaching the staff.” At the time, CMC was the first to introduce the mobile stationery equipment machines for pumping concrete. This gave the company an edge over others in the market and proved to be a boost for its future from there.
Today, CMC has all the established construction machinery brands in its portfolio – Ammann, Lissmac, Sunward, Silla, Rockwheel, Terex trucks, Chicago Pneumatic, Pramac, Doosan and Komptech to name a few. “For us at CMC, it’s always about supporting the customer after the purchase. After-sales is our niche,” shares Hamade. Once the deal is done by the sales team, CMC’s after-sales (both the parts and the service team) is what essentially brings in the repeat orders. “A good brand is identified only after the sale is conducted. The brand’s professional approach, troubleshooting, and parts availability are the main factors for a success story,” he adds.
CMC provides essential equipment for the construction industry in the UAE (their biggest market in the region) and the Middle East. They have construction machinery, concrete equipment, crushing plants, concrete batching plants, material handling equipment, oil field equipment, industrial air compressors, agriculture equipment, airport equipment and power generators. The company works on long term growth agreements with their partners/suppliers and not on short term/high profit goals. Most of the companies they are working with have been with CMC for 40 years or more.
Currently the construction market has gained ground after a rather discouraging two years. “There was a lot of static in the market during the pandemic. It proved to be a good thing for demand, though. Because even though fuel prices were higher, in the local market there were many announcements and initiation of new projects,” says Hamade. Prices from suppliers within Europe, USA, and China were higher which meant a more expensive product for the end user. “The demand prevailed eventually. It was higher than the previous years although the cost for the consumers had increased.”
The pandemic wasn’t good for business, but CMC saw an opportunity to diversify and acquired the marketing and sales distribution rights for a leading material handling manufacturer. This new partnership covered up for the low sales from the construction market. “Since then, we are diversifying our offering to target more sectors connected with construction,” continues Hamade.
Having the number of machines CMC has in store and with its customers requires a large in-house service and maintenance team. Their large inventory is stored in a 200,000 sq. foot, covered, temperature controlled, state-of-the-art warehouse. The service division is equipped with all the latest maintenance and care technology. “The extreme weather and high temperatures are the worst enemies of our inventory,” adds Hamade.
CMC doesn’t have a seller/buyer mentality. “Our clients are our long-term partners; our duty is to give the correct advice and provide the right solutions. It makes us happy when our partners have a fleet of operational machines supplied by us for years and they come back to try the new modified versions,” adds Hamade.
CMC has several service plans which are all tailored as per the client’s needs. “Large organisations usually have their own service teams and hence do not require our maintenance programs. Smaller organisations usually like our support, so we make it a part of the total package,” concludes Hamade.
Machines in demand
The last three months have seen even better demand for all of CMC’s solutions, however the most in demand equipment are:
Concrete Pumps by Schwing
S43 mounted on MB Chassis – The 5-section boom of the S 43 SX III is extremely robust with incredible flexibility for different concrete placing jobs thanks to the Z-folding tip section with its 270 degrees opening angle. The combination of proven Schwing technology with continuous innovation has resulted in reliability, performance, and ease of use without compromise. High pump power at low engine speed combined with the legendary durability of the rock valve enables the lowest operating and maintenance costs in this class.
Road Construction Machines by
AMMANN: PTR, Tandem Rollers Light & Heavy, Walk Behind Rollers/ Rammers/ Compactor. Ammann’s Tandem Roller options include the proprietary Ammann Compaction Expert (ACE), an automated compaction measurement and control system. ACE systems with various capacities are available. All provide cost-saving efficiencies. Service and maintenance points are easy to reach, as are fluid ports. The service team will be able to make quicker, more efficient work of preventive
maintenance. Plus on many models the operator’s station extends beyond the frame for improved views of the drum, surface and spray system. All models utilise a rotating seat that helps the operator see out the front and back. Tandem rollers are designed and engineered for easy operation. That includes the location of controls, an easy-to-see operator display, drive levers, visibility and easy adjustment of amplitude and frequency.
LISSMAC: Floor Saws, Masonry Saws and Band Saws. The Lissmac Floor Saw is useful in robust and compact construction. Comes in a closed, solid frame. The smooth raising and lowering of the saw blade with a closed threaded spindle prevent damaging the saw blade. It comes with an adjustable cutting depth indicator for all saw blade diameters. It has a large 33 litre capacity water tank which reduces work interruptions. The water-cooling system provides optimum saw blade cooling, this guarantees a longer saw blade life. It has an easily detachable saw blade cover.
Material Handling Solutions by DOOSAN
Diesel from 3 up to 16 tons – LPG G20-G35 N series are designed for a broad spectrum of heavy applications in manufacturing, warehousing, outdoor storage, and distribution. The series offer outstanding performance levels including durability and reliability. The robust build has been retained, and operator comfort levels have been maintained as high design priorities. These hard-working engine powered forklifts will meet the toughest challenges that customers throw at them including ramps, grades and rough underfoot conditions. Whether loading stacks, packing racks or stuffing trucks, they are guaranteed to impress both operators and operation’s personnel with its power, performance and productivity.
Power & Air Solutions:
Chicago Pneumatic: Compressors 175 – 850 CFM. These units are an excellent partner for pneumatic tools such as rock drills, breakers, air guns, wrenches, dewatering pumps, and abrasive blasting equipment. They can also provide backup power on the jobsite during power cuts and electrical failures. Canopy doors open and out of the way for convenient routine maintenance. Asymmetric rotors allow for increased efficiency. In addition, a low rotor speed and few moving parts minimise wear and tear for reliable performance and long service life. A high performance two-stage air intake filter prevents dust and dirt particles from entering the compressor and engine. A service indicator on the filter tells you when it needs replacement.
