AN ITP MEDIA GROUP PUBLICATION JULY 2024 • VOLUME 18, ISSUE 07 GARGASH GETS GROWING WITH BIG NAMES SUCH AS LIUGONG AND KCP IN ITS BEVY OF BRANDS, GARGASH GENERAL TRADING IS READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON CUSTOMERS IN THE UAENAVIGATE THE LANDSCAPE OF BUILDING BRILLIANCE, WITH NO INTERRUPTIONS UH OH, THE REST IS ONLY FOR SUBSCRIBERS SCAN BELOW TO JOIN THE EXCLUSIVE COMMUNITYPlant / Machinery / Vehiclesplantmachineryvehicles.comJULY 2024 | 3 CONTENTS 14 UAE Test for Volvo Electric Kit Volvo CE’s L120H Electric wheel loader shines in UAE test at Abu Dhabi ready mix company as manufacturer takes another step towards launch 18 Volvo Days Annual customer event held in equipment giant’s new corporate HQ in Eskilstuna, Sweden, sees new launches with a focus on sustainability 26 Cover Story Gargash General Trading is ready to make an impact on customers in the UAE with brands such as LiuGong and KCP in its portfolio 141838 38 Cranes Mammoet begins assembly of SK6000, the world’s biggest land-based crane, capable of lifting 3,000 tonnes to a height of 220 metres 44 Materials processing CDE unveils new ProPress, its next generation fi lter press for waste recycling, quarrying and mining, that enables maximum water recovery 46 Road making Vogele paves the way for noise reduction in building roads with its latest generation SUPER 1900-5i paver and AB 500 TV Extending Screed 44 26EDITOR’S LETTER 4 | JULY 2024plantmachineryvehicles.comPlant / Machinery / Vehicles The storm before the lull Just as we slide into July, the cusp of summer saw a fl urry of activity in the regional and global construction equipment landscape. Starting in late May and all through June, various OEM held their showcase events, customer outreach programmes and press dos. Whether it was Bobcat with its Demo Days at its EMEA headquarters in Dobris in the Czech Republic, MAN Truck and Bus with its Krakow plant open day for the EMEA press, Palfi nger with its showcase events in Salzburg, Austria, or Volvo CE with its annual Volvo Days in Eskilstuna, now its new corporate headquarters in Sweden – it seemed everyone wanted to put their brand under the spotlight before the entire sector pulled down the shutters and went on leave for the soporifi c summer. Seldom in previous years have we seen such a storm of activity in the industry compressed into so small a time frame. And it wasn’t just an exercise of who could say nothing in the loudest way – every brand actually had something to say, albeit on a common theme: Sustainability, electrifi cation and future technologies. While MAN put emphasis on its existing electric models at its events and gave insights into an electric and alternative fuel future, Palfi nger also debuted new electric kit in some new segments. And in PMV Middle East’s last issue, we trained the spotlight on the updated electric and autonomous machines that Bobcat presented at its event. But when it comes to electromobility, few do it better than Volvo CE. True to form, at Volvo Days 2024, the Swedish giant extended its wide range of electric machines, with new introductions that included its fi rst electric wheeled excavator, displayed alongside its broadest range of charging solutions yet. In this issue we take a look at some of the latest steps that the brand took in Eskilstuna in pursuit of its stated ambition of net-zero emissions by 2040. Too often when the talk turns to green initiatives and the latest tech innovations, the Middle East seems to be left behind. It’s almost as if our region is a minor that is excused from the adult business of doing good by the planet. But not anymore – and we have Volvo again to thank for that. Amidst all the fanfare surrounding sustainable solutions the world over, the Swedes have fi nally brought the action to the sands of Arabia. The Volvo L120H Electric wheel loader, which was sent to the UAE along with two of its electric siblings for testing, has passed that test with fl ying colours. Volvo tells us about its performance in an Abu Dhabi ready mix plant and how the time has fi nally arrived for the launch of electric equipment in the Middle East. The time has also arrived for a well-known UAE business to emerge from the background and shine. In our cover story, Gargash General Trading tells us how partnering with brands such as LiuGong and KCP is leading to its rapid growth in the market. And even here, the importance of the electric stuff cannot be missed: Introducing LiuGong’s zero-emission machines in the UAE is a prominent part of Gargash’s future plans. The eco-friendly theme keeps running strong elsewhere in this issue, as we take a look at a new water-saving washing system and a noise-reducing asphalt paver. While the industry went into a storm of activity before the summer lull, we can expect such storms of transformation to continue for a while before the lull of the new eco- friendly normal at last ensues. Anirban Bagchi Editor PMV Middle East Anirban BagchiPlant / Machinery / Vehiclesplantmachineryvehicles.comJULY 2024 | 5 PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 444 3000 www.itp.com Offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, London, Mumbai, Riyadh & Geneva ITP MEDIA GROUP CEO Ali Akawi Managing Director Alex Reeve EDITORIAL Group Editor Kate-Lynne Wolmarans kate.wolmarans@itp.com +971 4 444 3541 Editor Anirban Bagchi anirban.bagchi@itp.com +971 4 444 3617 Commercial Editor Angitha Pradeep angitha.pradeep@itp.com +971 4 444 3278 ART Art Director Amjad Ayche Art Editor Tofiq Memon Contributing Designer Muhammed Nahas ADVERTISING Group Commercial Director Anup Nagpurkar anup.nagpurkar@itp.com +971 4 444 3573 Commercial Manager Saloni Panchal saloni.panchal@itp.com +971 4 444 3205 PHOTOGRAPHY Videographer Muhammad Kaleem Senior Video Editor Liju Cheruvathur Social Media & Production Manager Andy Ruedas PRODUCTION Production Coordinator Manoj Mahadevan Senior Image Editor Emmalyn Robles DISTRIBUTION Circulation Executive Rajesh Pillai Distribution Coordinator Avinash Pereira ITP GROUP CEO Ali Akawi CFO Toby Jay Spencer-Davies The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review. Published by and © 2024 ITP MEDIA GROUP FZ-LLC.JOHNSON ARABIA EXPANDS CRANE FLEET WITH GROVE GMK5250XL ALL-TERRAIN CRANE Global asset expert Gordon Brothers has announced the opening of an office in Dubai to strengthen its presence in the Middle East. The firm provides holistic solutions across asset services and trading, including valuations of machinery and vehicles, and has been active in the Middle East since 2023. It provides its services to retail and industrial clients in the region with a focus on servicing companies, financial institutions and their advisors. Announcing the opening of the Middle East regional office in Dubai, a statement from Gordon Brothers said the office is a strategic investment for the company as it is located in a city that is a positioned at a key intersection between east and west. Phillip Weston, Director, Commercial & Industrial, leads the Dubai office and is responsible for driving growth in the region and delivering asset-based solutions to Mark Newton-Jones, Head of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, at Gordon Brothers, said: “Phillip brings a tremendous amount of expertise in providing tailored asset- based solutions for clients across a range of industries in Africa, Middle East, India and Sri Lanka, including automotive, construction, manufacturing, marine, mining, transport, retail and others. “In addition to giving us dedicated feet on the ground, our expansion into Dubai brings the breadth and depth of our global asset experts and provides an enhanced level of support to our clients in the region.” Phillip Weston added: “I am delighted to join Gordon Brothers at such a pivotal time for the business. “With a deep heritage in helping clients maximise the value of their assets since 1903, it is great to be part of such a fantastic company and to play a key part in our clients’ success.” GLOBAL ASSET SOLUTIONS EXPERT GORDON BROTHERS OPENS MIDDLE EAST OFFICE IN DUBAI The Grove GMK 520XL achieves 30% lower diesel consumption over its predecessors by using a single engine for travel and lifting. Philip Weston, Director, Commercial & Industrial, Gordon Brothers. Johnson Arabia has expanded its fl eet of cranes with the induction of a new Grove GMK5250XL all-terrain crane, which boast high lifting heights and economical operation. The UAE-based equipment rental heavyweight said in a statement that the recent addition is “a fantastic choice for oil & gas and urban development projects”. A 5-axle mobile crane, the Grove GMK5250XL has one of the longest booms in its class and also boast excellent manoeuvrability, said Johnson Arabia, adding that this helps it gain better access to job-sites. The crane is also equipped with a variable outrigger positioning system, which allows for heavy lifts even with the outriggers positioned asymmetrically. The rental company added that this is a very useful feature when there are load or access restrictions on certain sites or if positioning is tricky. The Grove GMK 520XL is powered by a single engine, which gives it 30% lower diesel consumption compared to its older counterparts. According to Johnson Arabia, this allows contractors to include its equipment as part of their sustainability endeavours as the UAE moves into more sustainable solutions. The new Grove’s lowered fuel consumption also contributes to lowered maintenance and operational costs, the rental major added. “Along with the expert engineers at Johnson Arabia and the new Grove, achieving any lift is possible,” said the company’s statement. clients in the Middle East and Africa, said the company’s statement. 6 | JULY 2024plantmachineryvehicles.comPlant / Machinery / Vehicles NEWSVOLVO ANNOUNCES PLUNGE INTO HYDROGEN- POWERED TRUCKS, TO LAUNCH WITHIN DECADE Volvo Trucks is developing trucks with combustion engines that run on hydrogen, with on-road tests of trucks using hydrogen in combustion engines to begin in 2026, and commercial launch planned towards the end of this decade. The Swedish commercial vehicles giant said trucks that run on green hydrogen provide a signifi cant step for it to achieve its net-zero goal and support customers in reaching their decarbonisation targets. Trucks that run on green hydrogen instead of fossil fuels provide one way to decarbonise transport, said Volvo. Hydrogen trucks will be especially suitable over longer distances and in regions where there is limited charging infrastructure, or time, for recharging of batteries. Volvo said it will begin customer tests with trucks using hydrogen in combustion engines in 2026, and the trucks will be commercially available towards the end of this decade. Already, testing in labs and in vehicles is ongoing. The hydrogen-powered combustion engine trucks will complement Volvo’s offering of other alternatives, such as battery electric trucks, fuel cell electric trucks and trucks that run on renewable fuels, like biogas and HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil). Jan Hjelmgren, Head of Product Management and Quality, Volvo Trucks, said: “Trucks where the traditional internal combustion engine remains but runs on hydrogen will have the same performance and reliability as our diesel trucks, but with the added benefi t of potentially net zero CO2 emissions well-to-wheel. They will be a valuable complement to our battery electric trucks, which have been on the market for several years.” Volvo trucks with combustion engines powered by green hydrogen have the potential to deliver net zero CO2 well-to-wheel when using renewable HVO as ignition fuel and are categorised as “Zero Emission Vehicles” (ZEV) under the agreed new EU CO2 emission standards, said the truck maker. “It’s clear that several kinds of technology are needed to decarbonize heavy transport. As a global truck manufacturer, we need to support our customers by offering a variety of decarbonisation solutions, and customers can choose their alternative based on transport assignment, available infrastructure and green energy prices,” Hjelmgren added. Volvo sad its trucks with hydrogen-powered Volvo saisd its trucks with hydrogen-powered combustion engines will have High Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI) for higher energy effi ciency. The hydrogen-powered combustion engine trucks will complement Volvo’s offering of trucks that run on other alternative fuels. combustion engines will feature High Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI), a technology where a small amount of ignition fuel is injected with high pressure to enable compression ignition before hydrogen is added. The advantages of this technology include higher energy efficiency with lower fuel consumption, and increased engine power. Volvo Group has signed an agreement with Westport Fuel Systems to establish a joint venture utilising HPDI technology. The joint venture is anticipated to become operational in the second quarter of 2024, following formal closing. Plant / Machinery / Vehiclesplantmachineryvehicles.comJULY 2024 | 7 NEWS8 | JULY 2024plantmachineryvehicles.comPlant / Machinery / Vehicles NEWS SINOBOOM APPOINTS NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR MIDDLE EAST UAE-based facilities management major Farnek has been recognised by Neutral Fuels for its efforts in significantly reducing the amount of carbon emissions generated by its transport fleet. Presenting an award to the smart and green facilities management (FM) company, Neutral Fuels, the largest producer of biofuel in the Gulf region, said that Farnek made a commitment to transition to Neutral Fuels’ B7 blend biodiesel in 2023 and during that year, consumed more than 400,000 litres of B7 biodiesel, thereby saving over 80,569kg of CO2. Muna Al Nahdi, Head of Sustainability & Consultancy, Farnek, said: “Putting that into perspective, the volume of carbon emissions we have managed to save, is roughly equivalent to the amount of carbon that would be removed from the environment by planting approximately 1,400 saplings and left to mature over a 10-year period. “Of course, Farnek, like many other organisations with large transport fl eets, fuel normally used in diesel engines. Neutral Fuels’ biodiesel is a clean, green renewable fuel which immediately and significantly reduces transport carbon emissions without any engine modifications, enabling organisations to reduce their contribution to climate change, said the Biofuels company in the announcement of the award to Farnek. Charles Gardner, Chief Operating Officer of Neutral Fuels, said: “The implementation of Neutral Fuels biodiesel exemplifies Farnek’s dedication to decarbonisation in alignment with the UAE government’s plan to reduce emissions by 40% by 2030. We applaud their achievements to date and look forward to supporting them in the future as they continue to achieve their sustainability goals.” Farnek uses Neutral Fuel’s B7 Biofuel which fully complies with the UAE diesel standard UAE S. 477: 2021 in conjunction with their FLEETEK solution, which digitalises the entire fleet management process. FARNEK RECOGNISED FOR REDUCING OVER 80T OF CO2 EMISSIONS FROM ITS TRANSPORT FLEET Alistair Palacioglu takes up his new position from July 1. Neutral Fuels recognised Farnek for saving 80.5t of CO2 in 2023. Chinese access equipment major Sinoboom has made an expansion in its Middle East team after recently opening its regional office in Dubai. Sinoboom announced that Alistair Palacioglu has been appointed as Business Development Director of Sinoboom Middle East FZE. The manufacturer said in its statement that the appointment follows its rapidly expanding activities in the Middle East, which are being enhanced by the expansion of its team in the region. According to Sinoboom’s statement, Palacioglu brings many years of experience of the access equipment and work-at-heights sector and is well known to customers in the region. The appointment is effective July 1 this year. Sinoboom added that this move follows the recent opening of its Middle East subsidiary, which took place with an event that was attended by most of the region’s leading rental companies. Commenting on Palacioglu’s appointment, Dawei He, Overseas Sales Director at parent company Hunan Sinoboom Intelligent Equipment, said: “I’m delighted that Alistair can join us and bring his unrivalled experience to this post. Alistair will head up our rapidly growing team of support and sales staff in the UAE and wider region.” Speaking about his new role, Palacioglu added: “I’m excited by the modern designs and high quality of the extensive Sinoboom range, particularly the large booms that are vital in this region.” He added that the parent company’s major investment in staff and facilities at its new UAE subsidiary was a sign of its commitment to customers in the region. Founded in 2008, Sinoboom is a global manufacturer of mobile elevating work platform solutions. Its global headquarters is located in Changsha, China - the country’s capital for construction and heavy machinery manufacturing. The company says it specialises in cutting-edge research, quality manufacturing and product support, and offers one of the industry’s most complete product lines. Sinoboom products are available for purchase across the globe, including North America, Europe, South East Asia, Australia, South America and now the Middle East. would fi nd it fi nancially prohibitive to replace its existing fl eet with new electric vehicles. However, Biofuel is a very cost-effective and sustainable alternative, supporting our net-zero roadmap, which aims to reduce the company’s transportation emissions by up to 50% by 2031.” Neutral Fuels collects waste cooking oil from local restaurants and kitchens and recycles it into Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (commonly called biodiesel), a commercially viable drop-in replacement for the high carbon footprint fossil GERMAN GULF ENTERPRISES BRINGS GEHL COMPACT EQUIPMENT TO THE UAE AS OFFICIAL DEALER Offi cials from German Gulf Enterprises, Manitou and GEHL on the dais at sthe event marking the launch of the partnership. Manitou and German Gulf offi cials at the signing.GEHL skid-steers and telehandlers at the launch event. German Gulf Enterprises (GGE), the UAE-based construction equipment dealer that represents several illustrious global brands, has added another feather to their cap by adding GEHL to their list of principals. German Gulf Enterprises, a part of the Bukhatir Group, announced their dealership partnership with GEHL at a launch event last month, marking a significant milestone for the UAE dealership. At the event, GGE also introduced two new models of GEHL skid- steer loaders to the MENA region, the R164 and R180. With this move, GEHL, a company with a strong tradition going back to 1859 that specialises in small machinery with a wide selection of telehandlers, backhoe loaders, skid-steer loaders and compact track loaders, has now officially debuted in the UAE, with GGE serving as their exclusive dealer. Representatives from both companies were present to mark the occasion. Ayman Ahmed, CEO of Bukhatir Industrial, and Ahmad Swaid, Deputy General Manager of German Gulf Enterprises, addressed participants at the event, outlining the benefits of this new collaboration, while GEHL was represented by Benoit Renard, Managing Director ME, and Jérémie Calteau, Sales Manager MANITOU Middle East FZE. GEHL is a brand under the umbrella of France’s MANITOU Group. Addressing the gathering at the launch, Ahmed said: “This partnership with GEHL reflects our commitment to providing high- quality, reliable equipment to our customers in the UAE. The introduction of GEHL’s range of telehandlers, backhoe loaders and the recently launched R164 and R180 models signifies a new era of efficiency and productivity in the construction industry.” The launch event highlighted the value- for-money proposition of GEHL’s machinery, backed by a comprehensive uptime guarantee. Customers are assured of replacement equipment if breakdowns exceed three days, ensuring minimal disruption to their operations. It was also announced that the first 10 customers placing bulk orders will also benefit from this offer. “GEHL simply is value for money for construction companies, with promising plans to lead the market in the next four years,” Ahmed added. The GEHL skid-steer loaders come with an impressive warranty of up to 5,000 hours, more than 25% beyond the industry standard. GGE added that it also offers a service contract and a guaranteed buy-back or trade-in programme, providing customers with exceptional long- term value. The newly launched R164 and R180 models feature 70HP engines, an overall height of 1948mm, and a standard hydraulic fl ow of 71.4 l/min. The optional high-fl ow capability further enhances their versatility and performance. These models are designed to meet the diverse needs of construction professionals across the region. “We are thrilled to collaborate with German Gulf Enterprises and bring our advanced skid- steer loaders to the MENA region,” said Renard. “Our equipment is engineered for durability and efficiency, ensuring our customers achieve their project goals with ease.” Plant / Machinery / Vehiclesplantmachineryvehicles.comJULY 2024 | 9 NEWSNext >