Equipment distributor Capital Equipment Group (CEG) has maintained its success in the South African construction industry despite challenging economic conditions, global supply issues and escalating costs, which worsened because of Covid-19 and strike action.

“In today’s challenging conditions, it is important that we assist our customers by offering flexible finance and service options. We have recognised a trend whereby construction companies tend to hold onto equipment for longer, rather than opt to invest regularly in new machines. For this reason, we have enhanced our repair and maintenance facilities around South Africa to ensure that a full range of spare parts is made readily available,” says CEG CEO Tony Sinclair.

CEG is a division of Invicta Holdings Limited and supplies and supports an extensive range of quality branded construction equipment, forklift trucks and spare parts through its specialist companies.

CEG companies include HPE Africa; DISA Equipment, trading as Doosan; ESP; Criterion Equipment and Shamrock Handling Concepts. The group has also recently acquired aftermarket engine spares global specialist supplier KMP Brand, based in the UK.

“Through local and overseas CEG companies, the group continues to consolidate its position in the construction and spare parts industry by working closely with customers to ensure that equipment meets the requirements,” says Sinclair.

“CEG companies introduce new machines, accessories and parts on a regular basis to enable our customers to keep abreast of the latest global construction trends in terms of advanced technologies, fuel efficiency, precision operation and enhanced safety on site,” Sinclair concludes.

He says CEG ensures that its equipment complies with international quality certification standards to allow for high productivity, environmental protection, minimal maintenance and extended service life.

Further, field tests are conducted to ensure that machines supplied by CEG companies adequately cope with difficult operating conditions and meet the necessary requirements for effective operation.

Doosan

CEG subsidiary DISA Equipment, trading as Doosan, recently launched new products for the construction industry.

“Doosan launched its 22 t DX225LCA-7M excavator series this year as part of its Doosan range which offers high performance and advanced features for higher productivity and improved fuel efficiency,” says Doosan MD Darrel Holton.

The new electrically controlled common rail engine reduces fuel efficiency by up to 12%, owing to the new smart power control function that allows for smart communication between the engine control unit, torque and hydraulic pump torque signals, he explains.

“This advanced feature enables the engine to recognise the exact hydraulic load using the pump torque and operator control lever to deliver the precise amount of fuel required to the injectors.”

The engine also includes smart engine speed control by the electronic control unit to detect the precise amount of hydraulic load by the hydraulic flow sensors and to communicate the required engine revolutions per minute (rpm) for hydraulic breakout force.

Engine rpm will, thus, increase with a heavy load and decrease with a lower load to ensure a smoother and more fuel-efficient operation, explains Holton.

Further, the machine offers the DoosanCONNECT service, which provides the relevant data pertaining to the machine, including location, operational conditions and utilisation, which “ensures that customers are always connected and up to speed with their machines working on site”.

Doosan machines are cost effective and provide reliable performance in difficult construction and mining environments, he adds.

HPE Africa

Hyundai launched its HX crawler excavator series in April last year, which includes the HX300SL, HX220S and HX225SL machines.

HPE Africa MD Ross Collard says typical applications of the HX series include construction; bulk earthworks; road works; materials handling and pipe laying, earth moving, demolition and dredging.

The machines have undergone rigorous testing and have proven the durability of the upper and lower frame structures and attachments. This ensures dependable external shock and effective handling of heavy work-loads, thereby enhancing safety when operating on rough terrain and wet sites, he adds.

Further, Collard explains that the wear resistance of the bucket for the machines has been improved, owing to the use of tougher materials resulting in extended operating hours on buckets.

“The value of the new HX series lies in its durability and high productivity. We are impressed with the structural design of these machines, which allows for safe and efficient operation in tough African conditions,” he says.

HPE Africa also launched the Hyundai HG190 motor graders –designed for high productivity, precision control and fuel efficiency – in Southern Africa last year, concludes Collard.