The market for concrete equipment seems to be very bullish. The real estate sector, which was lagging earlier, is now actually pushing up the demand of concrete product.

The potential for concrete equipment in India over the next few years is quite substantial. The renewed focus on urban development, infrastructure projects in power, roads, ports, railways, irrigation, and emergence of activities in the Tier II and III cities, is sure to augment the market demand, which according the industry sources, may outstrip the supply. Many OEMs have already jacked up the capacities, and many are in the process. The slew of products launched during the recently concluded bC India, tells pretty much the same story.

"We are already going ahead with plans to extend our production facility to cope with the huge demand in the Indian market. We are also investing in enhancing our service back up facilities and the easy availability of spares at a short notice," says Michael Schmid?Lindenmayer, Managing Director, Putzmeister Concrete Machines India. Putzmeister, a major player in the concrete pumps sector, recently launched five new products for the lower segment of the market, as also high-tech products for the upper end of the market.

The company has introduced new models for customers who start with concrete placing which are simple to operate and cost-effective at the same time. Putzmeister has introduced the stationary concrete pump, BSA702D, which is designed for 20 cu m/hr which can be delivered by a reversible drum mixer. Putzmeister has also introduced a very price-competitive boom placer, the BSF20.07, which is the ideal starter boom placer for road contractors and RMC companies, which are still not capable enough to investment in a bigger boom placer. As far as the high-end products are concerned, Putzmeister has introduced the BSA1409D based on free-flow hydraulics for customer who requires a higher output. Besides this, Putzmeister has introduced the BSA1408HD, a high-pressure pump which can pump building with a height of 200 to 250 m. This model accomplishes to be the industry standard for buildings of these heights. In order to place the concrete on top of the building, Putzmeister has brought out stationary boom systems called MX in combination with the pipelines, valve system, cleaning stations and accessories. Michael further adds, "We are very proud of our high rise pumping competence. We are proud to say that we own the world record in high-rise pumping; the latest project being the Burj Khalifa 606 m high. We not only supply the pumps, but also provide consultancy, and also focus on maintenance and operations with our own people for these kinds of difficult jobs. We work hand-in-hand with the customer and team up with other system suppliers to make these kinds of records feasible."

Schwing Stetter India, a leading player in the Indian ready-mix concrete equipment industry, recently launched two new concrete pumps, the SP 8800 and SP 2880. Anand Sundaresan, Managing Director, Schwing Stetter (India), said, "We are extremely happy to unveil our two new concrete pumps, SP 8800 and SP 2880. These products are specifically designed for high-rise construction projects, where high capacities are required, for rapid placement of large quantities of concrete, extreme pumping heights and/or distances and difficult concrete mixes. The pumps are ideal for use in the construction of various civil engineering projects, including high-rise buildings, power plants and tunnels." Sundaresan further adds, "We have been seeing increased activity in high-rise constructions, especially in Mumbai, which is the high-rise capital in India. With the kind of development that the city is facing, we are sure that one will see a further increase, not only in the number of high-rise constructions here but also in terms of the height of the projects. And this is where our new concrete pumps will make the difference. We believe that, going forward, there will be a strong demand for these products, especially in a market like Mumbai."

"With their ability to pump concrete up to heights of 250 and 500 m respectively, we are sure that the SP 2880 and the SP 8800 will meet the requirements of our customers here," says VG Sakthikumar, Chief Operating Officer, Schwing Stetter (India). Driven by a powerful Deutz diesel engine and combined with DN 180 and DN 200 pumping cylinders, the customers will have the choice of selecting the specific pump that meets the requirements of a specific project. The open-circuit hydrostatic drives with soft-push controls are characterised by exceptionally soft pushing of the concrete column into the delivery line and gentle switchover with no pressure peaks. This makes for smooth running and high service lives. Large upward folding side doors permit effortless, direct access for servicing and maintenance purposes. The hydrostatic drive features rugged, sturdy axial-piston pumps with power regulator and additional output adjustment. All operating and control devices are centrally located, readily visible and easily accessible. The heart of the concrete pump is the rock-valve, designed for maximum concrete pressure of up to 250 bar, which offers exemplary pumping characteristics, wearing properties and operational safety.

Ajax Fiori recently opened its third plant that will primarily produce self- loading mobile concrete mixers. The new plant with an investment of 15 crore has an installed capacity of 1,000 machines per annum. "Our new automated plant signifies Ajax Fiori's strategic thrust towards delivering cost effective products and solutions that answers customer's needs," says K Vijay, Managing Director, Ajax Fiori. "We pioneered this innovative product concept of the self-loading mobile concrete mixer in India. This has revolutionised the concreting methods at various infrastructure project sites, be it irrigation, canal linings, concrete roads, bridges, culverts, buildings, windmill and transmission line foundation, etc. Having foreseen the product's suitability across various applications and the increased demand across geographies, we immediately decided to open a new plant and ramp our production," Vijay further adds.

Ajax Fiori has also launched the DLB 30, a dragline batching plant with a planetary pan mixer having an output of half a cubic metre and capacity of 30 cu m per/h. According Vijay, the water and cement systems are separated so that cycle times are considerably reduced. DLB 30 has a central shaft from which there is an offset rotation and two blades rotating around that offset rotation. The biggest advantage of this system is that it is able to do much more effective mixing as compared to other conventional systems.

Complementing its existing range of batching plants, Greaves now brings the 60-cbm twin-shaft batching plant, an advanced global technology with twin-shaft mixer technology offering a range of features for safety and enhanced productivity. This plant comes with a fully automatic software-controlled operation and a rigid structure. With the promise of service and support round-the-clock, this world-class technology product is low on maintenance. This product further establishes the leading position of Greaves Cotton along with its varied and wide range of batching plants, stationary and mobile concrete pumps and concrete mixers in the concreting segment of the construction equipment business.

REL's Construction Equipment Division (CED) offers a 'full liner' in concrete equipment with technical collaboration with leading German manufacturers, and has its ISO certified facility in Gummidipoondi, near Chennai. Every product from REL-CED stable has certain incomparable features and offering value addition to clients in terms of productivity, saving in operating cost or additional safety features. The THP 45 D high-pressure concrete pump launched in 2010 is already rated high by users due to its capability to pump up to even 100 m vertical height at the same time giving a very good output. REL also has expanded its own network to all four regions of the country and has currently 13 dealerships to provide after-sales support to its range.

Then, Conmat has launched its innovative mobile concrete batching plant at the bC India show. "We have launched this truly mobile plant with twin-shaft technology for the first time in India; you get a homogenous mix and fast mixing cycle," says Prem Raj, CEO, Conmat. He further adds, "The plant uses the same technology of a stationary batching plant. Another advantage is that one can do the loading of aggregates with a JCB or a truck loader without the need of a ramp. Most importantly, everything comes fully assembled, so one can start the plant within half-an-hour. I am very confident that with the introduction of the plant, Conmat will get a very good breakt hrough."

Conmat mobile batching plant, model CBP-250M is designed for a rated output of 25 cu m/hr. Other models available are: CBP-200M and CBP-360M capable of giving 20 cu m/hr and 35 cu m/hr output, respectively under ideal conditions. Conmat is a pioneer in introducing indigenous efficient twin-shaft mixers of various sizes. Conmat batching plants feature in-line bin system, PLC-contr olled SCADA system for accurate, efficient operation and reporting, separate weighing for cement and water for the range from 20 cu m/hr to 120 cu m/hr.