JCB manufactures products which are robust, custom built and highly fuel-efficient.
JCB offers a world class vibratory soil compactor VM115 and a recently launched 9 T Tandem Roller VMT 860, which are specifically used for road projects. These machines are built specially for Indian roads and are amongst the best at compaction, says Amit Gossain, VP - Marketing & Business Development, JCB India. Excerpts from the interview.

What have been the market trends for equipment and machinery for the road sector in 2012?  
The year 2011 has been a growth year for the industry however, due to the current economic slowdown; the demand for construction equipment for the road sector has been bit sluggish in 2012. The excavator segment has witnessed slight growth however; there has been a decline of about 4-5 per cent in the compactor segment.

The main reason for this holdup is that even after being approvals  by the central government and achieving financial closure, many projects have not progressed. Whether it is land acquisition or environment, the on-ground execution needs to be improved. Once these projects are taken on fast-track implementation, the demand for road equipment will definitely  go up.
The need of the hour is for  active monitoring and ensure proper and smooth implementation.

What is the demand-supply scenario for compactors? Brief us on the range offered by JCB.
In the current fiscal, we have witnessed a noticeable fall in the demand for compactors due to various reasons but,  looking at the planned investments in the road sector, we foresee enormous potential for compactors in the coming time.

JCB offers the finest road compaction equipment through its Vibromax series. The VM115 caters to the soil compaction needs of the sector while the VMT 860 is a master at asphalt compaction. These machines are built specially for Indian roads and are amongst the best at compaction. Excellent manoeuvrability and compact designs make these ideal for a wide range of areas and usage.

How do you differentiate your product in terms of the competition?   
JCB has always been a customer- focused organisation. All the product development or upgradation is purely based on customer and market requirements. Since the beginning, JCB products have been known as  the leader when it comes to performance, technological advancement and reliability.

We at JCB understand the project requirements and therefore, manufacture products which are robust, custom built and highly fuel- efficient,  plus provide the best return on investment to our customers.

JCB VM115 comes with dual anti-vibration isolation system which reduces the vibration thus, making it more comfortable for the operator to operate the machine. This machine also has a three- point pre-loaded anti- vibration pads which also minimises the effect of vibration.

From the safety perspective, JCB Compactors comes with a solid steel canopy which makes the machine more robust and minimises damage during any mishap.    

As the soil conditions determine the selection compactors, is this  factored into  the design of your product range?
There are various factors like soil type, gradation, density, moisture content, layer thickness,  which influence the overall compaction effort. Compactors offered by JCB are versatile in nature as they conceptualised and developed after extensive market research.  We also offer PD- Shell as an attachment to suit the varied project requirements.

What are the latest product/ technology trends in compaction?
At present, JCB offers a world class vibratory soil compactor, the  VM115 and a recently launched 9 T Tandem Roller VMT 860, both of  which are specifically used for road projects. The road projects are extremely complex in nature and more often than not are timebound. Therefore, the contractors are under pressure to complete  the project on time without comprising on the quality of the roads.

In this scenario, contractors are looking for machines which give them maximum thickness in minimum passes. JCB compactors optimises compaction by amplitude, frequency, static linear load and centrifugal force, to achieve best possible compaction in minimum number of passes.

What is your take on financing of road equipment?
JCB has been regarded as a preferred supplier for all the construction equipment by leading finance companies. JCB has always maintained a close relationship with all the financiers to make easy availability of finance to first-time buyers and  repeat orders for buying any equipment across categories.

We have tie-ups with all the non-banking financial companies and several state owned banks which help in financing JCB products to our customers. In fact, JCB machines are available at minimum down payment rates, which is a result of our strong relationship with finance companies.

JCB is taking part in bC India. Is there any surprise in store for the customers?
bC India happens in the western part of India,  in the state of Maharashtra,  an ideal platform for exhibitors to showcase their product range, latest technologies and innovations.

This year, one of the major highlights will be our revolutionary machine ? the `all new JCB 3DX backhoe loader which was launched earlier this year. This new generation machine is powered by the JCB ecoMAX engine and saves up to
2.5 lakh per annum in fuel at current fuel costs.

Particularly designed for road construction projects, we will showcase our world class 9 T Tandem Roller VMT 860 which offers unmatched benefits to our customers in the road construction business. The latest offering in the range of tracked excavator is the  JS120 will also be displayed at the show along with the recently launched 430ZX machine which comes with JCB ecoMAX CRDi engine, known for its best-in-class efficiency. There are few other happy surprises in store as well.

How do you view the future for the road equipment segment?
With such a fast-growing economy and the increasing need for world-class infrastructure for better road connectivity, we anticipate lot of growth potential in the road equipment sector. Our government has also allocated a large amount of money for the betterment of the road network which includes constructing new roads, widening the existing roads, express ways, bridges etc.
As we go ahead, JCB will continuously work towards the expansion of its product offerings.