Time to shift gears
The dictionary meaning of the word ?idling? is ?unproductive?. Of course, this may mean different things to different people. Idling as a concept itself is anti-productive, an unsustainable, wasteful and resource-draining activity. On a micro scale for instance, fleet owners know how much fuel is wasted while the trucks are in idling mode; contractors and plant hirers know what idling of machinery means.

On a macro level, the whole country has gone through the ill-effects of idling or policy paralysis, whichever term fits best. This, even as OEMs the world over have been investing millions of dollars to make their product offerings more productive, spending more on R&D to develop advanced features that will enhance fuel efficiency, better productivity and performance.

The recently concluded Conexpo 2014 which saw a lot of activity, was the perfect launch pad for many globally reputed OEMs to showcase their latest product innovations and technologies. Most of the latest launches are equipped with engines complying with Tier 4/Stage IV emission norms. In India, we have another couple of years for the next stage of more stringent emission norms to come into effect. For most global players in India, the introduction of Bharat Stage IV emission norms will not be a problem. The issue is the availability of clean fuel.

As I met different exhibitors and checked out some of the latest products showcased there, I could not help but compare and contrast the technology adoption done by the end-user segments. The developed countries seem to be keener on the latest value-added features, and the percentage of customers who look forward to more technology is on the higher side, given the demand-pull from the end-user segment. However, here in India, it is more OEM-driven; of course there is a perceptible shift here too. For example, most of the OEMs who supply excavators have made machine control technology a standard fitment. Be it asphalt plants, high-capacity crawlers, the latest range of compactors or foundation rigs, the concept of green and clean is slowly but surely catching up.

Then again, on the flip side, there is slow progress in adopting the latest advancements in a holistic way; for example, we have OEMs here supplying highly advanced, high performance concrete pumps, but the pumping perse is just below 10 per cent of the total concrete used. Another example is the use of hydrostatic pavers for better quality roads. These are used for NHAI and World Bank funded projects as it is part of the specification but they are yet to penetrate user consciousness when it comes to state highways.

There are so many areas like this. It is time we shifted gear, time every stakeholder stopped idling and became active, to create the momentum that is lacking today.