Chinese manufacturers competing in quarrying segment

Chinese firms are now gearing up to tackle the quarrying market - Mike Woof writes

One of the key developments of note for the bauma China exhibition in late 2014 was the number of Chinese manufacturers now looking to compete in the quarrying sector. Also of note was how Western manufacturers are also taking the emergent markets seriously, developing machines to counter this increased competition from China. In many cases Western manufacturers have partnered with Chinese firms, bought out Chinese companies or set up their own manufacturing facility in China.

In the past Chinese-made equipment has focussed on the volume markets, but this is changing. Chinese companies are now developing larger wheeled loaders and excavators to suit quarry customers. Meanwhile Chinese companies are also looking to introduce some Western concepts to the crushing equipment segment too, with firms looking at mobile equipment rather than sticking with static units as before.

269 LiuGong is introducing its biggest ever wheeled loader, the CLG8128H, which competes in the 50tonne weight class and features a 7m3 rock bucket. Rated load is 12tonnes, while breakout force is 360kN and the machine takes just 7.4seconds to lift its loader arms to the maximum dump height of 4.04tonnes. Aimed at the quarrying sector the CLG8128H is a key launch for LiuGong as it takes the firm into a new market segment in terms of capacity and performance. The launch is part of a plan to enter the more profitable quarrying segment, where the company will also face fewer competitors than in the volume market for smaller units. The company now also offers a 50tonne class excavator in the shape of its 950E, which was unveiled at the end of 2013 and is also suited to use in the extraction market.

Shanghai-based 6928 Lonking is another company with a proven range of wheeled loaders and which is now making larger machines than before, while also aiming at export customers. A key introduction is its CDM858 wheeled loader, which is to meet an array of customer needs, offering high performance, reliability and durability. The high specification CDM858 is powered by a 196 Cummins QSB6.7 diesel rated at 164kW, which drives through a ZF transmission. This 17.5tonne machine has a 5tonne payload in its 3m3 bucket and is the firm’s high specification model, designed for both the Chinese market and to suit export needs.
Owned by 359 Volvo CE, 5316 SDLG has unveiled two concept machines it intends to pitch at the quarrying segment. A wheeled loader and an excavator, these models represent a major development for 5316 SDLG as they will compete in larger equipment classes than current models from the firm. Both machines are said to offer reliability and durability as well as high utilisation rates. High productivity is claimed, along with good all-round visibility and a comfortable and spacious operator station.

The LG9120F is 36tonne wheeled loader capable of carrying 12tonnes in its 6m3 capacity bucket, while the LG4640E is a 46tonne excavator that wields a 2.1m3 bucket and is powered by a diesel delivering 245kW. When the models are made available to the market, both will be available with different engines to suit the emissions requirements for key sales territories.

2490 XCMG is broadening its business operations into new markets, with a key focus being an increased share of the extraction industry. This is part of a drive to become a solutions provider, instead of focussing on manufacturing volume products. The firm has a new 50tonne class wheeled loader as well as a number of large excavator models.

The new wheeled loader is the largest the firm has ever made and features an array of new hydraulics and electronics. Targeted at the quarry sector in particular, the machine is said to be rugged and durable, with good all-round visibility from the cab. Productivity is said to be high, while the machine is designed to be durable and reliable also.

1170 SANY is another company keen to develop a share of the quarrying equipment market, which can be seen best in its expanding range of haul trucks. Suited to the upper end of the earthmoving sector as well as the quarrying market is the new 39.5tonne capacity ADT from SANY. The SAT40 is equipped with a 24m3 capacity dumpbody with exhaust heating, and power from a Tier 3 rated 2796 Mercedes Benz diesel that delivers 350kW. The engine drives all six wheels through a ZF transmission with eight forward speeds and four ratios for reverse. Wet plate disc brakes are fitted on all six wheels, with separate hydraulic circuits for the front brakes and rear axles. The cab is said to feature good all-round visibility and plenty of room for the operator, as well as ensuring low operating noise. SANY has also introduced a new rigid dump truck, the SRT95C, which has a rated load of 95tonnes and tips the scales at 65tonnes unladen. This truck is powered by a Tier 2 compliant V12 Cummins QST30 diesel that delivers 783kW. The engine drives through an 3713 Allison transmission that offers six forward and four reverse gears and allows a top speed of 47km/h.

At present little information is available regarding XCMG’s 45tonne class articulated dumptruck. However the machine is designed along conventional lines with its diesel supplying power through a mechanical driveline to the twin rear axles, unlike the prototype machine the firm exhibited previously with its diesel-electric configuration.

Crushing and screening

In the crushing and screening markets, up-to-date mobile machines are now being manufactured in China, with a Western influence backing the development. LiuGong set up a partnership with Finnish crushing specialist 6934 Metso to build mobile crushers for the Chinese market. Meanwhile Sandvik has invested in the Chinese crushing equipment firm 4897 Shanbao that it bought some years ago, with new Chinese-developed mobile crushers now coming to market. LiuGong and Metso as well Sandvik and 4897 Shanbao have recognised the need for mobile crushers in China, where static plants have so far captured the major share of the market. Imported crushing equipment cannot compete on price with locally made units in China, as well as some emergent territories. But the additional versatility offered by mobile track-mounted machines and the fact that many older static plants are coming up for renewal has encouraged these companies to build mobile units in China.

The new LiuGong and Metso joint venture mobile crushers have been designed to meet the needs of customers in China and emergent territories. Both LiuGong and Metso believe these more versatile units will attract considerable sales in the future and the mobile crushing machines are an example of how LiuGong is prepared to invest in developing new market segments, as well as in research and development.

Meanwhile Shanbao has introduced a new track-mounted jaw crusher it plans to sell in both China and emergent markets. Designed and developed in the firm’s factory close to Shanghai, the versatile CT710J mobile crusher can be used in an array of applications in the cement, quarrying and asphalt sectors. The company is also keen to develop its worldwide coverage, particularly in markets such as the CIS, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. Following Shanbao’s acquisition by Sandvik, the Chinese firm has had more resources available for new model development. The CT710J mobile crusher is one of three track-mounted crushers Shanbao now builds, with the range offering throughputs of 100-250tonnes/hour.

Power for the mid-sized CT170J comes from a Cummins diesel, though the machine can also be run from an electric power source if the site has this utility available. The jaw crusher features an opening of 700mm x 1,100mm, allowing it to handle a wide range of materials in a primary function and has magnetic separation to prevent tramp iron damage. Measuring 2.5m wide by 4m high and weighing 55tonnes, the machine is also designed for easy transport.

Drilling

In the drilling market, both 161 Atlas Copco and 325 Sandvik have developed drill rigs suited to use in the emergent markets. While built to the same high quality as other models in the range, these machines are designed without the latest sophisticated control systems, to meet the needs of customers in emergent countries.

Atlas Copco’s new PowerROC T50 drill rig was developed at the firm’s Nanjing China facility, where it is now being manufactured. The machine is designed for the global market as a cost-effective unit equipped with a powerful 30kW hydraulic rock drill, a durable and rugged boom and a choice of engines. The rig is equipped with the firm’s COP 3060 drill, which is said to allow a high feed force to be applied while the new extension boom helps ensure hole straightness. The machine can drill holes from 102-152mm, while feed extension is 1.9m and feed rate and feed force is 50kN.
Easy positioning of the drill is claimed while the machine also has a robust aluminium chain-feed. The machine can be powered by a 9litre Tier 3 engine for use in emergent territories or by a Tier 4 compliant 9.3litre diesel where emissions restrictions are stricter. Both engines are rated at 261kW.

The T50 drills holes in the 102-152mm range. Feed extension is 1.9m with a total length of 9.37m and travel length of 5.4m. Both feed rate and feed force are 50kN.

Meanwhile Sandvik has released its new Tiger range of top hammer drills, which offer low centre of gravity for stability on uneven terrain. The DG700 and DG800 are said to benefit from a rock-drilling control system that ensures fast penetration as well as smooth collaring, long service life, and good hole quality. The Sandvik rock drills are coupled to a fixed boom and rod-handling system, with a19.5kW HL710 unit fitted to the DG700 and a 21kW HL810T drill on the DG800. The DG700 can drill holes from 64-115mm and delivers up to 8.1m3/min of flushing air at up to 10 bar while the DG800 can drill holes from 64-127mm, with 9.6m3/min of flushing air at up to 10 bar. Both variants weigh in at 14.7tonnes and are powered by Tier 2 engines rated 179kW, suiting the machines for sale in emergent markets only. A joystick in the soundproofed, high visibility ROPS and FOPS cab controls drilling functions. Maintenance is said to be easy due to the placing of service points at ground level.

Chinese manufacturer Zhejiang Zhigao Machinery (Zega) has also started building drilling rigs. Few details were available but the ZGYX-440 model is available in DTH format, one of a range that also includes the larger ZGYX-460 and ZGYX-470, as well as the more compact ZGTX-450B. The company also makes a hydraulic top hammer rig featuring a 2396 Montabert drill.