Volvo Construction Equipment went beyond the expectations of most attendees with their impressive showcase of the future of the construction industry sphere at this year’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG. Volvo CE presented a range of machines, equipment, and services that provided enhanced solutions that were seen as a pathway to optimal productivity for the ever-evolving construction business environment.
Among the dozens of major construction industry players at this year’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023, Volvo CE stood out due to the immersive platform that showcased practicality, relevancy strength, and innovation. The collaboration between Volvo CE, Volvo Trucks, Volvo PENTA, and Volvo Financial Services resulted in a well-rounded presentation of various products that brought benefits to the table that go beyond project sites as Volvo paves the way forward for the construction industry towards a sustainable future.
Among the more notable products included electric machines (zero emission, low noise, and low vibration, etc.), various charging solutions according to regions, a hauler that was purely made of steel that was fossil-free, technological elements that offered enhanced operator efficiency, higher levels of project site safety, optimized fuel consumption specific and much more.
“Change” stated Melker Jernberg, Volvo CE’s president “creates challenges”, but they also present opportunities, and his statement is in fact the actual truth given the way things are evolving within the construction industry that had suffered heavily during the pandemic. The world according to him is undergoing a rapid and stark transition that requires solutions that champion sustainability.
An attendee who declined to be named and who manages a construction crew in Melbourne stated that what manufacturers are offering goes beyond conventional ideas, according to him manufacturers are now offering excavator rentals directly to clients which means lesser project costs as the prices of taking an excavator for rental for example would be significantly lower compared to renting excavators from 3rd parties. Although it does seem like a marketing strategy by manufacturers to get ahead of each other with these new services, it’s a win–win solution as far as contractors see it.
Volvo CE theme “Change Starts Here!” coupled with a booth that was more than 50,000 sqft filled with Volvo reps gave attendees a chance to see products ask questions about them not just about the products, but the trajectory of the industry, gain practical ideas and how committing to partnerships with Volvo CE could benefit them in the long run. As for the products that were displayed the EC230 electric-powered excavator stole the show due to the fact it was one of the few large excavators weighing 22 tons and was powered by batteries.
Most other manufacturers featured electric models that fell under the compact category weighing less than 12 tons. Volvo also introduced a variety of services high-end remote machine control systems and advanced telematics that raised the bar for the entire industry. In summary, based on what we witnessed at the CONEXPO, “change” is not “on its way”, “change” h
