At present, the global construction and road engineering machinery market is going through a difficult period. With many European, American and Japanese brands successively withdrawing from the Russian market, users of construction machinery have encountered severe challenges in equipment maintenance and technical support. (Published by Glade (Engineering) Information Network
Among the equipment fleets of various enterprises, the newness of the equipment still in operation varies - There are relatively new devices that have only been running for 3,000 to 5,000 hours, as well as old machines that are approaching the end of their service life. Artyom Osikin, the head of the bulldozer division of Haberg Construction Machinery Co., LTD., pointed out. This expert said that a large number of European models purchased five or six years ago are now suffering from increasingly severe equipment wear and tear, with many reaching the scrapping standard. Meanwhile, products from Chinese manufacturers are gradually taking their place.
In recent years, the problem of European, American and Japanese equipment wears and tear has become increasingly prominent, which is primarily attributed to the restricted supply of original factory parts. The large fleet composed of existing imported equipment is currently operating at full capacity. The extension of the supply cycle of spare parts has further increased the operating load of the equipment. Dmitry Belov, general manager of the Northwest Branch of Sumitek International Co., LTD., added.
The supply of accessories remains the most intractable problem at present. Artem Osikin mentioned that the market landscape of alternative parts has remained largely unchanged: suitable alternative parts can be found for most types of equipment, but for core heavy-duty components such as engines and gearboxes, it is still recommended to give priority to using original factory parts.
Dmitry Belov said, "The most challenging part is the special electronic components and parts with integrated diagnostic functions. If third-party alternative products are used for such accessories, it is very likely to cause functional failure of the equipment, or even make it impossible to replace them at all." However, for general-purpose accessories with high demand (such as various belts, hydraulic components, transmission system parts) and consumables like filters, manufacturers from Russia, China and Turkey have launched mature compatible products that can fully meet the usage requirements of European equipment.
Alexander Zhdanov, senior product support manager of Langmadi Co., LTD., said that the inventory of mainstream accessories and consumables in the market is sufficient and can be allocated to suppliers' warehouses at any time. He mentioned that although most scarce accessories can be obtained through customized purchases, the supply cycle will be significantly prolonged, which has also become a major concern for equipment users.
The waiting period for some accessories can even be as long as half a year, and they need to rely on complex logistics solutions to be delivered. This makes it difficult for customers to formulate reasonable maintenance plans and also fails to effectively reduce equipment downtime. There was once a case showing that the maintenance cycle of a piece of equipment could last for more than nine months. This situation clearly fails to satisfy customers, and it is even more so for mining enterprises - every day of shutdown in this industry causes huge economic losses. Artyom Osikin admitted.
The difficulty of on-site maintenance has increased sharply
In the context of disrupted logistics and transportation, users are increasingly valuing the on-site rapid repair capabilities of service providers. Previously, international well-known brands have won the favor of a large number of customers precisely because of their timely on-site services.
Relying on our own parts warehouse and a mature supply chain system, we have the ability to provide full-cycle operation and maintenance support for imported equipment. In addition, the branch company is equipped with a mobile maintenance team and advanced diagnostic equipment. Practice shows that, under the premise of sufficient spare parts, most equipment malfunctions can be repaired at the operation site within 1 to 2 days. Dmitry Belov introduced.
Artyom Osikin reminds us that the efficiency of maintenance depends on three core factors: the inventory of dealer parts, the professional qualifications of maintenance personnel, and the completeness of diagnostic equipment. If the delivery cycle of spare parts is as long as six months, the difficulty of completing the maintenance of European and American equipment at the operation site can be imagined.
He analyzed, "The core component inventories of international first-line brand equipment have been basically exhausted, and all components need to be purchased from abroad." In addition, most imported equipment is equipped with electronic control systems. Their maintenance not only requires dedicated diagnostic devices - and the usage licenses and software authorizations of such devices have mostly expired - but also cannot do without high-quality professional technicians.
Alexander Zhdanov added that if equipment operators or users can regularly pay attention to the prompt information of the diagnostic system, they can predict the risk of vulnerable parts based on relevant data, purchase spare parts in advance for maintenance or repair, and thus avoid faults.
It is worth noting that the fuel system, engine, transmission and hydraulic system are high-frequency problem areas in equipment maintenance, and the wear and tear patterns of components vary among different models.
Artyom Osikin gave an example: "Take excavators as an example. The engine and the main hydraulic pump are high-load components and require focused maintenance." The load on the traveling system and the gearbox is relatively small because excavators mostly operate at fixed points. In contrast, bulldozers, due to long-term operation under load, have the most severe wear on their traveling systems, and transmission components such as gearboxes and steering clutches are also considered vulnerable parts."
Alexander Zhdanov emphasized that the electronically controlled planetary transmission and the electronically controlled fuel system of the engine are the most difficult components to maintain. At the same time, he pointed out that the excessive wear and tear of any component is closely related to the user's failure to follow the operating procedures and maintenance manual. For instance, if the operators of excavators frequently overload their operations, it is very likely to cause premature damage to the slewing bearings.
Dmitry Belov added, "The electronic control systems, precision hydraulic components and new transmission devices of imported high-end equipment have always been difficult points in maintenance." The maintenance of such components not only requires professional knowledge and tools, but also needs to be matched with the original factory software to complete the debugging. In terms of vulnerable parts, bearings, traveling mechanisms, hydraulic cylinder seals, and structural components of working devices all fall under the category of frequently replaced parts."
In response to urgent maintenance needs, a representative of Langmadi Company stated that the dealer's warehouse always keeps a large number of general spare parts in stock, and 70% of the spare parts demand can be directly allocated from the warehouse within Russia. The expert also mentioned that the company is still fulfilling all warranty commitments for the JCB equipment it has sold.
Dmitry Belov also said that although some foreign enterprises have withdrawn, Sumitek is still continuously providing equipment support to its partners, using components that meet the original factory standards, and offering its own warranty services.
Artyom Osikin quipped, "The original factory warranty period actually expired long ago." International brands supplied to the Russian market before 2022, and their warranty periods were usually one year, with few having longer periods. Therefore, all these devices have now entered the stage of out-of-warranty maintenance.
Chinese equipment: An Alternative or a Last Resort?
Against the backdrop of the increasingly severe equipment maintenance predicament in Europe, many enterprises have turned their attention to manufacturers in friendly countries. In this regard, industry experts have given an objective evaluation.
Artyom Osikin analyzed, "The quality of equipment from various brands in China varies greatly." Leading enterprises such as Sany Heavy Industry and Liugong not only deeply cultivate the Russian market but also have strong competitiveness globally. The quality of their products far exceeds that of niche brands. The core advantage of Chinese manufacturers lies in their rapid technological iteration speed and their ability to quickly adjust product designs based on the usage conditions in Russia.
But even well-known brands like Shantui, Sany and Liugong have obvious shortcomings - the durability of their equipment is still not as good as that of international first-line brands. Overall, however, the cost performance of leading Chinese brands is quite considerable.
Alexander Zhdanov divided Chinese equipment into two major camps: economical equipment and quasi-high-end equipment. He believes that the positioning of economic equipment is not for long-term high-intensity operation. Although it can be maintained through common parts, its technological level determines that the residual value of the equipment is low and its service life is short, basically belonging to "one-time" use consumables.
Dmitry Belov concluded: "In recent years, the development speed of Chinese equipment has been obvious to all, and both durability and reliability have been steadily improving." Its prominent advantages lie in its affordable price, convenient logistics and timely supply of spare parts. However, in terms of the wear resistance of some core components, especially under the harsh climatic conditions in Russia, some Chinese models still lag behind high-end equipment from Europe and Japan, which directly affects the service life of the equipment.
However, the actual service life of the equipment largely depends on daily maintenance and operation norms. As long as it is properly maintained, the service life of Chinese equipment can definitely exceed the general expectations of the market.