While uncertainties over U.S. tariff policies and other aspects of international trade have snarled some of the global equipment market in the last year, construction contractors are hungry for new machines, if the attendance at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG trade show held in Las Vegas March 2-6 is any indication. Original equipment manufacturers—domestic and foreign—piled in to show off their wares before a crowd of more than 140,000 attendees looking to refresh their fleets and find out how the latest technological advancements might give them a competitive edge.
The show was home to several firsts, including Caterpillar’s new 319 excavator. The 19-ton machine fills a gap in the manufacturer’s offerings, creating a whole new in-between size class for excavators, says Brian Stellbrink, a Caterpillar marketing professional. “The 319 is not a replacement for any former model,” he explains. Rather than a typical refresh, it’s addressing what Stellbrink says is a market demand. “We see a lot of opportunity in the industry for compact-radius machines—customers value them.” With 15-ton and 25-ton compact radius excavator classes already available, Cat saw an opening, he adds. “It’s a blend between the 315 and the 325. There’s a lot of customers for whom a 15-ton is not enough. They’ve got utility work, want to run larger work tools, lift concrete boxes, and traditionally the industry said ‘go up to the 25-ton.’” But Stellbrink points out this creates its own problems, with having to transport a larger excavator and ensuring jobsite ground conditions can handle it. The 319 hits that “sweet spot,” he says.
The recently unveiled diesel-electric D8 XE dozer (left) was one of the big draws for Caterpillar at the CONEXPO show’s outdoor lot (right).
Photos by Jeff Rubenstone/ENR
The 319 isn’t the only new machine from Cat exploring a new category. It also had its new D8 XE diesel-electric dozer on hand. This is the largest-size dozer Cat has out with diesel-electric power, offering performance comparable to a traditional D8 with reduced fuel usage. “The big difference between the D8 XE and a traditional [diesel] D8 is maneuverability,” says Sam Meeker, a Caterpillar marketing professional. “It just feels a lot more nimble going around corners, and the diesel-electric is good for smoother acceleration and deceleration.” He adds that the D8 XE also boasts 10% reduced fuel usage compared to the D8, but that mostly comes from performance in medium-demand applications rather than full-on heavy dozing. The diesel-electric also boasts a lower rebuild cost, saving money down the line when it needs a midlife overhaul. “The rebuild is less parts, less time: you get that savings later,” says Meeker.
Meanwhile, looking to avoid talk of tariffs, Japan-based Komatsu was quick to point out to press and attendees that it already has a substantial U.S.-based production pipeline, along with a steady drumbeat of new machines it has rolled out in recent years. “Komatsu is invested heavily in the U.S. and Canada,” notes Rod Bull, president of Komatsu North America. He cited $5 billion spent over the last five years in acquisitions of companies and dealers to strengthen Komatsu’s position in the U.S. and Canada, as well as over $650 million invested recently in equipment manufacturing facilities across North America.
Komatsu Vice President Paul Moore says intelligent machine controls were just one way to focus on improving operator productivity.
Photos by Jeff Rubenstone/ENR
“We are developing our machines around the future jobsite of the North American market,” explains Paul Moore, Komatsu North America vice president of products, marketing and service. He noted that Komatsu has focused on features to improve productivity at a time where seasoned operators are hard to find, noting that “[at CONEXPO] we have the first scaling of intelligent machine controls into the 13- to 15-ton size class.”
Komatsu’s iMC 3.0 system can provide both 2D and 3D machine controls for excavation and earthmoving. While these systems can come with an added cost, many OEMs are increasingly offering them as factory-installed standards.
And despite worries that tariffs could make imported machines less competitive on pricing, there was still optimism among foreign manufacturers at the show as well. China-based LiuGong promoted its extensive, decade-plus development of battery-electric-powered heavy equipment, and company executives see their offerings as competitive within the U.S. despite tariff uncertainties.
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“Customers are looking for lower operating costs, higher margins and reduced emissions without sacrificing quality,” said Luo Guobing, LiuGong president and vice chairman. While LiuGong represents 50% of the electric wheel loader exports from China—with its electric equipment shipped to 60 countries—it has hit some speed bumps in bringing electric machines to the U.S. But Luo says that is changing. “We are strengthening our supply chain and service network in North America by working closely with strategic partners and suppliers to ensure faster response and more reliable support.”
LiuGong also announced it was reintroducing its motor grader to the U.S. market after withdrawing it years earlier. The earlier model, a Tier-3-emissions-compliant machine, comes back in a Tier-4-Final version to meet current standards. Company officials cited strong demand within the U.S. market for the move.
Doosan Bobcat’s RX3 concept autonomous loader was a draw on the show floor.
Photo by Jeff Rubenstone/ENR
Turning to Tech
While artificial intelligence has been a hot topic for construction planning and execution (see p. 66), it’s also gaining ground in the equipment space—and not just in the existing options for autonomous and semi-autonomous operation, but in more immediate applications as well. Leica Geosystems showed off its new intelligent camera detection system, X Sight 360, which can identify human beings from cameras mounted on heavy equipment to trigger safety alarms and automatic cutoffs. Computer vision technology is nothing new to heavy equipment, but manufacturers across the show floor were eager to promote their use of AI in automated visual identification systems.
Topcon Positioning Systems had its own version of this safety feature with the Topcon Awareness System, which can spot potential hazards around equipment based on camera data. In addition to providing immediate alerts on jobsite hazards, the system also sends video to the cloud for further analysis and identification of possible broader site safety issues.
But the layout giant’s biggest launch of the show was Origo, a new reality capture system for quickly mapping out indoor and outdoor environments with minimal setup. A combination of GPS and LiDAR sensors on a pole mount can be moved around and quickly capture a 3D space for processing into a full model. “This is a very, very user-friendly system,” explains Marc Contino, Topcon vice president for North America retail. “A full robotic total station can lose its lock-on, lose sight of the prism. [Origo] is constantly measuring its surroundings, and by doing that it knows exactly where it is.”
