Tata Hitachi: Hydraulic Excavators, Backhoe Loaders & Wheel Loaders

Tata Hitachi India, Sandeep Singh - Managing Director

Tata Hitachi typically uses advanced design principles and analytical tools to design and validate its structures, where the weight component is minimised using better materials without compromising the stability of the machine.

The product lineup of Tata Hitachi India includes a wide range of excavators, ranging from 2-ton mini excavators (including construction and mining variants) to models as hefty as 800 tons, which incorporate the excavator range and dump trucks offered by the parent company, HCM, Japan. The company is committed to revolutionizing construction equipment through innovation, sustainability, and global excellence. One of Tata Hitachi’s standout initiatives is the cutting-edge digital connect platform called e-DOST, which serves as a unified interface for customers to engage with the company. This platform facilitates various functions, from sales and post-sales support to digitally ordering parts and monitoring their machines throughout their operational lifecycle. This year, the company has a robust lineup of new products and enhancements aimed at enhancing customer businesses, with many anticipated launches scheduled during Excon.

Good design is key to machine strength and durability

Tata Hitachi typically uses advanced design principles and analytical tools to design and validate our structures, where the weight component is minimised using better materials without compromising the stability of the machine. The use of alternative materials other than steel is also in practice wherever the application allows it.

We strive to provide superior safety and comfort for fatigue-free operations. Special emphasis is laid on seating, ergonomically laid-out machine controls, and all-around visibility. Our machines meet international safety standards, incorporating ISO-OPG and FOPS, as necessary, apart from other visual and audio measures to warn both the operators and surrounding people of active working machines.

Introducing products with better fuel efficiency and productivity

We are deeply invested and committed to reducing our carbon footprint using eco-friendly technology and practices. Apart from ensuring that our wheeled equipment adheres to the regulatory requirements of CEV-4 emission norms, we are also developing excavators that are compatible with futuristic emission norms. We are also focused on improving fuel efficiency and reducing maintenance costs for all our products through engineering innovations.

With our TL 340H PRIME, we are the first and only manufacturer in India of hydrostatic wheel loaders that assure fuel savings to the tune of 20% over conventional wheel loaders. Our machines also come with lead and chrome-free paints.

In October 2023, Tata Hitachi handed over its first Hitachi EH 3500AC-3 Rigid Dump Truck (190T Class) to Northern Coalfields in Singrauli. The truck comes with Hitachi’s AC drive technology and uses IGBT, converters, etc. to drive AC motors to handle the payload.

Since electrical components are used to drive such trucks, the mechanical losses are reduced to a minimum due to the minimal transmission as compared to the conventional mechanical trucks. This also has a lesser impact on the engine while the truck is running, resulting in a longer engine life as well as better fuel efficiency as compared to trucks with mechanical transmission.

Developing machines for optimum utilization

Backed by cutting-edge technology from HCM, Japan, our range of equipment comes with a host of performance enhancement features like Work Modes, Power Modes, and fuel saving features like Auto-Idle and Auto-Deceleration, to name a few.

Advanced technologies like IoT, telematics and mobility solutions are a standard in our machines. ConSite and InSite are two such proprietary technologies that enable customers to remotely monitor Tata Hitachi machines through granular, real-time operational, maintenance, location, and health data. Frequent reports include analysis of performance, fuel consumption and machine productivity that allow customers to visualize the operation and health status of their machines, improve machine efficiency and maintenance management, and work closer with Tata Hitachi for timely interventions to keep the machines in top working condition.

Innovating products that compete in global markets

Tata Hitachi India is exporting to SAARC countries through Tata Hitachi’s authorised dealers and excavators and to the Middle East and Africa through the Hitachi network. We are working on growing our business in Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka and are working with our parent company, HCM, Japan, to enhance the exports of our machines to other markets through their network. Through this, we hope to leverage our manufacturing capability to address requirements of parts from the global market. However, the economic situation in most SAARC countries is a matter of concern currently, and demand has come down significantly in the past few years.

Training operators

At our training centre, we train operators on our hydraulic excavators, backhoe loaders, and wheel loaders. The center has a state-of-the-art simulator that gives almost real-life machine operating conditions for the trainees. Once the course is completed, the participants are given a certificate in collaboration with the Government of India, which helps them get a job as machine operators in any part of the country.

Contributing to circular economy

For effective use of resources, we promote ‘circular economy’ through our used equipment business and remanufacturing of parts. Tata Hitachi’s full-fledged Reman Centre provides refurbished machine components like engines, hydraulic aggregates, structural components, etc. The Reman facility is a vital support arm, as it provides aggregates at a fraction of the cost of a new part. Through the facility, we can easily exchange old hydraulic aggregates with a Reman component to get almost zero downtime in the case of aged aggregate replacement, as well as enhance the recyclability of aggregates with significant residual life still left in them.

Outlook for construction sector in 2024

The domestic CE industry has been growing at a CAGR of >10%/year till last year and came close to touching 100,000 units in 2022. With this, India was positioned as the 4th largest CE market outside of Europe, North America, and China. This has been made possible due to the increasing investments in infrastructure by the central government, which is now supported by the states. In this direction, the Capex for this year in the central budget is Rs 10 LC.

This year also, in H1, the CE industry has grown >20% YoY on a low base. We expect the growth to moderate in Q3, even as it is expected to grow, in-spite of a higher base. As the model code of conduct is expected sometime in the last part of Q4, and considering the high base of last year, we expect the growth to moderate in that quarter.

However, we have seen in the past that general elections are disruptive to the CE industry as a large part of our customer base is intrinsically linked to politics and the focus of the government changes. The long duration of elections is also a matter of concern, as it delays the quick recovery of the construction industry.

The increasing formalisation of the construction industry is a positive development, as it is less affected by the impact of elections and recovers quickly. There is also the implementation of BS V norms for wheeled CE, which will once again increase the equipment price by over 10%. We, therefore, believe that equipment sales will moderate in the next fiscal year, with the wheeled CE affected more.