A pioneer in the integration ofdigital technology in its range of machines, JCB offers unmatched benefits to itscustomers and end-users alike, says DeepakShetty.

 “Innovationhas been the cornerstone of JCB’s operations around the world...We, thus, innovate,design, manufacture, sell, and export from India.”

Deepak Shetty, - CEO and ManagingDirector,  JCB India Limited.

Where do you think Mini Excavators would be most useful and indemand?

Urban development, rejuvenation oftowns and cities, solid waste management, pipelines, and trenching work areamong the many sectors which are set to grow. These will have to be executed inspace-constricted urban/semi-urban areas, and this is where Mini Excavatorswill find great utility.

As cities and towns expand, thecompact design of the machine makes it useful in trenching, cable laying,power, irrigation, and housing. The concept of Mini Excavators is graduallygaining momentum as customers are today seeing value in the product.

Would you throw light on the latest range of JCB Mini Excavators,their features, etc?

JCB India has a comprehensive rangein the 3T to 5T category of excavators with the models 30 plus, 50Z, and 51R. Thesemachines offer high fuel efficiency and excel in productivity and operatorcomfort. They are aimed at intensifying urban infrastructure and come withfeatures like superior structural stability and our advanced TelematicsTechnology – Livelink – to help achieve high productivity and connectivity.

The range is compatible withmultiple attachments like soil drill, rock breaker, etc., and gives operatorsthe option of customised mode selection – Light, Eco, Heavy, and Heavy+,depending on the work.

The 30 plus is a 3T compact MiniExcavator with a maximum bucket capacity of 0.076 cu.m, engine power of 24.7 hp(18.4 kW) and a maximum operating weight of 2,870 Kg. It has been designed toperform several applications in space-restricted areas, making it an idealchoice for multiple industries.

The next in the range is the JCB50Z. A compact excavator powered by a 48 hp (35.7 kW) engine. It has been builtfor the challenging needs of the urban landscape of India. The machine has acompact size, zero tail swing, high-end structural stability, eight operatingmodes, and auto-idle and one-touch idle feature.

The intelligent display withdial-type throttle control makes it capable of handling numerous applicationslike plantations, pipe laying, narrow drainage cleaning, canal sedimentremoval, trenching work, railway cable laying, and utility work in industrialplants, etc. The 50Z has an operating weight of 4.95 tonnes, a 2.7 m boom, anda 1.45 m arm.

The 51R has Industry-leadingdigital screen technology that lets users tailor and store optimum settingswhich provide total control of the machine. Its compact size, high-endstructural stability, higher lifting capacity, uncompromised safety andsecurity features, make it a great business decision.

It is fitted with a 2.7m boom and1.57m arm combined with a reduced tail swing, which makes this machine an agileand dependable performer. The 51R has a maximum operating weight of 5,266 Kg andan engine power of 48hp (35.7kW).

The 50Z and the 51R come withBucket capacities ranging from 0.10cum (trench), 0.14cum (standard), and 0.17cum and 0.22 cum buckets (for lighter material). The JCB 50Z offers quality,strength, and excellent performance.

What are the latest in terms of JCB India’s Technology and Digital Interventions?

JCB India has pioneered theintegration of digital technology in its range of machines through advancedTelematics called ‘LiveLink’. These machines work in off-road and often remotelocations and LiveLink helps in remote monitoring and fleet management on keyparameters of Service, Operations, and Security of equipment.

This technology today helps over 250,000JCB machines communicate in real-time on machine location, operations, performance,downtime, service alerts, and security. It enables better site management andequipment utilisation, thereby improving operational efficiency andcost-saving.

Features, such as geo-fencing andtime-fencing, have significantly enhanced the security of these machines.

Technology has been transformingthe way machine-to-machine and machine-to-customer communication is being done.All vital information about the machine is available to customers on theirmobile devices through a web browser or also through the ‘LiveLink’ mobileapplication. Additionally, the system also sends out alert SMSs to registeredmobile numbers.

It incorporates GPS,telecommunications, machine electronics, and IoT, enabling the equipment toremain in contact with the owner, dealer, and JCB.

Accurate monitoring of machinehours and service alerts improve maintenance. Technical alerts and maintenance ofhistory data help customers manage the machine’s health for maximum uptime andreturn on investment. Early warnings with detailed machine history enable usersto plan work effectively.

This cutting-edge technology canhelp lower servicing and running costs by ensuring machines are operated totheir optimum performance, reducing fuel consumption and unnecessary machine wear.By monitoring idle-time and real-time fuel consumption, LiveLink helps managethe whole life cost of ownership, driving down costs, while driving upproductivity. It also helps keep machines safe and improves control overmachine misuse.

What is JCB India’s commitment to the government’s Make-In-India programmeand an Aatmanirbhar Bharat?

The ‘Make in India’ programme waslaunched with a focus on making India a manufacturing hub for the world. Today,it has dovetailed into ‘Vocal for Local’ and an ambition to become‘AatmaNirbhar’ or Self Reliant.

JCB India is an embodiment of theHon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of an ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’. Our machines havebeen contributing to the building of world-class infrastructure in the countryfor over 40 years and we are proud that these made-in-India machines have beenexported to over 130 countries today. They are building infrastructure theworld over.

We, today, have fivestate-of-the-art factories in Delhi-NCR, Pune, and Jaipur, all of which operateon the principle of ‘One Global Quality’. Our Jaipur factory is also a gender-diversefacility, with almost 33 per cent of the workforce on the shop floor beingwomen. Our sixth factory at Vadodara, which will focus on exports of components,is currently being constructed.

Innovation has been the cornerstoneof JCB’s operations around the world. In India, we have a full Design andInnovation centre at Pune, which is our largest outside of the UK. Thisfacility develops exciting and new technologies for the future for Global andDomestic projects. We, thus, innovate, design, manufacture, sell, and exportfrom India.

JCB is focusing on the greateradoption of technologies like Telematics, IoT, big data, data analytics, andmachine learning in its products. 

What are the latest trends in Product Support?

‘After-Sales Support’ is one of thekey deciding factors in the overall buying cycle of a product. Infrastructuredevelopment projects demand specialised intelligent and technologicallyadvanced Construction Equipment. This has to be supported by consistent, quick,and effective after-sales services to achieve the best quality output on tighttimelines.

With a wide distribution network ofover 60+ dealers and over 700 outlets across India, JCB India provides anunmatched distribution and service network to its customers.

It is imperative thatwell-connected product support minimises downtime and maximises productivity.Our dealers employ about 8,000 professionally trained personnel in India andthe dealerships provide vital product support to customers for their equipment.

JCB also invests in the skillingand training of its dealers and product support teams. Additionally, fivestrategically set up parts warehouses at Pune, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Guwahati,and the recently inaugurated warehouse at Bhaproda near New Delhi, which is theindustry’s largest parts warehouse with an area of about 160,000 sq. ft.,support these dealerships for parts supplies. As we go ahead, we will continueto invest in smart technologies and bring in more innovation to offer unmatchedbenefits to customers and end-users.