Page 18 - Construction_Opportunities_December_2025

COVER STORY

reduce rework, improve fuel efficiency, and elevate safety at a
EXCON is the largest construction equipment time when job sites are becoming denser, more regulated, and
industry expo in South Asia. Volvo CE has increasingly productivity-driven.
been a participant in EXCON from its first The second major frontier is electrification, which is moving from
edition in 2000 and we have done most global aspiration to early-stage on-ground adoption in India.
of our biggest product launches using this
platform. Our showcase in the 2025 edition Battery-electric compact excavators, skid-steer loaders, and
will feature our latest product offerings mini loaders are finding strong use cases in metro rail corridors,
for customers in Infrastructure and Mining tunnel projects, airport expansions, industrial plants, and urban
industries. We will also showcase our latest redevelopment—environments where low noise, zero emissions,
technology in Zero Emission CE solutions. and minimal ventilation load are operational imperatives. Even as
DIMITROV KRISHNAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, OEMs scale electric platforms, the industry is embracing transitional
VOLVO CE INDIA
energy pathways. Solutions running on bio-CNG, HVO, hydrogen-
enriched fuels, and hybrid powertrains are being piloted to ease
the shift for contractors who must balance sustainability goals
with cost sensitivity and predictable machine availability. These
Adoption of AI, IoT, and cloud-based telematics platforms hybrid and alternate-fuel machines represent a practical bridge
leveraging data analytics are increasing in a data-driven between diesel-dominated fleets and the fully electric future. The
ecosystem of real-time decision making. Major manufacturers fourth—and arguably the most strategic—shift is the localization
like Komatsu and Volvo are incorporating telematics dashboards of high-value, technology-intensive components, a movement
that analyze machine and operational data through machine that is reshaping India’s role in global construction-equipment
learning algorithms, providing fuel savings of 10-15%, on average, supply chains. Batteries, electric motors, advanced sensors, ECUs,
across medium to heavy construction equipment. digital HMI displays, telematics controllers, AI-enabled cameras,
Parallel to this transformation is the accelerated rise of AI-driven and autonomous-support hardware are now being manufactured
operator-assist technologies, which are redefining how machines or assembled locally at unprecedented scale. This deep
interact with both operators and the job site environment. While localization not only reduces cost and protects OEMs from import
fully autonomous construction equipment remains a long-term volatility; it also positions India as a design and manufacturing
aspiration for India’s diverse and unpredictable work conditions, hub for next-generation smart machinery. As global OEMs
semi-autonomous capability is rapidly becoming mainstream. integrate India into their R&D and sourcing networks, the country
Features such as auto-dig systems, 2D/3D grade control, hydraulic is moving from being a value-competitive market to a source of
load sensing, obstacle and collision avoidance, fatigue and innovation, components, and export-ready intelligent machines.
distraction monitoring, and geo-fenced safety alerts—once
limited to top-tier models—are now cascading into mid-range Business Model Evolution: Moving Beyond Iron to Intelligence
and even compact categories. These systems don’t merely The smartest manufacturers and rental companies recognize
enhance comfort; they compensate for operator skill gaps, that the business of construction equipment is rapidly shifting

18 CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES|DECEMBER 2025