Fuel efficiency key as Volvo expands commitment in India

Volvo Construction Equipment has used its extensive display at the inaugural Bauma Conexpo India 2011 to demonstrate its commitment to improving fuel consumption and lowering emissions in its products – and also to underline the company’s expanding product, manufacturing and distribution capabilities.

The centerpiece of the display is a pair of the latest Volvo excavators – the EC140B Prime and the EC210B Prime; the latter specially adapted for work in granite and marble quarry applications. Road machinery also features highly, with an ABG 4361 asphalt paver (which was built in Volvo’s Indian factory) supported by the 8,200 kg (18,077 lb) DD 80 large asphalt compactor and L120F wheel loader.

Under the heading ‘breaking new barriers in fuel efficiency’, Mr. Muralidharan, the head of Volvo CE in India, will give a lecture at the show on the company’s four pronged approach to improving fuel efficiency. These ‘cornerstones’ include Systems such as OptiShift – a feature fitted to Volvo wheel loaders that integrates a torque converter with Volvo’s patented Reverse By Braking (RBB) technology. Operator behavior is another cornerstone, and programs such as Eco Operator highlight good working practices when using machines to develop an environmentally-friendly style of driving. The third cornerstone is Future Technologies, such as hybrids, and the final element is Engines – an area where Volvo’s fuel efficient V-ACT design excels.

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The Volvo diesel engine is at the heart of the company’s range of products. Based on well-proven, robust technology, the Volvo V-ACT engine range meets the needs of Indian customers by providing increased machine performance along with reduced emissions – emissions that meet the increasingly strict regulations on exhaust pollutants. Along with environmental improvements, the V-ACT engine also represents new achievements in combustion efficiency and overall engine performance. With new fuel injection, air management technology and advanced electronics, the inherent potential of the V-ACT engine is then tailored by Volvo engineers to meet the specific performance criteria required by differing machine types and applications.

As new – only better

The first Bauma Conexpo India – which is being held in Mumbai from 8-11th February, is also being used to highlight the extensive portfolio of products and services that are designed to support the machine ranges. Starting with a display emphasizing the benefits of Genuine Volvo Parts in servicing and maintenance duties, the Volvo stand also promotes the introduction of a dedicated component remanufacturing service into the Indian market. Volvo has recently invested in a new Factory Remanufactured Component centre in Bangalore whose technicians expertly restore a range of components to an often better-than-new standard. (‘Better’ because components are upgraded to the latest iteration of that unit’s development.) The facility allows users of Volvo construction equipment to have their used components renovated at a lower cost than buying new and consuming far less new materials and energy. This program is a natural extension of Volvo’s commitment towards a greener environment.

The show will also highlight CareTrack – Volvo’s telematics system that allows remote monitoring and machine diagnostics on all general purpose machines – which is now available in India as standard and comes with a free three-year subscription. While CareTrack offers customer a number of advantages, a primary one is the ability to effectively manage machine maintenance, servicing and repair through the system’s ability to ‘see’ how the machine is performing, has performed and any of a range of important information. Genuine Volvo Parts and CareTrack are both proving useful in maintaining machinery in optimal condition and achieving maximized uptime.

Lifetime support

Experts are on hand at Bauma Conexpo India in Mumbai to explain the benefits of all Volvo’s ‘hard’ machine product solutions as well as the extensive range of ‘soft’ non-machine product and service offerings.

Volvo specialists will also be available to explain the benefits of Customer Support Agreements (CSAs) which come in several forms, depending on customer needs and the work environment machines operates in. With a complete Volvo-supported CSA the client gets minimized unplanned costs and unexpected downtime, while control of expenditure is increased and higher machine availability achieved. A machine with a ‘full service history’ will also expect to return a higher residual value upon disposal.