Caterpillar’s soil compactor range is set to get bigger and better. A local dealer and support network, as well as the latest Caterpillar technology, is ensuring that operators can benefit from the best possible soil compaction.
Providing value, beyond just the machine.
For Caterpillar, this means much more than just providing equipment. It means thinking about the next steps toward transforming how contractors, councils and others approach soil compaction in the infrastructure and construction sectors.
This is just one of the reasons why the company introduced Cat Compaction Control, a technology portfolio that focuses on giving operators an intelligent compaction system.
Chris Harkness, Industry Territory Manager, Paving Products – Caterpillar, says Machine Drive Power (MDP) is just one component of this portfolio, allowing operators to see compaction data in real-time on the machine’s screen, ensuring proper soil compaction across different
soil types.
“A lot of companies, when they offer compaction technology, they offer an accelerometer, which measures drum decoupling,” he says.
“This technology is less effective when you’re working in clay, which in some ways acts as a shock absorber, which means the data doesn’t match up to what’s depicted. And that’s one of the main reasons why we developed MDP.”
MDP measures the load bearing strength of soil, collecting and communicating this data to the operator, allowing them to know when an area meets compaction specification. It’s also compatible across both smooth drum and padfoot configurations.
Harkness says the technology has been developed with Australian applications in mind, able to cater for a multitude of surface types and scales, such as granular, cohesive and semi-cohesive.
“Australia is one of the leading adopters of machine control and machine technology in the world. When we look at Asia, Europe and the US, Australia is still right up there, with some of the highest rates of adoption. That’s growth that we’ll likely see into the future as well,” he says.
The wider Cat Compaction Control portfolio includes optional technology, such as mapping features, which can also be amplified through Cat’s VisionLink. VisionLink allows operators to receive tracking and performance data right from their computers or mobile.
Dean Alley, Territory Manager ANZ, Paving Products – Caterpillar, says there’s something for every operator within the Cat Compaction Control range.
“When we speak to people in the councils or contractors, they see real value in having that accountability with the operator, that they can prove whether or not a specification or task has been satisfied,” he says.
“We really see our technology as being a differentiator in the market.”
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Local as ever
On top of its equipment and technological suites, Caterpillar takes great pride in its network of local dealers across the country.
This network, consisting of sites across the Northern Territory, New South Wales, ACT, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia, makes sure that each and every Caterpillar customer is supported locally, as Alley explains.
“We have service technicians and a very comprehensive footprint in terms of that service,” he says. “We also have the capacity to bring in specialised team members, who can come in and train you on how to use or fix your machine.”
Caterpillar is conducting training for its own sales representatives, ensuring that customers can benefit from a “cascading” knowledge transfer model. This includes follow-up training with customers who have purchased machinery, with a focus on technology usage, as well as the overall understanding of the equipment.
Caterpillar is also investing in its in-house manufacturing capabilities, prioritising improvements that can reduce lead times for soil compaction customers in the long run. Particularly for Cat’s Real Time Kinematic (RTK) systems, which help to further increase compaction control and optimisation.
“We’re getting new screens and the RTK fitted as a factory fit. That means the machine can come out of the box fully checked up and equipped, which means much faster processing through the workshop, allowing machines to get to the customer and the site quicker,” Alley says.
“It’s also going to be a lot more cost effective, by being able to install this hardware and cabling while we’re building the machine from the ground up.”
Customers are also supported through Caterpillar’s financial solutions service, which provides greater flexibility to prospective customers for equipment purchases.
“We can really tailor our offering to our customer’s desire,” Alley says. “Our finance and warranty solutions can be adjusted, whether that’s to lease or setting up a payment plan. In most cases, we can adapt that service to what the customer requires.”
With quick response times, technical expertise and localised maintenance and servicing on offer, Caterpillar’s vast dealer network means customers can get the parts and equipment they require, from experts that are entrenched in their local areas and markets.
But with reliability being a core component of the range, Harkness says customers won’t need to visit their local dealer on a regular basis.
“The customers who have bought units from the soil compaction range know that they don’t have to spend a lot of money on them to achieve and maintain the best possible performance,” he says. “And most importantly, their operators like operating them.”
This article was originally published in the May edition of our magazine. To read the magazine, click here.
