35
september 2013
international
construction
WHEELED LOADERS
Common goals
>
Many parts of the world have similar but less stringent
regulations to cover wheeled loaders and other types of
construction equipment. They include developed countries like
Australia and South Korea as well as major emerging markets
like Brazil, China, India, Russia and Turkey.
Elsewhere in the world, including other parts of Latin America,
Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South-East Asia and the
CIS excluding Russia, regulations lag further behind or there are
no laws at all to restrict pollution from off-highway equipment.
This is a headache for wheeled loader manufacturers, who, in
an ideal world, would make one base machine with the same
engine in it to cover all global markets. Instead they need at least
two parallel lines – one for highly regulated countries and one
for lesser regulated ones. Some even say there is a case for three
ranges – highly regulated, lower regulation and zero regulation
markets.
There are several reasons for this. The first is that machines built
for Europe, Japan or the US have a lot of expensive technology
on-board to cut emissions. It is doubtful such a price premium
would be accepted in countries where it was not legally required.
Variations in engine regulations mean wheeled loaders sold in different parts of the world have
become very different animals. However, the drive for better fuel efficiency and productivity is a
common theme.
Chris Sleight
reports.
Common goals
Caterpillar’s
986H has
been designed
specifically for
lesser regulated
markets and
the company
does not make
an equivalent
for Europe and
North America.
W
heeled loaders built for the European Union, Japanese
or US markets now feature engines with very low
emission levels. And laws are due to get tighter.
The current Stage IIIB, Tier 4 and Tier 4 Interim legislation
(respectively for each territory) will be replaced next year with
even tighter requirements.
These will see exhaust gasses having about the same level of
pollutants in them as the ambient air in many cities. In fact, some
manufacturers say that when Tier 4 Final and its equivalents are
in place, their machines will act as air cleaners in some places.
Komatsu’s Stage IIIB wheeled loaders come with the free
Komatsu Care service programme, covering the first two
years or 2,000 hours.
