Crawler Dozers are heavy, driver-operated machines used for clearing and grading land. Usually, they have continuous treads and a broad hydraulic blade in front. Large crawler dozers normally have a set of claws called a ripper that is installed at the machine’s rear end and can crush hard rock.

A Crawler Loader is a piece of mobile construction equipment used to load materials; it’s used primarily in tough, off-road terrain. It’s similar to a wheel loader, except it has treads instead of wheels.

This product information comes from industry interviews and from two proprietary databases maintained by Power Systems Research: EnginLink , which provides information on engines, and OE Link, a database of equipment manufacturers.

Trends. In 2025, production of Crawlers in North America (US) decreased 9.7%, and production is expected to remain flat in 2026 with a nominal 1% drop.  The decline is attributed to losing production by Case along with the weakening in construction related activities that include supply chain issues.

High dealer inventory (mostly cost related) and slower demand for new equipment resulted in lower production.

Prior manufacturing increases were reduced with newer efficient models that make tasks more productive and safer. 2021-year declines were mostly due to COVID-19 related factors such as plant shutdowns, parts availability and lack of workforce.

The market also dropped significantly in the Spring of 2020 – 2021 caused by low oil prices along with a lull in mining and construction projects.   PSR

Carol Turner is Senior Analyst, Global Operations, for Power Systems Research

There are two types of Crawlers: a Crawler Excavator and a Crawler Loader.

A Crawler Excavator is a self-propelled crawler mounted on heavy equipment that is designed to dig or move large objects and is classified by its mode of locomotion. The main function of a Crawler Excavator is to dig holes or trenches for construction related activities.

A Crawler Loader is a piece of mobile construction equipment used to load materials; it’s used primarily in tough, off-road terrain. It’s similar to a wheel loader, except it has treads instead of wheels.

This product information comes from industry interviews and from two proprietary databases maintained by Power Systems Research: EnginLink , which provides information on engines, and OE Link, a database of equipment manufacturers. PSR  

For details, download the complete report above. 

Carol Turner is Senior Analyst, Global Operations, for Power Systems Research 

Tadano, a major manufacturer of cranes, has converted one of its crawler cranes, which can lift up to 1600 tons, to electric power. By changing the power source from a diesel engine to an electric motor, the company has been able to maintain the performance of the existing product while reducing CO2 emissions to zero. The company converted its CC 88.1600-1 lattice boom crawler crane to electric power. This is a large crane equipped with crawlers instead of tires, and is used in plant and bridge construction, as well as wind power installation.

The electrified crane is connected by cable to the main unit and power supply equipment, and two 390-kilowatt electric motors drive the hydraulic pump. There are no CO2 emissions during operation. Compared to existing products powered by diesel engines, this crane will reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 55 tons per year. The crane itself will be manufactured in Germany, while the electrification equipment will be produced in Japan. The crane is expected to go on sale in the summer of 2025 as part of the company’s EVOLT line of electrified products.

The company will also make existing products already sold compatible with electrification. The necessary modifications, such as replacing the drive container, which is the heart of the crane, will be kept to a minimum. The company will respond flexibly to customers’ electrification needs.

Source: The Nikkei

PSR Analysis: There is a strong demand for decarbonization of machinery used in clean energy generation, such as offshore wind power. The same applies to large cranes. They have already commercialized an electric luffing crane that can work for about 5 hours and travel about 42 km. The specifications will probably be improved in the future, but I think the market should first appreciate the fact that the product has been commercialized as an option for users. PSR

Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia, for Power Systems Research

Hydrogen powered units and battery packs were common and new products powered by alternative energy sources were popular with attendees. New technology was the name of the game at this year’s show.

However, there were several prototypes that were built only for the show, according to some exhibitors, and were not likely to be put into mass production anytime soon. In fact, one manufacturer told us, “This was manufactured for the purpose of the exhibition and is not intended for mass production.”

Major new technology-related exhibits that we saw include:

• A Remote Controlled system: A driver’s unit consisting of a seat, monitor, joystick, etc., and an Internet connection to operate a remote dozer or excavator.
• Battery-powered construction equipment (mostly mini-excavators).
• Fuel cell powered dump truck (Volvo Construction Equipment) and engines (HDI, Kubota, and others.)

CONEXPO 2023 sprawled across 2.8 million square feet—that’s equivalent to about 50 football fields—making room for more than 2,000 exhibitors, according to show managers. Officials said more than 139,000 individuals visited the five day show, which ran March 14-18.

We focused our attention on the new products powered by hydrogen and batteries, and we came away impressed with several new items. Here are just two examples.

• Bobcat T7X Electric Compact Loader. This unit delivers all the functionality of its traditional diesel counterparts but offers the advantage of using 50% fewer components, which translates to fewer parts to replace over the lifetime of the machine.

Additionally, there are 96% less fluids used on the T7X relative to similar diesel compact loaders.  Bobcat has achieved this fluid reduction by eliminating the need for a hydraulic reservoir and hydraulically actuated cylinders and attachments.  Instead, the machine uses all electric driven means of actuation.  The elimination of these types of fluids means less time maintaining and preventing leaks over the machine lifetime.

A typical battery charge cycle results in 4-5 hours of operating time for the T7X.  The T7X was originally introduced at ConExpo 2020 but that was merely an early prototype.  The current version on display at the CONEXPO 2023 is the production version. 

An exclusive rental agreement was reached in September 2022 making Sunbelt Rentals the primary channel for rental users to take advantage of the innovative design features Bobcat has integrated into these compact loaders traditionally been dominated by diesel. 

The T7X offers customers a chance to reduce their carbon footprint and is ideal for jobs in areas that require zero emissions as well as indoor and night operations where noise is a major consideration. 

At this time, the Bobcat T7X appears to fill a niche role in the overall market of compact loaders.  As more experience is gained with this technology it appears to be a good example of how end-users may adapt to innovation and build upon their experiences. End-users will likely continue to gain more confidence and “buy-in” of the advantages offered by an all-electric when evaluating machine lifetime and total costs of ownership for diesel vs. battery-electric.

• JCB. Perhaps one of the most advanced new products was that offered by JCB with the display of its hydrogen internal combustion engine (HICE).

At the show, JCB took the wraps off its new hydrogen combustion engine, the company’s zero-carbon emissions solution for construction and agricultural equipment.

Initially, JCB had designed an excavator that used a hydrogen fuel cell. But after extensive testing, JCB decided fuel cell technology was not the best option for their customers at this time, and they decided to move toward a hydrogen internal combustion engine solution.

Now, JCB is investing $US 120 million (£100 million) to produce super-efficient hydrogen engines and has showcased working prototypes of a backhoe loader and telescopic handler powered by hydrogen.

They also have announced another industry first – a mobile hydrogen refueller, providing a quick and easy way for customers to refuel machines on site. About 97% of construction machines have fuel delivered to them on site, and customers are used to using transportable fuel, which allows refueling onsite in minutes.

JCB also has a range of compact electric-powered vehicles, including the 525-60E Loadall telehandler and the 19C-1E mini excavator. In July 2020, JCB released the construction industry’s first hydrogen powered excavator, the 20 ton 220X. 

JCB has developed a diversified approach to its product offerings, one that uses multiple forms of alternative fuel and one that helps achieve carbon-neutral goals. Currently, the most important and most mature alternative is hydrogen.

• DEVELON—formerly called Hyundai Doosan Infracore (HDI) Construction Equipment — demonstrated two autonomous vehicles.  The upgraded Concept-X2 fully automated remote controlled construction equipment uses state-of-the-art information and communications technology. The CX225 crawler excavator and CX100 dozer feature cabless designs, autonomous driving and blade control.

Develon claims the Concept-X2 could optimize future construction sites through increased productivity, and reduced costs and risks. Here are some details:  https://bit.ly/3yIxeL1.

SUMMARY. Many of the battery-powered construction equipment units on display at ConExpo were mini-excavator prototypes, and many did not have immediate plans for mass production, but noted it was under consideration.

Specifications for many units did not seem to allow the machine to replace a conventional diesel engine. In particular, the short operating time for many units is a major disadvantage for users.

In some off-road locations where it is difficult to receive power from the grid, diesel engine-driven generators are brought in to operate electric construction equipment. This is a complete reversal from the perspective of reducing emissions, and simply adds to the hassle.

Although electrification as a major trend certainly seems to exist, the question of how it should be implemented in the construction machinery segment is still at the trial and error stage for many OEMs, dealers, and users.

It seems unlikely that electrification of construction equipment will proceed as quickly as it has in the case of automobiles but new product introduction and prototypes, as displayed at ConExpo, are an important step in the process to familiarize and acclimate the industry to these new technologies. Europe is more likely to move in that direction in a straight line, but what will happen in North America, Asia, and other regions remains to be seen.

At this stage, it seems that digital technologies, such as such as automated driving and land scanning and analysis, are capable of having the greatest impact on improving efficiency in construction operations for the short term.  While these digital technologies continue to improve efficiencies, the uptake of alternative energy sources will progress at a slower pace in cadence with industry acceptance as well as the appetite for implementing these alternative energy sources into their operations.    PSR

This is a PSR Team Report

With a 210 kWh battery, the crane is expected to be able to operate for up to 14 hours.

Source: CleanTechnica: Read The Article

PSR Analysis:  In Europe there are growing emissions regulations with increasingly stringent requirements, especially in cities, for heavy-duty machinery like cranes, just like there are for passenger cars. While the market for cranes isn’t huge in unit terms, especially when compared to Passenger Cars, this is another example of how the industry is moving forward to meet emissions regulations.  PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

A Crawler Loader is a piece of mobile construction equipment used to load materials; it’s used primarily in tough, off-road terrain. It’s similar to a wheel loader, except it has treads instead of wheels.

A Crawler Excavator is a self-propelled crawler mounted on heavy equipment that is designed to dig or move large objects. The main function of a Crawler Excavator is to dig holes or trenches for construction related activities.

4,100 units is the estimate by Power Systems Research of the number of Crawlers to be produced in North America (United States and Mexico) in 2022.

This information comes from industry interviews and from two proprietary databases maintained by Power Systems Research: EnginLink , which provides information on engines, and OE Link, a database of equipment manufacturers.

Exports: Collectively, up to 30% worldwide

Market Share:  With combined plant totals of 52%, Cat leads in production of Crawlers in North America. In second place is Deere with 30.5%, and third is Case, with 11%.

Trends: In 2021, production of Crawlers in North America (US) decreased 4.8%. However, production is expected to gain near 3% in 2022, compared to 2021.  The carryover decline into 2021 was mostly due to COVID-19 related factors such as plant shutdowns, parts availability and lack of workforce.

The market significantly dropped during the Spring of 2021, caused by low oil prices and a lull in mining and construction projects. 

A few years ago, construction spending in the United States was above normal yearly levels, according to a new analysis of federal data released by the Associated General Contractors of America.  Construction and mining activities increased resulting in a substantial gain for 2018.

Recent decreases in production are attributed to several trends: public sector construction activity continues to decline while private sector demand for new construction continues to strengthen.

Even though sales dropped considerably in 2020 and 2021, production is expected to gain up to 15% by 2025, primarily influenced by the outlook for construction, driven by infrastructure spending, and mining related activities.     PSR

Carol Turner Is Senior Analyst, Global Operations, at Power Systems Research

4,100 units is the estimate by Power Systems Research of the number of crawlers to be produced in North America in 2021.

This information comes from industry interviews and from two proprietary databases maintained by Power Systems Research: EnginLink , which provides information on engines, and OE Link, a database of equipment manufacturers.

Market Share: With combined plant totals of 55% Caterpillar leads in production of crawlers in North America.  In second position is Deere with 31.5%; third, is Case with 10%.  

Exports: Collectively, up to 30% worldwide.

Trends: During 2020, production of Crawlers in North America (US) decreased nearly 18%, but production is expected to rebound 19% in 2021, compared to 2020.  Most of the decline in 2020 was due to COVID-19-related factors such as plant shutdowns, parts availability and lack of workforce. The market significantly dropped in the Spring of 2020 due to the combination of low oil prices and a lull in mining and construction projects. 

A few years ago, construction spending in the United States was above annual levels, according to a new analysis of federal data released by the Associated General Contractors of America.  Construction and mining activities increased resulting in gains for 2018.

Decreases in production are also attributed to divergent trends however, as public sector construction activity has continued to decline while private sector demand for new construction strengthened. Even though sales dropped considerably in 2020, production is expected to gain up to 15% by 2025 primarily influenced by the positive outlook for construction (infrastructure) and mining related activities.  PSR

Carol Turner is Senior Analyst, Global Operations

The CTT Bauma trade show is main event of construction industry in Russia. Since 2017 it’s owned and operated by Messe Munich. The show was conducted this year in Moscow May 25-28 in its usual place, the Crocus Expocenter. Last year, the fair was off because of the COVID pandemic, but this year we saw that both the exhibition and construction industries are showing a growing trend. The fair’s indoor exposition was restored to three pavilions, and the outdoor exposition also grew in size versus 2019. There were 351 exhibitors from 17 countries, somewhat better than last time. A total of 184 brands were represented.

Here is, however, one unpleasant factor. Most of the international OEMs did not participate in the fair this time. Wirtgen, Volvo, Cummins, Caterpillar, Ammann, Hyundai, Renault, Komatsu machines were missing from this fair. John Deere, Doosan, Kato, and some other brands were limited, having only small booths, set by the local dealers. Many Russian machine makers, who usually participate in the fair, also ignored the event. Among them – GAZ, Chetra, DST-10, Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant, YAMZ.

The most obvious reason for this limited participation is a lack of interest in these mass events by sellers. Given the growing market, the companies do not see a reason to spend resources on expensive trade shows with doubtful pay-back. Large companies are focusing on direct relationships with large customers such as the State, which is the largest one. Smaller companies still consider participating in the fair as useful.

There were many companies from Germany, Italy, Finland, Switzerland, and Belgium. Putzmeister and MG were a few foreign companies, who kept the tradition to participate in the fair over the years. Japanese Kubota showed their small diesel engines and gen-sets. A Honda distributor presented a range of its compact engines for various applications, but Belorussian Amkodor reduced its exposition to one single grader.

Meanwhile ,the vacant places were taken by the Turkish and Chinese companies. Although Turkish Hydromec was absent, many other companies, most of them unknown to the Russian market, were participating. Among them were Gosmaksan, Ermak, and Gelen. They were supported by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and Exporter’s association.

China did not set up a national exposition, but Chinese machines were shown by their companies in large numbers. Zoomlion has set a comprehensive range of their machines, including cranes, dozers, concrete mixers, excavators. XCMG also took a big part of the outdoor exposition and showed its road construction machinery, including graders, dozers, rollers, excavators and so on. SEM construction machines were shown by its distributor Zeppelin. SDLG, Weichai, Sunward, JAC, Hongyan showed smaller exposition. So, at the end of the day the number of the Chinese machines on the fair was second after machines made in Russia.

Trucks (especially dump trucks) represented a significant part of the fair. Besides traditional KAMAZ, MAZ, Ural, there were significant fleets from Mercedes. OEM shown 6 Arocs trucks and Unimog communal machine. There were also trucks from Scania, Fuso and MAN. All of these trucks are assembled in Russia, with one exception – Unimog is of German origin.

Russian companies made up a vast majority of the exhibitors. KAMAZ showed 8×4 and 6×4 dump trucks with P6 910.15 engines, developed together with Liebherr. Another feature in the KAMAZ stand was a driverless truck, equipped with AI, side radars and a number of cameras. This truck can be operated without use of satellite navigation. The prototype is being tested now, but the date of mass production is unknown.

Sankt Petersburg Tractor plant showed its K-708 wheel loaders. UMG Group (part of Russian Machines presented wheel loaders, excavators and the large mulcher M-300 for the forest industry. Klintsy plant, besides truck-chassis based cranes, showed its self-propelled crawler crane, powered by a YAMZ engine. Rybinsk Dormash presented a modified vibration roller with new original cabin.

Smaller companies showed some interesting machines. Kameshkovsky Mekhanical Plant showed a new skid steer loader Vladimir. It has Xinchai 48hp engine. The rest of components are local made, according to the company representative. They plan to make and sell at least 20 units in 2021. Mitrax, from St. Petersburg, showed a mini loader with articulated frame. The OEM claims that its price and operational cost are lower than for skid steer loaders, and the machine is more efficient. The company with same location – Katrina – also showed a mini excavator. The machine weights 770 kilogram and can be used both indoors and outdoors, since it’s possible to get it through a regular doorway. Now, the machine is assembled from foreign components, but the plans call for them to use local components. 

We see that the Bauma CTT fair is quite modest. At the same time, practically all the market participants in the fair are talking about the active growth trend in the Russian construction industry. Some of them are even talking about an “overheated market”. So, according to AEB, the construction machinery market in Russia has grown by 25% Q1 2021. Similar growth is expected through the end of this year, then the growth will remain, but at a slower rate.

The main factor driving this trend is pent-up demand from 2020, increased export demand and continued State support for the industry. For example, the State is subsidizing the creation of new components for the construction machines. It sponsored transport expenses during export (as a result, it’s sometimes cheaper to sell a machine to Africa, than to Russian Far East). Compensated leasing payments is also powerful tool. It has helped to increase production by 30% on average.

Restrictive measures are also working. For example, the anti-dumping tax for Chinese dozers below 250 hp, set by Euro-Asian Economic Commission, are still in force. The size of this tax varies from 9.65% to 44.65%. It was established in November 2015 for five years and should have expired last November. However, authorities decided to make an additional investigation regarding possible dumping, and extended the restriction until the end of investigation, which should be completed at the end of July 2021.

After this, it’s a high chance, that the restrictions will be continued for the next five years. Despite this situation, Chinese OEMs are optimistic regarding the Russian market. XCMG is planning to increase supplies to Russia by 1.5 times. Zoomlion has opened the official representation in Moscow in 2021. We should note that the quality of Chinese machines has increased significantly during recent years. So, they have a good chance to take a big market share in Russia. For current statistics, China takes about 50% of dozer imports to Russia. The leader here is Shantui with 30% (this OEM did not participate in the fair). Only problem with these machines is a weak service support.

Russian OEMs are also optimistic about the market. They grow their share in the market to 43% (from 20%), and are going to increase it further, to 50% and more. Local dozer and loader maker Chetra, claims that for four months of 2021 they have increased production by 40%. The export figures are up by 200%. International OEMs are not so happy, because to get the privileges, they have to set more production plants in Russia. Volvo get frozen out of its project to make excavators in Russia. The reason – according to the SPIC (Special Investment Contract) they have to localize engine production. They estimated their market size for 5000 engines, whereas their expectations were on the level of 30,000 units. So, the project was cancelled (or, at least, postponed).

The clear negative factor for the Russian machinery market is raising prices for metal. It started last year and now continues. Metal products have increased in price by 50%-80% for the year. In the worst case, the current growth trend may be interrupted by the rising metal prices. Actually, it is an old problem, which was discussed even five years ago, but now the government is working out measures, which are very unpleasant for local metallurgic companies. Among them are compulsory sales of metal by fixed prices, increased taxes, export restrictions and some others.

Recently, Russian vice-prime minister Belousov has blamed owners of metallurgic companies for “greediness” and told them that they have to share their extra incomes, including returning to State budget US$ 1.5 billion (100 billion rubles) of “unjustified enrichment”. Taking into consideration the trends in Russian hierarchy of power, this claim will be fulfilled, and Russian machine makers will have more time to adjust to the growing steel prices in more friendly environment.

Finally, market players have shared their vision of the global trend in construction market development. Foreign companies were talking about changes in fuel environment. They expect to get out of diesel engines. Smaller machines could be powered by electric batteries, whereas larger ones will use hydrogen as a fuel.

Local experts were talking at the fair about changes in component production. Metal parts could be replaced by parts made of carbon, aramid, and plastic. Classic process of production could be replaced by additive technologies, such as 3D printing. Prototype tests will be changed by computer modelling, which will reduce the R&D process from years to weeks and days. And manual operations of machines will be transferred to autopilots, neuron networks and AI. PSR

Maxim Skov is Market Consultant in Russia for Power Systems Research

Kubota will invest up to US$ 93.9 Million (10 billion yen) by 2026 to build a factory for small construction equipment in the US. The company will manufacture crawler-driven models used for residential construction and other purposes locally to increase the production by 25%.

With COVID-19, there is a movement of people moving from the city center to the suburbs in the US. Kubota expects that the demand for small construction equipment will increase in the regions where it has sales channels and aims to become the largest manufacturer in the US by increasing production. First, they will invest 5.6 billion yen (56 Million USD) to build a new factory in Kansas.

The company will start mass production of its “Compact Track Loader (CTL)” in September 2022. By 2023, annual production will reach 3,000 units. Depending upon demand, the company could be producing 5,000 units annually by 2026. Japan is producing about 20,000 of the same model. With the addition of 5,000 units from the United States, the total production will increase by about 25%.

In the US, Bobcat leads the small construction equipment market with a 30% share. Kubota is second with 17% (2018) but has moved up from fourth place in 2013 due to its durability and operability. At the new plant, Kubota will manufacture small CTLs to compete with American companies such as Bobcat.

Source: The Nikkei (The original article was partially revised by the author.)

PSR Analysis: Kubota’s decision to make an investment of this magnitude as many equipment OEMs look for ways to adapt to an economic environment that is likely to become more challenging in the future is a sign that they see demand for small construction equipment in the U.S. continuing to be strong.

An increasing number of companies in the U.S. are telecommuting, and an increasing number of wealthy individuals are moving from cities, where there is a high risk of COVID-19 infections, to the suburbs where they purchase construction equipment to manage large properties. Kubota is targeting the growing number of these wealthy individuals.

At this point, there is no sign of COVID-19 ending, and if the shift to the suburbs continues, it could be a boost for Kubota’s sales network, which has stores in rural areas. PSR

Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia for Power Systems Research

The most significant sales decline is expected for excavators, loaders and dump trucks. Only crawler tractors can avoid decrease, however, it’s still 32.6% worse than pre-crisis expectation.

Experts note that the largest decline is likely to be in more expensive applications, or where existing fleets have larger reserves. In cases where there are no support measures, the decline could be as much as 50% or more.

However, one positive signal is that there are no plans to reduce road construction projects.

Hitachi notes that demand for mining machines fell by 40-50% because of coal low prices, so the company is focusing on construction applications. Many machines were used in construction of COVID hospitals.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (Minpromtorg) also expects a decline. It hopes to soften the decline with subsidized leasing. Local OEMs are even more pessimistic – Rosspetsmash sees a possible 30-40% decline and suggests adding road construction industry to the list of segments affected by COVID-19.

Agriculture machine makers feel more confident. They expect a flat market, and some see even small growth in their segment.     Read The Article

PSR Analysis: As expected, negative trends have touched off-highway machinery. However, the impact seems to be smaller than forecasted, and no catastrophic scenario for the industry (or even for some OEMs separately) is expected. PSR

Maxim Sakov Is Market Consultant, Russia, for Power Systems Research