CASE is focused on supporting customers throughout the machine lifecycle through genuine parts, trained service support, preventive maintenance and warranty solutions.
CASE has a rich legacy of sustainably supporting construction businesses across the world with products and services that deliver practical solutions to their challenges. In an exclusive interview to CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES, SHALABH CHATURVEDI, MANAGING DIRECTOR, INDIA & SAARC REGION – CASE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT, CNH, gives an overview on the construction equipment industry, his company’s machines, future outlook and a lot more.
Briefly give us an overview of the construction equipment industry, the latest trends and market dynamics. What is your assessment of the market potential for your key product categories in India, and how do you foresee demand trends evolving in 2027 and beyond? What is your outlook for the construction equipment industry and your company going forward?
India’s construction equipment industry is entering a positive phase, supported by infrastructure development, increasing mechanisation and the need for greater productivity across construction and mining applications. Roads and highways, rural connectivity, mining, urban infrastructure and industrial development remain important demand drivers. At the same time, customer expectations are evolving beyond the initial purchase price, with greater emphasis on fuel efficiency, reliability, uptime, ease of maintenance and overall lifecycle value. Technology is also becoming an increasingly important part of equipment selection, with customers looking for greater visibility into machine utilisation and maintenance. The outlook has strengthened, with ICEMA recently raising its FY2026-27 domestic sales growth forecast to 9 to 12%, supported by improved infrastructure project execution.
Looking ahead to 2027 and beyond, we see a structurally strong opportunity for the industry as India continues to invest in infrastructure and expand construction and mining activity. ICEMA’s Vision 2030 identifies sustained demand creation, a robust operating ecosystem, technology and skilling as key pillars for the sector’s growth, with the objective of strengthening India’s position as a global manufacturing and export hub for construction equipment. At CASE Construction Equipment, our focus will remain on supporting this growth through application focused products, technology enabled solutions and dependable customer support. As the market evolves, we expect customers to increasingly favour equipment that combines productivity, efficiency, connectivity, safety and predictable lifecycle costs.
Tell us about your product portfolio of equipment. Which sectors will be the major demand drivers?
India’s construction equipment market is becoming increasingly diverse, with infrastructure development, road construction, mining, urbanisation and industrial activity creating demand across a wide range of applications. This is driving the need for equipment that combines versatility, productivity, reliability and efficiency while being suited to varied operating conditions. As projects become more specialised, customers are also placing greater emphasis on application suitability, ease of operation, serviceability and the overall value delivered by equipment throughout its lifecycle.
At CASE Construction Equipment, our India portfolio includes backhoe loaders, compactors, crawler excavators, motor graders and crawler dozers, catering to a broad range of construction, infrastructure, earthmoving and mining applications. Our portfolio includes the NX Series backhoe loaders, 952 NX compactor and CX220C crawler excavator, among other solutions. We have also expanded into the skid steer loader segment with the Made in India SR130B Skid Steer Loader, offering a compact and versatile solution for applications requiring manoeuvrability and attachment flexibility. Roads and highways, rural connectivity and mining will continue to be important demand drivers, alongside urban and industrial infrastructure. We are also preparing to introduce new products in the coming year, further strengthening our ability to address evolving customer requirements. Our focus remains on understanding the specific application and operating environment and providing the right equipment solution to deliver productivity, reliability, efficiency and lifecycle value.
Please provide details on your emphasis on technology, research, design and innovation. What is your focus on technological upgradation in respect of digitalisation, automation, AI, telematics and predictive technologies to enhance productivity, safety, lifecycle value and overall machine performance for customers? How is your organisation embedding sustainability, cleaner technologies and environmentally responsible practices into its products, operations and long-term strategy?
As construction projects become more demanding, technology is playing a greater role in helping customers improve productivity, machine utilisation, safety and decision making. Connected equipment can provide greater visibility into machine performance and operating patterns, while digital tools can support more proactive maintenance and fleet management. At CASE, our approach is to combine this digital capability with continuous improvements in machine engineering, focusing on efficient power delivery, hydraulic performance, operator comfort, safety and serviceability. Our myCASE Construction telematics provides connected insights that help customers monitor machine performance, utilisation and maintenance requirements, enabling better planning and more informed equipment management.
Sustainability is an important part of this technology and product development journey, particularly as customers seek to improve efficiency while meeting evolving emissions requirements. Our Indian portfolio includes equipment compliant with BS CEV Stage V requirements, while technologies such as electronically controlled engines, advanced hydraulic systems and efficiency focused operating modes support efficient machine performance. We also continue to evaluate emerging technologies based on their ability to deliver practical improvements in productivity, efficiency and environmental performance under Indian operating conditions. Our aim is to ensure that innovation delivers measurable customer value while supporting the industry’s transition towards more efficient and responsible construction practices.
Tell us about the indigenisation efforts undertaken by the company to meet the market requirements? What is the company’s approach to implementing the ‘Make in India’ drive?
Local manufacturing has been an important part of CASE’s presence in India, enabling us to develop capabilities that respond to both domestic and international market requirements. Our Pithampur facility in Madhya Pradesh manufactures loader backhoes, compactors and crawler excavators and serves the Indian market as well as international markets, with exports to more than 100 countries across Africa, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, North America and Latin America. The facility provides an important base for strengthening our manufacturing capabilities and supporting products suited to evolving customer requirements.
For us, Make in India is about building a stronger manufacturing ecosystem through localisation, supplier capabilities, product development and export competitiveness, rather than simply increasing local assembly. We continue to expand our locally manufactured portfolio and strengthen our ability to respond to market requirements. This approach is aligned with the broader direction of the Indian construction equipment industry, where ICEMA reports an average localisation level of around 60%, with some products exceeding 90%, and an industry ambition to reach 70 to 80% localisation by 2030. For CASE, strengthening localisation can support greater responsiveness, supply chain resilience and India’s growing role as a global manufacturing and export base.
How does your organisation ensure strong aftermarket support, customer service and high uptime for its equipment across diverse and demanding operating conditions? What sort of customer centric initiatives has your company undertaken to be one step ahead of competition?
For construction equipment customers, machine uptime directly influences productivity, project schedules and operating economics. Our aftermarket approach at CASE is therefore focused on supporting customers throughout the machine lifecycle through genuine parts, trained service support, preventive maintenance and warranty solutions. CASE Care provides extended service support, CASE Care Gold offers scheduled maintenance and additional service benefits, while CASE Protect provides extended warranty support and technical assistance. FLEETPRO also provides value focused replacement parts and maintenance solutions for customers operating mature fleets. Together, these offerings are designed to improve equipment availability and make ownership more predictable.
Customer support is also becoming more proactive through connected technologies. Through myCASE Construction, customers can access information related to machine performance, utilisation and maintenance requirements, helping them plan service interventions and manage equipment more effectively. This is complemented by our service and parts ecosystem and dealer network across India. Our customer centric approach is ultimately about understanding the application and providing the right combination of equipment, technology, service, parts and support, enabling customers to improve productivity, maximise uptime and achieve greater predictability in total cost of ownership.
