We are associated with our machineries and building all the marquee projects in the country

Schwing has always been on the innovative path and quick in adapting to the emerging trends in technology and innovation to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving construction equipment landscape. In an exclusive interview to CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES, V. G. SAKTHIKUMAR, CMD, SCHWING STETTER INDIA, speaks about his company’s machines displayed at Bharat Construction Equipment Expo and a lot more.

Detail us on the products displayed at Bharat Construction Equipment Expo.

Here we are showcasing a different concept. Schwing Stetter has been in the forefront of nation building. We are associated with our machineries and building all the marquee projects in the country. Be it Central Vista or Z-Morh Tunnel which was recently inaugurated or coastal road project, Trans-Harbour Link, expressways or metro projects, high speed train. We are there in every project associated with our customer partners for whom we are supplying our machinery. We have gone beyond that as a company which is responsibly building machinery to save money and then deliver project with high reliability.

We have moved to one step further. When we make construction, we do lot of demolition. When demolition happens, these demolished items, they just go to solid waste yards and there is no big application for that yet. In principle, government believes that it should be recycled. Even they have made standard for that. But how much it is followed is a big question mark. At Schwing Stetter, we tied up with IIT Madras and we came out with the study as to how we can recycle the construction demolition waste back into production of concrete.

So one of the product what we have displayed here, RM-60, is that which does the job. Where it makes the demolition waste back into aggregate so you can produce again concrete. So this will bring down the impact or the strain what it has been creating on solid waste management yards, so that it will be a responsible construction in future. I think 2029, the government would like 20-25% concrete to be made with the recycled aggregates.

The other product what we have displayed is a wet concrete recycling plant. What happens here is the concrete produced if it is in excess. And there is no application for that at that point of time.It is a perishable item. If you don’t use it, it will get set. So this generally gets disposed. Responsible disposal is recycling. But at times people might just get rid of them. Getting rid of them mostly happens on water bodies. And it has a big impact on the groundwater resources of the nation, anywhere. And it can leave the chemicals deep into the water and again it comes as a bore water when you start using it. So we have a recycling plant. This plant can convert the unused concrete back into aggregate and slurry. And both can be used in the further production of concrete. So nothing goes waste is one side.

And both are a business case where the viability is very high. But it is a cultural issue and a mindset problem where people should be encouraged to use this as an option in the interest of the nation. And what is happening is in India, the land cost is going to only go up and up.

We have a sludge pump here. What it does is when waste water is recycled, you get sludge. This sludge is a material which stinks a lot because it comes from the human waste and everything.

So the normal way is to sun dry them and then the whole area also again smells. So that is the normal way. And there are other applications using it as a feed for reactors and all, but not very well developed in all across the nation.

When you talk about cleaning of our water bodies, dumping them with only good quality water. Or in the water treatment plant, using 100% of the water back for other uses. The sludge production is going to go up. So we have a solution on converting the sludge into bio-manual. So this is an established process which is very popular in USA, Europe and even in China. But in India such demonstration has not happened.

And the fourth one what you have got here is a fire pump.This fire pump is interesting because it is a concrete pump which has become a fire pump. Now if you talk about Mumbai Fire Brigade and Delhi, both of them started using them as a firefighting machinery. And as I speak to you, in Kumbh Mela, UP government is using three of them as a standby machines.

In case of any calamity they would like to use it. And UP has come as one of the state with the initiative to buy this type of machine. The biggest advantage of using a concrete boom pump for firefighting application is when the city is very dense.

And the buildings are very close. Telescopic booms cannot reach in one direction. So some manoeuvrability is required to go around the building and reach the fire spots.

And these boom pumps are very good in that. So it is getting a good traction and we are hopeful that other state governments also see the performance. And then they also come forward and buy them. And we have many metropolitan cities and we also have Amritsar cities. All of them require them. So this is a new product which we have launched here.

And the last and the most important product is a FBP (truck mixer Boom pump). It is a German word which means it is a mixture and a boom pump together. So what happens is normally truck mixture goes, delivers the concrete into a boom pump.

And the boom pump puts the concrete into the site where the concrete is required. But here it is a single machine where the boom pump and mixture is the same machine. This is the first time in India.

And this product is 100% manufactured here. Of course the components, some of them coming from Germany. And we will be soon, as per our indignation plan, we will convert that part also into buying it from the local vendors.

So for the reliability we are using the same as what Germany is using at this point of time. So this is an interesting product where application it comes. Suppose you are building a road.

There are four culverts. You need not create four setup to make concrete. You go to the central batching plant, collect the concrete 7 cubic meter.

And this machine goes and two persons, one helper and one driver can deliver the concrete and come back. 7 cubic meter is something like 700 square feet of 100 mm slab thickness. So small construction requirement, like somebody building a roof for an independent house.

And he does not have much of concrete, only this much quantity. So it is not viable for him to order readymix. What happens is they have mobilization money they take for bringing a pump and then parking it there. And laying pipeline, gang, all those things. That is completely eliminated with the new product. Where the single machine can go and deliver the concrete and place it and come back.

So linear construction in multiple location. A place which is developing a villa. Everyday construction site changing.

This machine can bring the concrete from the centralized batching plant and deliver it. And interestingly we have launched it here. But already we are almost in the final stage of collecting some export orders for Europe.

India is aiming to become the second largest industry by 2030. So what are the grey areas. That the industry and the government should look at and resolve?

Actually in terms of demand creation there is no problem. Because the way. I am just taking some numbers. By 2047 you have to be a developed country. With 20,000 US dollars in everybody’s hand. Average. So 10-12 years before, your infrastructure development should be complete. That means you cannot be continuing with this. And then we say development. So 10 years before it has to get over. So we have 12 years. So there is going to be intense Infrastructure investment during this period and also intense demolition.

So what I mean to say is. The next 12 years are critical. The growth is going to be phenomenal. For the infrastructure development and also for the construction industry. The other side of the story is because machines are going to be made. Like you said it will become number 2 in 2030, the volumes are going to be in India. So that will make us more competitive for export. We will grow by another level of export.