SDLG supplies equipment for Saudi road projects
Nearly 60 machines from Chinese manufacturer at work in multiple locations across the kingdom
A large-scale road maintenance initiative involving 58 SDLG machines is underway in Saudi Arabia, funded by the kingdom’s ministry of transport.
According to a statement by the Volvo CE-owned Chinese equipment major, the initiative is made up of 20 projects spanning seven areas of the country, and is aimed at improving accessibility and connectivity. It is being carried out by the Shibh Al-Jazira Contracting Company (SAJCO).
One of the largest contractors in Saudi Arabia, SAJCO operated a fleet of over 1,500 machines and is currently involved in delivering over 40 ‘mega projects’ in the kingdom from its six locations in Qassim, Khobar, Medina, Jeddah, Abha and Riyadh, the statement said.
SAJCO took delivery of the SDLG machines – 30 LG958L wheel loaders and 28 G9220 motor graders – last year, supplied by SDLG national dealer Al-Futtaim Auto and Machinery Company (FAMCO), the statement said.
“In the beginning, SAJCO requested two and a half cubic metre loaders but we advised them to choose the LG958L because it has a three cubic metre bucket, meaning it can handle greater workloads,” said Motasim Abulhasan, SDLG central region sales manager at FAMCO.
The LG958L offers superb traction, excellent breakout force and a reliable, robust structure, SDLG said, and is also efficient in fuel consumption, and delivers more uptime and productivity.
“As for the graders, SAJCO needed a machine with a 14ft plate and a power rating above 150kW; for that, the G9220 grader was perfect,” Abulhasan added.
The G9220 is a well-balanced grader with a 164 kW Dalian Deutz engine, which, in combination with the ZF power shift transmission, delivers easy and reliable operation, SDLG added. The engine offers three distinct power curve settings, making the smoothest grade on any surface, while also reducing fuel consumption.
Once the machines were delivered, they were distributed to seven locations where the projects were taking place: Abha, Qassim, Northern Borders, Eastern Province, Jeddah, Madinah and Riyadh. Over the next three years, SDLG’s product support department will work together with FAMCO to ensure optimum machine performance, the company said.
“In addition to support from the dealer, our product support team will visit the sites every six months to review machine performance,” said Paulo Cristiani, product support manager at SDLG. “Some graders and loaders have already clocked an impressive 1,000 hours in under six months.”
Mohammed Al-Nahas, senior technical advisor at SAJCO, added: “The machines have exceeded our expectations in terms of quality and performance, and we will definitely look to SDLG for more machines in the future. We are also very satisfied with the support we’ve been receiving from FAMCO.”
The deal builds on existing sales to SAJCO, and Essam Al-Malik, central regional manager at FAMCO, said: “This deal is great for everyone involved. SAJCO is operating a fleet of reliable and robust SDLG machines and we are benefitting from working with a high-profile customer. SAJCO is considered one of biggest contractors in the country, and having 58 of our units strategically located across the kingdom will dramatically improve SDLG’s visibility.”
Works began in April 2016 and are due to conclude in April 2019.
