The CNH Industrial Construction Equipment brand is developing its wheeled equipment production hub in Lecce and its excavator production hub in San Mauro.
Andy Blandford, vice president CNH Industrial Construction Equipment Europe, Africa & Middle East, said, “A key element for our growth is having an efficient manufacturing footprint. Our excavator hub in San Mauro includes the introduction of Sumitomo-designed, Case crawler excavators into its production. This project builds on more than 20 years of successful collaboration with them. They have shared their manufacturing processes with us and their standards, and helped us to implement these standards into San Mauro.”
Blandford said production of the first Sumitomo-designed, Case crawler excavator models at the San Mauro production hub had now started, and by June 2016 the first eight, ranging from 13-30tonnes, will roll off the production line.
The wheeled equipment production hub is focused on five product families: wheeled loaders, compact wheeled loaders, tractor loader backhoes, graders and telescopic handlers.
Blandford continued, “We have the backing of a very powerful group – CNH Industrial, with its [annual] revenues of $25 billion and operating profit of almost $1.5 billion in 2015. It has the resources to support and nurture the Case Construction Equipment brand.”
Despite a “very challenging year” in 2015, Blandford said Case operating margin and profit increased by just over 14%. “These results tell us we’re on track, and we will improve these results year on year.”
CASE is this year adding six new models to its D Series crawler excavator line up, including the CX160D and CX180D in the earthmoving sector, both featuring the company’s fuel-efficient Tier 4 Final Performance Hydraulics Control to boost controllability and smooth operation.
The construction equipment brand giant is also launching at bauma 2016 a new backhoe design with in-line cylinder geometry and inner extendahoe on its 580ST model.
