Established in 2005, S.S. Construction Company is a key player in the construction business in and around Lucknow.Their current projects include 50 km road construction on the Earch–Gursarai stretch and dam work at Kamahariya Ghat. They have also completed 25 kms of construction on the Sitapur Baherich Road, 24 kms stretch on the Gorakhpur National Highway, 45 kms on the Lucknow Azamgarh road and canal excavation work at Haidergarh.

S.S. Construction Company owns a fleet of Cat machines, which play an integral part in their business. They started small and have added more machines over the years to meet the demands of their growing business. The breakup is as follows:
2X320D excavators, 2X320D2 excavators, 5X120K motorgraders, 4X424B backhoe loaders, 4X2021.

Singh remembers the time when he first saw the Cat excavator working in a canal excavation project in 2004. He was highly impressed by its exceptional performance and agility.Currently the Cat 320D and Cat 320D2 excavators are deployed in the dam work at Kamhariya Ghat and the 7 metre road widening project on the Earch-Gursarai road. The machines are used for soft soil excavation.

He dismisses the comparatively higher fuel consumption as negligible, justifying, “Excavation and loading of soil is done in a single stroke, thereby saving on valuable time and effort. This directly affects the output, increasing it manifold. Therefore the output per unit of fuel is far superior to other machines. Hence one needs to consider the fuel consumption, work output and time taken to complete a task in totality rather than in isolation. According to me, Cat excavator is a clear winner.”

Singh is heavily dependent on the 320D and 320D2 for executing his projects. “Both, the Cat 320D and the Cat 320D2 machines are good. The enhanced bucket capacity of the 320D2 helps in completing a task in 8 hours, whereas the 320D with its comparatively smaller bucket capacity completes the same task in 10 hours. The lower maintenance cost of the D2 also makes it an attractive proposition.”

Awareness of good after-sales-service is building up among customers. He says, “One of my chief criteria for selection of a machine is the after sales service. To keep my machine output maximum, I need them to be in top condition at all times or else I would incur heavy losses. My market reputation would have diminished and this would have adversely affected my business. Hence I chose Cat excavators as they are robust and do not break down frequently. Even when they do, help is just a call away. The service engineers respond promptly and ensure that downtime is minimal. Spares are also easily available.”

Singh places full faith and confidence in the Cat 320D and 320D2 excavators and is a very satisfied customer. This is why he trusts the Caterpillar brand to meet his growing business needs.

"If two competitor's machines are deployed for a specific task, a single 320D can easily handle the same load," says Singh. "This is possible due to the excellent digging force of the 320D. It is possible to excavate soft rock directly using the bucket. This is an excellent cost-saving measure.

"Soft rock excavation earns more revenue than soil excavation. Therefore, bucket excavation of soft rocks by the Cat 320D excavators provides more productivity and income.

"I saw the equipment in use in Navi Mumbai for the first time. I was impressed and went in for four second-hand Cat 320D excavators. Comparatively speaking, we found that while other excavators loaded 50 truckloads, the Cat 320D loaded 150 trucks in the same time. This not only saves on fuel, but also saves on time manifold."

The used machines have also proven their reliability. Singh says the machine's hydraulic hoses prevent breakdowns because they are designed for high-pressure use, and the "track quality of the 320D is also excellent and shows less wear and tear.

"Downtime leads to delays and affects the business adversely. This is the main reason why I am planning to sell other machines and buy Cat 320D excavators, which have good machine uptime and can be maintained easily."

Local Cat dealer GMMCO is now helping Singh update his fleet, taking his original second-hand Cat machines in trade for four new 320D excavators.

"When I set up my business from scratch, I had to use my resources carefully. Our company is going in for expansion and we look forward to buying four more Cat 320D excavators in the near future."

"High performance levels measuring up to 20% more output makes the Cat 320D2 an asset in quarrying. Fuel consumption is marginally more, but it gets compensated due to greater work output," says Alok Agarwal, Director, Agroha Granites, with an employee strength of 76 workers, has been quarrying blue metal for the past three years.

"The Cat 320D2 excavator is a heavy duty machine, which performs excellently under extreme conditions," says Agarwal. "This could be attributed to the Cat C7.1 engine, which provides enhanced power, and therefore, extreme conditions become easily negotiable. The track is strong and durable and withstands wear and tear, thereby providing a high degree of durability and safety.

"The state-of-the-art operator cabin is comfortable and provides excellent visibility. The operator feedback has been positive. The high standards of safety and better control of the bucket bring about a good degree of smoothness in operation."

While the relatively high pricing of the Cat 320D2 may be a major concern to many, Agarwal is emphatic about it giving an excellent return on investment. "The Cat 320D2 costs relatively more than other machines, but its high performance levels yield 20% more work output, and the difference in cost gets compensated within a year. So I consider my investment as a wise one which will reap rich dividends in the long run."

Agarwal is more than satisfied with the Cat 320D2 and clearly expresses, "Quarrying depends heavily on machines which are robust and perform at peak levels continuously. The Cat 320D2 has become an asset to our business and we wish to buy more of them due to their high productivity and uptime."

“I started the quarry business in 1992 with Modern Rock Mining Industries. I purchased my first Cat^® machine, the Cat 320C, in the year 2007,” says Thomas. His fleet includes 16 320D hydraulic excavators, two 320D L, three 320D ME, three 320D HD, one 320C and a 424B backhoe loader.

D Series hydraulic excavators offer customers increased reliability, versatility, performance and comfort, combined with lower owning and operating costs. Increased hydraulic pressures provide excellent lifting capacity and increased drawbar pull and digging force, which create faster cycle times and superior productivity.

“Right from the time I bought the first Cat excavator, I have seen a significant increase in the productivity at the quarry site, which, in turn, improved my turnover. Subsequently, I bought Cat excavators for all applications that were tough and required high productivity and performance. It has worked splendidly for me.”

But the engine is only part of the 320D story.

“Our operator feels confident in using the 320D, especially in applications like overburden removals, which require stability and durability. In the truck-loading application where the rocks needed to be loaded onto a truck to be sent to the crusher, the 320D is highly productive and is able to meet the harshness of the application as well as the daily production demands.”

Another great way to improve productivity is by reducing operator fatigue. Accordingly, the operator station is spacious, quiet and comfortable. “Operator comfort is the best and it has improved productivity significantly,” says Thomas.

Cat 320D excavators play a pivotal role in the success of Modern Rocks. Their strategic advantages influenced Manesh Thomas in choosing Cat excavators repeatedly, thereby making them a key ingredient of his growth story.

Owner Subodh Singh Parihar vouches for his continuing “bharosa” (faith) in the 320D.

“I was on the lookout for a good machine for canal digging,” says Parihar. “So I made a thorough study and decided that the Cat 320D would meet my requirement. I was one of the first Caterpillar customers in Satna, and after that, I have purchased several Cat machines due to their superior output and life cycle.”

Parihar says the Cat 320D has lived up to his expectations.

“It was a new machine with new technology, and we were extremely satisfied with its performance as compared to any other machine in the market. The overall machine performance has been good over the years.

“In India, when you go to buy a machine or vehicle, the first question you ask is regarding the average output. Everything else comes next. On this score, Cat machines have an excellent average output and life cycle.

“Other than these deciding factors, the dealer was proactive in providing good after-sales service. Within three hours, the service engineers attend to any complaints regarding machine performance. On-site maintenance training and operator training provided by Gmmco have proved to be very helpful.”

Parihar noticed an increase in work output after buying the 320D.

“It’s been almost a year since we bought the machine, and our faith in its performance and reliability has grown over time. Excellent product value, great output and basic honesty and integrity in dealer service have endeared us to Cat machines and made us loyal to the Caterpillar brand.”

Robust machine construction and economical operation are important.

“More the machine uptime, more is the productivity. This has translated to timely completion of projects and has reaped rich dividends. So I would term the Cat 320D as a good return on investment.”

Gowda established a stone crusher plant in 2000 and five years later, in 2005, he got into the ready mix concrete business. With employee strength of 270 and a fleet of the latest machines, Gowda is all set to bag more projects. Among other machines, his fleet consists of 2 X Cat^®320D2 Excavator, 1 X Cat^® Backhoe Loader, 1 X 500 KV DG Set and 2 X HM Loader.

Gowda recalls his association with the Caterpillar® brand, “I first bought a Cat^® backhoe loader and was extremely satisfied with its performance. I found the dealer support to be excellent and the machine worked smoothly without any problems. I wished to buy the Cat^®320D2 next. So in 2000, I went to a stone quarry site in Hyderabad and observed the machine’s performance for the first time. I was impressed and I promised myself that one day, I would buy a Cat excavator. I finally bought it only in 2014. In one year, my business had grown considerably and I went in for the second Cat excavator. I have now booked 2 X Cat 320D2 and 2 X --Backhoe Loaders.”

Gowda had the opportunity to visit the Caterpillar® manufacturing plant at Thiruvallur. He says, “I was impressed by the high quality standards and attention to the smallest of details. It helped me finalise my decision to go in for 2 more Cat^® excavators. Now I recommend it to friends from the industry.”

Speaking about the high performance standards of the Cat^®320D2, Gowda says, “The machine is robust and can withstand tougher applications as compared to other machines. At the same time, wear and tear is lesser than that of other machines. My operators are happy to work on Cat^® excavators due to their high level of comfort and safety. They have reported achieving more output/hour as compared to other machines.”

Gowda is a satisfied customer and believes that investment in the Cat^®320D2 is money well spent. “Return on investment is good as it supports our crusher plants, for which we require continuous machine uptime. Hence it plays a crucial role in our business. With the Cat^®320D2 in picture, I get maximum uptime. Productivity has considerably increased and we don’t have anxiety due to frequent breakdowns.”

Gowda believes that timely maintenance and prompt response to resolve technical snags go a long way in the optimal upkeep of machines. He recounts his experience with the Cat^® Gmmco Dealer, “Customer support is excellent. I am satisfied with the maintenance provided by the Cat^® Gmmco dealer. When I bought the first Cat^®320D2 last year, I went in for a 500mm track, even though the sales team advised me to go in for a 600 mm track as it would meet my requirements. After one year, I decided to buy a second excavator having a 600 mm track. The sales team was magnanimous enough to change the 500 mm track of the old excavator and replace it with a brand new 600 mm track absolutely free. I appreciate this move on their part and this has further increased my trust in the Caterpillar® brand.”

Gowda keeps himself updated about the latest equipments for his industry through proactive participation in trade exhibitions. He elaborates, “I attend trade shows regularly to know about the latest industry trends. Earlier, Cat^® excavators were not promoted much and so very little information was available. In the last 2-3 years, they have been well-promoted and so their popularity has also gone up. This renewed my confidence and I went in for the first Cat^®320D2 excavator in 2014 and followed it with a second purchase a year later.”

The Caterpillar® brand has a positive impact upon the credibility of Tulasi Concretes. Gowda says, “Having Cat^® equipment as part of our fleet empowers our profile when we bid for contracts and people look up to us as reliable and successful business associates.”

Gowda is a satisfied customer and his faith in the Caterpillar® brand is irrevocable. With the reliable Cat^®320D2 being a trusted partner in his journey towards success, he is ready to explore new horizons.