Volvo CE EMEA and FAMCO organised a regional customer event at Hilton Ras Al Khaimah in UAE on 26 November 2016, to conduct a regional launch of its new line of products. Machinery launched included the new EC750D excavator, new G-series wheel loaders with Z-bar linkage, new H-series wheel loaders and the latest line of hydraulic breakers. The EC750D excavator is currently the biggest machine produced at Volvo CE and most products launched were optimised for fuel efficiency and safety.
The event was comparable with its most celebrated machinery show Volvo Days that is held at its factory in Eskilstuna, Sweden. Drivers and instructors from the European Volvo CE team dressed in neon safety jackets before they blazed through the desert giving interested buyers a glimpse of how the machinery would look in action.
The three day event was organised for the regional Volvo CE team and its distributors, with the last day being an opportunity for potential buyers to gain hands-on experience with the machinery themselves.
Bahrain-based Steven Edward Hanahoe, workshop manager of NASS Asphalt, was impressed by the show and machinery showcased. He said: “Some of the machinery displayed at the show were very impressive.”
Another customer, Fadi S. Nimri, service and operations manager of UAE-based Transmak, said that he enjoyed the show and got the “feel” of the machines—an important criteria for purchasing.
Frank O’Conner, managing director of FAMCO Operations in the UAE, reported the event had a large turnout, with almost 200 people. He emphasised that Volvo CE seeks to cater to the needs of its customers and constantly innovate to bring what is needed in the market.
Trying to cater to customers’ every need could be exhausting, but Frank stands by going “hand-in-hand” with them. He talked about how nowadays the average customer is much more informed and educated about machinery, unlike five years ago where the initial cost was the only criteria. “Today, they evaluate the total cost of ownership on a spreadsheet.”
The Building Tomorrow event successfully concluded with Volvo CE able to demonstrate its new products to customers while establishing lasting relationships with them. Volvo aims to listen to its customers as the future of construction begins to take shape and advises them how to navigate their way through technology and innovative products.