Customers learn how Komatsu products can help improve efficiencies, performance during Demo Days

A view of Komatsu dozers, excavators, and people in hard hats and reflective vests at Demo Days.

Hands-on Happening

Customers learn how Komatsu products can help improve efficiencies, performance during Demo Days

Learning about what equipment can do provides valuable insights into how it can help your operations. The ability to experience a machine for yourself from the operator’s seat takes it to another level. Komatsu gave attendees opportunities to do both during its recent Demo Days event at its Cartersville Customer Center in Georgia.

More than 30 products were available for customers to see up close and operate, ranging from compact excavators to large construction, demolition, forestry and mining machines. Representatives from Komatsu and Komatsu affiliates Montabert, Lehnhoff and Hensley Industries provided insight on how to effectively implement the equipment and attachments into attendees’ operations.

Two men wearing yellow hard hats and reflective vests engage with a crowd of individuals wearing white hard hats and reflective vests. They stand in front of a Komatsu D71PXi bulldozer.
Komatsu product managers conduct informative walk-arounds of equipment to provide insights about each machine’s features and benefits.

Komatsu Smart Construction and Smart Quarry representatives had display areas set up to provide information on solutions available for job site management such as Smart Construction Remote, Office, Field and Drone, as well as Smart Quarry Site and Smart Quarry Study. My Komatsu representatives provided information about Komatsu’s central hub for fleet management.

“What we’re hoping our customers take away is our dedication to them and their business,” said Andrew Earing, Director of Operator and Technical Training at Komatsu’s Cartersville Customer Center. “We have more than 100 Komatsu employees here, ranging from service engineers to product management, to answer questions and listen to customers in an effort to learn more about their needs and how Komatsu can help them improve their job site efficiencies.”

An overhead view of Komatsu machines and people at Demo Days.
Customers test out various machines during Demo Days at Komatsu’s 38-acre demonstration site in Cartersville, Ga.

Mix of equipment

Each day began with informative presentations about equipment, Smart Construction solutions and Smart Quarry solutions that Komatsu offers to increase productivity, efficiency and sustainability. Hands-on operation followed, letting customers operate a mix of standard and Intelligent Machine Control (IMC) equipment in working environments on the 38-acre site.

“It’s neat to see all the yellow iron together, from motor graders to dozers to excavators, loaders and the intelligent machines,” said Eli McDonald, Equipment Coordinator for Reece Albert Inc. and CSA Materials Inc. in San Angelo, Texas. “It’s rare to see this many assets in one spot. I hope to take away the knowledge to go back and reassess our fleet and improve our operations.”

IMC 2.0 dozers ranging from the D39EXi-24 to the D71PXi-24 and IMC 2.0 excavators ranging from the PC210LCi-11 to the PC490LCi-11 — all of which are equipped with factory-integrated GPS machine control — were highly popular during the event. Customers could also operate a PC138USLC-11 with 3D Machine Guidance, a Smart Construction solution that brings 3D to most conventional excavators and gives operators in the field and managers in the office access to 3D design and topography data that helps drive accuracy.

A man wearing a red hard hat and a Komatsu reflective vest, identified as Andrew Earing, Director of Operator and Technical Training at Komatsu, standing in front of two Komatsu excavators.
Andrew Earing, Director of Operator and Technical Training, Komatsu
An image of Eli McDonald, Equipment Coordinator at Reece Albert Inc. and CSA Materials Inc., wearing a white hard hat and a reflective vest at Demo Days.
Eli McDonald, Equipment Coordinator, Reece Albert Inc. and CSA Materials Inc.
An image of Dan Earley, Co-owner of Lei, wearing a white hard hat and a reflective vest at Demo Days.
Dan Earley, Co-owner, Lei

“Our big excavators are 90% Komatsu, including IMC machines, and we also have IMC dozers,” said Dan Earley, a co-owner of LEi in Rapid City, S.D., noting that his company also uses Komatsu’s Smart Construction Office and Dashboard. “It makes my operators way more efficient. There’s so much data in there we can collect and see where production is on a daily basis. Now, with Office and Dashboard, we can see in real time what was done that day. Did we get enough moved? The information is invaluable. I appreciate coming down here and getting to run what we want. I hope to keep coming back. This is a great event.”

A view of Komatsu dozers, excavators, and people in hard hats and reflective vests at Demo Days.
At Demo Days, customers operate Komatsu’s Intelligent Machine Control (IMC) dozers and excavators.

Hybrid highlight

Komatsu also featured its HB365LC-3 hybrid excavator that delivers eco-conscious performance as energy is captured during swing and stored in the ultracapacitor. When swinging, all available hydraulic power is sent to the boom, arm and bucket for improved cycle time, reduced fuel consumption and increased production.

“It seemed like it was stronger on the swing and something that I think we would really like in our company,” said Troy Henderson, a part owner of KTA Construction in San Diego. “Being in California with the emissions that we have to deal with, the hybrid is a great choice to improve our fleet and reduce emissions.”

Harry Olsen, the chief operating officer and a co-owner of Hugo Tree, a company that does land clearing, sitework and demolition in Hugo, Minn., commented, “With the hybrid specifically, I really like that the fuel consumption has dropped down. I think one of the things Komatsu’s always done really well is made a very efficient, smooth machine, and I think the hybrid is the next evolution. We do a lot of stacking and material handling, so being able to have that very finite swing is nice. It’s efficient.”

A man wearing a construction hat and reflective vest, identified as Troy Henderson, Part Owner of KTA Construction.
Troy Henderson, Part Owner, KTA Construction
Harry Olsen, COO/Co-owner of Hugo Tree, wearing a Komatsu hard hat and reflective vest while standing in front of Komatsu excavators.
Harry Olsen, COO/Co-owner, Hugo Tree
An image of Komatsu’s HB365LC-3 hybrid excavator.
Komatsu’s HB365LC-3 hybrid excavator delivers eco-conscious performance as energy is captured during swing and stored in the ultracapacitor.

Learning opportunity

Additionally, there were demonstrations of Komatsu’s new PC490HRD-11 high-reach demolition excavator equipped with a K100 boom change system that allows for hands-free boom changes from the cab of the machine, as well as a soon-to-be-available Komatsu PC360LC-11 straight boom demolition machine. Attendees could also check out demonstrations of Komatsu’s Smart Construction Drone and Komatsu’s RF-5 reclaim feeder.

“One of things we are proud of here is we let customers get in the equipment, touch the quality, feel the performance and get the full experience of our product, but Demo Days is about more than that,” stated Earing. “It’s an opportunity for both us and our customers to learn more about each other. It’s a great platform and venue to connect with our customers and truly understand their needs.”

 

*The opinions expressed here are from the end user as quoted. The results described herein are those of these end users under certain conditions. Individual results may vary.

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