“It is fantastic fun that we get to deliver our tiltrotator to the world’s largest spider excavator”,

says Peter Högberg, Sales at Engcon International.

The Italian company Euromach manufactures spider excavators in sizes ranging from 1.5 tons up to 17 tons. They are specially built to be able to climb and function on steep terrain where conventional wheel and crawler excavators could not reach. The collaboration with Euromach has taken place via Engcon’s Italian dealer Spektra.

“Antonio Stucci of Spektra’s sales team and I have together specified an EC219 tiltrotator that fits the machine perfectly”,

Peter Högberg continues.

A flexible climber with many smart features

The Euromach R145, also called the Big Foot, has four hydraulic and wheeled “legs” that can be pulled in and extended independently of each other both in width and length. This gives a working width from 2430 – 4740 mm and the length can vary from 5900 – 6700 mm. This makes Big Foot an agile climber and despite its weight, can be applied in ways few other vehicles could match.

When the machine is not standing still on its wheels, extra claws can be unfolded and with the help of this function, Big Foot can “claw” itself into the slopes. Once you are in place with the machine, for example deep down in a ravine, it is seldom possible to reposition the machine and then the tiltrotator will come in handy. Because the tiltrotator acts as the machine’s wrist, Big Foot can easily rotate to the desired position.

“Euromach believe that with our tiltrotator, the driver can perform all conceivable functions from one and the same position, which makes the world’s largest spider excavator even more efficient and flexible”,

says Peter Högberg.

The post Engcon Supplies Tiltrotators to the Euromach R145 Excavator appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

The new quick coupler is modular with only two hoses remaining for the locking cylinder. It will now be easier to install Engcon’s EC-Oil quick coupler system in the lower bracket, as the hydraulic blocks are now bolted directly into a distribution block without any hoses.

The new design makes it simpler to install and retrofit hydraulic extra outlets to Engcon’s detachable tools. Tools such as the grab cassette (GRD) and the rotating sweeper (SWD), with the opportunity to add future tools from Engcon.

“With the new modular system, it becomes easier to maintain, supplement, and replace components in the coupler. You get rid of almost all the hoses, that otherwise can be quite demanding to replace in a tight tool bracket,”

says Fredrik Jonsson, Development Manager at Engcon.

New: use existing hydraulic tools with EC-Oil

The new modular and hose-free design also means an upgrade to the high-flow swivel which gets larger channels for increased hydraulic flow. A much-valued function for those who need oil capacity for example to operate a flail mower, or similar tools by choosing to “directly feed” one of the extra outlets, without going through valves as before.

“Thanks to the possibility to get both the quick coupler system and manual extra outlets in the same bracket, our customers can now choose to use their existing hydraulic tools with EC-Oil or manual couplings,”

explains Fredrik Jonsson, and continues:

“What is unique about our system is that the customer can start with a “simple” solution and then build on it themselves as and when there is a need for new tools for new assignments. It will also be very easy for the retailer to stock a “basic product” that can be easily adapted to the customer’s wishes”,

Fredrik Jonsson concludes.

Engcon’s hose-free quick coupler is available for all markets and has been developed for EC209, EC214, EC219, EC226, and EC233. Sizes EC206 and EC204 are coming soon.

The post Engcon Adds More Excavator Features With a Smarter Quick Coupler appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Over a year ago, Engcon inaugurated its fully automated plant in Strömsund for the processing and hardening of frames for its main product, the tiltrotator. Now, Engcon continues to prepare for future growth by expanding its Swedish headquarters.

“The heart of Engcon is Strömsund and will continue to be so. Our international expansion has increased the need for more office space and to meet our continued growth, so now we have expanded,”

says Krister Blomgren, CEO of Engcon Group.

Thirty years ago, Stig Engström founded Engcon in Strömsund, Jämtland in Sweden, and the company is now a world-leading manufacturer of tiltrotators for excavators. In the early 2000s, the company began its international expansion and has now developed into an international group with Engcon companies located all over the world.

Today, Engcon has established sales companies in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Benelux, France, Germany, North America, Australia, Korea, and Japan, plus a factory in Poland. The Engcon Group’s headquarters and main production facilities are still located at the company’s main site in Strömsund. In addition, because all financial and administrative services for the various Engcon companies are also located in the Engcon headquarters it was necessary to expand the office space.

“It feels great that we now have two modern office floors of 204 square meters each here in Strömsund. On the first floor, there are offices and group rooms and on the second floor, there are guest workplaces and conference facilities. This is to meet Engcon’s growing requirements and to ensure that we are equipped for the future”,

says Mikael Persson, who is the CEO of the real estate company Engcon Real Estate, which is part of Engcon Group.

Krister Blomgren adds:

“In the new premises, the Design and Construction departments will sit together. In this way, they are close to each other but also close to the production itself and the core of the business. As we have made this investment, we create even better conditions at work to be able to distribute the tiltrotator worldwide”.

The construction work was carried out by the local construction company Abrahamsson Bygg AB. The cost of the expansion was approximately SEK 8.5 million.

The post Engcon Expands Its Headquarters appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Last year, Engcon launched a global safety initiative, “Dig Smart. Dig Safe”, to highlight the use of smart technology in accident prevention. The aim of the initiative was to create discussion around safety issues. And to establish an industry-recognized vision of zero accidents due to buckets coming loose because of incorrect handling.

“Last year’s safety initiative, “Dig Smart. Dig Safe”, had a positive impact, to the extent that as many as 38 in-depth articles were reproduced in media all over the world. From North America to media in Europe, the Nordics and Asia”,

says Ulrica Hellström, Marketing Director at Engcon. But the road to changing behavior is long, so we will continue the initiative until the issue of safety is raised higher on agendas around the world.

In Norway, for example, the issue has been in the spotlight. The Norwegian Machinery Wholesalers’ Association has taken an important step in the right direction. They are issuing recommendations to apply safety requirements higher than international standards.

The Norwegian construction consortium Veidekke demanded effective January 2020 that all excavators over 5 tonnes must-have safely quick couplers. In connection with the Swedish trade union SEKO, Engcon will present its safety system at a digital safety conference. Along with the machine dealer Maskinia who will explain why they choose to equip their excavators with safety products.

“A vision of zero accidents due to dropped buckets is a challenge, one that can’t be solved with the attention of just a few players. All the industry actors need to be involved. So, we will continue to repeat the campaign “Dig Smart. Dig Safe” for many years to come”,

says Ulrica Hellström and concludes:

“In parallel with the work to provoke a discussion, we will develop and launch smart solutions that eliminate handling errors and prevent accidents. We’ll try as much as possible to make safety systems a part of our standard range. We don’t want the excavator operator to consider cost as an obstacle to investing in a safe workplace. In the autumn, we started delivering our smart locking panel and safe locking function under the tiltrotator as a standard and this can easily be compared to an automatic braking system on a car. We help the driver to do the right thing. Hopefully, we can offer further developments in the spring”.

The post A Year After the Launch of the Engcon’s Safety Initiative appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

“Just making sure the company and its employees are doing well is not enough; our local communities must also do well if we are to succeed”,

says Krister Blomgren, CEO, Engcon Group.  

Nothing about 2020 turned out the way anyone could have imagined. With a recession on the cards, many were prepared for a tough year right from the beginning, but as it turned out, Covid 19 changed everything. Uncertainty, redundancies and a tougher existence characterised the year. On top of this, restrictions and cutbacks were introduced, and delivery disruptions and a reluctance to invest have made their jobs much more difficult for many. Because Engcon would like to thank its hard-working employees while also doing its bit to support local entrepreneurs wherever Engcon has a presence, this year’s Christmas gift to its employees will be local gift cards.  

“There’s a major need of support and a great willingness on our part to show how grateful we are to both our employees and the local communities where we have a presence. So, we’ve decided that our Christmas gifts to our employees will ‘go local’ with the aim of supporting local businesses and companies,”

says Krister Blomgren, Engcon Group CEO.

During the year, its employees gave 100 percent, which did not go unnoticed, and now Engcon would like to show its gratitude with a Christmas gift that also benefits local communities. 

“We’re in a position where we can provide support, thanks to the fact that we pulled the handbrake immediately when we saw the year ahead would be shaky. And although things didn’t turn out as bad as we first feared, the pandemic and its restrictions and disruptions has presented serious challenges. And our personnel around the world stepped up to meet them 100 percent. It’s something we’re truly grateful for,”

says Krister Blomgren, CEO, Engcon Group. He goes on to say:

“‘I’m deeply impressed by our personnel and the way they stepped up to solve the situations that arose. It’s also why we decided to thank them with a Christmas gift that’s a little larger than usual. They are worth it!” 

In practical terms, it means Engcon’s employees will receive gift cards valid in retail stores in the communities where Engcon has a presence, instead of making a mass purchase of the same Christmas gift to everyone.   

“Just making sure the company and its employees are doing well is not enough; our local communities must also do well if we are to succeed. It feels good to have made this decision”,

says Krister Blomgren. 

Engcon maintains a presence in 12 places, from Strömsund in the north of Sweden and Mennecy in France, to Hamden on the other side of the Atlantic in Connecticut, USA. 

The post Engcon Provides Local Support This Christmas appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Engcon‘s strategy is to continually improve the excavators’ everyday lives with more efficient, flexible, and safer solutions. This means, among other things, providing access to smart solutions for everyone, by offering them as standard. The automatic quick coupler system, EC-Oil, has previously been added as an option at no extra charge. Further increasing safety, Engcon will offer the safe locking system QSC under the tiltrotator as standard.

The current system for controlling the bucket lock under the tiltrotator will be replaced with Engcon’s standardized locking panel, directing the driver’s actions by means of an alert system to ensure correct positioning. In this way, Engcon simplifies the handling of the bucket lock – the hitch control function is standardized, regardless of the make and model of the excavator. This minimizes the risks of dropped or swinging tools.

”We usually compare it to the fact that the gas and brake pedals would have different placements in a car depending on which car brand it is. In short, if a driver who changes from one excavator to another and can operate it in the same way, the risk of making mistakes with serious consequences is greatly minimized”,

says Martin Engström, Product Manager at Engcon.

Unique safety function that saves lives

In addition to the standardization of the locking procedure, it is also impossible to activate the bucket lock under the tiltrotator while the bucket is hanging in midair – a safety function that is unique to Engcon’s locking solution.

”This reduces the greatest risk that a bucket or a tool is accidentally dropped when up in the air. Which can prevent both injuries and deaths,”

says Martin Engström.

The locking system, QSC, together with Engcon’s quick coupler Q-Safe, also has an audiovisual warning system. The system warns with sound and light alarms if the bucket is connected incorrectly. As an accessory, you can also order a safety function that locks the excavator’s turning movements, which further increases safety.

“To sum up, we continue to standardize for maximum safety and to prevent unnecessary accidents due to mistakes, stress, or improper handling. And not only that, it costs nothing extra”,

Martin Engström concludes.

The post Engcon’s new standardization advances excavation safety appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Engcon NA business continues to grow despite the ongoing pandemic contributing to one of the toughest quarters in modern history. Interest in Engcon’s products remains very strong and indications are that sales will continue to increase in 2020.

“Engcon North America is in an expansive phase right now. We increased significantly in 2019 and had a very successful participation at Conexpo, one of the world’s largest trade shows. There, visitors got to test drive excavators equipped with Engcon’s tiltrotator and our other smart products. Interest in our products has increased since then, which means that we are now shifting to a higher gear with a new head of Engcon NA and new premises,”

says Anders Smith, Regional Director at Engcon.

The new head of Engcon North America

Morten Solgaard the new Managing Director of Engcon NA, most recently worked at Scania – a Swedish OEM for heavy trucks and buses – where he held various roles for the past 22 years, primarily in the sales and service field. He is also familiar with the industry and the high demands placed on suppliers.

The expectations of Engcon NA’s new manager are that he, with his experience and leadership skills, will be an important cog in the wheel of continued expansion in the North American markets.

“We have moved both offices and the central warehouse to a new facility in Hamden, Connecticut to handle our continued growth. The new premises are approximately 1,200 m² (13,000 ft²), three times as large as the previous one. But above all, the new building is adapted for our business,”

says Anders Smith.

Increased demand

Despite the pandemic, orders to Engcon North America increased by 50 percent from January to June 2020 compared with the same period last year. Sales have increased to both small and large companies and to all sizes of excavators. Unlike last year when they were mainly sold to small machines, this year the demand has been for the entire range of excavators from 1.5–33 tonnes.

“There is an enormous potential to streamline excavation here in North America. All players will benefit if the excavators become more efficient, more environmentally friendly, and safer. Fitted with Engcon’s tiltrotator and smart accessories our goal is to “Change the world of digging” and hope that as many people as possible join us,”

Anders Smith concludes.

The post Engcon Expands in North America with a New Facility in Hamden, CT appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Engcon like many companies was affected when Covid-19 struck with full force in the spring. As well as impacting sales, Engcon was forced to cancel and pack up early at this year’s largest construction trade show CONEXPO, Las Vegas. Engcon is known for its good financial management and immediately acted with a package of measures, that included cost savings, budget adjustments, and prioritizing efforts to streamline processes and working practices. However, this summer’s sales figures were better than expected, which meant ramping up production to meet the increase in customer orders.

”For us, it is of the utmost importance to run the company in a serious and long-term way. In uncertain times, we do what we can to minimize the effects if it should be a worst-case scenario,”

says Krister Blomgren, CEO of Engcon Holding, and continues:

“But it turned out pretty soon that despite the pandemic, many excavator operators around the world continued their work with maintenance of railways, highways, forestry, and building structures. We know that our products contribute to socially beneficial activities and these priorities around the world have therefore of course been favorable for us as a company. This is a strong contributing factor to our positive sales figures”.

In total, Engcon Group sales dropped by approximately 14 percent from January to July 2020, compared with the same period last year, while sales increased by 18 percent in the non-Nordic markets.

“What you have to remember is that it is the other markets that are growing at a higher rate right now, meanwhile sales remain sluggish in our normally stronger markets here in the Nordic region”.

However, Engcon has seen greater caution around larger investments, but at the same time can see that many excavator operators barely have time available for all their assignments right now. Those who can afford it are thus making the smart move to invest in an economic downturn in order to prepare for the upturn.

”Investing in a tiltrotator makes digging considerably more efficient, which means the extra capacity to catch up with more jobs in hectic times. It is wise to equip the business, regardless of whether you are a local excavation company or a large global corporation,”

says Krister Blomgren.

Engcon has a number of activities prioritized to further develop the business and come out stronger on the other side of the pandemic.

“For example, we have just chosen a supplier for a new business system, as part of a decision we made over a year ago. Our strategy is to streamline our processes and make smart investments to become even better. This summer’s sales have been good, and we are cautiously optimistic, even though we have not heard the latest about Covid-19 yet,”

Krister Blomgren concludes.

The markets where sales rose significantly during the year were North America (the USA and Canada), Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

The post Engcon pushes strong summer sales appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

The environmental issues associated with excavation and construction work are easy to overlook, but as machines become more efficient it does have a positive impact. Engcon’s smart tiltrotator, which is tilting and rotating quick coupler, adds a whole new dimension to the excavator – the machine can use the tiltrotator to perform movements that were not previously possible. And with the rest of Engcon’s smart range, efficiencies can be significantly improved. A good start is to combine the tiltrotator with the automatic quick coupler system with EC-Oil to upgrade to a more efficient excavator:

”EC-Oil is a smart quick coupler system that automatically connects hydraulics, electricity and central lubrication between the machine’s quick coupler and under the tiltrotator. In addition, all Engcon hydraulic tools, grippers, ground vibrators, fork racks and sweepers have automatic oil coupling as standard. In fact, the combination of the tiltrotator and EC-Oil means that the entire excavator industry is being revolutionized,”

says Stig Engström, founder of Engcon, and continues:

”Digging, planning, trenching, sloping, tearing, grabbing, lifting, sweeping, compacting – the possibilities are endless for what an excavator can perform when it is equipped with our tiltrotator and the tools we offer”.

With Engcon’s automatic quick coupler system EC-Oil, the driver can remain in the cab and safely change tools on the machine – mechanical as well as hydraulic. The fast and smooth tool changes also enable the machine to perform several different types of work in a shorter time frame. Engcon’s products mean that the driver can turn the bucket instead of driving the machine around, allowing the bucket to access difficult and narrow passages with less machine movement.

“The excavator becomes a tool carrier with automatic quick coupler systems that in combination with a tiltrotator increase the excavator’s efficiency. “Do more. Earn more” will revolutionize digging all over the world and we want North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia to follow in the Nordic region’s footsteps and the progress they have made. But we do not want to stop there! If all the excavators in the world were to consider ways to improve efficiencies, there would be enormous benefits for the environment and also for the individual excavator operator, who has the opportunity to develop a more profitable business,”

Stig Engström concludes.

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