Earthmoving equipment
Earthmoving equipment is heavy equipment, typically heavy-duty vehicles designed for construction operations which involve earthworks. They are used to move large amounts of earth, to dig foundations for landscaping and so on. Earthmoving equipment may also be referred to as; heavy trucks, heavy machines, construction equipment, engineering equipment, heavy vehicles and heavy hydraulics. Most earthmoving equipment uses hydraulic drives as the primary source of motion.
On the bases of operation, earthmoving equipment categorised as:
- Excavators (compact excavator, dredging, dragline excavator, front shovel and others).
- Loaders (skip loader and wheel loader).
- Construction tractors (grader, scraper, track loader, material handler).
- Others.
Earthmoving equipment is mainly used in the construction industry, but other major applications include mining, digging and other heavy duty work.
The Asia-Pacific has the largest market share for earthmoving equipment accounting for more than two fifths of the global market, followed by Europe and North America. The global recession held back the construction industry, particularly in the western countries, but the industry is expected to show growth in the coming years.
Increasing urban population demands for better facilities are proving growth opportunities for the construction industry, which in turn increases the demand for heavy machines including earthmoving equipment, especially in developing countries such as India and China.
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