BHLs can be used for a wide variety of tasks: construction, small demolitions, light transportation of building materials, powering building equipment, digging holes/excavation, landscaping, breaking asphalt, and paving roads. The backhoe bucket can also be replaced with powered attachments such as a breaker, grapple, auger, or a stump grinder."
The versatility of the BHL, coupled with its affordability and ease of financing for the small contractor / entrepreneur has made this the 'machine of choice' in the Indian Construction Industry. There are almost 150,000 of these BHLs of all colours, sizes and lineage working in India at both big and small job sites, quarries and even garbage dumps !! Nearly 34,000 to 35,000 of these machines get manufactured and sold every year in India, making India the biggest BHL market in the world !!
There are several manufacturers who participate in this market in India, given the size of the business opportunity. Caterpillar, the world's largest manufacturer of Construction, Earthmoving and Mining equipment, with global revenues exceeding $60 billion in 2011, manufactures the BHL Model 424B in India at its Building Construction Products Division's plant at Thiruvallur in Tamil Nadu. This product from the Caterpillar stable, offers customers in India the same unique benefits for which Caterpillar products are known the world over – Best and latest Technology, Robustness of Design, Versatility, Reliability, Best Operator Comfort and the Lowest Owning and Operating Costs over the life of the machine. As an example, the Cat 424 BHL has the best in class digging forces even at the deepest digging point allowing the most difficult excavation to be tackled with ease. Also, the Cat 424B can dig deeper and faster than any of its competitors. This is because of the unique hydraulic system (variable flow, load sensing type) and design of the backhoe (banana boom) that is similar to what Caterpillar uses for its Hydraulic Excavators range. As a testimony to the machine's unique capabilities and productivity, most equipment hirers demand and get a higher hourly rental for their Cat 424B BHLs, when compared to their other brand BHLs.
The Cat 424B is sold and serviced through Caterpillar's extensive Dealer network of TIPL's and Gmmco's 162 branches spread far and wide all over India. These Dealer branches have parts depots stocking the Cat 424B genuine parts and consumables, and also factory trained Service Engineers equipped with mobile service vans to reach the remotest job sites in a matter of hours. Customers also have the choice of opting for Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMCs) with the Caterpillar Dealers; these AMCs can also be customised to suit the Customers' unique needs, if any. Customer can contact their local Dealer via toll free numbers for any sales or service related queries : Dealers also have tie ups with leading financiers in India to help customers get finance on attractive terms for purchase of Cat machines.
Caterpillar Dealers offer several value added services to customers in India based on their RUN (Rental, Used and New) Equipment Business Model.
