Kobelco Displays Japanese Little Master ‘SK80’ Excavator
The SK80, built using high quality materials and a robust design, can withstand the toughest working conditions. It requires minimal maintenance, ensuring maximum uptime and productivity. With a range of attachments available, the SK80 can be easily adapted to perform a variety of tasks like digging, lifting, and grading.
“As construction projects become increasingly demanding and complex, the need for advanced machinery that can handle diverse applications with ease and efficiency has grown significantly. The SK80 addresses these requirements by combining cutting-edge technology with robust engineering, offering powerful, reliable, and consistent performance,” said Moses Eddy, Director.
As regards the challenges in retaining the company’s premium positioning in the market, he said, “Earlier, the entire focus was on sales and market expansion—acquiring new customers, converting prospects, and pushing volumes. The market was carrying most of the weight. But today, we are at a different stage: we now have an established clientele. The real viability of our brand, going forward, will come from aftermarket solutions and customer lifecycle value. We are therefore reorganising our company with a sharp focus on aftermarket—providing long-term solutions around the excavator to ensure sustained usage, uptime, and profitability for customers.”
“So, the key question is: how do we remain relevant and profitable in this environment? Our answer lies in value creation, not price competition. We have identified four clear focus areas:
Global Quality: We now manufacture global-quality products in India and export them. This also supports forex balancing and strengthens India’s manufacturing credibility.
Empowered Equality: We want to keep our employees happy and motivated. Talent retention is critical—if we lose people, we lose direction, and we cannot afford this.
Progressive Sustainability: We are improving sustainability across operations—transporting machines by rail, installing solar panels, and reducing our carbon footprint. Sustainability is no longer optional; it is essential for long-term survival.
Mutual Trust: Our biggest priority is to build such a deep trust in our customers that they do not think beyond Kobelco. Aftermarket excellence is the foundation of this trust.”
“We are now progressing on values rather than reacting to market volatility. This ensures profitability and long-term stability. No doubt, one has to consider economic conditions and market pressures. We are building a team that does not compromise on values and doesn’t just focus on short-term thinking. We want customers to think beyond immediate cost and focus on lifecycle value, productivity, uptime, and reliability. This is the difference between quality vs quantity, and a value system vs price.”
“There is price sensitivity too, especially in the 20-ton segment, which forms a large part of the market. But from the 30–32-ton class and above, price is no longer a major issue. In fact, in the 38-ton segment, Kobelco is the market leader. Customers in this category operate machines for 22 hours a day, so fuel efficiency, hydraulic intelligence, and uptime matter far more than price. However, we also recognise that the 20-ton segment represents nearly 70–80% of the market, and we cannot ignore it. In the 50-ton segment, we are very close in pricing with a 17% market share.”
Published on:
13 January 2026
Published in: NBM&CW JANUARY 2026
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