Turin: CASE Construction Equipment, an importer of heavy machines, expects a brighter business outlook in Asia-Pacific over the next several years, with more mega-infrastructure projects to help boost demand for machines.
Neil Woodfin, who leads the construction project equipment department in Asia-Pacific for CNH Industrial, the parent company of CASE, said demand in the region remains strong because of economic expansion.
He said the company expects rising demand for heavy machines in Asia's developing countries, particularly in China, India, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.
"The company has invested in introducing new products and we worked closely with our dealers and partners to support our customers. Our growth last year enabled us to gain greater market share," said Mr Woodfin.
He said CASE Construction's major markets are North America, Europe, China and India.
Mr Woodfin said the company plans to invest in increasing its market channels to penetrate the regional manufacturing sector. As a result, the company is producing at full capacity and developing innovative products.
CASE operates a global manufacturing network of 12 plants, with nine producing construction machines and three dedicated to key components, with each facility specialising in specific product families.
CASE is a brand under CNH Industrial Group, founded in 1842 in Wisconsin, USA. Over the last 175 years, the firm has built a reputation as a global full line supplier and is one of the world's leading producers of construction equipment.
Southeast Asia is an area of major market growth, and CASE said it is a committed partner for construction and rental customers in the region.
As a global manufacturer with more than 90 different models, CASE provides companies with crawler excavators, midi excavators, wheel loaders, motor graders, crawler dozers, soil compactors, skid steer loaders, backhoe loaders and compact track loaders in Asean market.
Mr Woodfin said Thailand was recognised as a country with strong potential, along with other Asean countries.
He said the company expects rising demand for heavy machinery given the Thai government's massive investment in infrastructure as well as from other Asean countries that have construction projects to propel growing economies.
"Thailand's market has a lot of untapped opportunities, especially in the infrastructure sector. We are awaiting the government budget release for the new projects and we are confident that these will continue to sustain economic growth," he said.
"We see more interest from customers for the latest technologies that can enhance productivity."
Thailand is an important market for CASE and the company expects the rising infrastructure projects will help increase its market share.
CNH has appointed Watkinson Construction Equipment as a distributor for CASE Construction.
Watkinson Construction Equipment chief operating officer Kamolwat Veerasupakarn said the company and CASE construction have been marketing in Thailand for about two years.
He said competition in Thailand has intensified, with many construction equipment brands stepping in, particularly major brands from Japan, Europe, China and the US.
He said there were also 4-5 new construction machines that are about to come in.
The total market value for construction machinery is around 20 billion baht a year.
"From year to date, the company had totally sale volume of vehicle of 90 units and we have had 30 customers. We have four service centres and showrooms here in Thailand," said Mr Kamolwat.
Last year, the company had sale volume of 30 units worth 100 million baht.
In 2018 the company expects its sales volume of 100 units to be worth 300 million baht. The firm had total sale volume of 40 units in the first half of this year.
"The company expects that its market share in Thailand will increase to 5% over the next five years [2018-22] from 3%, thanks to the government infrastructure projects that will spur demand, as well as the trust in our quality," he said.
The company plans to open four new service centres and a showroom next year to serve rising demand in Thailand.