Doosan South Africa has long-term plans to move more of its articulated haulers into the local market.

DISA Equipment, which operates as Doosan South Africa, the exclusive dealer for Doosan in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, has a long-term target to grow the volumes of its articulated hauler range in the local market.

Chris Whitehead, newly appointed managing director of Doosan South Africa, says there is quite a lot that can still be done to further develop the Doosan brand locally. “It’s about getting the market to really understand the quality of the Korean build and the full range of equipment we have in our range. For example, we are relatively new players in the articulated truck market, but we have a good match between our wheel loaders, excavators and articulated trucks, and it’s a matter of just penetrating in new markets with these ranges of equipment,” says Whitehead.

He believes that with over 2 500 Doosan machines already operational in the South African market, it’s a matter of building on the successes and legacy these machines have created in the market.

Over the years, traditional big markets for Doosan have always been general construction, plant hire and scrap handling. In the medium term, Whitehead plans to make some inroads into the larger excavator and wheel loader markets, while the long-term plans entail moving more of the company’s articulated haulers, which consists of 30t and 40t models.

Whitehead says the company has had limited success to date with its articulated hauler range, but those operating in the market are running very well. “We will try to target some of the larger customers, but once again, it’s a very difficult product range to break into, especially considering that most of the existing fleet owners already have certain brands they have been running over time. But, we look forward to showing the capabilities of our machines,” says Whitehead.

Meanwhile, speaking of the local equipment market at large, Whitehead says the market will remain very cautious for the foreseeable future. “We are probably not going to see any volume increase in the next eight to 12 months. However, a lot of this will be dependent on political stability, especially around the mining industry, and in increase in demand for commodities. Government’s infrastructure spend and foreign investment will also be crucial in restoring confidence into the South African construction and plant hire market,” he says.

Equipment Africa says: The quality of Korean build, complemented by competitive pricing, as well as strong aftermarket reputation, is the basis at which Doosan South Africa will afford strong penetration into the highly competitive local articulated dump truck market. It may take time but Doosan is focused on being a strong force in this market.