In early 2012, Babcock was appointed the authorised distributor of SDLG wheel loaders, motor graders and vibratory rollers in southern Africa. Following just over a decade of success with this line of products, the distribution agreement has been expanded with the addition of SDLG excavators to Babcock’s product offering in South Africa.  

Initially a renowned Chinese producer of wheel loaders only, SDLG expanded its product offering with a range of its first ever line of excavators back in 2010. At first, the SDLG excavator line was only available for markets such as China, the Middle East and Brazil. Having already proven its mettle for nearly 15 years in these markets, the SDLG range of excavators is now available in South Africa through Babcock, SDLG’s existing distribution partner in southern Africa.

“We are excited to add the range of SDLG excavators to our line of products,” says David Vaughan, MD – Equipment at Babcock. “In our view, this is a good quality, cost-effective, value product with a ‘premium’ touch to it. Given that Volvo Construction Equipment, our major principal, owns 70% of SDLG, one can easily recognise the premium Volvo design heritage in this line of excavators. Customers who have already taken delivery of these units locally have expressed great satisfaction with the range in terms of build quality, efficiency, performance and productivity.”

Four models

Babcock is initially bringing four models to the local market. These include the 6-tonne (t) E660FL, the 13-t E6135H, the 21-t E6215H and the 34-t class E6335H. Mark Senyard, Product Manager – Bull Equipment and SDLG at Babcock, says the 21-t class machine has proven to be the most popular machine in the range to date.

“We took delivery of our first batch of 30 units across all four models in February this year. The 21-t machine has so far proved to be the most popular, all of the first ten units brought into the country having been sold,” says Senyard.

The 34-t has also gained quick traction, with several units already operational at customer sites. “We are really excited about the E6335, not only because of its favourable price point against some of the competition in the 34-t size class, but also due to its performance. To provide context, one of the customers operating this machine has deployed it in a very tough application for its size, but the feedback is that the machine is punching well above its size and performing beyond expectations,” says Senyard, adding that the SDLG team from China has been heavily involved during the rollout of the first machines in the country, working closely with Babcock to ensure smooth operations for customers.

Range in detail

With a 6-t operating weight and a 0,21 m³ bucket capacity, the E660FL compact excavator is largely targeted at the agricultural sector but will also find application in utility and landscaping work environments. One of the key talking points is the load-sensing hydraulic system, which allows the main control valve to operate independently of the load. The action coordination is not affected by the load, and is related to the angle of the pilot handle.

With a 13-t operating weight and a 0,5 m³ standard bucket capacity, the E6135H is equipped with a high-torque, low-RPM Deutz engine that delivers 75 kW of rated power and good efficiency in ten optimised work modes. The electronic unit pump (EUP) design features a high injection pressure and a good tolerance on fuel quality. The X-shaped lower frame and reinforced upper frame with widened chassis make the whole machine more stable and easier to adapt to various working conditions.

The 21-t E6215H model comes with an electronically controlled unit pump which adopts a high-pressure fuel supply system to deliver high injection pressure, sufficient combustion and good power. The engine electric control unit (EECU) controls the fuel supply throughout the process and matches the relationship between the load and the output of the main pump, ensuring both sound performance and fuel consumption. This contributes to a 10% reduction in fuel consumption compared with the previous generation.

“The E6215H excavator adopts the most advanced electronically controlled positive full flow control system. This system allows for a perfect fit between the engine and the hydraulic system, as well as giving higher efficiency and performance. The electronically controlled main valve, which replaces the traditional hydraulically controlled main valve, generates fast response speed and, compared with the previous generation, results in a 10% increase in operating efficiency,” explains Senyard.

With a 34 800 kg operating weight, the E6335F is equipped with a standard 1,9 m³ bucket. The 215-kw Deutz engine provides high power and high productivity. The E6335F is ideally suited for quarrying, small-scale mining, large infrastructure projects and earthworks.

The future

Having successfully rolled out the four models, Senyard confirms that discussions are underway to expand the range with larger models in future.

“It is important to note that we have also established a dedicated sales team to look after the SDLG range. However, the brand will benefit from the same Babcock aftermarket support that our customers have become accustomed to, across all our branches,” concludes Senyard.