Interview with Alfonso Huerga González, head of product of Volmaquinaria
What are the major developments, both machinery and techniques, in the implementation of the urban work of small and medium-scale?
Years ago that compact machinery has been gaining ground in public works given the needs of small space in which many urban works have been implemented. Thus, the mini excavators of reduced radio has been a product star widely distributed by the various manufacturers, as they allow to move without complications in very inaccessible places.
The blades also Compact have had an important role to play because of its ease to carry equipment. This auxiliary tool industry has experienced a boom which has allowed operators to carry out demolition, selection of debris, cleaning and multitude of tasks without the need to get off of a machine and in the same place of work.
As for the compaction and extended, the roller of lands of small size due to its greater compaction strength and its accessibility to the cliffs of the works have been imposed.
How have evolved the needs of the Spanish cities and other countries around us, in the last decade? What are today the most common work? There are significant differences depending on whether it is large cities or small towns?
The main engine of the Spain work has undoubtedly been residential development itself. Millions of homes have been built and therefore the works of urbanization have been the protagonists. There is no doubt that the new models of housing require another type of investment that will be forced to renew neighbourhoods and residential centers that have been outdated. Thus, power lines have been buried, pipes for fiber optics, telephone have been built or ADSL, has made a significant investment in channel wastewater for treatment and reuse, and other many performances. This urban development has been very widespread, and we have seen small towns experience profound restructuring. It has also a modernization effort to bring new technologies to traditionally deprived areas. By logic, big cities and tourist centres are those who have experienced more development.
What is the situation of the market for this type of machinery? Has increased the demand following the increase in investments that municipalities allocated to this heading?
Throughout 2008 the sale of machinery suffered a major collapse, especially since the spring. He has also remained a very significant drop during the first half of 2009. If we compare the data of the 2007 sale, which was a record year, the cumulative decline is greater than 80%.
Licitadas by councils works as soon as they have been able to contribute to increasing sales given that the machinery that has been used already was in the market, while it is true that we do not know really what would have been the fall if those works had not carried out.
When the City Council is the client, must it meet special requirements, sustainability or other machinery?
There is no equal rules for all the municipalities of Spain. But in general, public authorities often require that bidders firms are solvent entities, and that the teams to provide safe, comply with European regulations on safety and environmental protection, and logically, to meet the technical requirements for which are requested.
Performance, security, reliability, versatilidad…, many are the elements to value in the product that we are dealing here, but if I had to choose one, and bearing in mind that this is investment made with public money which would be? And, in any case, you imagine how you would be the "perfect machine", which features should have, in short, what elements it is possible to improve in this type of machinery?
The ideal machine is one that provides maximum productivity at the lowest economic cost. Today, there are other factors that are essential and for which a public body has to bet but is for the machinery to be sustainable with the environment, that the work environment is friendly and comfortable for the operatormake maintenance simple and economic and that machines incorporate cutting-edge technology capable of controlling the productivity and improve work processes.
I would ask a conclusion or reflection on small and medium public works in the city and the machinery available to her.
It is possible that average and compact range machinery continue gaining ground to be increasingly more applications, lower operating costs and greater comfort. That small space is not a synonym for reduced benefits.
