Since 2004 International private company “Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd” promotes various types of construction vehicles, including dump trucks and mixers, on Eastern European markets, offering its clients different variants of contractual delivery, servicing and maintenance for heavy duty trucks vehicles of well known brands like MAN, Mercedes-Benz, FAW, Isuzu, Howo, Iveco, Dongfeng, Renault, Hino, Tatra, Ford, Hyundai, KH-Kipper, Grunwald, Meiller, Wielton.
Recent years, starting from 2015, apart from traditional brands offered by well-known corporations like MAN, ISUZU, RENAULT, the Eastern European market started exploring vehicles and construction equipment from Chinese manufacturer SINOTRUCK (CNHTC) sold under brand name HOWO. In 2018 dump trucks HOWO A7 of SINOTRUK (CNHTC) already had 23% market share on major construction sites in Eastern Europe, becoming a significant competitor for traditional manufacturers.
According to estimation of the company “Bel Trading and Consulting Ltd” HOWO A7 SINOTRUK (CNHTC) dump truck stands out from the other similar vehicles in this segment. It is the most advanced model in range of SINOTRUK (CNHTC), built with maximum of most modern European technologies, and compliant to modern ecological requirements for exhausts of internal combustion engines (engine wd615 ).
Inner components of new HOWO truck are close to European manufacturers. Most of the units are copies of their European analogues. The D10 engine, with 375 h.p. output, is equipped with electronically controlled COMMON RAIL fuel injection system. EVB engine brake is also available with output power of 240 h.p. Overall the engine is a reincarnation of well-know Volvo engine.
The vehicle is equipped with semi-automatic gearbox – SMARTSHIFT-AMT, which allows shifting either in automatic or manual modes. Vehicle is equipped with disc brakes, with ABS and ASR systems. Many components are from well known brands: steering system made by ZF, air filtering from M+H, brake system from WABCO, air conditioning by BEHR, instruments from VDO.
The first impressions of the customers in Eastern Europe from the HOWO vehicles supplied by “Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd.” were very positive. The confirmation for this are repeated orders for these vehicles from construction companies from Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Romania. Clearly, the Chinese HOWO A7 dump truck is not a Volvo yet, but at the same time the price is also much less, and even cheaper than used MAN or ISUZU equivalents. The company has great expectations that the next model – HOWO A8, will become the bestseller in Eastern Europe.
According to “Bel Trading and Consulting Ltd” the most sold models in Eastern European markets were the vehicles on chassis Howo T5G 4х2 (with 280 h.p. MAN engine and 10-speed Allison transmission), 24-ton dump truck Howo А7 6х4, 32-ton dump truck Howo А7 8х4 , and 26-ton mixers HOWO.
According to open source data, “Sinotruk” company is a state-owned automobile manufacturer, with headquarters located in HognKong. It’s daughter company «China National Heavy Duty Truck Group Company Limited», is the third largest heavy-duty truck manufacturer in Chine, and is located in Shandong province.
«Sinotruk» (which owns a number of brands, including the brand name “HOWO”) manufactures heavy-duty trucks, semi-trailers, tractor trailers, dump trucks, and other vehicles used in various fields, including construction, container transport, mining industry, etc.
Besides heavy-duty trucks, Sinotruk, under “HOWO” brand name also manufactures a range of light commercial trucks, pick-up trucks, and other special vehicles.
In China “Sinotruck” sold around 125’000 heavy-duty trucks in 2009, which makes almost 20 per cent of all heavy-duty truck market in the country.
On international market “Sinotruk” is one of the most successful Chinese truck manufacturers. In 2012 the company sold 26’000 trucks for export. In 2013 company already had opened six international representative offices in various regions of the world.
Based on it’s experience of trucks sales in Eastern Europe “Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd” estimates the market demand for heavy-duty trucks (dump trucks, mixers) at least 1’000 vehicles per year. Semi-trailer type dumpers (dump trailers) are the most required, especially in cases when it is necessary to transport at long range the large volumes of construction cargo, at the same time not exceeding permitted axle loads for the vehicle and the semi-trailer. The dump trailers are more flexible, providing better mobility, and are more cost-effective for long-distance cargo transportation. The fifth wheel tractors, used with the dump trailers, can also be used with other types of trailers, providing better flexibility of the fleet. The largest purchasers of heavy-tonnage dump trucks are traditionally the construction companies, roadworks companies, and mining companies engaged in coal or ore mining.
In Eastern Europe the largest clients of “Bel Trading and Consulting Ltd” are also construction companies, including those engaged in road and bridge constructions. They usually order medium or heavy-duty 3- or 4-axle trucks (including HOWO dump trucks). The most frequently purchased are the vehicles with 8×4, 8×8 or 8×10 wheel formula (with cubic capacity of 20-30 m3) for operation without any limitations in the weight of transported cargo.
Most part of the orders (over 90%) for “Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd” received from construction companies from Eastern Europe includes two types of heavy-duty tipper body: 16 m3 for three-axle (6Х4 and 6Х6) chassis, and 20 m3 for four-axle (8Х4 and 8Х8) chassis. HOWO trucks are well represented in this range with its model line.
Nowadays China is the largest manufacturer of heavy duty trucks in the world. According to information of China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) in 2016 China produced 3.1 mln. trucks, and sold 3.14 mln. units, of which 732’919 units were heavy and medium trucks (overall increase of 33.1%). According to data from OICA, the quantity produced by the second largest manufacturer in the world – Japan, last year declined by 13.8%, down to 505’858 units (the organization accounts in it’s statistics only light commercial vehicles – LCV, and heavy commercial vehicles, but does not account the widely popular in South East Asia type – mini-trucks with full weight under 1.8 tons, which, for example in China, covers 20% of the market, therefore, the realistic figures of heavy duty trucks manufactured by Japan may be even lower). Production of heavy vehicles also declined in the U.S. – 268’096 units (by 16.7%), and in all NAFTA countries – 420’779 units (by 18.1%), in South Korea (79’361 units, decrease of 15.6%) and Brazil (60’482 units, 18.3% decrease). The increase was also in India (293’657 units, 9.9% increase) and European Union (153’887 units, 11% increase). At the same time, the overall number of the heavy trucks produced in the world increased by 3.2%, up to 3.52mln. units.
Overall analysis and evaluation of sales of new dump trucks in Eastern European markets (summary for all brands) in 2017 and 2018 gives the following statistics (blue color indicates number of sold units, and orange color indicates price in mln. Euro):
Technologically innovative and ergonomic models of Howo trucks are currently in high demand, which allows the company “Bel Trading and Consulting Ltd.” to dramatically expand the sales markets and establish new partnerships and cooperation. Chinese Howo trucks are highly competitive due to simplicity and reliability of it’s design, combined with comfort and space for the driver, durable engines and modern safety systems.
According to the own statistics of “Bel Trading and Consulting Ltd” SCANIA, VOLVO, and RENAULT are the current leaders of sales in Eastern Europe, however it is clear that the day will come soon when HOWO dump trucks will also join the European leaders in top positions.
“Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd” has over ten years positive experience in sales, servicing and maintenance of Howo trucks in Eastern Europe and is open for cooperation with construction companies in both Europe and Asia, fulfilling the complex projects.
