CASE CE unveil upgraded G-Series Evolution wheel loader range

14 June, 2021

First published in the June 2021 issue of Quarry Management as On the Case

CASE Construction Equipment recently hosted a virtual launch event unveiling their upgraded G-Series Evolution wheel loader range. QM takes a look at the new machine enhancements and technological features that are raising the bar on productivity, efficiency and operator comfort in the heavy equipment sector

CASE Construction Equipment held their first-ever digital press conference (15 April 2021) to announce the European launch of the newly updated G-Series Evolution range of wheel loaders.

The CASE motto ‘You said it, we did it!’ was frequently used by Federico Bullo, head of Europe for construction equipment businesses, during the 30min live stream, and with good reason, too, as the G-Series loaders have been redesigned to respond to the evolving needs of fleet managers and earthmoving operators in the mineral extractives and construction sectors.

Launched in 2017, the G-Series machines are among the most trusted in the earthmoving industry. In 2018, CASE were awarded the prestigious Good Design Award in the Industrial category for their G-Series models, having set new standards for operator comfort, visibility and safety.

Fast forward to 2021 and CASE have taken all the successful elements from the first iteration, and refined and further developed them with a significantly enhanced G-Series loading shovel range that delivers even greater performance and productivity, increased uptime and more simplified operation.

According to Egidio Galano, product management director for CASE Construction Equipment, Europe, the G-Series Evolution line-up has exceeded the benchmark the company set with the previous G-Series wheel loader range.

‘Operator comfort, serviceability, telematics and offering lowest-per-tonne productivity are extremely important to our customers,’ said Mr Galano. ‘We have a strong commitment to customer satisfaction and service excellence, and the new updates and technologies on the G-Series Evolution range have been implemented to meet rising expectations in the construction and heavy equipment sectors.’

Productivity enhancements

The upgraded wheel loader models – the 521G, 621G, 721G, 821G, 921G, 1021G and 1121G – have all been designed and engineered to meet the demands of European customers, from EU Stage V emissions compliance and fleet-management services to those who are seeking highly productive yet fuel-efficient machines with a low total cost of ownership.

In addition, the CASE G-Series Evolution loading shovels have been fine-tuned to maximize operator comfort and productivity. The loaders, for example, feature an all-new ergonomic touchscreen display that provides a user-friendly interface for accessing all critical machine settings and operational data, allowing operators to anticipate and react more quickly to real-time changes in working conditions.

Using the touchscreen device, machine operators can also activate the new electro-hydraulic control settings and independently set lift (boom) and tilt (bucket) responsiveness to suit the different applications and situations. To ensure optimum performance and fuel efficiency, each function offers three operating modes – ‘Smooth’, ‘Moderate’ or ‘Aggressive’ – helping operators to match machine performance to the task at hand.

On all new G-Series models, the operator can also select between new two engine power modes – ‘Smart’ and ‘Max’ – to cope with the different operating conditions. Max mode is chosen when the end-user wants to use optimum engine performance in tough conditions, whilst Smart power delivers high levels of productivity and operating efficiency on job sites that are less demanding.

The G-Series Evolution loaders are easy to operate with an ergonomic joystick, optional multi-lever controls and a steering wheel, complemented by the new digital touchscreen display.

To further simplify usability, CASE have introduced three new colour-coded configurable buttons on the right armrest, allowing the operator to react quickly, with minimal movement, whilst being able to access pre-programmed machine settings. These settings are configured by the machine operator and include critical functions/displays, such as rear-view camera, differential lock or declutch, and strobe activation.

For high performance, customers can take advantage of a new parallel-lift functionality across all boom configurations that assists in material retention and smooth loading by automatically maintaining the angle and position of the bucket/fork attachment.

‘The improvement of our products and technologies have always been, and continues to be, driven by valuable feedback from our customers and dealers,’ commented Mr Galano. ‘The updates in the G-Series Evolution wheel loader are a direct result of customer feedback, with increased productivity, enhanced operator comfort, fuel efficiency and lower total cost of ownership at the forefront of its design.’

Staying connected

Automated data capture using network-connected devices, web-based reporting and sophisticated analytical tools are vital functions within the quarrying and construction industries. With quarry operators and material suppliers under constant pressure to minimize costs and increase productivity, nothing is more important than uptime.

The G-Series Evolution units have been specially developed with more automation, integrated technology and value-adding digital features to help fleet owners and machine operators to reduce downtime, boost efficiency and increase revenue.

Designed to maximize productivity and efficiency, the new G-Series wheel loaders can now be equipped with an optional integrated payload scale that provides accurate weighing data as and when required, such as real-time bucket weight, pass counts, total volume of material moved over a specific time and load history by customer, ticket or material.

This optimizes the load-out process as operators can track total loads and reduce underload/overload situations by precisely weighing each bucket, and to the optimal capacity. With accurate and reliable on-board weighing data, fleet managers and machine owners can improve payload compliance and material selection.

Crispin Turner, marketing manager for CASE Northern Europe, said: ‘We have taken every step we can think of to maximize productivity, efficiency and safety for our customers. The vision for a more connected aggregates production process and real-time data sharing is no doubt driving improvements across the quarrying and aggregates industry.

‘When linked to the latest CASE SiteWatch telematics platform, the integrated payload scale on the G-Series loaders allows operators and fleet managers to closely monitor and assess real-time vehicle weighing information to help them make better-informed business decisions which, in turn, will help eliminate waste and inefficiency issues and contribute to a positive impact on their bottom line.’

Using the 4G-enabled SiteConnect module mounted on each G-Series Evolution unit, the remote diagnostics and telematics tool collects operating information (eg fuel usage, operating hours, idle time etc.) from that machine and automatically streams the data to the CASE SiteWatch user online portal.

Here, all wheel loader operational data and health parameters are displayed and interpreted on a clear, secure and intuitive dashboard, which can be accessed and monitored by the customer and/or directly by their CASE dealer on any web-enabled desktop computer, laptop or tablet. Alerts for geofence, curfew, scheduled maintenance and fault codes are also visible in the dashboard, ensuring that equipment security, service and repair issues are handled efficiently and quickly.

‘By analyzing usage information and operating health parameters on the CASE SiteWatch portal, fleet managers and business owners can best assess how their G-Series wheel loaders are being used and address the issues affecting equipment productivity by taking appropriate action to help improve efficiency, such as cutting idle times and excess fuel consumption,’ commented Mr Galano.

‘As well as operating efficiency, SiteWatch provides customers with accurate positioning data, delivering geofencing and curfew options that can prevent the G-Series Evolution loaders being used without authorization. Not only does this stop mobile plant being stolen, but the security features are particularly useful for rental firms, as they can monitor whether the machines continue to be used after the hire period has finished and charge the customer accordingly.’

Recognizing the importance that their customers place on having timely and accurate data, CASE have made the SiteConnect and SiteWatch technologies standard built-in features on all new G-Series Evolution wheel loaders. This gives fleet managers and owner operators real-time diagnostic and telematic capabilities to monitor load and haul progress, access critical machine information, analyze and optimize equipment performance, and perform remote operator support.

Time is money

To minimize downtime and long-term ownership costs, the G-Series Evolution machines offer extended service intervals (from 500 to 1,000-plus hours) for both fluids and filters. According to CASE, this reduces the total cost of maintenance by up to 20%, compared with the current G-Series wheel loader range.

In today’s cost-conscious climate, for any aggregate extraction operation to be carried out effectively, it is critical that every stage in the process runs with optimum productivity, efficiency and reliability.

Mr Turner said: ‘In the last few years, particularly during the COVID-19 lockdown, we have seen an increasing demand for equipment-management solutions and aftermarket service support from UK earthmoving operators and quarrying companies.

‘To help keep CASE equipment operating efficiently and at an optimum level, we have been focusing more than ever on developing longstanding relationships with our customers and providing them with greater levels of support. Our full suite of customer care solutions is designed to help improve productivity, ensure operations are more efficient and deliver the lowest cost per tonne for our clients.’

These include: CASE Care, which maximizes a machine’s uptime and efficiency with a standard planned maintenance programme; and CASE Fluid Analysis, a reporting service that ensures operators get a rapid and clear picture of the quality of fluid they are using in their equipment. Also available as part of the company’s Service Solutions portfolio is the CASE Protect extended warranty programme.

Earthmover tyres are crucial to the success of most day-to-day aggregate operations and as quarry operators strive for increased operating efficiencies and reduced maintenance and repair costs, a new factory-installed tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) option is now available on all G-Series Evolution wheel loader models, giving end-users real-time information on the conditions of off-the-road tyres.

‘The needs of our customers are constantly evolving on job sites,’ said Mr Galano. ‘The TPMS smart solution helps mobile plant operators save on expensive tyre repair bills and costly equipment downtime by ensuring tyre pressures and temperatures are kept at optimum levels, which leads to prolonged tyre service life and, more importantly, increased machine uptime and availability.’

Meanwhile, Mr Turner is clearly excited about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for CASE, as the company looks to make further inroads into the UK construction equipment market and strengthens its focus on quarrying and aggregates with full aftermarket care, backup and dedicated customer service as part of the CASE Service Solutions programme.

‘The launch of the G-Series Evolution wheel loaders and the heavy investments in strengthening our product portfolio and aftermarket service offering show that we are fully committed to the mineral extractives and quarrying segments in the long term,’ commented Mr Turner.

‘We have made great strides in the last few years with increased sales of our heavy products range and an even stronger foothold in what is a very competitive European market, so these are exciting times for everyone associated with the CASE Construction Equipment brand.

‘We are also excited by the future growth potential in the UK, where major infrastructure and construction projects will play a key role in helping to accelerate the economic recovery.’

With the UK construction/earthmoving equipment market set to recover in the foreseeable future, CASE will no doubt continue to renew their portfolio to include an array of new products, model upgrades, technologies and enhancements, along with more value-added services to customers in aftermarket care and support. A bright future awaits.

For more information visit: www.casece.com