Ruling the Market

For almost 45 years, the partnership between Galadari Trucks & Heavy Equipment and Komatsu has been one built on trust and collaboration leading to greater market share and success

The UAE-headquartered Galadari Trucks & Heavy Equipment (GTHE) is a well-established company that has partnered with many world-class brands in the UAE within the earthmoving, construction and materials handling sector. One such leading brand is the Japan-based company Komatsu, a manufacturer and supplier of earth-moving equipment. Over the years, the two have enjoyed a mutually beneficial and fruitful partnership. This partnership has been going strong for 45 years, and Mahmoud Al Hamarshah, Acting General Manager at Galadari Trucks & Heavy Equipment, is confident that the cooperation will only grow further.

For years, Japanese brands have ruled the markets with their world-class products and services in the UAE. Facilitating this growth for Japan-based Komatsu is GTHE which has been the exclusive distributor of Komatsu in the UAE for more than four decades, furthering its reach in the Middle East — a hotbed for mining, construction and oil and gas sectors. Komatsu boasts of a strong and varied portfolio of trucks, dumpers, excavators, loaders, bulldozers, etc., thus catering to diverse customer requirements and demand.

Speaking about the stronghold the brand enjoys in the region, Al Hamarshah confidently said that it was due to GTHE’s steadfast commitment to its mission, which is to maintain the number one spot for heavy equipment market in the UAE. He added: “We are proud of our ability to provide a 360-degree solution to our customers and clients. For us, it is of utmost priority to maintain efficient aftersales.”

Strong relationship

The partnership between Komatsu and GTHE is built on the strength of quality of the Japanese brand and the extensive support it provides. Explaining further, Al Hamarshah says: “To facilitate the Middle East customers, Komatsu opened a 46,298-sqm Komatsu facility in Jebel Ali, the first-of-its-kind in the Middle East, featuring a dedicated training and a demonstration arena. The venue gives customers a preview of Komatsu’s specialties and showcases a variety of machinery to secure infrastructure, construction and development needs. It will train stakeholders from across the UAE region and thereby, improve machine utilisation efficiency and help customers to reduce total cost of ownership,” indicated the general manager.

Speaking about the close alliance with Komatsu, Al Hamarshah reveals that GTHE’s relationship with the Japanese multinational corporation has grown stronger over the years. “We share an excellent bond with Komatsu and especially when it comes to supporting the company, GTHE in the UAE has proved to be the best-seller of their products and has managed to earn the reputation of being the top-most sellers of Komatsu.”

On the question of the business benefits that GTHE has achieved for Komatsu in the UAE, Al Hamarshah states: “So far, we have not only achieved their selling targets for Komatsu equipment, but we are also ruling the sales charts when it comes to selling of equipment spare parts in the UAE. We continue to maintain the post-sales records with our customers as well, ensuring a long-standing good ties with Komatsu, hoping it grows even stronger in the future.”

On top of the game

GTHE has recently received the ‘Highest Market Share Reach’ for the year 2020, its third overall. Al Hamarshah indicates the factors that help them stand out in the market.

“With an aim to provide genuine and good quality products, we maintain a very strong connection with our customers. And Komatsu gives us that edge. The fully-Japanese manufactured products guarantee 100 per cent satisfaction to clients, which in turn, has benefitted GTHE in the long run.”

Speaking about the dominance enjoyed by GTHE and breaking records, Al Hamarshah proudly adds: “With our various customised and unique offerings, we continue to rule the market by being on top in the UAE region and worldwide as the exclusive distributor of Komatsu.”

But the award has been a result of years of skillfully handling the customers. The Acting General Manager defines that in order to achieve the highest market share, it is essential to efficiently handle the post-sales part: “With our diverseified product portfolio, we continue to gain more dealerships, thus acting as the one-stop shop for our customers. GTHE thrives on quality and after-sales as a key ingredient for building a trustworthy relationship with the customers. Our loyal customer base has earned us the reputation of being the number one in the market.”

Today, besides Komatsu, GTHE is also the exclusive and sole distributor of international brands such as Bomag, Linkbelt, Dieci. And the brand has recently signed distribution agreements with Metso Outotec, US-based Genie and Terex Cranes.

“Overall, we bring in brands via partnership according to the market demands. We keep evolving and adapting to stay relevant and by being a total solutions provider to the customer.”

Booming market

Talking about the gain in momentum in the market after the commencement of Expo 2020 Dubai and the construction market booming, Al Hamarshah confidently says: “The construction segment has witnessed a positive growth, which can be gauged from the amount entitled for the construction projects, which has been totalled at $392 billion. This indicates that the market is picking up quite well.” Further adding on the same, Al Hamarshah also mentions the oil and gas sector projects that sums up around $93 billion, which he describes as a huge overall growth burst in the market. “By 2022-2023, the UAE will see a boom, leading to improved market and economy vitality, making it even stronger,” he predicts.

— rhonita@khaleejtimes.com