Gulf Equipment Technology (GET), a division of Bahrain-based Al Alawi Factories, held an open day recently to allow clients and potential customers to view the latest construction equipment from its principals.

The event was also staged to enable direct interaction between customers and representatives of its principals which include JCB, Atlas Copco, Metso Dynapac, Parker, Fassi, Himoinsa, HEK, UpRight, Hatz and Ferrari, said a spokesman for GET.

Around 30 pieces of equipment were on display including the latest JCB 3CX and 4CX backhoe loaders, which were introduced to the region earlier this year, and Atlas Copco's 1,000 kVA super-silent generator.

"The 3CX is the most popular JCB machine in the region with the 4CX backhoe loaders being the high-spec machines," said Paul Ingram, district sales manager - Middle East for JCB.

"We expect sales of our machines this year to hit the 300 mark," he added.

JCB, an international manufacturer of backhoes, loaders, excavators, loadalls, skid-steers and other construction equipment, opened an office in Dubai last May in a bid to get closer to its customers in the Gulf region.

"We have found that our markets have grown with the machine population now necessitating a greater focus on this region," he said.

JCB also has plans to extend its product offering to the region with tracked and wheeled excavators and wheeled loading shovels.

Atlas Copco is looking at reinforcing its presence in the region, according to Jan Pittoors, the Dubai-based regional service manager for the Belgium-based manufacturer of compressors, generators, drilling equipment and pneumatic tools.

"We want to be closer to our market. Our machinery is complex, so we need to give the right technical support for our products - which range from small to large centrifugal compressors which are used in dry docks," he said. "Our largest market is portable compressors, but we see a shift from portable to industrial compressors."

Metso Dynapac had on display a wide range of light construction equipment including pokers, concrete cutters, floats, vibration equipment, foundation equipment such as plate compactors and soil compactors, as well as pneumatic-tyred rollers and pavers.

Himoinsa export area manager Imen Sahbi was on her first visit to Bahrain and reported that there has been good demand for the Spanish firm's generator sets in the region over the past year.

"We have sold between 150-200 gensets directly from Himoinsa over the past 18 months and we expect better business next year," she said.

"We are studying the possibility of setting up a local office in the Gulf. We have been trying to adapt our products to customer requirements and the climatic conditions of the region," she added.

The company manufactures petrol and diesel gensets ranging from 2 kVA to 2,000 kVA, including lighting towers and welding machine power units.

Among the other manufacturers represented by GET are Fassi and Flli Ferrari which manufacture truck-mounted cranes and Hatz which produces diesel engines used in generators, pumps, compaction and other equipment. Also Access equipment manufacturer UpRight offers powered mobile manlifts and platforms and HEK provides platforms.

Set up 35 years ago, GET has established itself as a leader in the sale and service of heavy and light equipment to contracts, industry and government institutions in Bahrain.