Construction

Volvo CE announces closure of Rokbak business

The Rokbak RA40 at Nigeria Mining Week in 2025 (Image source: Rokbak)

Volvo Construction Equipment has announced the closure of its Rokbak business, a popular brand across Africa, citing continued rising costs and global trade challenges

“As part of a long-term strategic shift and due to the unsustainable profitability of the Rokbak articulated hauler business, Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) will close its Rokbak business and concentrate resources on its portfolio of other hauling solutions,” it noted in a statement.

For more than four decades, Rokbak — formerly Terex Trucks — delivered reliable off-highway articulated haulers to customers worldwide.

However, rising operational and supply chain costs, combined with global trade challenges, including US tariffs, have significantly impacted financial performance, making continued operation unsustainable, a Volvo CE statement read.

The statement added that Volvo CE remains committed to the ongoing success of Rokbak customers and will provide dedicated support throughout the current phase-out and into the future, including aftermarket support.

“We are deeply grateful to our loyal Rokbak customers, dealers, dedicated employees, and supportive partners who have been part of this journey,” said Melker Jernberg, president of Volvo CE.

“Our priority is to honour our commitments and deliver ongoing comprehensive support to Rokbak customers and partners.”

Volvo CE said it will concentrate resources on “advancing and launching innovative hauling solutions” and that its Motherwell facility in UK will continue to focus on the development of rigid haulers.

This Rokbak closure is subject to completion of a collective consultation process which is expected to be concluded by Q3 2026.

Volvo CE added that it will work with unions, government representatives and regulatory bodies to ensure a responsible and supportive transition for employees impacted by the move.

Rokbak is a familiar in many of Africa’s toughest markets, in mining, quarrying and major infrastructure projects.

Last October, Rokbak and its West Africa dealer HMD presented its robust RA40 articulated dump trucks, available in 28-tonne (RA30) and 38-tonne (RA40) payload classes, at Nigeria Mining Week.

Over the past year, Rokbak significantly expanded its dealer network across Africa, with expert partners now offering sales, service and parts support in markets including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast and Zimbabwe.

This network ensures access to genuine parts, trained technicians and in-country support – even on hard-to-reach sites.

In Zimbabwe, for example, dealer partner Machinery Exchange has established Rokbak service hubs in Harare, Bulawayo and Hwange, for 24-hour parts availability and on-site technical services for mining clients across the country.

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BWH to focus on sub-Saharan Africa in 2026

African tourism and business confidence is on the up (Image source: Adobe Stock)

After a busy year targeting North Africa’s dynamic hospitality sector, BWH Hotels is turning its attentions to sub-Saharan Africa in 2026

Its expansion across Africa will continue this year with four new hotel openings across key regional markets — a move that bodes well for construction firms and other local services providers.

The growth includes two new properties in Nigeria, one in Ethiopia and one in Tanzania, reflecting the group’s commitment to supporting Africa’s tourism and business‑travel sectors.

In Nigeria, the Best Western Premier McDons Skye Hotel and the Best Western Plus Ambience Hotel Ikeja represent the group’s upscale and upper‑midscale offerings, combining international service standards with locally-inspired hospitality.

These openings underscore BWH Hotels’ long‑term investment in Africa and its mission to deliver high‑quality accommodations in fast‑growing destinations, according to Wytze van den Berg, VP international operations, BWH Hotels.

He said the company continues to see rising confidence and sustained investor interest across African markets, driven by increasing regional stability and strong long-term inbound travel projections.

“Investor confidence comes with predictability. While the world is filled with uncertainties, we are seeing growing trust and confidence across many African countries,” said van den Berg.

“The continent’s future projected tourism numbers are promising and reinforce investor appetite across key markets.”

The company highlights Ethiopia, Tanzania, Egypt and Morocco as markets showing particularly strong development momentum, supported by a wave of new pipelines and hotel projects, especially in Northern Africa.

Morocco and Egypt are now the two fastest‑growing development markets in Africa, he added.

“In the past year, we have signed more than 25 new pipeline properties in Morocco, and we are actively working on a dozen additional projects in Egypt,” he said.

“These two markets are rapidly accelerating and represent major growth engines for our brand family across Africa.”

The expansion supports BWH Hotels’ strategy to broaden its portfolio including Best Western Hotels & Resorts and WorldHotels, offering diverse development opportunities for different market segments, from upscale and upper‑midscale properties to soft‑branded luxury.

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Hamm launches Smart Compact Pro for real-time compaction

HAMM's Smart Compact Pro integrates real-time density, boosting asphalt quality and reducing construction costs. (Image source: HAMM)

Roller manufacturer Hamm has introduced the Smart Compact Pro under the motto “Measure it right. Measure it now.”

For the first time, real-time density is being used as a decisive parameter for qualitative assessment and integrated into automated compaction. Smart Compact Pro makes a significant contribution to extending the service life of road surfaces and, in the long term, reduces construction and repair costs, as well as potential additional expenses for the contractor.

Automated compaction with Smart Compact

Despite advances in digitalisation, asphalt compaction has so far been heavily dependent on empirical data and the experience of the roller driver. Consistent double passes and the correct use of dynamic compaction were often dependent on the driver’s knowledge. Since 2022, the Smart Compact digital compaction assistant from Hamm has been simplifying the compaction process in asphalt construction by controlling the compaction modes and forces based on the selected layer type – base, binder or surface course – automatically and separately for both drums.

The system continuously monitors the asphalt’s physical properties, such as temperature and rigidity, as well as its complex cooling behaviour, to ensure homogeneous compaction by applying the optimum compaction energy and modes in each case. There is even the option of incorporating local weather data.

Smart Compact Pro with real-time density measurement: Higher quality, lower costs

Hamm is now expanding Smart Compact to incorporate an essential measured value – real-time asphalt density. Industry experts agree that it is the decisive parameter for qualitative assessment during the compaction process and will become the key indicator for rigorously meeting regulatory requirements and minimising financial deductions.

Smart Compact Pro closes this gap by integrating the new “Realtime Density Scan” sensor into the automated compaction process. It determines the asphalt density in real time by measuring the dielectric conductivity of the asphalt mix to be compacted, therefore forming the basis for the correlation with the asphalt density or the porosity. Both parameters are crucial for self-monitoring or control testing. With the help of real-time density, Smart Compact Pro is able to provide construction companies with a decisive advantage by accurately implementing regulatory requirements.

This can significantly reduce potential financial deductions due to inadequate quality in the construction work and also save costs for premature repairs. Using Smart Compact Pro also significantly reduces the costs for extracting drill cores.

In summary, the world-first integration of real-time density into automated compaction represents a significant step forward for asphalt compaction. Even inexperienced operators can achieve optimal compaction results with Smart Compact Pro, with no need for extensive prior knowledge. This offers a significant boost for construction companies in times of an increasing shortage of skilled workers.

Giatec and Sika aim to ehance digital concrete technology

Digital concrete technology company Giatec has announced a commercial partnership with specialty chemicals manufacturer Sika aimed at accelerating the adoption of data-driven solutions across the global concrete value chain.

The collaboration will combine Giatec’s digital monitoring and analytics platforms with Sika’s extensive global presence and expertise in construction materials. Through the partnership, the companies intend to expand the use of intelligent technologies in concrete production, transportation, placement and long-term performance monitoring.

Sika operates in more than 100 countries and offers a broad portfolio of construction solutions, including high-performance concrete admixtures and advanced building systems. By integrating Giatec’s digital tools into Sika’s global network, the two companies expect to broaden access to technologies that help construction firms optimise quality control, efficiency and sustainability.

Ivo Schädler, head of construction at Sika, said the collaboration reflects a shared ambition to support the industry’s transition towards more digitally enabled operations.

“By combining Sika’s materials science and construction expertise with Giatec’s innovative digital concrete solutions, we aim to help the sector move away from reactive methods towards proactive, data-enabled decision-making,” he said. “This approach can improve project quality, boost productivity and support more sustainable construction outcomes.”

The announcement comes as the construction sector increasingly embraces digital tools and artificial intelligence. Industry forecasts indicate that the global market for AI-driven construction technologies could expand significantly over the next decade, driven by demand for improved productivity, cost control and environmental performance.

Giatec’s technology ecosystem includes wireless concrete sensors, artificial intelligence-based software platforms and in-transit monitoring tools designed to provide real-time data on concrete behaviour during transport and placement. According to the company, these systems help contractors and producers improve consistency, reduce material waste and make faster operational decisions.

Pouria Ghods, CEO and co-founder of Giatec, described the agreement as a key step in expanding the company’s global impact. He noted that combining Sika’s global reach with Giatec’s digital expertise will help address long-standing challenges related to efficiency, performance and sustainability within the construction sector.

“Together we can deliver measurable value for producers, contractors and project owners by providing greater transparency and insight into concrete performance,” Ghods said.

Both companies are showcasing their technologies and discussing the partnership with industry stakeholders at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026, where representatives are presenting solutions designed to support the digital transformation of construction practices.

Cat launches new diesel options for construction equipment

Cat expands diesel power options for construction machinery. (Image source: Caterpillar)

Caterpillar is introducing a new twin-turbo, 173-horsepower (129 kW) option for the Cat C3.6 diesel engine engineered for small- to medium-sized construction equipment

Announced at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 event this week, it offers a 21% increase in power over Caterpillar’s current lineup of 3.6-litre engines meeting US EPA Tier 4 Final/EU Stage V emission standards.

The 173-hp C3.6 achieves the higher power rating through an upgraded combustion system and reinforced core components, improving machine performance through higher torque, greater uptime, and lower total operating costs without increasing size or complexity.

Also at the event, the company will showcase the 74 hp Cat C2.2 engine, the power-dense 690 hp C13D engine under development, the 800 hp C18 series-turbocharged engine, and a remanufactured C7 highlighting the advantages of restoring old components to like-new performance.

“As the construction landscape changes, our extensive portfolio of solutions and expertise, from full-fleet jobsites through to a full range of optimised diesel engines, will help solve our customers toughest challenges,” said Steve Ferguson, senior vice-president of Caterpillar Industrial Power Systems.

CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 marks the first showing of the new up to 173 hp (129 kW) high horsepower diesel engine, the latest addition to the C3.6 range, which also includes 74 hp (55 kW) and 142 hp (106 kW) ratings.

To meet customers’ ongoing needs for higher power density power systems, which boost machine capability without increasing size or complexity, the twin-turbo C3.6 has been designed to deliver higher torque, greater uptime, and lower total operating costs for a range of equipment including wheel excavators, dumper trucks, soil compactors, backhoe loaders, asphalt pavers and telehandlers.

To achieve up to 173 hp (129 kW) and 546 lb ft (740 Nm) at 1500 rpm of power density from the proven 3.6 litre, four-cylinder platform, engineers have upgraded the combustion system to achieve maximum power and efficiency and have strengthened many core components.

The new offering offers end users up to 1000-hour oil and fuel filter intervals and gives customers greater fuel flexibility, as the engine is compatible with B20 biodiesel, 100% HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil), and other sustainable fuels.

The high horsepower variant has been designed for low fluid consumption while delivering the required power across high, medium and low load operations.

With a transparent, maintenance free after-treatment system with no downtime, the engine is set to deliver serious power in a compact footprint for a wide range of OEMs whose equipment is the bedrock of construction sites around the world, according to Ferguson.

“The customer requirement for high power density to boost machine capability without increasing engine size or complexity has driven the launch of this new high horsepower C3.6 and the C13D which we unveiled at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023,” he said.

“Given that internal combustion engines remain the dominant power solution across global jobsites; we continue to strategically invest in advanced diesel engine technologies that help customers tackle their daily challenges.”

The Caterpillar booth features the C13D diesel engine platform, designed to achieve best-in-class power density, torque and fuel efficiency for optimising the performance of heavy duty off-highway applications, including rock crushers, screeners, and grinders; trenchers; agriculture tractors, harvesters and self-propelled sprayers; woodchippers; material-handling equipment; and large industrial pumps.

For customers considering a range of power solutions for their equipment, the booth also features a C9.3B fitted with a diesel-electric power unit.

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