Aytaç Demir-ENKA Marketing Purchasing, Logistics, and Import Director
We are entering a new era for the construction machinery sector with Regulation (EU) 2016/1628, which covers emission limits and type-approval requirements for internal combustion engines installed in non-road mobile machinery and which has a redefined market entry date of 31.03.2023. Phase 3 engine emission values have been accepted in the sector for many years. With the change, we will transition from Phase 3 to Phase 5 for all power ranges without distinction. It cannot be said that the sector is fully prepared for such a significant change. With the transition, reductions of over 90% in PM [g/kWh] and Nox+NMHC [g/kWh] values will be achieved. These reductions will be achieved in medium and large-scale machines through emission control systems such as DOC, CSF, and SCR (aftertreatment). These systems and filters also mean a change in the space and internal design occupied by the engine within the machine. The costs of engine and engine-related changes will also increase the costs of machines equipped with engines with new emission phases. Additionally, new systems will bring along new maintenance and part costs. With the market entry of machines complying with both CE requirements and engine emission phases as of 31.03.2023, machines to be supplied to the Turkish market will be completely in line with European standards, so the production share allocated to Turkey in global manufacturing strategies will be separated from the EU share, which may make machine procurement more difficult compared to the pre-transition period. Having environmentally friendly new engines and catching up with the EU, Japan, and North America in this respect can certainly be considered a positive aspect of the transition. On the other hand, the economic cost of the transition, possible procurement problems, and the difficulties that may arise in the process of getting to know new systems emerge as the negative aspects of the change.
It Should Be Explained to the User Correctly
It is gratifying to see environmentally friendly technologies becoming widespread not only in construction machinery but also in all areas in our country. We know that the new engine emission phase, Phase 5, will reduce PM values by more than 90% compared to the previous permissible minimum phase, Phase 3, and will also reduce Nox + NHMC values by more than 90%. In this respect, the step taken is important in terms of catching up with North America, Japan, and Europe. On the other hand, the mentioned regional markets have been familiar with higher-phase engines for many years, starting from Phase 4, both in terms of sellers and users, so their sales and after-sales infrastructures are established. In our country, we anticipate that manufacturers, distributors, and end-users will experience an adjustment period in terms of sales and after-sales services due to the transition phase, albeit for a short time, and then all commercial and service activities will normalize after this period. We believe that understanding the new emission systems correctly and explaining them to the end-user accurately to ensure the most efficient use of the new series of machines by the end-user are our most current priorities in accelerating this transition process. We can say that all sales and after-sales preparations for the new series of machines equipped with Phase 5 engines are being carried out rapidly and comprehensively in all our units within our company.
