If you go onto Google and looks for the top excavator manufacturers/brands, there are no surprises. You will find the most highly regarded names in the earthmoving industry – CAT, Komatsu, Doosan, Hitachi, Volvo, Sumitomo, Case, JCB, Hyundai and Kobelco. If you Google which brand sells the most excavators in the world, you will find another name – the Chinese brand Sany. They sold more than 100,000 excavators in 2021. The China Construction Machinery Industry Association claim that a total of 342,800 excavators were sold in 2021, which means that for every 3 excavators sold during the year, one was a Sany. If you look at their state-of-the-art mega factory (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuJGXTFDqj8), you have to be impressed by the speed, volume and technology backing this brand.
You would also think that Sany is only big in China, and you would be party correct. In 2021, 78% of their machines were sold domestically, but 22% were exported. The most impressive aspect of Sany’s numbers is how they have grown in the past three years. In 2018, they produced 44,000 excavators (8% of which were exported). In three years, they have more than doubled their total production, and have increased the units exported sixfold! The question that now needs to be asked is if these machines are any good. It is difficult to find honest opinions on the internet. If you Google “Are Sany excavators any good”, you need to filter out dealers, paid promotors and obviously Sany themselves. One route to follow is looking at online forums. The first thing you notice is that there isn’t much information out there. Old opinions are mostly negative saying that Sany is subpar, but you need to understand that people that operate in the earthmoving space tend to be very conservative and loyal to specific brands.
Another way to assess the quality of Sany machines, is consider the quality of the parts that make up the machine, and this is where it gets interesting. Let’s go to the heart of the machine – the engine. Sany partner with other OEMs – Isuzu, Cummins and Mitsubishi - for their engines. Hydraulic pumps look like they come from Kawasaki. There is plenty of aftermarket support on other parts. Google reviews on the Sany South Africa are mostly positive, so its seems Sany could be a solid brand.
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