Develon hail very successful first year in Europe
Company reflects on debut year following renaming of former Doosan Construction Equipment brand
DEVELON, formerly known as Doosan Construction Equipment, are reflecting on a very successful debut year in Europe and worldwide. Derived from the words ‘Develop’ and ‘Onwards’, the new Develon brand came into being in early 2023, through the renaming of the orange Doosan Construction Equipment brand.
The retention of the familiar orange colour and product naming ensured continuity, with Develon branding introduced everywhere within the organization, from the headquarters, manufacturing plants and other facilities in South Korea, to company and dealership operations all around the world. Under the new brand name, Develon have been building on previous achievements across the world in a legacy that stretches back over 80 years.
The brand was officially launched at the Conexpo trade fair in Las Vegas in March 2023. Subsequently, local trade fairs across the globe have all been used to further debut the brand at a more regional level, whilst other activities such as dealer meetings and customer events have taken place to share the new brand with customers across the globe to strengthen brand awareness.
Europe has seen as much activity in this area as anywhere in the world. As well as the company’s facilities in the Czech Republic, Germany, the UK, and elsewhere, there has been extensive rebranding at the 80+ Develon dealers within Europe, where all existing facilities and vehicles have been changed.
Jayden Lim, chief executive officer of Develon Europe, said: ‘I would like to thank all of our staff, dealers, suppliers, and customers for their support in the transition period, all of whom have embraced the new Develon brand. They are also happy with the fact that there is virtually no change in our core values, sales network, products and technologies – all remain the same.’
Develon have continued to expand in the European market. Notable developments include the opening of a new European Training Centre at Nantes in the west of France and work commencing on a new company-owned store in Germany, targeted for opening in the second half of 2024, offering direct sales, customer support and training, and a parts warehouse. The expansion and relocation of Develon’s Parts Distribution Centre from Germany to Belgium has also been announced, again aiming for completion in the second half of 2024.
‘The new Develon brand name is the beginning of a new era in our company’s history, with a promise to our customers to create added value for them through advanced technologies and innovation,’ continued Mr Lim. ‘Many of our partners are actively leading the way in this new beginning so the basic idea of the brand is very well received. We have also been working hard with partners to rebrand their facility locations and vehicles and this process is now complete at all dealerships throughout Europe.’
From 2024 and beyond, Develon say they plan to enhance the balance among their sales regions and product portfolio to create a full line-up that will help the brand grow into a global top player. For regions with weaker presence, Develon plan to strengthen their dealer network while also expanding the product line-up: the new dozer line and the new mini-excavators including the company’s first electric model, together with special applications like demolition and waste handling to name just a few. The company also plans to enhance customer satisfaction by delivering products that match market requests, such as excavator and wheel loader options/upgrades.
Whilst the development of electric machines remains one of Develon’s key priorities, the company has also developed electric battery packs as a part of its strategy to expand its business, to one that is more embracing, and inclusive of electrification solutions.
Jayden Lim said: ‘Further in 2024, Develon will continue work on technology R&D to transition the construction equipment line-up to electric machines, and to transform the company’s mid-to-large equipment to fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).
‘We will also be continuing our development of the various technology building blocks which are part of the future complete solution, Concept-X. Develon will continue to introduce innovative technologies to better shape the future of the construction industry and change how work is done. We see this at Intermat, where we are demonstrating our Concept-X 2.0 autonomous construction equipment for the first time in Europe, along with the latest safety features for the construction industry, including our exclusive ‘transparent bucket’ feature.
‘We will also have a significant presence at Hillhead 2024 and are looking forward to holding our first Develon Demo Days in four years in the Czech Republic.’
