A Rokbak articulated hauler. (Image: Rokbak)

In 2020, Rokbak said it sold around 200 units across all brands articulated hauler market in France and 150 machines in Germany in 2021.

鈥淪ince then, annual unit numbers increased and have remained steady at around 280 [in France],鈥� said the OEM. 鈥淚n Germany, unit numbers鈥� increased in excess of 30% the following year and have subsequently stayed at this level.鈥�

Paul Culliford, Rokbak鈥檚 regional sales manager for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, said the two countries are comparable in what they look for in ADTs and haulers.

鈥淲hen it comes to desired articulated hauler needs, customers in France and Germany are typically looking for the same thing,鈥� explained Culliford. 鈥淭hey want low total cost of ownership (TCO) and a good price to performance ratio 鈥� which our RA30 and RA40 deliver. The truck needs to be easy to maintain and fuel efficient, with connected services for operation monitoring and reduced idle time.鈥�

Culliford noted that safety and comfort are also top priorities.

鈥淢achine owners also need to keep operators happy,鈥� he said. 鈥淥perators want a comfortable, spacious cab in which to work from, with ride control and independent front suspension.鈥�

Hauler applications, market value, and projects in France and Germany

鈥淐onstruction, infrastructure, quarries and mines are the predominant applications in both France and Germany,鈥� explained Culliford. 鈥淎rticulated haulers can be used across different environments, offering manoeuvrability, and excel at hauling material over rough terrain.

鈥淭he 30-tonne trucks are a major part of the French and German ADT markets due to ease of transportation to sites.鈥�

Data provided by Rokblak from UK-based analytics firm GlobalData shows, in 2023, the French construction market was valued at around US$379 billion. In Germany, it was valued at $244 billion.

In east-central France, the Turin鈥揕yon high-speed railway remains under construction, while the Grand Paris Express seeks to build more than 120 miles of new tracks, four new underground lines, and 68 new metro stations in the capitol city.

In Germany, the A45 Motorway Rahmede Viaduct Redevelopment will involve the construction of a new bridge in North Rhine-Westphalia, while the A-Nord HVDC Transmission Line will see the installation of a high-voltage power system in the north-west of the country.