Mecomar, Feature Story 3 of LiuGong’s 20th Globalization Anniversary

“Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.” – Casablanca

In early spring of 2003, a year after LiuGong announced the building of an “Open and Globalized LiuGong,” the President of LiuGong at that time, Zeng Guang’an, led inspectors to Casablanca — a love mecca famous for romance in Northwest Africa — and initiated LiuGong’s first overseas market inspection. The company’s first overseas dealer partnership started at that point. Just like the famous line from the movie “Casablanca” says, there are many places in the world, but first stop chosen has proved to be the right decision and certainly one worth remembering years later.

But the history of the successful collaboration goes back a little further. Before LiuGong officially conducted global business, there were two companies that regularly bought several LiuGong machines every year, and Mecomar was one of them.

Mecomar was founded in 1995.  After years of development, it gradually built up a reputation in the local engineering construction industry. Under the astute leadership of the founder, Mecomar has collaborated with almost all governments, municipalities, and local authorities in Morocco. It has also worked with a number of private operators within the solid and liquid waste management sector in Morocco and across many African countries.

In 1998, Mecomar management paid a visit to Chinese construction machinery companies. They focused especially on LiuGong, given the quality of its products and its serious development strategy, which met Mecomar’s expectations.

In 2000, Mecomar began working with LiuGong when it imported its first LiuGong machine — the ZL40B wheel loader. It became the first recipient of this machine type worldwide.

After years of globalization, LiuGong machines have improved greatly, and Mecomar has contributed a lot to this by providing a “testing field” as well as many suggestions for improvement. What remains the same is LiuGong’s attitude and spirit. “What differentiates LiuGong from others is that it is a modest company that is willing to listen to customers and partners, and it is always ready to make improvements as required by the market and customers,” said Mecomar General Manager, Rachid Berrada. He went on to remark that, “LiuGong has sent many technicians and service people here to back us up, while also collecting feedback on the machines.” From 2010 to 2016, LiuGong equipment has ranked 1st in Chinese exports to Morocco every year.

“Time proves to us that we’ve made the right strategic choice, and our market share keeps on growing from year to year.” Being LiuGong’s exclusive dealer in Morocco, Mecomar sells LiuGong’s full line of earthmoving equipment. It has ordered various types of machines, including wheel loaders, skid steer loaders, backhoe loaders, motor graders, excavators, rollers, forklifts, bulldozers, etc. Mecomar’s mobile teams have always found solutions to provide skilled technicians who offer 24/7 aftersales service throughout the Moroccan market. It also provides operator training at workshops and on-site.

Thousands of LiuGong machines are operating across North Africa. LiuGong equipment has been deployed for the completion of a number of large projects, including the Hassan II Mosque (which is the third-largest mosque in the world), the Tanger-Med Port (one of the largest ports in Africa, with over twenty 945E excavators in operation), multiple soccer stadiums and many other large-scale projects.

From September 2021 to February 2022, LiuGong’s 950 and 988ER ballasted boom excavators with rippers were delivered for an important port project in Morocco. The 988ER uses a 90-ton undercarriage, a reinforced swing platform, and a heavier operating weight to better adapt to the harsh working conditions. It is a highly effective tool for excavating and breaking medium and strong weathered rock, shale rock, red sandstone, etc. It is also suitable for breaking rock formations below 45 MPa. Compared to traditional excavator with hydraulic hammer and bulldozer with ripper, it has the benefits of high efficiency, low loss, low breaking and maintenance costs. It is also more eco-friendly and safer compared with traditional blasting operations.

“We have strengthened and crystallized the cooperation with LiuGong for more than 20 years, and we are very proud of this,” said Rachid. “Thanks to the mutual and continuous efforts of the teams, we will overcome all the difficulties of a market in perpetual evolution and change.”

Editor’s Note:

“For every target in the world, doing the routine results in nothing. Go for it! With great effort and courage anything is possible.”

Zeng Guang’an’s visit in 2003 started the wonderful partnership. 20 years is not a short journey. As time goes by and the partnership grows deeper, Mecomar and LiuGong will continue to work together on the road of cooperation and mutual success.

That is why Mecomar’s success plays a crucial part in LiuGong’s globalization journey.