Whats been happening behind the Scarab beetle logo recently ?
And what does the future hold for an environment that increasingly suggests "cheap" and "out-sourcing" as the only option ?
Malcolm Bates visited the companys Marden HQ

It has to be said, Scarab founder Rodger Hoadley was a one-off. For whatever reason, they just don`t make them like him anymore. And I for one suspect Britain will be all the poorer for that.
But while his untimely death undoubtedly left a void in the Scarab management team for a while, there was thankfully time to plan for a future in which he would not be there to make the final decisions. All credit to the man for having the foresight to bring in a generation of younger talent when he did, but what is really remarkable is that the same team has been setting the pace and making the tough decisions for the last couple of years, without being credited for the continuing growth of the company. "Life goes on" might be the glib phrase used on such occasions but, in Scarab`s case, the life of the company really has gone on... onwards and upwards.
Naturally, the current management team, headed by managing director John Affleck, with Darren Hoadley as operations director and Dave Cassingham and sales director, prefers not to dwell on the past - if for no other reason than today it is responsible for over 240 employees and their families. And with an annual expected turnover of over £27m this year, future is the only place to be.
So how does Affleck see Scarab`s future? And, just as importantly what projects is the team working on to ensure Scarab stays at the top of its game? While there have been a whole load of issues that have needed to be taken care of recently, the company will have to demonstrate a return to its former self-confidence in its marketing - together with a new raft of products - if it is to keep up the momentum established over the past decade. All that on top of continuous growth in market share and turnover, of course.

Carbon Footprints

There are still some formidable battles to be fought. Firstly, having created the whole debate over single-engined truck-mounted vacuum sweepers (versus the traditional twin-engined versions), Scarab has still not entirely won the argument. Surely using an additional diesel engine and exhaust pipe on a two-engined machine is an environmentally hypocritical purchase by councils that preach a lower carbon footprint on one hand, while looking for excuses to charge residents for using large cars and 4x4s that "pump CO2 into the atmosphere" on the other ? It is an argument that should be won and now is the ideal time to "out" the outdated sweepers.
The argument in favour of the single-engined truck-mounted sweeper is now finally gaining credibility thanks to the research undetaken by FAUN, the only other global sweeper manufacturer able to supply all three power transmission options. Of course, it was easy for Scarab`s competitors to undermine the advantages of the single-engined format by pointing to the arrival of the two-engined Mistral models in its range. But while the Mistral has been a big success in the UK contractor market, it was originally designed to enable Scarab to compete against Johnston, Elgin, Schorling, FAUN and the rest, for orders outside Europe where sweeper equipment had to be mounted on locally available chassis, using local labour.
Hows`s that business been going then ?? "Very well. Scarab sweepers are now in service across 50 countries across the globe and while overseas markets are very competitive, we`ve had a large percentage of customers who have come back and re-ordered Scarab machines," explained Affleck.
So what`s the problem? Well, the truck chassis being used for sweeper applications are getting bigger, more complex and certainly more powerful. You still think the advantages of a single-engined machine are just a debatable opinion? You`re suprised ? That wasn`t the story you heard from Scarab`s competition? Maybe not, but the fact is, very few operators of Scarab Hydrostatic or Unidrive single-engined truck-mounts ever go back to conventional two-engined designs, although many contractors in the UK and overseas operators have been forced to specify a non-hydrostatic option because the power and torque of their choice of truck chassis was just physically to much for the Scarab hydrostatic gearbox/pump assembly to take. Remember, the Scarab Hydrostatic system was designed back in the 1980s when a typical rigid truck chassis got by with 180hp. Today contractors are specifying 450hp trucks.

Powerful Argument

To fill the gap, Scarab will introduce a new generation hydrostatic gearbox, which will become available in the second half of this year. Having been shown an early prototype installed in a chassis in the works yard, I was disappointed to discover that the new unit isn`t physically any larger than the original one. It`s a classic example of keeping a good idea simple.
There have also been changes to the Mistral two-engined sweeper product line. For all the right reasons Scarab wanted to keep the make of diesel engine used in the Scarab Minor the same as the unit used to power what is, in essence, the same basic fan and sweep system concept used on the truck-mounts. The trouble is, because of legislation, a reduction in the number of independent manufacturers of anything, finding a single engine in both "automotive" and "industrial" tune has become increasingly difficult.
To provide both the capability to expand on power demands and give improved emissions standards, the VM unit is being replaced by Cummins model QSB 3.3-litre, common rail four cylinder units in the Mistral truck-mounts - although the Minor will continue to use the VM unit. And if you where thinking "so what?" while reading that last paragraph, it`s worth noting that the re-engining programme has taken almost a year of hard graft by project leader Andy Duncan and his team in the development department.

Tough Questions

Finally, I have to ask Affleck and Cassingham some tough questions, such as when will the new Scarab Minor replacement finally be available? And when (if at all) the company will enter the purpose-built skid, 4m² hydrostatic sweeper market?
The Scarab Minor design is now 17 years old, yet it is still selling well and for rugged practical service it is hard to beat. And while far more complex competitors have been introduced over the years, the chunky truck like build of the Minor, which was based on the East German-built Multicar, has been a success precisely because of its simplicity and strength, but isn`t it time for a change?
"Yes, we are looking at updating the Minor package," Affleck confirmed after much close discussion with Cassingham, "but the designer`s brief is `evolution` not `revolution`. Our customers tell us that there is still nothing to match the sweeping performance of a Minor, but where they would like to see an improvement is in driver comfort," he added. Cassingham is naturally keen to not reveal his hand before the official launch at the NEC in April but confirms that a new, improved cab structure will be part of the package (but that expensive computers, plush carpet and a different body/hopper unit design will not).
While Scarab would understandably not want customers to stop purchasing current spec machines knowing a "new generation" Minor is in the wings, the "original" will still be in demand until the new model is ready, and besides, residuals continue to be very healthy on second-hand Minors.
What is likely to be of greater significance is the possibility of a factory-built biodiesel option. This is mostly an issue for the engine supplier but, as French manufacturer Etesia has demonstrated in the groundscare sector, when the actual manufacturer of the completed machine gets behind the idea and backs it up with a no-quibble warranty, things can really gather pace.
So what about a purpose-built Scarab 4m² machine? That`s not likely in the near future, but the company still has some exciting prospects with the new Izuzu truck chassis in the 10 to 18 tonne weight range finally becoming available this Spring. The 4m², 7.5 tonne gross Scarab Monic was one of the best small truck sweepers in the business and, with the right marketing, the "ready to run" Scarab sweepe/Isuzu truck combination still has considerable sales potential, because an Isuzu truck cab is always going to be better than a small scale production one. Interestingly, both Affleck and Cassingham nodded in agreement. Again, it could be the availability of alternative fuel or hybrid options that drive ideas forward.

So... the verdict? The team at Scarab is facing the future with a growing confidence. Things have changed, and more changes are in the pipeline, but they`ll be for the better.