The construction industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by an increased focus on environmental sustainability and workplace safety, and the growing importance of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and robotics as well as higher quality construction products and materials. In the last three years alone, there have been over 248,000 patents filed and granted in the construction industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in Construction: Hydrostatic rotary drive excavator.
However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
80+ innovations will shape the construction industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the construction industry using innovation intensity models built on over 179,000 patents, there are 80+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, mullion-transom curtain walls are a disruptive technology that is in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Heat-insulated glazing panels, drainage gully grating, and acoustic ceiling panels are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are abrasion-resistant decorative flooring and road construction milling tool, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the construction industry
Hydrostatic rotary drive excavator is a key innovation area in construction
Excavators use hydraulic drive systems to facilitate the movement of their components through the use of hydraulic fluid power. The excavator can utilise hydraulic energy by allowing hydraulic fluid to pass through a system of valves that direct the flow of the fluid, thus converting hydraulic energy to mechanical energy which, in turn, moves the component of the excavator.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 10+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established construction companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of hydrostatic rotary drive excavator.
Key players in hydrostatic rotary drive excavator – a disruptive innovation in the construction industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to hydrostatic rotary drive excavator
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2021) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Hitachi | 114 | Unlock company profile |
| Caterpillar | 57 | Unlock company profile |
| Kawasaki Heavy Industries | 52 | Unlock company profile |
| Eaton | 38 | Unlock company profile |
| AB Volvo | 32 | Unlock company profile |
| Robert Bosch Stiftung | 26 | Unlock company profile |
| Yanmar Holdings | 23 | Unlock company profile |
| Kobe Steel | 14 | Unlock company profile |
| Doosan Infracore | 14 | Unlock company profile |
| Danfoss | 11 | Unlock company profile |
| KYB | 10 | Unlock company profile |
| J C Bamford Excavators | 6 | Unlock company profile |
| Parker Hannifin | 6 | Unlock company profile |
| Nabtesco | 5 | Unlock company profile |
| Moog | 5 | Unlock company profile |
| CNH Industrial | 5 | Unlock company profile |
| Komatsu | 5 | Unlock company profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Hitachi is the leading patent filer in hydrostatic rotary drive excavators. It is one of the world’s leading construction, mining, and forestry equipment manufacturers. Hitachi manufactures excavators, dozers, and their components such as the ZX210X-6 excavator. With a highly integrated supply chain, Hitachi has specialised in developing hydrostatic rotary drive excavators and innovation revolving around the drive mechanism. One noteworthy patent by Hitachi seeks to solve the issue of loss in energy from converting the hydraulic fluid energy into electric energy for storage, designing a hydraulic system around the electronic motor.
In terms of application diversity, Moog is among the leaders in the pack, along with J C Bamford Excavators. By means of geographic reach, J C Bamford Excavators holds the top position, followed by KYB and Eaton.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the construction industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Construction.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
