With a Perkins engine, you get big power in a small package

A collaborative process built around you

How do you ensure your excavators are built for success in a competitive and evolving industry? At Perkins, we go beyond simply providing engines — we deliver tailored solutions through our application and installation (A&I) team.

From concept to approval, our six-phase approach helps you create high-performing machines that meet your customers’ toughest demands. Whether it’s optimising fuel efficiency, achieving smooth integration, or accelerating development, Perkins is your partner for innovation.

Working with our team, you gain:

·         Customised engine solutions to meet specific performance needs.

·         Seamless integration of components to reduce development time and costs.

·         Expertise to navigate challenges like emissions compliance and emerging technologies.

·         A roadmap to future innovation, ensuring your excavators remain competitive.

Our application and installation team works in stages — pre-concept, concept, design, test, report, and approval — collaborating with you to understand your needs and address challenges early.

“We know that you're looking for more than just an engine,” says Josh Totty, engineering manager at Perkins’ Peterborough, UK, development and manufacturing facility. “Understanding your requirements, delivering the best solution, and integrating it effectively require a deeper dive and a collaborative relationship.”

Four ways you benefit from working with our team

Whether you’re focused on lowering emissions, solving tough installation challenges, or reducing development time, our application and installation team brings the right know-how together to help you find the best engines for your excavators.

1.     Excavator expertise: At Perkins, we don’t just know engines. We also have a deep understanding of the machines they power — including excavators. For example, we realise fixed-speed operation with higher block loads and quick recovery times is a priority for many excavator OEMs. That knowledge supports decisions that can simplify and speed up the application and installation process.

“Our experience, combined with the many options available within our engine configurations, allows us to make specific recommendations for your excavator,” Josh says. “Rather than a generic solution, you get an engine optimised for your applications and goals.”

2.     Tailored solutions: Though there are common requirements, every excavator model is unique. Some must work in applications that call for fingertip precision and instant responsiveness. Others need to perform at high altitudes, manoeuvre in compact spaces, or meet strict requirements for fuel efficiency and cost of ownership.

During the pre-concept and concept phases, we zero in on these requirements to help you select an engine with the correct power rating, torque, weight, size, software, and other features. The goal: to make sure your excavators meet your end-users’ demands.

“It’s not always about the lowest cost engine configuration,” Josh says. “It’s about collectively looking for cost-optimised systems that meet installation and operating performance requirements.”

3.     Seamless integration: Excavator engines require internal connections for cooling systems, fan drives, electrical circuits, and telematics. Non-engine components like drivetrains, air conditioning, and electrical systems or operator displays also must work flawlessly with your engine and within your excavator’s overall design. In the design and test phases, we uncover hidden challenges and engineer solutions before they ever reach your production line — helping reduce snags in timelines.

Our team even works with you to optimise serviceability and safety. Together, we can determine easy-access locations for filters and other maintenance components, which can save time and money in the field. We can also adjust component placement to help reduce blind spots and improve visibility.

“Large and small excavators have very different requirements, because the layout of the engine enclosure is very different,” Josh says. “We understand the importance of simplifying access to certain engine components and can make adjustments or create remote options to make service touchpoints more accessible.”

4.     Faster time to market: Trial-and-error development wastes time and money. Our application and installation team can help you avoid common mistakes by ensuring proper engine integration, safety performance, and emissions compliance from the start.

For some customers, a technical integration workshop (TIW) provides an additional opportunity to accelerate development. These multi-day sessions bring your team and our experts together to explore options, challenge assumptions, and get creative about solving complex problems. While not needed for every project, TIWs can fast-track complex integrations. According to Josh, one customer reported completing six months of design work and integration in just three days.

Expanding your product range

Working with our application and installation team also gives you the opportunity to explore all of Perkins excavator engines to find the best fit — whether you’re developing a new model or replacing legacy engines.

With a range of engines from 0.5 to 18 litres and power outputs from 6 to 600 kW (8 to 800 hp), we offer options for any machine size, from ultra-compact excavators to powerful heavy-duty models. Designed for off-highway operating cycles and tested in real-world conditions, Perkins engines for excavators deliver proven reliability, low emissions, and straightforward installation.

“We're working with a customer right now that produces half a dozen different machines, each of which has its own requirements,” Josh says. “We're able to match up our various engine platforms with those requirements and deliver solutions across their entire product range.”

Using collaboration to stay ahead of the game

Collaboration is essential to keeping up with industry trends. As excavator design evolves, our application and installation team help you adapt to challenges like:

·         Size constraints: Compact designs are increasingly important for tight installations, but they can’t come at the expense of performance. We work with you to configure engines that deliver the power you need without taking up unnecessary space.

·         Regulatory requirements: Meeting emissions standards like EU Stage V is another critical focus, and advanced aftertreatment systems are key to compliance. By collaborating with your team, we can make sure our regulations-compliant systems integrate seamlessly into your excavators without compromising performance – or adding downtime.

·         Emerging technologies: Hybrid and electrified systems are reshaping the industry. With decades of expertise in alternative power systems, we can make it simpler for you to adopt these technologies — leveraging our expertise to build application-specific solutions that work for the excavator industry. Our approach helps you implement new technologies without compromising other priorities like fuel economy, transient response or load acceptance.

Setting you up for future success

Our application and installation team doesn’t focus solely on today’s challenges, though. We’re also committed to helping you prepare for what’s next.

Take the report phase, for example. This is where we record what worked, what didn’t, and how challenges were solved. It's a playbook that equips your team with actionable insights for future excavator designs, helping you address evolving demands like improved fuel efficiency and integration of new technologies.

The approval phase is another forward-looking step. It’s more than a sign-off — it’s a chance to reflect on what we learned, gather feedback, and recognise the hard work on both sides. By the end, we’re already planning how we can support your next excavator design.

Your feedback also goes directly into Perkins’ New Product Introduction (NPI) process — helping shape future engine designs, features, and performance targets that align with your goals. It’s all part of making sure the work we do together keeps delivering value long after the project is complete.

“We get strong feedback that this collaboration drives customer value, and we have customers coming back over and over again,” Josh says. “They are willing to invest their time and resources to work with us, and that speaks volumes.”