SGX5000Contractors looking for familiar Subaru generators at World of Concrete ’15 were greeted with a new look, as Subaru Industrial Power Products’ rebranding campaign “Out with the old, in with the blue” brought a sleek new design to the company’s lineup, one that coordinates with Subaru’s automotive line.
The new silver and blue color scheme isn’t the only change to their product line, as the entire SGX Series—the 3,500-, 5,000- and 7,500-watt models—have undergone an overhaul. Upgrades include run-flat tires, digital readouts and a muffler double the size of the previous series.
Subaru SGX3000The SGX3500 delivers a maximum output of 3,500 watts, and features Subaru’s EX21 7-horsepower engine and a 4-gallon fuel tank for a total run time of eight hours at the rated load. A 9.5-horsepower EX30 engine powers the SGX5000, which offers a maximum output of 4,900 watts. Subaru upgraded the SGX5000’s fuel tank capacity to eight gallons for a total continuous run time of 10.7 hours at the rated load.
The SGX7500E has a 14-horsepower EX40 engine that provides a maximum output of 7,500 watts. Its eight-gallon fuel tank provides seven hours of operation at the rated load. This SGX7500E also includes an electric starting system with recoil backup. All models feature Subaru’s overhead cam engine that promotes a constant flow of oil for less friction and less heat.
David Frank, vice president of sales and marketing, says the upgraded models were redesigned with a focus on total cost of ownership, concentrating on customers’ pain points. “Contractors are always ordering recoils for their generators,” he said. “Equipment gets thrown in the truck and damages the recoil, causing the contractor to have to order a new one, creating downtime. We made a new recoil for this line, made out of a break-resistant composite material. It will really help our customers increase their uptime.”
Another item Subaru paid close attention to was the low oil sensor. “You’re always replacing low oil sensors,” Frank said. “We wanted to make it easy to do that.” As a result, the company redesigned the engine to locate the low oil sensor at the front, ensuring the engine doesn’t have to be torn apart to access it. Instead, a few minutes and a 12-millimeter wrench will enable the contractor to get to the sensor.
Subaru also took a look at air filter cost, choosing to partner with Home Depot to make their filters readily available without having to order them from a dealer, and lowering the lifetime cost to just $26. The 360-degree air flow helps to lower temperatures by as much as 20 degrees cooler than comparable competitive models, Frank said.
