by Richard Cosgrove | Thu 18 Sep 2025
Successful industry demo for new Develon Series 9 excavator
Develon, has announced that it has conducted a successful field demonstration of the company‘s new DX230LC-9 23 tonne crawler excavator and its smart safety technologies, including the ground-breaking E-STOP system, at a test site in Compiègne in France.
The demonstration was organized by OPPBTP (the French professional organization for improving health and safety in Building and Public Works) and took place at the construction site of the Seine–Nord Europe Canal project, operated by Bouygues, a leading global construction company. The OPPBTP is made up of health and safety experts from the industry, who provide daily support to professionals and stakeholders in the construction industry. Its aim is to develop practices to prevent workplace accidents and occupational illnesses to improve the health and safety of workers in the construction industry.
Stephane Dieu, Product Manager for Develon Excavators in Europe, said: “It was a great pleasure to accept OPPBTP's invitation, giving us the opportunity to demonstrate our innovative technology for reducing accident risks on earthmoving sites. Many thanks to Sébastien MARIE from OPPBTP and also to Société du Canal Seine-Nord Europe (SCSNE) for allowing this innovation to be tested on the Canal Seine Nord construction site and Bouygues Travaux Publics for conducting the tests and for their positive feedback on the E-Stop system.”
As well as Bouygues, the demonstration event was also attended by representatives from four other major international construction firms - including Eiffage - as well as government representatives, the Chairman of the Board of the Seine Nord Europe Canal Company and the Safety Director of FNTP (Fédération Nationale des Travaux Publics), the French national federation representing the public works and construction industry.
Develon’s equipment was deployed to showcase both its core performance and advanced smart safety functions, including E-Stop, the first system from a crawler excavator manufacturer that stops the movement of the machine when a person is detected within 4 m of the excavator.
Stephane Dieu continued: “The new Develon DX230LC-9 excavator used in the demonstration was equipped with a range of smart safety technologies such as collision risk warnings and around-view monitoring. Among them, the E-STOP system—similar to automotive emergency braking systems—garnered particular attention from operators and demonstration attendees.
Develon plans to further develop the E-Stop system and begin launch in the European market with it installed from January of next year.”
The OPPBTP (Organisme Professionnel de Prévention du Bâtiment et des Travaux Publics) was established in 1947 to address high accident rates in the construction sector. Since 2022, it has been operating the joint industry project “Stop Collision” aimed at preventing accidents between equipment and pedestrians. The recent field demonstration and showcase with Develon was conducted as part of this project.
Presented for the first time at Bauma 2025, Develon’s new Next Generation Series 9 Smart Crawler Excavator range represents the latest stage in a proud legacy at Develon that can be traced back through five generations of excavators that began with the Solar range in the 1980s.
With the Series 9 range, Develon is aiming to set a new standard for future products and technologies in construction equipment. Like all Series 9 models, the DX230LC-9 achieves this goal by combining 10 (ten) ground-breaking technologies and will redefine and set new industry levels of Productivity, Safety, Operator Convenience and Sustainability. The Series 9 range not only endorses the company’s forward-thinking vision but also underscores Develon’s unwavering dedication to innovation and excellence in the construction equipment sector.
The Smart All-Around Viewing Monitor (SAVM) is an AI-based Object Detection technology to effectively identify both moving and stationary individuals in close proximity to the machine. Upon detection, the system promptly alerts operators through a combination of visual signals and audible alarms on the monitor, ensuring a heightened awareness of the surrounding environment. The innovative E-Stop and Virtual Wall functions prevent accidents the operators are not aware of. To help ensure safety, the area surrounding the machine is clearly defined into specific zones: a yellow warning zone (Zone 2) and a red danger zone (Zone 1).
The SAVM and E-Stop system utilize 6 cameras and 3 radars and work in three stages with a detection range of 6 m and 330°. The system is active only for personnel, and is able to make out the difference between people and objects:
- Visual personnel detection by the HD cameras
- Warning and slowing down the speed from 6 m
- Stopping the machine from 4 m (swing and reverse)
The E-Stop is an essential safety feature designed to control or halt a machine's movement, such as driving or swinging, in cautionary or dangerous areas, thereby ensuring operator safety. The Virtual Wall feature significantly enhances operation by allowing users to confine the machine's movement within predefined areas where the risk of collision may be heightened.
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