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Area of Practice: Lifting and material handling equipment, cranes (overhead, terrain, special), elevating platforms, conveyors. Off-road machinery, earth moving equipment, trench walls stability, drilling equipment. Construction equipment, concrete pouring and vibrating, precast concrete, prestressed concrete production, demolition. Steel structures fabrication, transportation, assembling and erecting, scaffolding. |
WELCOME!
Thursday, September 14, 2006
World Construction Week
ConExpo Asia 2007
The next ConExpo Asia will be held on the 4 – 7 December, 2007 at the Chinese Export Commodities Fair (CECF) Pazhou Complex, Guangzhou, China.
Announcing the dates and location this week, Rod Beeler, chairman of the ConExpo Asia 2007 Management Committee, said, ConExpo Asia 2007 will feature the latest technologies and innovations in construction-related equipment, products and services from both Chinese and non-Chinese manufacturers. Educational programs and working equipment demonstrations will also give visitors the chance to increase their industry knowledge and see the machines in action, added Mr Beeler.
“The show is more than exhibits. It’s all about knowledge-sharing and access to global industry best practices, to help companies better utilize the safety, efficiency and productivity advances of equipment and products on display. This is the real value of ConExpo Asia,” said Mr Beeler.
The show is produced by the US Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), which conducted the inaugural ConExpo Asia in May 2006 in Beijing, China. AEM is once again partnering with the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) to produce ConExpo Asia.
Six new Link-Belt cranes
Next month Link-Belt will introduce six new cranes at its CraneFest ’06 event at the company’s Kentucky, US, factory on 10 and 11 October.
With the exception of the new TCC 450 telescopic crawler crane, the company has kept tightly under wraps the types and capacities of the new cranes. A new attachment will also be launched.
Details of the cranes will appear on www.khl.com and the November issue of International Cranes and Specialized Transport magazine will contain a full review of the event.
Developments at Kato
Kato Works exhibited three new cranes at the recent Conet exhibition in Japan. Largest of the three was the 65 tonne capacity SL-650R truck crane. A notable feature is the three section telescopic hydraulic jib that raises the maximum hook height to 58.6 m from the 44.5 m for the main boom only.
Also on display was the MR-350SL, pictured, from Kato’s city crane range. Like the SL-650R, this 35 tonne capacity unit has a three-stage fly jib that increases hook height from 33.4 to a maximum of 47.3 m. Also on display was the 13 tonne MR-130 city crane.
All three cranes are designed for the Japanese market and, Kiyohiko Akagi, manager of Kato’s overseas marketing department, said, “We are ready to export if there is demand but truck cranes like the SL-650R are only really popular in the US and Japan.” This partly explains why the company has pulled back from the European market in recent years. Akagi explained, “We have sold a lot of cranes in Europe over the years, but we are not active at the moment because of the CE-mark requirement.” Akagi continued, “I think this will change in a year or two.”
Whether Kato comes back to Europe remains to be seen. In the meantime, the company is seeing an improvement in its domestic sales. “Business is getting a lot better in Japan. It’s slowly improving from the low point three years ago,” Akagi said.
Like other manufacturers, Kato is finding it difficult to source some key components to help it keep up with demand for new cranes. “It is difficult to get materials, especially tyres and high strength steel,” Akagi explained.
Grove launches 35 ton RT
Grove is launching its RT535E, a new 35 ton capacity rough-terrain crane that will be built at the company’s manufacturing facility in Shady Grove, PA. The new model features a four-section 102 foot full-power boom, and offers a a 26 to 45 foot offsettable swingaway extension giving the RT535E a maximum possible tip height of 154 feet.
The company says that the crane’s rectangular boom is made of high-strength steel, which offers weight savings and improved lifting capacity. The new machine features a new cab design with a streamlined dashboard control panel. The RT535E also features a Work Area Definition System, allowing the operator to pre-set safe working areas.
Maximum line pull from the main hoist is 11,640 lb, while maximum line speed is 445 feet per minute. The RT535E uses 0.6 inch wire rope and can accommodate 450 feet of rope on both the main and auxiliary hoists. The crane is powered by a Cummins QSB 5.9 liter six-cylinder diesel engine which offers 155 hp at 2,500 rpm. The crane can travel at a maximum speed of 25 mph.
Doyle Bryant, director of product development and marketing for Grove, said the new crane fits well into the company’s product range between its existing 30 and 40 ton cranes. Bryant expects interest in the new unit to be worldwide.
Finning sells UK forklift division
Finning (UK) Ltd has sold its material handling division to US company Sammons Enterprises for ?85 million. The division was one of the largest industrial forklift rental companies in the UK with a fleet of over 25000 units and approximately 1000 employees.
Finning (UK) said the sale would free up capital and management resources for its main UK businesses, the Caterpillar dealership and Hewden, the equipment rental company.
Nick Lloyd, Finning Group UK managing director, said; "The sale of Materials Handling will allow us to focus on growing those areas where we are committed to market leadership, most particularly the sales and servicing of other Caterpillar products and the rental solutions business [Hewden]."
Finning UK is owned by Finning in Canada, which is the world's largest Caterpillar dealer.
The new US owner of the fork lift truck business - which includes both sale and rental of forklifts - is Sammons Enterprises of Dallas, Texas. Sammons also owns Briggs Equipment, which is one of the largest material handling equipment distributors in the US and a dealer for Yale fork lifts.
Dave Bratton, president of Briggs Equipment in the US, and who will be a director of the new UK business, Briggs Equipment UK, said; "This acquisition has excellent potential for the employees and customers as well as equipment distribution division of Sammons. We see a number of similarities between Briggs Equipment UK and the Briggs Equipment operations in the US and Mexico. I anticipate that we will learn from each other, using the best practices of both companies to set the standard in material handling.”
Sunbelt-NationsRent aerials push
Sunbelt Rentals could open at least 14 new specialist aerial platform rental locations in the US following Ashtead Group’s acquisition of NationsRent. Sunbelt, which is owned by Ashtead, is now being integrated with NationsRent, which will create a US fleet of around 30000 aerial platforms, the second largest in the world.
Sunbelt has at least one specialist AWP location at each of its store clusters – groups of 10 to 15 branches in major metropolitan areas – and the addition of NationsRent will add a further 14 clusters to the business. NationsRent only operated general rental stores.
George Burnett, Ashtead’s chief executive, interviewed in the September issue of Access International, said the specialist store concept will be retained and extended into the new NationsRent locations, which will be rebranded as Sunbelt Rentals. “There will be the opportunity for more specialist AWP businesses”, he said, “The question is should we take some of that [NationsRent] equipment and put it into new specialist locations, or should we have specialist depots on top of the current level of [AWP] business.”
With the acquisition completed, Ashtead has embarked on the integration of Sunbelt and NationsRent. This, said Mr Burnett, would be made easier by the “extraordinary fit” between the two that will see just 25 store closures, and the fact both use Wynne Systems rental software.
Mr Burnett said Ashtead was keeping “an open mind” on NationsRent’s strategy of selling new equipment, including JLG lifts. “We will genuinely look at it, but we need to make sure that the right people are doing the right things. It’s difficult to have a sales force with ambiguous goals.”
The full interview with Mr Burnett, which also touches on Ashtead’s plans for A-Plant in the UK, appears in the September issue of Access International
www.khl.com
ConExpo Asia 2007
The next ConExpo Asia will be held on the 4 – 7 December, 2007 at the Chinese Export Commodities Fair (CECF) Pazhou Complex, Guangzhou, China.
Announcing the dates and location this week, Rod Beeler, chairman of the ConExpo Asia 2007 Management Committee, said, ConExpo Asia 2007 will feature the latest technologies and innovations in construction-related equipment, products and services from both Chinese and non-Chinese manufacturers. Educational programs and working equipment demonstrations will also give visitors the chance to increase their industry knowledge and see the machines in action, added Mr Beeler.
“The show is more than exhibits. It’s all about knowledge-sharing and access to global industry best practices, to help companies better utilize the safety, efficiency and productivity advances of equipment and products on display. This is the real value of ConExpo Asia,” said Mr Beeler.
The show is produced by the US Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), which conducted the inaugural ConExpo Asia in May 2006 in Beijing, China. AEM is once again partnering with the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) to produce ConExpo Asia.
Six new Link-Belt cranes
Next month Link-Belt will introduce six new cranes at its CraneFest ’06 event at the company’s Kentucky, US, factory on 10 and 11 October.
With the exception of the new TCC 450 telescopic crawler crane, the company has kept tightly under wraps the types and capacities of the new cranes. A new attachment will also be launched.
Details of the cranes will appear on www.khl.com and the November issue of International Cranes and Specialized Transport magazine will contain a full review of the event.
Developments at Kato
Kato Works exhibited three new cranes at the recent Conet exhibition in Japan. Largest of the three was the 65 tonne capacity SL-650R truck crane. A notable feature is the three section telescopic hydraulic jib that raises the maximum hook height to 58.6 m from the 44.5 m for the main boom only.
Also on display was the MR-350SL, pictured, from Kato’s city crane range. Like the SL-650R, this 35 tonne capacity unit has a three-stage fly jib that increases hook height from 33.4 to a maximum of 47.3 m. Also on display was the 13 tonne MR-130 city crane.
All three cranes are designed for the Japanese market and, Kiyohiko Akagi, manager of Kato’s overseas marketing department, said, “We are ready to export if there is demand but truck cranes like the SL-650R are only really popular in the US and Japan.” This partly explains why the company has pulled back from the European market in recent years. Akagi explained, “We have sold a lot of cranes in Europe over the years, but we are not active at the moment because of the CE-mark requirement.” Akagi continued, “I think this will change in a year or two.”
Whether Kato comes back to Europe remains to be seen. In the meantime, the company is seeing an improvement in its domestic sales. “Business is getting a lot better in Japan. It’s slowly improving from the low point three years ago,” Akagi said.
Like other manufacturers, Kato is finding it difficult to source some key components to help it keep up with demand for new cranes. “It is difficult to get materials, especially tyres and high strength steel,” Akagi explained.
Grove launches 35 ton RT
Grove is launching its RT535E, a new 35 ton capacity rough-terrain crane that will be built at the company’s manufacturing facility in Shady Grove, PA. The new model features a four-section 102 foot full-power boom, and offers a a 26 to 45 foot offsettable swingaway extension giving the RT535E a maximum possible tip height of 154 feet.
The company says that the crane’s rectangular boom is made of high-strength steel, which offers weight savings and improved lifting capacity. The new machine features a new cab design with a streamlined dashboard control panel. The RT535E also features a Work Area Definition System, allowing the operator to pre-set safe working areas.
Maximum line pull from the main hoist is 11,640 lb, while maximum line speed is 445 feet per minute. The RT535E uses 0.6 inch wire rope and can accommodate 450 feet of rope on both the main and auxiliary hoists. The crane is powered by a Cummins QSB 5.9 liter six-cylinder diesel engine which offers 155 hp at 2,500 rpm. The crane can travel at a maximum speed of 25 mph.
Doyle Bryant, director of product development and marketing for Grove, said the new crane fits well into the company’s product range between its existing 30 and 40 ton cranes. Bryant expects interest in the new unit to be worldwide.
Finning sells UK forklift division
Finning (UK) Ltd has sold its material handling division to US company Sammons Enterprises for ?85 million. The division was one of the largest industrial forklift rental companies in the UK with a fleet of over 25000 units and approximately 1000 employees.
Finning (UK) said the sale would free up capital and management resources for its main UK businesses, the Caterpillar dealership and Hewden, the equipment rental company.
Nick Lloyd, Finning Group UK managing director, said; "The sale of Materials Handling will allow us to focus on growing those areas where we are committed to market leadership, most particularly the sales and servicing of other Caterpillar products and the rental solutions business [Hewden]."
Finning UK is owned by Finning in Canada, which is the world's largest Caterpillar dealer.
The new US owner of the fork lift truck business - which includes both sale and rental of forklifts - is Sammons Enterprises of Dallas, Texas. Sammons also owns Briggs Equipment, which is one of the largest material handling equipment distributors in the US and a dealer for Yale fork lifts.
Dave Bratton, president of Briggs Equipment in the US, and who will be a director of the new UK business, Briggs Equipment UK, said; "This acquisition has excellent potential for the employees and customers as well as equipment distribution division of Sammons. We see a number of similarities between Briggs Equipment UK and the Briggs Equipment operations in the US and Mexico. I anticipate that we will learn from each other, using the best practices of both companies to set the standard in material handling.”
Sunbelt-NationsRent aerials push
Sunbelt Rentals could open at least 14 new specialist aerial platform rental locations in the US following Ashtead Group’s acquisition of NationsRent. Sunbelt, which is owned by Ashtead, is now being integrated with NationsRent, which will create a US fleet of around 30000 aerial platforms, the second largest in the world.
Sunbelt has at least one specialist AWP location at each of its store clusters – groups of 10 to 15 branches in major metropolitan areas – and the addition of NationsRent will add a further 14 clusters to the business. NationsRent only operated general rental stores.
George Burnett, Ashtead’s chief executive, interviewed in the September issue of Access International, said the specialist store concept will be retained and extended into the new NationsRent locations, which will be rebranded as Sunbelt Rentals. “There will be the opportunity for more specialist AWP businesses”, he said, “The question is should we take some of that [NationsRent] equipment and put it into new specialist locations, or should we have specialist depots on top of the current level of [AWP] business.”
With the acquisition completed, Ashtead has embarked on the integration of Sunbelt and NationsRent. This, said Mr Burnett, would be made easier by the “extraordinary fit” between the two that will see just 25 store closures, and the fact both use Wynne Systems rental software.
Mr Burnett said Ashtead was keeping “an open mind” on NationsRent’s strategy of selling new equipment, including JLG lifts. “We will genuinely look at it, but we need to make sure that the right people are doing the right things. It’s difficult to have a sales force with ambiguous goals.”
The full interview with Mr Burnett, which also touches on Ashtead’s plans for A-Plant in the UK, appears in the September issue of Access International
www.khl.com
