Plant Manager's Journal articles from June 2006

Plant Manager's Journal archives from June 2006

SED looks to the Olympics.(Strategic Economic Decisions Inc.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... While the Olympics may be six years away, the effect of hosting the games is already being felt. This year's SED was buzzing--both in anticipation of the work the Olympics will bring and also with the avalanche of new launches on display. While...

Anti-theft group hatches plan to register all plant by 2010.(Plant Theft)(Plant Theft Action Group )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... All plant could be registered by 2010 if a plan put forward by the Plant Theft Action Group (PTAG) is accepted by the Home Office. In a move prompted by security concerns around the construction of the Olympic facilities, machines on those...

Heavy plant theft up 20%.(PLANT THEFT)
June 1, 2006... The number of heavy plant thefts shot up by 20% in 2005 compared with 2004, according to the 2006 Equipment Theft Report. A total of 4,324 machines with a combined value of [pounds sterling]43m were stolen. Thefts increased in almost all...

HSE warns over lifting operations.(ACCIDENTS)(Health and Safety Executive)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a warning that those involved in lifting operations should ensure they are properly planned and appropriately supervised. The warning follows the prosecution of two construction companies...

Loaded.
June 1, 2006... Caption: LOADED: Fork Rent chairman Trudi Nicholls and managing director Guy Nicholls have placed an order for 1,000 machines with JCB--900 of which are Loadalls from the 520-50 to the 540-170. The multi-million pound deal will see the...

Demolition NVQ centre.(TRAINING)(National Vocational Qualifications)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A dedicated NVQ-approved centre for those in the demolition industry has been opened at the National Federation of Demolition Contractors' (NFDC) headquarters in Staines, Middlesex. The centre is a joint venture between the NFDC, National...

Wolseley takes over Brandon.(ACQUISITION)
June 1, 2006... Wolseley is set to take formal control of Brandon Hire after its offer for the tool hire company was declared unconditional. The firm plans to combine its new acquisition's 143 outlets with its Hire Center network of 135 branches. ...

Panther gets a lift with [pounds sterling]2.5m access equipment investment.(EXPANSION)(Panther Platform Rentals )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Following its recent acquisition by the Lavendon Group, Panther Platform Rentals is investing [pounds sterling]2.5m in new access equipment. The new order will see 150 scissor and boom lifts added to the fleet, which already totals 1,400...

Industry to address quarrying accidents.(SAFETY)
June 1, 2006... The concerns of the quarrying industry about accidents occurring when entering/leaving the cab, or servicing heavy machinery are to be addressed by plant manufacturers following a meeting of the trade bodies for Europe, Japan and the USA. ...

Speedy Hire powers ahead.(ACQUISITION)(industrial equipment industry becomes UK's largest power supplier)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Following its purchase of LCH Generators, Speedy Hire said it has become the UK's largest temporary power supplier and will divide Speedy Power into Speedy LCH Generators, Speedy Air and Speedy Pumps. Speedy Power's managing director Andy...

Red Rhino appointment.(NEWS ... in brief)
June 1, 2006... Red Rhino Crushers has appointed Tim Mitchell as export director. He is tasked with evaluating export sales with a view to establishing a worldwide network of distributors for the company's machines.

Mawsley's online auction.(NEWS ... in brief)
June 1, 2006... Mawsley Machinery has set up an online auction (www.mawsley.com) that runs on the first Wednesday of each month from 6am to 6pm. The company selects a number of items, from rammers to excavators, for the auction. The machines will be in the...

Leach Lewis' gold star.(NEWS ... in brief)
June 1, 2006... Leach Lewis Plant employees will fly to Japan after its Oxford and Waltham Cross depots won two gold Kubota Dealer Service awards. The depots were rated as having the best levels of service out of nearly 100 UK Kubota outlets.

New man at Powered Access.(NEWS ... in brief)
June 1, 2006... Powered Access Certification, the company purchased by Paul Adorian on retiring as managing director of IPAF, has appointed Tim Watson as technical director, along with three new technical officers: Robin Freytag, Don Nicholls and Tom Treble.

Wear and Tear Guide.(NEWS ... in brief)
June 1, 2006... Manheim Auctions has published a Fair Wear and Tear Guide for commercial vehicles. The 28-page booklet illustrates the dividing line between normal wear and tear, and damage.

Record profit at Cat.(NEWS ... in brief)
June 1, 2006... Caterpillar has reported a record [pounds sterling]471m first-quarter profit. Sales figures released by the US firm last week are also healthy, increasing 13% to [pounds sterling]5.3bn compared to the same period in 2005.

Tanfield's Upright deal done.(ACQUISITION)(Tanfield Group PLC to acquire Upright International)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The Tanfield Group, owner of Aerial Access, is to buy Upright's powered access division. The firm will gain the manufacturing rights to Upright's scissor and boom lifts and will take control of the Irish manufacturing facility and a...

Dish of the day.
June 1, 2006... Caption: DISH OF THE DAY: Surrey-based Southern Demolition has demolished a giant satellite dish at the Satellite Earth Station at BT's Goonhilly Downs in Cornwall. Built in 1968, the 30m diameter satellite antenna is being demolished to make...

A-plant division eyes US example.(COMPANY NEWS)(specialist products division of UK wants to come closer to Sunbelt Rentals Inc.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Steve Shaughnessy, the new managing director of A-Plant's Specialist Products division, said he wants to narrow the gap between its performance and that of its US counterpart Sunbelt Rentals. Specialist Products covers powered access,...

CNH reshuffle pays dividends.(FINANCIAL RESULTS)
June 1, 2006... CNH president and chief executive Harold Boyanovsky has praised the reorganisation of his firm's brands after a solid first quarter, which saw construction equipment sales increase 14%. In Latin America construction equipment sales jumped...

Plant hire jobs come under threat.(JOBS)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
June 1, 2006... Up to 500 jobs could be lost in plant hire companies as some of the major players consolidate to overcome financial distress, according to a report from Plimsoll Publishing. It said the top 100 plant hire companies now account for 79% of...

Perkins to stay with IDI technology.(ENGINES)(Indirect Diesel Injection)(Perkins and Associates Inc.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Perkins is to continue using Indirect Diesel Injection (IDI) technology on its new 400D Series engines to meet the Tier 3 / Stage IIIa emissions requirements. The firm has extended its 400 Series, which is mechanically controlled across...

Eminox rolls out fuel-borne catalyst system.(EMISSIONS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Exhaust specialist Eminox is marketing a fuel-borne catalyst system designed to reduce particulate matter on machinery with duty cycles that can cause difficulties for normal particulate traps. The system works by adding a catalyst to the...

Finning offers kit with particulate filter option.(EMISSIONS)
June 1, 2006... Finning has indicated that it can fit diesel particulate filters to most of its wheeled excavators, wheel loaders and other machines depending on engine size, thanks to a partnership with German filter manufacturer Huss. The news follows...

Heavy duty.(Stertil Koni launched mobile column lift system for heavy vehicles )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Caption: HEAVY DUTY: Stertil Koni has launched a mobile column lift system for heavy vehicles with large tread width and tyre diameters. The ST1065FXV column system works with a maximum of 24 columns in a single setting, allowing it to lift...

JCB modular boom adds versatility to excavator.(DEMOLITION RIGS)
June 1, 2006... JCB has introduced a modular boom system for its JS330XD tracked excavator, which it hopes will make the machine more versatile when performing demolition tasks. Operators will be able to select the most suitable boom for the task, using a...

Boxer a big hit at SED.(SKID STEERS)(company launched its products at SED event)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... American company Boxer used SED to launch itself and its mini skid steer products into the UK market, and had some success in finding buyers and dealers for its range. The firm was exhibiting two lines--the petrol engined Boxer Brute, and...

Sullair utilises rotary screw technology.(COMPRESSORS)(Sullair Europe)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Sullair Europe has launched two new products at Intermat, both of which work using rotary screw technology. The 425XHHA is a portable, high-pressure air compressor with an output of 25.5[m.sup.3]/min at a pressure of 34.5bar. ...

High Flier.
June 1, 2006... Caption: HIGH FLIER: Allan Access has launched the Apache DA20, a 3.5t powered access unit mounted on a Nissan Cabstar. It has a double articulated boom, a three-stage telescopic upper boom and a working height of 20m.

Terex Italia adds two telescopic crawler cranes.(CRAWLER CRANES)
June 1, 2006... Terex Italia has beefed up its range of telescopic crawler cranes with the introduction of the TCC 40 and the TCC 60. The TCC 40, which has a 27.5m boom length, will pick up 40t at 3m. Meanwhile, the TCC 60 replaces the A 600C. Its...

Speedy Power goes to war on plant theft.(PLANT THEFT)
June 1, 2006... Speedy Power has raised the stakes in the war against plant theft with a device that it hopes will save its customers thousands of pounds at the same time. The temporary power firm is planning to fit its high-value stock with tracking...

JCB pumps up loader efficiency.(BACKHOES)
June 1, 2006... JCB has introduced a new Advanced Precision Control (APC) system to its backhoe loaders in a bid to increase fuel efficiency and performance. The models are fitted with a right-hand, seat-mounted servo control, which can be used to operate...

Holset gets a rebrand.(KIT NEWS ... in brief)
June 1, 2006... As part of a global branding strategy by parent company Cummins, Huddersfield-based turbocharger manufacturer Holset Engineering has been renamed Cummins Turbo Technologies.

Terex's transmission boost.(KIT NEWS ... in brief)
June 1, 2006... Terex's new Gen7 TA40 articulated dump truck will the first of the firm's machines to be fitted with Allison Transmission. Allison said the six-speed transmission will allow the machines to travel at 64km/h on 0.25% gradient and ascend 45%...

Volvos for Eve Trakway.(KIT NEWS ... in brief)
June 1, 2006... Temporary roadway provider Eve Trakway has paid [pounds sterling]525,000 for seven Volvo FM12 Globetrotters with rear-mounted Terex-Atlas cranes. The machines are intended to replace older models in the fleet. The firm's central depot in...

McIntosh boosts fleet.(KIT NEWS ... in brief)
June 1, 2006... McIntosh Plant Hire of Aberdeen has added a Liebherr R594C HD Litronic crawler excavator and an L538Z wheel loading shovel to its fleet.

Fastline contract win.(KIT NEWS ... in brief)
June 1, 2006... Fastline has won an [pounds sterling]800,000 two-year contract to operate a Network Rail stoneblower in Scotland from June. Last week, Fastline announced that it was awarded a two-year contract worth [pounds sterling]1.6m, which sees the firm...

Dumpers for One Call Hire.(KIT NEWS ... in brief)
June 1, 2006... One Call Hire of Enfield has snapped up Neuson's new forward-tip 10t dumper, with an order for five machines. The hire firm, which already has a fleet of 30 Neuson dumpers, has invested [pounds sterling]15m on new kit in the past 16 months.

On track.
June 1, 2006... Caption: ON TRACK: Iveco's new Trakker. 8x4 comes with a manual gearbox--with the gear lever mounted on the dashboard--or automatic transmissions controlled via buttons and a stalk on the steering column. The range spans 16 models in 4x4, 6x4,...

Buyers beat tacho regs.(SALES)(truck registrations doubled)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Truck registrations in April almost doubled as operators rushed to register vehicles ahead of the 1 May deadline for digital tachographs. During the month over 10,750 trucks were registered, up 110% on April 2005. Christopher Macgowan,...

Truck makers prepare for SCR vs EGR battle.(EMISSIONS)
June 1, 2006... A new battleground has opened in truck manufacturing over which technology is preferable to meet Euro-4 emission standards in new trucks: selective catalytic reduction (SCR) or exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), or if operators should go directly...

Sprinter gets new look.(PANEL VANS)
June 1, 2006... Mercedes-Benz's new generation Sprinter range encompasses some 1,000 basic models spanning from 3t to 5t. The most noticeable changes are the repeaters on the mirrors and the badge straddling the rear doors. It comes in four wheelbases and...

Ford updates three models.(VANS)
June 1, 2006... Ford has unveiled its new Transit van, revised its Ranger pick-up and added a Fiesta Sports van to its range. The Transit's gear lever migrates to the dashboard and behind the restyled front is one of six Euro-4 diesels or a petrol engine....

Website for vans.(... in brief)
June 1, 2006... Renault has launched a dedicated van website (www.renaultvans.co.uk) allowing users to specify a van, arrange a test drive or book a service. A drop-down menu lists the types and quantities of tools and materials usually carried--allowing the...

Mitsubishi 4X4.(... in brief)
June 1, 2006... Mitsubishi has joined Ford in offering a 4x4 pick-up based tipper. At the CV Show it exhibited a tipper version of its new L 200 pick-up. The tipper shares the upgrades of the new generation pick-up: power up from 85 kW to 100kW and torque...

Volkswagen recrafts van.(... in brief)
June 1, 2006... Volkswagen's new Crafter van--3t to 5t GVW--will come in three wheelbases with load volumes up to 17[m.sup.3] and payloads that can top 2.5t. There will be four 2.5-litre diesel variants (65kW, 81kW, 101kW and 121kW) driving a six-speed manual...

Astravan gets makeover.(... in brief)
June 1, 2006... Sales of a restyled Astravan with increased payload and longer wheelbase to improve ride and handling will start in the autumn. It also allows an additional 79mm of loadfloor. There are three Euro-4 diesel engine options with a six-speed manual...

Yuejin sells 3.5-tonner in UK.(... in brief)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Chinese light truck manufacturer Yuejin has launched a petrol-engined 3.5-tonner in the UK with prices starting from under [pounds sterling]9,000 (ex VAT, delivery and road fund licence) for a flatbed or less than [pounds sterling]9,800 for a...

SED 2006 May 16, 17 & 18: the national event for construction.
June 1, 2006... SED celebrated its 40th anniversary this year in its new home at Rockingham. PMJ's team of reporters spoke to many of the 400-plus exhibitors to track down the latest deals and product launches at the show. Read on to discover the highlights...

Equipment overload: At SED's main site equipment zone there was plenty to see as usual, with new equipment everywhere you looked. Dan Gilkes was there to report on the action.(SITE EQUIPMENT ZONE)(Report)
June 1, 2006... Site dumpers, tracked excavators, compact loaders, telehandlers and compaction equipment--this year's show really did have something for everyone. Thwaites was one of a number of site dumper manufacturers displaying a 10t capacity machine....

Going up in the world: the knock-on effect of the Work At Height Regulations was much in evidence at SED. Will Mann reports.(CRANES & ACCESS)
June 1, 2006... There were two striking features of this year's Cranes & Access Village at SED. One was the amount of smaller kit on the market, as predicted in the wake of the Work At Height Regulations (WAHRs). The other was the rise in numbers of...

Clean machine: At this year's ever-impressive Site Clearance Zone, visitors were able to see the latest recyclers, crushers and screeners put through their paces. Neil Gerrard reports.(SITE CLEARANCE)(Report)
June 1, 2006... There were concerns at this year's SED that a new location, brooding skies and a few parking problems might spook the visitors. But the Site Clearance Zone was up to its usual high standard, with massive machines chewing on rubble in the...

An inside job: It was another hectic three days in the Pavilion at SED, with a mixture of new exhibitors and show regulars pulling in the crowds to the big tent. Helen McCormick reports.(PAVILION)(Report)
June 1, 2006... The SED Pavilion put on its usual eclectic display of products and services this year. Some exhibitors were there to sell, some just to be seen and discuss their products with new contacts, as well as catch up with old friends. Many...

In the driving seat: New emission-friendly trucks, improved payloads, crew cabs and plant carriers were all on display in the Truck Zone at SED 2006. Kevin Swallow reports.(TRUCK ZONE)(Report)
June 1, 2006... Thursday evening saw the end of a very busy three days in the SED Truck Zone and the exhibitors' verdict was that it was a successful debut on fresh territory. The fact that it was outdoors and industry-specific contributed. The prototype...

New tricks: Many people have only associated Les Searle Plant Hire with running old machines but things are changing, as Colin Sowman discovers.(HIRE VIEW)
June 1, 2006... The general perception of a firm can remain a long time after reality has moved on and Les Searle Plant Hire is a case in point. Initial enquiries about the company prior to our visit came back with "they only run old equipment", although...

Battle lines: with diminished UK sales, the backhoe's future might look uncertain. However, Neil Gerrard explains why there's life in the old workhorse yet.
June 1, 2006... Backhoe loaders have had something of a rough ride in the past few years. Just five years ago, sales in the UK were up at around the 6,000 mark. That figure has fallen rapidly to between 2,000 and 2,500 today. But don't write the humble backhoe...

French collection: Paul Howard reports from Intermat in Paris, where an upbeat plant industry was buoyed by predictions of continued growth around the world and record figures from several leading manufacturers.(INTERMAT)
June 1, 2006... Wirtgen Group member Hamm has extended its range of small tandem drum rollers and is hoping the new models will act as a catalyst for growth in the UK market. The company unveiled the HD 14, a 4.2t 1.4m machine notable for its large diameter...

Credit where it's due: Cheryl O'Brien takes us through a 10-point guide to achieving better credit control for your business.(BUSINESS)
June 1, 2006... The last time you let a customer drive off with [pounds sterling]12,000 worth of your plant on credit, did you check them out properly? You might have been lucky that time, but it pays to have an effective credit management strategy in place....

Office politics: a recent court case has clarified employers' rights when dealing with difficult employees, explains Mark Pipkin.(BUSINESS)
June 1, 2006... You've got a plant hire business and three depots. You're flitting between all three, but you're getting reports of a member of staff who is rubbing everyone up the wrong way in one of your depots. They're a good worker, but irritating. What...

Stanley goes undercover.(CHECKOUT)(launches new digital wireless camera)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... At last, a way to keep your plant secure and pretend that you are James Bond at the same time. Stanley has launched its new digital wireless EasiWatch CCTV system. The surveillance camera, designed to be fixed to a pole or wall, integrates...

Blue is the colour.
June 1, 2006... Caption: BLUE IS THE COLOUR: Many skills are useful if you work for PMJ, but the ability to distinguish between colours isn't one of them: plant is almost invariably yellow. So imagine our shock and excitement when we saw Volvo's commemorative...

2006.(Calendar)
June 1, 2006... JUNE 13-16 CIWM 2006 Exhibition and Conference Paignton, Devon Tel: 01604 620426 www.ciwm.co.uk JUNE 21 - LONDON The Geospatial Future of Buried Services Tel: 0220 7665 2318 conferences@ice.org.uk JUNE...

In the picture win [pounds sterling]50.(CHECKOUT)
June 1, 2006... May's competition proved more of a challenge to our readers, but still an intrepid few posted or e-mailed the correct answer. Congratulations this month to Jonathan Taylor of Cleeve Plant Hire, whose name was plucked at random from the PMJ hard...

John's French collection.(CHECKOUT)(John Leitch, business editor will participate in charity cycle ride)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... John Leitch, business editor on PMJ's sister publication Contract Journal, will be attempting the hardest stage of the Tour de France as part of a charity cycle ride. Sixty-year-old John will cover 180km, taking in four peaks including the...

HSE roadshow aims to make big noise.(CHECKOUT)(Health and Safety Executive )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Officials at the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and manufacturers' organisation EEF clearly dream of a life treading the boards if their plans for a further four interactive roadshows on noise and vibration are anything to go by. The...