Plant Manager's Journal articles from November 2006

Plant Manager's Journal archives from November 2006

Industry must get health and safety in order.(Editorial)
November 1, 2006... There appears to have been a run of plant-related accidents this year and the collapsed tower crane at Battersea (the third in recent years) is but the latest tragic example. The crane had only been on site for two-and-a-half months and was...

Ashtead set to specialise with Lux purchase.(ACQUISITION)(Ashtead Plant Hire acquires Lux Traffic Controls)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Ashtead, the equipment rental group, has paid more than [pounds sterling]15m for Lux Traffic Controls, as it expands its specialist products division. Lux will be incorporated into A-Plant Lux Traffic Control & Management. Its purchase...

Finning MD calls it a day.(RETIREMENT)(Finning International - Nick Lloyd )(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Finning International has announced that its UK managing director Nick Lloyd is retiring after 38 years with the company. He will be replaced by Andy Fraser, group vice-president of Finning Canada. Nick Lloyd, who will retire on 31...

HSE warning comes after string of 'serious incidents'.(HEALTH & SAFETY)
November 1, 2006... The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a safety alert and is stepping up its checks on tower crane documentation following 'a number of serious incidents involving tower cranes in recent years'. It denied the alert was prompted by the...

Boom-Bastic.(NEWS)
November 1, 2006... Manitowc Crane Group has launched the Grove GTKI 100 which has wheeled mobile carrier with a vertical telescopic boom mast and a luffing telescopic boom at its top. It requires very little room to erect and can be carried in as few as four...

Free parking at SED show.(SED 2007)
November 1, 2006... To ease problems getting into and out of SED, the show organisers have dropped the car parking charge and will offer a park-and-fly option, as well as introducing SED FM radio coverage and improved signage. Exhibition director Mark...

CPA launches shoring safety manual.(SHORING)
November 1, 2006... The CPA's Shoring Technology Interest Group has published Safety in Shoring--the proprietary Shoring and Piling Equipment Manual. Sections of the 64-page book cover shoring design considerations, ground support equipment, piling equipment,...

Diesel code proceeding despite anxiety.(EMISSIONS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... The London Code of Practice which will require plant on some construction sites in Greater London to be fitted with diesel particulates filters (DPF) will be published this month, despite the reservations of the machine manufacturers and the...

Volvo imports from China.(MANUFACTURING)
November 1, 2006... Large-scale exports of Chinese construction equipment to western markets are a step closer to becoming reality after Volvo Construction Equipment signed a deal to acquire a 70% stake in Chinese manufacturer Shandong Lingong Construction...

Sign of the times.(NEWS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Tamper proof-stickers carrying a unique identification number will be attached to plant recorded in the proposed plant registration scheme. An outline agreement has been reached about the running of the plant registration scheme, although full...

Gammies given Airdrie region.(DEALERS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Case has appointed existing dealer Gammies to replace the Airdrie branch of the beleaguered Saville Tractors which went into administration following the death of Andy Ross, founding director of its parent company Thornycroft (1862). ...

Uk plant hire share price 2006.(NEWS)
November 1, 2006... UK PLANT HIRE SHARE PRICE 2006 PMJ gives the lowdown on share prices for six of the industry's leading quoted companies Price (p) in Price (p) in Price (p) Price (p) in Company October 2006 September...

London's Hire Show won't clash with Midlands event.(EXHIBITION)
November 1, 2006... Organisers of the Hire Show in London have decided not to compete against the new Executive Hire Show in Coventry and have switched the timing of next year's event in the ExCeL Centre to October. When it was announced that the Midlands show...

Safety milestone for Kier.(NEWS in brief)
November 1, 2006... Kier Plant is celebrating one million hours of accident-free working. The 150 site workers in Kier's plant division haven't suffered a recordable accident in over two years.

OPERC vibration list grows.(NEWS in brief)
November 1, 2006... OPERC has added more manufacturers' power tools to its vibration information database. The new manufacturers include Belle, DeWalt, Heller, JCB, Makita, Partner, Trutek and Standall.

Growth for Manitou.(NEWS in brief)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Manitou has attributed a 10% increase in its net sales for the first half of 2006 to strong overseas growth. Sales at the French manufacturer increased from [pounds sterling]358m in the first half of 2005 to [pounds sterling]393m over the same...

Speedy boosts turnover.(NEWS in brief)
November 1, 2006... Speedy Hire has increased turnover in the five months to 31 August by 29% with the equipment division growing 48% (29% excluding LCH Generators). The tool hire division increased its turnover 15% with an underlying like-for-like turnover of 8%....

Hydrex in self-drive market.(NEWS in brief)
November 1, 2006... Hydrex has moved into the self-drive market with the acquisition of wheel loader rental firm Gorrel Trading Company for an undisclosed sum. Gorrel operates mainly Volvo wheel loaders on long-term rental contracts across the UK. It has 150...

HE expands fleet with JCB order.(EXCAVATORS)
November 1, 2006... HE Services has moved to update its hire fleet by placing substantial orders with JCB and Komatsu. The firm placed an order for 379 new JCB models, taking its total number of orders with JCB to more than 2,000 since 1972. Over 200...

Hewden issues wake-up call over noise regulations.(HEALTH AND SAFETY)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Employers are confused about the new noise regulations and are burying their heads in the sand, according to a survey by plant hire specialist Hewden. "Many think it is as difficult to calculate the noise level as it is for vibration, when in...

Get into the Grove.(KIT)
November 1, 2006... Several hundred Manitowoc Crane Group customers, dealers and staff turned up to see the launch of the 100t Grove GMK4100--the company's latest all-terrain crane. The manufacturer held the event at its European headquarters in Wilhelmshaven,...

Finning claims a system first.(GPS/LASER)
November 1, 2006... Cat dealer Finning claims that it has become the first plant manufacturer to offer a range of dozers that are factory fitted with machine control components to accompany an AccuGrade laser grade control system or GPS grade control system. ...

Italian job for Bobcat.(LAUNCH)
November 1, 2006... Bobcat has shown its 329 and 335 mini excavators, T35100 telehandler, and HB1180 breaker for the first time at SAIE 2006 in Bologna, Italy. Bobcat has introduced the 10m T35100 telehandler to fill the gap between its existing T3571 and...

Mama Mia!(KIT)
November 1, 2006... Bobcat unveiled its new telehandler--the T35100--at the SAIE 2006 exhibition in Italy.

On the right track.(KIT)
November 1, 2006... Neuson has sold a TD 18 powerswivel tracked dumper to Mills Environmental Landscapes. The machine is the first in Mills' fleet of three tracked dumpers to be fitted with a swivel skip and will go to work on construction and maintenance of...

Deutz cuts back on oil changes.(MAINTENANCE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Deutz has developed a lube oil analysis system, which it claims will extend standard oil change intervals by up to 100% (maximum 1,000hrs). The new service range will consist of a diagnostic system called 'Deutz Oil Diagnosis' (DOD) and...

JCB set to take top spot in telehandler market.(TELEHANDLERS)
November 1, 2006... JCB has predicted that it will become the global market leader for telehandlers by brand in 2006, as it celebrated building its 100,000th telehandler since production started in 1977. The manufacturer claims that it is the first to produce...

Top tip.(KIT)(Chepstow Plant recieved 70t Volvo EC700BLC from Volvo)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Chepstow Plant has taken delivery of the first 70t Volvo EC700BLC to go to work in the UK, as part of an order for seven Volvo machines. The firm also ordered five AD40 articulated haulers and a Volvo EC460B excavator, rigged for mass...

GSE's [pounds sterling]1m spree.(KIT DEALS in brief)
November 1, 2006... Ashford-based GSE Plant has ordered [pounds sterling]1m-worth of excavators from HM Plant, for use on a [pounds sterling]317m Southern Water investment project. The 24 Zaxis machines range from 5t to 20t.

Spillard makes Cat safer.(KIT DEALS in brief)
November 1, 2006... Staffordshire-based Spillard Safety Systems has supplied and installed safety packages on [pounds sterling]2.5m-worth of Caterpillar equipment purchased by Wolverhampton-based Stokey Plant Hire. Each package comprises a convex mirror, rearview...

Ward hails Volvo.(KIT DEALS in brief)
November 1, 2006... Volvo has sold an A25D to North Yorkshire-based owner operator Brian Ward. Ward, whose firm offers its services to main contractors on muck-shifting projects, said: "There's no beating the performance, reliability and, above all, the comfort...

Vanson supplies tower crane.(KIT DEALS in brief)
November 1, 2006... Vanson Cranes has supplied property developer Brookfields Development with a VC33 self-erecting tower crane. The developer is using the crane to construct a block of 42 luxury apartments in Enfield. Brookfields director John Smith said: "We...

CL & S updates its Kramer.(KIT DEALS in brief)
November 1, 2006... North Yorkshire-based Chas. Long & Son (Aggregates) has purchased a Kramer 880 wheeled loader to feed hoppers in an on site bagging plant at a rate of 500t per day. The new machine replaces an earlier Kramer model.

Merlin has the power.(KIT DEALS in brief)
November 1, 2006... Merlin Automotive is marketing a gel Battery for auxiliary use. Not only can the spill-proof battery be used at any angle, but it can also be recharged at very high rates and will withstand extremes of temperature.

Discount for anti-theft, says SMMT.(INSURANCE)(Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has blasted the insurance industry for being out of step with the rest of Europe and for not giving premium discounts to trucking companies that buy vehicles with enhanced anti-theft...

Truckmakers demand pollution certificates.(EMISSIONS)
November 1, 2006... A massive jump in truck registrations in September has strengthened calls by the manufacturers for the government to reintroduce the Reduced Pollution Certificates (RPC). September's truck registrations leaped 35% to 8,540 units as fleet...

Club joins Mitsubishi L200 range.(PICK-UPS)
November 1, 2006... Mitsubishi has completed its new L200 range with a new Club cab model and putting the tipper version, seen as a prototype at the CV show, into production. According to Mitsubishi the L200 leads the pick-up market by a big margin and the...

Pain-free piles.(TRANSPORT)
November 1, 2006... King Trailers' lightweight step-frame weighs in at only 7,250kg allowing Roger Bullivant to move its new piling rig around while staying within the normal 44t C & U limit, removing the complications associated with special types movements.

Extra cab for Toyota 4x4.(PICK-UPS)
November 1, 2006... Toyota has added an Extra Cab version to its Hilux range of 4x4 pick-ups and re-engineered its Hiace van. The two-door Extra cab has space for two occasional passengers or additional secure storage, while retaining 1.8m of loadbed...

New Movano Combi.(in brief)
November 1, 2006... Vauxhall's latest Movano Combi van comes as a semi-glazed six-seater or a fully glazed nine-seater. Two wheelbases (short and medium) and two roof heights (high and low) are available with prices starting from [pounds sterling]17,895 (ex VAT).

Bott's low noise roof rack.(in brief)
November 1, 2006... In-vehicle storage equipment manufacturer Bott claims that its KRS Roof Rack System will offer the lowest wind noise of any roof rack on the market and distributes the load evenly on machines with gutters. The system is initially available for...

Murphy trials Isuzu tipper.(in brief)
November 1, 2006... National Construction firm Murphy has taken on its first ever Isuzu tipper--a 7.5t NQR model--for the Power Division of its company, as part of a trial. Michael Hayes of Murphy said: "The Isuzu is in serious contention for our future vehicle...

Volvo economy at Pearsons.(in brief)
November 1, 2006... Norfolk-based waste management and recycling specialist Pearsons is achieving a fleet average fuel economy of 11mpg since it standardised on Volvo for its fleet of 17 skip-trucks.

Penny gets in the swing.(in brief)
November 1, 2006... Penny Hydraulics' new Swing Lift Foldaway 1000 truck-mountable crane lifts up to It at a maximum boom extension of 1.5m. It is suitable for pick-ups, drop sides, flat beds and box vans and incorporates hydraulic slew as standard.

Standing their ground: telehandlers are as common as high-vis jackets on UK building sites--is there no end to their popularity? Colin Sowman investigates.(TELEHANDLERS)
November 1, 2006... There is no questioning the telehandler's flexibility: from placing pallets of bricks on scaffolding and roof trusses on houses to managing stockpiles and use as a work platform, the telehandler can, with a few accessories, do it all. It is...

Foul weather friends: Jeremy Taylor of Tracked Dumper Hire UK has moved from farming, to contracting, to specialised hire. Neil Gerrard tracks him down.(HIRE VIEW)
November 1, 2006... Tracked dumpers are unusual pieces of kit, catering for a niche market. But look at Norfolk-based Tracked Dumper Hire UK's location, and you can understand why it got into the line of business it did--it's just the kind of area where you might...

A sacrifice worth making: keeping the teeth and blades of your ground engagement equipment in good order can make all the difference to retaining a hirer. Colin Sowman reports.(GROUND ENGAGEMENT)
November 1, 2006... Hire company staff are busy enough without having to devote time to considering whether they have the correct bucket teeth, ripper tips or wear strips on their machines. And of those that do spare some thought for the ground engagement parts,...

Maternity makeover: make sure you keep on top of the latest maternity and paternity rights reforms. Colin Sowman outlines the most recent changes.(MATERNITY RIGHTS)
November 1, 2006... Amid all the noise and hullabaloo about the new age discrimination legislation, other, equally important, changes to maternity rights have slipped in almost unnoticed. The changes will affect around 400,000 mothers each year, regardless of the...

Crawlers carve a niche: Neil Gerrard discovers more about telescopic crawler cranes.(EQUIPMENT FOCUS)
November 1, 2006... The minification of crawler cranes is shaking up the sector: telescopic crawlers have long been in use, particularly in civil engineering and construction projects. Traditionally they have been big machines with a maximum load in double...

Screen debut: Metso has upped the ante with a new tracked screen range that comes with an extended warranty option. Colin Sowman reports.(METSO LAUNCH)
November 1, 2006... While mobile crushers and screens allow quarries and recycling contractors to keep haul distances to a minimum, throughput capacity can be compromised. Now, however, Metso has extended its tracked screening range at the high-throughput end,...

Dutch double: Neil Gerrard reports from the ninth annual Caterpillar Operator Challenge in Malaga.
November 1, 2006... Dutchman Peter van Schaik has won the ninth annual Caterpillar Operator Challenge--his second consecutive victory and the fifth for his country. Top UK operator Donald Doherty, of Dumbarton-based Doherty & Lafferty, reached 8th place, won...

Missing link.(CHECKOUT)
November 1, 2006... Mitsubishi's press officer was less than impressed to receive a call from PMJ informing her that the carefully planned L200 test route was blocked by a chained gate. A few minutes later and rescue was at hand--the wonders of modern...

In the picture: win [pounds sterling]50.(CHECKOUT)
November 1, 2006... No points for anyone who thought that last month's cleverly concealed machine was the Ford Ranger. We're a devious bunch, and the captions on the feature ran clockwise, so the correct answer was actually the Toyota Hilux Double-cab. It was...

Royale appointment.(CHECKOUT)
November 1, 2006... Only James Bond could get away with parking a wheel loader outside the Grosvenor House Hotel on London's Park Lane without getting a ticket. The New Holland W170C, which features in the new Bond film Casino Royale, starring Daniel Craig,...

Digging in for victory.(CHECKOUT)(Editorial)
November 1, 2006... We don't like to boast at PMJ, but occasionally we'll make an exception. While the pros were battling it out in the dust at Caterpillar's Operator Challenge 2006 in Malaga, Spain (see page 36), another fierce (if rather less challenging)...

2006.(CHECKOUT)(Calendar)
November 1, 2006... NOVEMBER 7 RHA Security Seminar Reducing Freight Crime Towcester Racecourse Northamptonshire Tel: 01932 841515 Email: j.mills@rha.net NOVEMBER 8-9 IOG Scotsturf Royal Highland Showground Edinburgh ...