Midwest Contractor articles from March 2006

Midwest Contractor archives from March 2006

Branching Out.
March 13, 2006... By Valerie Van Kooten, Courtesy of Vermeer Manufacturing Company Horizontal Grinder Replaces Two Machines At Recycling Site Don Marrs, owner of Planet Marrs Recycling in Kansas City, Kan., recently purchased a new Vermeer HG6000...

ICPA Celebrates Concrete.(Iowa Concrete Paving Association)
March 13, 2006... By Curt Grandia Awards Highlight Association's 42nd Annual PCC Paving Workshop The Iowa Concrete Paving Association (ICPA) celebrated 50 years of slip form paving and of the Interstate Highway System during its 42nd Annual Concrete...

Riverfront Place Takes Shape.(Construction Services Inc. and riverfront development)
March 13, 2006... By Curt Grandia Construction Services, Inc. At Work On Omaha's Newest Jewel Along The Missouri Construction Services, Inc. is at work on Riverfront Place, the newest jewel to grace Omaha's riverfront development along the Missouri....

Cold Weather Concrete Curing.(Hawkins Construction Co. used Thawzall(construction equipment) for construction in winter)
March 13, 2006... By Curt Grandia Thawzall Helps Hawkins Construction Complete Interstate 480 Bridge Decks Originally designed to take the winter frost out of the ground so contractors could get an early spring jump on their projects, ground heaters...

AGC Of Kansas Meets.
March 13, 2006... Staff Auction Highlights 72nd Annual Convention Courtesy of AGC of Kansas More than 200 representatives from the commercial construction industry met in Wichita for the 72nd AGC of Kansas Annual Convention Feb. 2-3. With solid...

Miller To NUCA/I Hall of Fame.
March 13, 2006... Staff Gene Miller, retired head of Miller the Driller, was inducted into the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) of Iowa Hall of Fame during the chapter's convention held in Des Moines. Miller was honored for long-time...

Rexco Announces Appointments.(Rexco Equipment Company)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff Rexco Equipment Company has added six people to its sales staff in recent months. Scott Hasenclever is the new territory sales manager in southeast Iowa and is based out of the Davenport branch. After serving Rexco customers...

Arrow Sets Management Changes.
March 13, 2006... Staff Arrow Truck Sales, Inc., North America's leading pre-owned truck source, recently announced sales management promotions that will accommodate the company's continuing growth. Scott Taylor, a University of Missouri graduate who...

Wallboard Shipments Set Record.(gypsum)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff The United States gypsum board industry achieved its highest rate of annual shipments ever in calendar year 2005 when the U.S. manufacturers of gypsum board (also known as wallboard or drywall) shipped a total of 36.16 billion square...

TEREX Acquires Halco.
March 13, 2006... Staff Terex Corporation Jan. 24 completed the acquisition of Halco Holdings Limited, including its subsidiaries Halco Drilling International, Halco America, Halco Drilling Equipment in Australia, and Halco Drilling in Ireland. Halco...

Alamo Group Acquires Gradall.
March 13, 2006... Staff Gradall was sold Feb. 3 to the Alamo Group Inc. The sale was announced by Gradall, Alamo Group and JLG Industries, Inc., which had owned Gradall since 1999. Alamo Group is a leader in the design, manufacture, distribution, and...

AGC of Missouri Names Officers.
March 13, 2006... Staff The Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Missouri, headquartered in Jefferson City, recently announced its officers for 2006: Chairman M. Joe Ritz, Vice Chairman John E. Branham and Treasurer Richard A. Markey. Ritz, vice...

AGC/I Presents Bravo Awards.(Associated General Contractors of Iowa)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff The Associated General Contractors of Iowa (AGC/I) in January awarded its 2005 Bravo Award to 11 member construction firms during the association's 84th Annual Convention held in Des Moines. AGC/I initiated the Bravo Award program in...

KC, CIMO Net National Award.(Kansas City)(Capital Improvements Management Office)(2006 Award of Excellence)
March 13, 2006... Staff The city of Kansas City, Mo., in partnership with MWH, recently received the United States Conference of Mayors' 2006 Award of Excellence in Public/Private Partnerships. Mayor Kay Barnes and City Manager Wayne A. Cauthen received the...

NER Releases Theft Report.
March 13, 2006... Staff Nearly 40 percent of all construction and agricultural equipment theft occurs in just five states, according to a report released Feb. 1 by the National Equipment Register (NER), a database company established to reduce...

Jones Heads Flow Boy Sales.
March 13, 2006... Staff Flow Boy, a leading manufacturer of asphalt, concrete and road building material transporting equipment based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has named Maury Jones national sales manager. In addition to overseeing all sales functions, he will...

Sissel Joins Thompson Pump.(Thompson Pump and Manufacturing Company Inc. appoints)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff Darrell Sissel has been hired as the new branch manager at Thompson Pump's Kansas City, Kan., facility. A Kansas City, Mo., native, Sissel has more than 25 years' experience in the industry. Most recently, he worked in field...

Ash Grove Invests $190 Million In Arkansas Plant.
March 13, 2006... Staff The Ash Grove Cement Company, the largest American-owned cement company with its home office in Overland Park, Kan., recently announced that it will invest approximately $190 million to expand its current Portland cement...

RSC Opens New Osage Beach Store.
March 13, 2006... Staff RSC Equipment Rental, a long-time leader in the North American rental equipment industry, recently announced the grand opening of a new store in Osage Beach, Mo. The new facility, located at 5635 Highway 54, is situated on two...

Software On-Site.
March 13, 2006... By Matthew Phair Being out in the field no longer means being away from the latest in computer-driven productivity Managing assets and production seems to get a little harder each day. As much as material costs can be counted on to...

Saw System.(Bosch FS2 Flex Shaft's RotoZip)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff RotoZipA[R] by Bosch FS2 Flex Shaft converts each RZ model into a lightweight precision sanding, grinding, polishing, carving, and detailing tool. With a comfortable pen-style grip, lightweight and flexible RotoZip Flex Shaft is easy...

Scale Model.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff In commemoration of celebrating the company's 50th anniversary of business as well as the 2005 production of the 50,000th 300 Series Two-Man Hole digger, General Equipment Company has released a scale model of the 330H Hole Digger....

Barricade.(Navigator Barricade for diabled persons on the road)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff A pedestrian and slow-moving vehicle delineation device, the Navigator Barricade(TM) is designed to meet all criteria under Americans with Disabilities Act. Components simply snap together with no assembly tools required. Meeting any...

Wheel Grinder.(Michigan Pneumatic Tool Inc.'s MP-2511)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff MP-2511 is a high-speed, lightweight cone wheel grinder for heavy-duty industrial applications from Michigan Pneumatic Tool Inc. A 1.50-horsepower air motor delivers a no-load operating speed of 12,000 rpm with a 5/8-inch 11 threaded...

Snow And Ice Melting System.(developed by Orbit Manufacturing Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff Orbit Manufacturing's Snow and Ice Melting System is a radiant heating system for snow/ice melting for driveways, walkways and handicapped ramps on ground surfaces such as concrete, brick, asphalt, and pavers. The system offers...

Cushion-Grip Screwdrivers.
March 13, 2006... Staff Klein Tools has added 11 miniature Cushion-Grip screwdrivers with a variety of precision-formed tips, providing exact fit for small screw applications. Handles provide superior comfort/grip, feature patented Tip-IdentA[R] handles for...

Silo Mixers.(from Stone Construction Equipment Inc. )(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff Champion(TM) SM1200 and SM2000 Silo Mixers from Stone Construction Equipment have capacities of 12 cubic feet and 20 cubic feet. For jobs where mortar, grout, plaster, and color mixers are supplied in pre-blended bulk bags, mixers...

Brass Model.(Classic Construction Corp.'s Manitowoc 4600 Dragline )(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff Classic Construction Models' 1-to-87 scale brass model of a late 1950's vintage Manitowoc 4600 Dragline includes details of 140 foot of scale No. 27 boom, fully detailed operator's cab, grated decking, and individually linked free...

Water Pumps.(Honda's GX160 and GX120)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff Honda 5.5-horsepower GX160 and 4.5-horsepower GX120 overhead valve engines power WB30 and WB20 pumps and feature Oil AlertA[R] to help prevent damage due to oil starvation. Pumps feature heavy-duty full frame protection;...

Industrial Vacuum.(Ruwac's Quiet Red industrial vaccum cleaner)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff Ruwac's Quiet Red portable vacuum runs quiet while capturing concrete dust, wood sanding dust, drywall, and other dry, problematic materials. Oversized filter, with average life of three to five years, allows large quantities of...

Hydraulic Pumps.(developed by Enerpac)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff Enerpac's ZE pump series, available in four flow ranges and single- and two-stage models, provide optimum cylinder and tool performance. Motor sizes include 7.5-horsepower motor and 1-horsepower, 1.5-horsepower and 3.0-horsepower...

Wire Feeder Products.
March 13, 2006... Staff Miller Electric Mfg. Co. will integrate Bernard Q(TM) Guns with Centerfire(TM) consumables on most of its industrial wire feeder products and bundled MIG welding systems. To improve productivity and reduce welding costs, the Bernard...

Tool Lifetime Service.
March 13, 2006... Staff Hilti launches its Lifetime Service - a comprehensive, simple-to-understand program that offers unparalleled service, major financial benefits and access to the latest technology advancements throughout a tool's lifetime. Lifetime...

Driver With Flashlight.(Metabo Corp. introduces Power Grip)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff Metabo Corporation introduces a new flashlight to complement its cordless Power GripA[R] driver, a palm-sized, 4.8-volt cordless driver, offering torque ranging from 0.3 inch-pounds to 5 inch-pounds to ensure precise driving of...

Pipe Cutting System.(developed by T-Drill Industries Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff T-Drill's Pipe Branching System 8 (PCS8) cuts tube and pipe up to 8 inches in less than a minute. The system, including pipe roller stands, cuts steel, stainless, copper, soil pipe, and plastics cleanly and, most importantly square,...

Cut-Off Saws.(developed by Atlas Copco S.A.)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff Atlas Copco's hydraulic-powered cut-off saws cut through materials including concrete, asphalt, cement, brick, and steel and can be used for underwater repairs, demolition work and utility maintenance jobs. LS 14's 14-inch blade...

Contractor Software.(Company Profile)
March 13, 2006... By Neil Smit, RS Means Starting with the takeoff for estimating, moving on to preparing the bid and then managing all aspects of the project, we now have access to an unlimited selection of contractor software. One of the leaders in this...

Mobile Terminal.(DLoG Logistics Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff DLoG Logistics Inc.'s rugged, compact Mobile Industrial Terminal DLoG X 7 enables both mobile and stationary Windows CE applications ideal for use in logistics, industry, transport, time recording, and quality assurance. Measuring 22...

Notebook Computers.
March 13, 2006... Staff MobileForceW130 series notebook computers from Getac Inc. that can survive 4-foot drops on concrete, offer Toshiba's 1.8-inch hard disk drive (HDD), for a lighter system. The 20-, 40- and 60-gigabyte HDDs are...

Notebook Computer.
March 13, 2006... Staff Rugged, portable notebook computer MobileForce(TM) M220 runs on Intel's 1.4-gigahertz Dothan L V Processor and provides low-power consumption, large storage capacity, lightweight design, and ease-of-use. Features include up to 2...

Touch-Screen PC.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff Industrial Mobile PC DNeT MPC 5/110 features rugged construction and is an ideal touch-screen PC for use in warehouses, and on forklifts, construction machinery and other indoor/outdoor vehicles. Housed in coated aluminum frame and...

Collaboration System.
March 13, 2006... Staff LoadSpring Solutions' CAM Console 3.0 is the newest version of its application and collaboration system that allows local or dispersed project teams to use their existing applications and share project data in real time from any...

Handheld Computer Software.
March 13, 2006... Staff PointSync 3.0 is a complete system for developing and operating end-to-end mobile software applications on handheld computers that synchronize with in-house enterprise database applications. Over 130 pre-built functions are packed in...

Software Support For Dealers.
March 13, 2006... Staff Parts & Service Manager, powered by SmartEquip(TM), delivers continually updated product information to users, including intelligent parts diagrams, parts pricing, equipment diagnostics, service manuals, and equipment specifications....

Site Management Software.
March 13, 2006... Staff Topcon's Pocket 3D, designed to work with Topcon's System Five machine control systems and GPS construction survey systems, offers contractor-friendly interface with touch-screen operation. Text size is large, easy-to-read, and...

Horizontal Drilling Software.
March 13, 2006... Staff Trac Management System (TMS) Plus software package from Ditch Witch is a WindowsA[R]-based computer program designed to assist the horizontal directional drilling (HDD), professional by planning, recording and reporting HDD jobs...

Software Upgrade.
March 13, 2006... Staff StoneCAD 5.0 is the veneer stone visualization program to provide hatch patterns and texture maps of every color and texture in the Owens Corning Cultured StoneA[R] product line. Updates include interfaces for all of the most popular...

Protective Case.(OtterBox Armor 1990 PDA)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff With dust, heavy machinery and unpredictable weather, chances for accidents increase and protection of expensive technology is vital. OtterBox Armor 1990 PDA case is waterproof, dustproof, crushproof, drop-resistant, and turns...

Fleet Management System.
March 13, 2006... Staff The Qualcomm GlobalTRACS Fleet Management system consists of ruggedized hardware, reliable network management services, user-friendly web-based software, and extensive data integration capabilities. The system collects, transmits and...

Project Management Software.
March 13, 2006... Staff CMiC IO is a technology that allows businesses to collaborate internally and with outside partners by sending e-mail from any device. Removing the need for a PC, a user requires an e-mail capable device, Pocket PC, Palm, RIM...

Product Link System.(from Caterpillar Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff Caterpillar introduces improved hardware and an all-new architecture for Product Link, a management tool that allows customers to collect and track multiple types of information about their assets - from machine location and service...

Noise Monitoring System.
March 13, 2006... Staff Quest Technologies Inc.'s NoisePro Series, combined with QuestSuiteA[R] Professional application software provides a noise monitoring system to enable organizations to proactively manage noise-induced haring loss. Real-time...

Intersection Interface.(from R&R Technologies Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2006... Staff R&R Technologies Inc. has released MicroTally, an aluminum turning-movement counter, the size of a calculator, and WinTally, accompanying software to customize, format and present time-stamped data. MicroTally is used to manually...

Construction Management Software.
March 13, 2006... Staff Dexter + Chaney's Forefront Version 12 offers a SQL database structure as a tool for organizing and retrieving data that benefits construction companies of all sizes as they grow. It also features a web portal that gives employees...

Software Tool.
March 13, 2006... Staff CMiC Dashboard is a software tool that displays consolidated company and project information on a single screen. Designed to meet the needs of employees who require quick, easy access to company or project data, the software uses...

ARTBA Analysis.
March 27, 2006... Staff FY 2007 Budgset Proposal Includes "Bright Spots" For Transportation According to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), the Bush administration's $2.77-trillion fiscal year (FY) 2007 budget proposal...

Editor's Report.(construction equipment manufacturers buyers guide)(Directory)
March 27, 2006... By Curt Grandia Our annual Buyers' Guide provides information on construction equipment products, their manufacturers and local distributors throughout Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. We hope you'll keep the issue handy in your truck...