News and Information from the Construction Equipment Industry

Northeast

Jersey Shore Towns Race to Do Boardwalk Repairs

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. (AP) The ticking of the clock has been drowned out by the hammering of nails and the pounding of pile drivers in many Jersey shore towns racing to finish boardwalk rebuilding projects before Memorial Day weekend and the hoped-for onslaught of summer tourists.

Click to Read More | Jersey Shore Towns Race to Do Boardwalk Repairs

Northeast

ABC Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter Names Chairman, Board of Directors

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter named Curt Johnson chairman of the board effective Jan. 1, 2013. Johnson is responsible for all chapter activities to further merit-based construction throughout eastern Pennsylvania.

Northeast

Mantoloking Begins Demolishing First of 50 Sandy-Damaged Homes on Land

MANTOLOKING, N.J. (AP) Cranes and bulldozers have joined seagulls and surf as the new sounds of summer in the Jersey shore town that was the hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy.

Workers have started demolishing the first of 50 storm-damaged homes in Mantoloking, where all 521 houses were either damaged or destroyed in the Oct.

National

Builders Bulldoze Big Mayan Pyramid in Belize

BELIZE CITY (AP) A construction company has essentially destroyed one of Belize''''s largest Mayan pyramids with backhoes and bulldozers to extract crushed rock for a road-building project, authorities announced on May 13.

Click to Read More | Builders Bulldoze Big Mayan Pyramid in Belize

West

Arizona DOT Updates Vital Cordes Junction

Interstate 17 is a vital roadway for Arizonans and a major connector along the state highway system, linking I-10 and I-40. In addition to serving as a major interstate route to move people and goods between metro Phoenix and other parts of the country, I-17 also is the primary route to northern Arizona and the only highway serving the growing communities north of Maricopa County.

Click to Read More | Arizona DOT Updates Vital Cordes Junction

West

Bobcat of Cerritos Showcases New Line at Open House

Bobcat of Cerritos celebrated customers and friends by showing off the new line of Bobcat equipment at its May 1 open house.

The highlight of the open house was the Bobcat operator agility contest.

National

912HM Flatbed to Join Hydrema Dump Truck Product Line

Hydrema’s 912HM flatbed truck will join seven other models in the articulated dump truck product line. Based off the 912HM articulated dump truck model, the 912HM flatbed features a 1.6 ft. (.5 m) extended rear half with a built-in tipping frame ideal for the construction, utility and oil and gas industries.

National

SnowEx Introduces Tractor-Mounted Drop Spreaders

SnowEx has two new tractor-mounted Drop Pro spreaders for controlled application of bagged ice melters and bulk rock salt. Featuring precise, gate-free operation, the units are practical for use on sidewalks, campus parking lots, parking structures and other off-road applications.

Click to Read More | SnowEx Introduces Tractor-Mounted Drop Spreaders

Northeast

EESSCO Presents New Facility During Customer Event

EESSCO held a customer appreciation day on May 2 at its headquarters on 131 Phillips St., Hanson, Mass. EESSCO showcased its newest facilities, and provided a refresher course on conveying, crushing and washing equipment.

Northeast

West Rock Materials Find Success From Failure

A machine’s failure isn’t good news for anyone. But for West Rock Materials, located in Woodbridge, Conn., the failure of the company’s portable jaw crusher led to an increase in production and a decrease in fuel costs.

Click to Read More | West Rock Materials Find Success From Failure

Northeast

MasterRents Says ‘Yes We Can’

That’s the answer you’ll get when you call MasterRents and ask manager Al Garber whether they can rent you a Cat mini-excavator and a multi terrain loader, or two skid steers or an auger and a bucket or…you get the picture.

Click to Read More | MasterRents Says ‘Yes We Can’

Southeast

Mississippi State Expands Field After Sold Out Games

Athletes aren’t the only people breaking records on the Mississippi State football field. Bulldog fans have set attendance records in recent years, having sold out 16 consecutive games at the stadium.

Southeast

Ditch Witch Acquires Albany, Ga., Location

Ditch Witch of Georgia recently acquired its third location, adding Ditch Witch of Albany to the existing facilities in Savannah and Atlanta (Forest Park). The company, owned by the Ditch Witch factory, is Charles Machine Works Inc.

Click to Read More | Ditch Witch Acquires Albany, Ga., Location

Southeast

Bobcat of Greenville Open House Provides Machine Demos

Bobcat of Greenville, S.C., held an open house at its facility on April 26. The event was held from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at its facility on River Road. During the open house all parts were discounted at 10 to 40 percent off.

Southeast

Local Contractor’s Machines Featured at Meekins Annual Spring Auction

Lloyd Meekins & Sons Auction Company held its annual spring contractors auction April 30. It was another successful drive-thru ramp sale at its permanent auction facility located at 4070 Hwy 211 East in Lumberton, N.

National

Caterpillar Chief Technology Officer Urges Congress to Pass Immigration Reform Legislation

Caterpillar Inc Chief Technology Officer Gwenne Henricks urged Congress today to pass High Skilled Immigration Reform. According to Henricks, reforming our current system would enable companies to compete better in the global economy by recruiting top talent with an education in the "STEM" fields—science, technology, engineering and mathematics—from the United States and beyond.

West

More Than 3,100 Bidders Attend Ritchie Fort Worth Auction

More than 3,100 bidders participated online and in person at Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers’ multi-million dollar unreserved public equipment auction in Fort Worth, Texas on May 8 and 9.

Bidders came from 50 countries, including all 50 U.

National

E. Earl Roland Passes at 90

E. Earl Roland, Founder and Chairman of Roland Machinery Co., passed away May 13, 2013. Mr. Roland was 90 years of age. Originally, Roland Machinery Co. was founded in 1958 as McElroy-Roland Machinery in Springfield, IL.

Click to Read More | E. Earl Roland Passes at 90

West

Alex Lyon & Son Holds Crane Reduction Auction in Fort Worth

Alex Lyon & Son held a sale May 7 in Ft. Worth, Texas.

The auction featured late model cranes, boom trucks, aerial lifts, forklifts, late model Cat construction equipment, late model truck tractors and vacuum transport trailers.

National

Doosan Portable Power Develops New Tier IVi Air Compressor — XP200WJD

Doosan Portable Power is delivering a new power level in its air compressor lineup with the introduction of the Tier IVi-compliant XP200WJD. The new model produces 200 cfm at 125 psig, making it ideal for countless applications, including general construction, sandblasting, pneumatic tool operation and pipeline testing.

National

Thunder Creek Equipment Launches Service, Lube Trailer

Thunder Creek Equipment, a manufacturer of fuel and service trailers, has expanded its product line with the introduction of a new trailer designed specifically for in-field equipment service.

This trailer holds 440 gal.

National

HammerHead Launches New Roughneck R400 Pneumatic Rock Hammer System

HammerHead has launched the new Roughneck R400 pneumatic rock hammer system for the underground construction industry. The system includes the R400 air hammer, 5.25-in. (13 cm) straight and offset bits, pullback kit, control station/oiler, drill conversion kit and universal HD high-flow rock drill housing.

National

Introducing the FMA8039 Milling Attachment

Fecon Inc.''s FMA8039 hydraulic powered milling attachment is rated at 260 to 550 hp (194 to 410 kW), to process soil, stumps and roots up to 20 in. (51 cm) below grade. A weight of approximately 11,000 lbs.

Click to Read More | Introducing the FMA8039 Milling Attachment

National

Deere Announces Record Second-Quarter Earnings of $1.084 Billion

Deere & Company has reported that Net income was $1.084 billion, or $2.76 per share, for the second quarter ended April 30, compared with $1.056 billion, or $2.61 per share, for the same period last year.

National

Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris appoints 8 members to Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health

Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris today announced the appointment of two new members and re-appointment of six current members to the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH).

Southeast

Turnpikes Add Trouble for McCrory’s Bill

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Some North Carolina lawmakers say the governor’s transportation overhaul will be a tougher sell after a House committee added several turnpike projects to the bill May 2.

The House Finance Committee added an amendment to Gov.

Click to Read More | Turnpikes Add Trouble for McCrory’s Bill

Southeast

Bobcat of Columbia Hosts Open House

Bobcat of Columbia held an open house at its facility on April 26. The event was held from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at its facility on Buckner Road. During the open house all parts were discounted at 10 to 40 percent off retail pricing.

Click to Read More | Bobcat of Columbia Hosts Open House

National

Hottest and Coldest States for Construction Jobs

WASHINGTON D.C. (AP) - Employment in the construction industry bottomed in 2011. Here''s a look at the 10 states with the biggest percentage gains and declines in construction jobs since then.

The numbers reflect seasonally adjusted jobs in residential and non-residential construction combined for March compared with the same month in 2011.

Click to Read More | Hottest and Coldest States for Construction Jobs

Southeast

Seeing Pink: Beard 50 Percent Closer to Goal

Beard Equipment Company, a John Deere equipment distributing company based in Mobile, Ala., announced that its “RENT PINK” project has almost reached 50 percent of its total goal in the yearlong support effort.

Click to Read More | Seeing Pink: Beard 50 Percent Closer to Goal

National

Bobcat Company Breaks Ground on $20 million Expansion

Bobcat Company has officially broken ground on its $20 million renovation and expansion to create the Acceleration Center in Bismarck, N.D. When complete, the Acceleration Center will be a modern complex for advancing innovation where professionals utilize technology and modern design.

National

Attachments International Introduces Side Shooter Asphalt Cutter

Attachments International’s asphalt cutter, the "side shooter," is an ideal cutter for side profiling and cutting shoulders. It is double the strength of previous AI bucket mount cutters, according to the manufacturer.

Southeast

Mathis Survives Down Economy by Staying Close to Home

In 1959 two brothers bought a used Cat D6 dozer in Salisbury, N.C., and launched a grading business that’s still going strong today.

When they began, Bill and R.T. Mathis cleared land for farmers, adding jobs of clearing roads for the state.

National

Construction Unemployment Drops to Lowest April Mark in Five Years

The unemployment rate for construction workers fell to the lowest April level in five years as contractors added more than 150,000 employees in the past year despite a dip in employment last month, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America.

National

Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Announces First Quarter Results

Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated announced net earnings and adjusted earnings for the three months ended March 31, 2013, of $14 million, or $0.13 per diluted share. This compares to net earnings and adjusted earnings of $18 million, or $0.

National

Illinois Tollway Announces New Small Business Initiative

The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors recently approved a new Small Business Initiative to increase opportunities for small companies to participate in the agency’s 15-year, $12 billion capital program Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future.

National

Wis. DOT Proposes Delays in Light of Deficit

MADISON, Wis. (AP) State transportation officials released a new plan April 29 to delay reconstruction work on southeastern Wisconsin''s freeways and scale back road aid to local governments in hopes of closing a looming deficit in the state''s transportation fund.

Click to Read More | Wis. DOT Proposes Delays in Light of Deficit