However, not all rental firms have emerged from the recession unscathed. ENR readers have closely followed the ongoing bankruptcy of independent rental outlet ">Ahern Rentals, which is still slogging through financial restructuring.
Chinese Shopping Spree
Tough as it may be to admit, western construction professionals have long expected Chinese companies to begin playing a larger role in the global heavy-equipment sandbox.
Two Chinese manufacturers, Sany and XCMG, captivated construction readers with their respective ">acquisitions of German-based concrete pump-truck makers Putzmeister and Schwing.
ENR was the first to report on a potential Sino-German deal in a story about XCMG and Schwing published at this year's "World of Concrete" show in Las Vegas. Despite facts supporting what many thought was just an industry rumor, ENR was blasted in some online forums for what one moderator described as ">"fabricated" news about Schwing. Days later, Sany and Putzmeister announced that they were tying up. XCMG and Schwing confirmed their deal in the spring.
Lomma Off the Hook
As we expected, many people in the industry were riveted by the criminal trial of crane owner James Lomma, whose Kodiak tower crane collapsed in Manhattan in 2008, killing two construction workers.
New York prosecutors tried to prove, ">unsuccessfully, that Lomma, CEO of a large crane-rental firm, should have been held personally accountable for the tragedy. Their argument hinged on an alleged shoddy repair job to the crane's turntable.
A key witness for the defense, Jim Wiethorn of Texas-based Haag Engineering, which has investigated over 700 crane accidents, turned the prosecution's case on its head, arguing the operator "two-blocked" the crane, causing it to collapse.
The judge did not provide a rationale for acquitting Lomma, but the outcome was seen by many as a victory for industry CEOs.
What a Gas
With gas prices continually on the rise, fleet owners are experimenting more with alternative fuels, such as ">compressed natural gas. This year, ENR reported several stories about CNG and other gaseous fuels.
Early in the year, we ran a story about a visit to Chicago-based Ozinga Bros., which ">was outfitting its ready-mix fleet with natural-gas trucks. We also ">tested a CNG pickup built by Chrysler's Ram division and profiled a geothermal contracting company that is finding ">new profits in CNG. More natural-gas trucks and engines are expected to arrive next year.
Hard Science
This past January, ENR paid a visit to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, whose ">Concrete Sustainability Hub is making headlines as it studies the science of cement.
Although concrete has been used for thousands of years, the underlying chemical structure of cement and concrete still eludes many scientists. MIT has created the world's first atomistic models of concrete, which could lead to new designs never before imagined.
The hub's research also is producing new findings on life-cycle costs of building materials and providing clues into the relationships among vehicles, pavements and ">fuel economy—literally researching where the rubber meets the road.
