The difficult heavy crane market is continuing, but recent acquisitions to diversify its product line is helping The Manitowoc Co., Manitowoc, Wis., weather the storm, according to a financial report by the firm. The market for cranes used to erect industrial plants and nonresidential buildings is still weak, with some suppliers, such as rental firm Maxim Crane Works, teetering on the verge of bankruptcy (ENR 4/7 p. 9). Nonetheless, Manitowoc says that its 2002 revenue was 34% higher than in 2001 and revenue from its crane division increased 70% to $233 million. The outlook for the remainder of 2003 is
A manufacturer known for its brush-cutting and trenching equipment is entering the compact excavator market with seven new machines. Libra Compact Technologies SA, San Marino, Italy, is supplying the machines to Vermeer Manufacturing Co., Pella, Iowa, under an exclusive supply agreement. Vermeer says it is offering the equipment because operators want their machines to perform more functions and a number of customers have been switching from trenchers to compact excavators. This is the second time Libra has secured a North American importer. In 2001, it dissolved a four-year supply agreement with equipment manufacturer OmniQuip Textron, Port Washington, Wis., a move
LIFT EQUIPMENT Rental Company Designs Water-Treading Access Machines Specialized lifts help engineers reduce traffic-lane closures By Tudor Hampton An equipment rental firm specializing in bridge inspection gear and having a "zero-lane-closure" policy has developed two unusual-looking tracked and floating devices to make bridge inspections easier. The two units have been operating in the field for roughly a year following an earlier design that was a telescopic aerial lift mounted on a Hummer civilian chassis. "We can go in during some inclement weather and without having lane closures," says Harry Stoltzfus, owner of Paradise, Pa.-based Harcon Corp. The firm’s "Bridge Tracker"
The Internal Revenue Service will present to Congress the controversial excise tax amendment for jobsite equipment published last June in the Federal Register (ENR 8/19/02 p. 9), to be discussed along with highway fund reauthorization in September, say IRS officials. The proposed amendment would delete a "mobile machinery exception" that currently excludes heavy mobile equipment, such as cranes and aerial devices, from excise and fuel taxes under the Highway Trust Fund. Officials of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, one of several associations involved in the debate, believe the IRS proposal would cost the roadbuilding segment of the industry
Barrier Wall Lifter Automatic or Semi-Automatic Models This attachment is designed to safely lift and install low-profile barrier walls. It is available in both 12,000 and 20,000-lb lifting capacities and is engineered to fit the inverted contour of the wall. According to the manufacturer, the barrier lifter is equipped with urethane pads that provide the operator with better grip action, even on a wet surface, without damaging the wall. In addition, grease fittings help ensure that the unit has years of service. These low-profile lifters come in both automatic and semi-automatic models. Kenco Corp.; 724-238-3387; www.kenco.com Diamond Drill Bit Built-In
ANALYZER Particulates The PM-300 device enables real-time measurement of the size of particles emitted by internal combustion engines in 100 nm increments down to 300 nm. Exhaust is drawn through the analyzer through a heated sample line and a temperature-controlled, multistage mini diluter system equipped with high-precision mass flow. It generates a line of curves, each representing a specific particle size over the full operating range of the instrument. Analyzer is designed for stationary, portable and in-use, on-road applications. Sensors Inc.; 734/429-2100; www.sensors-inc.com JOINT CLEANOUT SAWS Promotes Cleaner Jobsite Walk-behind saws, models JS-90 and JS-110, are designed for joint cleanout,
The Occupational Heath and Safety Administration is preparing to move into negotiated rulemaking this spring on a replacement for a 30-year-old crane and derrick safety standard that industry experts say needs updating. On Feb. 27, OSHA announced its list of members who will serve on an industry advisory committee, which will meet in May or June, officials say. OSHA Administrator John Henshaw says the negotiated rulemaking process is "the most effective way" for participants to draft a new document. It is expected to be finalized by the end of the year. According to Henshaw and others, new technology, such as
After two years of significant technological investment, Caterpillar Inc. on March 19 unveiled a unique breed of on-highway diesel engines at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. According to product engineers, the design breaks from conventional methods for reducing diesel gas and particulate emissions, a primary concern of environmental regulators. "We have achieved efficient combustion, with low emissions and improved fuel economy," said John Campbell, director of on-highway engine products for Caterpillar Power Systems, located in Mossville, Ill. The calls the technology ACERT, or Advanced Combustion Emissions Reduction Technology., ACERT represents the largest and most expensive product development effort in
HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILL Climate-Controlled Operator's Station The D200x300 Navigator horizontal directional drill is designed to help minimize support equipment and maximize operator efficiency. This model has an exclusive attached climate-controlled two-person operator's station with fold-down surveyor table and a hydraulic fold-up scaffold that allows for easy transport on one truck. The D200x300 is a self-contained unit with a rack-and-pinion design. It offers 30,000 ft lb of rotary torque and 200,000 lb of thrust and pullback capability. VERMEER MANUFACTURING CO.; 888/837-6337; www.vermeer.com CONCRETE POWER SCREED One- and Two-Person Operation One- and two-person gasoline-driven power screeds are available for new concrete pours
Despite rising fuel costs, owners of construction and infrastructure truck fleets are expected to make significant purchases this year, according to new data from the National Truck Equipment Association, Farmington Hills, Mich. It shows sales rising by as much as 10%, to nearly $95 billion, by the end of December as companies replenish fleets weakened by a couple of years of capital-spending cuts. Construction and work trucks represent 20%, or $19 billion, of the North American market share. "The last two-and-a-half years were terrible…but now, the commercial truck industry is starting to trend upward," said Stephen Latin-Kasper, NTEA market data
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