Photo by Tudor Van Hampton / ENR The 2016 Mercedes-Benz Metris straddles the compact and full-size van segments. Photo by Tudor Van Hampton / ENR The interior is nice but not luxurious. Related Links: As Cargo Vans Grow Taller, Roof Racks Address Safety European Vans Invade Work Truck Show Seeing a new opportunity for a rolling workshop that is smaller than a full-size van but larger than a compact one, Mercedes-Benz has introduced a midsize van that also will be the least expensive vehicle available in the U.S. with a three-pointed star on the front grille."We are more or less
Photo by Tudor Van Hampton / ENR Tall vans call for drop-down racks, such as this one on display at the Work Truck Show. Related Links: Mercedes-Benz Rolls Out Midsize Metris Cargo Van European Vans Invade Work Truck Show As more automakers are building tall, unibody work vans to replace such dinosaurs as the now-extinct Ford Econoline, fleets are increasingly pairing their rolling investments with accessories that boost versatility and increase safety.One area where the additional investment pays off is on the roof of the van. The newer, European-style vans, such as those built by Mercedes-Benz, can be far taller
Photo by Tudor Van Hampton/ENR The life-size Ford Tonka truck will be on display at trade shows throughout the year. PickupTrucks.com Related Links: Ford To Bring F-650/750 Production Back to U.S. Ford Offers Gas When Diesel Is Too Much "How do I get one?" was a frequently asked question at this month's Work Truck Show, where Ford Motor Co. parked a 2016 F-750 that resembled a life-size Tonka toy dump truck.The bespoke show model was not for sale but drew attention to Ford's new F-650/750 medium-duty trucks, which launched at the Indianapolis show, held on March 4-6, and go on
Photo courtesy Ritchie Bros. The five-day auction generated $179 million in gross proceeds. Related Links: Is That Old Loader Worth More Than You Thought? Equipment Dealers Jump Into the Auction Market More than 10,500 pieces of heavy equipment and trucks—a record number of lots—exchanged hands this month at Ritchie Bros.' annual unreserved sale in Orlando, Fla.The five-day auction attracted 4,350 on-site and 5,000 online bidders from 81 countries and generated $179 million in gross proceeds over course of the Feb. 16-20 event."We had a tremendous crowd … both on site and online," says Steve Kriebel, regional sales manager for Ritchie
Related Links: Caterpillar CEO: We Want To Stay in Peoria ENR Profile: Cat CEO Doug Oberhelman Caterpillar Inc. has unveiled a new headquarters campus in Peoria, Ill., that will include three office towers containing 1.9 million sq ft, sited on 31 acres along the city's riverfront.The heavy-equipment manufacturer is working with a design-build team of construction manager Turner Construction, architect Gensler and engineer Farnsworth Group to plan and execute the project, which covers six city blocks.Caterpillar's existing 500,000-sq-ft Peoria headquarters is nearly 50 years old and busting at the seams, with 2,200 office workers occupying the building today. Construction of
Related Links: Crane Operator Testing Will Continue, Examiners Say (ENR 10/6/2014 issue) [subscription] Testing Companies Debate OSHA Crane Operator Delay (ENR 03/24/2014 issue) [subscription] Leaders of a House committee are urging the Occupational Safety & Health Administration to revise its 2010 construction cranes and derricks rule, saying the language that spells out how operators are to be certified is problematic."We encourage you to work with the stakeholders to resolve the discrepancies," House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-Minn.) and Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), a subcommittee chair, told OSHA chief David Michaels in a Feb. 11 letter.At issue
Courtesy of Industrial Training International Online rigging engineering course allows students to go at their own pace. Related Links: Global Safety Audit Finds Spotty Rigging Practices Synthetic Hoist Rope Is 80% Lighter Than Steel When John Glinski heard about a new online course for rigging engineering, he knew he had to sign up."I wanted to increase my knowledge," says the 56-year-old Fluor Corp. employee and safety manager of cranes and rigging for Tappan Zee Constructors. "I wanted to know the engineering behind everything because it makes you a better rigger."Rigging engineering is not yet a recognized profession, but Glinski and
Related Links: Are Equipment Rentals Cyclical or Secular? Ten Minutes With Michael Kneeland, CEO of United Rentals United Rentals Inc., the Stamford, Conn.-based supplier of construction equipment, tools and industrial machinery, each year turns over about $1 billion of its total equipment fleet, valued today at an original equipment cost of $8.44 billion. This allows United's branches to dispose of used iron, introduce the latest models into the mix and command competitive rental rates. As a result, United, which booked $5.7 billion in gross revenue last year, is sometimes referred to as the largest used-equipment manufacturer in the world.As construction
Photo by Tudor Van Hampton / ENR Rear camera (left) and blind-spot sensor (at right) will be mounted flush when the Caterpillar TL1055D ships in May. Related Links: Proximity Alarms Gain Ground on Construction Machines Which Construction Machines Have the Biggest Blind Spots? According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, most work-zone fatalities are due to a heavy truck or machine striking a ground worker, and half those deaths occur when a vehicle is backing up. Contractors looking to improve safety are pushing machinery suppliers to offer object-detection technology, which is now common on new cars and
