World Construction Week - 3 September 2008

Construction News

CE Barometer August 2008: Gloom deepens

Sentiment about the European construction sector softened further in August, with current activity falling and prospects for the future weakening. Chris Sleight reports.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/construction-europe/detail/item27093/

European construction output slips

Mid-year data from Eurostat shows construction activity in the EU27 was –1,8% lower at the end of June than it was a year previously.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/construction-europe/detail/item27111/

US equipment exports soar +24%

Exports of US-built construction equipment were up +24% in the first half of the year, compared to the same period in 2007.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/international-construction/detail/item27176/

Vinci: contracting drives revenues, concessions drive profits

Vinci, the world's largest construction company had revenues of € 15,7 billion in the first half of the year. This was a +15% increase on January to June 2007. Its operating profit was up +12% to € 1,46 billion.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/construction-europe/detail/item27177/

Indian equipment market to overtake Japan in two years

The Indian construction equipment market is set to grow +14% this year according to the latest report from Off-Highway Research. Last year's record volume of 50366 units is forecast to rise to 57350 machines in 2008.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/international-construction/detail/item27179/

Te Wero Bridge designs unveiled

Auckland City Council, New Zealand has selected a design by Hyder Consulting, Denton Corker Marshall and Kenneth Grubb Associates as the winner of an international design competition for the Te Wero Bridge.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/international-construction/detail/item27183/

New contracting alliance for Abu Dhabi's Tameer Towers development

The Al Habtoor Leighton Group has entered into an AED 6.4 billion (US$ 1.74 billion) alliance contract to construct Abu Dhabi-based Tameer Holdings' Tameer Towers.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/international-construction/detail/item27186/

Crane and Transport News

Stichter named crane manager

Rick Stichter has been named crane manager for Southern Industrial Constructors/Southern Crane

http://www.khl.com/magazines/american-cranes-and-transport/detail/item27050/

Link-Belt expansion

Link-Belt has opened its expanded production facilities in Lexington, Kentucky, USA

http://www.khl.com/magazines/american-cranes-and-transport/detail/item27079/

Boecker AHK 30/1600 trailer crane

US-based CraneTech Solutions has introduced a new trailer crane, the AHK 30/1600, to North America

http://www.khl.com/magazines/american-cranes-and-transport/detail/item27081/

Continental Crane appointed Kobelco dealer

Los Angeles, US-based Continental Crane Co. has been appointed Kobelco distributor for the West Coast

http://www.khl.com/magazines/american-cranes-and-transport/detail/item27148/

LCR Lindores sold to Champ

A 90% stake in Australian crane company LCR Lindores has been acquired by Champ Private Equity

http://www.khl.com/magazines/american-cranes-and-transport/detail/item27178/

New US boom from Elliott

Elliott Equipment in the US has launched a new 40 US ton (36 tonne) capacity boom truck

http://www.khl.com/magazines/international-cranes-and-specialized-transport/detail/item27194/

Rental News

Israel Celli returns to industry with Case Construction

Ex-JLG Industries sales executive Israel Celli is returning to the construction equipment industry with Case Construction Equipment as vice president sales and marketing for the European region. He will report directly to Case's chief executive officer and president Jim McCullough.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/international-rental-news/detail/item27107/

Developing markets fuel Aggreko revenue growth

Aggreko has shrugged off US and European economic problems to post a 28.4% increase revenues to £407.7 million for the first six months of the year and a rise in pre-tax profits of 41.9% to £67.9 million.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/international-rental-news/detail/item27109/

Boels enters surveying market with POL acquisition

Boels Verhuur BV in the Netherlands has acquired POL Geotechniek BV, a surveying equipment sales company based in Andelst, The Netherlands. POL is dealer for Leica Geosystems and sells other surveying and GPS equipment brands such Mikrolaser, 3D-win and Motorola.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/international-rental-news/detail/item27116/

Freek Nijdam dies after illness

Freek Nijdam, the Atlas Copco executive and former chief executive officer of RSC Equipment Rental, has died aged 67 following an illness.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/international-rental-news/detail/item27146/

Ashtead still growing in US and UK

Ashtead Group said its A-Plant and Sunbelt Rentals businesses performed well in the quarter to 31 July with revenues growing and utilisation levels maintained despite both having significantly larger fleets.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/international-rental-news/detail/item27175/

GAM to open up in Mexico and Brazil

Spanish rental company GAM is to establish rental businesses in Mexico this month and in Brazil before the end of the year. The new openings are part of the internationalization strategy that has already seen the company establish operations in Portugal, Romania, Bulgaria and Poland.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/international-rental-news/detail/item27192/

Access and Telehandler News

Spider climbs Denver condos

Three high rise Denver condos create interesting challenges for Spider.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/american-lift-and-handlers/detail/item27027/

MEC announces personnel changes

MEC adds Gary Crook as director of new product development and Rob Hime has been appointed to its sales team.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/american-lift-and-handlers/detail/item27038/

Lavendon says demand holding up and manufacturers being 'responsible'

Lavendon Group said that demand in Europe for its aerial platforms had been maintained in the first six months of the year, with the exception of Spain where a softening of the market and signs of oversupply have led the company to reduce its fleet size. Demand in the UK was down marginally but still strong.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/access-international/detail/item27113/

Hinowa shows 23 m spider prototype at Platformers' Days

Spider specialist Hinowa has launched a 23.2 m maximum working height spider, the LightLift 23.12. The 3000 kg machine is the Italian company's tallest ever, and it offers 11.4 m of maximum outreach as well.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/access-international/detail/item27144/

Power-Lift new German distributor for Oil&Steel

Oil&Steel has named Power-Lift as its master distributor in Germany. The move finalises the Italian manufacturer's efforts to meaningfully enter that market and clearly puts to an end the Oil&Steel Deutschland "brand", an effort launched about a year ago.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/access-international/detail/item27159/

Italian access into Germany

Manufacturer Gigieffe in Italy is building the presence of its Airo line of access platforms in the German market. It appointed two sales agents, Thomas Kaufmann and Andreas Zelmer, in July, and has named five service reps since February, Alessandro Manini, area manager for export, told AI.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/access-international/detail/item27163/

New 22.5 m scissor from PB

Specialist manufacturer PB Lifttechnik has extended its ES series with a 22.5 m working height model, the S225-12ES. It is the German company's tallest scissor, and the tallest in the world having a 1.2 m width, it said.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/access-international/detail/item27166/

Denka Lift 12 m returns

Worldlift Industries in Denmark has re-introduced its 12 m working height Denka Lift DK12, calling it the MkII. Maximum payload of the 1800 kg machine is 200 kg and maximum outreach is 8 m.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/access-international/detail/item27169/

IPAF & ARA cooperate on access research

The American Rental Association (ARA) and the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) are cooperating on a study of the powered access market in North America.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/access-international/detail/item27172/

Platform Sales Europe grows sales offerings and staff

Distributor and trading company Platform Sales Europe will offer the full range of scissor lift specialist Holland Lift in all 20 countries it operates, Arjan Roelse told AI. Platform Sales has ordered about 15 units from Holland Lift and will sell from its inventory.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/access-international/detail/item27181/

Demolition News

Bobcat upgrades telehandlers

Bobcat has recently completed an engineering and design programme that has introduced new features on all of its 12 model range of telescopic handlers.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/demolition-and-recycling-international/detail/item27152/

Cat adds tracked loaders

Caterpillar has extended its range of rubber-tracked compact loaders through the addition of the 9,892 lb (4,487 kg) 279C, 10,365 lb (4,702 kg) 289C and 10,730 lb (4,867 kg) 299C models.

http://www.khl.com/magazines/demolition-and-recycling-international/detail/item27154/

Topcut underground

A Topcut concrete processor from Wimmer Hartstahl GmbH proved the ideal solution during renovation work on the Tanzberg road tunnel in Austria

http://www.khl.com/magazines/demolition-and-recycling-international/detail/item27157/