Conexpo news highlights

Doosan Infracore Portable Power showed off a mobile security tower, the MVS-6, which will film and record any site where security is important. It is powered by a combination of diesel and solar power, and the company says it will operate for up to one month on a fuel tank of fuel. If there isn't any natural light, the diesel engine will keep it working for 80 days. In addition to its camera (which can pan and zoom, controlled remotely by the operator), the tower can also emit a wi-fi cloud for local internet connection. The towbar is removable as an anti-theft measure, and list price will be around US$50000.

New Holland president and CEO Giuseppe Fano announced a major expansion of the company's North American manufacturing plants at ConExpo. Mr Fano said the company's plant in Burlington, Iowa would start to manufacture its new backhoe loaders - B90B, B95B, B110B and B115B - later this year. Its Calhoum, Georgia facility, which manufactures excavators, will also be getting a boost to productivity with a US$ 5 million factory expansion, while the existing training facilities will receive US$ 1.5 million as the company expands its dealer training. The expanded training facility will eventually offer customer training, added Mr Fano.

Marcel Claude Braud, chief executive officer of Manitou, stands in front of the biggest telehandler on show at ConExpo, the company's new MHT 10210 telehandler, given its worldwide launch at ConExpo. The 10210 has a 46000 lb (21 t) maximum capacity and 11000 lb (5 t) capacity at its maximum forward reach of 19 ft (5.8 m). Meanwhile, Serge Bosche, president of Manitou North America, said he expected the downturn in telehandler sales of 2007 to continue into 2008.

Wacker Neuson is to increase its investment in its rental operations in Germany and Eastern Europe, but reaffirmed its strategy of not renting in markets like the US and western Europe where it already sells equipment to rental companies. Dr George Sick, president and chief executive officer of Wacker Neuson, speaking at the company's press conference during Conexpo, said the company would invest €30 million in its rental businesses in Europe this year compared to €25 million in 2007. "The trend", said Dr Sick, "is for the investment to go to Poland and the Czech Republic - eastern Europe. In these countries [rental] is new, there is no conflict [with rental customers.]" He said there was no question of Wacker starting to rent in the US or in western European markets.

Aichi Corp aerial platforms are to be distributed in North America by Toyota Material Handling USA (TMHU) from this summer onwards, revealed the company at Conexpo. Toyota, which is Aichi's parent company, will use the strength of its US forklift company to provide Aichi with a nationwide sales and service network. TMHU has 40000 industrial forklifts in service in North America and also manufactures forklifts at a facility in Columbus, Indiana.