Author: jmorgan

For decades, International brand medium-duty trucks have held between 25 and 50 percent of the total medium-duty truck business. Downed power lines, towing vehicles off the side of the highway, racing to a fire and hauling material are all jobs that International DuraStar tackles. It’s one of many product offerings Navistar (manufacturer of the International brand) is hyping to celebrate its 20 years as a market leader.

Over the next several weeks, dealer sales representatives from International dealerships across the United States and Canada are participating in a series of in-depth, comprehensive sales training events. Along with new insights into the features, benefits and service support for the International DuraStar and International TerraStar, these “boot camp” training sessions also include a deep-dive competitive analysis and a ride-and-drive opportunity of all leading medium-duty competitive products.

“To ensure our success, we constantly ask ourselves, can we raise the bar even higher?” said Jim Hebe, Navistar senior vice president, North American sales operations. “We have set high standards for how we perform because we have the products, dealers and support to exceed those standards.”

One way to raise the bar is with the all-new 6.4-liter MaxxForce 7, which includes a new rugged 300-hp, 660 lb-ft torque model that offers medium truck owners improved fuel economy and a low overall cost of ownership. The MaxxForce 7 powers all standard-cab models of the Class 6/7 DuraStar and the new Class 4/5 TerraStar commercial trucks.

That same engine is the heart of the new International TerraStar, including MaxxForce Advanced EGR emissions technology. With MaxxForce Advanced EGR, customers won’t have the worry or inconvenience of finding or filling liquid urea. And, with no added SCR aftertreatment equipment, the TerraStar provides a clean, clear chassis for easy body and equipment mounting, with no added weight.

“International medium-duty trucks have been the benchmark in the industry for past three decades and have served as the foundation of global transportation,” said Hebe. “With our innovative, dependable line-up of products and customer-focused support capabilities, we have no intention of relinquishing our leadership position in this important segment.”

With November midterm elections bearing down on our elected officials, Congressmen and women are making the rounds and pressing the flesh on their campaign trails. U.S. Representative David Reichert recently visited the Terex AWP Redmond, Wash., campus to get acquainted with Genie and Terex products and how they are used. It also gave Terex a chance to encourage him to support legislation that would benefit both the business and construction industry. 
 
Joe Krider, Terex Vice President Strategic Accounts & Government Affairs, discussed several issues, including tax credit parity for technology such as the Terex HyPower hybrid system, the importance of trade agreements and tariff reductions, and the critical need for comprehensive long-term infrastructure planning and investment for America. The Congressman agreed with the need for developing an overall Infrastructure vision as well as the need for improved trade agreements to encourage domestic manufacturing and exports.

“We shared a compelling message and came away with verbal support from Congressman Reichert for issues that are important for us and our customers,” said Rusty Pugh, Government sales manager, who arranged the visit. “I’m quite proud of our collaborative effort. We hope to continue the relationship with Congressman Reichert and plan to discuss topics such as foreign trade in the future.”

After the presentations, the Congressman stepped out on to the plant mezzanine where he was given a plant overview by Operations Director Neal Nowick. Reichert said he was impressed with the lean manufacturing system and found that the Terex value of “Servant Leadership” resonated with him.

The meeting concluded with Reichert ascending in a Genie Z-45 boom, where he could get a better view of his district.

In 2010, the smart phone is the new laptop. Business has moved from the desktop to the palm of your hand. For small business trying to juggle the flow of critical information, there’s a new mobile app designed to make popular business forms available on the go.  Deluxe Corp. and Canvas announced today a pilot program that will deliver Deluxe’s most popular paper forms to its small business customers with a smart phone application designed to run on Android, Windows Mobile and Blackberry, as well as laptops, netbooks and tablet-based computing devices. During the pilot, the apps are available at the Canvas Mobile App Store and will be free for a limited time.

“The goal is to provide small business with innovative solutions that make it easier to manage and grow their businesses,” said Ed Wolfe, strategic alliances manager for Deluxe Corp. “Our new mobile apps offer small businesses a whole new way to fill-out and manage their paperwork – from service estimates to work orders – quickly and easily.”

Using a smart phone, small businesses can collect information, which then can be: 
• Sent wirelessly to clients’ email addresses;
• Automatically forwarded to the appropriate departments within a company (e.g. Accounting, Operations, etc);
• Viewed online later, where users can create their own custom reports;
• Downloaded into Excel or other reporting tools for further analysis; and
• Integrated into a user’s back-office system like QuickBooks or others

"The apps are easy to use, economical and offer greater flexibility than paper forms," said Wolfe. “With the Canvas technology, we can offer additional functions not available on a paper form, such as photo capture. The apps are also able to accommodate e-signatures, and time and date stamps.”

If in-use non-road emissions regulations may be in your future or if you face other emissions requirements by way of bid specifications or green construction sites, you’re likely asking yourself what you can do with Tier 0 and Tier 1 equipment in your fleet. There are a number of options, including repower and machine replacement.

Some emissions requirements restrict the use of lower tier machines based on their higher particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxide NOx emissions. Unfortunately, installing retrofit filters can’t upgrade a Tier 0 or Tier 1 engine to the equivalent of Tier 3 or Interim Tier 4 levels. Tier 0 and Tier 1 engines have PM levels that prohibit the effective use of diesel particulate filters.

Repowering older equipment with higher tier engines may be an option, but you’ll want to consider the investment involved to purchase a new engine for an older machine. Beyond the purchase expense itself, Tier 3 engines generate more heat; this requires larger cooling systems that don’t always fit into older machines.  Rearranging components may not be worth the expense for machines with a limited remaining service life. Your equipment dealer can help determine if repowering is a viable option for you.

Another repower option worthy of investigating is replacing Tier 0 or Tier 1 engines with remanufactured Tier 3 engines. Purchasing remanufactured engines is not only a less expensive alternative to buying new engines, but can help lower your fleet emissions average, a key measurement in complying with some emissions requirements, particularly as the economy rebounds.

Also consider renting higher-tier units from your dealer. Be sure to look for equipment dealers who carry a variety of late-model equipment with newer engines available for long- or short-term rental.

Fleets that resolve Tier 0 and 1 machine compliance issues early will have the greatest opportunity for trading or re-sale. Auction companies or other used equipment sellers may be interested in your machine.

This series of fleet sustanability tips is provided by John Deere. See your local John Deere dealer if you have question about fleet emissions compliance.

Despite a downturn in overall construction activity, private nonresidential construction spending was up 0.8 percent in July – the first increase since March 2009. That, according to the September 1 report by the U.S. Census Bureau. However, on year-over-year basis, private nonresidential construction spending is down 23.7 percent. Total nonresidential construction spending – which includes both privately and publicly financed construction – was down 0.3 percent compared to June and 16.6 percent from a year ago. Total nonresidential construction spending now stands at $554.6 billion, reports the Associated Builders and Contractors Inc.

Six of the 16 nonresidential construction subsectors posting increases in spending for the month including power-related, up 6.4 percent; communication, 4.8 percent higher; and amusement and recreation-related construction, up 4.6 percent. Three subsectors had increases compared to the same time last year including conservation and development, up 12.2 percent; sewage and waste disposal, 9.9 percent higher; and water supply-related construction, up 1.2 percent.

In contrast, 10 subsectors posting decreases from June to July include conservation and development, down 12.9 percent; religious-related, 6.7 percent lower; manufacturing, down 4.9 percent; highway and street, down 2.8 percent; and commercial construction, down 2.8 percent. Those subsectors posting the largest year-over-year decreases were lodging, down 53.7 percent; manufacturing, 34.7 percent lower; and office construction, down 33.6 percent.

Meantime, residential construction spending was down 2.5 percent compared to June, but up 6 percent compared to July 2009. Public nonresidential construction spending was down 1.3 percent for the month and 8.6 percent lower from the same time last year. Overall, total construction spending – which include both residential and nonresidential – was down for the third straight month at 1 percent in July, and is down 10.7 percent from July 2009.
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Even though BP’s Deepwater Horizon has been capped, clean up efforts continue in the Gulf coast and Thompson Pump Co. is there to help. Within a few days of the incident, Thompson Pump Co. mobilized its Emergency Response Team (ERT) to provide pumping equipment, supplies, manpower and a wealth of tactical knowledge to areas devastated by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Once the extent and location of the potential damages were ascertained, Thompson Pump began supplying pumps and equipment throughout areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida currently or imminently impacted by the oil spill. Thompson’s ERT is currently skimming in both deep and shallow waters throughout the Gulf as well as in rivers and streams in the bayous and marshes in order to help minimize the devastation. Thompson Pump is slated to have as many as one hundred pumps, along with hoses and specialized skimming devices, to facilitate oil containment, recovery and transfer.

“Although this challenge is significant and extensive, Thompson Pump has the experience and equipment necessary to assist in the long-term restoration of our waters and our shoreline,” says Bill Thompson, President of Thompson Pump. “We are allocating enormous resources to attack this problem with the intention of enabling the citizens in the affected areas to resume their normal lives as quickly as possible.”
 
Thompson Pump branch locations in Hammond, La., Jackson, Miss., Pass Christian, Miss., Pensacola, Fla., and Panama City, Fla. are all directly involved with this project. These locations, along with the aid of the Thompson Pump nationwide network of branches, are providing equipment, service and support to aid in the environmental restoration efforts. Thompson Pump is working closely with contractors who are tasked with various areas of clean-up responsibilities.

YeeHAW! The 16th annual National Gas Rodeo is rolling into Fairview Heights, Ill., this September and Case Construction Equipment is proud to sponsor the event at the platinum level. What is a gas rodeo you ask? It’s an event that offers an opportunity for gas crews from around the country to showcase their professional skills. The rodeo features two- and four-person teams, made up of elite utility crews from across the United States, to compete against each other in a variety of events using construction equipment and other tools of the trade.

“We’re pleased to be a platinum-level sponsor of this year’s rodeo,” said Rob Marringa, Case marketing manager. “Case has a long-term sponsorship agreement for the rodeo to demonstrate our commitment to this important segment. Utility operators require equipment that can dig deep, move heavy materials, have a light footprint and provide precise underground operation.”

The rodeo showcases safety practices and team events using equipment in natural gas installations, demonstrating the skills of the operators – with the help of Case equipment. Loader/backhoes and excavators are integral machines used for utility and infrastructure projects across the United States.

Check out this cool video from the 2009 National Gas Rodeo of the Piedmont Natural Gas four-man crew digging a quadruple bypass in a hurry:

The Midwest Energy Association (MEA) produces the National Gas Rodeo, with the support of the American Gas Association, the American Public Gas Association and the Southern Gas Association. For additional information on the National Gas Rodeo, visit www.nationalgasrodeo.org.

Are you ready for some football?! Honda is with its official Collegiate Skinit Kit, an innovative accessory available exclusively for the popular Honda EU2000i Super Quiet Series portable generator. The Collegiate Skinit Kit consists of a line of thin, flexible generator covers, each imprinted with official team logos and graphics from one of 26 different college football teams. 

“The Collegiate Skinit Kits allow owners of Honda EU2000i generators to customize their models,” said Kathleen Tyndall, manager of product planning and marketing, Honda Power Equipment.  “Avid sports fans can show their team colors at tailgate parties, picnics and even on the job – wherever a Honda EU2000i generator provides quiet, clean, portable power.”

Any die-hard college alumni fan will attest that regardless of the venue – a tailgating party, a campsite, a worksite, a marina or at home – missing the big game is never an option.  Fortunately, small, quiet generators like the Honda EU2000i Super Quiet model provide the dependable power source that enables fans to watch their favorite teams from the most remote of locations. The Honda EU2000i generator is an inverter-equipped, lightweight model that features a totally enclosed body resulting in noticeably quieter performance.  Designed for the ultimate in quality, portability and convenience, this 2000 watt model, weighing less than 47 lbs., can be easily carried and conveniently stored in small recreational vehicle compartments.  What’s more, it can simultaneously power a computer, TV, coffee pot and refrigerator.

The Honda Collegiate Skinit Kits for the EU2000i are available for the following teams:

-Big Ten:  Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue.
-SEC:  Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi and Tennessee.
-Pac 10:  Oregon, UCLA, USC, Washington and Washington State.
-ACC:  Boston College, Florida State, NC State and Miami.
-Big 12:  Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M.
-Independent:  Notre Dame. 

July was a good month for truck companies. U.S. retail sales of medium-duty trucks -- Classes 3-7 -- jumped 54.5 percent in July from the corresponding month a year ago, the largest year-over-year gain since mid-2005 and the biggest sales month this year, WardsAuto.com reported.

Medium-duty sales were 24,586 units in July, and the total sold this year through July was 148,103, a 23.9 percent increase from the same 2009 period, Ward’s said. The year-over-year gain was the biggest since July 2005, when sales grew 54.8 percent from the previous July.

The biggest gain in the new report was in Class 3, which more than doubled from 2009. Class 5 sales increased more than 75 percent, while Class 6 trucks had a 20.5 percent sales gain. On the other hand, sales of Class 4 trucks dropped 61.7 percent, while Class 7 sales slipped 0.9 percent.

Through the first seven months of this year, Class 7 sales are down 4.6 percent, while Class 6 sales are up 46.4 precent and Class 5s are up 16.3 percent.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been holding stakeholders meetings around the country to gather information about Injury and Illness Prevention Programs, which OSHA refers to as I2P2, reports the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) vice president of safety George Kennedy. The meetings are informal and OSHA is collecting information to develop a rule that it claims will help employers reduce workplace injuries and illnesses through a systematic process that proactively addresses workplace safety and health hazards. 

For years, NUCA has promoted the use of OSHA’s 1989 Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines, which are voluntary guidelines. The elements included in the guidelines have been used by many companies to create successful safety programs. The elements include: Management commitment and employee involvement; worksite analysis; hazard prevention and control; safety training; emergency procedures; and recordkeeping.

OSHA intends to create a rule that will require all employers to develop and implement Injury and Illness Prevention Programs for their companies, according to Kennedy. The agency believes an OSHA rule would encourage employers to proactively address workplace safety and health hazards.

It appears that the I2P2 rule would include the following elements, which are similar to the 1989 guidelines but more detailed and specific:

-Management duties, including items such as establishing a policy, setting goals, planning and allocating resources and assigning and communicating roles and responsibilities.

-Employee participation, including items such as involving employees in establishing, maintaining and evaluating the program, employee access to safety and health information and employee role in incident investigations.

-Hazard identification and assessment, including items such as what hazards must be identified, information gathering, workplace inspections, incident investigations, hazards associated with changes in the workplace, emergency hazards, hazard assessment and prioritization and hazard identification tools.

-Hazard prevention and control, including items such as what hazards must be controlled, hazard control priorities and the effectiveness of the controls.

-Education and training, including items such as content of training, relationship to other OSHA training requirements and periodic training.

-Program evaluation and improvement, including items such as monitoring performance, correcting program deficiencies and improving program performance.

"If your company does not have a safety program in place, now is a good time to start one. If your company has a program in place, audit it annually and keep it up to date," says Kennedy. "Whether OSHA creates or drops the idea of rulemaking, your company can benefit from having a safety and health program in place. Implementing a safety program today that fits your company is a win-win situation so why not do it and show OSHA that employers do not need OSHA rules to show them how to do the right thing."