Topic: Breaking News

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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Doosan Portable Power has decades of experience engineering mobile power and light sources of all sizes. Lately, the company's been concentrating on shrinking the smart technologies of their bigger units into a smaller and concise package.

Enter the LSC (LightSource Compact), designed with class-leading durability and reliability to meet the rigorous standards of smaller rental and construction markets. The new LSC is ideal for illumination of special events, road and bridge construction, emergency and disaster relief and general construction sites. The LSC portable light tower focuses on features in a compact platform, great for jobsite mobility as well as truckload maximization with eleven fully-assembled units on a standard flatbed for cost-effective transportation. The LSC also utilizes up to 20 percent less space during storage and full operational deployment on a jobsite compared to the industry average, while maintaining its wind stability, static roll threshold and 30-ft extension capabilities.

Four 1,000-watt metal-halide floodlights provide a NEMA 6 x 7 beam spread for better light distribution and area coverage. The fixture design with a side-mounted/horizontally positioned bulb in each rectangular floodlight provides broad light distribution of 460 foot-candles. Cast-aluminum fixture housings include a separate reflector that lowers the risk of disruptive light distribution and offers a robust light. The small footprint of the floodlights reduces wind load.

The heavy-duty galvanized steel tower of the LSC extends from 12 to 30 ft and the mast is raised by dual, hand-operated winches and an automatic safety brake. Curly cord protection within the steel shroud along the first section of the tower prevents pinch or puncture damage. At full mast and with all four outrigger/jacks secured, the unit will withstand winds up to 65 mph. The telescoping tower can be rotated 360 degrees and locked into position for precise aiming of floodlights. For traveling and storage, a patented system automatically locks the tower into place when in the horizontal position.

The LSC light tower is equipped with a Mitsubishi L3E 1,800-rpm water-cooled Tier 4 Final engine. The engine, along with a 4.5-kW generator and 27 gal fuel tank, provides up to 52 hours of continuous operation. The new light tower is backed by an industry-leading factory warranty providing 2-year/2,000-hour bumper-to-bumper coverage.

Options available for the LSC include dual electric winches with an automatic safety stop, a low fuel shutdown with indicator light and a block heater. Two optional hitches are also available -- a combination hitch with a 2 ½-in. pintle eye and a 2-in. ball or a hitch with a 3-in. pintle eye.

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.

Cat Auction Services continues to move across the United States, putting previously-owned equipment into the hands of hardworking contractors. Cat Auction Services has announced it will hold an unreserved public auction in Denver, Colo., on Thurs., Sept. 30. Coming on the heels of heavy construction and agricultural equipment auctions in Des Moines, Iowa, and Omaha, Neb., Cat Auction Services wilil return to Colorado for the first time since its successful Grand Junction auction in early 2009.

The event will be held at the TARCO Inc. headquarters (4781 West 58th Avenue in Arvada, Colo.) and will feature a broad assortment of heavy construction equipment from multiple consigners including a complete dispersal for TARCO Inc. The auction will begin at 9 a.m. local time. More than 200 pieces of large equipment and a broad selection of smaller items and shop equipment have been consigned to the Denver auction thus far and more items are being added daily.

The event is expected to generate interest from across the United States and around the world. Potential buyers are invited to view the entire equipment list and detailed TA-1 level inspection reports online prior to the event by visiting www.catauctions.com. Real-time online bidding will be available on the day of the auction through the company’s website. Participants are encouraged to register early.

“In this business you need to take the time to get to know the people behind the consignments,” explained Cat Auction Services president Rick Albin. “One of our strengths is that we establish close relationships with business owners and help them manage their equipment inventories. Because we’re made up of a group of Caterpillar dealer partners, we know the business inside and out. I encourage anyone who has an interest in quality equipment to come out and see what we have to offer.”

Gary Trettel, chief financial officer and general manager, noted that the Denver auction will include a wide range of loaders, compactors, backhoes, motor scrapers, trucks and trailers from a variety of manufacturers like Caterpillar, Volvo, Case and Komatsu.

“We invite the people of the Denver area to stop out and see how we have raised the bar in the auction industry,” said Trettel. “The video on our Leaderboard display gives our buyers — both on-site and online — the ability to see each piece of equipment in action. That, combined with our detailed inspection reports, helps them accurately gauge the value of the item and make a confident bidding decision.”

The Leaderboard is Cat Auction Services’ high-impact display screen located at the front of the auction theater, and the feedback the company has received has been extraordinarily positive. Cat Auction Services entered the heavy equipment auction arena in late 2008 and has been active across the country. The recent auction in Omaha generated over $6 million in sales. By conducting auctions that provide value to both the buyers and sellers, Cat Auction Services complements and enhances the relationship between Cat dealers and their customers. More information about the company and consigning equipment to the September auction can be found at www.catauctions.com.

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.

JCB is always one of the first construction equipment manufacturers to step up and support great causes. Chairman Sir Anthony Bamford just pledged assistance worth $250,000 to help in the reconstruction effort in the wake of the devastating floods in Pakistan.

He is donating two high specification 4CX backhoe loaders with attachments to the stricken country where the worst floods in decades have left millions people homeless and where rebuilding costs are expected to be in the region of $17 billion.

“Britain has been leading the way with the level of its donations to Pakistan, and as a British manufacturer I am keen for us to help in any way possible and hope that JCB’s donation of machines can assist in some small way,” explained Sir Anthony.

It is not the first time that JCB has helped Pakistan in times of natural disaster. After the 2005 earthquake the company donated excavators to help in the clean-up operation.

Earlier this year JCB donated equipment to help the disaster relief effort in Haiti following the devastating earthquake that killed around 220,000 people. This was followed by assistance worth $100,000 to help in the rebuilding efforts in the wake of the Chilean earthquake disaster. Sir Anthony donated a 3C backhoe loader complete with attachments and spare parts to help with reconstruction efforts in the country’s second city Concepcion which was hit by an 8.8-magnitude quake, killing more than 700 people.

The contribution to the aid effort follows a series of other JCB machinery donations in recent years to other parts of the world hit by natural disasters, including the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan Province in China, when six backhoe loaders worth over $600,000 and a team of operators were sent from the company’s factory in Shanghai to help the clear-up effort in the region. JCB also donated machines to help in the aftermath of the Asian Tsunami in 2004.

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. 

Golf fans and non-golf fans alike are welcome at the 46th Bobcat North Dakota State Open, Aug. 26-29 at the Fargo Country Club. Many top professional and amateur golfers from the Upper Midwest will take part in one of the final stops on the Dakotas Tour before the tour championship. Dakotas Tour veterans include Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters Tournament champion. The annual event benefits The Village Family Service Center, a nonprofit human-service agency that serves children and families throughout North Dakota and Minnesota. Spectator admission is free and we’re sure you’ll see some cool Bobcat machinery around the course. 

The Schedule:

Thursday, August 26
All day Practice rounds
6 p.m. Pro-junior par 3 event

Friday, August 27
7:30 – 9:30 a.m. Friday round 1 tee times
Noon – 2:30 p.m. Friday round 1 tee times

Saturday, August 28
7:30 – 9:30 a.m. Saturday round 2 tee times
Noon – 2:30 p.m. Saturday round 2 tee times

Sunday, August 29
7:30 a.m. Tee times start (final pairing typically tees off about 11:30 a.m.)
6 p.m. Awards ceremony

For registration and tournament information, please contact The Fargo Country Club Golf Shop at (701) 237-6746.  Visit Bobcat North Dakota Open for more information.

The Associated Builders and Contractors are always fighting the good fight. Yesterday, ABC celebrated a victory, announcing it was successful in having a mandatory project labor agreement removed from the bidding process for the construction of an Armed Forces Reserve center in Camden, N. J.

In response to a bid protest filed with the Government Accountability Office by ABC member Wu & Associates Inc. of Cherry Hill, N. J., with ABC support and representation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers eliminated a solicitation requirement that would have limited the pool of qualified bidders to contractors willing to sign onto a federal construction project covered by a controversial government-mandated project labor agreement.

“Our company and other quality New Jersey businesses deserve a fair opportunity to provide the public with the best construction product at the best price,” said Wu and Associates President Kirby Wu, AIA. “The wasteful and discriminatory project labor agreement would have cut competition from qualified merit shop contractors and their skilled employees. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ decision is a real win for all taxpayers, as well as for the people of New Jersey.”

“We hope that other federal agencies will heed this example and recognize that discriminatory project labor agreements only result in increased costs, delayed construction and harm to taxpayers,” said ABC president and CEO Kirk Pickerel. “ABC will continue to fight any attempt to impose project labor agreements on federal construction projects in violation of competitive bidding laws.”

A project labor agreement is a special interest scheme that discourages competition from nonunion contractors and their nonunion employees by requiring a construction project to be awarded only to contractors and subcontractors that agree to recognize unions as the representatives of their employees on that job; use the union hall to obtain workers; obey the union’s restrictive apprenticeship and work rules; and contribute to union pension plans and other funds in which their nonunion employees will never benefit unless they join a union.