New product announcements: 10/07/2009 Blast-Resistant Panels: Steel-Laminated DensArmor Plus high-performance interior panels are laminated with galvanized steel to provide blast protection without adding excessive structural weight. The reinforced panels are intended to serve as added protection in courthouses, federal buildings and other high-security facilities. Georgia Pacific Gypsum; 800-225-6119; www.gp.com Engine-Driven Welder: Frame Made for Easy Transport The Outback 145 engine-driven welder is able to provide DC-stick welding power and AC-generator power. The welder can accept a stick electrode up to 1⁄8 in. and can provide up to 145 amps of output. The tube frame has wider diameter tubes and lower lift
In Japan, space comes at a premium, so it is no surprise that small drills rule the jobsite there. Contractors here are now warming up fast to Japan’s small, torque-heavy impact drivers. Impact guns are not just for mechanics anymore. In Japan, cordless impacts have a staggering 95% share because of ergonomics and available accessories, according to Baltimore-based DeWalt. Convincing workers here that they are tough enough is a challenge: This year, both DeWalt and Milwaukee came out with hardened bits designed for cordless impacts, because their less-expensive, traditional bits snap under the pressure. Photo: DeWalt More trades are warming
New product announcements: 09/30/2009 Utility Vehicle Storage covers: Lockable Tonneau covers previously intended for pickup trucks are now available in models designed for Kubota RTVs and John Deere Gators. The lockable bed covers are capable of supporting up to 250 lb of tie-down weight. Other Diamondback UTV accessories include roofs, floor mats, bumpers, arm guards and rear-bed racks. All the accessories are available in both uncoated polished aluminum and black with protective coatings. Diamondback Truck Covers; 800-935-4002; www.diamondbackutv.com Residential Backup Generator: Lightweight The RS20000 from Cummins Onan is a backup generator for residential use. It features engine and alternator heaters for
Last month, Ford executive Mark Fields underscored the importance of the company’s new work truck, ironically by botching a speech. Calling the truck an “essential” tool for fleet owners, the Americas division president said at the State Fair of Texas, “If the truck doesn’t do its job, [owners] don’t get paid. And these are the people that are building and maintaining the infrastructure of our company—of, of our country.” Photo: Ford The 2011 Super Duty meets clean-diesel regulations that kick in next year. In addition to a new, 6.7L turbodiesel, Ford offers a new, dual-spark-plug 6.2L gas engine, while a
Last fall, Manitowoc Inc. was flying high. The 107-year-old fabricator had just wrapped up two years of factory upgrades worth roughly $70 million and was popping out construction cranes for record sales and backlogs worth more than $3 billion. It also had started building its biggest crane ever—the Model 31000—a massive, 2,500-ton rig with a $30-million price tag. Photo: Tudor Van Hampton / ENR The giant crane’s lowerworks are powered by two 600-hp Cummins diesels and stand firm on four trunnion-mounted tracks. Tellock says Manitiwoc may apply its patented designs to other rigs. Related Links: Heavy Lifter: Manitowoc Builds Its
New product announcements: 09/23/2009 Pipeline Inspection Camera: Easily Transfer Image and Video The Envirosight Agilios Pan/Tilt Push Camera is a self-leveling pipeline-inspection camera that features an integrated 800-pixel x 600-pixel display. The 3-in.-dia camera is able to inspect past multiple 90° bends in pipes 3 ½-in. and larger. The wheeled aluminum frame can hold up to 300 ft of push rod. The Agilios is able to save either image files or digital video to an internal hard disk, removable USB drives or Xpress card. The Agilios also features Bluetooth connectivity for recording audio narration with a wireless headset. Envirosight LLC; 866-936-8476;
The perfect storm that sent liquid asphalt prices through the roof in the summer of 2008, creating angst amid road builders and public-sector officials alike, has given way to an outlook for 2010 of stable prices, lower demand levels and less volatility going forward. Since their peak in summer 2008, liquid asphalt prices—the key factor in the cost of asphalt paving mixes—have dropped by nearly half this summer, sources say. The nationwide squeeze on road funding and the general lydown economy will likely keep prices moderate and reduce volatility in asphalt paving mixes through 2010. Source: McGraw-Hill Platts. Liquid Asphalt
China went on a commodity buying binge during the last eight months, snapping up materials that had tumbled from record high levels during the first quarter of 2008 to bargain prices by the beginning of this year. The Chinese purchases were so significant that they were primarily responsible for the recent rebound in global prices for a number of commodities, say industry sources. Photo: iStock Photo China is buying copper ingots and stockpiling it in warehouses and ports. Source: IHS Global Insight Related Links: Competition Intensifies as Recession Deepens Industry Has Little Confidence About Near-Term Market Gains Medical Costs Trump
The U.S. Dept. of Commerce has imposed import duties of up to 31% on steel pipe from China, agreeing with a complaint filed by American producers and steelworkers that the imports were unfairly subsidized by China’s government. The average duties on the pipe, used in oil and gas wells and known in the industry as oil-country tubular products, will be 21.3%, according to Commerce. Roughly $2.8 billion in Chinese steel pipe is imported annually, but industry analysts say that could fall off sharply, or even completely, because of the tariffs. That drop could help complainant U.S. Steel and other domestic
Bernie Maez is frustrated by the lack of alternatives to higher-costing trucks and equipment. “We are always looking for ways to save fuel, but nothing is really working yet,” he says. So instead of buying new, alternative vehicles, the director of fleet maintenance for Denver International Airport hopes to save money and pollute less by retrofitting older ones. Next month, he plans to begin testing a 2002 Chevy Silverado 2500 pickup truck fitted with a hydraulic hybrid kit that weighs just 250 lb. Photo: Lightning Hybrids Inc. Hydraulic Pumps Supply Power for the first 30 mph, a critical range for
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