Cashman Equipment Co., Nevada’s Caterpillar dealer, recently inaugurated its new multimillion-dollar headquarters in Henderson, 15 miles southwest of Las Vegas. The timing could not be worse. Peoria, Ill.-based Caterpillar’s fourth-quarter profit dropped 32% from a year ago, prompting over 20,000 job cuts amid reduced demand. Cashman, a privately held dealer with seven locations statewide, similarly trimmed its workforce by 63 people, or 8%, in December. Photo: SH Architecture The shop’s 20 service bays feature illuminating glass and skylights, while fabric ducts provide ventilation. Photo: SH Architecture Four-hundred geothermal wells exchange heat underground, using 45% less energy, while "Remann and His
New product announcements: 02/18/2009 Demolition Robot: Remote Control All of a sudden, demolition robots are all the rage, and Husqvarna is going after the destruction with the new DXR-310. The wireless-controlled wrecker will be available in North America in the third quarter. Powered by a 22-kW electric motor, the 2-ton unit’s width is just slightly over 2.5 ft. Stepless, electrohydraulic controls stand up against harsh environments, and the telescopic boom’s overall reach, including the breaker, is 18 ft. Husqvarna Construction Products; 913-928-1000; www.husqvarnacp.com Form Screen: Protects Workers Doka introduces the Xclimb-60 formwork screen, being used for the first time in the
New product announcements: 02/11/2009 Crawler Excavator: Redesigned for Better Fuel Efficiency The DX350 crawler excavator is powered by a 270-hp, 1,900-rpm Doosan Tier III engine and features an electronic optimized hydraulic system for improved fuel efficiency. The excavator has an arm digging force of 39,460 lb and a bucket digging force of 54,010 lb. Polymer shims and a redesigned boom, arm and bucket allow for greasing intervals of 250 hours. The cab features a transparent roof for greater visibility. The excavator’s dual-walled muffler reduces operational noise levels. Doosan Infracore America; 770-831-2200; www.infracore.com Remotely Operated Dowel-Pin Drill: Get a Better View The
Like many contractors stung by the recession bug, Al Luchterhand is scratching around for new ways to apply his firm’s people and skills. “We’re looking to move into infrastructure,” says the co-owner of Las Vegas-based Sun City Landscapes Inc. “It is what it is,” he says. “You’ve got to adjust.” Speaking at a quiet residential development along with Caterpillar Inc. officials in Henderson, Nevada, on Feb. 2, Luchterhand echoed what was heard on the other side of town at the annual World of Concrete show, held on Feb. 3-6. The landscaper mirrors its Peoria, Ill.-based supplier but on a much
One of the most noticeable absences at the World of Concrete trade show in Las Vegas earlier this month was Cemex — the third largest cement producer and largest in North America. In fact, the only trace of the Monterrey, Mexico-based firm this year was a truck on display in the Peterbilt exhibit painted with the company’s distinctive red, white and blue design. Photo: C.J. Schexnayder A photograph of a cement truck painted with the Cemex logo in the Peterbilt exhibit at this year’s World of Concrete show in Las Vegas, NV. Photo: C.J. Schexnayder A Cemex plant south of
New product announcements: 02/04/2009 Cogeneration System for Residential Construction Heat and Power Produced by Natural Gas or Propane The “freewatt” home-heating system combines a Honda generator with a high-tech control module and highefficiency furnace or boiler to produce heat and power for homes. Thenatural-gas or propane-fi red generator produces 1.2 kWh of electric power, and almost all heat produced by the engine is captured, including that from the cooling system, exhaust and oil sump. The system was developed by Climate Energy LLC, a joint venture of ECR International Inc., Utica, N.Y., and Yankee Scientifi c Inc., Mefi eld, Mass., with assistance
Jack Wilson admits it: He welcomes the rising price of asphalt. It’s not a concrete bias—he is a 40-year contracting veteran who worked impartially with both asphalt and concrete. But now that asphalt milling and repaving is more expensive, he believes the time has finally come for his asphalt overlay invention to gain a wide audience. Photo: Polycon Proprietary overlay creates a protective seal over existing asphalt, eliminating need for constant milling Related Links: America May Gain from Materials Designed To Stretch Your Stimulus Dollars Packing in Particles Yields 100-Year Concrete Mixes Long-Life Composite Bar Receives Second Chance Cylindrical Solar
Speaking like someone who has run a construction operation before, Juan Carlos Terroba complains about how wasteful and time-consuming a project can be. “Look at how much concrete is tested,” says the former Mexico-based concrete producer. “It’s ridiculous. It goes way beyond your normal quality-control standards.” Photo: Icrete/Joelwoolhead Batch process & fits more aggregate into voids for a ‘fluffier’ long-life mix. Related Links: America May Gain from Materials Designed To Stretch Your Stimulus Dollars Asphalt ‘Armor’ Is Wearing Well Long-Life Composite Bar Receives Second Chance Cylindrical Solar Cells Set Broad New Energy Curve Terroba recently left his family’s large, ready-mix
The economy may be creeping along at a snail’s pace, fueling the argument for more federal stimulus, but private money is still flowing quickly and quietly into innovative construction materials that promise to help stretch infrastructure budgets and save the planet at the same time. One such venture is Los Gatos, Calif.-based Calera Corp., which soon is to formally announce big plans to capture carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants and lock them up in concrete, the most consumed material on the planet, besides air and water. Photo: Centria Innovative materials and methods, like polymer-core sound walls (above) and contour
Like time and money, the space on the rooftops of public and commercial buildings is a finite resource. Now, a curvy, new solar cell offers building owners and contractors an opportunity to make the most of all three. The system consists of dozens of hermetically sealed glass tubes containing a cylindrical core of thin-film photovoltaic material arranged in a 3.5-ft x 5-ft rectangular aluminum framework to create panels specifically designed for optimal performance on low-slope rooftops. Photo: Solyndra Curved cells (above) allow for flexible rooftop installation. Related Links: America May Gain from Materials Designed To Stretch Your Stimulus Dollars Packing
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