Products 03/23/2011 Cordless Metal Saw: Many Cuts on a Single Charge The M18 Cordless 53/8-in. Metal Saw is Milwaukee’s latest addition to its M18 lithium-ion cordless tool range. The saw is capable of making 200 cuts of ¾-in. EMT conduit on a single charge. An impact-resistant window and LED light provide a clear view of the cut; cutting depth can be adjusted from 1/8 in. to 2 in. Milwaukee Electric Tool Co.; 800-729-3877; www.milwaukeelectric.com Water-Source Heat Pump Multiple Options The Horizontal Water-Source Heat Pump from Ice Air is available with rotary or scroll compressors and features a heavy-duty gavanized-steel chassis
As an expected 120,000 visitors began packing into the Las Vegas Convention Center, this year’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG exhibition kicked off with a universal question in mind: Will the current economic recovery stick? Photo By Tom Sawyer Construction industry attendees expressed hope that the recession is fading. Photo Courtesy Of Tony Illia Caterpillar’s new truck model was unveiled at the opening of the 2011 CONEXPO in Las Vegas “All the focus is on CONEXPO as investors look to see whether the pending recovery on the U.S. construction equipment is real,” said Credit Suisse analyst Jamie Cook in an investor note. Machinery manufacturers
Cleaning up and rebuilding in Japan may be delayed due to a lack of manufacturing capacity of heavy machinery and related components needed to do the job. Exporting construction-related goods from Japan to other parts of the globe could also prove challenging, say suppliers. Photo: Courtesy of Komatsu Production of large wheel loaders like this one are on hold at Komatsu's Ibaraki factory. In particular, heavy-equipment producers, such as Caterpillar Inc., Komatsu Ltd. and Hitachi Ltd. report that the March 11 earthquake and resulting tsunami have hit facilities used to source components and assemble whole goods. Companies have made donations
Products 03/16/2011 Vocational Truck: Many Configurations The Class 8 Western Star 4700 truck is available with set-forward and set-back axle options and features a 110-in. bumper-to-back-of-cab distance. Depending on the job, the truck has a range of powertrain options, including a 350-hp to 450-hp Detroit Diesel DD13 engine with BlueTec selective catalytic reduction. The truck can be configured for dump, mixer, crane or roll-off applications. Western Star; 866-850-7827; www.westernstar.com Modular Platform Needs No Ground Support Safway has received a patent for QuikDeck, a modular platform system that can be used in places where ground-based scaffolding is impractical. It can support
For any contractor who has ever grumbled about the shortcomings of their Ford E-Series or Chevrolet Express cargo van, the 2012 Nissan NV is welcome news. Photo: Alan Rider for ENR With its new NV commercial van, Nissan has updated the decades-old silhouette of the Ford Econoline and the Chevy Express. Photo: Alan Rider for ENR What all those aggravated work-van owners may not realize, however, is that they’re not alone in their frustration with the status quo, says Mike Hobson, Nissan’s director of commercial vehicles. “Our research showed this segment had one of the lowest levels of owner satisfaction
Eight months into his role as lead executive of the world’s largest producer of construction and mining equipment, Doug Oberhelman was meeting with an ENR Top 400 Contractor when an ENR reporter arrived for an interview. Oberhelman said to McCandless, “Have you ever seen one of these [media interviews] before?” McCandless replied that he hadn’t. “Well then, why don’t you stickaround and watch?” Before long, Steve McCandless, senior vice president of Garney Construction, Kansas City, Mo., and a Caterpillar machinery buyer, became an impromptu part of ENR’s Feb. 10 interview at Caterpillar headquarters, located in Peoria, Ill. He had just
Products 03/09/2011 Lightweight Chop Saw: Ergonomic Handle The PC14CTSD 15-amp Chop Saw has a 3,800-rpm motor and is able to cut through tough materials including cast-iron pipe, angle iron, threaded rod, conduit and square tubing. An ergonomic D-shaped handle makes for smoother cuts, and it has a heavy-duty guard and an adjustable spark deflector. The blade features 45° of mitre adjustment and a quick-release clamp. The chop saw weighs only 35.2 lb, allowing for easy transport to and around the jobsite. Porter-Cable; 888-848-5175; www.portercable.com Scissor Lifts: New Heights Genie has introduced three new models of its Rough Terrain Scissor Lifts.
Products 03/02/2011 Concrete-Placing Boom: Long Reach The MX 43/47Z-Meter Placing Boom has a 138-ft, one-inch reach and does not require a counterweight. The extended reach allows for concrete placement on high-rise buildings, bridges, dams and other specialty applications. The boom features more straight pipe runs than earlier models for less stressful concrete runs and longer wear on parts. The MX 43/47Z can operate with either a diesel or electric power pack. Putzmeister America; 800-884-7210; www.putzmeisteramerica.com Concrete-Form Release Agent: Curing in the Cold Pro-Release is a concrete-form release agent that is formulated to work with newer concrete-mix designs, including those that
Science-fiction writers have spun countless tales of malevolent, rampaging robots laying waste to helpless cities as panicked citizens flee in horror. Now, life is imitating this pulpy art—at least to some extent—with the emergence of a more benign but immensely versatile type of remote-controlled robot designed specifically for demolition work. Fitted with hydraulic breakers and other attachments, track-based, electrically powered demolition robots can venture into interiors, hazardous environments and confined spaces to dismantle floors, ceilings and wall slabs, keeping workers out of the way of falling concrete and other dangers. Demolition robots, which are free from the emissions issues associated
Products 02/23/2011 Concrete Mixer Chassis: Increased Hauling Capacity Freightliner Trucks and McNeilus Co. have introduced the 114SD SFA, a bridge-formula mixer chassis with a lightweight aluminum cab and a 29.5-in. bumper-to-front-axle setting to maximize concrete hauling capacity. The chassis comes with a 10.5-cu-yd McNeilus Bridgemaster Transit Mixer, allowing for a 36-ft bridge with a 66,000-lb vehicle gross-weight rating. The 114SD is suited for severe duty conditions, with a large selection of wheelbases with frame and frame reinforcements. Freightliner Trucks; 503-745-8000; www.freightlinertrucks.com Pocket Weather Meter: Monitors Concrete Curing The Kestrel 4300 Construction Weather Meter is designed for instant measurement of ambient
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