Photo Courtesy of PPC Corrosion, mold, dirt and other contaminants take a toll on idle equipment. Here, several military trucks get the shrink-wrap treatment. Related Links: Diesel Fuel Prices Bottom Out Contractors Get Reprieve At the Pump Climate-controlled storage is not always an option when preserving idled equipment, materials and parts. Because leaving equipment out in the open can cause serious damage and downtime, some companies are investing in military-grade enclosures that keep out light, dirt, moisture and animals for years."In most cases, we find that clients know how to run a piece of equipment, but they don't know what
Photo courtesy of Makro Monitors constantly watch operations across Brazil. Related Links: Moving Data and Dirt Link-Belt Gives Crane Owners Telematics Data Brazilian crane and rigging contractor Makro Engenharia is one of many firms in construction using telematics to improve its productivity, but the company also is using the big data to boost the safety of its workforce and project operations with surprising results.As the company began implementing telematics more than two years ago, it found that thousands of safety violations were occurring per month on its projects. Today, that number is down to five or less. "We have had
Related Links: Big Data Boosts Safety in Brazil Link-Belt Gives Crane Owners Telematics Data Picture a remote set of boots on the ground that constantly sends out status reports on construction activity across the globe. Now, imagine that existing work tools—trucks, dozers, cranes and drills—are the virtual boots, beaming quintillions of bytes into the ether every day.This is how John Meese describes wireless telematics, which the senior director of heavy equipment for Waste Management, Houston, uses to keep tabs on a fleet of more than 5,000 pieces of machinery scattered across 700 locations in North America. Meese and his team
A $44-billion merger between French-based Lafarge and Swiss-based Holcim to create the world's largest cement manufacturer received a shock on March 29 as Holcim's second-largest shareholder objected to the terms of the deal.
PPI Diesel fuel prices inched up in February for the first time in nearly a year. Related Links: Contractors Get Reprieve At the Pump Caterpillar Forecasts 9% Sales Decline in 2015 For some construction projects—such as public paving work—the cost of fuel and freight is often tied to a price index. So, a drop in petroleum prices of 50% or more is neither good news nor bad news for contractors.For others, the news is seen as a mixed blessing. Prices inched up in February, but they still remain far lower than last year's levels. If low fuel prices continue, some
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