Courtesy Caterpillar Inc. Telematics systems are now available on most heavy machines, such as this loader backhoe. Related Links: Link-Belt Gives Crane Owners Telematics Data Caterpillar Brings Telematics Solutions to CONEXPO Caterpillar Inc.’s recent announcement that it is investing in Chicago-based technology startup Uptake is a strong signal of the construction industry’s current appetite for data analytics.Contractors, rental companies and others who use heavy equipment have for years had the ability to collect data from their fleets. But much of that data is based on history—things that have already happened on a construction project. A new digital age is on
Photo by Tudor Van Hampton / ENR The 2016 Mercedes-Benz Metris straddles the compact and full-size van segments. Photo by Tudor Van Hampton / ENR The interior is nice but not luxurious. Related Links: As Cargo Vans Grow Taller, Roof Racks Address Safety European Vans Invade Work Truck Show Seeing a new opportunity for a rolling workshop that is smaller than a full-size van but larger than a compact one, Mercedes-Benz has introduced a midsize van that also will be the least expensive vehicle available in the U.S. with a three-pointed star on the front grille."We are more or less
Photo by Tudor Van Hampton / ENR Tall vans call for drop-down racks, such as this one on display at the Work Truck Show. Related Links: Mercedes-Benz Rolls Out Midsize Metris Cargo Van European Vans Invade Work Truck Show As more automakers are building tall, unibody work vans to replace such dinosaurs as the now-extinct Ford Econoline, fleets are increasingly pairing their rolling investments with accessories that boost versatility and increase safety.One area where the additional investment pays off is on the roof of the van. The newer, European-style vans, such as those built by Mercedes-Benz, can be far taller
Photo by Tudor Van Hampton/ENR The life-size Ford Tonka truck will be on display at trade shows throughout the year. PickupTrucks.com Related Links: Ford To Bring F-650/750 Production Back to U.S. Ford Offers Gas When Diesel Is Too Much "How do I get one?" was a frequently asked question at this month's Work Truck Show, where Ford Motor Co. parked a 2016 F-750 that resembled a life-size Tonka toy dump truck.The bespoke show model was not for sale but drew attention to Ford's new F-650/750 medium-duty trucks, which launched at the Indianapolis show, held on March 4-6, and go on
Related Links: The ARA Rental Show Rentals continue to be a growing share of the total fleet of construction equipment in the U.S., according to a study by the American Rental Association.ARA's Rental Penetration Index rose to 53.9% last year from 52.9% in 2013, according to John McClelland, ARA vice president for government affairs and chief economist. Compiled by ARA and IHS Economics, the weighted index measures the total percentage of construction equipment owned by rental companies in the U.S.“One of the biggest questions going forward is if the secular shift away from equipment ownership by end users toward rental
Photo courtesy Ritchie Bros. The five-day auction generated $179 million in gross proceeds. Related Links: Is That Old Loader Worth More Than You Thought? Equipment Dealers Jump Into the Auction Market More than 10,500 pieces of heavy equipment and trucks—a record number of lots—exchanged hands this month at Ritchie Bros.' annual unreserved sale in Orlando, Fla.The five-day auction attracted 4,350 on-site and 5,000 online bidders from 81 countries and generated $179 million in gross proceeds over course of the Feb. 16-20 event."We had a tremendous crowd … both on site and online," says Steve Kriebel, regional sales manager for Ritchie
Related Links: Caterpillar CEO: We Want To Stay in Peoria ENR Profile: Cat CEO Doug Oberhelman Caterpillar Inc. has unveiled a new headquarters campus in Peoria, Ill., that will include three office towers containing 1.9 million sq ft, sited on 31 acres along the city's riverfront.The heavy-equipment manufacturer is working with a design-build team of construction manager Turner Construction, architect Gensler and engineer Farnsworth Group to plan and execute the project, which covers six city blocks.Caterpillar's existing 500,000-sq-ft Peoria headquarters is nearly 50 years old and busting at the seams, with 2,200 office workers occupying the building today. Construction of
Related Links: Construction Begins on Hudson Yards' $700M Eastern Platform Manhattan West: Official Site When the developer of a tower project on Manhattan's West Side sought to build a platform over 15 active rail tracks leading into the nearby Pennsylvania Station, it had limited options.The site for the project, Manhattan West, had little laydown space and a steel platform would require columns between tracks. Constructing the columns would interrupt rail service at one of the nation's busiest train stations."We were looking at a number of different options when we saw this piece of equipment on a bridge site" in Roslyn,
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