Earthmoving & soil compaction

Chinese firms are growing their expertise in terms of products and international sales – Mike Woof reports China’s major off-highway construction equipment manufacturers have grown in a relatively short period and now number amongst the largest players in the sector. Some of the key firms are looking to boost exports and are providing tough competition, particularly in the emergent markets. Best known for its wheeled loaders, LiuGong has been developing its excavator range, with production of the E

High quality Desert Cream Granite is being extracted from a sprawling 300ha site in Mungeria, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The Barmer district in West India spreads forms part of the Great Indian Desert, also known as the Thar Desert. In summer months temperatures can soar to 51°C and drop to freezing point in winter, while Barmer is also home to a specialty stone, the durable Desert Cream Granite.

Atlas Copco has launched the most powerful rock drill currently on the market. The COP 4038 is a 40kW machine operating at a frequency of 140Hz compared with the 117Hz of the COP 3038. Designed for tunnelling and drifting in the hole at 43–64mm, the COP 4038 is an extremely advanced unit. High frequency technology is said by Atlas Copco to be utilised so that instead of simply striking the drill steel harder, the piston strikes at a higher frequency, resulting in faster penetration without increased stress

Trimble is broadening its range of products with the introduction of its new DPS900 Drilling and Piling System and Business Center and the LOADRITE X2350 Payload Management System for excavators. According to the firm, the DPS900 Drilling and Piling system allows contractors to drill precisely at a specified location, to preset levels for depth, orientation and inclination angle. The HCE Drilling and Piling module is said to offer contractors tools to create optimised drilling and piling plans that can help

Advanced machine control technologies are speeding site layout and construction operations Canadian house building firm Mattamy Homes has brought in a contractor that has used sophisticated equipment to build the roads around its new development in Oakville, Ontario. The site is just 30 minutes drive from Toronto. Phase 1-A of the project is under construction and nearly every one of the 550 homes that will be built there has been sold already. Additional phases will bring the total number of homes to 1,800

Turkish construction equipment manufacturer Hidromek is looking to expand its product range with the acquisition of the Mitsubishi line-up. The deal was signed between Hidromek and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). The signing ceremony took place in Ankara. This is the latest in a series of moves by Hidromek in its bid to expand its product range and increase its international presence as an equipment manufacturer. In addition to the benefits the new grader range will bring, the firm says that this acquisi

Kobelco is opening its new European headquarters at a location in the Netherlands. Kobelco Construction Machinery Europe (KCME) has based its new headquarters at Almere, in the Netherlands. The facility will become one of the strategic overseas bases for Kobelco’s further expansion. Located close to Amsterdam, this operation will provide access to European cities by air, sea or road. The headquarters will serve as Kobelco’s Sales and Marketing Centre, Technical Support, and Spare Parts Distribution Centre.

Hewden, the UK-based national plant hire specialist, is enjoying booming demand for its 10-month-old Core Fleet Guarantee scheme which offers a next day-delivery service on the 30 most popular hired plant and access machines in its fleet. Launched in February this year, 20,363 deliveries have been made to date with 20,115 going through on time … a success rate of 98.78%.