News

JCB’s new US$100 million factory in Brazil has been officially opened as the company strengthens its position in rapidly-expanding Latin American markets. At full capacity, the new plant will have the capability to produce 10,000 machines a year, and it replaces two smaller plants in Sorocaba, São Paulo State, the first of which JCB opened in 2001 to produce backhoe loaders and the second in 2010 to produce tracked excavators.

The authorities in Algeria are planning major road network upgrades for the country’s Sétif Region. Some US$387.5 million has been budgeted for a programme of works that will see a series of major improvements to National roads that connect Sétif Region to Constantine, Bejaïa and M'sila. The Sétif Region has a road network comprising some 3,560km in total.

China is reported to be willing to fund the construction of the Limon road in Costa Rica, on the condition that a Chinese company is responsible for the key infrastructure project. It is understood that China would grant a 20-year loan of US$ 400 million, with a low interest rate, if their condition is met. The Congress of Costa Rica is expected to decide on the matter in November 2012. The Limon road project involves the expansion from two to four lanes of the 70km road from Rio Frio to Limon, and the dev

Colombia’s president Juan Manuel Santos has made a pledge to have over 3,200kms of double-lane roads in Colombia by 2018. A total of 1,700km will be built by 2014. Santos has announced 30 infrastructure projects which form part of the fourth round of road concessions. Six tenders involving works worth an estimated US$ 4.44 billion will be launched before the end of this year.

Nurol-Özaltn-Makyol-Astaldi-Yüksel-Göçay consortium says it will provide half of the US$ 2.7 billion required to build Turkey’s new Gebze-Orhangazi-zmir motorway from its own combined funds. The other half of cost will be covered by a bank loan agreement secured by the consortium.

A huge investment is planned in a series of road projects in Zambia. The country’s government intends to spend close to US$5.6 billion over the next five years on road construction. Because Zambia has an extensive copper mining industry the country has benefited heavily from strong demand for the metal, particularly from China. As a result it now has the financial resources to help improve the road network. The Zambian Government has also committed itself to building 2,300km of roads and spending $1.56 bill

Two major awards have been given to the Gateway Upgrade Project in Queensland, Australia. One of these was for engineering excellence while the other was the overall RW Hawken Award. These were given as part of the Engineering Australia Awards Queensland Division) scheme. Following this, the Gateway Project will now be a contender for the national Australian Engineering Excellence Awards being held in November 2012.

Work is progressing on track for construction of the new highway linking Albania’s capital Tirana with the city of Elbasan. The Albanian Public Works Ministry expects the Tirana-Elbasan highway to be opened in the second quarter of 2013. Contractors Aktor and Copri are working on the project and most of the major engineering work has been completed. The project is being funded by backers including the Islamic Bank of Development and the OPEC Fund, as well as the Albanian Government.

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and Cummins are setting up a joint venture to produce engines in South Korea for the earthmoving equipment market. The two companies are investing US$33 million each into the project, which will be called Hyundai Cummins Engine Company and will have its factory located in Daegu. Production is scheduled to commence in 2014, with capacity reaching 50,000 engines/year once the facility is fully commissioned.

New Holland is introducing new models of heavy-duty crawler excavators. The E385C and E485C are in the 35tonne and 48tonne category respectively. New Holland said that they have been built to deal with the most demanding applications and harshest conditions. The latest models offer more power and fast cycles with new Tier 4 interim engines and new hydraulics. Fuel consumption is improved through the new hydraulics and new ECO working mode.

New Holland is introducing new models of heavy-duty crawler excavators. The E385C and E485C are in the 35tonne and 48tonne category respectively. New Holland said that they have been built to deal with the most demanding applications and harshest conditions. The latest models offer more power and fast cycles with new Tier 4 interim engines and new hydraulics. Fuel consumption is improved through the new hydraulics and new ECO working mode.

Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers is holding a massive mining and earthmoving equipment auction tomorrow, on the second day of the Grand Opening auction at its new permanent auction site in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. More than 1,700 heavy equipment items will be featured in the Raleigh-Durham auction, including more than 300 pieces of mining and earthmoving equipment.

A feasibility study has been completed for a new six-lane highway linking the Algerian port of Oran with the East-West highway. The preliminary study was carried out by Canadian company SM International while the feasibility study was undertaken by French firm INGEROP International. Algeria’s Government is investing US$253.4 million in the project, which will include upgrades to surrounding roads to relieve traffic congestion in the area. The project will require extensive earthmoving, excavation and reinfo