News

Experts checked 45 stands at INTERMAT and found that seven were exhibiting machines not compliant with European Union regulations. CECE, the Committee for European Construction equipment, and CISMA, the French association of construction machinery manufacturers, toured the stands before the opening of the show.

The new Mecalac 12MTX features all the versatility of previous machines, with enhanced capabilities. The result is user-friendly, offering efficiencies in productivity and even fuel savings. “It has a very intuitive operating concept,” said Bianca Sierks-Schilling of Mecalac. “It’s a very versatile and efficient machine.”

JCB Power Systems, the engine business of the British equipment manufacturer, is experiencing growing demand for its products, thanks to its ability to meet Stage IV emissions regulations without a costly DPF. “We’ve struck some major deals with manufacturers,” said JCB Power Systems’ OEM engine sales and development manager Robert Payne. “Our OEM business is five times the size it was in 2009 and we saw 63% growth in OEM sales volumes from 2013 to 2014.”

Ninja Button Bits from Padley & Venables have earned good reviews in the field, with users saying the bits drill straighter. That is a key benefit as they are used primarily in blasting applications. “If the holes deviate, you don’t get the rock fragmentation you want,” said Steve Harper, product manager for Padley & Venables.

Goodyear has unveiled robust tyres for port machinery and introduced new sizes of its wheeled loader tyres. It has also launched a tyre management system to help improving total cost of ownership. For port applications, the EV-4C and EV-4R are both size 18.00R25 and are particularly suited for container handling machines and straddle carriers, says the company. The EV-4C tyre has a deep tread design for use in wet conditions and to increase tyre life while reducing total cost of ownership.

New Intrame products were on display at INTERMAT Paris. They included the mixer from a Flow-Mix 220 continuous asphalt plant, driven by two 30 kw gear boxes and set for delivery in France.

Finnish hydraulic power specialist Dynatest launched the HPIC (hydraulic pressure intensifier for cylinders) at INTERMAT 2015. Aimed at hydraulic demolition tools, it boosts power by a factor of 2.18. “We have designed it for crushers which need power to crack the concrete,” explains area sales manager Hughes Lambert. “That’s when you need the additional power.” Dynatest is aiming the new product at manufacturers of heavy duty demolition tools.

Specialist bitumen plant manufacturer ENH has launched a mini in-line emulsion plant with a capacity of between 2 and 4 tonnes an hour. This contrasts with ENH’s usual size of plant which produces around 50 tonnes an hour. “It’s very mobile which means you can move it around and make the emulsion where you need it,” says ENH managing director Erik Haugaard.

Generac’s mobile products division, formerly known as Tower Light, unveiled a new cube version of its hybrid lighting tower. The hybrid towers offer significant savings in both cost and carbon - 86% and 72% respectively - when compared to standard tower lights. “We developed the hybrid in the UK with contractor Balfour Beatty,” said Generac’s UK MD Paul Hay. “Contractors are being asked not only for material and labour costs at tender but also being asked how they will reduce their carbon footprint.”

Some European equipment manufacturers are taking advantage of low currency values to boost sales at the moment. Hamm’s marketing manager Gottfried Beer said: “We see that with the exchange rate it’s a chance for us.” Both for Hamm and its rival BOMAG, for example, the low value of the European currency against the US dollar gives a significant price advantage. For US rental customers, this means that they can buy premium products from Europe at prices that would have previously been restricted to second ti