News

The UK’s motorists are facing increased congestion and longer delays due to a steady increase in vehicle numbers combined with reduced spending on transport infrastructure. A report by the RAC Foundation warns that there will be 4,000,000 more cars on the UK’s roads in the next 25 years, while the UK’s Government has not explained what plans it has to cope with the projected increase in traffic. The report predicts a 43% rise in traffic volume by 2035, with the biggest increase in the East Midlands. The fou

The UK’s Royal Automobile Club (RAC) Foundation charity has said that the country’s motorists will face road user charging in the future to avoid traffic gridlock. According to director Professor Stephen Glaister, population growth and further economic gains will result in traffic volumes expanding 33% by 2025. With UK government spending on roads being cut, the charity warns that a new strategy will have to be found.

Caterpillar and Wacker Neuson of Munich, Germany have signed an alliance agreement for the design, manufacture, sale and support of Caterpillar mini hydraulic excavators in the under 3tonne category. The alliance agreement calls for Wacker Neuson to leverage its manufacturing and product development capability to produce the Caterpillar mini hydraulic excavators at its production plant in Linz, Austria. Caterpillar currently offers three models in this size range, and the machines will be produced to Cate

More than 500 million people worldwide watched the first Formula 1 motor race in India's history. The drivers were thrilled by the new asphalt circuit with its numerous bends and the peripheral area around the new race track at Greater Noida near the capital New Delhi, which were built by machinery from German company Vögele (a member of the Wirtgen Group).

Road safety in Romania continues to be a major issue, with the country seeing more deaths in 2009 than in 2001. A study by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) shows that Romanian roads are eight times more dangerous than similar links in Sweden, which has Europe’s best record for road safety (see also Safety Report). Romania, along with Malta, has bucked a trend within Europe of reducing road accidents levels between 2001 and 2009 according to the report. However, while Malta’s road fatality rate

Private sector companies in the UK are preparing to aid local authorities deal with the effects of government spending cuts on roads. Mike Notman, outgoing chairman of the UK's top trade body for road maintenance, Highways Term Maintenance Association (HTMA), has warned that repairs and improvements to the nation's roads is an easy target for the coalition government, and claimed that private sector companies could reduce costs by as much as 15%.

Deere & Company plans to build two new factories in Brazil to meet growing market demand for its construction equipment products in Brazil and other South American countries. The total investment is approximately US$180 million with Deere investing approximately $124 million of the total.

Poland’s government plans to boost highways spending in 2011 with a budget of €8.72 billion, an increase of €3.73 billion over the budget set for 2010. However, there is some scepticism as to how such a substantial sum will be found, especially given the spending restrictions the country is already seeing.

David Ball, chairman of the David Ball Group (incorporating PUDLO), has been elected president of the Concrete Society, taking over the role from Professor Ravindra Dhir. A society member for 15 years and a director since 2005, he also heads its International Development Group, and is keen to drive development as president.

The centre of Brussels, the Belgian capital, has become a 30km/hour speed limit zone. At 4.6km², it is now one of the largest such zones in Europe and its introduction coincided with European Mobility Week (16-22 September). The entire area within Brussels’ Ring Road will be restricted to 30km/hour for all vehicles except trams. An exception will be made for four wide lanes awaiting redevelopment. Traffic signs will be posted at all access routes, and drivers will be reminded of the speed limit with roa

Powerscreen is restructuring its distribution channel in Russia with the appointment of one dealer covering all of the European part of Russia, including Federal Districts 1,2,3,4 and the Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk Oblasts. The mobile crushing, screening and washing equipment provider will be represented in European Russia by Kwintmadi, part of the JVM Group.

CNH Danmark has chosen a newly-formed subsidiary of Helms Holding, Conmac, as an importer for the full product range of Case Construction Equipment in Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. “Final arrangements for a new dealer network structure are currently being put in place and this brings great advantages for sales and service of our Case Construction equipment range in Denmark,” says Markus Meyer, business director of Case Construction Denmark. Kristian Helms, a part owner of Helms TMT-Centret and

Malta National Laboratory (MNL) has asked the UK’s TRL to help it establish a construction materials testing facility. This will allow MNL to become an independent test house on the island, and it will then be able to undertake testing of road materials to the required international standards. A team of TRL experts with extensive knowledge of civil engineering materials testing and pavement materials technology and design, as well as large-scale project management skills, will deliver the project in two p

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Wen Jiabao, Premier of the People’s Republic of China, recently visited the Herrenknecht plant in Guangzhou as part of her trip to China. The delegation included, among others, 20 high-level representatives of German industry, and Dr Martin Herrenknecht, chairman of Herrenknecht, presented the company to Chancellor Merkel and Premier Wen, and talked about important Chinese and international reference projects.