News

Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV (HCME) and Shell are now working together on testing the Shell GTL (gas-to-liquids) fuel in construction operations. The latest range of Hitachi Zaxis-5 excavators is being used to trial the innovative liquid fuel. This concept is being tested as a potential solution to environmental and quality concerns surrounding conventional crude oil-derived diesel. The test programme has been developed as a solution for cleaner burning fuel products. This is in response to th

Excavation work is now underway in Brazil for the Transolimpica tunnel. The US$688.6 million project forms part of the preparation works for the 2016 Olympic Games. The 23km route will connect Barra da Tijuca and Deodoro in Rio de Janeiro. The construction work is expected to last 18 months and should be complete by December 2015. Work on the Transolimpica route is being carried out by the Viario consortium, which comprises Odebrecht, Invepar, and CCR. The tunnel will feature two lanes in each direction whe

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is throwing Greece a much-needed economic lifeline in the shape of a €550 million loan. The funding will be used to build new roads and repair existing links, as well as to invest in business. Some €350 million will be used for the construction of 239km of new highways, as well as upgrades to 434km worth of existing roads. The work is expected to help lift Greece’s struggling economy by providing new jobs, as well as encouraging business growth. The funding will help to re

Chinese equipment firm LiuGong is adding to its portfolio with the planned acquisition of a transmissions operation in Poland. The ZZN Transmission Plant in Stalowa Wola lies next door to LiuGong’s existing facility that makes the Dressta range of bulldozers. Parts from the ZZN facility are used in many of the Dressta bulldozers and the acquisition is a strategic move that will strengthen LiuGong’s presence in Europe through the LiuGong Poland subsidiary, as well as its component manufacturing capabilities.

British construction equipment manufacturing giant JCB is to provide machines and generators worth more than US$500,000 to assist vital clean-up work in the typhoon-hit Philippines. The company is sending a fleet of three 3CX backhoe loaders after Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded on land, left up to 2,500 people dead. In addition, more than 120 JCB electrical generators are being provided through the company’s Filipino dealer Camec. The generators are already being used to po

Topcon Positioning Systems (TPS) is adding to its portfolio with the acquisition of Finnish firm DynaRoad, a specialist construction software provider. TPS first bought a major stake in DynaRoad in 2011 and is now completing its ownership to make the business 100% owned. DynaRoad is a specialist in the field of construction software and develops project management packages for use in large-scale projects such as highways, tunnels, airports and ports. Ray O’Connor, TPS president and CEO, said that by acquiri

A 40-year-old bridge used to connect Tanzania and Rwanda in East Africa will be replaced with the new US$24.4 million Rusumo International Bridge. The new Japan International Cooperation Agency funded structure is currently under construction across the Akegera River. The project includes the construction of a 2km road that links two custom offices, the new dual carriage bridge and also the installation of needed tools and suitable parking. The 80m-width will raise the axle road restriction to 20tonnes, fro

St Petersburg’s city centre bypass is a vital step closer to being realised after the Russian city’s committee on economic policy and strategic planning said it will be submitting proposals for co-financing of the project to the Ministry of Transport. The bypass highway, earmarked to be built along the Obvodny Canal, is expected to cost US$1.53 billion (RUB 50 billion). An application for federal budget funds will likely be filed in 2014. The project, which stipulates construction of embankments, bridges,

Speed control technology has been proposed as a safety solution for commercial vehicles operating in Europe. A European Commission study has explored the use of in-vehicle speed management technologies for commercial vehicles. This has been supported by the European Transport Safety Commission (ETSC) Press Release: Boost for Intelligent Speed Assistance in EU Commercial Vehicles. Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) is the term given to a range of devices that assist drivers in choosing appropriate speeds and

Work is now underway on the Empalme Nejapa-Empalme Puerto Sandino highway in Nicaragua. The project is costing some US$40 million and the road forms part of the route connecting capital Managua with the country’s second largest city, Leon. Survey work is determining whether the road requires additional structural improvements and also to see if the budget is sufficient to widen the section to four lanes. The section of road will be constructed from concrete with a thickness of 180mm and it is expected to la

Thailand is targeting an annual 7% reduction in road accident deaths, according to the Public Health Ministry's Permanent Secretary Narong Sahametapat. The target has been revised after the previous ambitious target of slashing the death toll from road accidents by 50% from 2011-2020 was deemed unachievable based on statistics for 2011 and 2012. In 2012, 14,059 people were killed in road accidents in Thailand, up from 14,033 people recorded in 2011.