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THE RECENT CONEXPO-CON/AGG exhibition has seen the launch of a wealth of new machine control technologies - Mike Woof reports A fast pace of technological development in the machine control sector is seeing new innovations come to market at regular intervals. The developments remain focussed on the three main technology suppliers to this market, Leica Geosystems, Topcon and Trimble, offereng a combination of systems using machine control based on GPS, total station, sonic units and industrial inertial gu

UK company Bituchem hopes to capitalise on the growing need for road repairs with its proven FortSeal product. Developed in the US, it is said to offer an inexpensive method for repairing and sealing road surfaces. The fast-setting emulsion system can be used to cover small cracks and surface voids, as well as reducing surface brittleness and tackling ravelling.

Highway construction work zones are dangerous places, and anything that can improve safety is welcomed as Patrick Smith reports. The safe and efficient flow of traffic through work zones is a major concern to transportation officials, industry, the public, businesses, and commercial motor carriers. This is the view of the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which has developed the Highway Work Zone Safety Program to reduce the fatalities and injurious crashes in work zones, and to enhance traffic oper

Nepal's transport network is to benefit from investment worth US$100 million, with a substantial portion being provided by the World Bank (WB).

A landmark road project worth US$125 million looks set to go ahead in Uruguay during 2011.

The contract to design the third bridge spanning the Panama Canal will be carried out by Louis Berger and China Communications Construction.

The Workzone Backsense pulsed radar system from Brigade boasts close-in corner-to-corner blind-spot detection, and is said to be ideal for light to medium duty mobile plant machinery. It completes Brigade's portfolio of Xtreme and Standard pulsed radar obstacle-detection systems.

Traffic signs play important roles in traffic, providing road users with regulatory, warning, and guide information about road conditions ahead. According to LEDSigns, the Taiwan-based company established by HONYEE Group in 2009 to concentrate on the development of LED [light emitting diode] signs, visibility and legibility of traffic signs can have a great influence on a driver's ability to comprehend a sign's messages and response time: "it is critical their brightness is enhanced at night and in bad weat

Trimble has developed an array of smart solutions for GPS machine control applications, which can now be installed on a wide variety of machines from different manufacturers. The company has long had a close relationship with Caterpillar but can also install units on machines from a range of manufacturers including Case, John Deere, Komatsu, Liebherr, Roadtec and Volvo. The firm's range has developed beyond just the GPS hardware though and includes sophisticated software, which can be loaded onto a hand-hel

In China Ningbo City has set out a strategic plan to improve its road links and boost capacity.

Loans worth US$200 million from the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) will be used in Costa Rica for road projects.

A new safety barrier can protect pedestrians and property from out of control vehicles. Called Curb-I, the system is a triple bollard barrier assembly that can be quickly and easily installed on pedestrian walkways and in front of commercial areas to provide protection.

Construction equipment manufacturer BOMAG will have a special focus on milling machines and finishers, and will feature two product premieres: the new BOMAG BF 800 finisher (world premiere) and the sales launch of the BM 500/15 compact planer, plus milling drums for third party cold milling machines in the 500mm class.

A Spanish firm, Tandem Joint Innovation has teamed up with the country's CETEMMSA technology centre to develop an innovative crossing safety system for visually impaired pedestrians. Called Vibraile, this system is said to provide safety at crossroads where acoustic signals are not feasible

A World Bank loan worth US$400 million will help complete construction of four key highway links in Ghana. New Highway connections from capital Accra will be completed by the end of this year.

Long reach excavators now dominate the demolition sector - Mike Woof reports

Bobcat's new TR50210 rotary telehandler; S850 skid-steer loader; T870 compact tracked loader; WS32 wheelsaw and 3400D utility vehicle will be seen for the first time. The TR50210, one of four new rotating telehandlers offer lifting capacities from 3.5-4tonnes and lifting heights from 15.7-24.5m, while the 4,549kg S850 and 5,751kg T870 offer lift heights of 3,657mm, the highest ever manufactured by the company.

The Kivikko industrial area in Finland, which is owned by the City of Helsinki, has expanded gradually over the years and it has expanded again with the new stabilised area now about 3.5hectares. The ALLU equipment and system was used to stabilise Kivikko for the first time in 2001, and the latest job started in June 2010 with the stabilisation work completed by mid-December 2010. [The ALLU Stabilisation System is a Finnish invention that provides a fast, cost-effective and environmental-friendly working

The tender process for Turkey's third Bosphorus Bridge is due to commence on 23rd August 2011. The project will be built under the build-operate-transfer model. This forms part of a massive investment in infrastructure in Turkey.

The 5700C-Max unit from Power Curbers has now been used on a tricky shoulder widening job in New South Wales, Australia. The machine carried out the job close to Robertson in the Southern Highlands, about 1.5 hours drive to the south of Sydney. The job required the construction of a 200m long section of barrier, built to the requirements of the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA). The contractor hand-formed the concrete shoulder as it was about 3m wide at the start and narrowed down to 1m at the end.