New Owner of US CAT Used Tractors Dealer

Caterpillar's used tractors dealer for Michigan as been bought out by the local Cat equipment dealer for Indiana. Michigan Tractor and Machinery, based in Novi and commonly known as Michigan CAT, are now under the ownership of MacAllister Machinery Co. in neighbouring Indiana following a deal made on January 31st.

Chris MacAllister, President of both firms under the new deal, said in a press release that the decision made sense for MacAllister Machinery, who were looking to expand their retail operations of used tractors for sale.

“Michigan Cat has a strong reputation for excellent customer service, a very good organization and a market twice the size of MacAllister,” said Mr MacAllister.

“There are significant opportunities to grow and improve each company by sharing information, best practices, resources and common functions.”


MacAllister Machinery has 16 separate premises across Indiana and employs over over 750 staff. THe business was founded 66 years ago, and now serves customers in a variety of industries and applications including heavy construction, coal, quarry/aggregate, scrap/waste, commercial/residential construction, agriculture and power.

Novi-based Michigan Tractor, also known as Michigan CAT, sells and rents backhoes, bulldozers, graders, loaders, used tractors, and other equipment used in the construction, forestry, and other industries.

The company was founded in 1944 by Jerrold A. Frost Sr. who was chief executive officer until 1971 when his son-in-law, Mark Jung, was elected president.

His son, Jerrold M. Jung, was elected dealer principal in 1988. The sale of Michigan CAT after 67 years in business ends three generations of ownership by the Frost and Jung families.

Michigan CAT, which has customers throughout Michigan’s Lower peninsula, serves industries similar to MacAllister. According to information provided by the companies, Jerry Jung decided to sell Michigan CAT when subsequent generations expressed desires to explore ventures outside of the equipment industry.

Bobcat and Massey Ferguson Launch Rivals to JCB Telehandler

Agricultural giant Massey Ferguson and American compact machine manufacturer Bobcat have both released new telehandlers, seen as a bid to tackle the rising popularity of the jcb telehandler in the US.

JCB have long dominated the telehandler market with a vast variety of telehandlers for different applications, and the new vehicles from Massey and Bobcat are a clear effort to beat JCB on the American market, where both brands are strong and established.

Massey Ferguson's new MF 9000 series consists of three new models ranging from 100hp to 130hp - the MF 9306, 9407, and 9407S. The 9306 has 3t lift and 6m reach whereas the 9407 has 3.5t lift and 7m reach. The 9407S has the same lift as the 9407, but a larger engine for more demanding tasks like handling straw.

Each is fitted with a Perkins four-cylinder engine, and gets a two range 40kph hydrostatic transmission. The new boom configuration has a low rear pivot point for better visibility and hydraulics are supplied by a 190litres/min closed centre load sensing pump.

JCB have recently developed and built telehandlers with agricultural applications in mind, and Massey Ferguson appear to be retaliating with their own machines, hoping to appeal to farmer's strong brand loyalty to MF products. The latest jcb telehandler, the 515-40, was promoted as the smallest ever made and its outdoors-indoors cross functionality is marketed to appeal to agricultural operators.

Bobcat will be showing its new TR50210 rotary telehandler for the first time at the Samoter expo in Verona, Italy in March.

The TR50210 is one of four new rotating telehandlers from Bobcat, complementing the company's existing range of 12 rigid frame telehandlers. The new 360° and 400° rotating models offer lifting capacities from 3,5 to 5,0 tonnes and lifting heights from 15,7 to 24,5 m.

JCB have already secured two separate £14 million deals since the start of the year, and show no signs of slowing down. Several industry expos are scheduled for this year, and will surely indicate the manufacturers most likely to capitalise on the gradual recovery of the construction industry.

Scania UK Wins Europe Road Test

Truck giant scania uk has won the notorious 1,000 Point Test for the second time. The R-series from Scania won the test back in 2009 by an unusually large margin, and the company hasn ow secured its second victory with the G-series.

The 1,000 Point Test is Europe's toughest comparative test of commercially available trucks, and is also the largest. The test involves the scrutiny of a team of trucking journalists drawn from countries around the world, who rate each truck both subjectively and objectively by comparison.

Organised by Germany’s ETM Verlag, whose publications include the magazines Lastauto Omnibus and Fernfahrer, the 1,000 Point Test is carried out in cooperation with Spain’s Transporte Mundial, Great Britain’s Commercial Motor and the Netherlands’ Truckstar. Articles about the test are published in trade magazines in at least 10 other countries as well.

In 2010's test, the G 420 from scania uk was pitted against a Mercedes Axor 1840 LS with 396 hp, a MAN TGS 18.400 LX with 394 hp and a Volvo FM 410 Globetrotter with 405 hp. The G 420 won with an impressive score of 941, a clear nine points ahead of its nearest competitor. In the economy category alone it scored 133 out of 135.

In Commercial Motor’s December 2010 issue Colin Barnett summed up the results: “This year’s test was won by an even bigger margin than last year, 35 points separating the field, but the winner stays the same, as Scania once more takes home the spoils of victory.”

Lastauto Omnibus notes the ability of Scania used trucks to cruise at low revs “… with the result that Scania wins the fuel consumption evaluation by a comfortable margin.”

Frank Zeiten of Lastauto Omnibus also points out the Scania’s superior qualities in hilly terrain, saying: “Despite a very long rear axle ratio … Scania is the fastest of the quartet on the hilly course.”

“Driving the Scania is very good,” writes Commercial Motor. “The steering gives a good feeling of the road, while visibility around the cab in the mirrors is good.”

“The seating position behind the unique adjustable steering wheel is still the best in class, and that all adds up to making this G 420 the winner of our 1,000 Point Test,” the magazine concludes.

New DAF Trucks Factory in Brazil

Paccar Inc., owner of daf trucks, has announced plans to build a new factory to produce daf trucks for sale in Brazil. The new facility will be the company's first new international factory in several years, and is yet another sign of a recovering international truck market.

Despite Paccar owning several truck brands, including the Kenworth and Peterbilt brands which it has carefully developed in North America, the global truck manufacturer decided to focus on the DAF brand in Brazil.

Paccar say that their decision to concentrate on the production of daf trucks was based on the research into popular truck types in Latin America. "Cab-over" trucks of the kind that DAF build are far more commonly used in Brazil than other builds, said Paccar Treasurer Robin Easton.

Easton explained that many of the company's competitors in Brazil are the same as those in its European markets, giving Paccar reason to believe that DAF will find equal success in Brazil.

“All of European competitors that we meet every day are already in Brazil,” he said. “We have great product, and it will go well in the Brazilian market.”

Paccar bought DAF, a former Dutch company, in 1996, and the majority of engines built for daf trucks for sale are Paccar-designed.

Despite not currently distributing any DAF trucks in Brazil, Paccar aim to land a formidable 20 per cent market share in Brazil. Mark Pigott, Paccar's Chairman, announced the company's plans during its quarter four conference call in February.

With a population of 210 million, and a GDP growing at more than 7 percent annually, Brazil is the strongest economy in Latin America, and has become part of the 'BRIC' economies (Brazil, Russia, India and China) seen as the next economic superpowers.

Paccar is now looking for a site for the factory, and Easton was unable to say where the factory will be built or when, or what will be its size.

New Manitex Mobile Cranes Dealer for Southeast US

Crane giant Manitex has announced a new deal allowing distribution of its Badger and Little Giant mobile cranes through Ring Power Crane for the Southeast region of the United States. The new contract allows Ring Power Crane to sell and service the Badger CD4420, Badger CD4430 and Little Giant mobile cranes in North and South Carolina, Florida and Georgia, as well as other locations in the region.

Dave Glass, Ring Power's vice president, said in a statement that the partnership brings together two companies with similar aims and standards.

"Badger Equipment's mission and philosophy very closely mirrors our own," said Glass. He explained how Ring Power will apply the same customer-focussed approach to the new dealership deal as it as with its current business across the United States.

"As a Badger dealer, we will be able to put the customer first and provide the exemplary product support Ring Power Crane is known for," said Glass.

Little Giant has moved its manufacturing operations to Badger's headquarters in Winona, Minnesota, rallying at the location Badger uses to supply Ring Power.

Ring Power Crane will distribute Badger's CD4420 and CD4430 cab-down rough terrain mobile cranes in the Southeast. These models represent Badger's newest series of 20–30t cab down style crane, with lifting capacities of 20 tonne and 30 tonne and 3 or 4 boom sections. They have pick and carry abilities and are designed for heavy-duty construction sites.

Ring Power Crane will now also sell Little Giant's carrier mounted truck and crawler cranes. The mobile cranes for sale are designed for lifting, dredging, pile-driving and scrap handling.

Ring Power Crane has also announced that Keith Summerlin will become Used Cranes Manager for Northeast Florida. He will be responsible for business development with established customers, procurement, attendance at equipment auctions, and appraisals.

Mercedes Benz Trucks Boost Sales for Daimler

Daimler, the owner of the Mercedes benz trucks brand, has announced financial results that see the company back in profit after its huge losses in 2009. The manufacturer, who also make their own brand of luxury cars as well as owning Mercedes benz trucks, is the world's leading maker of heavy trucks.

The company gave a positive outlook for 2011 based on its latest figures, which saw Daimler make a net profit of $6.3 billion in 2010. It posted losses of $3.5 billion for 2009. 2009's quarter four figures saw a loss of $470 million, compared to 2010's quarter four result of a $1.5 billion profit. Daimler are proposing a dividend of $2.50 per share, in a statement released by the company this week.

Daimler did not pay a dividend in 2009.

Investors were not convinced by the group's upbeat tone, however, sending its shares plummeting in afternoon Frankfurt trading, although profit-taking might explain some of the sell-off.

"Daimler managed an excellent comeback last year," chairman Dieter Zetsche said in the statement. Special one off benefits from last year included the sale of Daimler's stake in India's Tata Motors. This brought a boost of $350 million to Daimler's bottom line.

The German car and truck giant posted EBIT (earning before interest and tax) of $9.7 billion, from a $2 billion loss in 2009.

Whilst this topped the company's own estimates of a $9.3 billion profit, it significantly missed analyst expectations. Dow Jones Newswires reported that analysts were predicting a $10.3 billion EBIT, which may explain share value plummeting.

"The goal for 2011 is an EBIT clearly superior to that of 2010," Zetsche told a media conference in Stuttgart.

Daimler also expects an increase in sales, though it did not give a detailed figure. The group was boosted by a recovery of all its major markets last year, and sold 1.9 million vehicles. Group revenue gained 24 per cent to $130 billion, thanks notably to rising Mercedes benz trucks for sale profits in China and the U.S.

Massey Tractors Release Doubled Q4 Profits

Agco, the owner and manufacturer of massey tractors, reported that it doubled its fourth quarter profits in 2010, but the firm does not have the same hopes for 2011. Agco, based in Duluth, owns the Challenger and massey ferguson tractors brands, and said the increased profits were down to bountiful harvests and high commodity prices.

Agco reported an overall fourth-quarter profit of $85.2 million, or 87 cents a share, up from $33.5 million, or 35 cents a share, a year earlier. Net sales for the last quarter rose 18.7 percent, versus the fourth quarter of 2009, to $2.2 billion. Sales for all of 2010 rose nearly 6 percent to almost $7 billion.

Market conditions, including unusually good harvests and high commodity prices filled the pockets of U.S. and foreign farmers, which was money then spent at the local tractor or combine dealer, to Agco's benefit.

Agco’s North American sales, for example, rose 47.3 percent the last quarter versus a year earlier. The world’s third-largest farm machinery maker, behind Deere and CNH Global, reported sales in Europe, the Middle East and Africa rose 29 percent during the same time frame. South American sales were tepid, particularly in Brazil and Argentina.

Good harvests and prices in Brazil and Western Europe are expected to boost revenue slightly. Agco predicts sales of massey tractors across the North American market will flatten in 2011.

"We do expect most of the earnings improvement in the first half of the year and then level out to some extent," chief financial officer Andy Beck said during a conference call Tuesday. "The thing that could be a question is the additional expenses and engineering expenses we expect in the second half" of the year.

The company predicts this year’s earnings will be $2.50 to $2.75 per share on $7.6 billion to $7.9 billion in sales.

Another £14 Million Deal for JCB 3CXs

Adding to a string of high profile transactions, JCB have announced a £14 million deal for supplying equipment including jcb 3cxs to Kent plant firm H.E. Services. This is the third deal announced by JCB this year, following a similar sized transaction with Hewden's plant hire and Travis Perkins.

The deal is to supply a fleet of 350 machines for the Strood plant hire firm. It was announced during Chancellor George Osborne's visit to the JCB Transmission factory in Wrexham, where the transmission components for the jcb 3cx in the new deal will be built.

The machines will be supplied to H.E. Services through JCB dealer Greenshields JCB.

Alan Blake, Chief Executive for JCB said the deal is a welcome addition to the flurry of big money deals announced since the year began. "This order follows a number of major deals JCB has secured so far this year and we are delighted that a company of H. E. SERVICES' reputation has chosen JCB products when updating its fleet," said Blake.

"H.E. SERVICES are long-standing JCB customers so it's testament to both the quality of JCB's machines and our service back-up that we have retained this important business.

"This year has certainly got off to a flying start for JCB; our order books are in their healthiest position for four years and at this stage the outlook for the rest of 2011 is extremely promising."


H.E. Services current fleet stands at around 2000 pieces of plant equipment, including jcb 3cx for sale, which are distributed nationwide through a network of twelve dealerships. The company was founded in Strood, Kent in 1972.

Hugh Edeleanu, the company's Group Chairman said in a statement: "Our company's mission is to provide the best quality service and most extensive range of machines and attachments for our customers and this big investment in new JCB machines is critical to delivering that promise.

"We pride ourselves on having Britain's most up-to-date fleet of machines and we are committed to replacing that fleet every two or three years to ensure our customers get the most efficient, powerful and high-performing products on the market."

NiftyLifts Enlisted for London Tower Bridge Maintenance

Contractors working on maintenance for London's Tower Bridge used four AFI niftylift booms, based on the machine's dimensions. Pyeroy Limited hired the four boom lifts from UK rental company AFI Uplift, as part of their fourt hand final stage of a three year long maintenance contract.

The booms were used by Pyeroy's Special Projects Division to apply a coating of protective paint to Tower Bridge.

The road across Tower Bridge was closed to traffic each night to enable Pyeroy to paint underneath the arches of the North and South towers. AFI specified the niftylift HR12 boom for the protective coating work because weight and size were important considerations - when the machines were not in use they were stowed on the bridge's pedestrian footpath, which also had weight and width restrictions.

Weighing 3330kg and 1.60m wide, the HR12 boom has a working height of 12.2m.

Pyeroy Infra-structure Services Director Brendan Fitzsimons said that the booms were chosen due to the constraints on equipment size, as larger equipment could not have been stowed away safely. "We used the AFI boom lifts on Tower Bridge to remove old paint and apply a protective coating," sai Fitzsimons, adding "they gave our contractors the reach necessary to work safely and efficiently on the arches of the bridge."

Tower Bridge was built in 1894 and took eight years to complete. It involved five major contractors, 432 construction workers and over 11000t of steel to provide the framework for the towers and walkways.

AFI Uplift have 18 depots nationwide, including Birmingham, Hull, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes and Peterborough. The company has a rental fleet of over 4,300 pieces of equipment, ranging from boom lifts, scissors lifts, linde forklifts and mast lifts. They deal in new machines from JLG, niftylift, Upright, Skyjack and Haulotte.

Used Trucks From MAN Move to Dedicated Auction

German Manufacturer MAN's division for used trucks, MAN TopUsed, is moving its older stock at a dedicated auction site. ProTruck Auction is an auctioneer located on the Sandtoft Industrial Estate near Doncaster, where MAN is disposing of its older models not used for retail.

Tony Bevan, MAN TopUsed's General Manager of Sales, says the auction has proved a profitable way of moving older models, and have been sold to buyers overseas as well as in the UK.

"We entered 26 trucks, typically 03- to 06-registered, in a recent sale, sold 25, and 21 of them beat their reserve," said Tony Bevan. He went on to explain that MAN wants to make these auctions regular, subject to availability.

"We'd like to try to hold these sales monthly, but it's all down to the availability of vehicles," he says. "We've thought about holding electronic auctions online but we've decided that we prefer the traditional approach, and there's plenty of online bidding at traditional auctions these days anyway."

MAN TopUsed runs a trade-in offer based on part exchange for new trucks, and this offer has been the source of much of their used stock being sold at auction. Bevan says that the age of their used trucks makes them perfect for auction.

"We're getting 04-, 05- and 06-registered vehicles offered to us by customers and there's a good export demand for them," he said.

"We wouldn't usually retail them ourselves because we tend not to retail anything that's more than four to four-and-a-half years old."

MAN are taking advantage of their Euro-4 accredited range, which have become increasingly popular overseas because they do not depend on AdBlue like the models of their rivals like scania trucks.

"One thing we are finding is that some overseas markets are looking for Euro-4 trucks and MAN can of course meet Euro-4 without having to use AdBlue," he said. "That's starting to benefit export sales."

George Osbourne Visits JCB 3CX Transmission Factory

The Chancellor visited JCB's transmission factory in Wrexham, tying into JCB's announcements of a £14 million supply deal and a plan to recruit 22 more employees at the site. The factory manufactures axles and gearboxes for a range of JCB vehicles including the jcb 3cx and jcb telehandler range.

Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillian accompanied the Chancellor on his visit, where he commented optimistically on the future of the region.

Mr Osborne said: “Prices around the world are going up but the good news is that here in North Wales manufacturing is going well.

“Two years ago this factory was laying people off and now it is taking people on.”

The JCB Transmission is based on Wrexham Industrial Estate, and will manufacture axles and gearboxes for more than half of the products involved in the £14 million deal with H.E. Services, a plant hire firm based in Kent. H.E. Services has ordered a wide range of JCB equipment including excavators, jcb 3cx backhoe loaders, mini diggers and Loadall jcb telehandlers.

In addition to the new jobs in Wrexham, JCB will be recruiting up to 80 engineers across its sites in the UK, some of which will also he hired to work at JCB Transmission in Wrexham.

Alan Blake, JCB's chief executive said the company's recent big wins, including another £14 million deal with plant hire firm Hewden's, had been down to the company's innovative fuel efficiency features in its new vehicles.

“Not only does JCB produce a world-leading engine in terms of productivity, our transmissions manufactured here at Wrexham are the most efficient around," said Mr Blake.

He added: "This year has certainly got off to a flying start for JCB; our order books are in their healthiest position for four years and at this stage the outlook for the rest of 2011 is extremely promising.”

Clwyd South councillor Paul Rogers described the visit from MR Osbourne as “recognition of how important manufacturing is to the economy and the people of North East Wales”.

John Bell, Welsh Conservative Assembly candidate for Alyn and Deeside, also met Mr Osborne and said: “The news from JCB is a real shot in the arm for their staff and the economy of North Wales."

Recruitment Drive Launched Due to Increased Demand for JCB Excavators

Rochester-based construction giant JCB have announced that the increase demand for excavators has led them to launch a recruitment drive for engineers. The company, famous for its wide range of construction equipment that are favourites of contractors around the world, is looking to recruit a further 80 engineers to assist in supplying the growing demand for digger and excavator products.

The new engineers are being enlisted to work at JCB's manufacturing sites in Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Wales. JCB state that it's global markets, such as those in the Middle East and India, have seen growth that warrants the recruitment drive.

Alan Blake, JCB's Chief Executive, says that the company has a reputation for talented engineers and this will form the base of their plans for the future.

“JCB’s success over the past 65 years has been built on having the very best engineering talent," said Blake. “This year has started very strongly and all the signs at this stage are that growth will continue throughout 2011."

He added: “We need to respond to that growth and strengthen our excellent team of engineers with new talent as demand for our machines increases and as we develop a range of exciting new products for the future.”

The vacancies JCB are looking to fill include positions for mechanical, electronic and electrical design engineers, development engineers, research and development engineers, engine design and development engineers, technicians, apprentice engineers, undergraduate engineers and graduate engineers.

JCB have heavily invested in the recruitment and training of engineering talent in the past, and have several JCB Academies around the world which are focused on developing the careers of young would-be engineers.

The firm has had several big wins already this year including a £14 million deal with UK plant hire firm Hewden's for excavators and other vehicles, and just recently, JCB announced a £14 million deal with hirer H.E Services to supply new machines.

New Thwaites Dumpers to Show at PlantWorx 2013

Models from the range of thwaites dumpers will feature at the all new PlantWorx exhibiton for the construction industry. The event has been organised to take the place of the recently cancelled SED shows. Coventry's Stoneleigh park will host the events, beginning with the first show on the 14th May 2013. They will then alternate every two years coinciding with the Hillhead quarry exhibition in Buxton.

The UK’s Construction Equipment Association (CEA) has organised the event, which was planned after consultation with over 50 equipment manufacturers from around the UK. Rob Oliver, chief executive of the CEA, said the organisation’s research told them that the event should held every two years, and offer equipment demonstration facilities to a targeted audience in a central location.

Plantworx is said to have the support of many of the biggest manufacturers in the construction industry, many of whom are CEA members. As well as thwaites dumpers, there will be equipment on display from Bomag, Hanix, JCB, Manitou, Merlo, Takeuchi and Volvo. Thwaites will almost certainly be displaying their latest minidumper and other compact dump trucks to visitors.

Colin Wood, chief executive of the UK’s 1450-member Construction Plant Hire Association (CPA) says that despite the tough economic climate, there is a still demand from members of the industry to see plant equipments for sale in action. “We are fully supportive of the CEA with this event,” said Wood. He added: “Our members are keen not just to see plant in a static display, but also in a situation where it can be put through its paces.”

Stoneleigh Park, where Plantworx will be held in May, is a purpose-built outdoor exhibition facility, featuring parking space for 30,000 vehicles. The CEA say the first exhibition will cover 50,000 square metres and attract up to 250 exhibitors.

Over 500 JCB Mini Diggers Ordered by Travis Perkins

Travis Perkins, one of the leading suppliers of building and construction equipment in the UK, have placed an order for 505 JCB mini diggers. The huge order will be supplied by JCB dealer Watling JCB.

JCB made the announcement after receiving confirmation from Travis Perkins for its order of 371 JCB 8014 mini excavators and 134 JCB micro excavators. The new deal cements JCb's long business relationship with Travis Perkins, who currently offer a range of JCB machines through its hire business to customers across the UK.

Yvette Henshall-Bell, UK and Ireland Sales Director for the Rochester-based construction equipment manufacturer, said the deal was hugely significant due to Travis Perkin's standing in the Uk marketplace. "We are delighted to win this repeat business from one of the UK's most respected building and construction companies," said Henshall-Bell, adding: "particularly as it was secured in the face of fierce competition from other major suppliers in our industry."

She went on to say how the deal made a statement for the quality of JCB's mini diggers for sale: "JCB has been manufacturing mini excavators for almost 30 years and this order from such a major player in our industry is testament to the quality and reliability of JCB's compact excavators."

Travis Perkins said that the decision was made based on the machine's popularity, as well as the customer service and dealer network that JCB could offer. Travis Perkins Group Hire Director, Richard Dey, said: "JCB mini diggers are extremely popular with our hire customers and they have an excellent reputation in the marketplace and that, coupled with the excellent customer relationship and comprehensive service back-up provided by Watling JCB, coupled with JCB's comprehensive dealer network, gave us no hesitation in placing this order."

JCB made news earlier this year when plant hire firm Hewden placed a £14 million order for its machines to expand its fleet.

BOMAG Raises Prices

One of the world's leading companies in the compaction and road rolling industry has announced a price rise. The German compaction equipment manufacturer bomag have stated that they have been forced to implement a price increase of 3% across its range of rollers and compactors. The company says that the price hike is due to higher material costs.

In a statement released by BOMAG, the company said that it had no choice but to pass on the increased cost of materials and components. The company also believes that this could be first of further price increases on their equipment.

In its statement bomag said it was "responding to cost increases for certain component groups, such as drives, rubber parts, NE metals and plastics, and which are expected to increase further over the next few months."

BOMAG are the world leaders in compaction technology, and have recently released innovations like the Asphalt Manager II system, which is an update to its already widely used and popular Asphalt Manager feature. AM has proved valuable to many road builders in efficiently compacting asphalt with other layers of aggregates.

Customers are expected to be disappointed by the price increases, as a difficult economic climate has put pressure on many users of road rolling and construction equipment.

The company have pulled no punches in saying further increases could be coming, and are unapologetic about the measures they are taking to balance the increase of material costs.

"BOMAG expects further cost increases in 2011 for other components and is obliged therefore to pass on a proportion of these increases and the associated costs in its product pricing," said the company in its statement.

BOMAG will be showcasing their range of equipment at the new prices at the BC India show in Mumbai between the 8th and 11th of February. The company will be exhibiting in the roller category alongside rival manufacturers from India and China.

Volvo Trucks Deliver 50,000th VEST-Equipped Truck

The North American division of volvo trucks has celebrated the success of the company's VEST system, as the 50,000th truck to use the technology has been delivered. Volvo Enhanced Stability Technology was made standard on all its American highway trucks in 2005, and Shamrock Foods in Phoenix, Arizona have received the 50,000th truck made by Volvo using this system.

VEST was designed to help truck drivers maintain control during emergency manoeuvres, to reduce the chance of the vehicle rolling over or jackknifing. It is described by Volvo as a 'full electronic stability program' which the company believes has saved lives since its implementation. The VEST system has become more and more available in used volvo trucks as more are resold.

Mark Engdahl, enterprise director for Shamrock, and Matt Miller, enterprise operations manager, received a plaque from executives at volvo trucks to celebrate the milestone achievement. The company sends refrigerated trucks to 10 states from its distribution centres in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico.

"VEST is something no driver should be without," said Miller. "It provides improved safety and peace of mind. Volvo's commitment to safety is one of the reasons we ordered 105 Volvo trucks this year. It means a lot to us that we are putting our drivers in trucks that are designed for safety as well as comfort and drivability."

Volvo created the system in a collaboration with Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, and has been praised for its efforts to improve the safety of truck drivers and road users. Ron Huibers, senior vice president of sales and marketing for volvo trucks in North America, says that VEST it sets the company apart from its competitors.

"VEST represents an enormous advancement in truck safety," said Huibers. "We're part of the first heavy-duty truck manufacturing group to make the technology standard in our products - and we did it because it's so important for the safety of truck drivers and the motoring public."

New John Deere Tractors Dealers in Maine and New York

One of North America's biggest john deere tractors dealers has opened two new retailers at sites close to the US-Canadian Border.

Nortrax are the biggest dealers of construction and forestry equipment in North America, and last week expanded their operations, opening facilities in Fort Kent, Maine and Gouverneur, New York. The company is hoping to capitalise on both American and Canadian markets with the two new sites, offering a range of John Deere tractors for sale as well as a wide catalogue of parts and servicing for John Deere machines.

Dave Porter, Parts Manager for the Maine dealership, says that the new venture will aim to establish long-term dealings with local farmers and businesses, and to show the company's expertise and knowledge of john deere tractors and agricultural equipment.

"Our valued customers in this region of Maine will be provided with the unmatched customer service and knowledge Nortrax is known for," said Porter. He added: "We are looking forward to building long-lasting relationships and providing the top-notch service that comes with owning a John Deere machine."

The new dealership in Gourveneur sees Nortrax returning to the area, as the new store is on the same site of a Nortax tractor dealership that was closed in 2001. Parts Manager Tim Irish says that there is already a loyal customer base in the region who will welcome the company back to the area.

"Many of our customers have remained loyal to Nortrax and John Deere, hats are off to them for sticking with us." said Irish, who also spoke of the company's intention to continue their policy of selling top quality equipment with strong customer service.

"We're happy to be back, and the experience we've brought to this facility shows that we are committed to the best customer service in the industry."

JCB Telehandler Accident Highlights Importance of Safety Training

The operator of a jcb telehandler in Lyme Regis had a close call when his vehicle toppled over a sea wall, crushing several beach huts below. Authorities say that no one was hurt in the incident.

The telehandler operator was moving sheets of shuttering plywood whilst working on the Marine Parade shelters regeration scheme in the Dorset seaside town. Brendan Webb, 36, was working for Febrey Structures, a Bristol plant firm, at the project when his machine tipped over.

The work had gone smoothly, until Webb began placing the material on upper floors of the site. The boom of the machine was at its maximum extended length when the incident occurred, causing authorities to question the safety precautions taken on the site. When the vehicle tipped, the boom fell over the edge of Marine Parade's sea wall and threw its load onto three beach huts below.

Local authorities have called in government inspectors to investigate the cause of the accident. Town clerk Mike Lewis said: “The main contractor promptly notified the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

“A team of senior executives from the company including the in-house health and safety officer and external H&S advisers attended the site within two hours, from which an incident report will be compiled, in addition to that of the HSE in due course.”

The accident highlights the importance of safety precautions employed when telehandlers are used, and equally the value of regular training for operators.

The telescopic boom of a jcb telehandler, the arm that lifts and places the loads, is the both signature feature of the machine but also also the main source of danger when operating it. Operators of these machines are required to take training in the use of a telehandler, especially regarding load weights.

Whilst these machines can lift several tonnes, if the operator has over extended the boom, or not properly calculated the load distance and capacity when lifting, the machine will tip, potentially damaging the load, the machine and injuring the operator.

The HSE has yet to comment on the incident.

Scania P94 and Other Trucks Must Get Greener, Faster, say Company Execs

Trucks on the road must get greener, faster. This is the message from Swedish truck manufacturer Scania, whose older trucks including the scania P94 are, the company admits, still way behind in terms of cleaner engine emissions.

Scania is one of the biggest and most popular manufacturers in the truck industry, and have often been recognised for their innovations in greener, cleaner power. The company has announced that the current rate of transition to more fuel efficient, environmentally-friendly vehicles in the commercial and industrial sector is too slow. Vast numbers of older vehicles like the scania P94 are still in use, even though they no longer meet the exacting standards on emissions set by European officials.

Presenting at the Scania sustainable transport conference in Brussels, executives for the company put forward that as higher regulations are put in place, nothing is being done to upgrade or replace the vehicles that do not meet them. One of their findings was that now the Euro 5 emissions standard has come into effect across much of Europe, half of the commercial vehicles on the road in Europe barely meet the Euro 1 or Euro 2 standards from years before.

Scania CEO Leif Ostling set out a strategy at the conference to help combat this problem: “Given the slow pace of progress in renewing the vehicle population, it is more important to make full use of all available means to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. These include longer truck and trailer combinations, better logistics systems, alternative fuels and driver training with efficient support systems."

Of course, as with so many strategies related to environmental thinking, it is far easier said than done, despite the unanimous feelings that change is required. Many believe that education is the key. Better driver training has bee suggested, so that the operators of scania trucks themselves that be held accountabekl for the target of reducing fuel consumption by 20 per cent. Others feel that providing practical guidance to fleet operators will help them understand green technology better, and help to adhere to new policies a they are legislated.

Europe's transport chiefs acknowledge this is a hard battle, and that there are no quick fixes. Michel Savy, director of the Observatory of Transport Policies and Strategies in Europe, said: "Unfortunately there is not one solution, and we must patiently adopt one after the other.”

DAF Trucks for Sale Will Lead Recovery in 2011

Dutch manufacturer DAF has announced that despite the poor performance of the truck market in 2010, the number of daf trucks for sale will increase by as much as 20 per cent in 2011.

Truck registrations in 2010 hit an all time low, but the truck manufacturer believes that this year will see gradual growth. Ray Ashworth, MD of DAF Trucks, says that despite an obviously challenging market, 2010 ended with enough momentum in the sector to give hope for recovery in 2011.

"I believe 2011 will be a year of recovery, albeit a slow one. The lead up to Euro-6 in 2013 and the London Low Emission Zone changes in 2012 will provide some impetus to a fragile market growth, such that we believe the out-turn for 2011 will be 32,000-34,000 units," he says.

Ashworth cited government austerity measures and a tough industry environment as reasons for a slow first half of 2010, but his prediction of a "rising trend rather than a falling one" at the year's end has been proved true.

"The second half of 2010 was significantly stronger in terms of new trucks going into service," said Ashworth. He added: "In the first half of 2010 market volume was 11,373 compared with 16,215 in the second half, an increase of over 42%."

At the end of 2010, daf trucks reported a reduced 23.8% market share and 6,553 units, down from 8,317 units recorded in 2009. Overall the truck market (above six tonnes) was 27,588, the lowest on record down 1.25% on the previous record low set 12 months before.

For Ashworth to hit his target, the company will need to build as much quality and innovation as they can into any new daf trucks for sale, as the market grows more competitive.