Features

Introducing innovative new mini excavators and opening a new European headquarters are key moves by Sunward that will raise the firm’s profile and boost its export operations. Chairman and founder of Sunward is He Qinghua and he outlined the firm’s strategy, explaining how this Chinese company has secured a strong foothold in Europe. “Compared to other Chinese companies, Sunward is not a big firm. But we were the first Chinese company to enter into Europe.” The company builds a wide range of machines at it

The acquisition of Italian concrete pump and mixer firm CIFA by Zoomlion in 2008 has helped raise the profile of this business significantly, transforming the company. The buyout of the company gave CIFA access to funds for research and development, which its Chinese owner has been keen to invest in. And the fruits of this investment are certainly being seen, both by CIFA and Zoomlion.

2015 IRF General Assembly convenes in Paris, France The General Assembly, board of directors and executive committee of the International Road Federation, as well as a joint meeting with council members of the ITACET Foundation (pictured) were held on February 24th in Paris, France, under the chairmanship of Eng Abdullah A Al-Mogbel. Against a backdrop of fast-paced change and innovation within the road and transportation industry, IRF has continued to expand programmes and services, and the 2015 IR

IRF Regional Congress to be held against backdrop of ramped up highway investment Turkey has long enjoyed a privileged geographic position at the crossroads of Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. Buoyed by a vibrant economy (4.5% average GDP growth between 2002 and 2012), Turkey has embarked on an unprecedented effort to develop and modernise its transport infrastructure by 2023, marking the centennial of the foundation of the modern Turkish Republic. This plan, which seeks to propel Turkey as

Road safety, funding and financing will be among the key issues on the table at the inaugural IRF - Roads Australia Regional Conference for Asia and Australasia, to be held in Sydney from May 4th - 6th, 2015. The Conference coincides with UN Global Road Safety Week, with safer roads, worksites and driver behaviour being a central focus of discussions. Speakers from across the Asia Pacific are expected to share learnings and experiences in tackling regional road safety and the challenges and opportunities fo

Pressure on asphalt paver manufacturers to develop new and more efficient machines is bringing results - Mike Woof writes. For all the key manufacturers in the asphalt paving segment, pressure is being brought to bear with regard to the development of new and more efficient machines. Both for US and European style of pavers, incremental improvements are being seen in machines. In keeping with regulations for Europe and North America, many of the new generation machines are now being powered by the latest lo

A fleet of wheeled loaders from SDLG is playing a key link in the chain for producing concrete at a facility in Georgia. With this equipment HeidelbergCement Georgia and HeidelbergBeton Georgia are proving able to keep pace with an intensive production schedule at a number of concrete production sites across Georgia. Overall HeidelbergCement Caucasus has seven concrete and two cement manufacturing plants in Georgia that are running SDLG wheeled loaders. The company’s SDLG fleet comprises LG936L, LG953 and L

Engineers with RMD Kwikform used 3D modelling to overcome challenging terrain and tight schedules for pouring a single-deck concrete viaduct in mid-Norway. The Doro Viaduct is a post-tension three-span single-carriageway measuring 9.5m wide. It forms an important part of the large realignment of the E39 Harangen-Høgkjølen route in the Trondheim mid-region of Norway. The project needed a formwork and shoring solution to support a 93m-long, 750m3 single-deck pour for the three span Doro viaduct in Norway. For

Engineers with RMD Kwikform used 3D modelling to overcome challenging terrain and tight schedules for pouring a single-deck concrete viaduct in mid-Norway. The Doro Viaduct is a post-tension three-span single-carriageway measuring 9.5m wide. It forms an important part of the large realignment of the E39 Harangen-Høgkjølen route in the Trondheim mid-region of Norway. The project needed a formwork and shoring solution to support a 93m-long, 750m3 single-deck pour for the three span Doro viaduct in Norway. For

Nearly eight years after Denmark and Germany agreed to construct a major undersea road and rail tunnel, the first contracts are about to be signed. David Arminas reports. Construction is due to start later this year on one of Europe’s most ambitious, as well as the world’s longest, road and rail tunnels, the 17.6km Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link between Germany and Denmark. Fehmarnbelt is expected to cost around US$7.5 billion and be five times the length of the Øresund tunnel between the Danish capital Copenhagen

The ERF has teamed up with the Greek road safety associations to organise the Technical Conference on Road Infrastructure Safety Equipment in Athens this month. The financial crisis took its toll on Greek infrastructure development and by 2011 the government had frozen key motorway projects aimed at completing the Greek Trans-European Road Network. But following lengthy negotiations between Greek authorities, financial institutions and the European Commission, a deal was struck in 2014 to re-launch these im

Nearly eight years after Denmark and Germany agreed to construct a major undersea road and rail tunnel, the first contracts are about to be signed. David Arminas reports. Construction is due to start later this year on one of Europe’s most ambitious, as well as the world’s longest, road and rail tunnels, the 17.6km Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link between Germany and Denmark. Fehmarnbelt is expected to cost around US$7.5 billion and be five times the length of the Øresund tunnel between the Danish capital Copenhagen

The ERF has teamed up with the Greek road safety associations to organise the Technical Conference on Road Infrastructure Safety Equipment in Athens this month. The financial crisis took its toll on Greek infrastructure development and by 2011 the government had frozen key motorway projects aimed at completing the Greek Trans-European Road Network. But following lengthy negotiations between Greek authorities, financial institutions and the European Commission, a deal was struck in 2014 to re-launch these im

The ERF has teamed up with the Greek road safety associations to organise the Technical Conference on Road Infrastructure Safety Equipment in Athens this month. The financial crisis took its toll on Greek infrastructure development and by 2011 the government had frozen key motorway projects aimed at completing the Greek Trans-European Road Network. But following lengthy negotiations between Greek authorities, financial institutions and the European Commission, a deal was struck in 2014 to re-launch these im