Finance & Funding

US highway bill receives temporary extension

June 3, 2015

The US president recently signed a short term extension for highway funding. This two month extension will provide funding for highway infrastructure until the end of July. This is a very temporary measure made as the US Government has so far been unable to agree the longer term deal that will guarantee highway investment. The president did propose a six-year transportation bill worth some US$478 billion. This would have given the necessary funds to deliver the much-needed investment in the country’s transp

Demand diversity in the construction equipment sector

June 1, 2015

Demand within the global construction equipment manufacturing industry is anything but homogenous, with certain countries and sales regions significantly outperforming others, with a whole host of factors fuelling and suppressing each key market - Guy Woodford reports

Honduras inter-ocean highway nearing completion

May 22, 2015

Work is close to completion on a new inter-ocean highway in Honduras. This 392km road runs between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans and is at present around 80% complete. Called the Canal Seco, this new road should be finished in the first quarter of 2017. Work still needs to be carried out on a 100km long section featuring four lanes. This portion of the project is costing some US$300 million, with funding being provided by CABEI.

Cost increase for road tunnel in Stuttgart, Germany

May 22, 2015

Construction costs are increasing for a key road tunnel in the German city of Stuttgart. The work on the Rosenstein road tunnel looks set to be some €40 million more expensive than was initially expected. As a result the 1.8km tunnel will now come with a price tag of over €270 million. The tunnel should be ready for traffic in 2020. Funding for the project is being provided jointly, with the German Government and the federal state of Baden-Württemberg providing some €112 million of the financing required.

Golden opportunities in the MINT - Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey

May 21, 2015

Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey – Global Report offers up some food for thought about where smart money might be headed within the next several years – David Arminas writes China’s rate of growth may be slowing down, but other South East Asian companies are being quick to offer alternate investment opportunities, notably Indonesia. Nigeria, too, has had issues with security of investment. But there are signs that the government may be getting serious at last about tightening up rules and regulation

Global growth in machine rental

May 20, 2015

The machine rental sector is undergoing significant expansion worldwide – Dan Gilkes reports. Plant hire, equipment rental, leasing, call it what you will, being able to use a machine when and where you need it, with no further concerns relating to ownership costs, depreciation or sudden repair bills, remains a compelling argument for many contractors. Which is one of the main reasons for the continued growth in popularity of equipment rental across the world. Rental has been big business in the UK, the US

Deciding whether to buy new or used equipment

May 20, 2015

Customers can face the choice of buying used or new equipment – Dan Gilkes writes. The decision to buy either new or used equipment is almost as old as the construction plant market itself. However some of the reasons for choosing between the two might well be changing, to meet new demands from customers across the world and to cope with a changing supply base. Ever more stringent emissions legislation in Europe, the US and Japan, rapidly developing emerging markets that want the productivity of the latest

New Moroccan motorways planned

May 20, 2015

Four new motorways are to be built in Morocco following approval being given passed by the country’s government. The projects will cost a total of US$3.22 billion in all. The new routes include a motorway between Safi, Marrakesh and Béni-Mellal over a distance of 356-422km and costing from $1.35-1.56 billion. MAD 13bn and MAD 15bn. The other major connection is a motorway between Agadir and Guelmin, set to cost anywhere from $727 million- $1.77 billion, depending on the route and technical constraints, with

New Myanmar bridge planned

May 20, 2015

A major new bridge project is planned for Myanmar.The US$168 million bridge will span the Yangon River connecting the town of Dala with the city of Yangon. Work on the Yangon-Dala Overbridge looks set to commence in 2015 and should take five years to complete.

Australia’s key road upgrade

May 20, 2015

A major highway project could boost connectivity in Australia. The country’s South Road upgrade would cost close to US$5.43 billion (A$7 billion) over the next 10 years. The proposal is to turn the South Road in Adelaide into a non-stop north-south corridor. To complete the work, another 34km of road needs to be developed. The strategy shows 10 different road projects need to be finished at a total $5.38 billion in today's money, and does not include two projects that have already received financing, namely