Maintenance

Road repair required on Mexico route

June 18, 2018

Major road repairs are now required on a busy highway route in Mexico. The Cuernavaca bypass in Morelos State now features a large sinkhole, a mere 300m from the location of another sinkhole that opened up in mid-2017. The Paso Expres bypass cost US$104.4 million and was constructed by the contractors Aldesa and Epcor. The previous sinkhole opening resulted in two fatalities. The project has been criticised for inadequacies with regard to the drainage installed during construction.

Kubota’s KX027-4 mini excavators fill the Gap

May 18, 2018

Scotland-based GAP Hire Solutions, one of the world’s largest fleet customers for Kubota mini excavators, purchased more than 100 new Kubota KX027-4 excavators last year. The Glasgow head-quartered business now has over 4,000 Kubota machines in its depots across the UK. Kubota is also now GAP’s sole supplier of excavators up to 8 tonnes, explained Ken Stewart, head of procurement at GAP Hire. “With the increased amount of regeneration in urban areas across the UK, the demand in the market for a quality 3t

Belgium road crashes increase around road works

May 16, 2018

There has been an increase in the number of road crashes in Belgium around work zone sites. This problem has been identified by Belgium’s traffic safety institute, VIAS. In 2014 there were 588 road crashes around road work zones in Belgium. However the data shows that in 2016, there were 764 crashes around work zone areas. An increase in the number of road repair jobs is thought to be a factor in this jump in crashes in work zones. Of note is that comparatively few of the crashes occur on major highway rout

Manitou extends Easy line with MT732 and MT1840

May 14, 2018

Manitou has extended its Easy machine options to cover machines up to and including the 18m class MT1840. The company said that the move follows the introduction of an Easy version of its very popular MT625H compact telescopic handler. Manitou’s new MT732 to MT1840 Easy telehandlers meet the Stage IIIB emissions requirements by using a 55.4kW Deutz TD36L engine with a Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC). Importantly, this engine does not require a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) or the use of a Diesel Exhaust

JCB excavators JS220 and 370 work close to home

May 14, 2018

A fleet of JCB excavators is playing a major role in a road construction project only metres from the factory where they were built. Derbyshire-based earthmoving specialist JC Balls is working for a Carillion-Tarmac joint venture on the A50 Growth Corridor Project A. The contract is part of the National Infrastructure Plan and consists of constructing a grade-separated junction on the A50 dual carriageway to the west of the town of Uttoxeter. Project managed by Amey, the scheme is creating three new

Kato Imer’s 30V4 and 35V4 mini excavators now made in Italy

May 2, 2018

Kato Imer has shifted production of some mini excavators from its Japanese factory in Yokohama to its Italian facility in the Siena region. The 39,000m² facility in San Gimignano, employing 71 people, now makes machines with operating weights of 3tonnes and 3.5tonnes - the 30V4 and 35V4. “This step strengthens Imer Group – the Italian partner of Kato Works within the Kato Imer joint venture,” the company said.

European debut for Hyundai HX130LCR at ScotPlant 2018

May 1, 2018

The first Hyundai HX130LCR crawler excavator to arrive into Europe will be exhibited this April at ScotPlant 2018 in Edinburgh. Hyundai dealer Young Plant, based in Doune, Scotland, will have the compact-radius excavator HX130LCR on show for the duration of the event, from April 20-21. Also, on display at the Young Plant stand will be the 22tonne Hyundai HX220 L crawler excavator and the Hyundai HL960 HD wheeled loader, which has an operating weight of 19 tonnes.

An Italian job for Hitachi ZX350LCN-6 medium excavators

May 1, 2018

If you’re working in a tough quarry, you need machinery that doesn’t break down. That’s the opinion of Basalto La Spicca’s Quarry Manager Luca Dominici. A basalt quarry in southern Umbria, owned by Basalto La Spicca, demands the most durable equipment - in this case, two Hitachi ZX350LCN-6 medium excavators. These will eventually replace its older Zaxis-3 models, said quarry manager Luca Dominici. To enhance stability on the quarry floor, the new machines are equipped with double grouser shoes. They’re al

Gubler gets down with a Kemroc EK 100 chain cutter

May 1, 2018

Boulders are usually removed from site by breaking them with a hammer and then using a backhoe to extract the rubble: a time-consuming process. Swiss construction company Gubler, however, used a Kemroc EK 100 chain cutter to cut down on processing time as well as wear and tear on company equipment. With an EK 100 chain cutter mounted on their 22tonne excavator, Gubler excavated the foundations, footings and service trenches in the typical local molasse rock. The project is a large residential complex and

A full DEK for Bobcat E19 excavators in Prague

April 17, 2018

It’s 10 new Bobcat E19 compact excavators for Stavebniny DEK, a major building materials and equipment rental company in the Czech capital Prague. DEK has been developing a 60-branch nationwide rental network and now has an annual turnover of around €420 million, said Michal Svejcar, director of the DEK rental service. Local Bobcat dealer Bobcat CZ supplied the machines whose options include the ability to hydraulically retract its undercarriage to a width of less than 1m to travel through restricted and n