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When World Highways decided to ask some of the industry’s leading suppliers what the future holds for bitumen, we found out - not surprisingly in the current economic climate - that it’s all about saving money. Kristina Smith reports. How quickly the tide turns. Just two years ago, saving carbon and the planet was moving up many countries’ political agendas. Now politicians in Europe and beyond have been forced to park commitments in the face of economic austerity. “The big issue with local government is th

Taking a road and rail link across one of the biggest rivers in South America, together with its swamps and flood plain, calls for a new crossing of superlative dimensions. Two 135.5m pylons for the third bridge across the Orinoco River in Venezuela are taking shape with the Venezuelan government investing in the showcase project at Caicara del Orinoco. The bridge will have an overall length of 11.125km on completion, which is scheduled for 2015. The main bridge is 2.28km long, and the roadway is 55m above

A wave of vandalism has hit a new superhighway from Nairobi as Shem Oirere reports. The newly opened 45km superhighway in Kenya’s capital Nairobi is facing a new challenge that threatens to erode its international standards and compromise the benefits it is meant to generate. A wave of vandalism targeting road fittings has hit the US$360 million highway linking Nairobi to Thika Town, posing a new challenge in the maintenance of the new road infrastructure in Kenya. The destruction delayed the completion of

Market conditions are tough, according to Jean-Claude Fayat, executive managing director of the Fayat Group. He said, “From my point of view this crisis is not over. We have a slow recovery but this is a structural crisis and a new balance has to be found.” Despite the difficult conditions, the company is performing well and Fayat said, “Our group turnover is around €3.7 billion/year. We are a family group and we have never wanted to be on the stock exchange.” The European market has become less important

Ray O’Connor, president and CEO of Topcon Positioning Systems, has been a busy man at bauma. As well announcing the release of the new DC61 PXi Komatsu bulldozer, the Topcon boss also found time to comment on world markets and talk up a number of the products on the company’s stand.

A group of senior executives from Caterpillar spoke to journalists in a round table discussion, providing insight into the company’s future direction. Giving key talking points were: Rob Charter, vice president Excavation Division; Paulo Fellin, vice president, Global Construction and Infrastructure; Mary H Bell, vice president of Building and Construction Products; and Karl Weiss, vice president Earthmoving Division.

Roz Buick, vice president Heavy Civil Construction at Trimble, has highlighted some key technology introductions from the firm. The GCS Flex system is an important introduction for Trimble and Buick explained, “The idea is to install a less complex system. We want to attract customers from the smaller contractors.” Comparatively low cost for a machine-control system, the basic GCS Flex package offers entry-level 2D technology and it can be upgraded to what Buick calls a ‘2½D’ system.

A senior LiuGong figure says the company’s keenly awaited 900E Series excavator is a “very key machine” for its future. Dave Beatenbough, vice president of the Chinese construction equipment manufacturing giant’s research and development arm, said production of the model at LiuGong’s Dressta base in Poland was expected to begin “within three months”.

Financial troubles for Brisbane's new Airport Link overshadow its construction success – Adrian Greeman writes. Political argument and legal dispute is likely to rage for some time yet over the bankruptcy of Australian road operator BrisConnect, which went into receivership this February with A$3 billion in debt. Toll paying users for its new Airport Link have been less than half the predicted numbers since it opened in July last summer. But if its nancial engineering is being questioned, the same is not t