Skip to main navigationSkip to main content
Post your ad NOW!

Industry News - November, 2020 - Page 2 of 3

  • LaPrairie Group Of Companies Grows With The Acquisition Of Two Heavy Haul Transportation Companies

    LaPrairie Group Of Companies Grows With The Acquisition Of Two Heavy Haul Transportation Companies

    LaPrairie Group of Companies, a Canadian-owned, full-service crane and transportation and logistics announces the acquisitions of Entrec Alberta Ltd. and Capstan Hauling, both divisions of Entrec Corporation – a crane and specialized transportation solutions provider.
    Through the acquisitions, Entrec and Capstan will become subsidiaries of the LaPrairie Group of Companies and be managed and operated as separate businesses.
    “We look forward to the added value that these acquisitions will bring. Through the offering of jack and slide services, additional transport trucks and a modern fleet of platform heavy haul trailers, we will be in a position to offer a one stop solution to existing and new customers in these complimentary industries,” said Scott LaPrairie, President and CEO of LaPrairie Group of Companies. “These additions will allow us a total load haul and place of oversized Alberta-manufactured oil and gas plant modules, contributing significantly to the transport effectiveness in the oil and gas sectors in Western Canada.”

    LaPrairie Group Of Companies Grows With The Acquisition Of Two Heavy Haul Transportation Companies
    For over 25 years, Entrec has provided safe, innovative crane and specialized transportation solutions for Canadians, routinely working with over-weight and over-size cargo within the oil sands, Liquefied Natural Gas (“LNG”), conventional oil and gas, mining, petrochemical, pulp and paper, infrastructure, refining, and power generation industries. Acquired by Entrec Corporation in 2018, Capstan has been providing oil and gas heavy haul transportation and picker truck services for over 18 years to the natural resources industry in Alberta and British Columbia.

    More »
    Share Article

    Nov 20, 2020 - 4 years ago

  • Utility Commemorates 100th Anniversary Of C.R. England, Inc.

    Utility Commemorates 100th Anniversary Of C.R. England, Inc.

    Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co., the industry’s largest manufacturer of refrigerated trailers and a leading manufacturer of dry freight vans, flatbeds, and Tautliner® curtainsided trailers is pleased to congratulate its customer C.R. England on their 100th Anniversary.
    Founded in 1920, C.R. England is a refrigerated trucking and transportation company located in Salt Lake City, Utah. To commemorate their 100th anniversary, Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co. in conjunction with 1580 Utility Trailer presented CR England a Utility 3000R® refrigerated trailer. The trailer features Hendrickson ULTRAA-K®, TIREMAAX® Pro, Bendix® Air Disc Brakes on Conmet Preset plus alum hubs, Thermo King S-600 refrigeration unit, and a custom 100th anniversary graphics package.
    “When you think about C.R. England, our dealership and Utility, you will see 10 generations across 3 families and 3 separate businesses all working together to achieve success,” said Justin Deputy, President of 1580 Utility Trailer. “We’ve been blessed to have a strong relationship with C.R. England for nearly 40 years and witness their ongoing success.”
    Craig Bennett, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Utility added, “We are proud to gift this commemorative trailer to C.R. England. We recognize them as one of the top leaders in the refrigerated transportation industry and congratulate them on this great achievement.”
    C.R. England services include National, Mexico, and Regional Truckload service in addition to Dedicated and Intermodal services. For more information about C.R. England, visit www.crengland.com. 

    More »
    Share Article

    Nov 19, 2020 - 4 years ago

  • New Powerhouse XD Housing From Ditch Witch

    New Powerhouse XD Housing From Ditch Witch

    Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) operators know that keeping their machines up and running is the key to staying profitable. With the new Ditch Witch PowerHouse XD housing, drillers can be confident that they’ll be able to keep their equipment operating at its maximum efficiency.
    “In direct response to customer feedback, the rear lid pin has been removed, which reduces the hardware required on a jobsite and the likelihood of stress fractures in a critical, high-stress area,” said Josh Kennedy, Ditch Witch HDD pipe and tooling product manager. “Instead, the updated housing design only uses a lid pin and retainer pin, leaving no threads to come loose.”
    The new HDD tool optimizes fluid flow to ensure spoils are removed properly, and keeps valuable electronics cooler. Having the ability to know exactly where the drill head is during a bore is essential. The PowerHouse XD is a durable and trusted housing designed and manufactured to ensure the beacon does not overheat and lose functionality.
    Additionally, the fluid nozzles at the front of the housing have been recessed for greater protection against harsh conditions. This feature increases durability and helps keep the electronics within the housing in good working order.
    As an added layer of protection, every Ditch Witch housing comes with an industry-exclusive, Beacon Buddy, which allows additional fluid to flow to cool electronics if they get too hot.
    For more information on the Ditch Witch PowerHouse XD housing, visit https://www.ditchwitch.com/parts-service/hdd-tooling or visit your local Ditch Witch dealer. 

    More »
    Share Article

    Nov 18, 2020 - 4 years ago

  • Log Truck Driver’s Safety Preparedness Saves Pick-Up Driver from a Fiery Crash

    Log Truck Driver’s Safety Preparedness Saves Pick-Up Driver from a Fiery Crash
    Photo Source: Darryl Slater, Mosaic

    On July 22, 2020 emergency crews responded to a two-vehicle collision near the Nanaimo airport at Cedar Road. At around 6:00am, log truck driver Carl Wilson was hauling his fully loaded truck north on the Trans Canada Highway when he felt a “big bang” at the back of his truck. 
    After pulling over, Carl soon discovered a pick-up truck had slammed into the back of him and was wedged between the load. 
    Mosaic Forest Management employee Darryl Slater, was driving southbound at the time and came across the accident just moments after impact. 
    A fire had started underneath the pick-up’s hood and Carl quickly engaged his on-board safety equipment using his fire extinguisher to exhaust the flames with help from Slater who also assisted using the extinguisher from his own vehicle. Once the flames were under control enough to safely extract the driver, Carl, Darryl and two workers from the nearby Schnitzer Steel Recycling Facility proceeded to assist him to a safe location and administer a first aid assessment. The driver was coherent and apparently uninjured and able to wait for paramedics to arrive.  
    Carl then decided it was safe to return to the vehicle and attempt to extinguish the flames further. Darryl assisted Carl once he determined the driver was safe and they attempted to extinguish the fire until the extinguishers were exhausted. The fire began to grow shortly afterwards, and people were directed to move back. Emergency services arrived quickly and extinguished the fire completely and the pick-up driver was taken to hospital.  
    According to a CTV news report, the North Oyster Fire Captain, Kristopher Hill, said Wilson “Definitely saved his life. The scene might have looked a lot different if he hadn’t done what he did.”
    Many factors played a part in turning this accident into a good news story. Thanks to Carl’s years of experience, his alertness to his vehicle’s behaviour, his level-headed assessment of 
    the situation, his quick reaction to access his on-board safety equipment and the teamwork between Carl, Darryl and the two other men from the Schnitzer Steel Recycling Facility, a driver was saved from a life-threatening and potentially fatal incident. 

    More »
    Share Article

    Nov 17, 2020 - 4 years ago

  • Remote-Controlled Construction Equipment Offers Flexible Operation

    Remote-Controlled Construction Equipment Offers Flexible Operation

    Brokk Demolition RobotRemote control technology is gaining momentum across the construction industry. The ability to operate machines remotely has significant benefits, especially in applications that can be dangerous to the operator or that require precision tool use in areas not visible from the cab. With remote operation, operators can position themselves for optimal viewing of the work area and away from jobsite risks.
    "Increased safety and increased productivity are two of the greatest benefits to remote operation,” says Mike Martin, Vice President of Operations, Brokk, Inc. “And some contractors report, depending on application, they are able to complete work up to seven times faster with remote-controlled machines compared to using crews with handheld equipment.”

    Remote-Controlled Solutions On Display
    Remote control has been popular in demolition applications for many years, however, the number of machines that come equipped—not just remote-control ready, but—with full remote-control operation is growing.
    For example, at the last CONEXPO-CON/AGG, several dozen machines on display were remote control.
    Brokk displayed several of their next generation radio remote control demolition robots, including their new Brokk 70—the smallest machine in their line. Each machine features the company’s proprietary SmartRemote remote control technology. “To avoid unintentional operator strain, the remote uses a wide adjustable belt that holds the control box comfortably around the operator’s waist, away from the upper back. In addition, intuitive controls allow the operator to work the machine without having to look down at the display,” says Martin.
    Fecon displayed the remote-control FRC70 carrier (sometimes called a prime mover); it is designed for mulching and can traverse slopes up to 55 degrees. By taking the operator out of the cab, the operator need not experience the rigors of working at steep angles.
    Husqvarna DXR 300
    Husqvarna displayed their new remote-control LP 9505 trench compactor. Operating in and around trenches is risky so, by taking the operator away from the machine, you decrease the risk of injury or death from trench collapse. The company also displayed their DXR 300 demoltion robot. Together with the SB 302 hammer, it has the highest power-to-weight ratio in its class on the market, enabling a high workload.
    Hyundai Construction Equipment introduced the remote-control HL960A wheel loader; the company expects this machine to serve in severe- or hazardous-duty applications once it becomes commercially available.
    ScanReco reports the company has seen an explosion of electronic control of flatbed trucks in the past year and touts of the productivity gains when using remote control on truck-mounted cranes. “Truck mounted cranes require the operator to precisely locate the crane on the jobsite. After an operator parks the truck and exits the cab, they check the position of the crane again from outside of the cab. Oftentimes, they have to get back into the cab to move the crane into a better position.  With remote control, they can find a safe spot onsite that provides an optimal view for positioning the crane. They can even set the outriggers with the remote control,” says Jason Looman, President, ScanReco.  
     
    Increased Equipment Functionality
    At the show, ScanReco introduced several updates to their existing G2 (Gen 2) and G3 (Gen 3) product lines. Most notable is the inclusion of a global 2.4 GHz frequency. Already available in North America for a few years, this new global standard offers a longer range than other products on the market.
    “Because of the higher bandwidth on 2.4 GHz, more data can be transferred in a shorter period and thereby reducing the duty cycle. This reduces the power consumption of the transmitters, giving the operators approximately 50 percent longer operational time per charge of the battery. The increased bandwidth also boosts the update rate of the graphics in the 4.3-inch color display by a factor of four times, allowing for more advanced graphics to be presented to the operator without any delays,” says Looman.
    Also, by combining the 2.4 GHz radio signal with a 4.3-inch color display allows many users to increase the amount of data and visualizations on their Personal Control Unit (PCU / transmitter), thereby allowing an operator to see the same indicators and feedback as are available inside the cab. In addition, the new color display can be integrated with a WiFi camera system. This allows operators to see the jobsite in a whole new way. 
    As the number of cameras, sensors and other feedback devices on construction equipment increases, more equipment is being equipped with radio remote controls that have displays.
    “As more equipment becomes autonomous, many original equipment manufacturers are removing the traditional cab from their equipment and are relying on remote controls to operate the equipment in service modes, or to simply bring the equipment to a starting position before the it runs automatically,” says Looman. “We believe this will be a trend going forward as equipment becomes more autonomous.” 

    More »
    Share Article

    Nov 16, 2020 - 4 years ago

  • CCA Launches Talent Fits Here Campaign To Attract A New Generation To Join The Construction Industry

    CCA Launches Talent Fits Here Campaign To Attract A New Generation To Join The Construction Industry

    The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) has launched Talent Fits Here, a campaign designed to encourage more Canadians to consider a career in construction.
    “For the first time in decades, the industry has more projects than people,” says Mary Van Buren, CCA president. “And our industry is not alone – there is competition for talent across sectors due to shifting demographics and baby boomer retirements, and it is fierce.”
    Talent Fits Here is a national public awareness campaign designed to shift some of the traditional perceptions around working in construction by showcasing a collection of stories and experiences from real people working in different roles, on different projects and from different backgrounds – all within the diverse field of construction.
    “One significant opportunity we have identified is for individuals from traditionally under-represented segments, such as women, youth, Indigenous and new Canadians, to view working in the industry as a career of first choice, including those who graduate from science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs,” says Van Buren.
    While conceived prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign is even more meaningful as our industry is positioned to absorb some of those who have been displaced from harder-hit sectors. With our strong safety culture, our construction industry has demonstrated its resilience to work in all kinds of conditions.
    Visit talentfitshere.ca for more information and to view our real-life stories.

    About CCA
    Across Canada, CCA represents more than 20,000 member firms drawn from 63 local and provincial integrated partner associations. CCA gives voice to the public policy, legal and standards development goals of contractors, suppliers and allied business professionals working in, or with, Canada’s institutional, commercial and industrial (ICI) construction industry.
    The construction sector is one of Canada’s largest employers and a major contributor to the country’s economic success. The industry, 70 per cent of which is made up of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), employs more than 1.5 million Canadians and contributes 7 per cent towards Canada’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). 

    More »
    Share Article

    Nov 13, 2020 - 4 years ago

News Archive

News Archive

Subscribe to the Supply Post Print Edition

Supply Post Cover - The Electric & Alternative Fuel Issue - September 2025

Receive 12 issues per year delivered right to your door. Anywhere in Canada or USA.

Subscribe

Subscribe

Free

 to the Supply Post E-News

Subscribe to the Supply Post E-News and receive the Supply Post Digital Edition monthly FREE to your inbox!

Subscribe

Read

Free

 the Digital Edition

Supply Post Cover - The Electric & Alternative Fuel Issue - September 2025
Supply Post Cover - The Electric & Alternative Fuel Issue - September 2025

Free

Read the Digital Edition

September 2025 - The Electric & Alternative Fuel Issue

 Read Now

Next Print Deadline

Interested in advertising? Get your print ads in by Friday, Sep 19, 2025 to be in the next issue of Supply Post!

Post Now
Please wait...