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Industry News - July, 2020 - Page 2 of 5

  • Mecalac AS1600 Swing Loader Transforms Mobility

    Mecalac, a leading global designer, manufacturer and distributor of compact construction equipment for urban environments, offers the AS1600 swing loader. With the unique ability to pivot its bucket 90 degrees to either side, the AS1600 — and all models in the AS Swing Loader Series — represent a departure from traditional wheel loader design for superior performance on any jobsite.

    Mecalac AS1600 Swing Loader

    A rigid frame and 4-wheel steering provide industry-leading productivity and stability while driving, operating and unloading in virtually any condition or terrain. The AS1600 provides game-changing space management, requiring only half the space of conventional loaders for tasks such as loading trucks or discharging materials into trenches with a standard 2.1-cubic-yard (1.6-cubic-meter) bucket. 
    “Mecalac understands that on today’s crowded jobsites, space management is vital for safety, productivity and efficiency,” said Peter Bigwood, general manager for Mecalac North America. “Contractors are trying to fit all the equipment, vehicles and personnel they need into a very limited space, leading to congestion and sometimes dangerous conditions. Our engineers are always looking to optimize equipment utilization, providing the solutions that let operators do things that they cannot accomplish with other machines.”
    The key to the 12-ton (10,920 -kilogram) AS1600’s appeal, like all models in the AS Series, is its innovative design, giving it the ability to swivel its fully loaded bucket 90° on either side. This opens up a number of opportunities to approach jobs differently – taking up just one lane of traffic, for example, on a road job, rather than the two necessary for operating traditional loaders — and transforms space management and logistics.
    The equipment features three steering options — 2-wheel, 4-wheel and crab — which offer further flexibility for congested jobsites. Operators can simultaneously drive, pivot and maneuver, increasing productivity and safety and making common tasks such as backfilling a trench easier and more efficient. After loading material, operators can simply back up, rotat ing the bucket in the process. Materials can then be discharged over the side while the machine reverses along the trench, streamlining operations and reducing unnecessary downtime, noise and environmental impact.
    The AS1600 also provides increased stability over traditional articulated loaders. An automatically engaging rear axle allows operators to pivot the bucket up to 90° in either direction without reducing overall stability. This is a significant improvement over traditional equipment that can become unstable with only a 45° turn. Stability combined with industry-leading maneuverability results in a small turning radius — a 20% smaller footprint than regular loaders — to maximize mobility in even the most confined spaces.
    “Every aspect of the AS1600 ’s design focuses on a real-world application to increase efficiency by reducing unnecessary movement and optimizing the use of space,” Bigwood said . “That is what sets Mecalac apart from our competitors. Each design starts with a question — how can we make this safer, faster or easier for the operators in the cab?”
    Bucket capacities range from 2.1-3.3 cubic yards (1.6-2.5 cubic meters) to give contractors options for projects of all sizes.
    Learn more about Mecalac’s full line of equipment at www.mecalac.com.  
     
    About Mecalac
    Mecalac is an international m anufacturer of compact construction equipment for urban sites. Known for its innovative, customer-focused technology, the manufacturer has sales companies, distributors and customers in more than 80 countries. Versatile and multi-purpose equipment is available through five product lines, including: excavators, loaders, backhoe loaders, site dumpers and compaction rollers. b

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    Jul 16, 2020 - 5 years ago

  • Ritchie Bros.’ Latest Market Trends Summary Provides Additional Insights Into Truck Tractor Market

    With billions of dollars of equipment transacting via multiple sales channels each year, Ritchie Bros. has the data and in-house expertise to provide unmatched insight into industry trends. The company is now sharing this insight via its Market Trends module within its Ritchie Bros. Asset Solutions suite of tools, allowing customers, investors, and analysts to better understand the strength of an asset class through in-depth analysis of Ritchie Bros. transaction history, including market trends, equipment price performance, asset valuation curves, and mix-adjusted price indexes.
    Each month, Ritchie Bros. publishes a free, high-level, downloadable report of pricing trends, broken out by industry. The July report is now available for download here: ritchiebros.com/market-trends-report. The full Market Trends module is available by paid subscription.
    “Similar to last month’s report, while prices across the major sectors are lower than a year ago, the rate of decline has continued to moderate through the high-volume June time period,” said Ken Calhoon, Vice President, Data Analytics, Ritchie Bros. “Both the U.S. and Canada are showing stability across key equipment categories, and Texas, California, and Alberta continue to be the top-three North American markets in terms of buyer participation.”


    July 2020 Market Trends Summary Highlights (based on data from April – June 2020)

    Ritchie Bros

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    Jul 16, 2020 - 5 years ago

  • UCA Announces Website Resources for Underground Construction & Tunneling Workforce

    The next generation of underground engineers have a new educational resource in Down For That a website from the Underground Construction Association, a division of SME (UCA).

    UCA Announces Website Resources for Underground Construction & Tunneling Workforce
    Down For That is an initiative that informs students about the underground industry through numerous resources and provides opportunities for them to get involved. The website is designed to be a one-stop resource for students, professors and industry professionals to gain knowledge and share information on the underground construction and tunneling industry.
    “The vast majority of Civil Engineering students have no exposure to any underground engineering or construction. If they ever get a glimpse, it comes from us, the UCA members. Exposing them to the exciting and long-term underground career opportunities early in their academic careers is imperative,” said Paul Schmall, PhD, PE, Vice President, Keller North America, and UCA board member. “This website provides students and educators with access to the tunneling industry that has been lacking until now. There are viable and vibrant career paths in underground engineering and construction, and we’re excited to pass it on to tomorrow’s professionals.”
    Students will gain knowledge and university professors can support their classroom through the library of resources, videos, papers, and presentations on underground construction topics, as well as scholarship opportunities. Industry professionals contribute to the resources through video presentations, as guest speakers, and by conducting on-site tours of tunneling projects.
    “UCA is committed to providing educational and professional development programs to our future leaders,” said SME Executive Director David L. Kanagy. “UCA’s new Down For That website offers opportunities for students to engage in the world of underground construction and tunneling both inside and outside of the classroom.”
    Visit this new website at undergroundcareers.org to see how UCA is raising awareness about the exciting careers available in the tunneling and underground construction industry.

    About the UCA
    The Underground Construction Association (UCA) brings together tunneling’s brightest and most dedicated professionals. Over 13,000 global members advance their careers with the world-class technical resources, educational programs, networking opportunities and professional development tools from UCA. Our members are focused on sharing best practices in safety, environmental stewardship and technological advancements. 

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    Jul 16, 2020 - 5 years ago

  • Why Good Employees Leave And What To Do About It

    The impact felt when an employee leaves is exacerbated when labor markets are tight. Leaders at all levels in the organization need to be cognizant of the message their actions send to employees when someone leaves.

    When Good Employees Leave
    “Leaders are always being watched. How the leadership reacts when someone leaves is going to impact how everyone else reacts,” says Marissa Levin, co-founder of Successful Culture International, and a culture and leadership expert.
    “If they are transparent, honest, and don’t act like the sky is falling, they acknowledge the loss, but pivot quickly into fill that gap, employees will take that cue, and things will go on without a glitch.” she says.
    If you feel that workers today don’t have the same loyalty to employers that previous generations did, you are correct. “Younger generations definitely have less tolerance for being unhappy,” says Levin. “They are just not going to stay in a job if it’s not fulfilling a purpose that they believe in.”
    So what can employers in construction do to attract and keep employees on the job in this market? Levin offers five key strategies.

    Pay Attention To Exit Interviews
    When people leave an organization, it’s critical to find out why.  According to the 2018 Retention Report from the Work Institute the top three reasons employees leave are:
    Career Development – No opportunity to grow in a preferred job and career.
    Work-Life Balance – Better work-life balance, which includes more favorable schedules, shorter commute times and scheduling flexibility.
    Manager Behavior – Unprofessional or unsupportive managers.  Exit interviews can be a useful tool in identifying the reasons why employees are leaving, provided they ask the right questions.
    “The goal of the exit interview should be to find out where the company did well or fell short on communication or meeting expectations,” says Levin.  While exit interviews can be a useful tool, it’s about more than just collecting data. Companies need to analyze and share the information and then follow up with action.
    Levin cautions that exiting employees might not be comfortable providing answers. “If you haven’t already developed a culture of trust, when an employee leaves they are not all of sudden going to divulge everything to you,” she says.
     
    Examine Your Mission, Values And Vision
    “Problems such as high attrition, low trust, low morale, and low engagement are all a result of a compromised culture,” says Levin.  Companies that start to deviate from their mission, vision, and values struggle.  She recommends that businesses re-engineer their hiring processes to ensure that new hires have the technical competence and are culturally aligned with the company’s core values before they begin. “Interviewing is the key piece to ensure that you have strong retention of great people,” says Levin.  
    PCL Construction, ranked #98 on FORTUNE magazine’s Best Places to Work,and #7 on Engineering News-Record’s Top 400 list of general contractors, uses behavioral aptitude tests such as the Predictive Index to help gain a clear understanding of the motivating needs and behaviors of potential team members. “We use a two-pronged approach to seek out interest and if the potential candidate seems like a good fit, the next steps would include an in-person interview,” says Dianna Hemphill-O’Byrne,communications specialist for PCL.
    construction employee retentionBE PROCESS-CENTRIC, NOT HERO-CENTRIC
    The more your processes are documented and employees are trained on those processes, the less risk there is to the organization when a key person leaves. Employees can then easily step in and fill the void. “When a company revolves around a handful of heroes, it can be demoralizing for the people who are not one of those heroes,” says Levin. 

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    Jul 16, 2020 - 5 years ago

  • Reaching The Summit

    FRONT PAGE STORY: John Deere equipment helps Vancouver Island logger achieve peak performance. 
    Story: Kevin Orfield, Photography: Todd Dacquisto

    When asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, George Mallory famously replied, “Because it’s there.” At the time, no one had reached the summit of the highest mountain in the world. To Mallory and other mountaineers, its very existence posed a challenge to be gloriously overcome.

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    Jul 16, 2020 - 5 years ago

  • Leading Aggregates Producer Wm. D. Scepaniak Share 6 Keys For Business Success

    Based in Holdingford, MN, Wm. D. Scepaniak Inc. is one of the nation’s leading family owned and operated producers and transporters of construction aggregate materials. The company, now in its third generation, also provides mining and construction services, including crushing and screening, washing, recycling, overburden removal, pit reclamation, aggregate hauling and placing and road building.
    Its operations cover Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Iowa, Wyoming, Montana and Colorado.
    John Scepaniak, aggregate project manager, says there are six keys to the company’s longevity: open communications, recruitment, onboarding, employee development, technology and future planning.

    Leading Aggregates Producer Wm. D. Scepaniak

    From Hauling To Aggregate Processing
    The company was begun by in the early part of the 20th century by William D. Scepaniak, Sr. A truck driver from Holdingford, MN, he primarily hauled livestock, sand and gravel locally and throughout the Midwest. After serving in WWII, he returned home and got back into the trucking business, focusing on transporting sand and gravel. He then began purchasing aggregate processing equipment to offer screened rock and sand products to his customers.
    The 1960s brought consistent growth for the company’s mining and construction services. In 1970, he founded Wm. D. Scepaniak, Inc. With Scepaniak’s untimely passing in 1979, the business was left to his wife Rosemary and his three sons: William Jr., Robert and Joseph.
    In the 2000s, William Jr.’s sons, Tony and Jake, joined the company. John, son of Joseph, came on board in 2014, as did John’s younger brother Bryan in 2017. The company began adding new services and processes to expand into new markets.
    The company has a fleet of 25 trucks for transporting aggregates. There are a variety of crushing, screening, washing and aggregate production machines. There are 90 employees.

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    Jul 16, 2020 - 5 years ago

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