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Help for Haiti JCB Answers the Call
Stolen Equipment Case Cracked
We Shore Can!
Kenworth Calendar
Bauma the Behemoth
Case Contributes Helps Haiti
Roll Out
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Help for Haiti
JCB Answers the Call
 The devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake that leveled buildings and lives in Haiti has thrust the Haitians into the hearts and minds of those all over the world. While most offer their thoughts and prayers, many have offered donations. And equipment manufacturers don’t sit on the sidelines when there’s work to be done. JCB is donating equipment worth $150,000 to help the disaster relief effort in Haiti.
The gift of two 3CX backhoe loaders is being made by JCB Chairman Sir Anthony Bamford in response to an appeal from relief agencies for foreign aid.
“The scale of the devastation is unimaginable and it’s heart-rending to see the human suffering caused by the disaster,” said Sir Bamford. “There is clearly a lack of equipment on the island and I hope our gift of JCB machines will help in some small way to alleviate that suffering and in the rebuilding in the aftermath of the earthquake.”
The machines are being made available to the U.S. Government and its aid agencies, which are taking a leading role in the relief effort on the Caribbean island. The earthquake, measuring 7.0 on the Richter Scale, damaged the port and created a number of logistical challenges hindering supplies entering the nation.
“We are working with the State Department and the United States Southern Command who are coordinating the massive relief effort in Haiti,” said John Patterson, Chairman and CEO of JCB Inc. “We want utilize the most efficient channels available to ensure that the machines reach the agencies and the people that need them. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti.”
The contribution to the aid effort follows a series of other JCB machinery donations in recent years to other parts of the world hit by natural disasters, including the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan province, China, when six backhoe loaders worth over $600,000 and a team of operators were sent from the company’s factory in Shanghai to help the clear-up effort in the region.
Stolen Equipment Case Cracked
LoJack Helps Find a Multitude of Machines
 Hot on the heels of Utility Contractor’s take on how contractors can thwart equipment theft in our January issue (check it out at www.utilitycontractoronline.com) comes a tale of equipment recovery thanks to LoJack and the Santa Clarita Valley, Los Angeles, Sheriff’s Department.
Detectives from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station concluded a 10-hour search warrant operation after Santa Clarita patrol deputies discovered several stolen vehicles. The find came following a LoJack stolen vehicle recover system hit near the Interstate 5 Golden State Freeway and Templin Highway Monday morning.
With a fresh lead, the patrol deputies followed the hit to a remote, 60 acre property in a rural area of Northern Los Angeles County. Near the location, deputies discovered a Bobcat skid steer that had been stolen on Jan. 5th. Deputies could see other potential stolen vehicles in the area. Knowing that the situation could be big, detectives from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station and the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s Taskforce for Regional Autotheft Prevention (TRAP) were called in for backup.
A search warrant was obtained and after a 10-hour operation, involving more than 15 detectives and sheriff’s personnel, investigators recovered vehicles and other items they believe to be stolen. All told, the property and vehicles had a value estimated at well over $1 million.
During the investigation, detectives found and recovered 35 vehicles and countless other items, including motor homes, John Deere and Kawasaki utility vehicles and even an Airstream camping trailer reported stolen out of Santa Clarita more than three years ago.
The detectives also recovered two boats and several trailers with missing or altered identification numbers. The discovery included boat, utility, flatbed, recreational vehicle, box, car carrier, water tank and construction equipment trailers. Also recovered were two heavy-duty Caterpillar tractors, generators, construction equipment, welders and off-road vehicles.
“This prolific theft ring bust underscores the ongoing role organized crime plays in the theft of assets such as construction equipment and vehicles,” said Patrick Clancy, Vice President of Law Enforcement, LoJack Corp. “We are proud that our proven technology and processes were able to help detectives with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station and Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s TRAP team dismantle one of the largest theft rings in LoJack’s history.”
“This is a substantial discovery when LoJack officials are calling it one of the largest in their history,” said Captain Anthony La Berge of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. “I am proud of our patrol deputies and their daily proactive efforts to keep our community safe.”
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We Shore Can!
Efficiency Production Offers Trench Shore Solution
 South Bend, Ind., like so many other big communities, is in the midst of storm-sewer separation upgrades. For many cities, that can mean miles of new pipe or upgrading utilities
“It’s in a really tight spot in a narrow street in a residential area,” said Todd Bell, Vice President of Woodruff and Sons Inc. Woodruff was the low bidder on a portion of the sewer separation project installing 72-in. diameter RCP storm sewer and outfall into the St. Joseph River. The Michigan City, Ind., contractor is also pouring-in-place a 12- by12-ft drop-assembly structure, while boring in the pipe from the same excavation pit. “On one side of the pit, the system is only 3 or 4 ft from a structure,” Bell added.
Deep excavations usually mean driving tight-sheeting; a cumbersome, expensive, long and loud operation. In the past couple of years, however, slide rail has become the new system of choice for deep digging contractors.
With an obviously challenging excavation ahead of them, Bell contacted Efficiency Production Inc. “This is the second time we’ve used Efficiency’s slide rail in two years. Last year, we used it on an excavation project in Michigan City,” added Bell.
Efficiency’s slide rail engineers and CAD technicians quickly drew up a custom designed system that would work for Woodruff’s heavily congested site conditions, and reach a final grade of 35 ft deep. “Actually, we’ve designed and installed a number of slide rail systems for contractors that go 35 ft deep or more,” said Greg Ross, Efficiency’s Manager of slide rail systems, who was on-site for the initial installation. “It’s just one of many shoring challenges we’ve overcome with our slide rail.”
“It’s cost effective, especially compared to sheeting,” added Bell. “On our last project, I’d say we saved about 10 to 20 percent by using slide rail instead of sheeting, and we can keep our own guys working, rather than hiring a sheet piling company or driving sheet piling ourselves.”
Efficiency’s universal slide rail is a component shoring system comprised of steel panels (similar to trench shield sidewalls) and vertical steel posts. Woodruff utilized a two-bay, four-sided, multi-bay configuration, which provides a larger unobstructed area for installing tanks, vaults and other structures. For Woodruff’s installation project, an unobstructed opening of more than 28 ft was made possible utilizing Efficiency’s unique Parallel Beam cross-trench support design incorporating external ClearSpan waler I-beams.
The biggest challenge for Woodruff, however, wasn’t the inside dimension of the pit, but rather the depth. Slide rail is installed simultaneously as the trench or pit is excavated by sliding the panels into integrated rails on the posts. Efficiency offers a unique triple-rail post that incorporates an outside slotted rail and two inside open-faced rails. The open face design helps eliminate the system binding as it is dug and pushed into place because the inside panels have a little slack.
Additionally, Woodruff also utilized Efficiency’s exclusive Shore-Trak sheeting guide frame, which integrates into the slide rail system, replacing an inside panel and allowing sheeting to be installed on one end much deeper into the excavation. This allowed Woodruff to use 24 ft lengths of KD-6 Sheeting, rather than more difficult-to-handle 36 ft tall sheets.
The sheeting was perfect for boring the 72-in. diameter pipe, which was handled by boring specialists L.J. Keefe, Mt. Prospect, Ill. Abonmarche Consultants were the engineering firm for the project. The $4.2 million project began in November 2009 and is scheduled to be completed by November 2010.
Kenworth Calendar
 It’s the kind of calendar you have hanging up in the garage. You know, the one your wife nags you to take down. But she’s just jealous — she doesn’t have those curves, those clean lines or awesome hauling power. That’s right, it’s the 2010 Kenworth calendar.
“The 2010 Kenworth calendar features Kenworth’s quality products, which lead the industry in customer satisfaction and offer outstanding performance and low operating cost,” said Gary Moore, Kenworth Assistant General Manager for Marketing and Sales. “Fleets, owner-operators and truck enthusiasts will be proud to display the 2010 Kenworth Calendar with The World’s Best trucks.”
The six-page, 2010 Kenworth wall calendar features a T660 86-in. Studio AeroCab, W900S extended day cab mixer, T370 hybrid utility truck, two T370 water tankers, T800 Extended Day Cab fuel tanker and W900L 86-in. Studio AeroCab. The wall calendar is 26-1/4 in. tall by 28 in. wide.
Bauma the Behemoth
 Early reports rolling in from Munich are already predicting that Bauma, the International Trade Fair for construction machinery, building material machines, mining machines, construction vehicles and construction equipment, will be the largest trade show in the construction industry, if not the world. According to the latest plans, there will be space to accommodate more than 3,000 exhibitors at the 2010 event, taking place in Munich, Germany, April 19-25.
Forget what you know about trade shows, Bauma is a massive global show with exhibitors from around the world. “We are particularly pleased about the level of interest from Chinese, Turkish and in particular the Indian exhibitors — India being the partner country of Bauma in 2010. In some cases, we have received double the number of requests for exhibition space from these countries than in 2007,” said Exhibition Director Georg Moller.
A record 555,000 square meters and more of indoor and outdoor exhibition space at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre are being dedicated to a display of the latest products from the international construction, building-materials and mining machinery sectors.
To give you an idea of just how big it really is, Caterpillar is bringing 60 machines to put on display, ranging from the 301.6C mini hydraulic excavator to the 993K large quarry truck, according to a press release. In addition to the machines, the Caterpillar stand will feature a central area dedicated to practical, business driven innovations, technology and services designed to help customers’ success, lessen environmental impact and work more safely.
For the latest and greatest in the construction industry, it doesn’t get any better (or bigger) than Bauma. And hey, it’s a good excuse to get out of the office (and country). For more info check out www.bauma.de/en.
Case Contributes Helps Haiti
JCB isn’t the only manufacturer willing to lend a helping hand when needed. Case New Holland (CNH), a leading manufacturer of agricultural and construction equipment, has been involved in efforts to relieve the humanitarian crisis in Haiti since the country was stricken by a mammoth earthquake and subsequent aftershocks. The company is supporting relief efforts by providing Case, New Holland and Kobelco construction equipment and companywide monetary donations.
“Soged S.A., the Case dealer in Haiti, immediately deployed available excavators, wheel loaders and other equipment to assist in recovery efforts. And EDOM – Empresas Dominicanas C.A., a New Holland/Kobelco dealer in the Dominican Republic, was able to offer delivery of up to 10 machines within 24 hours,” said Jim McCullough, President and CEO, CNH Construction Equipment. “Our Case, New Holland and Kobelco brands will continue to support recovery efforts in the coming weeks.”
CNH has also offered several pieces of heavy construction equipment to Haiti, including crawler excavators ranging from 7 to 16 tons, a tractor loader backhoe and motor grader, through the United Nations. To facilitate employees wishing to make a direct contribution to earthquake victims, CNH will match employee cash donations, in addition to making a company donation.
Roll Out
Komatsu Loaders Ship From a New Facility
 Komatsu America Corp. has begun shipping wheel loaders manufactured at its Newberry manufacturing operation (NMO) in Newberry, SC. The Komatsu facility in Newberry has nearly 150 employees and has been in operation since 2001. The plant now produces six different models of Komatsu wheel loaders.
Production of Komatsu wheel loaders commenced at NMO late in 2009.
“Komatsu customers depend on our wheel loaders because they are designed to provide the highest production, while minimizing fuel consumption,” said Erik Wilde, Vice President of Marketing, Komatsu America Corp. “We remain committed to providing the North American market with our top-notch Tier-3 wheel loaders manufactured here in the US.”
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