Loading Up on the Web: 4/12 – 4/16
There’s no rest for the weary in the CE office. This week, Jason Morgan, associate editor, traveled to windy Wichita, Kan., to see the launch of the Case military skid steers and compact track loaders, while managing editor Keith Gribbins got a head start to Munich, Germany. Gribbins will is currently setting up the CE base of operations at Bauma — the biggest construction industry trade show this year. Be sure to check in next week for regular updates from the Bauma trade show floor.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, there were a number of exciting headlines in the news this week and, as always, here they are in case you missed them. And whether you have compliments or complaints we always love to hear them, so be sure to leave them in the comments section. Until next week, faithful CE reader!
Case Skid Steers and Track Loaders the Army’s Newest Recruit: Case Construction Equipment welcomed guests from the U.S. Army TACOM (Tank-automotive and Armaments Command) as the company commemorated the recent production startup of a new line of military skid steer loaders. Case has begun manufacturing and shipping the first of several thousand model M400W skid steers and model M400T compact track loaders. Case is providing the equipment as part of a $160 million contract with the U.S. Army TACOM that could span 10 years, depending on contract renewals.
JCB Embarks on Coast-to-Coast Fundraising Road Trip to Help Rebuild Haiti: JCB, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of construction equipment, has hit the road in style — and for a great cause. The company and its 3CX backhoe loader have embarked on a 26-day, coast-to-coast fundraising road trip to help rebuild Haiti. JCB hopes the “Backhoe Across America” cross-country campaign will both remind Americans that Haiti’s long road to recovery is only just beginning, and encourage them to show their continued support.
Indy Equipment and the Purchase of the Power Buggy: Earlier this year, equipment manufacturing gain Terex Corp. announced that it was selling off a few of its product lines to slim down and cut costs. One of those product lines was the Terex power buggy — a line consisting of two models, a 16 cu ft and 21 cu ft. The sale was made to Indy Equipment, a Takeuchi, Gehl and E-Z Drill dealer based in Independence, Ohio. Since Indy Equipment is a stone’s throw away from the CE office in Peninsula, Ohio, CE associate editor Jason Morgan and marketing manager Pete McNeil were dispatched to investigate.
New Holland Joins May 2nd Episode of ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”: New Holland is ready for its close up. This spring, the company is headed to prime time TV on the ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” n February, New Holland joined the crew of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” for a project in Texas, providing a New Holland D95B crawler dozer to level a home and help build a new one for a very deserving family.
CWC, SWIIC Take PAB Initiative to the Senate: Last week, the Clean Water Council (CWC) met on Capitol Hill to assess legislative successes to help increase investment in water and wastewater infrastructure. The group first evaluated the non-stop lobbying activities that led to inclusion of an important provision in “jobs” legislation recently passed by the House. The bill incorporated legislation (HR 537) that would allow for significant increases in private investment in the environmental infrastructure market by eliminating the state volume cap on private activity bonds (PABs) for water and sewer projects, reported the National Utility Contractors Association Washington Report.