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Published Nationally
Midwest Edition
® January 23 2010 Vol. XVII • No. 2
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded 1957.” 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215/885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • Fax 215/885-2910 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com
Inside
Homebuilding: Stabilizing the House of Cards By Giles Lambertson
Firms Team Up for Events in Iowa…8
CEG CORRESPONDENT
(L-R): Scott Johnson, worldwide product manager of Caterpillar, addresses guests as Mark Hanback, general manager of Americas operations divisionEast Peoria; Dan Klingberg, president of TJ Lambrecht Construction; and Doug Oberhelman, Caterpillar group president, look on.
Nortrax Holds Open Houses in Northern Ohio…44
Cat Delivers Keys to First D7E Track-Type Tractor
C Contractor Blasts Holes at Dizzying Heights…64
Table of Contents ........4 Paving Section ......27-36 Business Calendar......62 Parts Section ..............64 Auction Section ....69-74 Advertisers Index ......75
aterpillar presented the keys of the first innovative AC electric drive track-type tractor in the industry to long-time customer, TJ Lambrecht on Dec. 22. The electric drive system developed for track-type tractors gives the D7E an unmatched combination of power, sustainability, control and maneuverability, according to the manufacturer. “Our customers are being challenged to do their work more efficiently with less impact on the environment,” said Caterpillar Group President Doug Oberhelman. “The D7E demonstrates Caterpillar’s commitment to the industry with a machine that does more work and consumes less fuel and parts, providing customers with lower owning and operating costs.” Oberhelman was recently named Caterpillar vice chairman effective Jan. 1. TJ Lambrecht, headquartered in Joliet, Ill., is a heavy, civil, and earthmoving contractor with one of the largest and most current fleets of Caterpillar equipment. “Caterpillar has been a great partner
over the years, and we have a solid relationship with our dealers,” said Dan Klingberg, president, TJ Lambrecht. “Case in point was the opportunity to demo the D7E at our O’Hare see CATERPILLAR page 22
Doug Oberhelman (L), Caterpillar group president, presents Dan Klingberg, president of TJ Lambrecht Construction, with a D7E replica.
Homebuilding in the United States in the past decade became a gigantic house of cards, which finally collapsed in 2008. Boom went bust and homebuilders still are trying to dig themselves out of the resulting heap. A nationwide search continues for policies and business models that will deal simultaneously with foreclosures, unemployment, tight money and budget deficits. Expert industry observers cannot say exactly when homebuilding will again become a robust economic indicator. But there seems to be a consensus that the situation won’t deteriorate much further. “As far as construction goes, it has not been perfectly increasing, but it has been steadily increasing since the early part of 2009. I see 2010 as being a better year,” said David Crowe, chief economist of the National Association of Homebuilders. The statement is under see HOUSING page 24
Chicago Construction Expo Rescheduled for Early November The Chicago Construction Expo, originally set for this February, has been postponed until the fall. The new dates are Nov. 10 to 11, 2010, at the Renaissance Hotel & Convention Center in Schaumburg, Ill. “Due to unprecedented tough economic times and the state of the industry, we decided, in the best interest of our exhibitors and attendees, to postpone the Chicago Construction Expo to Nov. 10 and 11, 2010,” Joseph McKeon, Midwest publisher of Construction Equipment Guide said. CEG Productions, the trade show division of Construction see EXPO page 55