UK Plant Operators Magazine - Issue 7 by McMoran Ltd

MAGAZINE

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The magazine specifically created for the most important people in plant - The Operators

Issue 07

INSIDE: Packed full of News, Products, Reviews, Events, Operator blogs & more!

The New Generation of XPower Wheel Loaders

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Contents

7 SMT takes over VOLVO’s UK Distribution and operations A-Plant order £55m new JCB’s

The Rise of GPS in Construction 05 - KIER buys McNicholas 21 - 20 Years for SKM 34 - Ben Miller 37 - Know your Safe Zones?

MAGAZINE

Tech & Safety: Norwich Bypass

Training at Hinckley Point C

38 - Rise of Social Media 43 - NFPEO 52 - DEMO Expo 2017

New Komatsu Dozers

Leica & UKPO: PlantworX Comp

52 A look back at PlantworX 17

CONTACTS

EDITORS

PUBLISHER

UK Plant Operators 27 Wheatley Crescent Taunton, Somerset TA1 2AX

Mark McMoran mark@ukplantoperators.com Dale Hawkins dale@ukplantoperators.com Gavin Elson gavin@ukplantoperators.com

McMoran Ltd Unit 4, The Old School Church Street, Biggleswade SG18 0JS Tel: 020 8133 3714 info@mcmoran.co.uk

ADVERTISING sam@mcmoran.co.uk

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those held by UK Plant Operators Ltd or the publishers. The publishers shall not be under any liability in respect of the contents of the contributed articles or the content of any external websites referred to in articles. The editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or alter articles for publication.

All material (c) McMoran Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, either for sale or not, without the express permission of the publishers. The information contained in this publication is published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy.

UK Plant Operators & McMoran Ltd can accept no responsibility for any error or misrepresentation. All liability for loss, dissapointment, negligence or any other damage caused by reliance on information contained in this publication or in the event of any bankruptcy, liquidation or cessation of the trade of any company, individual or firm mentioned, is hereby excluded.

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onstruction industry professionals acknowledge that increased use of technology is in their future. Yet many still resist committing their time or money, and others invest sporadically, hoping to see results by using tech for tech’s sake.

Improved project outcomes will only occur through understanding the most significant of the individual applications and devices that are currently available, and realizing how those technologies are already synergistically working together. Many of today’s most popular software, technologies and devices have proven themselves thoroughly on largescale building and infrastructure projects. According to the World Economic Forum, “Wherever the new technologies have properly permeated this fragmented industry, the outlook is an almost 20 percent reduction in total life cycle costs of a project, as well as substantial improvements in completion time, quality and safety.” Perhaps the most widely adopted of all new technologies are mobile devices. With their easy-to-use apps, they allow workers to access, document, share and edit important project information even while on the jobsite. BIM is another widely implemented technology. Recent versions incorporate an increasing amount of information into the model by pulling from historical or other databases to improve delivery of information on site conditions, scheduling, etc. Laser scanning offers enormous efficiency when it comes to assessing sites or as-built conditions. Laser scanners are incredibly accurate and thus show the true conditions of a space and/or facility. GPS tracking has seen rapid growth for any company that manages an equipment fleet. GPS hardware installed in each vehicle allows managers to see where their vehicles are in real time. Fleet tracking software and telematics systems can provide instant data about field conditions, as well as equipment conditions. The world’s first 3-D-printed office was recently constructed in Dubai. Robotic arms have been used in conjunction with 3-D printers to print a variety of forms. Robots also are being used for demolition, to place bricks, excavate and do other tasks. The construction industry has tremendous potential for wearable devices, such as smart glasses and hardhats that can provide visualization, augmented and mixed reality. These visualization tools can provide improvements in accuracy, efficiency and safety. The technical age is here to stay, but don’t worry if it is passing you by, in a blink it will re-invent itself again next week so you can start again. .

Mark McMoran, editor

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UK Plant Operators - Issue 07

This issue’s main story: The rise of GPS & GNSS in Construction - See pages 42-47 Index of advertisers Liebherr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Steelwrist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 JCB Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Survey & Laser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 SKM Asset Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Leica Geosystems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Assessor Training Direct . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Lighthouse Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Opti-Cal (A-Plant) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Ardent Tide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 UKPO Simulator Hire . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 NFPEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Marubeni Komatsu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Hawk Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 JuvaPro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 McMoran Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Executive Choice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Path Recruitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Compliance Cube . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Plant 2 Sell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Miller Ground breaking . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 NFPEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Topcon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 JCB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

For information about the sponsorship opportunities with UK Plant Operators magazine please contact Sam Kennedy via email at: sam@mcmoran.co.uk

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Sarah Beale appointed CEO of CITB on a permanent basis

Sarah Beale has been appointed CEO of CITB on a permanent basis. Sarah was appointed Chief Executive of CITB in July 2017; she was previously Acting Chief Executive of CITB from January to June 2017. She had been Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Performance Director since 2014, having covered the Corporate Performance Director role in 2013, her appointment has also been approved by the Department for Education. Sarah has worked in a range of senior roles at CITB including Finance Manager, National Experienced Worker Assessment Manager, Head of Finance and Planning, Head of Overseas and Head of Customer Services. Prior to CITB, Sarah worked mainly within the financial sector, in both highly commercial environments and in not-forprofit organisations. She has been the lead on several transformational programmes, which include company mergers, systems development and a variety of people and management related projects. James Wates CBE, Chairman of CITB, said: “I am very pleased that we have been able to agree terms to retain Sarah Beale in a permanent appointment as Chief Executive. She has proven herself admirably since taking over as Interim CEO, winning the confidence of the industry and demonstrating her ability to lead the CITB through a very challenging phase of change. I have every confidence that she will continue to excel in the role, so am delighted to announce her permanent appointment.”

Kier completes the acquisition of civil engineering contractor McNicholas

McNicholas work bank evolves around utilities and infrastructure sectors which makes it an ideal acquisition for Kier who are looking to expand into this area. It is also active in power, water, renewable energy and the rail sector, as well as telecommunications and gas. Clients include Virgin Media, Network Rail and UK Power Networks. From its headquarters in Elstree, Hertfordshire it employs 1,880 people. Barry McNicholas, chief executive of McNicholas, said: “Our business has been servicing the rapidly growing telecommunications industry for over fifty years and our expertise and knowledge has given us leading positions in new sectors such as gas, power, rail and civil engineering. We are excited by the opportunities that joining a larger group gives our teams to expand and grow. It also provides our clients access to a broader range of capabilities. I and the team look forward to joining Kier and playing a role in delivering the Vision 2020 strategy.”

Kier chief executive Haydn Mursell said: “The acquisition of McNicholas builds on Kier’s strategy to accelerate growth and hold leading positions in its chosen markets. It is a highly complementary addition to our utility services business and enhances our presence in the power, rail and telecoms markets, with its long-standing client relationships. We are delighted that Barry and his team will remain with Kier to continue the growth and development of the business.” In the year ended 31st March 2016 McNicholas Construction Services generated revenues of £166m, up 18% from the previous year’s £141m, but made a pre-tax loss of £391,000. Operating profit was £176,000, down from £400,000 the previous year. McNicholas Construction (Holdings) reported turnover of £180m, operating profit of £1.3m and pre-tax profit of £119,000.

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JCB delivers robust result in shrinking global market JCB defied challenging market conditions by growing earnings by more than 34% in 2016, the company revealed. Announcing its annual results for last year, the Staffordshire-based machinery maker revealed that earnings for 2016 on an EBITDA basis were £287 million (2015: £214 million). Sales turnover rose by nearly 12% to £2.62 billion (2015: £2.34 billion), while machine sales increased to 66,011 (2015: 59,844). This robust performance was achieved despite a contraction in the global construction equipment market of 1% in 2016. JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald said: “JCB’s strong performance in 2016 was against some economic headwinds which saw the global construction equipment market shrink. Some markets grew, such as India which rose by almost 40%, while others fell, including Brazil which was down by more than 40%. The UK market contracted by 5% in 2016 but the good news is that, after a difficult few years, European markets grew strongly and were up by more than 10% last year.” JCB Chairman Lord Bamford said: “While we face challenges in some parts of the world, the global construction market

so far in 2017 is buoyant and is expected to grow further during the remainder of this year. We continue to launch innovative new products and enter new sectors which will enable JCB to secure strong levels of growth in the future. “The UK market has got off to a particularly buoyant start this year, with housebuilding driving demand for compact and mid-range equipment, particularly tele-

scopic handlers. In addition, there are some key infrastructure projects such as HS2 and Hinkley Point and Thames Tideway which are in the early stages of implementation, so customers are currently evaluating their fleet and machinery needs. Road improvements and widening schemes across the UK are also leading to increased demand for equipment.”

The Construction Equipment Association (CEA) is to partner with Systematics International Ltd. for the UK construction equipment statistics exchange In 2017, Systematics International, an independent data processing company, has taken control of the UK construction equipment statistics data exchange from Machinery Research Limited, who ceased trading earlier this year. The UK statistics exchange for construction equipment is a well-established, and highly regarded source of market information for equipment suppliers to the UK market. Systematics International have a track record of providing high quality statistical reports to manufacturing industries worldwide, using web based systems. For key industries, they have formed strategic alliances with trade associations to provide the right combination of knowledge and expertise to meet the needs of client companies operating within the industry. This

UK Plant Operators - Issue 07

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approach is being followed for the construction equipment industry in the UK, where a partnership is being formed with the CEA, the UK trade association for construction equipment, who have over 130 members involved in supplying equipment, attachments, components, materials, services and technology. The statistics exchange for construction equipment consists of 12 different product types, and detailed reports on unit sales are provided on a quarterly basis for scheme participants. Under the new partnership with the CEA, quarterly bulletins will be

issued publicly for the first time, covering total industry sales, to provide guidance to the wider industry on how the equipment market is progressing in the UK. One of the main objectives of the new partnership is for the 2 organisations to work together to develop the scope of the statistics scheme to increase its value for the UK construction equipment industry. CEA, chief executive Rob Oliver said, “We are impressed with the capability and professionalism of Systematics International, so it was a natural choice for us to partner with them to ensure our members

receive the best possible market information.” Systematics International, chief executive Christine Bhatt said, “We are delighted that the construction equipment manufacturers have given Systematics the opportunity to manage the UK sales statistics data exchange, which will deliver independent, accurate and timely information through an innovative web based system. We look forward to working with the CEA and sharing a knowledge base to the mutual benefit of members and the wider industry.”

Equipment manufacturer’s long-term distribution partner SMT to take on British dealership

VOLVO Construction Equipment are divesting their wholly owned UK dealership to long-standing distribution partners SMT. The deal is now followed by an employee consultation period before becoming effective on 31 August 2017. The sale includes: distribution rights for Volvo-branded construction equipment machines; parts and aftersales in the country; and Volvo CE’s UK headquarters in Duxford, Cambridgeshire, as well as the nationwide operations, most assets and the transfer of all employees. The existing management structure will remain in place. ‘Volvo CE’s distribution in Great Britain is now in the hands of an independent and strategically aligned distribution partner, led by an experienced leadership team,’ said

Martin Weissburg, Volvo CE president. ‘This move supports the general transformation programme that is improving the longterm competitiveness of Volvo CE. SMT are already an established Volvo Group distribution partner, distributing Volvo CE products and services in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, as well as 18 African nations, including Algeria, Morocco and Nigeria.’ Part of the SDA Holding Group, SMT’s revenues in 2016 were in excess of €350 million and they are already an established distribution partner for other Volvo Group companies. Nick Allen, managing director of the UK dealership, believes the acquisition will help the company to become even more agile and

continue to maintain the delivery of industry-leading customer services to its customers. ‘SMT really understands what it means to represent Volvo, so I am confident that we are in safe hands and we are excited at the prospect for developing the business further under our new owners,’ he said. SMT CEO Jérôme Barioz added: ‘This acquisition is an important part of SMT’s growth strategy and joins our successful recent purchases of Volvo CE distribution businesses in Benelux and Morocco. We respect what has been achieved by the Volvo team in Great Britain, and under SMT ownership we are committed to investing in its future success, one driven by offering the highest standards in services to customers.’

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Engcon transforms business for Irish Owner/Operator

“It saves me so much time and manual labour, I can’t imagine life without my Engcon tiltrotator!” jokes Cian Rooney, an owner/operator near Sligo on the west coast of Ireland. Cian hasn’t looked back since replacing his old Skid Steer loader and Kubota mini digger with a Kubota KX057-4 compact excavator equipped with an Engcon E206 tiltrotator, S40 quick hitch and integrated gripper. CIan’s system is also one of the first in Ireland to be fitted with fully proportional control. John Craig, Engcon’s service partner at JCC Engcon Group in Stirlingshire, guided Cian through the process of choosing the right system for his needs. Cian comments: “I can’t praise John enough for his expert help. He really knows his stuff when it comes to Engcon.“ Transformation Cian finds his Engcon equipment, which also includes a grading bucket, sorting grab and pallet forks, invaluable for tackling a wide range of jobs, from groundworks and landscaping to fencing and agricultural contracts. “I work mainly on my own and Engcon has helped transform my business. This one machine does the work of my two old ones” he

UK Plant Operators - Issue 07

claims. “I now work more efficiently, safer and faster – and that’s good for my profits and for my customers because I can do a great job for them in less time. Even simply moving deliveries that have been left in the wrong place is made easy with the pallet forks.” Expert support With no previous experience of tiltrotator systems, Cian visited the engcon stand at Bauma and also used social media to find out what other people were saying about the concept before making an investment. Although posts on Twitter and YouTube videos of systems in action were useful, Cian says he couldn’t have done it without John Craig’s support. “John made the process hassle-free and I was

amazed at how quickly he was able to travel to Ireland and get my Engcon system up and running. ” Track steering Cian’s state-of-the-art set-up also includes track steering, fitted by John Craig through the system’s hydraulics. This allows Cian to steer the machine from the joysticks rather than using the foot pedals. “This is a huge benefit when you’ve got muddy boots which can make it difficult to get a grip on the pedals, ” explains Cian. “Track steering gives me more precise control over machine movements and improves safety on site. It’s all part of the many benefits you get when you choose Engcon.”

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Leading hirer A-Plant orders £55 million worth of JCB machines

JCB has secured one of its biggest-ever deals in the UK – an order for more than 1,200 machines and a range of generators worth more than £55 million.

A-Plant - the country’s leading equipment rental company - has placed the huge order, which includes more than 600 JCB Loadall telescopic handlers and more than 450 mini and midi excavators, as well as JCB rough terrain forklift trucks, site dumpers, backhoe loaders and tracked excavators. The deal is good news for JCB’s factories in Rocester, Uttoxeter and Cheadle, as well as Hixon, Staffordshire-based JCB Power Products, which is manufacturing a total of 162 generators ordered by A-Plant following its first-ever purchase of JCB units last year. The volume of generators bought is enough to power eight hospitals or 4,000 homes. It means that in the last three years APlant has placed orders with JCB worth more than £140 million. All the latest purchases are being supplied through JCB dealer Greenshields JCB. The investment reaffirms A-Plant's market-leading reputation for supplying the youngest rental fleet in the plant, tool and equipment hire sector. The equipment will be distributed throughout its network of over 175 service centres. A-Plant Marketing Director Asif Latief

UK Plant Operators - Issue 07

said: “The latest products are more innovative, productive, safer, greener and more sustainable. We are delighted to have placed this latest order with JCB, which demonstrates our commitment to working with leading brands. It is part of our continual fleet investment programme which has seen A-Plant invest over £300 million during the last two years. “Among the 1,300 pieces of new equipment, we will be supplying 162 generators - all fitted with JCB’s LiveLink telematics solution as standard - into A-Plant's rapidly expanding Mather+Stuart Power Solutions division. Customers tell us that their number one priority is reliability, closely followed by availability and quality, so it is vital that we continue to meet these key requirements.”

JCB UK and Ireland Sales Director Dan Thompstone said: “A-Plant has been buying JCB equipment now for more than 25 years and we are delighted to support its latest investment in our equipment. We are proud of our long-standing partnership with A-Plant, delivering innovative, quality products supported by excellent parts and service back-up from Greenshields JCB.” A-Plant forms part of FTSE 100 company Ashtead Group plc and is the UK's largest equipment rental company with more than175 Service Centres nationwide, more than 3,600 employees and over 35,000 customers in the construction, industrial, infrastructure and events sectors.

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CAT® Excavator in new movie, Transformers: The Last Knight

A Cat® excavator is next in line to carry on the tradition of Cat equipment appearing on the big screen when it joins the team of hero robots in the highly anticipated film “Transformers: The Last Knight,” directed by Michael Bay.

Audiences will spot the Cat excavator among the vehicles hiding in an auto salvage yard along with Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) and a group of the heroic Autobots. Highly Aligned Tributes Speaking on the excavator’s movie appearance and shared attributes between Caterpillar and the Transformers films, Jessica Nunley, global marketing innovation manager for construction equipment at Caterpillar, comments both brands are well aligned. “The attributes associated with the Transformers movie franchise – strength, loyalty and protection – line up perfectly with the Caterpillar brand,” she says. “The Autobots take on the role of partners who help the movie’s hero rise to the challenge, and Caterpillar views our customer partnerships the same way. As we develop new products for the jobsite of the future, we’re all about transformation. We want to help our customers change the construction industry for the better.” The Age of Smart Iron offered by Cater-

UK Plant Operators - Issue 07

pillar transforms jobsites by allowing entire fleets to speak the same language and introduces machine advancements faster and more frequently than ever before. “Through the integration of Cat®Connect technologies, such as LINK, GRADE, PAYLOAD and DETECT, Caterpillar is changing the way the construction industry can increase productivity, achieve efficiency gains and protect the safety of

workers on the jobsite,” says Kurt Norris, global marketing manager, Global Construction & Infrastructure division. “We have entered the Age of Smart Iron and I can think of no better way to exemplify this paradigm shift than to join forces with the iconic Transformers movie franchise in the film ‘Transformers: The Last Knight’.” Rise to the Challenge Every day, Cat equipment rises to the challenge to help customers overcome their trials – tough conditions, impossible deadlines and the never-ending fight to grow margins. In conjunction with the movie release, Caterpillar has launched www.catrisetothechallenge.com to release information related to Cat equipment and the movie. About "Transformers: The Last Knight" In Transformers: The Last Knight, humans are at war with the Transformers, and Optimus Prime is gone. The key to saving the future lies buried in the secrets of the past and the hidden history of Transformers on Earth. Now, it's up to the unlikely alliance of Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), Bumblebee, an English lord (Anthony Hopkins) and an Oxford professor (Laura Haddock) to save the world.

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Technology and safety drive Norwich Bypass

Finning UK & Ireland supports the construction of the Norwich Bypass, one of the UK’s largest road infrastructure projects, with a vast range of Cat machines and advanced Caterpillar Production Management (CPM). Known as the Northern Distributor Road, the project is being managed by primary contractor Balfour Beatty, with P. Flannery Plant Hire chosen as the main earthworks contractor. Flannery’s Operations Manager, Niall Hester, said: “We have worked with Balfour Beatty on numerous projects over the years, but the significance of the Norwich Bypass is the collaborative approach we have taken with sharing data and information. “As part of the planning process, we worked alongside Finning to show the team at Balfour Beatty just how we can monitor performance on site. Through VisionLink, we’re able to provide data on payload, fuel burn and overall performance of each core machine on site.” When Flannery were awarded the project, they purchased a wide range of new Caterpillar machines through Finning, ranging from five to 50 tonne excavators

and the latest ADT’s, including the Cat 730C Ejector Truck which is fitted with CPM. The purchase of the ejector with CPM was firstly all about productivity and safety, as ejector trucks do not have to stop and lift the skip to tip material. The Cat 730C ejector unit creates a safer working environment by displaying payload weight and status including external lights which automatically signal when target payload has been achieved. The payload on the machine is shown on the in-cab monitor which enables operators to ensure the truck is not under or over loaded, which in turn optimises fuel burn per tonne on each cycle meaning the productivity of the machines are more efficient. This information can be used by Balfour Beatty to provide the best possible carbon footprint on site as well as being able to see the impact of the fleet. CPM tracks and measures data such as tonnes per load, tonnes per cycle, distance travelled per day, and how many litres of fuel a machine burns per hour which gives the project a daily overview of progression. No matter where the units are working

on the new 20.1km dual carriageway the data can be sent and received in real-time. For the team onsite this data is sent via VisionLink into the online portal, where management and the Balfour Beatty team can access it from any connected location. By combining CPM with additional data relating to the health of machines through VisionLink, any potential issues with machines are more visible which results in a significant reduction in downtime. For example, if an air filter was blocked, VisionLink would be notified meaning the team are able to get a Finning fitter straight on to site, saving time and preventing a greater issue. Niall Hester, said: “From a performance perspective, we have also witnessed a dramatic increase in cycle times, not to mention the reduction in the use of more-expensive-to-run dozers. “Each day we are learning more about the performance of equipment and this information is being shared with Balfour Beatty, so we can all see the benefits of technology driven project management.”

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New additions take JCB Wheeled Loader fleet to 70

A COMPANY which runs one of the biggest fleets of JCB wheeled loaders in the world is increasing its size further with the addition of six newly-launched 417 models.

Online salvage and non-salvage vehicle auction company Copart UK Ltd already has 64 JCB wheeled loaders across its 15 UK locations. Now the company has ordered a further six new generation 417 models from JCB dealer Watling JCB in Leicestershire. The new machines – launched earlier this year – feature the CommandPlus cab with increased space, new controls and lower noise levels. They are powered by the JCB EcoMAX engine delivering 93kW (125hp), achieving EU Stage IV / US Tier 4 Final emissions levels without the need for a costly diesel particulate filter (DPF). The loaders have a four metre long fork attachment, allowing Copart operators to lift and move badly damaged cars, which can’t be moved in any other way, around its sites efficiently and without incurring any further damage. Fred Houghton, Transport Operations Manager at Copart said: “We are delighted to be ordering six new JCB 417 wheeled loaders. We have been using JCB wheeled loaders since 2009 and are very pleased with what they do. They are very cost effective to run, make our job a lot easier, save a lot of time and reduce the risk of damaging the cars. JCB’s wheeled loader offered the best means of moving badly damaged cars about our sites without incurring further damage, which other types of machine risk. “We haven’t found anything out there of a similar size that offers their combination of power and lift. When buyers arrive on site to collect their cars, the JCB wheeled loaders make loading their delivery vehicles a quick and easy job. Their compact width and manoeuvrability allows them to get in and out of the tight rows easily so we can maximise car storage space in the yard. The fork attachment and its smooth ride suspension help protect the cars being moved, while the good cab visibility, as-

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sisted by reversing cameras, helps keep our staff safe. We also get excellent support from Watling JCB.” Founded in California in 1982, Copart sells vehicles for a variety of customers including finance companies, banks, dealers, fleets, rental car companies and the insurance industry. Buyers include franchised, independent and wholesale motor traders as well as the general public. The company has over 166 locations throughout the world and arrived in the UK ten years ago. Copart UK Limited sells more than 300,000 vehicles annually through online auctions. It has grown into the biggest operator in the sector, receiving cars from 80% of the major insurance companies, which means it handles eight out of every ten insurance write-off vehicles. Copart also receives or picks up vehicles from body shops, police compounds, home addresses – wherever a car has been taken after an accident or found after a theft. More than 5,000 salvage and non-salvage vehicles including agricultural plant,

HGVs, commercial vehicles and motorcycles, are available for bidding through Copart’s weekly online auctions by resellers, car breakers, and the general public from around the world. The cars are purchased mostly for repair. Copart’s 30-acre show site in Sandy, Bedfordshire, which is closest to the company’s head office near Bedford, operates six JCB wheeled loaders. When badly damaged salvage vehicles arrive at the site on delivery trucks, they are unloaded by the wheeled loaders and checked to see if any work is necessary. They are then put away into the storage rows in the yard by the loaders and not moved again until they are sold. After the auction, the loaders are used to pick up the badly damaged cars from the rows and transport them to the loading area, where they are placed on the delivery vehicles. Each wheeled loader is responsible for about 100 movements a day, depending on how busy the operation is – it’s particularly busy for the first couple of days after the

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auction. Protecting the cars is paramount for Copart. “When we started buying JCBs, we conducted trials, which involved lifting a large SUV, says Houghton. “The JCB wheeled loader proved to be the only machine in the UK that could do what we wanted.” The rows of cars are tightly packed in the yard and this called for a compact machine with the required capacity. In fact Copart calculated the angle at which the cars are stored by how the JCB wheeled loader turns. As the operator moves in to pick up the car, the back of the loader turns. The four metre long forks pick the vehicle up lengthways on its front and back suspension arms, thus avoiding contact with the car’s bodywork or its exhaust and subsequent risk of any damage. The car stays parallel with the cars either side of it. When reversing out, the back end of the JCB wheeled loader turns, allowing it to bring the car out straight until it gets on full lock by which time it will be clear of the other cars, avoiding the risk of lifting one car over another.

Smooth ride suspension on the fork attachment’s hydraulic cylinders activates when the loader is travelling above 3-kph, preventing the car from bouncing and keeping it perfectly still on the long forks.

The attachment, designed for Copart is now a JCB option.

HIRE HOTLINE: 0161 223 3400

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Volvo Ce unveils 100% electric compact excavator prototype Volvo Construction Equipment demonstrated the EX2 – a fully electric compact excavator that delivers zero emissions, 10 times higher efficiency, 10 times lower noise levels and reduced total cost of ownership – at the Volvo Group Innovation Summit in London.

Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) unveiled its latest concept machine – known as the EX2 – to industry specialists, policymakers, the media and academics at the Volvo Group Innovation Summit on Tuesday May 16th. The 100% electric compact excavator prototype delivers zero emissions, 10 times higher efficiency, 10 times lower noise levels and reduced total cost of ownership compared to its conventional counterparts. It is believed to be the world’s first fully electric compact excavator prototype. The EX2 was presented at the Volvo Group Innovation Summit in London, UK, alongside innovations from across the Volvo Group, including an autonomous refuse truck from Volvo Trucks and an electric bus from Volvo Buses. The innovation summit centered on infrastructure and transport in cities of the future, and focused on how the industry can have a positive impact on society through increased transport efficiency, reduced environmental impact and improved traffic safety.

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Electrifying innovation The Volvo Group defines electromobility as ‘commercial vehicles and machines that can utilize an electrical motor to propel or to perform the main purpose of the machine’. To make the EX2 prototype fully electric, the combustion engine has been replaced with two lithium ion batteries, totaling 38KWh, which store enough electric energy to operate the machine for eight hours in an intense application, such as digging compact ground. The hydraulic architecture has also been replaced with electric architecture which incorporates electromechanical linear actuators that help to optimize the transmission chain. Removing the hydraulic system and the combustion engine, as well as reducing the cooling needs, has led to significantly lower noise levels. At this stage, the EX2 is purely a research project and there are currently no plans for industrialization. “In line with the Volvo Group’s vision to be the most desired and successful transport solution provider in the world, Volvo CE is

committed to contributing to sustainable development,” said Thomas Bitter, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Product Portfolio. “At Volvo CE we are developing technologies connected to electromobility, intelligent machines and total site solutions that will benefit our customers and the environment by contributing to increased machine performance, productivity, efficiency, safety and sustainability. Our future products and services will play an important part in building a sustainable society.” Innovating for a sustainable future The EX2 stemmed from the company’s earlier ELEXC research project, which was partly financed by the French government as well as various funding bodies in France. Volvo CE worked with a team of six partner companies which all contributed towards the €7m project. The ELEXC work started in 2012 and concluded in 2015, Volvo CE has since been working on other research projects connected to the EX2, such as durability tests. “The electrification of construction equipment will produce cleaner, quieter and more efficient machines – this represents the future of our industry,” concludes Ahcène Nedjimi, electrics and electronics systems lead engineer and EX2 project leader. “The EX2 is a revolutionary machine. With its zero emissions and ten times lower noise levels, it could easily be used in densely populated areas without disturbing people – even at night. Ten times higher machine efficiency and maintenance-free systems mean that operating costs and total cost of ownership would be significantly reduced. The prototype machine delivers the same power and force as its conventional counterpart, as well as faster speeds in combined movements. And all of this has been achieved without compromising on machine performance, ensuring customer needs would be fulfilled.”

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Komatsu europe international n.V. introduces d51eXi/pXi‐24 dozer Komatsu Europe announces the introduction of the D51EXi/PXi-24 dozer to the European market. This new model, equipped with a full factory- installed 3D GNSS Machine Control system, completes the full range of small to midsize dozers equipped with the market proven Intelligent Machine Control system. Featuring all the advantages of the new D51 24 dozer, and enhanced with customer benefits offered only by Komatsu’s integrated intelligent system, the D51EXi/PXi 24 brings improved efficiency and reduced costs to customers. “We are very proud to present this latest Intelligent Machine Control bulldozer to the European market” says William Groven, Product Manager at Komatsu Europe. “In February, we will show the D51EXi/PXi 24 and its benefits in an active demonstration at the Samoter fair in Verona, Italy. With about 2.000 Intelligent Machine Control bulldozers serving over 700 customers around the world, we feel confident that the D51EXi/PXi 24 will meet with the same success as its predecessors”. The innovative machine control system on the D51EXi/PXi 24 allows automated operation from heavy dozing to fine grading. It senses and controls the blade load to optimise the start of the cut and minimise track slip. Equipped dozers can greatly enhance work efficiency in any application, especially when a specific finished level must be guaranteed. The system is fully integrated, there’s no need for operators to climb on the blade to install/remove GNSS antennas, no coiled cables to snag and no electrical connections to worry about at the start and end of every shift.

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Available in either long track on ground (EX) or low ground pressure (PX) configuration, the D51EXi/PXi 24 crawler dozer offers flotation and weight distribution options, tailored to customers’ applications. The new Komatsu dozer features a powerful and efficient 4.5 litres, 98 kW (131 HP), SAA4D107E 3 EU Stage IV emissions certified engine, with a “Heavy duty” aftertreatment system. A Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system is now added to the Komatsu Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (KDOC), which requires only passive regeneration with no fuel wasted to clean the exhaust filter. The D51EXi/PXi 24 proposes superior Komatsu durability and lower operating costs to customers. Wear life of Komatsu’s high quality components was further increased, and a new triple labyrinth seal now protects the final drive from dirt and damage. The new high comfort cab has an adjustable and heated, air suspension high back seat. Possibilities for fleet management are expanded thanks to an upgraded

high resolution TFT LCD machine monitor, with ECO/POWER mode selection and operator identification. Job site safety is a key Komatsu value and a factory integrated rear view camera is included as standard. For the operator’s convenience, a shovel holder was added to the back of the machine. The latest KOMTRAXTM telematics, and the Komatsu Care® maintenance program, offer top fleet management and support, protect the machine against misuse and guarantee maximum efficiency and uptime.

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hyundai Construction equipment further expand its wheeled loader range with the new hl965 Hyundai has recently added yet another new model to the company’s wheeled loader range – the HL965. This new machine has been precision designed with trusted and proven components and systems from leading OEM’s and is designed to be rugged and reliable for longer up time, reduced operating cost and improved productivity.

Hyundai construction equipment is manufactured with the highest grade of steel. Rigid cycle testing, heat testing, vibration testing and shock load testing is conducted in the design and manufacturing process of all new models ensuring optimum durability and reliability. The new HL965 has an operating weight of 20,100 kg (44,313 lb). Powering the new machine is the very latest Stage IV Cummins QSL9 electronically controlled diesel engine with a gross power of 272 HP (200 kw) / 2,100 rpm. IMPROVED LOADING CAPACITY The HL965 offers an improved loading capacity. The maximum axle load capacity is 44,000 kg at the front and 35,000 kg at the rear, with standard 23.5 R25, L3 tyres.

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NEW CABIN OFFERS MORE COMFORT FOR THE OPERATOR Silent, safe and comfortable - the 10% larger (compared to -9a series) ROPS/ FOPS cabin with fully adjustable seat provides an ergonomic working environment that offers the ultimate in comfort for the operator. The new cabin is fully sound-proofed using state-of-the-art noise reduction technology which ensures maximum silence when working in noisy environments such as quarries or waste handling depots. The new air conditioning system maximises heating and cooling performance by optimising air flow through the cabin. The electro-hydraulic integrated control lever allows operators to operate attachments with ease which in turn enables greater productivity and minimises operator fatigue. The HL965 has improved visibility

which has been achieved by revising the mirror position. There is also the option of LED front lights, LED working lights and LED rear combination lights. HYUNDAI’S ‘INFOTAINMENT’ SYSTEM FOR THE OPERATOR’S CONVENIENCE The HL965 is optimised to enable operators to access accurate equipment data in quick time. This feature is of importance when working in tough environments to improve productivity. The intelligent seven-inch touch wide screen monitor is like a smart phone display and is larger than the previous models and is easy to read. The audio system, which includes a radio, has an integrated Bluetooth hands free feature, and a built-in microphone allowing the operator to safely take

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and make calls when in the cab. The ‘Infotainment’ system also allows the operator to enjoy the Miracast system which works via the WiFi of the operator’s smart phone and enables easy use of the smart phones features on the big screen including navigation, web surfing, watching videos and listening to music. ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC CONTROLS

(EH)

The new HL965 has joystick controls for boom, bucket and 3rd hydraulic line as standard – fingertip control is available as an option. All the models in the HL Series can also be fitted with joystick steering as an option. SOFT END STOP Touchscreen monitor and EH controls allow several new features like ‘Soft End Stop’, ‘Bucket priority’ and ‘Boom bucket detent mode’, to be controlled through the touchscreen. The ‘Soft End Stop’ delivers when an attachment reaches the end of a stroke - a ‘shock free’ operation by reducing the speed of the attachment near the end stroke. This function can be disabled through the monitor should the operator not want to use this function. ACCURATE WEIGHING SYSTEM

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ONBOARD

All Hyundai HL900 series models include Hyundai branded onboard weighing system as standard equipment. Accurate to +/- 1 percent, the system has automatic and manual settings for monitoring individual and cumulative bucket load weights. System measurements are displayed on the multi-function screen in the cab, providing load-weight monitoring reliable enough to support production management. REDESIGNED BUCKETS - IMPROVED BUCKET FILL FACTOR Hyundai’s improved bucket design features an innovative wider opening, curved side plates and enhanced spill guard to maximize bucket capacity and minimize material loss when travelling. Durability is also enhanced using high wear-resistant steel in key structural areas of the bucket.

tion, to improve the replacement cycle and durability of the air filter. The machine also has a fully sealed engine room, designed to prevent the possibility of fire caused by the inflow of ‘foreign materials. LARGER DUMPING HEIGHT The new wheel loader is also available in XT version (long boom for larger dumping height). OPERATING HL965:

Operation Weight Engine Model Engine Power Bucket Capacity

SPECIFICATIONS

20,100kg/44.313lb Cummins/QSL9 269HP/2100rpm 3.6m³/4.7yd³

EASE OF MAINTENANCE – ELECTRIC RETRACTABLE ENGINE HOOD A flick of a switch is what it takes to gain complete access to the engine compartment of Hyundai’s new wheel loader – a new feature not seen before on the previous range of Hyundai wheeled loaders. The fully retractable engine hood allows easy cleaning and maintenance. The HL Series has a large-volume air cleaner, an automatic dust ejector and a three-stage intake air pre-cleaner, as an op-

The air conditioning system on this machine contains the fluorinated greenhouse gas refrigerant HFC-134a (Global Warming Potential = 1430). The system contains 0.75 kg of refrigerant which has a CO2 equivalent of 1.0725 metric tonne.

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JCB Finance supports construction sector for 47 years, including through times of uncertainty

After an interesting 12 months since the EU referendum, the construction industry is entering another period of renewed uncertainty. Many felt a slump in the wake of June 23rd 2016 but after that initial slow down, the industry had been steadily growing again, right up until the election last month. Unfortunately, the hung parliament has already triggered uncertainty from parts of the private sector and now the industry is waiting to find out whether major projects will face political delays or worse. The last hung parliament came at the same time as the economic downturn in 2010. Back then recovery was slow and many small businesses suffered when the banks withdrew finance. Paul Jennings, Managing Director of JCB Finance, explains: “Back in 2010, the big banks were under pressure and in some cases withdrew funding from small businesses when they needed it most. In fact, that year there were reports that the number of complaints to the financial ombudsman service by small business owners making complaints about loans and overdrafts on the previous year had risen by

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119%.” “Our policy was very different. JCB Finance went out of its way to reassure and support customers with asset finance, using hire purchase and leasing to help small businesses to secure the resources they needed while protecting their working capital.” Steve Norman, Director of Stenor Environmental Services Ltd, said: “We’ve been working with JCB Finance for over 30 years. We wouldn’t have been able to afford our machines if it hadn’t been for the flexible approach they offered as the funding for the deposits would have been too much. JCB Finance enabled us to make the purchases to develop the business, without affecting cash flow too much.” JCB Finance offers a range of options designed to help spread costs and, depending on your circumstances, can also provide the flexibility to cope with unpredictable events such as bad weather and payment delays for jobs done. Paul Jennings continued: “As we enter another period of uncertainty for the industry, we will remain as committed to our customers, new and old, as ever.”

“We’ve been providing asset finance and supporting business growth in the construction, agriculture and industrial sectors since 1970 so we understand the kind of challenges our customers may face. We know that investment in plant, machinery or commercial vehicles is key to maintaining and developing successful businesses. “At times of uncertainty it’s particularly important for any business to hold any cash reserves against potential dips in activity or income but that doesn’t have to delay or prevent investment in vital assets. Asset finance can also spread the cost of investment, perhaps help reduce your tax bill and enable you to retain your cash for wages, tax and day to day needs.” “I think our customers also like to know that they haven’t got all their eggs in one basket. Many choose JCB Finance so they can open up additional credit lines that are independent from their bank. The protection offered by a fixed term contract is particularly appealing compared to a bank overdraft which as was seen, during the recession, could be withdrawn at any time. We are a people’s business and always aim to treat our customers fairly.”

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SKM Asset Finance Ltd:

Asset finance for the Construction industry SKM Asset Finance Ltd is celebrating our 20th anniversary this year, which means we have been providing asset finance to the construction industry for 20 years! Steve and Jackie Moody formed the company in 1997 as an asset finance brokerage at a time when finance brokers were few and far between, especially one that would specialise in financing construction equipment. However Steve already had 14 years of construction finance experience from his time at JCB Credit and Construction Equipment Finance whilst Jackie had 7 years’ experience with Barclays Mercantile and Construction Equipment Finance. From humble beginnings trading out of a spare bedroom, the business has grown over the past 2 decades and we now arrange around £30m of asset finance each year. Over the past 20 years we have arranged more than £475 million of asset finance, predominantly on construction equipment. We currently have over 30 finance companies on our panel of funders which en-

ables us to place over 98% of all proposals that we receive, a figure we are very proud of. Whilst many finance companies and banks took shelter during the 2008-2012 recession, by either not lending at all or on restricted terms if they did, SKM were continuously supporting our customer, dealer and manufacturer partners. Not only did we fund equipment when others wouldn’t but we supported our customers who had financial difficulties by rescheduling their existing finance agreements or by providing cashflow solutions. SKM has a team of 8 regional agents and we are probably the most experienced team of specialist construction finance professionals in the UK. We have exhibited at both Vertikal Days and Plantworx in 2017 and have already

booked to exhibit at Hillhead in 2018. ‘It is important to support the industry by exhibiting at these types of show’ states Jackie. ‘We know we can add a competitive advantage to manufacturers and dealers with our sales-aid finance proposition’. Steve adds ‘to demonstrate this support we are members of the Construction Equipment Association (CEA) and the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) and recently became members of the Lighthouse Club’. Asset finance is an extremely important part of the construction equipment buying process and we would be delighted to talk to you about the services we can offer or to provide you with a competitive quotation.

SKMAssetFinanceLtd FINANCE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY • SPECIALISTS IN ASSET FINANCE FOR PLANT AND VEHICLES, NEW AND USED • KNOWING YOUR INDUSTRY AND SPEAKING YOUR LANGUAGE • MANUFACTURER AND DEALER SALES AID FINANCE

Finance House, Unit 4, Ringwood Trading Estate, Castleman Way, Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 3BA

Tel: 01202 855080 Fax: 01202 855487 Email: finance@skmassetfinance.co.uk Web: www.skmassetfinance.co.uk Reg in England No. 3395180. Registered Office: Finance House, 45 Grange Road, St. Leonards, Ringwood, Hampshire, BH24 2QE Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. VAT Registration Number: 750 3548 40

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New Miller Powerlatch Tilt Coupler goes down a storm at PLANTWORX

The new Miller PowerLatch Tilt coupler made a big impression on the thousands of visitors who braved the summer storms to attend the 2017 Plantworx Show. The biannual construction machinery show took place at Bruntingthorpe proving grounds, Leicestershire and for earthmoving attachments manufacturer Miller UK, this year’s show was the biggest and best yet. The show opened and closed to torrential rain, with only a single day of glorious sunshine in between, but despite the summer storms and the abundance of mud, those who braved the weather managed to make it the biggest Plantworx ever. The Miller stands welcomed hundreds of visitors who were all keen to find out more about the new innovative PowerLatch Tilt which allows attachments, whether that’s a bucket, breaker or grapple, to be rotated up to 180 degrees, giving operators much greater versatility on site than ever before. Over at the Miller demonstration stand, a brand new Kubota KX080-4 was fitted with the new PowerLatch Tilt coupler and over the three days were put through their paces by vastly experience driver Jeff Morris. Commenting on the new tilt, Jeff Morris owner of Morris Plant Hire said “The tilt is a solid piece of kit, it grips the attach-

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ment pins tightly, with no sliding about when you tilt to full rotation, which is a full 90 degrees both ways. The added versatility and functionality of the tilt really does offer greater accessibility, ideal for civil and ground works.” During the show, a near constant stream of interested visitors received a glimpse of the latest attachments from Miller UK. Industry leading PowerLatch couplers and Scoop buckets were the subject of specific requests from a number of key customers, with some significant deals made at the show. In addition, visitors to the Miller stand gained a unique insight into an exciting product pipeline currently under development that is set to make an impact in the earthmoving sector. Plantworx marks the end of a busy and successful run of international exhibitions for Miller, who has used the 2017 expo season to launch its new PowerLatch Tilt and continue to build important relationships with new and existing customers at home and across the globe.

Brendan Quill, Sales and Marketing Director at Miller, said: “Despite the challenging weather conditions Plantworx 2017 turned out to be extremely encouraging for Miller, with a number of major deals being agreed on our stand and sales enquiries at an exceptionally high level compared to previous shows. Plantworx provides us with the perfect opportunity to connect with new and existing customers and demonstrate live the tangible benefits of our latest product innovations.” For more information please call 0800 912 0006, visit www.millergroundbreaking.com, or follow Miller on Twitter or LinkedIn.

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site safety the priority for Jn Bentley

Yorkshire-based hire and sales specialist, Chippindale Plant, has announced a site dumper supply agreement with JN Bentley Ltd. The contract will see Chippindale provide the civil engineering business with four, heavy-duty Mecalac TA9 units. With globally-renowned clients including Yorkshire Water, Severn Trent and United Utilities, specifying high-end equipment to maximise on-site safety is a key priority for JN Bentley. As part of the agreement, each of the four models will be fitted with a number of state-of-the-art technologies, setting the standards for safe equipment operation. Alongside high-visibility step and hand rails, green flashing seatbelt beacons and road light kits for legal highway travel, Mecalac’s Hazard Detection technology has been fitted as standard. Using radio-frequency energy at long wavelengths to bounce-off remote objects, Hazard Detection works in much the same way as parking sensors on a car – identify-

ing unseen obstacles and alerting the driver through a screen on the vehicle’s dashboard, alongside proximity warning alarms. Developed in partnership with Vision Techniques, the technology prioritises safety while maintaining operator efficiency. Nigel Chippindale, Joint Managing Director at Chippindale Plant, commented: “As one of our longest-serving clients, we’ve worked closely with JN Bentley for more than 40 years, delivering a regular supply of site dumpers and other compaction equipment. Thanks to this relationship, we were able to provide the exact equipment in a timely manner when it came to further expanding the company’s fleet. “As well as reliability, durability and fuel efficiency, specifying equipment that en-

sures the highest levels of on-site safety is a key corporate priority for JN Bentley. With a state-of-the-art suite of model technologies, Mecalac equipment is the perfect solution. Specifically designed to maximise operator efficiency while setting the standards in on-site safety, there’s a perfect model for every application.” Alongside Hazard Detection capability, new feature additions to the Mecalac site dumper range include Stop/Start Control, Autoshift technology, Powershift transmission and Capture Telematics. For more information about the company’s latest equipment portfolio, visit www.mecalac.com/construction.

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FAST & FLEXIBLE . FOR ALL CONSTRUCTION TRADES L3 Assessor qualifications . L4 IQA qualifications . L3/4 Trainer qualifications

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Confidential 24x7 helpline available to the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workforce and their families

0345 605 1956 www.constructionindustryhelpline.com

National Office, 1st Floor, 11 Northgate Street, Ipswich, IP1 3BX Charity Registration Number 1149488 Company Registration Number 08244118

CoVer storY

The Rise of GPS

In life, taking that first step in a new direction is often the hardest. To do it right, requires knowledge and guts. This truism applies to personal and business life. The UK construction industry face some really tough decisions regarding which markets to pursue and when is the best time to for purchases large of equipment. When handled properly, investing in heavy plant can open doors of opportunity and secure future revenue. Yet, every item of plant requires fuel, maintenance, insurance, and a capable plant operator. The purchase decision is so important it could mean the life and death of your company. For the average large earth works contractor, there is another big decision facing them today. It is more than a yes-or-no purchase decision. it is a financial purchasing

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choice, but its also a business decision that pivots the contractor in a new direction or more specifically, a new operational approach to conducting business. Its also is a decision that earthmoving contractors are learning is becoming inevitable. And at the risk of being dramatic, the choice may be as significant as world changers of the pasthorse-drawn carriage vs. automobile and typewriters/adding machines vs. computers. The big decision facing earthmoving contractors today is whether or not to embrace GPS machine control technologies. For many, the decision is not whether, but when, to adopt the technology and how

quickly. For them, GPS machine control technology is considered an inevitability. Global Positioning System technology is used in many areas of our daily lives, from car navigation systems to smartphone location services. For the construction industry it benefits two key applications. It gives surveyors highly accurate positioning information for design and as-built reference points, while advanced GPS-based machine control systems provide accurate grade information to operators to complete earthmoving tasks quickly and accurately. If you ever feel that you can't keep up with the constantly developing technology

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that surrounds us, don't worry you are not alone: an interesting forecast predicts that the rate of technological change in the next 10 years could be equal to that of the last 100 years. Along with mobile Internet accessibility, genetic engineering and nano technology, space technology is a key area of technological growth. It has already changed the way construction projects are completed and will continue to impact the future of the industry in coming years. Machine Control is the application of software and positioning technologies to make you more productive when excavating, grading by following the guidance of the in-cab display plant operators can typically improve their productivity between 30 to 50%, offering benefits that conventional excavation cannot. When using an excavator on-site your costs are directly related to how long work takes and how much material is moved. Machine control systems contribute to your potential for profit and offer opportunities to maximise machine usage while minimising re-work and errors. Machine guidance systems ensure reduced set out, improved quality, lower fuel use, and subsequent wear and tear on the machine; less checking and re-work and faster job turnaround. 2D MACHINE CONTROL: 2D guidance systems simplifies grading

and precise excavation. The excavator is configured to measure accurately using the boom and other articulations to the bucket. The machine can then know precisely where it is digging in relation to a known starting point, allowing the operator to dig a profile or depth with precision. This “twodimensional” view of the operation can be replicated again and again giving good coverage and precise grades across surprisingly wide areas. 2d system do not need any expert set up procedures and are very cost effective for the indoor use or small construction companies who may not have the budgets for a more complex system.

- Machine control systems can assist less experienced operator’s complete more complex design work - Reduces double handling of materials by approximately 60% - Passes required by graders and excavators reduced by around 70% - Less machine wear and tear, maximises machine utilisation - Reduces capital costs by completing work with fewer machines - Fuel savings of around 25% (kinder to the environment) - Improves safety by removing the need for people to work near machines

3D MACHINE CONTROL A 3D system is far more complicated. Whilst this achieves similar results as a 2D system it benefits from a richer data environment and precise GNSS positioning. The machine’s productivity is enhanced further as the external reference is constantly updated using RTK positioning, whilst the digging profile is maintained on the machine to provide a visual cut or fill indication to plant operators. HOW DOES GNSS CONSTRUCTION?

HELP

- Time savings from elimination of survey pegs and survey peg maintenance - Accuracy improvements - tasks are done right the first time, with fewer errors and repeat work

DEVELOPMENTS IN RELATED INDUSTRIES The mining and agriculture industries are advanced users of GNSS technology for machine systems. Developments in these related sectors can provide a good indicator for what could be adapted to suit the construction market. Farmers use GNSS for auto-steering tractors, increasing the accuracy of sowing and harvesting applications to give maximal crop yields. Due to the large acreage of many farms and the difficulties posed by line-of-sight and reference station range, farmers are major users of CORS technology for high accuracy 2cm positioning.

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Continuous development in auto-steer technology for agriculture could see driverless, fully automated or remote controlled tractors become reality in the not too distant future. Likewise, automation in the mining industry offers future possibilities for construction. Collision avoidance systems and autonomous haul trucks and drills are already being - 30% savings in survey labour costs with one-man survey crews - Improved quality control for surveyors through consistent and repeatable data recording - Improved data exchange between design and construction, with surveyors and machine operators working to the same design There’s a great John F. Kennedy quote that captures the essence of the construction world: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” Successful contractors and construction workers recognize that they must take control of their future or risk being left behind. This spirit of paying attention and taking control of the future plays into the notion of being prepared with the right knowledge and skills. Technology in earthmoving and site work

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changes too frequently to be ignored, Contractors must continually seek out new information, learn from others, and take advantage of training opportunities as often as they can to remain competitive. Successful construction contractors view training as a necessary and beneficial investment in their business and point to numerous reasons why the investment is worthwhile: • Improves safety – Contractors acknowledge that the safety of their workers is critical. The right training can ensure that the equipment is operated correctly and that health and safety practices are being followed in the workplace. • Improves productivity – It makes sense and is proven that well-trained employees are more confident in their abilities to perform their work. The right training gives workers the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out their work to the best of their ability, thus increasing productivity and quality of the results. • Keeps current with technology – The pace of technology changes and advancements in construction come fast and furious. Regular training means the business and employees don’t get left behind and they stay working at their best, both today and in the future. • Attracts and retain key employees

– In today’s market, contractors cannot afford to hire or carry workers who are not super competent or are firmly on a path to proficiency. Training and development programs not only attract, but they can engage current employees and keep them committed to the company. • Gives company and workers the edge – Training employees can provide a genuine competitive advantage over competition. The only way to be better than competitors is by employees being better than the rest and training is a direct route to achieving this. The key attributes of good training are that it is repeatable, consistent, and offered frequently so workers can commit to learning regularly, Both managers and workers will never know everything about the products and systems they use, so, training helps everyone be smarter and more productive. I tell the people we train that if you feel you are pretty productive now, you’ll be even more productive after training.” To be effective, training needs to be concise and specific to a contractor’s needs. Construction contractors and professional surveyors are extremely busy and do not have the time or patience for superfluous information.

Machine Control solutions from Opti-cal ensure that excavation and earthworks activities on your site are right first time, every time. Whenever you hire excavators or earthworks machines, make Machine Control from Opti-cal your number one priority to improve quality and productivity on-site. The use of equipment fitted with Machine Control technology increases efficiency, reduces the time on the job, improves health & safety, and also reduces resource and material usage. Machine Control is just one product in the Opti-cal range of instrumentation, which includes optical levels, rotating lasers, dual grade lasers, interior lasers, pipe lasers, reflectorless total stations, robotic total stations, GPS kits and a wide variety of measuring, scanning and detection equipment.

Get in touch to find out how Opti-cal can help you on your next project.

• Machine Control involves the integration of positioning tools into construction machinery. • Software solutions determine a machine’s current position on the earth and then compare that position with the desired design surface. • Data is displayed inside the machine cab allowing the operator to efficiently determine the intended design on the ground. • Machine Control is used to accurately position earthwork machinery based on 3D design models.

Sales | Hire | Service | Support 01530 832382

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UK Plant Operators & Leica Geosystems

state-of-the-art plant simulator competition at plantworx 2017

With Plantworx being the biggest plant show to hit the UK bi-annually, we wanted to do something different for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event something that made a statement, also having just launched the Construction Industry Technology Association #CITA what better than a first of its kind simulator competition to help raise awareness of how machine control is becoming more and more common place within the industry, and how operators are getting slightly left behind in the education side of things. We teamed up with Leica Geosystems in a bid to hold a technology based competition where people could come along and have a go with machine guidance systems whilst having a bit of fun, nothing speeds up the learning process more than having a bit of a laugh with your mates! The simulators are very good for bringing out the competitive side of any plant operator, although at first its very weird sensation operating a simulator once you have had a

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couple of goes the racing driver streak of all red blooded operators soon appears and the game is on. Working with a company called Damngood, who delivered a really cool looking stand with a nice open welcoming front to help entice operators out of the cold and into a well presented areas where they could have a bite to eat, some refreshments and more importantly enter their best time on the simulator. With Leica Geosystems being one of the leading companies in the machine control world and also having a very good show and event history themselves this seemed the perfect way to get operators and industry related professionals interacting with their products who might not usually walk into a stand like this due to the complexity of some of the equipment Leica offer, even myself I find the world of digital measurement and surveying very overwhelming and often thought it was for engineers only.

The challenge: We had to come up with a challenge specially designed for plant operators which could demonstrate the capabilities of the Leica icon machine control system, which in itself was a massive task, we worked closely with Tenstar Simulationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Simon Hogg and Leicaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Bobby Friedlander who are both very highly skilled within their industry, after a lot of planning meetings and technical back and forth we created a first, we managed to rewrite the software within the simulator to talk to the Leica Icon box, we also created a 3d model of the challenge which worked perfectly with the simulator challenge in guiding the operator where and how deep to dig, just as it would on a normal construction site. The entrants had to dig a V-ditch whilst against the clock using the icon machine control and light bars as guidance, the operator who excavated the most material as close to grade as possible within the allo-

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cated time slot would win. We also allowed teams to enter with the backing of their companies along with individual operators and passers by who might never have had the opportunity to even operate a machine. The skill level demonstrated during this competition was second to none, despite a bit of scepticism during the lead up on how operators would perceive the simulators, all operators who took part embraced the technology more than we could have imagined, the skills on demonstration were of a very high standard, we had teams and individuals from many of the large manufacturers such as JCB, CAT, Komatsu and Volvo as well as leading Plant Hire companies such as Lynch Plant Hire, Flannery Plant Hire and Hawk, all battling it out during the 3 day event. After fierce competition the winners were revealed, with Mathew Olby winning the individual event with the best score and team CPCS winning the team event with a cracking result. Both teams and individuals were presented with their prizes at the CPCS training centre in Bircham Newton and were very happy to take home prizes including Leica Rugby laser levels, measurement tools and branded clothing amongst other great items in the goodie bags. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to the next event!

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First of its kind Machine Control Simulator training at Hinkley Point C UK Plant Operators LTD have teamed up with Leica Geosystems and Kier Bam to test run a state of the art simulator based familiarisation course for Leica machine control and guidance at one of the largest construction projects in the UK.

Hinkley Point C in Somerset have recently made the decision to make all machinery on site far more efficient and incorporating Leica GPS/GNSS machine control systems, which in its self is a massive undertaking with over 150 excavators and dozers all working side by side on this massive project, with a 3 month timescale to undertake all the installs to the machinery UKPO were charged with the task of trying to familiarize some of the already highly skilled plant operators with the Leica Icon system. So the challenge was set, 45 operators needed to be trained with basic familiarization within a ten day window, just the logistics of this alone would present a lot of problems including how can we get the system into the classroom environment and working to enable demonstration of the system to its full potential, obviously traditional methods of installing the system to an excavator on site and trying to lean over each operator while the machine is moving was totally out of the question also very un-

UK Plant Operators - Issue 07

productive in this high pace environment. UK Plant Operators Ltd, equipped with their state of the art Plant training simulator, which has been specially developed with clever coding to trick the Leica Icon box into thinking its reading real data from the GPS/GNSS satellites and works as a normal box thus enabling us to upload designs and models in a nice warm classroom environment. Operators were very sceptical at first about simulator training in this environment as most of the operators were already at the top of their game, but soon realised the simulator was not trying to teach them how to operate machinery but to give them the rare opportunity to be able to interact with the Leica Icon box in a safe environment without risk of interfering with any live models currently being run on site, most operators left the course with a good basic understanding of how GPS works and the benefits of the system. We also ensured all attendees took part in the national competition to see who could

load a truck in the fastest time which was very successful in creating a bit comradery between the operators engineers and office staff, making the course a very fun productive environment for learning. The whole course was hailed a success and UK Plant Operators are now working with Leica and Hinkley Point to deliver further training in this way including a more in depth Total station training for the parts of the site where the GPS signal gets lost due to the massive depth of some of the formations. Watch this space for more info.

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BM Excavations happy with Volvo & Steelwrist combo Ben Miller of BM Excavations Ltd made the decision to replace his CAT 312D with a one-of-a-kind Volvo EC140ELM and couldn’t be happier since getting his new piece of kit.

After months of test drives and deliberations over specifications, Ben plumped for the new Volvo which was the first to arrive in the UK in this specification. While the standard EC140E is a popular tool amongst civil engineering and ground-works contractors, the M version is seen as a far more specialist piece of equipment with a price tag cost conscious civils fleets would baulk at. Despite his age, Ben has considerable experience operating various types of machinery over the last decade. After studying agriculture in York he went on to work for an agricultural contractor before turning towards the construction side of the industry working in the family firm. Operating anything from skid-steers and backhoe loaders to various makes of 360 crawler excavators, Ben left the family firm to set up on his own less than 2 years ago. Undertaking a variety of forestry and estate management work across the Scottish Borders from his base in Gifford, East Lothian, we caught up with Ben and his new ex-

UK Plant Operators - Issue 07

cavator on a project near Berwick-uponTweed where he was undertaking a variety of tasks including ditch, verge and tree maintenance. Unlike a standard LC undercarriage, the M version offers an increase in ground clearance which is ideal for Ben’s operations. The standard set-up offers 436mm between the undercarriage and ground but thanks to the deeper track frames taken from a 20 tonne machine, the M version sits over 150mm higher resulting in greater stump clearing potential. Sitting on 900mm triple grouser pads, the machine almost floats across the ground with a lightweight 0.3kg/m2 of ground pressure. With an overall width of 2690mm the Volvo is still within the standard transport dimensions in the UK. The “basic’ EC140 tips the scales around the 14t mark, the larger undercarriage, Steelwrist and additional items take the weight up to the 18t zone. Adding to the machine’s weight, Ben has also installed a custom made “Ski Plate” to the under carriage. Bevelled to the front and rear edges, this heavy

duty plate allows the machine to ride over obstacles such as stumps reducing the possibility of the machine grounding. Manufactured by Lammer Engineering, Ben’s father’s company, the ‘Ski Plate” along with lower cab guard, light protection and check valve guards have also been designed and developed in-house to compliment the high standard specification of the Volvo. The larger undercarriage also means a greater ground clearance underneath the counterweight with an additional 200mm over the standard unit. Visually the upper-structure looks a little lost upon such a large undercarriage. To further protect his investment Ben and Lammer Engineering have fabricated special side protection bars for the upper-structure. Painted in Volvo grey, the tops have had a non-slip tape added in the corporate BM green livery courtesy of skateboard tape! The dark depths of a Scottish winter will prove no obstacle for the new Volvo either as, along with the standard LED lights, extra units have been fitted around the machine

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The upper-structure of the EC140ELM ranks amongst the best 14 tonners on the market with sturdy, wide opening access panels allowing all serviceable items to be reached from ground level. Behind the large Care Cab, Volvo have designed a stepped access platform enabling fitters to safely access the engine compartment. The punched steel surface will provide a safe access point even in the harshest of Scottish winters. Despite the compact nature of the upper-structure, the room in front of the engine compartment is surprisingly large. While meeting the current Tier 4f emissions regulations, the four cylinder, 122hp Volvo engine still has room within the engine bay should any future additions be necessary to allow it to meet future emissions regulations. Using Ad-Blue to meet the emissions regulations requires the fitment of a small 20 litre tank. Early indications go to show that the emissions system is barely sipping the Ad-Blue with the tank requiring only a small top-up as and when the diesel is replenished. During his search for a replacement machine Ben took to opportunity to look at a variety of machines designed to meet his requirements and, as an owner operator, the cab was a major sticking point with some manufacturers. Ben has nothing but praise for the Volvo cab, pointing out the large amount of storage space available. “You always need space to store bits and pieces!” jokes Ben. Along with a multi-positional seat, home comforts such as Bluetooth connectivity, air conditioning and controls which fall very easily to hand make the long hours he will spend in the cab a much more comfortable experience. At the time of our visit Ben had only spent a few days driving the Volvo and despite this short time behind the levers he says the operating experience is amazing. One extra fitted to the Volvo is an Eberspacher engine and cab heater. Usually found on cold climate machines, the heater is programmed to start a set time before Ben arrives at the machine meaning both cab and engine are at a perfect operating temperature to start working straight away. While the standard EC140Es already in the UK have been supplied with mono boom, Ben has specified his machine with the optional two-piece set up. Allowing a much improved working envelope, the twopiece boom offers over 1m of extra reach in

all working ranges and when retracted fully theoretically gives the machine the ability to dig right under itself. The 4.2m boom has been paired with a 2.5m dipper stick which gives Ben the ideal balance between reach and capacity. “This particular set-up allows me to work in a wider envelope than my previous machine but still remains stable when using some of my heavier attachments.” Explains Ben. As a dedicated and experienced tilt-rotator user, Ben has again plumped for a Steelwrist in the form of an X18 system. Supplied by Pat Bulcock of Steelwrist UK, the installation of the whole system is exemplary with all the associated pipework routed very tidily along the length of the boom and dipper to avoid any unwanted movement. The X18 is designed to fit excavators in the 12 to 18 tonne weight range. Supplied with an S60 hitch, the versatility of the Steelwrist unit is further enhanced with the addition of an integrated four-finger gripper cassette. The integrated gripper unit saves Ben time when undertaking various mulching or digging tasks as the gripper negates the need to drop an attachment to fit a dedicated grab unit. “It also means I can stay in the safety of my cab at all

times.” Comments Ben. The in-cab additions for the Steelwrist fitment include the replacement of the original Volvo joysticks for dedicated “X-Control” versions. The button and roller settings allow Pat and Ben to decide on the various functions possible through each control and while not necessary on this application, the joysticks incorporate sensors in each of the four rollers to meet EU safety requirements when used for the steering of wheeled excavators. The “X-Control” screen sits neatly above the Volvo touch screen in the cab and falls within easy reach for Ben to make any changes necessary to the system during the working day. The system installed in Ben’s machine is the latest technology from Steelwrist and is designed to integrate with the Volvo’s operating system and reduce fuel consumption from the operating of the tiltrotator. While this may seem somewhat excessive, Steelwrist believe that more than 50% of all tilt-rotator equipped excavators are burning fuel unnecessarily thanks to their operating systems. “Any reduction in fuel use is a major benefit to me” exclaims Ben “Even so, early figures show that the Volvo is using only 6-7 litres per hour which is already a huge saving over my last

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machine.” The interface between operator and the “X-Control” system is simple with easy to follow steps allowing Ben to change and adjust settings and flows for various attachments with a touch of the screen. The X18 is quickly removable allowing direct coupling to the S60 top hitch for any work which doesn’t require the use of the tilt-rotator unit. “It’s rare that I would drop it too often as the tilt/rotate unit only adds 453mm from the S60 hitch.” Explains Ben. Ben had a variety of tasks laid out for us to witness his machine’s ability. Quickly picking up his V ditching bucket Ben tracked the Volvo along the track to undertake some ditch clearance to allow water running off the road to drain away steadily. The V ditcher, as with the majority of his buckets, is manufactured by Lammer to his exacting specifications and has been equipped with a pair of ripping teeth fitted to the rear face to allow grubbing up of vegetation. It is immediately easy to see the benefit of the Steelwrist with Ben positioning the Volvo in the centre of the track and comfortably removing the verge to form a perfect drainage channel. Deftly altering the pitch and rotation of the bucket Ben was able to follow the shallow radius of the road. The added versatility of the two-piece boom enabled Ben to concentrate on undertaking the task instead of continually having to manoeuvring the Volvo into the best position. The resulting material from the cut was easily thrown well away from the drainage channel to rot down into the undergrowth. The next task for ben to un-

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dertake was the clearance of fallen trees and debris further down the track to enable the ditch formation to advance. Swapping the V ditcher over for an Intermercato Tigergrip GX28-50 selector grab the offending material was quickly removed away from the work area. One noticeable feature of the Volvo is, no matter what task it’s undertaking, it is extremely quiet. The usual track clatter is evident when travelling but this far outweighs any noise coming from the engine. The final task for Ben to undertake during our visit was the coppicing of trees overhanging the track. A quick attachment change and the Volvo was equipped with an Ag-Con TL350 tree shear. Capable of cutting through tree trunks in excess of 450mm the Volvo and Steelwrist combo

deftly wielded the shear into various positions to allow the trees to be reduced. The additional gripper came into play to manhandle the fallen timber out of the way before the next tree could be cropped. Even at full reach with the tree shear in action the Volvo remained very stable thanks to is excellent weight distribution and partly down to the large footprint afforded by the 900mm track pads. Ben has now been operating his Volvo for a number of months and is extremely happy with the build quality and the versatility of the Steelwrist system. “I don’t think I could have got a better package from any other supplier!”

Know how

Do you know your Safe Zones?

Red Zone The red zone is the danger area, never approach the machine whilst its working, always wait until you have made eye contact with the operator and he has stopped working and made the machine safe, give the thumbs up then approach with caution.

Grey Zone The grey zone is the blind spot for most excavators, if your in this zone the operator will most likley never see you, never aproach a machine from this angle.

Green Zone The green zone is the plant operators arc of vison, always approach a machine from this point once the operator has acnowledged your presence.

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inside View

The Rise of Social Media in The Construction Industry

By Adam Henry LINKEDIN USAGE BY CONSTRUCTION SECTOR

When we talk about social media, we talk in terms of LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and the like. However, technically speaking social networking began with the click of a button in 1971 when the first email was sent. Until fairly recently, the last 15 years or so, the very notion of “online community” was practically non-existent. Then came the social media revolution. Facebook was launched in 2004, and, while preceded by My Space and a couple of others, this is, arguably, when social media began to drastically change the way people communicate. More than 1.5 billion people have a social media account and the medium continues to change the way people live and work. Social media has quickly become a critical business tool with farreaching capabilities partly because it’s fast, and relatively low cost. CONSTRUCTION TOO HANDS ON FOR SOCIAL MEDIA While the construction industry has lagged behind somewhat in adapting to a digital age, many construction businesses and related professional companies are starting to take advantage of social media benefits. Still, the old argument that social media is too hands on to be really successful in the construction industry comes up from time to time. Not to take anything away from the important role

UK Plant Operators - Issue 07

performed by every construction team member from the ground up, not everyone in the industry is mixing cement and carting wheelbarrows. There are an increasing number of respected industry professionals who actively engage on social media and with measurable business success. NOT A RANDOM MARKETING

ACT

Findings are currently being analysed to provide insight into how best market and communicate with architects, main contractors, housebuilder, builders’ merchants and offsite manufacturers. FACEBOOK USAGE BY CONSTRUCTION SECTOR

THE

Facebook has seen an increase of 6% for work since 2015 by construction professionals. With 27% of Facebook users using it in a work capacity. Facebook is the leading social network with over 42 million Facebook users in the UK. Facebook accounts for one in every six minutes spent online and one in every five minutes spent on mobile. Research shows most construction industry decision makers use more than one social network for work and the social media channels used vary with profession. With those aged 36 – 55 more active on social media for work than other age groups.

THE

Engineers are the most represented profession on LinkedIn. In deed LinkedIn is known as the professionals network. LinkedIn has approximately 21 million UK users, with 60% of the UK’s student and working population using LinkedIn. The Construction Media Index research in 2015 showed that 49% of respondents use LinkedIn for work. This year early analysis of initial findings show 78% of respondents use LinkedIn, and the majority (91%) use it for work, a marked increase of 42% when compared to the 2015 findings. Marketers need to be bear in mind that the average LinkedIn user spends 17 minutes per month on LinkedIn. So less active user base than other networks. The 2015 Construction Media Index findings showed most respondents who use social networks will use more than one network for work. For example, if a member of Twitter, the respondent will also be a member of LinkedIn and/or Facebook. Put simply there is not one social network that meet all the requirements of the construction marketer, as ever a tailored multi-channel tailored approach is required. SOCIAL MEDIA AS A CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATION TOOL Interestingly statistics by Hootsuite show 50% of B2B buyers use LinkedIn when making purchasing decisions. Newer social networks that have established themselves in more recent years have been more image based. With Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest all showing increased growth. 87 percent of users cite Pinterest as the reason for buying a certain product. Not only that, but 93 percent of Pinners have used the site to plan for a future purchase. And

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half of internet users watch video clips online at least weekly, an increase of 9% since 2014. HOW DOES THIS TRANSLATE INTO THE SPECIFICATION OF CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS? Preliminary findings from this year’s Construction Media Index shows that social networks are increasingly used for product information and ideas. Early findings place the use of social networks for product information at 43% an increase of 14% from 2015. IN SUMMARY • 90% of professionals in the construction sector are active on social media • 91% of construction professionals use LinkedIn for work • 43% of construction professionals use social networks for sourcing construction product information and ideas Plant operators seem to have got the bug too, time gone past it was a very arduous task looking for a training provider to help you achieve the training required to enable you on to site as an plant operator, this usually meant spending hours and hours looking through the yellow pages looking for

SOCIAL NETWORK USAGE BY THE UK CONSTRUCTION SECTOR (PRELIMINARY RESULTS) USE

DONT USE

2017

90%

10%

2015

85%

15%

2013

65%

35%

well-established providers, often this would be only the very few which had advertising budgets to use the yellow pages calling each one to get a price and then comparing, this process would often miss out providers which were maybe new to the industry or even still miss out on prospective offers that might be on at the time. The second way was word of mouth, again a very slim chance of getting a good deal due to the fact that on most site there are few operators which only have training every so often, again a problem looking for a deal. Along came social media and the rise of the now well established plant and machinery pages such as UK Plant Operators, this is now a place where operators can compare prices for training as well as the best providers through they word of mouth of literally thousands of

plant operators across the UK, we are now also able to see offers from providers as soon as they are posted, this enables the operator to search for training in his own time and from there smart phone. Groups like UK Plant Operators , CPCS Operators and Diggerman blog offer great insight to jobs and sharing best practice, with jobs posted daily by Agencies and plant hire companies, reaching a far bigger audience than the traditional advert in the Sun. The change will only get more advanced with apps and purpose built chat sites tailoring to the modern world with online training done whilst waiting for the next lorry to turn up!! If this is doesn’t make social media the new super power in the industry I don’t know what does

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lighthouse Construction industry Charity funds Construction Youth trust’s ‘lighthouse learner project’ The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity is joining forces with Construction Youth Trust and funding ‘The Lighthouse Learner Project’ which will offer 20 disadvantaged young people to access training and employment opportunities in the construction industry. The ‘Lighthouse Learners’ will join the Trust’s Budding Builders Programme, based out of their training centre in Bermondsey. The nine day course, set over three weeks will see the 20 Lighthouse Learners aquire their OCN London accredited Level 1 Award in ‘Health and Safety in a Construction Environment’ and preparation to achieve a 5 year CSCS card. The young people on the course will also be supported with ongoing employability skills and one-to-one progression which will include CV and interview support. Another important element of the course is the opportunity to meet industry role models, going on site visits and connecting with potential employers. The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity’s primary aim is to provide financial aid and emotional support to construction families in crisis situations. The charity’s services are provided through a 24/7 confidential helpline that is supported by the Considerate Constructors Scheme and allows those in crisis access to a wide portfolio of services including financial aid, advice on occupational health and mental wellbeing and support on legal, tax and debt management matters. The charity also supports educational initiatives aimed at improving employment conditions and career opportunities within the construction industry and so, both charities share a common purpose in supporting those who face significant barriers to work. Bill Hill, Chief Executive at Lighthouse said, “We are delighted to be able to provide this funding and work with Construction Youth Trust. As with everything we do, we can only do this with the support of our industry and so I would like to say a special thank you to Canary Wharf Contractors, Morgan Sindell and Laing O’Rourke for committing to site visits,

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work placements and mentoring, Randstad CPE for helping with CV and employability advice and Work and Wear for making sure that our learners are safely kitted out with PPE. We want to make sure that young people from diverse backgrounds are offered the chance to find out more about careers in construction and working with Construction Youth Trust allows us to do this. This collaboration means that we can offer our ‘Lighthouse Learners’ invaluable first -hand experience, the opportunity to meet top employers in the industry and enable them take part in informative and practical courses.” Carol Lynch, Chief Executive at Construction Youth Trust commented: “We are excited to be partnering up with a fellow construction charity who are as passionate about opportunities in the industry as we are. This is a real chance to reach out to the huge untapped and under-represented talent of diverse young people.”

ABOUT CYT Construction Youth Trust works with young people aged 14 to 30 to help them overcome barriers and access employment opportunities in the construction industry. The Trust works with young people from challenging backgrounds including young offenders, care leavers, the long-term unemployed and those who are just unaware of the opportunities available to them within construction industry. Construction Youth Trust are passionate about reaching out to the huge untapped talent of young people, especially those who have been traditionally under-represented in the industry, such as women and BAME young people, and ensure construction has a diverse workforce that reflects the best of 21st century Britain. Find out more about the work of the Trust: www.constructionyouth.org.uk

rG Y C o V etrr Asitnoi n ABOUT LIGHTHOUSE CHARITY

CLUB

Since 1956, The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity has gifted £16.5m of financial support to construction families in crisis. The charity receives no public funding and relies entirely on the generosity of the construction industry to fund it’s 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline. The Helpline is the first point of contact to access a portfolio of support including financial aid, advice on occupational health and mental wellbeing and support on legal, tax and debt management matters. The charity also supports educational initiatives aimed at improving employment conditions and career opportunities within the construction industry and promotes initiatives aimed at avoiding accidents and improving safety on sites. Find out more about The Lighthouse Club Charity: www.lighthouseclub.org

The Construction Industry Charity

JCB’s louise crowned Apprentice of the Year TEENAGER Louise Meredith is the toast of JCB after she was named Young Employee / Apprentice of the Year at a regional business awards. Higher Apprentice Louise, 19, who works at JCB’s World HQ in Rocester scooped the title at the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce Business Awards held at the Staffordshire County Showground. Louise, of Meir Park, Stoke-on-Trent, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have won such a prestigious award, particularly so early in my career. Becoming an apprentice has been one of the best decisions I have ever taken and to have my work recognised in this way is fantastic.” Louise joined the JCB Higher Apprenticeship Programme in September 2016 after graduating from The JCB Academy in Rocester with outstanding A-level and GCSE results. She currently works as a Design Engineer in JCB’s Loadall business unit, which manufactures the world’s leading range of telescopic handlers used in the construction industry and agricultural sector. She is putting her technical skills to good use in designing machine and component prototypes

using cutting-edge CAD (Computer Aided Design) technology. As part of her Higher Apprenticeship programme, Louise is also undertaking a 10 week secondment during the summer at JCB Landpower in Cheadle to experience a different area within the JCB business. JCB Group Director of Training Alan Thomson said: “In the ten months she has been with JCB, Louise has developed a rep-

utation for getting the job done with great enthusiasm and paying a lot of attention to detail. The award is very well deserved.” While working at JCB World Headquarters, Louise is also studying for a BEng (Bachelor of Engineering) degree as part of a company-funded scheme run by JCB Global Learning in conjunction with Sheffield Hallam University.

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Government Review of Modern Working Practices - The Taylor Report The recently published Matthew Taylor report into current work practices was commissioned by the Government to understand what was happening in the labour market. The ‘gig’ economy is rising fast and Self-Employment has continued to rise throughout the UK

The starting point for the review was the strength of the labour market and of the key features of the system of employment regulation, what we refer to as the British way. Record levels of employment, low levels of unemployment, high levels of voluntary flexibility, wages now growing fastest amongst the lowest paid; these facts provide a very positive backdrop – one that would be envied in many other advanced economies – for the consideration of how to improve the quality of work. With this success in mind the reports aim was to make clear that the Review team thinks flexibility is a good thing, in fact we need more. By underling that getting a job is still the best way out of poverty and path to opportunity. And let me reassure firms and organisations that good employers have absolutely nothing to fear from the reports proposals. Indeed we explicitly say that what is sometimes called the employment wedge – the costs of taking someone on as

an employee - is already big and should not be bigger. Our national performance on the quantity of work is strong. But quantity alone is not enough for a thriving economy and fair society. We believe now is the time to complement that commitment to creating jobs with the goal of creating better jobs. The Review calls on the Government to adopt the ambition that all work should be fair and decent with scope for fulfilment and development. Matthew Taylor report proposes replacing cash payments to casual workers with a scheme similar to CIS. One of the more suggestions was that instead of paying people cash for certain services (window cleaners, gardeners, builders etc), these should be paid through an app or platform and HMRC make the necessary deductions and pass on the rest. The report estimates that as much as £4bn is lost by paying people cash for services.

It is worth noting that these are just recommendations and some of the recommendations would take a long time before being implemented. The Reports made a large number of recommendations, some of which would have a significant impact on employment status. • A new category of “dependent contractor” to replace category of people who qualify for worker status but are not employees. • Better transparency for employees and “dependant contractors”. • Much better rights for Agency workers. • To clarify the test for Self-employment. • Encourage Gig platforms to allow individuals to transfer their verified approval ratings and share these ratings with third parties. • HMRC to take responsibility for

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enforcing basic rights – NMW, Maternity, Sick pay for the lowest paid workers. • Shift burden of proof in employment tribunal cases to employer to prove individual not entitled to employment rights claimed. • Umbrella Companies to be under the responsibility of the Employment Agency Inspectorate. • Combat the billions lost via the ‘hidden economy’ by introducing a range of platforms designed to support cashless (but transparent) transactions. The Report is interesting. It does appear to take a more rational approach to things than some of the more extreme rhetoric that usually comes out when discussing the “Gig economy” and issues such as self-employment. We welcome the idea of clarity as regards status for the self-employed but I do wonder how this can be achieved given how elusive this has proved up to now. I also particularly like the idea of sharing approval ratings as I am aware that the lack of past referrals/ratings can cause problems for individuals when they are seeking new work. It is clear that the labour market is changing radically so government and legislation needs to respond to these significant changes. The work of this Review is based on a single overriding ambition: All work in the UK economy should be fair and decent with realistic scope for development and fulfilment. Good work matters for several reasons: • Because, despite the important contribution of the living wage and the benefit system, fairness demands that we ensure people, particularly those on lower incomes, have routes to progress in work, have the opportunity to boost their earning power, and are treated with respect and decency at work. • Because, while having employment is itself vital to people’s health and well-being, the quality of people’s work is also a major factor in helping people to stay healthy and happy, something which benefits them and serves the wider public interest. • Because better designed work that gets the best out of people can make an important contribution to tackling our complex challenge of low productivity. • Because we should, as a matter of principle, want the experience of work to

UK Plant Operators - Issue 07

match the aspirations we have for modern citizenship; that people feel they are respected, trusted and enabled and expected to take responsibility. • Because the pace of change in the modern economy, and particularly in technology and the development of new business models, means we need a concerted approach to work which is both up to date and responsive and based on enduring principles of fairness. “Good Work is shaped by working practices that benefit employees through good reward schemes and terms and conditions, having a secure position, better training and development, good communication and ways of working that support task discretion and involve employees in securing business improvement” The labour market is changing, self-employment is rising, innovative forms of working are causing us to question established norms and how our current legislative framework fits with these developments. These changes have impacts for ordinary people, who may be less certain about their rights, or who might feel that the system doesn’t accommodate the reality of their working relationships. It also has impacts for the state, which sees the fiscal Regardless of how they are employed, whether in a traditional, full-time role or on a more flexible basis, people should understand what rights they have. Even many individuals working in the most casual of relationships are entitled to basic employment rights and should be aware of this. Employment status is the gateway through which an individual must go to access statutory rights. As we have said, determining employment status must be simpler, clearer, and give individuals and employers more information, a greater level of certainty and an understanding of which rights and responsibilities apply. The report says it is time that Government takes a fresh look at the legislation. Clearer legislation should improve the ability of citizens, and those who support them, to understand what employment status applies and what rights they are entitled to. While better guidance plays its part, legislation that reflects the reality of the modern workplace is a key driver and must be the starting point. This will ultimately filter down to individuals as Government and advisory bodies are able to deliver clearer

guidance and advice. More clearly and definitively stating the basis for employment status in legislation will not be easy. However, as a number of organisations, including the Law Society recognise, there is now an overwhelming case to tackle this sooner rather than later. “A new offer to the self-employed” The report is 116 pages and can be found from the Government website or on various employment law sites if you need some bedtime reading, but the way self-employment will change over the next few years will be interesting reading for many of the operators within our industry the last parts in particular puts focus on: • Government should recognise the wide variety of forms of modern self-employment and should act to support and protect those who need help. More effort should be made to harness the potential of digital platforms to offer support to selfemployed people; • Government should focus on encouraging self-employed people to plan for the future, reducing the potential that the taxpayer has to pick up additional costs associated with ill health or inadequate retirement saving. • Examine the most effective ways to ensure self-employment is considered alongside employment at those points where people make career decisions, both through Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service. • Government should invest time and money in technology, encouraging digital solutions to support self-employed people comply with their legal requirements as well as think about the future, through the provision of a Catalyst environment. • Consider how embracing the move towards cashless transactions can both support self-employed people and consumers in making informed decisions as well as supporting HMRC in addressing the tax gap by looking to extend the principles of conditionality as far as possible There are more self-employed people in the UK than ever before. Many are now seizing the opportunities presented by the gig economy to supplement their income through, essentially, self-employed earnings. As such, it is time the Government reconsidered how self-employment is treated and what it can do to support those who choose to be their own boss.

JOIN TODAY AND HAVE YOUR SAY ON INDUSTRY TOPICS

The NFPEO has great experience in the rail & Construction industries, so we can see first-hand the growing gap in the market for skilled plant operators. We also understand how operators are struggling to gain experience on projects. As â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Voice of the Operatorâ&#x20AC;? the NFPEO is looking to bring about fundamental changes in the operators working conditionsespecially in regards to training and continual personal development. This is to ensure good operators remain in the industry and that new operators can be attracted to fill the current shortage.

Find out more at: http://nfpeo.com

o irdYe C VoeVnetrs sGt U e

A look back at Plantworx 2017 – A full Report. The 3rd biennial Plantworx Construction Machinery Show, hosted by the CEA (Construction Equipment Association), ended on 8th June following an extraordinary three-day action-packed event!

The show opened to torrential rain but it did not ‘stop play’ and hardy visitors braved the elements and worked their way around the show taking shelter on the undercover trade stands. On day-two there was glorious sunshine, however due to a large amount of footfall, mud was abundant, but this did not dampen the spirits of visitors who flocked through the gates to see the plethora of brand new equipment on display at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, Leicestershire. The Plantworx team has also reported more than12,300 visitors came through the gates over the three-days. Rob Oliver, chief executive of the CEA said, “We had two things dumped on us at the show, three inches of rain on day one – and a General Election on day three! However, the spirit at the show shone through – and it achieved our goal of providing a successful business event for our industry. Early indications are that a lot of exhibitors are reporting significant new contacts. Great too that our partnership with Primary En-

UK Plant Operators - Issue 07

gineer really delivered with the showcase for school age engineers in The Hub area. We will continue to develop the show, not forgetting that we are there to reflect the needs of our sector first and foremost.” A successful event – despite biblical weather conditions! The show, which spanned a whopping140,000 square metres and was home to 395 exhibitors, for three-days, was deemed a success. Following the show social media platforms were ‘buzzing’ with mostly positive comments from both exhibitors and visitors alike. Visitor Sean Gratton, S Gratton Plant Hire said via twitter, “I Thought it was a great show – great access and a well thought out show.” Graham Sandercock, MD at Mecalac dealers, Specialist Plant South West, was an exhibitor at the show he said, via Facebook, “It was wet and muddy as hell, but it didn't dampen the spirits! There were some

cracking guys I spoke to with great enthusiasm for machinery. Cheers!” Graham added, “Mecalac had a great stand and demo area and our operator, Michael Gruffaz, won best demonstrator of the show with what he did with the 6MCR. There was a huge amount of interest in the MCR and MWR machines with many people discovering them for the first time.” Visitor Jason Snaith reported on Facebook, “Fantastic atmosphere on the Finning/ Sitech stand with the lads from the Facebook group, Digger Man Blog.” First time exhibitors, Hugh Crane had a great inaugural show, they said, “We exhibited for the first time this year. Great event apart from the rain on Tuesday!” Visitor Trevor Little said on Twitter, “Having been to all three Plantworx – this show was the best so far.” “It’s been a great few days despite the weather,” said exhibitors Point of Rental Software. “Thanks, Plantworx Construction Exhibition!”

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Leica Geosystems teamed up with UK Plant Operators for this year’s Plantworx event in a bid to help highlight technology in construction and how its changing the way we work. UK Plant Operators founder, Dale Hawkins said, “Despite the brief weather interruptions we found the visitors to this year’s event very engaging with over 500 entries into our simulator competition. With the main focus being icon machine control guidance and the way it can enhance the operator to become more efficient in their works, the skill level displayed during the competition was outstanding. We are very much looking forward to the next event. Thank you and your teams support during the event, a job well done you should all be proud.” Hervè Malibas managing director Containex said, “A great thank you again for this big show which was a true success for us.” “Thank you from all at Thwaites for the effort put in by the Plantworx team over the last two weeks, we had a fantastic show and a busy stand over the whole three days.” Andy Sabin, Thwaites Datatag managing director, Kevin Howells said, “Plantworx went well for Datatag we were pleased to be able to mark the tenyear anniversary of CESAR during the show. The success of the CESAR scheme was prominent throughout as so many manufactures were displaying their CESAR marked machines.” Kevin added, “The event overall was a good networking opportunity and visitor footfall to the stand was good despite the challenging weather conditions on the first day. Datatag were also proud to have won the Plantworx innovation award for MicroCESAR leading up to the show and this success really helped promote the newly launched scheme during the event.” Business Done, Strong Sales Leads and Quality Visitors at Plantworx… “Despite the challenging weather conditions Plantworx 2017 turned out to be extremely encouraging for Miller, with enquiries at an exceptionally high level compared to previous shows.” Said, Brendan Quill, sales and marketing director at Miller. “We have attributed the significant increase in sales leads due to the introduction of our new PowerLatch Tilt coupler

which gained a huge amount of interest during the 3-day show. Plantworx gave us the perfect opportunity to showcase live our newest, lightest, lowest, PowerLatch Tilt coupler and enable customers to see the tangible benefits of the added 180o versatility and functionality in action for themselves.” A&Y Equipment, announced that they had become the UK’s Dieci construction importer at Plantworx, sold their first Dieci telehandler at the show on Tuesday. A local independent builder who had been rained off his site came onto the stand to take a look at the Dieci machines. A deal was agreed for a Dedalus 30.7, which is a fixed telehandler able to lift 3 tonnes up to 7 metres. A&Y MD, Robert Brown said “Plantworx was the ideal time to launch this new range, it was a great opportunity for relevant people to see and talk about these new machines. From the show we have made sales of a Dedalus 30.7 as well as the Apollo 25.6R from the stand, this is on top of many further Dieci enquires, along with our existing Ammann, Yanmar and Cormidi equipment” A representative from Molson Group, dealers for Hyundai, Kobelco and Sennebogen said, “We did a few deals on the stand – it’s the first time an umbrella has closed a deal for me.” Andrew Taylor, general manager for Sany dealer, TDL Equipment said, “We had a very busy three-days, the first two were excellent and generated many enquires, and whilst the last day was slower it also proved excellent. The stand location was better than in 2015 and the show overall brings us many new customers and also without

doubt help us promote the quality Sany Product in the UK. The demonstration area allows operators to try and see what Sany can delivery, the feedback we got was excellent.” Exhibitor, IAPS Group said, “We had a great show. The weather conditions helped us to demonstrate the soft ground capabilities of the latest Hinowa Spa tracked booms.” “Despite the weather the BOMAG stand was busy throughout the three- day-show. Our new location appeared a benefit compared to the first year at Bruntingthorpe, when we were at the bottom end of the site.” Reported BOMAG managing director, Alan Batty Alan added, “The quality of visitors was high. Our customers found us and engaged with us positively and we also met a few ‘new faces’ which is why we continue to attend the major shows.” Primary Engineer event at Plantworx… On the final day of the show more than ten Leicestershire Primary and Secondary schools took part in the inaugural CEA/Plantworx Primary Engineer STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) challenge at Plantworx – held in the new Plantworx ‘Hub’. What a fantastic morning it was! The schools which took part in this challenge battled the elements and difficult ground conditions to get to Plantworx and brought their carefully engineered vehicles and fluid power projects to the ‘Celebration Event’ ready to take part in the competition. The CEA and Plantworx team have had very positive feedback from the schools involved and many said that if this event (Pri-

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eVents GUide

mary Engineer) was run each year – it would automatically be added to the school curriculum. Judges included engineers from Caterpillar, JCB and Perkins, who volunteered for the role, and from other sponsor companies including AMI, Bomag, BSP Foundations, GKD, Gomaco, Datatag, Marubeni Komatsu, Point of Rental and TriMark. Plantworx exhibitor and Primary Engineer sponsor, Nylacast kindly provided all the High Viz vests for the students. It was the judge’s role to talk to the school teams individually about how they designed their projects and what methods and preparation were used. The teams were also judged on their communication skills and the best theme of the day! The final part of the judging process for the Primary School (Apprentice Level 1) teams was to test their vehicles on a 12mtr x 4mtr ‘runway’ to see just how far, and how straight, they could travel. The Primary Schools who used batteries (Apprentice Level 2) in their vehicles were challenged to ascend a ramp. As far as the judges were concerned – all of the teams were winners and each and every school received a medal and a certificate. However, the overall winning teams were: Apprentice Level 1 Winner – Richmond Primary School Apprentice Level 1 Runner Up – Redhill Primary School Apprentice Level 2 Winner – Linden Primary School Apprentice Level 2 Runner Up – Leighfield Academy Secondary Engineer Winner – Merrydale School Secondary Engineer Winner – King Edward VII College JCB Apprentices were on hand to chat to the children about their projects and they even brought along their full-size JCB Loadall (parked up in the Hub) which was designed and built by 68 JCB Apprentices. Charles Stevenson, JCB general manager, also offered each of the participating schools a trip to JCB headquarters in Rocester. Bomag was kind enough to provide the event with a ’50-years of Bomag’ cake – which once cut by CEA Skills Council ambassador, Nigel Baseley, went down an absolute treat. JCB’s Apprentice Programme Advisor, Chris Morris, also attended the event, he

UK Plant Operators - Issue 07

said, “JCB Engineering Talent Programme would like to thank Plantworx, Construction Equipment Association and Primary Engineer for inviting us along to the Primary and Secondary Engineering Awards. The day was thoroughly enjoyable and it was great to see the young budding engineers in action. We also brought along the Apprentice Built Loadall which was manufactured and built entirely by 68 JCB engineering apprentices at our World Headquarters in Staffordshire. This made such an impact with the students and the advice given by our apprentices will hopefully help inspire them into a career in engineering. Some of the thought and hard work that has gone into the projects seen today was fantastic and it was great to see the smiles on each of the student’s face during the trials. As we know, the UK is heavily short of engineers and Primary Engineer is doing a fantastic job in helping to promote engineering through school engagement, by setting tasks and importantly, making it enjoyable. It was an excellent achievement by all. Keep up the good work!” Phil Bulmer, teacher King Edward VII secondary school brought a team of his pupils for the fluid power challenge and won first prize, he said “We all had such a wonderful time - my students were very excited to take part and winning it was the icing on the cake. It was also a great opportunity to network with other local DT teachers. Please can you thank all the organisers who made the event such a special day. I do hope you run it again next year, I did mention to Steve Crowther (Primary Engineer) I'd be happy to bring our crane to next

year's training day and demonstrate it to other teachers.” Martin Cuthbert, managing director at Webtec Products, a Plantworx exhibitor visited the event in the Hub, he said, “Congratulations to CEA Plantworx and Primary Engineer for running such a fantastic engineering event for primary and secondary school children round Leicester on Thursday. As a fan of hydraulics, I was drawn to the fluid power challenge and even though I arrived after the main event I got to see a demonstration of a local secondary school's entry. Wow! A pick and place robot arm, built from MDF wood, syringes and plastic tubing by four 14 year olds and their teacher. What an incredible challenge and absolutely on message for Plantworx where you are surrounded by heavy machinery. Next year, this could be a whole year group taking part not just an adventurous few in their break time. As with all things, you need the advance party to prove it can work, no doubt the school teachers, headmasters / headmistresses and the pupils themselves will be a bit hesitant at first, but they shouldn't be.” The CEA is hoping to work with Primary Engineer and local Leicestershire schools again in 2018. Watch this space! Student Afternoon – Local Schools brave the mud and rain and enjoy the show… The final day of the show Plantworx once again opened its doors to students from local schools and colleges to encourage more youngsters into looking at careers in the Construction Equipment industry. Despite

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the rain and the mud (which they thoroughly enjoyed) over 350 children attended the student event – each were given a hi-viz jacket, kindly supplied by Plantworx Exhibitor Nylacast, and were given a student trail to follow where the children were encouraged to visit participating stands, answer questions and take part in challenges. The children had a whale of a time – so much so that a pupil from John Wycliffe Primary School, who brought 70 children to the show said, “This is the best trip ever – it’s better than the London Aquarium and Harry Potter World!” Teacher Paul Clarke from Craven College said, “Thank you for a great and enlightening day on behalf of Craven College plus the mud added to the atmosphere!” Mr Tara from Manor High School said, “Thank you for inviting us to the student event – we all thoroughly enjoyed the time with you.” On-Site Awards at Plantworx… At Plantworx 2017 there were onsite awards for those exhibitors who made a big impact the onsite judges who looked at companies stands and demonstration areas. The awards – were presented at the Exhibitors Reception which took place in the Plantworx Hub on day two of the show. Earthmovers magazine were the sponsors of both the Best Operator Award and the Best Demonstration Award. Editor Graham Black judged the awards at the event alongside Earthmovers Digger-Man Blog, Nick Drew. Winner of the Best Operator Award was Mecalac’s Operator, Michael Gruffaz, Gra-

ham said, “Michael demonstrated the unique features and benefits of the Mecalac 6MCR to its best advantage, to an experienced audience who immediately saw the advantages of this multi-function product.” Winner of the Best Demonstration plot was Wacker Neuson, “Not only was there a wide variety of product types working on Wacker Neuson’s demonstration plot – showcasing their full range – but there was a number of alternative driveline technologies featured.” Reported Graham. Fuchsia Exhibition Services were the sponsors of the Best Indoor Stand and Best Out Door Stand. The winner of the Best Indoor Stand was the Elsa s.r.l and LBW Machines stand in Pavilion A. Judging this category was Plantworx sales manager Angela Spink. “The Elsa/LBW stand was well thought out and there was a very impressive display of their product and an engaging demonstration. The stand was always busy and the stand personnel really showed enthusiasm and interaction with the visitors who came to their stand.” The Best Outdoor Stand was awarded to TJC Sales, a UK dealer for Hidromek. Judge Angela Spink said, “The static part of the TJC Sales stand was well thought out and although simple – was very impressive. Home grown fresh flowers surrounded a garden shed in troughs – it was really inviting and a lot of thought went into the design and it complemented the all-action Hidromek demonstration area.” The Best Onsite Contractor/Stand Build Award, sponsored by Plantworx, was judged by the onsite ‘build-up’ team headed up by Nick Coleman. “Containex

was a clear winner from the start,” said Nick. “From build up through to breakdown Containex and their contractor S&S Site Services did an excellent job.“ Another very significant award to be presented at the event was the Paul Bidwell Memorial Award which was presented to Altrad Belle who has also made an outstanding contribution to the show since its inception back in 2010. The Plantworx team were all part of judging this award and the decision was unanimous! Altrad Belle year on year never fail to impress with their dedication to Plantworx. The Paul Bidwell Memorial Award is a tribute award in memory of the late Paul Bidwell, marketing manager of Manitou UK. Paul was a very keen supporter of Plantworx and was one of the original members of the ‘working-group’. The presentation of the award winner was Paul’s wife Rosemary Bidwell and son James who drove for many hours to the show – just to present this award. The final award of the show was the People’s Choice Award was judged by the visitors in the Hub area of the show, where all the Plantworx Innovation Award Winners were highlighted – many with their products on display. Visitors were invited to vote for their favourite product. JCB’s Hydradig was a clear winner. CEA chief executive, Rob Oliver, presented the Award to the JCB stand team on the final afternoon of the show. Well that’s it for another two-years. Here’s to the 2019 – Dates to be Confirmed.

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eVents GUide

Hawk family fun day a massive hit

On Saturday 17th June Hawk held their family fun day at their training ground in Sandford near Whitchurch. Main attractions included machine challenges, Dumptruck rides, stunt bike displays from broke FMX, machine simulator, face painting, bouncy castles and soft play. Hawk put on this free day to give something back to the local community and to give them the opportunity to see the facili-

ties Hawk have at the training ground and also to encourage children to become interested in the construction industry as a future career. Over 1500 people attended the event which was a huge success and following the excellent feedback received Hawk are now planning on making this an annual event. “Thank you very much for the family fun day on Saturday, the children thoroughly

enjoyed it and us as well. All the staff were brilliant and very well organised” Clive Lunty “Thanks for a great family fun day. My little ones loved it” Sharon Lowe “Thank you so much for the family fun day we had the most amazing day, so much fun we really appreciate it and hope we will be able to have tickets next year” Carole Bie

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UK Plant Operators visits the Demo Expo 2017 June the 22nd to the 24th saw the DEMO EXPO Show jointly hosted by The National Federation of Demolition Contractors and the Institute of Demolition Engineers.

June the 22nd to the 24th saw the DEMO EXPO Show jointly hosted by The National Federation of Demolition Contractors and the Institute of Demolition Engineers. This year things were done a bit differently with a spanking new venue and a whole list of major demolition, recycling and earthmoving companies in attendance, all your usual suspects including Hitachi, CAT, Worsley plant, BPH, Komatsu, JCB, Liebherr, Hawk, and M Obrienâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just to name a few. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event was held at the Herts show ground Hertfordshire, over 3 days of lovely sunshine. So from the beginning we found this show very different from the usual dusty quarry environment we are so accustomed to with demolition events but in a very good way indeed, after a very busy show schedule this event fell towards the end of the calendar, and to be honest UKPO were a bit all showed out, we have queued and

UK Plant Operators - Issue 07

queued for what seemed like days at other shows and venues. The Demo Expo was a breath of fresh air, a very welcoming show indeed, from arriving at the nice plush venue we found it very easy to park and actually were in the show within minutes of arriving which may not

seem very important, but to us it made a lot of difference indeed. With the event being held over three days with the first 2 days aimed at the business side of the industry with the NFDC and IDE hosting Business meetings whilst Saturday being family oriented with fun and

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games for children of all ages. First impressions of the layout were brilliant, all the stands and exhibits were very well spaced out giving everybody enough room to walk around the show and see everything on display, with the main show ground on a slight hill you were able to stand at the top and plot your route based who you wanted to see first, again this was important to us as we knew where everybody was and did not waste time walking aimlessly around. After a good walk around the event and talking to most of the exhibitors we found the atmosphere very enthusiastic and most people had the time to talk us through their products, which again was something we are not always used to, I know these events have one focus and that is sales and business

but for us plant operators who are there just for the love of plant machinery and products, we sometimes donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get the attention we deserve as we are not buying, but with this event we could have stayed for hours and talked diggers with all of the manufactures, which from our point of view was brilliant. We found the demo are very good with live displays put every couple hours and the stars of the show as always, the fantastic machinery on offer from the legendary A&R Demolition and their Hitachi/Volvo demo spec machinery, also a good display from SRC Group and Komastu, while PRO Dem were demonstrating their ProQuick system, and JCB Had a loading shovel performing basic tasks showing off its versatility. Hitachi had on display their massive, and

I mean massive Hitachi Zaxis 870 high reach machine by P P Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor which had a good amount of people around at all times, Marubeni Komatsu with their great display of machines including the PC390 high reach machine, Liebherr had another massive machine on site, the demo spec 974 which had numerous enthusiast all being demonstrated the capability of the giant. Mo Obrienâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s had on display Their Hitachi Chameleon Hitachi 210LC machine along with the stumpy looking Hitachi Zaxis 135 specially adapted materials processing excavator. All in all a good display of demolition spec machinery, a plant operators dream all round. Even with all the great kit on show sometimes its nice to take a seat and stop for a few minutes, so that being said we found the highlight of the show being the LiuGong stand with the free Hog roast and live music, definitely a clear winner! Overall we found the whole event very welcoming and enjoyable, and a special thanks to all the manufactures who made the time to stop and talk machinery with us mere plant operators. Well done to NFDC & IDE and most importantly Cormac Mclean and Paul Argent who worked tirelessly to make the Event special and welcoming us with open arms. See you next time.

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UK Plant Operators - Issue 07

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