Industry News

Kubota Tractor Corporation is teaming up with Tavant Technologies, a leading provider of aftermarket solutions, in order to invest in their procedure for processing warranty claims in the most efficient manner possible. As a benefit to dealers nationwide, the Tavant Warranty On-Demand (TWOD) platform will go into effect in early 2019. The platform, which will be Kubota’s sole application for dealing with warranty claims and related aftermarket business processes, will help to enhance service quality and operational coherence when processing and tracking claims.

Volvo Construction Equipment of North America has recently launched a blog, referred to as The Scoop, as a practical daily help guide for construction owners, operators, and fleet managers. The blog aims to provide practical content that is helpful in day-to-day equipment selection, management, and operations. Not only this, but The Scoop also supports educating construction professionals on business operations, equipment, and emerging technologies, making it a great go-to resource.

Komatsu America has recently decided to partner with Propeller Aero in order to bring enterprise-grade drone analytics solutions to the forefront of the construction industry. This boost to the efficiency of construction job sites is thanks to drone-powered mapping and analytics software. This technology can be used to then create detailed aerial maps used to make important logistic decisions.

As one of the global leaders in on-road handlings, Hiab, part of Cargotec, has decided to enter an agreement to acquire Effer S.p.A from the CTE Group. Acquiring the Effer loader cranes business speaks to Hiab’s already established ambition to be the global leader in cranes. Hiab obtained the well-known crane manufacturer at 50 million euros.

The winner of the second annual “Small Machines. Big Impact.” contest has been determined after pouring over the many online and text votes that were received. It was determined that Neil Behnke, a volunteer at the non-profit, Black Forest Together, was chosen by the public as the grand prize winner. The announcement was made at the 2018 John Deere Classic Chairman’s Dinner.

Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH is investing 35 million euros in the future of their brand new logistics center at their Kirchdorf an der Iller location. This move is meant to strengthen their development in the original location of the Liebherr Group. The ground-breaking construction began earlier this month, when an official ceremony was held, and the project is planned to be completed by 2020.

John Deere has selected three contestants to be finalists in this year’s “Small Machines. Big Impact.” contest. This is the annual contest’s second year to review some of the most outstanding community enhancement project ideas from across the United States. Each of these finalists will have the opportunity to win a brand new John Deere G-Series skid steer or compact track loader, as well as a Worksite Pro attachment.

Caterpillar’s Kansas and northwest Missouri dealer, Foley Equipment, is excited to be opening a brand new facility in Colby, Kansas. This addition demonstrates a significant investment in the local community, and helps to strengthen Foley’s roots in northwest Kansas. The new building will be located on Horton Rd.

Nortrax, Inc. has recently made the decision to sell seven of their Midwest Region John Deere dealerships to the family-owned company, the McCoy Group, Inc. in Dubuque, IA. Nortrax will be retaining their other 38 dealerships, but the McCoy group will now run the other seven stores, selling John Deere products as McCoy Construction & Forestry (MCF). The new company will still be retaining the Nortrax employees they originally had in the Escanaba, MI, Merrill, Chippewa Falls, Ashland, WI, Duluth, Grand Rapids, and Bemidji, MN branches.

Komatsu, a leading global heavy equipment manufacturer, has recently announced their decision to move their North American headquarters to Chicago, IL in 2020. This decision stems from considerations such as the ability to have better access to the O’Hare airport and public transportation options for employees. The open, collaborative workspaces that will be featured in the new HQ, as well as Chicagoland’s diverse talent pool were also leading factors in the decision.

In an agreement with PBE Group, Komatsu America announced a few days ago that it is has entered into a purchasing agreement to acquire the assets of the PBE group, which includes Pine Bush Equipment Co. Inc. as well as East PBE Inc. As a leading global manufacturer of heavy equipment, Komatsu’s decision is in support of long-term distributor growth and customer satisfaction. The purchase of the assets if subject to a period of due diligence, and the planned closing date for the deal is on April 1, 2018.

In an effort to promote the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN, Manitou group has announced its newest initiative, Elevation Frontiers. This initiative aims to prioritize the already defined Sustainable Goals established by the UN in order to secure a more viable future. Manitou will be working with select universities in order to develop innovative business solutions that work to advance these goals and pave the way for a sustainable future.

Vanguard is releasing new global single cylinder engines designed with consumer input for maximum performance. The ground-up design process allowed Vanguard to engineer all-new carburetion, ignition and combustion systems to promote reliable starting in any environment. To secure four-season starting, the engine is designed to start at temperatures as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, all surfaces inside the carburetor that contact fuel feature a special corrosion and stale fuel resistant plating.

John Deere today launched its second “Small Machines. Big Impact” contest. The contest encourages construction contractors, landscapers, farmers and rental industry professionals across the country to express how they would drive positive change in their communities if they were to win a new John Deere G-Series machine.

Thanks to the recent passage of the U.S. tax reform legislation, the FCA is now planning on investing additional funds into its U.S. manufacturing operations, in addition to rewarding its employees for their continued efforts in helping to make the company such a success. The announcement came on January 11th, and with it, an implication of positive impacts for the company and the United States as a manufacturing power for Ram products.

Caterpillar is releasing its first portable inverter generator this month. The INV2000 produces 1800 watts running and 2250 watts starting making it strong enough enough to power camping essentials as well as small to mid-sized power tools like circular saws.  With its less-than-3 percent total harmonic distortion, it can also safely power sensitive electronics.

Caterpillar is launching its first utility vehicles – the gasoline-powered Cat CUV82 and diesel-powered CUV102D. Both feature a rugged steel cargo bed and offer 1,000-lb (454-kg) total rear cargo capacity and 2,000-lb (907-kg) towing capacity. They also utilize a four-wheel independent suspension system with a front sway bar to enhance stability at full load. A long swing-arm suspension, custom-tuned springs and shocks deliver a balance between a smooth ride and hauling loads.  

Morbark has announced the acquisition of Rayco Manufacturing to broaden the range of tree care and industrial equipment, aftermarket parts, and service offered to their customers. Rayco brings a lineup of equipment into the Morbark family across multiple product categories. In particular, Rayco stump cutters, aerial trimmers, forestry mulchers and crawler trucks will enhance and complement the existing Morbark family of products.

Fendt’s new Xaver system uses small robot units operating in swarms and a cloud solution to plan, monitor and accurately document the precise planting of corn. Satellite and data management in the cloud allows navigation around the clock operations, with permanent access to all data. The exact position and sowing time of each seed is accurately recorded. Knowing exactly where the seed has been planted opens up new potential for further processes, since subsequent operations such as crop protecting or fertilizing, can be performed precisely at the individual plant.

America once had a reputation for building things extremely fast and cheap – like the Empire State Building in 410 days – but not anymore. American infrastructure simply takes longer to build than it ever has before, and projects carry astronomically high average construction costs compared to the rest of the world. The spending has grown so out of control that experts predict basic American infrastructure may soon become unaffordable within a short period of time – as in years, not decades.