Construction Equipment and Materials

BJ Services wins Gorgon Pipeline precommissioning contract

Western Australia company will oversee cleaning and preparation of all equipment to be used in massive construction

Officials on Barrow Island, site of the Gorgon Gas Project

Case Construction Equipment wins multiple awards

Company’s innovative wheel loaders, crawler dozer and joystick-steering option all win industry accolades

Case Equipment's machinery has received several industry awards

China Infrastructure Construction Corporation opens in Xi’an

Expansion will bring $40m production capacity or ready-mix concrete to ‘one of the most important cities in Western China’

Xi'an is one of China's Four Ancient Capitals

Top Alcoa exec steps down

Building and Construction Systems Division President David W. Schlendorf retiring after a 39-year career with company

Alcoa employs 59,000 people in 31 countries

JCB and Volvo Construction Equipment in collaboration

Companies sign framework agreement for manufacturing and engineering of skid steer and compact tracked loaders

Caterpillar’s 2010 forecast gets chilly reception

Massive Q4 reduction of new machinery inventories offsets CEO James Owens’ news of predicted gains of 10 to 25 percent in the coming year

Caterpillar forecasts 10 to 25 percent revenue growht for 2010

Fourth straight quarterly loss for U.S. Steel

CEO John Surma says the nation’s largest steelmaker forecasts continued losses for the current quarter as well

Green Building Conference & Exhibition planned for April 29 and 30

The South African event will focus on the most recent changes in sustainable construction

South Africa's Green Building Conference & Exhibition will be held in April.

CECE backs Euro tower crane safety campaign

Committee for European Construction Equipment on board as major tower crane manufacturers push for compliance with standardized safety measures

Standardized tower crane safety measures are being implemented in Europe

Toromont ups ante in Enerflex takeover bid

Enerflex board to recommend holders of trust units their units to the offer made by Canadian construction equipment supplier

Canadian constructin equipment supplier Toromont has increased its per unit offer in bid to take over Enerflex Systems Income Fund

Harsco Corporation continues global expansion

US-based industrial services giant acquires Bell Scaffolding Group, one of Australia’s leading infrastructure solutions providers

Bell Scaffolding of Australia will be acquired by Harsco Corporation

Caterpillar celebrates 80th anniversary of NYSE listing

Chairman and CEO Jim Owens to Ring Opening Bell. Despite its recession-related troubles, CAT has issued dividends for 305 consecutive quarters dating back to 1933

Caterpillar has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange for 80 years

Caterpillar targets success in India

Chairman and CEO Jim Owens says the world’s largest maker of construction and mining equipment is determined to improve its standing in India as part of its long-term strategy in Asia

Caterpillar, the world's largest manufacturer of construction equipment

Holcim Ltd Q3 profits exceed predictions

Holcim, the world’s second-leading cement maker, eyes North American growth in 2010; shares up 5.6 percent

Holcim Ltd is the world's second-largest cement maker

Stanley Works will acquire Black & Decker

Stanley Works and Black & Decker, two of the tool industry’s biggest names, will consolidate and become known as Stanley Black & Decker in a $4.5b stock transaction expected to close early next year.

Manitowoc Company reports 3Q losses

Though stock shares have rebounded since March, global crane maker Manitowoc Company feels the wrecking ball of the construction slowdown with a $17.7m earnings decline

Manitowoc Cranes is a global provider to the construction industry

Harsco Corporation reports 3Q earnings, sees return to growth in 2010

Global industrial service company Harsco’s confidence in 2010 is underpinned by its significantly reduced cost structure and the execution of a robust emerging markets strategy

Harsco Corporation is a worldwide industrial servives company

Black & Decker 3Q earnings drop

However, CEO Nolan D. Archibald says ‘Black & Decker reported modestly better sales than our initial guidance, primarily due to the timing of certain promotional sales and favorable currency translation’

OCM, Inc. develops durable waterproofing system

OCM’s new product expected to build confidence in new construction projects with its Turbo-Seal P waterproofing systems that feature unprecedented integrity

Turbo-Seal P waterproofing systems from OCM, Inc.

Low VOC emulsion for outdoor durability developed

Celanese Emulsion Polymers introduces Mowilith® LDM 1865 VAE Emulsion technology for low volatile organic compound (VOC) exterior paints and plasters in the European market

Wolseley absorbs massive losses

Despite a reported £1.17bn loss, building supplies giant is confident of its ability to survive the economic downturn

Plumb Center is one of numerous Wolseley companies

New LED work lights deliver safety, savings, innovation

Hamsar of Burlington, ON eyes global distribution of products that employ the latest LED technology

Slowdown in rate of decline for construction costs

Turner Building Cost Index projection of a 2.03 percent decline in third quarter is welcome news

The rate of decline in construction costs is slowing

First self-healing cement, now self-healing paint

German researchers developing nano-technology that will allow healing agents repair scratches in electroplated coatings

The nano-technology of self-healing coatings

New UK construction orders rise; June hits year low

Orders in the 12 months to June 2009 were 27 percent down on the previous year, while the orders for the quarter to June were 21 percent worse than the same quarter last year.

The Construction Products Association represents the construction products sector in the UK

UK’s Heywood Williams hit hard by underperforming US arm

LaSalle Bristol’s poor showing, tied to the collapse of US housing market, will have a negative impact on Heywood Williams Group’s year-end figures

Wolseley shares jump upon boss’s departure

Building materials firm’s stock rises nearly four percent following the surprise departure of chief executive Chip Hornsby

Aggreko sees H1 profit up

Temporary power provider Aggreko expects first-half profit to rise as its international power division continues to grow, but said growth would likely slow in the second-half, sending its shares lower.

Aggreko generators are seen in an undated handout photo. REUTERS/Handout

Concrete, the next generation

Dr. Victor C. Li of the University of Michigan talks about the development of self-healing Engineered Cementitious Composite flexible enough to withstand earthquakes

Suppliers the bailout forgot

One group in the construction sector is struggling to get its voice heard during this recession. Construction Digital investigates the impact on building merchants

U.S. Chamber Urges AG to investigate asbestos litigation fraud

Organization highlights evidence of fraud and wants Eric Holder to look at ‘Lies Upon Lies’ by plaintiff’s lawyers

Tractor maker CNH Global NV suffers first-quarter loss

Precipitous drop in sales of construction machinery contributes heavily to a $1.1b decline in overall sales

Caterpillar questions stimulus impact

Company calls President Obama's package limited, says 'China got it right'

Software partnership enhances BIM

Typically used in design and preconstruction, Building Information Modeling will now be able to be employed through full construction cycle

Think retrofit to lower greenhouse gas emissions

Mark Rosenbaum of Energysmiths says addressing efficiency needs of existing buildings will have bigger long-term impact than new construction

Report: Use of toxic Chinese drywall rampant

An investigation by America's Watchdog says use of toxic Chinese drywall stretches across the US and into Canada

US construction costs forecasted to decrease

As the recession deepens, domestic commercial construction costs continue to decline, according to the Turner Building Cost Index

Wolseley moves to strengthen its foundation

Int is plan, Wolseley unveiled a combination of a share placing and deeply discounted rights issue, both underwritten.

Mixed signals on stimulus impact

When and how much the stimulus package will aid the construction industry seems to depend on who's conducting the analysis.

Additional cuts at JCB Uttoxeter plant

JCB, a manufacturer of earth-moving equipment, will cut an additional 97 jobs at its Uttoxeter factory in Staffordshire.

Will Caterpillar benefit from stimulus package?

President Barack Obama was speaking at the Caterpillar plant today following passage of a $789 billion stimulus package.

CRH says first half of 2009 will be challenging

CRH expects to post a pre-tax profit of over 1.6 billion euros (1.53 billion pounds) in 2008 and the Irish building materials group saw challenging trading conditions in the first half of 2009.

Caterpillar announces cost cutting measures

Heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc said on Monday that it would cut white-collar pay by up to 50 percent and offer buyouts to some employees as it looks to cut costs during what it characterized as "uncertain times."