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Examines the contributions of Finnish companies in the construction industry. Jaw crusher plant established by Rauma Corp. in southern China; Plans of Tamrock to expand its line of Pantera surface rigs; Engine Management System developed by Tamrock with Caterpillar; Construction projects of Lemmingkainen in the Soviet Union.

Focuses on the Oresund Link tunnel project between Denmark and Sweden. Dredging; Bridge design and construction; High Bridge assembly; Tunnel; Tow-out and immersion; Approach ramps; Danish landwork. INSETS: No visible means of support.;GPS takes surveying to new heights (and depths).;Aiding quality control in compaction for landworks..

Highlights construction equipment exhibited in the 1997 Intermat Trade Show in Paris, France. Includes Samsung's 24t excavator; JCB's wheeled excavator and updated wheeled loaders; Holmhed's series of Brokk demolition robots; Atlas Copco's Dual Percussion System; Tamrock's tunnelling jumbos; IMT's colossal hydraulic foundation drilling rig; Bitelli's computerized paver. INSETS: Mini-machines.;Concrete processing..

Focuses on developments related to construction industry in Great Britain as of May 1997. Increase in number of construction projects; Issues affecting the construction industry; Debate over public and private finance; Sources of funding for new construction projects. INSETS: Project snapshot: Channel Tunnel Rail Link.;Project snapshot: Jubilee Line Extension.;Project snapshot: Copenhagen Metro..

Discusses the shift of demolition techniques away from wholesale wrecking towards more selective methods. Reducing the environmental impact of demolitions; Environmental policy of the Dutch government; Growth of selective demolition; Range of concrete shears and crushes by France-based Ardennes. INSETS: Steel shears improve safety in demolition.;High productivity crushing..

Discusses the strategies used by concrete products manufacturers in meeting the demands for increased productivity and tight specifications. Focus on improving individual elements in the batching process; Jonel Engineering's production of modular batching plants incorporating automated batch controls; Importance of product flexibility; Reclamation of surplus readymix. INSET: Pumping up the volume..

Focuses on the increasing demand and versatility of geosynthetics products in the construction industry. Uses of geosynthetics; Cost efficiency; Test performance results under laboratory conditions; Impact of geosynthetics among end-users. INSET: Underlying protection..

Focuses on the construction of Vasco de Gama bridge across the River Tagus in Portugal. Cost of the project; Four lane expansion to accommodate traffic congestion; Consortium companies for designing and finance; Bidding process of consortiums. INSETS: Stress control.;Potain gives project a lift..

The article reports on the plan of JCB to expand its operations globally. The firm has signed up to the Cesar registration scheme for all its construction machines and will fit the triangular plates as standard. Matthew Taylor, CEO of a business involved in building plant, believes the economic structure and natural resource bank of Russia make it a very exciting market for JCB.

The article focuses on the anti-plant theft operations of Great Britain's Metropolitan Police, which became the initial push for the new Construction Equipment Security and Registration scheme. A car park in London, England became the main hub of the operations of the Metropolitan Police Stolen Vehicle squad. The Police believed that criminals looked at the sophisticated alarms, immobilizers and locking devices in vehicles and decided there are richer pickings in construction equipment.

Presents several technological innovations for the improvement of concrete performance. Functions of high reactivity metakaolin; Effectiveness of fly ash in reducing porosity of concrete materials; Features of the cement substitute microsilica.

Presents the progress of the construction of Oresund Link. Process of the dredging and reclamation project; Description of the fabrication of tunnels; Development of the artificial island of Peberholm. INSET: A platform to build upon..

Features several drilling and boring products. Includes Sandvik's Formula-1; Ingeressol Rand Co.'s drilling automatics; Atlas Copco's Coprod drilling system.

Reports on improved prospects for the construction industry in Mexico for fiscal year 1997. Effects of the economic decline prompted by the peso devaluation; Increased potential for construction; Expected low domestic infrastructure activity; Mexican contractor ICA's various international projects; Package of measures to relieve the burden of concession holders; Other areas of majori infrastructural activities. INSET: Cemex builds on strong foundation..

The article discusses the application of the concept of benchmarking in a secondary school building project in Leicestershire, England. The project is a contract between Leicestershire County Council and the education division of Willmott Dixon. The project involves the construction of four school buildings with the use of sustainable materials and techniques. The sustainable features of the school buildings include the use of storm water recycling for use in toilet flushing and sustainable urban drainage.

The article reports that crane operators refuse to jack cranes up following an accident in Crayon, England. The jib of the Comedil crane owned by Select Plant Hire fell onto a neighboring hotel from a luxury residential tower being built by Hay mills. The three erecting crew members were rescued by firefighters, while the driver of the cab fell with the jib and is now being treated for a dislocated shoulder. Comments from John Bate, chairman of the Crane Operators' Association, are presented.

The article features the Grove GTK1100, a giant tower crane from Manitowoc.

The article discusses the growth of the British construction tool hire market in the advent of regulations to reduce the risk of hand-arm vibration. Tool hire is estimated by equipment analyst Catherine Stratton to bring in £1.6 billion a year. Several of the leading tool hirers have revealed their goal to expand their networks further. A chart is presented that lists the top ten tool hire companies according to actual turnover in 2006.

The article reports on expansion of South African dumptruck company Bell Equipment in Europe. A management council which will oversee the European operations is being head up by Neville Paynter. Great Britain is currently responsible for half of the company's sales in the region, with the rest taken up by France, Spain and Germany.

The article reports on the retirement of George Burnett as CEO of Ahstead. He says that his greatest achievement is bouncing back from the dark days of the 2 pounds share, where the entire market capitalization of the company was worth the price of a small high street shop. Burnett is clearly pleased to have secured the NationsRent deal before his retirement.

The article discusses the impact of the Ashtead PLC's $1 billion proposed acquisition of U.S. hirer NationsRent Inc. to the national contractors and smaller firms in Great Britain. The deal opened the issue of construction framework between minority of national hirers, chasing business with contractors across multiple locations and regional suppliers, and serving more local customer base.

The article presents an update on the Dieselmax vehicle, a diesel-powered vehicle from J.C. Bamford (Excavators) Ltd. in Great Britain, as of August 31, 2006. The Dieselmax vehicle recorded an average speed of 350.09 miles per hour at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, topping its own speed record for diesel-powered vehicles. Chairman Anthony Bamford said the project to create the world's fastest diesel vehicle had given the firm invaluable fast track research into the engine and fuel systems.

The article reports on the reforms called by Peter Ross, president of the Construction Equipment Association (CEA) for the construction equipment manufacturing in Great Britain. Ross believes that the plant industry has been overlooked by the government. He hopes that by lobbying and publicity, the government can change its view of construction equipment and enable British manufacturing to compete on a level playing field with the rest of the world.

Focuses on British-based Balfour Beatty International's (BBI) success in bidding for international construction contracts. Explanation of the company's contracting strategy by managing director Lawrence Hoskins; Emphasis on people-oriented construction; Analysis of what jobs to bid for; Importance of making informed decisions to avoid committing too much time, money and personnel.

Describes the use of drilling equipment Tamrock Ranger 500 in routing a highway through steeply graded topography in France. Advantages of the equipment in narrow terrace working; Ranger hydraulic crawler drills as a revolution in drilling; Maneurability of the drills.

Describes Portuguese/Brazilian joint venture Metrolis' construction of a tunneling project in Lisbon, Portugal. Excavation of the tunnels in impermeable cohesive clay and tertiary sands; Problems encountered in the projects; Using the jet grouting method; Machines used for the operation.

Discusses the completion of A75 highway project in France. Link between Paris, France and Barcelona, Spain; Monitoring of vibration levels; Earthmoving and blasting cycles; Improvement of digging productivity by hydraulic circuitry.

This article reports on a statement issued by Douglas McLuckie, director of health and safety at A-Plant, regarding his concern over the safety of quick hitch systems in the construction industry in Great Britain. According to McLuckie, such systems are still being routinely used dangerously on site despite safety warnings. He called to stop using semiautomatic couplers, but said that manual versions should also be phased out.

The article reports that tool hire's biggest players are thriving as a result of the construction boom. Equipment analyst Catherine Stratton estimates that the total tool hire industry is now worth £1.8 billion. But the hire companies warned that the credit crisis could hit the industry if banks and developers become jittery about committing to projects.

The article reports that JCB is hoping that its new machines will spur further growth for the company. JCB unveiled new models across its range, from mini excavators to telehandlers. It is mentioned that the company's success in the emerging markets would see its figures grow in 2008. The company is pressing ahead with major expansions to keep pace with demand for heavy products.

The article reports that Transport for London (TfL) has given truck owners more time to comply with the forthcoming Low Emission Zone (LEZ), following problems with the supply of equipment. LEX requires owners of older trucks over 12 tonnes to fit diesel particulate filters, but the volume of demand for the filters has led to delays in supply. Companies which do not comply will be fined but TfL has agreed to relax the rules following lobbying from the Construction Plant-hire Association.

The article reports on the changes in taxation in Great Britain. It is stated that construction firms that buy expensive plant will have to pay more tax, after the Government rejected arguments over new regulations. CPA chief executive Colin Wood said the Government has rejected their arguments. This will have a serious effect on cashflow for firms like crane hirers, where the capital outlay can top £1 million for a single machine.

This article comments on the acquisition deals made by Speedy Hire. For many years, the compamy has been canny in its acquisitions, but rarely can a buyer have gained so much in relation to the purchase price as with this deal. Its purchase of Hewden brought it a raft of complementary locations and picking up Coates Rentair provided a much-needed toehold in oil and gas. But Logistic and Support Services rewrites the rule book. Speedy has gained itself a healthy £30 million annual turnover for the next four years at least.

This article reports that Speedy Hire has become a major supplier to the rail and industrial sectors, after its £12.5 million swoop for the in-house equipment business of contracting giant Amec. The purchase of Logistic and Support Services (LSS) continues the trend for hire companies to buy contractors' equipment fleets. The deals benefit both parties by reducing risks and running costs for the contractor and allowing the hirer to increase the utilisation of its assets.

The article reports that the British Environment Agency has contracted Costain to build a 'fish path' or 'salmon ladder' on the river Aire in Yorkshire, England to help salmon moved upstream. The technical requirements of the Castleford fish path project were matched by its sensitivity. To reach the riverbed so that the concrete fish path could be constructed, Costain needed to pump water away from the area 24 hours a day. The company turned to Sykes Pumps to recommend equipment that could pump the water away.

The article reports on the new guidance for working with modular barrier systems. Contractors are compromising both safety and productivity through lack of understanding of edge protection, according to supplier body the Edge Protection Federation (EPF) of Great Britain. In a bid to drive best practice, the EPF has launched the first comprehensive code of practice for using and installing the modular barrier and net systems. EPF member Peter Bond of SGB said that these are consistent modular systems.

The article offers information on the Great Britain Health & Safety Executive's (HSE) recently released safety alert for all users of quick hitches. The HSE guidance focuses on a combination of training and safe systems to improve safe use of the couplers, which the HSE said have caused four fatalities on site in 2007.

The article suggests that the sixth major incident with tower cranes in an 18-month period in Great Britain should prompt a major inquiry to reassure both those who work on them and the public below. According to the author, the one change that is essential for the Government to divert greater funding to create a more proactive Health and Safety Executive.

The article reports that the crane industry is urging site workers to report any incidents and near misses with cranes as it tries to address mounting public worries following another tower crane collapse. John Batey of the United Crane Operators Association (UCOA) urged sites to confidentially report any incident to UCOA, however minor.

The article evaluates the Compactasphalt system from Dynapac.

The article reports on the operators' competence scheme under the Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) in Great Britain. The core elements of the scheme will continue which includes the health and safety test, a level 2 NVQ qualification and the logbook as a record of competence. One of the alterations to the consultation proposals are dropping the requirement to record health issues. According to CPCS Chief Trevor Gamble, the alterations were a result of feedbacks from the construction industry.

The article evaluates the Ezidig sensor unit from Cable Detection.

The article announces the selection of Molson group as the south-western dealer for Hyundai, replacing manufacturer partner New Holland. The Molson Hyundai dealership has said it intends to be the Korean giant's biggest European dealer within two years. According to Molson founder Jonathan Wilson, the Hyundai franchise would offer a range of machines from 1.5 tonnes up to 80 tonner and wheeled loaders from 9.7 tonnes to 30 tonnes.

This article comments on the one-stop shop frameworks of materials company Wolseley. In 2006, the company acquired Brandon Hire. Its aim of opening a number of Brandon outlets either within or next to its other brands, such as Build Center and plumb Center, is a strategy distinct from its rivals but one that makes a lot of sense for the rapidly expanding group. This policy of embedding branches allows Brandon to get its wares in front of a large number of customers.

This article reports on plans of materials company Wolseley for one-stop shop framework packages for materials and equipment, using its Brandon Hire subsidiary. The firm expects to be well placed as a framework supplier when the Olympic supply contracts go up for tender. According to Brandon managing director Tim Smith, whereas other firms may have loose alliances for Olympic contracts, materials and equipment will be one offer for the group.

The article reports that quick-hitch manufacturers are meeting with the British Health and Safety Executive in a bid to ease the concerns of contractors over the devices. The group will also meet with the British Standards Institution to discuss changes to hitch standards that can reduce the risk of operator error.

The author addresses the proliferation of non-compliant plants in Great Britain. He stresses the need to warn importers and would-be buyers that non-compliant plant is unsafe plant and that CE-marking is a legal necessity. He calls on the Construction Equipment Association (CEA) to enlist the help of Trading Standards, the road authorities and major contractors in eliminating non-compliant plants.

The article warns that a growing number of machines that do not comply with European regulations are being sold in Great Britain. The Construction Equipment Association (CEA) is warning site managers that plant designed for use in Asia and not CE-marked for European use is turning up at auctions. The machines are missing a number of features required for CE certification, ranging from hydraulic hose burst valves to English-language signs and instruction manuals, which the CEA believes makes them a safety risk.

The article reports that New Holland Construction intends to rise from sixth to third in the league of global plant makers by 2012. The strategy, which would mean achieving a global market share of around 8 percent, is built around New Holland's plan to renew its entire product line. The ambitious plan would see the Italian firm challenging big name rivals such as Volvo, JCB and Terex.