Archive for March 29th, 2010

Manitowoc starts RT production in Italy (2005-10-8)

Manitowoc Crane Group has opened a new production plant in Niella Tanaro, Italy, which will be the first to manufacture Grove products, including rough terrain cranes (RTs), in Southern Europe. The new factory, an extension to the existing Potain self-erecting crane facility, will initially employ around 30 people.Manitowoc has been supplying the Italian market with RTs for some time, but, until now, they have been made at the company\'s US plant in Shady Grove, Pennsylvania.Italian public works contractor Toto Group, which specialises in the construction of roads, viaducts, tunnels, railways and highways, has already ordered six new Grove RTs.The Italian plant will spend the first year building RTs, and will also assemble small GMK all-terrains. The first models to roll off the Niella production line will be 30t (30USt) RT530 cranes, but there are plans to add further models over the coming months.The RT530 has a full power boom, which can… Continue reading

Ford, Peugeot Expand Diesel Alliance (2005-10-8)

Diesels for commercial vehicles added to formerly passenger car-only program Ford Motor Co. and PSA Peugeot Citroën announced a €332 million expansion of their diesel engine co-operation, with the launch of two new engine families targeted for commercial vehicle and "executive" car lines. This is the fourth phase of a series of steps within the co-operation, which has seen the two companies jointly design and develop diesel engines for use across their car and commercial vehicle brands. The program was launched initially in 1998. Since then, more than four million diesel engines have been produced. Ford uses engines produced through the collaboration in its Ford, Mazda, Volvo, Jaguar and Land Rover brands, while PSA Peugeot Citroën uses them in its Peugeot and Citroën products. Ford Motor Company will produce a dedicated 2.2-liter commercial diesel engine for the Ford Transit, and for PSA Peugeot Citroën\'s new light commercial vehicles… Continue reading

Cat, Honeywell In Turbocharger Reman Alliance (2005-10-8)

Cat Reman to remanufacture turbochargers; Honeywell to provide components Caterpillar Inc. and Honeywell International Inc. have announced a remanufacturing alliance covering North America. Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services will remanufacture Honeywell\'s Garrett turbochargers. In exchange, Honeywell Turbo Technologies will provide Cat Reman with the components needed for such operations.Honeywell Turbo Technologies will continue to focus on the sales and distribution of the remanufactured products in addition to the design, development and manufacturing of turbochargers for OEMs. Caterpillar will provide its remanufacturing technology, scale and systems to a range of Honeywell turbocharger products. Cat Reman intends to expand its existing operations in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico for the remanufacture of the Garrett turbochargers. Caterpillar is Honeywell Turbo Technologies\' largest customer in the United States. (from:dieselpub) … Continue reading

Caterpillar Marks ACERT Milestones (2005-10-8)

Caterpillar Inc. recently marked several milestones in the history of its ACERT engine program. During an event at Caterpillar\'s Mossville, Ill., engine facility, the company marked the production of 10,000 machine engines featuring ACERT and the production of 2500 industrial ACERT engines. Doug Oberhelman, Caterpillar group president with responsibility for engines, recalled the decision in 2001 to implement ACERT as Caterpillar\'s emissions technology and noted, "It really embarked Caterpillar on a much different journey than we\'d ever been on before and different in our industry. I think now the jury is coming in and we\'re winning with ACERT technology."Cat honored two ACERT engine customers at the event. A ceremonial C15 engine was presented to a representative of the company\'s articulated truck facility located in Peterlee, U.K., while AGCO Vice President of North American Materials and Purchasing Ron Hess, was presented with a ceremonial C18 engine. AGCO is using the Tier… Continue reading

Liebherr breaks AT record (2005-10-8)

The 1,500th LTM 1030-2.1 was built at Liebherr\'s plant in Ehingen in July, making this crane model the most successful in the history of all-terrain mobile cranes, according to the company.Unveiled in 1997 as the LTM 1030/2 at the Intermat \'97 in Paris, the two-axle, 35t LTM 1030-2.1 was, claims Liebherr, the world\'s first mobile crane with data bus transmission technology.The new cab design with display units arranged in a semi-circle and a membrane keyboard was also ahead of its time, the company added..The crane has a four-section, 30m telescopic boom and a 15m biparted swing-away jib, and can lift to heights of 45m and radii of up to 40m. Up to 300 LTM 1030-2.1 cranes are built annually and exported to more than 55 countries. There are 270 LTM 1030-2.1 cranes in Germany, while 340 are in operation in Spain, and 190 in France. Other countries in which large numbers… Continue reading

Tadano investment boost planned (2005-10-8)

Tadano plans to invest nine billion Yen (€66.3m) in equipment in the three years to March 2007, according to Japanese newspaper Nikkan Kougyou.If true, this would represent an increase of 80% over the previous plan, and would result in an increase in the domestic production capacity of construction cranes of 30% by the end of the fiscal year 2006/2007 compared with 2004/2005.General manager of the international planning division at Tadano, Satoru Oyashiki, said: We are studying the investment plan, but we are not in a position to confirm any details at present. We presume we will be able to announce, officially, the details by the end of this year.(from:cranestodaymagazine) … Continue reading