Plant, Equipment & Supplies News

Brick producers have begun to replenish their stocks after demands for supplies left reserves depleted... The construction sector was dealt a heavy blow during the recession. In a bid to stimulate growth and increase development the government implemented schemes such as the government's Help to Buy. While this helped to...

Hundreds of workers are set to lose their jobs at a construction machine factory in Desford... Construction machine giant Caterpillar has announced hundreds of workers will lose their jobs at their Desford plant. The 260 agency workers, who had been contracted through Randstad, were let go due to lower production...

UK plant hire firm Keyway has purchased a number of new machines from Hitachi to expand its fleet to more than 400 units... Plant hire firm Keyway has purchased 96 new machines from Hitachi Construction Machinery. This order will bring the total number of models in the fleet to more...

Louise Murphy of The Construction Equipment Association provides highlights of this year’s Plantworx Construction Machinery Show… The 2nd Plantworx Construction Machinery Show drew to a close on 4th June 2015 following a spectacular three-day action packed event. The show opened to gale force winds and driving rain – but this...

Over 400 people attended the CPA ‘Stars of the Future’ ceremony at this year’s Plantworx, to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the young people who are the future of the industry. Will Mann reports… The plant hire sector – not to mention the wider construction industry – has a bright...

PC Mike Dawber of the Knutsford Rural NPU division of the Cheshire Constabulary, outlines the successes of tackling plant and machinery theft throughout the area by focussing resources through their Ruralwatch scheme… It is estimated that millions of UK pounds worth of plant machinery is stolen nationally every year. The...

Malcolm Kent, Technical Consultant to the Construction Equipment Association gives an update on the progress towards new engine emissions legislation… You might be thinking that you have heard enough of machinery salesmen telling you about European emissions legislation and why that means their Stage IV machines have to be more...

Kevin Minton, Director of the Construction Plant Hire Association highlights the levels of risk involved in ground conditions for machinery and how it can be driven down… All contractors on site don’t just need to think about what happens above ground – they need to know and understand the ground...

Tool and equipment hire company GAP Group aims to double business in the next five years after securing a funding deal... The Glasgow-based company GAP Group has signed an asset-based lending (ABL) facility for £220m. It is hoped this will enable the firm to grow significantly over the next five...

Financial giant KPMG has warned that some construction businesses are attempting to operate with too little cash to keep them afloat. Falling profit margins has led to some construction businesses running with unsustainable levels of cash. Research from KPMG revealed that the average margin companies were operating at in the sector...

Proving that the timber used in construction projects is legal and sustainable is becoming a key factor. BM TRADA have now addressed this with FSC® Project Chain of Custody Certification, and here they explain the benefits. The ability to prove that timber has been derived from well-managed sources is now...

Operating safely when working at height is a dangerous occupation, but with good management and training, working on mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) can be safe says Berlinda Nadarajan of IPAF. Work at height is by nature a dangerous thing. Falls from height are the largest cause of fatal accidents...

Paul Haxell, Chair of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) Construction Group outlines the risks of working at height and what mitigation steps should be taken. There continues to be a high level of fatalities caused by falls within the construction industry, according to the latest Health and...

The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) is inviting feedback on a new guidance document - “Ground Conditions for Construction Plant”, which is now available as a draft for public comment. Failure of the ground on which construction plant stands and moves is a frequent cause of minor incidents and near misses...