Monthly Archives: January 2015

Advantages and Tips of Leasing Heavy Equipment for Construction and Mining Projects

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These days leasing of heavy equipment is considered to be a money saving option without compromising on the quality of the equipment. Both for short term and long-term purposes leasing can be the best option for the contractors and project managers in the construction or mining site. It has numerous benefits and advantages. Some of the outstanding benefits of leasing are as follows:

Leasing is cheap: If you don’t have adequate capital for spending then leasing is an excellent option. It will help you to get the heavy equipment you want. In case you need to upgrade your existing heavy equipment for an upcoming construction project you may need to spend hundred and thousand of dollars from the bank. If you consider leasing the equipment it can be cheap and less expensive.

 Saves capital for future:  It is not a shrewd idea to invest massive capital in purchasing new equipment. You need to save your precious money for unforeseen emergencies, economic downturn or in case of recession in the construction sector. Leasing is the best method of preserving money for future use and put together your capital for other activities. You need to make monthly payments for leasing a heavy machine or equipment for construction. You can avail small business credit from banks for financial assistance. So it is hassle free and helps you in preventing exhaustion of your cash.

Equipment leasing is also beneficial in cutting down operational expenses of the heavy equipments and finishing all the construction projects in stipulated time.

Helps in saving taxes: Under section 179 leasing gives you reduction up to $50,000.You need to discuss this matter with your tax consultant to avail this benefit. Your construction equipment you have taken for lease must come under this section so that you can avail tax benefit.

Tips of Leasing Heavy Equipment for Construction and Mining Projects

 

Research on which equipment you need: Compare the various kinds, brands, dimensions and models online to land with the best equipment. Research is important, as it will give you information on the various leasing or rental companies that provide tractors, scrapers, excavators, loaders, bulldozers etc.

Figure out how much time is needed to hire the equipment. The time period of renting heavy equipment spans from day by day, weekly, and monthly basis. So get to know in how much time you will get the equipments for hiring.

Use websites like RentItToday or Equiprent to find the least possible prices of renting equipments: They present leasing quotes free of costs for the heavy equipment you require. Apart from these websites you can get information from the Yellow Pages or use Google for searching.

Give back the equipment in time and in good state to avoid extra fees: Make sure you return the equipment in top condition without slightest damage.

To sum up leasing and renting a heavy equipment can be a daunting task but hiring it is beneficial for both small and big contractors in many ways.

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Make Your Heavy Equipment More Fuel Efficient- Ways to Achieve This

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Fuel efficiency, off late has become one of the widely discussed issues around the world. Almost every second automobile that we come across claims itself to be fuel-efficient. But the question that arises here, why is fuel efficiency such a concern among people all over today?

Well, there are a number of reasons as to why fuel efficiency has become the norm of the day. For one, a fuel-efficient automobile makes sure that you save all those bucks that go into the fuel expenses of the vehicle.  With the expenses of fuel rocketing sky-high, it is not really surprising that most of the automobile owning population are now looking for a system that helps them save money. And fuel-efficient equipment is definitely one of the best ways of going about the entire process.

The second reason for opting for fuel-efficient automobile is the environment. The fast depletion of natural resources has led the global population to look for ways in which the remaining of it can be saved and thus, the advent of fuel-efficient systems.

Making Your Heavy Equipment More Fuel Efficient

It is a widely known and accepted fact that the construction industry requires a huge sum of money in order to get things going smoothly. And the heavy equipment being such an important part of the entire industry, adds quite a lot to the entire expense. And in such a situation, it is important for the people of the construction industry to come up with certain measures that help them reduce this expense and push up the profit scale. And it is in this regard that the construction industry is now making use of fuel-efficient heavy equipment. There are a number of strategies that they have adopted in this direction.

  • Anti-idling policies

The idle time that every heavy equipment goes through contributes significantly to the entire fuel expense. It has been seen that the average 40% idle time that the heavy equipment goes through, besides being completely impotent also contributes significantly to the fuel expense. Hence, going for anti-idling policy can be a good way of reducing the fuel expense.

  • Making use of clean fuel

Construction authorities should also consider making use of clean fuel in their heavy equipment. Not only will this contribute to lowering the fuel expenditure, but will also make sure that the engine of the heavy equipment stays completely clean.

  • Making use of improved hydraulic steering mechanism

A recent research conducted by the Purdue College of Engineering showed that the use of efficient hydraulic steering mechanism developed by them helped reduce fuel expenses to a large extent. With the new improved mechanism, a significant 14.5% reduction in fuel consumption along with 43.5% improved fuel efficiency was seen in the heavy equipment.

Hence, one could safely conclude that the use of fuel-efficient heavy equipment not only helps in raising the productivity level of the heavy equipment, but also makes sure that the fuel that you put in is used optimally.

 

JCB sees 2015 as the year of improvement and possibilities

With the overall economic slowdown, not many heavy equipment manufacturing companies are optimistic about any positive opportunities in the year 2015. They feel that the economic slowdown has to do more with the unrest in the middle east, rise in oil price, government norms which are not so business friendly etc. that has led to a decline in the demand of heavy equipment. Even the equipment that is required for agriculture is also seeing a downward trend as far as its sales is concerned. Therefore, this suggests that the entire market is suffering because of the economic downturn.

If we see how it is going to be in US, the picture is not so pleasant. US economy is not in good order and it requires lot of work to put it back on track. Other than that, many government policies are not so business friendly. So there is a need for the government to ponder on such matters. Overall, not many believe that the year 2015 will bring any significant change in the current situation and things will more or less remain the way it is. However, there are few companies that shares slightly different opinion. Out of these companies, JCB is one. JCB being an UK company sees 2015 as the year of improvement and opportunities. They see hopes of possibilities that will flow in somewhere from the mid of this year. They feel that their company will welcome the New Year with a bang by launching the entry-level backhoe loader. According to JCB sources, they are launching the 3CXG backhoe loader in the Middle East and they also believe that this machine will save a lot on operational costs for its customers. The letter “G” in 3CXG means global which means that the company is looking to cater international markets and especially markets that have huge potential. Though there are problems in the Middle East but that does not stop them for entering the market with the entry-level loader. This clearly suggests that JCB is pretty determined to make it big in the year 2015.

If we talk about JCB 3CX, we get to know that the machine has a very good reputation providing great quality service to customers all over the globe. The chief innovation officer of JCB, Mr. Tim Burnhope says that the company is determined to offer solutions to different customer requirements and JCB works very hard to attain that reputation. According to him, the backhoe loader has been specifically designed to cater to emerging economies. It is a tough machine and can work under tremendous arduous conditions.

Most of the Middle East region is hard to dig area and it requires something stronger to penetrate the ground. Therefore, a machine like JCB 3CXG will be fairly compatible and can get the desired work done. The phenomenal part is that they have stuck to the basics and this is why they feel that they can sustain the horrendous tide that has made living difficult for other companies.

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Employ Parking Brake for Safety of Your Heavy Equipment

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Often, many of us think that a parking brake is used only for parking the vehicle on hilly roads or when the heavy construction equipment is mechanical or manual. This concept is entirely wrong, as parking brake is the most essential part of your heavy equipment whether you are running it on the hilly area or on the flat region.

In the bulky equipment manufacturing industry, this brake is recognized in the name of parking brake because it is chiefly applied to park the heavy equipment. Weighty machinery is held in parking condition with the help of the device, parking pawl. This machine is placed inside the transmission to break or extricate the vehicle so as to roll away it.  The parking brake has the ability to hold the heavy equipment in its parking place and assists in protecting its transmission, constant velocity joints and transaxle.

Overview of Parking Brake

In construction manufacturing industry, parking brake is the essential part of every type of heavy equipment that is also known as e-brake, emergency brake, or hand brake. It is a bolting brake which is basically applied for keeping the vehicle at a standstill position. Sometimes, it is also employed by the drivers to prevent the equipment from rolling situation when they required both throttle pedals and clutch to operate it. Generally, this sort of hand is brake available with the wire. This cable is joined to the brake mechanism on one side and to the foot pedal or lever on another side. This brake is also called as emergency brake because it acts as a saviour of the heavy equipment during the poor performance of the foot brake.

Most of the parking brakes are available in the market with the hand-operated lever function that is located in the middle of the console. The capacity of the parking brake not only confined to put the heavy vehicle in motionless state but also provides stability and reduces the danger of undulating away. The drivers place the parking braking by pulling the lever on the upward direction. And when they want to release the e-brake, they press the end key of the brake handle to lowering down the lever.

Procedure to Park Heavy Vehicle in an Angled Parking Area

  • The first thing the drivers should do is to place their bulky equipment far from the other vehicles at least maintaining the gap of five to six feet.
  • It is advisable to the heavy equipment operators to run their vehicle in the forward direction until they reach the middle of the parking zone.
  • When the operators see the middle of the parking area, they should turn the helm brusquely and proceed unhurriedly in to the space.
  • As the operators settle the heavy equipment to its suitable position, then they are required to align the wheels so as to run the vehicle in backward direction during the time of exit.

In conclusion, it can be said that braking system is one of the vital part of any sort of heavy equipment. There are some regulations regarding this parking brake that every heavy equipment operators should keep in mind. If you are operating a large material handling equipment or an earthy equipment, you should know the laws related to its parking brake part.

 

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Lending Money From A Financial Institution Can Solve Most Your Financial Worries

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To make money, we need money. In today’s time, we all suffer from scarcity of money as we have to take care of other financial responsibilities and end up with almost nothing at the end of the week or month. Savings becomes a huge task in such kind of a situation. We have often seen families struggling to meet their ends meet, paying their credit card bills and all other bills that one can think of. Now in mid of all these, if you aspire to set up a business, you may find it to be an impossible dream. Undoubtedly, setting up a new business requires good chunk of money and especially where people are suffering from scarcity of funds, it is futile to think of any influx of funds for your business. You can reach out to your friends or relatives to lend you some money but that really won’t be sufficient to give you a start. Alternatively, they have their own problems to sort. So, it becomes hard for them to lend you a helping hand. In this situation, you are left with one good option. Borrow money from a financial institution at a lower rate of interest and give a start to your business aspirations.

Few things that you need to be aware of before you approach a bank or any financial institution for money.

Your business plan should be concrete:-  The day you aspire to set up a business of your own, you start working to chalk out a plan. Include all the ups and downs, ifs and buts in your plan and see where it lands you. You can make amendments to your plan and if necessary re-start your plan from the scratch. Just make sure that once you are done with it, you have a sound plan with you. The relevance of a sound plan will help you fetch a loan from a bank. A bank will not take interest in what you say as long as you don’t have any concrete plan to show to them. Only when you come up with something which sounds good to the bank and they can put their faith on your plan, they will help you sanctioning the loan.

Get government sanctions:-  There are some businesses which require government sanctions. So by the time, you are in discussion with the bank for the loan, also intimate them that you are also talking with the government authorities to give you the authority to conduct your business in the desired location. That will give confidence to the bank that you are seriously into it and lending money to you will cause no harm to them.

Be ready to give collateral:- If you intend to borrow a huge sum from the bank, you should be ready to keep something as mortgage with the bank. The bank shall not sanction the loan if they do not have the collateral with them. You may keep your house as a mortgage or some other investments. You should therefore be very sure that you have set everything the right way before you take the final leap.

Steps To Be a Successful Heavy Equipment Controller

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The construction industry is at a very flourishing stage in almost all the leading countries of the world. With the expansion of the industry, the need for skilled professionals who can operate the heavy machinery is increasing day by day. However, it is not possible for anybody to handle such equipment. It requires a lot of training and practice o be able to do the job effectively as well as safely. Therefore, it is important that you get your training from a good school if you have any interest or inclination in this particular field. Therefore, enrolling with a reputed school could prove to be highly beneficial for you if you are looking for developing your skills in dealing with heavy equipment in the construction industry. With more skills, it is quite obvious that you will be able to work for bigger companies and enjoy better and bigger benefits in your favor.

There are a lot of companies of heavy equipment as well as construction that may provide you with an on job training. However, it is to be noted that you will be able to get such training only after you have managed to get a job with that company. You would not get any sort of training at the time of the process of recruitment. Therefore, if you want to be eligible to get such training and get paid for it as well you will have to get some skills that would be able to prove that you are eligible for the process. Certain companies may even ask you to go for a field test so that you can prove how skilled you exactly are. Therefore, you may have to handle an excavator, a bulldozer or any sort of heavy machine that is relevant in the construction industry. It is important that you understand that in this industry, paper documentation does not mean peanuts unless you are able to make them actually see your capabilities in the field.

As you can see, the importance of proper schooling cannot be denied when it comes to the preparation in this field. There are a number of schools that you would find with a little research but not all of them would prove to be worth your time, energy and money. If you are searching for a good school that is dependable, a very good option would be Heavy Construction Academy. You may be in a state of doubt regarding how important it actually is to get enrolled with a good school for training in this field. In that case, you can pay visit to the workshops organized by the school in discussion. With this visit you will be able to a complete idea regarding the training that is required and provided by the top notch schools in this field. The world of heavy equipment is changing from time to time. Since more and more new technical advancements are being implemented in the designs of the modern equipment, it is important that a solid foundation is instilled in the professionals so that they work with any equipment with ease.

 

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How to Refurbish Earth Moving Heavy Equipment

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Just like your car, sometimes heavy equipment suffer from severe damage. At that time, a professional repairing technician is needed. Snafued and broken glass can put the heavy equipment operators at danger and sluggish down their performance. Correct and quick mending of heavy construction equipment help the machinist to get back in work. The owner of the heavy equipment should always give top priority to the safety of the driver and the cargo.

The refurbishment techniques of the earth moving equipment comprises of simple maintenance to major tows. It’s a fact that repairing earth moving mechanisms is a challenging and hazardous task for the technicians therefore in every manual; they are suggested to take safety measures. Some of the leading earth moving apparatuses in today’s souk are crawler loaders, wheel loaders, mining excavator, articulated dump trucks, duty cycle crawler cranes etc. All these equipment have definite functions. It is not possible for any mining or construction company to use a particular earth moving equipment for all types of soil. The selection of the mechanism entirely depends upon the purpose of the purchaser. When the window mirror of the earth moving apparatus gets damage, the expert heavy equipment repairing machinists change the glass appropriately.

Strides to Repair Earth Moving Equipment

  • The heavy equipment refurbishing technicians should first detect the problem. Then they must go through the operating procedure page of the instruction booklet. If the problem still continues, the machinists must examine the maintenance report of the equipment.
  • Many a time, the technicians have experienced that the lube joint is loose. In that case tighten the joint by the suitable screw driver. They should also check the condition of the oil in the engine and the spark plugs are removed, cleaned and replaced or not.
  • If the technicians observe that the problem still remains, they should read the troubleshooting instructions mentioned in the manual.
  • At this circumstance, if you are a novice mending technician and are unable to detect the actual problem, it is advisable to call a senior experienced mechanic. The experience of the skilled technician works here because he/she knows the next step to identify the problem.
  • The instruction guideline of overhauling earth moving mechanism is so lengthy that it is impossible for the beginner to read it completely at a time. Hence, it is sensible to always call an experienced technician if the damage is severe.
  • The hefty apparatus operators can easily locate the address of the technicians from the equipment dealers, rental firms and the manufacturers.
  • The earth moving equipment refurbishing mechanics should always carry their tool kit with them. Their gizmo kit comprises of power jacks, lathes, pneumatic wrenches etc.
  • The mechanics should acquire profound knowledge about disassembling and assembling of the machine parts.

The heavy equipment repair mechanics must do the training course of heavy equipment operation from a certified diesel mechanical engineering institution. This training program gives them an in-depth knowledge about the heavy equipment parts. The voluntary certificate of the weighty paraphernalia operation helps the mechanics to get a prosperous job.

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Strategies of Caterpillar for the year 2015

Whether big or small all companies have to draw a strategy to increase their sales volume for the upcoming year. Some companies go for acquisitions and some have other plans that they adopt to give a new dimension to this business. In some way or the other, every company usually set up some kind of strategy for their business and adheres to that plan. It is quite imperative to establish strategies for the upcoming year and also declare them to the investors, stake holders or else they may leave people in a very ambiguous state which will deter them to invest in that particular company. This will be very harmful for the financial health of the company.

Normally, big companies tend to spend good deal of money on advertising their strategy to others. This also gives a clear set of message to their competitors that they are entering the New Year with a bang. Some companies play quiet till the last moment and when the New Year is about to begin, they start speaking about their plans to the media and general public. They also write about them on their web sites. These kinds of advertisements become very helpful to the company and also attract the attention of domestic as well as global customers.

Caterpillar one of the leading brands in the field of manufacturing mining and construction equipment does not leave any chance to promote their achievements and inform others about the sort of strategies they have set-up for the forthcoming year. Caterpillar being a very old company and a huge brand always comes out with something new that makes other patiently wait for. They basically concentrate on market acquisitions and try to increase their sales by bringing in innovative products in the market. They use this strategy as their Unique Selling Point (USP). They believe that innovation is key to any business and they apply this of thought of theirs entirely to flourish their business. Doug Oberhelman, the chairman and chief executive officer of Caterpillar says that they have good sum of money lying with them and he would like to utilize that money by pumping it in the business.

Many business heads have the same opinion. They struggle hard for the entire year to increase their sales and make good chunk of money. The money is then reinvested in the business and various financial problems are sorted with this investment. Doug Oberhelman sees the opportunity is not huge. They need to lay their focus on small growth opportunities as he see very less chance in doing something big. They are primarily focusing on mining, oil and gas an electric power. They see good business opportunity particularly in these sectors.

Caterpillar was shy of entering into the oil and gas sector as it felt the prices of oil were high. However, things have changed now and they see this moment as the right junction to enter the market. They feel the prices of oil have dropped and it makes more sense to get in the market at this juncture.

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Top 10 Models Wheel Tractor Scraper

Wheel tractor scraper is a construction machine which is very large in size and finds its application in earthmoving, mining and construction industry. Over the years it has become very important heavy equipment due to increase in construction and mining projects. Here are top 10 models of Wheel Tractor Scraper.

627G-627G is a unique model of wheel tractor scraper has engines that are electronically operated and automatic transmission that are combined electronically to supply highest power facility. Its exceptional speed and capability to carry great weight are some of its unique features. It is also very durable and since it is controlled by electronic means it lends it greater problem-solving abilities.

621H-In the model of 621H we find innovation at its best. It has a superior wheel tractor scraper in terms of productivity. It also ensures comfort to the users. They are controlled electronically.

651E-This model is fuel-efficient as it has eight-speed power conduction. It has an accumulator minimises road accidents and also prevents loping despite operating at high speed in the roads. It is long lasting and has low operating costs if maintained properly.

637G-This model is a great innovation as it has many unique features such as articulated routing and steering. It has clear windows with a comfortable cabin inside the vehicle. It is controlled by an ejector which helps it moving up and down.

657G-This is another model of wheel tractor Scraper which has great travelling speed and ability to put load quickly. It is extremely durable and fuel-efficient. It also has the potentiality to high efficiency at low cost.

623H-623H gives greater productivity to the operators due to better-quality wheel tractor. It is also user friendly and comfortable to the users. It does not operate manually and needs to be controlled electronically. The synchronisation done on the tractor engine helps it to operate smoothly and for longer duration. Its structure has a non-metallic hood, better hydraulics and cushion hitch

 627H-Another innovative model of wheel tractor scraper which is automatic and is extremely durable. It has a robust and good quality structural design which increases its reliability. It is controlled by a Sequence Assist which makes its use less complicated. The use of implements are reduced by the use of control lever which uses cylinders that can sense position and assimilating computer software which assists  the operator to perform task like loading and dumping .

631G– This model is especially manufactured to operate at the point of combustion to maximise the performance of the engine and to lessen exhaust emissions. It comprises of power shift transmissions and torque converter which contributes to its efficiency and reliability.

CAT 611-It is a very fuel-efficient model of wheel tractor scraper. It is comfortable, long lasting and gives higher productivity. It has a flexible mounted engine to reduce the effects of sound and vibration. All the tools are warranted against breakage. Other features of this model are great speed, ability to take loads, consistency in terms of performance and productivity and easy maintenance.

637G-The 637G model is a machine marvel which operates to give the users productivity, efficiency, durability and high speed. It has a robust structure with power shift transmissions and torque convertor.

So these are the top 10 models of Wheel Tractor Scraper. All of them are top class equipments and the operators can use them according to their needs.

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Push Your Profit Margin Higher- Calculate the Life Cycle Cost Of Heavy Construction Equipment

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The capital comprises of a large part of any business. It is not really possible to go on about a business without investing a certain amount of money. The importance of the capital becomes all the more prominent when it is the construction industry in question. Talking of the construction industry one cannot deny the fact that a huge amount of the capital required goes into the purchase and maintenance of heavy construction equipment.

Life Cycle Cost Of Construction Equipment- What Does It Mean?

When the heavy construction equipment forms such an important part of the entire construction industry, it is quite obvious that a lot of thought must go into the purchase of these equipment. The heads of the construction company undergo a lot of consideration when purchasing these equipment and the life cycle cost evaluation of heavy construction equipment forms a major part of these considerations.

So, what exactly is meant by life cycle cost calculation? Well, life cycle cost of construction equipment refers to the total cost that is incurred on particular heavy construction equipment, right from its inception, maintenance to its disposal. In other words it is nothing but the cost estimate of its entire life cycle. The next question that must strike you is why at all would a construction organization need to evaluate construction equipment life cycle cost? The answer to this question is very simple- this evaluation allows the companies to come up with the most cost effective measures of seeing construction equipment through their entire life cycle.

Evaluating the Life Cycle Cost of Your Heavy Construction Equipment

Evaluation of construction equipment life cycle cost has proved to be quite influential on a number of important aspects of a particular construction company, the budget, for instance. The entire calculation process has been divided into five steps- assessment of the cost of acquisition, establishing the depreciation rate, taking fixed costs into account, taking into account the cost of operating the equipment and finally adding up the whole thing. While calculation of the cost of acquisition includes all the associated factors, such as the variables and incentives, the depreciation rate is calculated by means of the straight-line method.

The evaluation of the life cycle cost of the heavy construction depends largely on the mode by which it is acquired. It is a widely known fact that construction equipment may be acquired by a construction company in two different ways- by leasing it or purchasing it. Though purchasing heavy equipment may mean quite a huge investment for a construction company, there remains the fact that you are at an advantageous position with the machine at your disposal. Opting for leased heavy equipment, on the other hand, effectively eliminates the factor of high investment issues. Companies are also spared the need to go through extensive maintenance procedures, thereby, earning greater profit. All the above factors, therefore, need to be considered whenever a company goes for the life cycle cost calculation of heavy equipment.

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