Category Archives: construction equipment

How Can Small Construction Companies Stay In The Picture? – Mistakes They Need To Avoid and Steps That They Need To Take

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Do the massive structure of buildings and bridges attract you to no end? Have you always been fascinated with the way these great structures of urban living are brought to life? If yes, then the construction industry is definitely your call. However, before you set foot in the arena, it would be worthwhile to find out all that you can about surviving in the market as a start up.

Why Are Small Construction Companies Finding It So Difficult To Survive The Market?

  • The one thing that construction entrepreneurs need to understand in this regard is that there are loads of construction companies on the block. And people prefer investing into construction companies that are well established and have a good name in the market. Small and start up construction enterprises, therefore, find it difficult to get a foothold in the entire picture.
  • Another factor affecting the business of the small construction firms are the expenses involved in the smooth operation of the firm. Financial aspects such as bank loans often prove to be a hurdle. Along with this, there is also the fact that small companies often find it difficult to decide the correct area for investing money and as a result incur significant amount of losses.
  • There is also the global economic picture that has to be taken into account in this context. It is often seen that small construction companies are unable to keep with the economic fluctuations of the global market and as a result, they soon disappear from the picture.
  • There is also the fact that many of the small construction companies do not bother about gaining a bit of work experience before they start their company. Consequently, the construction company gets eaten up by big giants of the industry.

Running a Construction Company Successfully

So, the next question that needs consideration is how can these small construction companies survive this battle? How will they ensure that they gain a stable foothold in the market?

  • Effective management is one of the key strategies to succeed in the construction arena. The more efficiently you will be able to manage your construction organization, the more easily will you be able to gain a foothold in the market.
  • Finances are another important aspect of succeeding in this field. Make sure that you invest into those things that will prove to be beneficial for your organization in the long run. Construction equipment, such as the heavy machinery and other raw materials should be chosen with absolute care and prudence. (Maybe rent from B&R Equipment)
  • It is also important to attract the attention of the clients towards your company and the best way that you can go about this is by advertising yourself widely and in the correct manner. It would also do well if you set your eyes on achieving long term stability instead of going for short term profit.
  • Having a certain amount of hands on experience often proves to be of great help- construction entrepreneurs will then know the tricks of the trade and thus, will be able to go about things in a much easier manner.

Which one consumes more fuel – brand new heavy equipment or old heavy equipment?

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For every construction management company, it is very important to buy all the heavy construction equipment for doing the construction job smoothly. Therefore, the companies always look for the very best construction equipment. No matter what the brand is, irrespective of that, the construction companies always look for the condition of the equipment and their cost effectiveness to consider whether the company should buy the equipment or not.

What are the factors that the construction company should look for before buying heavy equipment?

As the construction equipment come at a huge cost, therefore, it becomes quite expensive for the construction companies to buy all the variety of heavy equipment. It quickly burns a hole in the pocket to buy the brand new equipment from the house of Caterpillar Inc., John Deere and many others. This is a reason why the companies shift to buying the used, second hand or old heavy construction equipment. But compromising with the condition of the equipment many times leads to a deterioration of the production or increases the maintenance. So buying the equipment which is properly working and has not been facing any frequent visits to the service center is the best option. The cab, the engine condition, the age or the date of manufacturing of the equipment and the how long the equipment can perform under heavy and continuous work load or extreme condition, are the very basic factors that the buyers should always look for. Apart from this, one of the very main factors that a buyer must consider before taking any decision is to check whether the equipment consumes a heavy amount of fuel or not. This is because any heavy construction equipment always requires quite a heavy amount of fuel consumption to run properly. As the machines have to perform for a long 10 hours a day almost without any break, the cost of fuel consumption also increases incredibly. So fuel consumption rate must be considered before buying the equipment.

Which heavy construction equipment consumes more fuel – old or new?

When talking about the average fuel consumption rate in the heavy construction equipment, approximately all the equipment consume 7 to 8 gallons of fuel per hour. As the equipment works more and becomes old, the consumption rate increases. This is because the strength of the engine weakens. With the adverse condition of the construction site and the age of the equipment increasing more, the fuel consumption rate increases up to a 10 gal/ hour rate. Therefore, on the basis of fuel consumption rate, a buyer should always buy the newer models of the equipment. However, it is also a fact that the fuel consumption rate varies among the manufacturing companies. This will reduce the other costs. So when you are up to buying the heavy construction equipment, you must consider all these factors before making your decision.

Purchasing Used Heavy Equipment- Things to Be Kept In Mind

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When it comes to the construction industry it would be hard for anybody to deny the importance that heavy equipment in the smooth operation of the field is something that one cannot possibly overlook. And in the recent times, the use of second hand heavy equipment over brand new ones has been gaining in popularity. But there are certain things that have to be kept in mind before one actually settles for the deal.

Why Use Heavy Equipment?

The very first question that needs to be addressed in this context is why would a construction company go for used heavy equipment at all? Well, this is a point that can be dealt with quite easily. Let us first consider the start-up companies. Now, it is a widely acknowledged fact that setting up of a construction company is no mean feat. One would need quite huge amount of resources in order to accomplish this. And heavy equipment which form a major part of the working of the company are quite expensive a deal. Hence, the use of second hand heavy equipment does cut cost quite effectively. Also purchasing brand new heavy equipment in case of limited number of projects cannot really be said to be a viable alternative.

Consider Before Purchasing Heavy Equipment

Buying used heavy equipment for use in the field of construction is definitely a lucrative alternative. But there are certain things which have to be kept in mind while making a purchase of the second hand heavy equipment.

  • For one, make sure that you are completely sure of your requirement. Ensure that you have knowledge about what kind of construction equipment is required by you to serve your purpose.
  • There are a number of auction sites available online that deal with the trading of heavy equipment. In such a case, it is important to select an auction site that is quite high in terms of reliability. The same goes for the offline auction centres.
  • Another that should be kept in mind before you seal the deal is to ensure that the used equipment are in perfect working condition. You can go for a test drive to confirm the fact. Whatever be the function of the equipment, make sure that it is perfectly capable of performing those operations without glitches.
  • Another handy tip in this respect would be to check on multiple auctioning alternatives available, so that you do not lose out on the best deals that could availed at the price. Also ensure that you all the relevant papers with you once you settle down for particular heavy equipment.

Research- that is the key word for closing the best possible deal when it comes to the buying of heavy construction equipment. You have to hunt for the best alternatives that you can have in terms of auction sites, brands and the like in order to come up with equipment that could best fulfil your purpose. Therefore make it a point to have enough information about each and every aspect of the issue before you sealing a deal.

 

 

 

Some Important Things You Need To Know About Excavation Equipment

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Normally heavy equipment is manufactured with its own intrinsic value attached to it; same goes in the case of excavation equipment. An excavator is predominantly built to unearth the surface and carry the dirt and the debris from the excavated place to the place it is supposed to dump. However, that is not all that one needs to know about an excavator. There are many things which one has to understand, right from the different parts of the machine to the safety measures one needs to follow while they are working with an excavator on the construction site. We must have seen the big construction companies hiring only experienced operators for a given project. By no means, they would give a critical job to a newbie. They may have the new guy train under an experienced operator but would restrict the new operator to operate the machine on his own.

We would be discussing few important things about excavation equipment that will throw some light on why it is termed as one of the most important construction equipment.

Demolishing, grading and hauling:-  Construction of commercial or residential properties can never be thought without the use of an excavator. The excavator is used to demolish an old construction in order to build something new in its place. For instance, you were living in a small house and now you want to hand over the piece of land to a contractor who will demolish the old property and construct a new one. It will take ages for the construction company to break off the old dwelling without the use of an excavator. At the same time, you also can’t wait till eternity to start living in your new house. An excavator has the ability to quickly demolish the existing construction, move the debris in no time and give you an empty piece of land to start building a new dwelling.

Not only, it is handy for demolishing the old settlement but also it helps to grade the land and level it accordingly. It can remove the dirt from high spots and can fill it at low spots thus leveling the land. As far as grading is concerned, excavator can also be used to level the roads thus proves to be very important equipment for road building. It can also be used to clear snow from the road during the winter season.

Last but not the least; it has very good capacity to haul the debris from one place to the other. These features of an excavator not only make it effective equipment in the construction sector but also save a good deal of money by multi-tasking. Small construction companies find this to be a safer bet as they don’t have to spend money buying several equipment for different type of work. They can get all done from the same machine.

There are many companies that are selling state-of-the-art excavators. You only need to upgrade your knowledge and know the type of excavator you need for your project.

Are Heavy Equipment Manufactured By Companies Eco-Friendly?

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Environment has become a major issue in the present scenario of rapid urbanization. With the commencement and conclusion of each new construction project, the threat to the environment is taking a much more concrete shape, with the result being that those involved in the construction industry are now looking for ways and means in which they can make sure that they get about the business in a manner that is compatible with the environment. It has, therefore, become very important to adopt certain remedial measures that will prove to be effective in healing the environment. And one such in which they can ensure this is by using heavy construction equipment that are eco friendly.

Are The Construction Equipment Eco Friendly?

While some of the manufacturers of heavy construction equipment are taking up initiatives to provide equipment that are considerably environment friendly, but a majority of the heavy equipment that are being used for the purposes cannot really be said to be the same. These equipment contribute quite significantly when it comes to the air and noise pollution levels. The noxious soot along with the pollutants that result in the formation of smog emitted by these construction equipment only add to the increasing threats of global warming and ozone contamination. This in turn leads to chronic cases of respiratory diseases, such as, asthma, bronchitis and even premature death.

It must also be mentioned in this context that these equipments often operate accompanied by noises high in the decibel scale that cannot be said to be too healthy for the population, especially the ones with critical health issues. Additionally, the high frequency of the noises produced by these equipments might lead to hearing impairment quite early on.

Using eco friendly heavy equipment

Making use of eco friendly heavy equipment has become crucial in the maintenance of an environment where the pollution level is minimal. Let us take a look at the traits that make a heavy construction equipment eco friendly.

  • The heavy equipment that is being put to use in the construction site must be designed in a manner that guarantees minimal levels of fuel emissions. Less fuel emission means lesser carbon monoxide in the air, thereby, less air pollution.
  • It must also be ensured that the heavy equipment that is being put to use makes minimum amount of noise. This definitely brings the level of noise pollution lower, thereby adding to the eco friendly nature of the equipment.
  • Also make sure that the heavy equipment that is being put to use in the construction area is constructed out of recyclable material. This will ensure that the disposal of the equipment will not pose much of a hindrance along with being environment friendly.

It has, therefore become very important to consider heavy equipment in the construction area that are eco friendly not only for the benefit of nature, but also for the people associated with the construction work and those living in close proximity to it.

Operate A Scraper With Ease – A Bit Of Practical Training Can Help You Master It

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When you are in the construction business, you may have to deal with all sorts of heavy equipment and in order to operate them, you need the best operator who can get the job done with ease and without causing any causality to co-employees or anyone on the site. Ideally, construction companies do have a set of operators who are skilled in operating a particular type of machine but that doesn’t mean that they are not capable of handling other set of heavy equipment. They are also given to try a hand on equipment which they have not worked much. This keeps them abreast with other operators and becomes very handy especially when for any unforeseen reason; you don’t have the primary operator at work. In this situation, you can make use of the other person who has worked on that machine earlier.
In this article, we will discuss how one can learn to operate a scraper. Operating a scraper is no rocket science and can be learned with ease if only the learner is determined to learn it the proper way and also if he works on the machine, thus with the help of the practical knowledge can make him a better operator.
Learning the intricacies of the equipment closely:- The first step that one needs to learn before he starts operating a scraper is to learn the intricacies of the scraper closely and should be able to understand what to do when under any given situation. The small cabin given to the operator is actually the brain of the machine and the operator needs to know all the different buttons and their functions. He just can’t afford to press the wrong switch, which if he does will only make the situation worse. Therefore, it becomes very important to understand the different features of the scraper and which switch is meant to do what kind of work.
Keep updating your knowledge through internet:- Day in and out, there are lot of changes happening in the technology. Various models are being manufactured by different heavy equipment companies. It’s prudent to keep yourself updated with the recent changes so that if the business is required to buy a new scraper, you should not find yourself in a position of not being able to understand anything in it. You may take help of internet to understand the technological changes in the new model and can keep yourself updated.
Take help from people veteran to you:- Developing a healthy relationship with your veteran can yield positive results in many occasions. Once such occasion is when you want to learn how to operate a scraper of which you have not ever read about. The people who are in senior level position and have been operating different models of scraper may be in a position to give some help to you using which you can try your hand on the new model.

Caterpillar 385 Excavator or John Deere 850 Excavator

Success in the construction industry depends on the type of control you have on your business. You may have the best men to work for you but it is more important to have a control on your men so that they deliver their best for you. The same attitude goes with your machines. You would want to have machines which have better control and meets all your requirements. You would definitely want to go for equipment which give you what your business wants and also keep a check on its operating expenses like maintenance. Well, in order to get such type of machines, there are very few heavy equipment manufacturing companies on whom you can rely on. Out of the few, the most trusted brand are Caterpillar and John Deere. The machines manufactured by these companies are considered to be the best in comparison to all others manufacturing companies and therefore are the most recommended brands in the history of heavy equipment.

We would be talking in length about the features of Caterpillar 385 excavator and John Deere 850 excavators and understand how beneficial they are to the construction companies.

Caterpillar 385 excavator:- Let us first start with the engine of this model. This machine in fitted with diesel engine with ACERT technology. It has a capacity of 18.1 litre 6 cylinder and possess a horsepower of 513. It is also installed with MEUI and overhead camshaft. The ACERT technology boosts up the power of the engine making it more efficient and augmenting its performance via advanced electronic control.

With the help of this new technology, it has successfully managed to reduce the consumption of fuel which saves a lot in a time when fuel prices are just not ready to fall down. The machine is also installed with a cooling system that helps in cooling off the equipment quickly. This becomes handy when the equipment is required to work in a temperature more than 40 degree Celsius. It has the electronic control system that plays a significant role in controlling the fan speed which is primarily based on 2 factors, coolant temperature and hydraulic oil temperature.

The engineers have also fitted a heavy lift mode in the equipment which allows it to augment its lifting capability while lifting heavy items. It is thus endowed with a lot of options which are extremely user friendly and have thus made its mark in the construction domain.

John Deere 850 excavators:-  John Deere is a brand that is known for its supreme quality and high worth deliverable. The engine of John Deere 850 excavator has a power of 532 hp, slightly more than Caterpillar 385 and its power is measured at 1800 rpm. It has more or less the same feature as available in Caterpillar 385 with very minute differences which makes it a bit unique. The fuel capacity of John Deere is 296 gallons and its engine oil capacity is 13.9 gallon.

If given an option on which one to select, it would depend on what kind of project one would be in and if one has multiple projects and need more than 1 excavator, it would be worth trying both at different locations. It can be said with certainty that the user will not find any major difference in the performances of both the machines.

Buy The Most Reliable Hydraulic Excavators From Kobelco Construction Equipment

Let’s start this with an assumption where we assume 2 companies selling dish cleaners. The company “A” manufactures and sells only dish cleaners but the company “B” apart from manufacturing and selling dish cleaners, they also have their hands into other household goods. This means that the company “B” is not able to give its 100% to the core product whereas the company “A” invests all its time and energy in researching what the customer wants and what innovative measures they can take to make the product more user friendly and thereby only manufactures dish cleaners. Using this example, from which company would you like to buy your dish cleaner? I suppose, it would be certainly company “A” that you would buy the stuff from.

Similarly, this is what we would do when it comes to buying heavy equipment and when it comes to buying hydraulic excavators, you may not want to rely on any brand other than Kobelco. Kobelco is one of the few companies which exclusively produce hydraulic excavators and hence their end product is finer and superior than the ones produced by other branded heavy equipment manufacturing companies that manufactures all kinds of construction equipment.

They are into production of full range hydraulic excavators that ranges between 3000 lb to 180,000 lb. They also produce excavators used for specific purposes like landscape or that works in a construction site, or the ones used in road building. Kobelco is widely known as a perfectionist in producing excavators which also helps them to sell their stuff with a premium. You may find their excavators to be slightly expensive than the equipment of other companies. They are installed with advanced mechanisms like system that can reduce noise and dust, advanced hydraulic circuitry that helps to reduce loss of pressure and also minimize the consumption of fuel making the equipment fuel efficient.

You can buy an excavator directly from Kobelco sales office either by visiting them in person or through a dealer. Precisely, buying it either way doesn’t make any difference as the buyer would get all the benefits like after sales service, warranty of the equipment and things that are related to the stuff after you done buying them. So if you’ve an authorized dealer closer to your place, then it makes more sense to place the order through the dealer rather than hunting for their shop.

If we talk about their after sales service, you may find it better than brands who claim to be the best in the industry. In case you see a problem in the equipment, you only need to register a complaint by calling them on their customer service number. They will register your complaint and within few hours, you’ll have an engineer at your place to fix it up.

Kobelco has its presence in many countries as it wants to spread it wings and reach out to as many customers as it can. It no longer is a domestic heavy equipment manufacturing company but has turned into a might player in the construction equipment segment.

Some of the biggest problems running a Heavy Equipment Rental Business

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Heavy equipment are not so easy to get especially for people who are budding entrepreneurs and do not have much experience in the construction segment. Unlike the big players who can afford to buy variety of equipments as and when they are needed, small construction companies have to struggle to even get a used one on rent. For the ones who have a project in hand but no equipment, situations become a lot harsher to such individuals. Knowing the fact that how expensive heavy equipment can be and how hard it may hit their finances, it become almost impossible for them to buy a brand new one. They have the option to buy a used machine but what after the ongoing project gets over. In case, they run out of projects, the one they have bought will stay idle. Therefore, it makes more sense to take it on rent.

There are people who understand the needs of such upcoming construction companies and have started their own business where they act as a middleman and try to meet the requirement of both the giver as well as the taker. However, many see this business in deep trouble as they are not getting customers directly walking in their offices and opting for other modes to take care of their business requirements.

The web provides it all:-  With the advent of internet, there are many things that took a change in their way of working. Internet was undoubtedly helpful to many but at the same time, it also became the reason for some to lose their business. People who were in the business of providing heavy equipment on rent are finding it hard to get customers as the customer manages to directly get in touch with the giver and makes a headway. This is in turn giving a hard time to people involved in these businesses and many had to shut their offices.

Now, we also have a smart bunch of people who have used the internet to develop their business. They simply put in an Ad stating people who are in need of heavy equipment on rent can contact them. They design a flashy website which incites customers to call them up or visit them and they in turn meet up with their needs.

Big fish swallows small fish:-  We all know the rule of the jungle. The smartest and the fittest survive. Same is applicable in this business. There are some guys who are in this business for the last many years and have strong contacts with their clients (with both the giver and the taker). These guys ensure that they swallow the business of any new entrant in their arena. When they see a new chap making an entry, they begin giving gifts and freebies at their cost which motivates the customer to stay with them. This makes business impossible for the new entrant and he eventually has to shut his business.

What One Needs To Do To Become An Authorized Dealer Of Heavy Equipment

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Construction business is considered to be one of the most profits making business of the century and businesses that are associated with this industry has also made good deal of money. Businesses like heavy equipment manufacturing companies are just multiplying their profits year after year and the entire credit goes to this profitable industry. However, not every person can own company that manufactures heavy equipment. Therefore a person who wants to make it big by selling heavy equipment would have to seek some other avenues by which they can make decent income from this business. One such option that one can opt for is to become a dealer of heavy equipment and sell the machines to the companies earning some commissions. Well, for people who think that earning commissions would get them nothing, they would be surprised to know that earning commissions by being a dealer means you are dealing with a good chunk of money. We all know that heavy equipment are highly expensive and if at all they get 2% as commission, they make good money out of the transaction. Alternatively, the dealer is not only going to sell heavy equipments but will sell other equipment which are not necessarily heavy equipments but are of much needed commodity in a construction site.

Therefore, it’s just not that you have to depend on your sales of heavy equipments. You can sell something that is cheaper but equally needed and can make money out of it. There are few credentials that one has to meet to become an authorized dealer of heavy equipment.

Having knowledge of this business;-  A heavy equipment manufacturing company is not going to give the dealership to any person as long as they are sure that the person knows which equipment is needed for what purpose. The person should also have knowledge about the business or have some kind of experience which will prove his credential to the company. Also, if the person has prior experience in selling heavy equipment to construction companies may be given some preference. In many cases, people working in top positions preferably with selling equipment in some equipment manufacturing company takes up the dealership. The companies on the other hand do not shy away to give them the job as they are sure that these men know what they are dealing with. In this fashion, they set up their shop and become the dealer of the company they were working with.

Having good contacts with construction companies:-  A person is given the dealership if he has good contacts with construction companies. His contacts will make the work look simpler as he can easily reach people in the company and check if they have any requirement for heavy equipment. A person without any contacts may have a hard time to even get in touch with the concerned official. It is because of this, that many dealers take multiple dealerships and try to sell equipments of the company that matches the requirement of the buyer