Tag Archives: Construction Equipment

Selling heavy equipment – design a website that matters

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

If you have a business and not a website, it means that your business is no longer in existence. From the smallest scale to the mightiest of businesses that we know exits in the US, they all have a website. The smaller businesses may not have an attractive one but they still have one which they can show to people who want to know about them. It is a no brainer that attractive websites are expensive and people with a very meager scale of business will find it hard to pay for it.

Apart from that, the website needs to be maintained and updated for which you have to again shell out good chunk of money. It may not be possible for a small businessman to afford that. Therefore what he can do is design a website that matters to his business. Every time you do not need an extravagant website to display how popular is your business. At times you can even keep low and update stuffs that really matters.

If you have newly started the business of selling heavy equipment you have to shell out some portion of your investment in designing a website. You need the help of a website designer who can get this work done for you. Approach a website designer who has worked for other construction and heavy equipment companies. They will know your requirements and what you want to feed into your website. Apparently, not many firms that deal with selling heavy equipment know what they want to put in their website.

They have a rough idea on what they need but will not be able to explicitly convey it to a website designer who has never worked on one such website. So approaching someone who has already worked for such companies will prove to be quite handy. You have to just tell them your budget and they will do the rest for you.

Check the progress of work at regular intervals:-

Designing a website is not a work that can be done in a couple of days. It at times takes months to do the job. Lots of changes are made while the website is in the process of getting designed and on many occasions changes are also made after it is ready to view. It is also not a one-time affair. You have to keep on changing stuffs in it whenever there is a major change in your business. For instance, due to some reason you have stopped selling heavy equipment of a particular brand, you have to update that on your website as well and vice-versa.

Ensure that the website provides all information about your company:-

Your website should be fully equipped to speak all that you want to convey to others. You can even upload your videos where you can give your message to your viewers. The kind of machines that you sell and at what price they are available to others must be mentioned on the website. More importantly a tab that will spell out your contact details is also important. This will help others to reach you if they seek doing business with you.

Earthquake damage clean-up services with heavy equipment!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Earthquakes can be disastrous and destroy a large area within just a few seconds. As the Richter scale strikes high, the consequences are so severe that it takes months or sometimes years to repair the damages and losses. However, what needs to be done almost as an emergency resort is to clean the debris and rubble that is caused by the earthquake. But, it is not the job of the humans to clean the rubble and debris manually. What helps in this task is the heavy equipment.

There are special earthquake management and clean-up heavy equipment that are used in this task. They are designed to do a number of tasks in order to manage the earthquake damages.

Removing the rubble:

Rubble of stones, concrete and bricks that are scattered everywhere on the roads from the demolished buildings as a consequence of earthquake, needs to be cleaned at once. This is very important as surviving creatures; humans might get trapped underneath the rubble.

There are excavators and loaders that help in removing the rubble. These come in different types. Some have tongs in the front that help in lifting and picking up the huge pieces of rubble, so that the task is done faster.

Sorting out the rubble:

After an earthquake, the rubble and debris that is deposited, contains different kinds of elements. These include wood, electronic devices like television sets, computer, refrigerator, air conditioners and so many such things. There are also the kitchen appliances that need to be separated. The concrete, stones and bricks need to be separated from the electronic devices. In fact, the wooden furniture, doors and window frames etc. should be separated as well.

The reason behind this is recycling. Such huge amounts of the rubble that is cleared up from the zone, cannot be dumped together anywhere. Hence, recycling is a must. There are equipment that help in sorting out the rubble.

Metal cutters:

Metal cutters are very important in the cleaning process after an earthquake, the aluminium, steel and iron sheets that are used in various structures and constructions, need to be cut in order to remove them. It might not be possible to move them as it is. The heavy equipment that helps in cutting the metal should be used in that case.

However, one thing that needs special mention here is that the heavy equipment that helps in the task of removing the debris and cleaning up the area that has been struck by an earthquake or some such other natural disaster might not be available to everyone. It is therefore important that you buy or hire them from a dealer.

The dealers always have these types of heavy equipment available. You can also choose the used equipment as they are available for an affordable price, regardless to mention the heavy equipment is not cheap. But of course, if you are a service company that offers earthquake or storm damage clean-up services, owning the heavy equipment is a must. It will help you to provide fast services, which is a must in these cases.

 

Highway construction with excavators

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Construction industry requires different types of heavy equipment for various types of works. They can’t limit their use to just one kind of machine for all the work. They have to bring in different heavy equipment that are capable of doing certain specialized work. For instance, you can’t make use of a loader for grading purpose. You have to use a grader for that work. Simultaneously, you can’t use any heavy equipment other than a water truck to spray water on the jobsite to contain the dust on the site. In the same way, when you are constructing a highway there are few heavy equipments that you need the most; without which you just can’t get the act right. You need a roller to crush the stuffs and make the road smooth and plain. Similarly, you also need an excavator at the beginning of the highway construction. Perhaps it all starts with an excavator which comes in handy for lot many activities.

A crawler excavator is perhaps the best heavy equipment that a contractor who engages in highway construction can have. A crawler excavator is quite similar to any other excavator which is exclusively used for excavating earth and rock and then loading them onto dump trucks. It basically has a boom which is attached to the front of the machine. At the end of the book, you will have a bucket with or without claws which is extensively used to pull out mud. The cabin in which the operator sits and operates the machine is just right above the undercarriage and is set on a rotating platform. The undercarriage of the machine has wheels or tracks which help the machine to move without losing grip. The attachment in a crawler excavator can be changed as per the requirement of the business. This means that you can now select from a range of options of attachments that you feel will get the work completed in lesser time.

The operator working on the excavator should be highly skilled and experienced as you can’t have someone who has little or no experience in highway construction. Operators who have worked for at least 5 years in constructing small roads can be signed up for highway construction. They should be under the supervision of senior operators who have loads of experience in constructing highways. Constructing highways is a tough job and it takes years for operators to clear the ground for the next level.

A contractor who has taken up the job of excavating should have more than 3 excavators working at a time on the site. They should set up a point till where the excavation work will be carried out and also a deadline should be given to the operators to make sure that the work is done within the given timeframe. Excavating work should be done in a phased manner and not dig up the entire place at one go. Once the excavating work is done, it should pave way for other machines to complete their part of job.

Sell your heavy equipment on internet

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Internet has given us all a new way of conducting business. There are millions of people who do not go out of their homes to work. All they do is turn on their computer and have their internet connection on. They do their business from that small equipment and make good profits. We can make use of the same technology to sell heavy equipment and still expect good profits. One may be forced to ponder that how somebody can buy construction machines by not even seeing it in person. Well, they can at least select the product online and then they can personally come down to check the stuff. This idea of selling heavy equipment online has been a big success throughout the globe. Be it developed economies or developing economies, all are making ample use of this technology to make their business successful.

We will be talking a bit in detail on how one can conduct this business without even stepping out from their home.

Become member of an online portal:-

There are number of online portals available that are into selling heavy equipment. Not just heavy equipment, they also sell heavy equipment accessories. An online portal is nothing but just a platform provided to both buyers and sellers to come to a common ground and do business there. So the seller simply lists the items that he wishes to sell with the price that he expect to get and if any buyer who is looking for similar stuff likes the item, he can buy it online and pay for the stuff using his credit card or through internet banking. All they have to do is become a member of the online portal to begin business on the website.

List items giving detailed description:-

When you are listing your product on the online portal, you should be aware that people are not able to personally see the machine though they can see the picture of the product but not the product itself. Therefore, you should give a detailed description of the product on the portal so that the readers get a fair idea as to what they will be dealing with. Mention every intricacy, sophistication of the heavy equipment on the listing. Viewers will want to know more about the product if you mention the intricacies. They might get attracted towards the product and might contact you so that the process can be initiated further.

Accept the payment via the portal only:-

Once you finalize the deal, please ask the buyer to pay for the equipment via the portal. It gives both the parties the required security that they are looking for in the transaction. It protects the interests of both the buyer as well as the seller. You may have to pay some amount to the online portal for listing the item and some fees if the item is sold successfully but it is really worth the security that you get from them after the deal is done.

How to hire competent heavy equipment mechanic

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

A manufacturing company can thrive only if it has a proper team of professionals who are competent in providing after sales service. They should be good at their job because it is perhaps the after sales service guys who are majorly responsible for the goodwill of the company. If the product goes faulty, the customer hunts for someone who can get that fixed and if he does not find anybody then he will never go for that brand in his life and will also suggest others to not buy product of that brand. This can prove really costly to the manufacturing company. The after sales team therefore plays such an important role in the growth of the company. The company therefore has to play a more crucial part by hiring competent workforce who knows about the subject well and will take less time to resolve the problem with the product.

Heavy equipment companies manufacture really expensive items and it is quite likely that a product may stop functioning after few months of its purchase. This is why you need to have men who can go to the clients’ jobsite at the word go and can check the problem. The construction business owner are usually loaded with too much of work and are also heavily dependent on heavy equipment and if any of the machine stops working, it costs them dearly. This is why they need a mechanic right away when they experience issues with their machines. It becomes the responsibility of the heavy equipment companies to hire the best mechanic. The crux of the matter is that they should be able to identify who are competent mechanics and who are not.

Check their qualification:-

The heavy equipment companies should check the qualification of the candidates at the time of the interview. They need to check the academic scores and ask questions by giving them different scenarios. This will let the interviewer know the exact standing of the candidate. If the candidate has studied hard to secure good marks, it will reflect in his academics score sheet. However that should be taken as the sole criteria to judge the competency of a candidate. The interviewer should keep this as one of the parameter.

Experience plays a mighty role:-

The experience of a heavy equipment mechanic increases his price in the market. Heavy equipment companies are ready to pay him a higher package if he has good number of experience up in his sleeves. Your experience should be also followed by a good track record wherein you are always punctual and do not take unnecessary leaves. Your overall conduct has been good in the past companies that you have worked and should not have stability issues.

The machines he has worked on:-

It is important for the heavy equipment companies to check with the mechanic on the kind of heavy equipment he has worked on. A mechanic who has only worked on graders and has no working knowledge of loaders or excavators is not a viable one for you.

Regular washing of heavy equipment lengthens its life span

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Heavy equipment catch a lot of dirt after going through arduous activities on a jobsite. It also becomes the reason of its early wear and tear. Normally, heavy equipment are meant for rough use but need also should be taken to clean it up after use so that it evades any early wear and tear. Most contractors have to do away with their machines as they were not able to maintain it well. They however felt that they were not given top notch machines which led the machine to become a scrap before time. But the fact is somewhat different. It has been witnessed that contractors let their heavy equipment to others who use it as per their own whims and fancies and never ever bother about servicing it, washing the machine is a farfetched idea. Faulty machines have hardly been the cause of its early wear and tear.

Wash your machine after every 15 days:-

Washing heavy equipment depends completely on the way it has been used. If the machine is used on marshy lands, then it should be washed almost every day or else there are high chances that the machine will not last for long. However, if it is used in a normal construction jobsite where it does not attract lot of dirt at a single point in time, then giving it to wash every fortnight will be a good idea. People ideally wash their equipment at the time of servicing it which is not at all an ideal thing to do. Servicing the equipment is different from washing it regularly. Servicing the machine includes washing, oiling, changing the engine oil and stuff. You conduct this activity once in a month or may be once in two months. But if the washing part is ignored, then the quality of the machine will take a backseat.

It saves money on replacing faulty parts:-

Washing the heavy equipment regularly cleans the dirt it has gathered for the last many days. If the dirt remains accumulated for weeks, it causes direct impact to the vital parts of the machine and eventually making that particular part obsolete. Any vital part of heavy equipment is highly expensive and if you have to replace it, you are taking out money from your business to fund the replacement. This would have been absolutely unnecessary had things been taken into control at the right time. Regular washing will clean off the dirt and will keep the vital parts of the machine in good order. This will eventually save money which otherwise would be spent on buying replacements.

Will not break down in middle of a project:-

Breaking down of heavy equipment in the middle of a project is nothing less than a nightmare from contractors. This is perhaps the last thing they would ever want to happen with them. Regular washing of machine lengthens the life span and thus one can be assured that this machine will not stop working as he always ensures that it is in good condition.

Related articles across the web

Learning the technicalities of heavy equipment is not a tough business

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

It is human tendency to feel a bit excited or apprehensive to learn something new or do something that they have never done before. It is perhaps we get so accustomed to our comfort zone that we prefer to stay there. It is however important to get over your comfort zone and take some new learning in life. The same approach is also applicable in the heavy equipment and construction business. A construction worker if given the chance to learn a bit about heavy equipment, he/she should grab that opportunity with both hands and try to learn it till its core. There is nothing to be afraid about the subject. People usually have the apprehension that heavy equipment is a complex subject and it will take a lot of time to know the ins and outs of it. Well, it is no matter little complex as compared to what he has been doing but as is gets going with that form of work, he will start finding it comfortable and will no longer find it a difficult thing to chew.

Practice will make you an expert:-

An expert in a subject does not become an expert without constantly working on it. In order to learn things and master it he has to devote his time and energy, be focused on what he is doing and slowly and steadily he inches towards becoming an expert. It is no way an overnight activity and certainly can’t be achieved without being attentive to your work. In order to learn and master the intricacies of heavy equipment you need to incorporate all the attributes that is required to become an expert. You got to practice what you have been doing and ask questions to your mentor when you get stuck. After having worked for a month or so you will realize that you have started knowing much of it than you have ever imagined.

Believing that you can do it:-

Self-belief is very important when you start doing something new in life. Learning the technicalities of heavy equipment can be a little difficult but you should have the belief that you can do it. That is the confidence that every person who is interested to do something in life should have. When you believe in yourself you can get rid of the most complex situation in life and this is what you need to have during your On Job Training. Not just when you are learning heavy equipment but during every challenge that you encounter in your life that you need to sustain this self-belief.

Get a good mentor:_

You need a good mentor who can guide and help you learn the difficult part of the business. Learning the technicalities can only become difficult if you fail to ask the right question to your mentor. While you are working and are stuck at something, walk up to him and throw your question. He will help you come to a solution. This is one of the best ways to learn things quickly. The moment you come across an issue, put it in front of the mentor and learn the workaround.

What are different hybrid heavy construction equipment?

When we adopt different technologies to make a single product that has added features in it, we can call it a hybrid product. We have so many hybrid products around us. It is just that we do not call it by that name. When we add new features, we in one way or the other add new technologies so that it can support those features. In a nutshell, it is the culmination or absorption of more than technology into making of a product. In the construction business, we have a mixture of hybrid heavy construction equipments as well as the conventional ones. It is evident that the hybrid heavy construction equipment are slightly on the expensive side and therefore not many can afford to buy them. However, it has been observed that construction companies are slowly and steadily adopting hybrid heavy equipment into their arsenal and it will not take long for them to completely replace the conventional machines with the hybrid ones.

Heavy equipment that are a combination of new features is the blue-eyed candy of every construction company. Construction companies in today’s time want machines that not only deliver the work in time but also conserve energy. This means that by using hybrid machines, the construction companies will be saving a ton through means of less energy consumption with optimal productivity. Therefore hybrid construction equipment are also defined as machines that have the capacity to collect, store and release energy during times of production. The look of the machine also changes and they do not look like the conventional ones. They are been designed with a whole new approach and that what makes them distinctive from the rest. Right from excavator to a graders and backhoe loaders, you can get a whole range of heavy equipment in the hybrid form.

Komatsu HB215LC-1 hydraulic excavator:-

This particular machine employs regenerative braking to store the energy of a decelerating upper structure. It uses an electric swing motor which when is put out of power it works as a generator and helps the upper structure to stop. The conventional ones uses hydraulic swing and do not have electric motor swing. The Komatsu hybrid excavator is regenerative heavy equipment. The electricity produced is forwarded to a capacitor. The power is stored in the capacitor which can be later used to power the swing of the machine or can drive the machine’s generator.

CAT Hybrid heavy equipment:-

This piece of machine uses the regenerative braking to preserve energy hydraulically. Therefore, when the machine uses the hydraulic swing motor and when the swing lever is released, the machine begins to slow down the upper structure and the swing motor is ceased to be driven by the pump. In this case, the motor is driven by the machine’s swing inertia making it act as a pump.

Hybrid machines not only save energy but also reduces carbon footprint. This indeed helps the ecosystem from getting more polluted. Construction sector is known to be a major contributor in polluting our environment and with the inception of hybrid machines this problem can be definitely tackled.

Buy Now on eBay [ebayfeedsforwordpress feed=”” items=”2″]

Use of internet to solve heavy equipment problems

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

We often depend on technology to fix problems that has been created on a technological produce. We are now at a stage where we can’t take a step forward without the involvement of technology and that actually should be the case. The more you use technology the better it will make your life. It is just that you do not become completely dependent on it or else you will find it difficult to live without it. Too much of dependency on anything can be fatal and one must realize this before it gets completely out of hand. However, when it comes to taking help of technology to fix problems that has been the product of technology one should not refrain from doing so. In the construction business which involves small contactors who can’t afford to hire mechanics to fix small issues often do things on their own. They just can’t afford to pay the fees that a mechanic charges to fix a machine and therefore they believe in doing things themselves.

Blog can be helpful:-

If you encounter a specific problem with the heavy equipment and you do not know what should be done to get rid of it, try to log in to net and check if someone has created a blog pertaining to the issue. If there is a blog addressing the problem you can expect to find some help there? Just read through the blog, the questions posed by people and the resolutions that some has left. It may leave you awestruck upon reading suggestions that are extremely out of the world. They will speak about workarounds that are hard to believe but if you apply them practically it may get rid of the problem once and for all. Blogs have been extremely helpful to many amateurs who have just started their journey in the construction world and does not know much about heavy equipment.

Articles can at times do the trick:-

Articles on heavy equipment can at times be really beneficial to solve a particular problem. If the writer has stressed on one particular issue and has written in length about the possible workarounds it can prove to be really helpful for the read to get rid of the issue. Articles are lengthy and therefore one can expect a lot of workarounds for a single issue.

Hire mechanics online:-

We can even hire a mechanic online. Mechanics often post their work on internet and also allows others to hire them to fix problems. Their charges may differ and that can be negotiated over the phone or when once you meet them. Nevertheless, internet has provided them with an option to post their services online and since most of the things today happen online they can even sell their services on that platform.

Make use of training videos:-

Guys who do not want to involve a mechanic to fix heavy equipment problems can make use of online videos that teaches people to fix heavy equipment. They may use a bit of technical jargons. Hence the person who is following the video should be acquainted with the terms.

Sell machines that the construction companies need

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Construction industry is one of the most established and high profile businesses that are in a popular demand in the recent era. Given the huge population, there is a constant need for more buildings and constructions. Be it for the expansion of the cities or development of the cities or for residential and commercial complexes, some or the other kind of construction is always in progress. And, for making the construction smooth, it is a must that the construction companies are equipped in every possible way.

With more construction assignments, completing the construction faster becomes mandatory. As the demand is always high and there is a pressure from the owners to complete the tasks quicker, construction companies should depend more on the heavy construction equipment; rather than on the manual labour. Machines and tools can make the tasks easier and more accurate.

Buying the heavy construction equipment:

As there is a growing demand of the heavy construction equipment, it is a must that the construction companies buy the most suitable and appropriate machines or equipment. This will make sure that the desired task is done faster and better. The most common heavy construction equipment that one needs to own include –

  • Cranes
  • Excavators
  • Road rollers
  • Crawlers
  • Bulldozers
  • Forklift
  • Backhoes
  • Motor grader
  • Compactors.

Each of the heavy construction equipment has its own function that is absolutely different from the other. Hence, when you are buying these for your construction company, you need to be careful about the one that is most suitable for your company.

Trust the sellers:

There are various construction equipment companies that sell a lot of machines and tools, as well as the large scale construction vehicles. As you visit them, you will find all of the options and different varieties of the construction tools and machines. This can be a little confusing for you to choose the one for you. For that you need to discuss with the heavy construction equipment salesperson.

The salesmen of these businesses are more than just a salesman. They are vastly learned about the functions and benefits of purchasing heavy construction equipment. Hence, as you discuss your needs with them, they will be able to guide you through the different options. This will be quite useful for you to decide which one would be most suitable for you.

The seller would always sell machines that the construction companies need. If the requirement is for a tool or machine that would flatten the workspace, a road roller or compactor would be suggested. If the requirement is a machine that would help the construction companies or workers to load and unload the concrete wastes, dirt and dust and rubbish from a construction site, the seller would suggest a loader. For excavating a ground, an excavator and then a crawler would be more suitable. There are various companies that manufacture these vehicles in different sizes and powers. The best sellers would always be able to guide you about the right machine for you. Depending on the power of the machine, the prices are determined. Trusting the experts is always useful in not spending unnecessarily.

[ebayfeedsforwordpress feed=”” items=”2″]