Earthmoving & soil compaction

One of the most competitive segments of the off-highway equipment sector, it is no surprise that earthmoving machinery is seeing a wide array of new models coming to market - Mike Woof writes Competition is tough in the market for earthmoving equipment. Manufacturers from Europe, the US, Japan, Korea and China are all vying for increased market share across the globe. Firms are developing new models and widening product lines, with a wide range of excavator, wheeled loader, dozer, grader and soil compact

Mercedes-Benz says that it’s low-entry Econic truck has been awarded the maximum safety-specific five-star Direct Vision rating by Transport for London. Utilities contractor Ferns Surfacing has just invested in a pair of 32tonne Mercedes-Benz Econic trucks decked out as tipper-grabs and is operating them on surface reinstatement and resurfacing duties in and around London. Ferns has 10 depots across south-east England and East Anglia, north-east of London. With its deep, panoramic windscreen and full-heig

New Zealand-based Gaddum Construction is using two TA300 Terex Trucks articulated haulers to move end material and metal for road building as well as shifting logs. The firm has been carrying out a hauling project on the steep slopes and slippery surfaces of Omaio Forest, on the east side of New Zealand’s North Island, around 57km east of Opotiki. The company, which specialises in the construction of infrastructure on challenging terrain, has been using two TA300 articulated haulers from Terex Trucks on th

Wacker Neuson is now offering a heavy-duty wheeled loader with the introduction of its WL95 model. The new 10tonne class machine is the largest wheeled loader offered by Wacker Neuson but retains the firm’s compact design. It features the latest ecospeedPRO transmission, with customers offered a choice of two engine versions that meet the latest emission standards. The machine is designed for materials handling applications with large construction contractors and recycling companies. Wacker Neuson will now

SDLG is now offering its proven L958F wheeled loader in the Indian market. Replacing the firm’s earlier generation model, the L958F features a larger bucket capacity, heavier operating weight and a newly-designed cooling system. The firm says that the machine suits a wide range of heavy-duty working cycles, such as in material handling, land clearing and general earthmoving. The 5tonne capacity wheeled loader has a bucket size of 3.2m3 and a maximum dumping distance of 1.12m. Power comes from a Deutz

An extraction operation in China is benefiting from the use of construction machines supplied by XCMG. The site, in Xinjiang, has been using XCMG XE470D and XE700D excavators since 2016. The machines have now clocked in excess of 10,000 operating hours, with operators working in shifts allowing the excavators to operate 20 hours/day. The site is located at the northern edge of the Tianshan Mountains and the south-eastern edge of the Junggar Basin. It is affected by the Indosinian and Yanshan movements, w

LiuGong has unveiled the firm’s first-ever intelligent remote-controlled shovel wheeled loader. The 886H is said by the Chinese global construction, quarrying and mining equipment giant to be a combination of intelligent remote control and intelligent technology. The model’s intelligent wheeled loader shovelling system senses material penetration; has one bottom loading and dumping; along with bucket auto levelling and controllable placement of the bucket. Intelligent shovelling enables the machine to

Caterpillar says that its Next Generation 30tonne class excavators, the 330 and 330 GC, meet the needs of customers in emergent markets. These machines offer gains in operating efficiency, as well as lower fuel and maintenance costs and improved operator comfort. The new excavators offer features designed to match productivity and cost targets. Delivering high-production performance, the new Cat 330 features standard integrated Cat Connect technology and the most power and lift capacity of the two model

Sany has introduced no less than 42 new models to its range of construction machines, spanning a wide array of market segments. One of the most innovative new developments from Sany is the firm’s VR unmanned excavator control package. This allows the machine to be operated remotely so that it can be used in difficult or dangerous applications. These duties would include operations such as carrying out the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) in areas of unstable geology where there is a potential for roof

Caterpillar has expanded its product range for the Chinese and emergent markets, with its own branded machines and also for its Chinese subsidiary, Shandong Engineering Machinery (SEM). Caterpillar has introduced three wheeled loaders for Chinese and emergent territory customers, with the 950 GC, 980L, and 982M models. Also new are the Next Generation 320 and 323 excavators, which benefit from a Smart Mode that automatically matches engine and hydraulic power to specific digging conditions, and an advanced