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Ramtec’s search for a new French dealer for its Robi product range has come to a successful Finnish at INTERMAT. The Lahti-based demolition and recycling equipment specialists put pen to paper on the partnership with Escomel on Tuesday. “It’s a very important move,” said company sales and product manager Benjami Pitkäsalo. “They have a good sales network and we are looking forward to getting new business.”

Rising bitumen prices should be factored in more consistently when awarding highways contract tenders, according to Tarmac National Constructing (TNC). The near 60% bitumen price hike of the last two years, driven by a major decrease in European refinery production, is said by TNC to be making it “extremely difficult” for highways contractors to tender for work, as current price fluctuation mechanisms do not fairly compensate for significant extra input costs. TNC says that while the Highways Agency’s

Machine control and safety specialist Prolec has developed a total machine control system, called Prolec Machine Engine (PME). Rather than having separate controllers for safety applications such as weighing, stability and safe load indication, plus additional controllers for digging applications and data capture, the PME aims to combine all of these features in a single module. Suitable for all makes of machines and capable of working with cranes, telehandlers, excavators, backhoe loaders, concrete, fork l

In Chile the contractor Grupo Costanera currently has deals in hand for some US$650 million. Projects Grupo Costanera is working on include road works in the eastern part of Santiago, the construction of a connection with Route 78 from the union of Costanera Norte with Route 68 that goes to Valparaiso, and the Santiago-Lampa highway. Grupo Costanera is at present 45.8% owned by Atlantia. But Atlantia intends to increase its stake in Grupo Costanera and take a controlling interest by June of this year.

Sunward is pushing hard in Europe with its new mini excavator range, which includes a sophisticated range of standard and zero tailswing models The SWE25 is a 2.6tonne standard mini excavator that features a 15.5kW Yanmar diesel and offers a dig depth of 2.4m. This machine is certified for use in Europe and has the important CE mark. Product quality has been set as a key precedent by Sunward for its machines and a company spokesperson said, “This class is one of the most popular models in the German market,

The Israel National Roads Company is opening the tender process for the project to drive new tunnels on Road no 1.

Three flood mitigation projects in Malaysia worth a combined US$171.82million will be carried out in Perlis state. One is part of the under design 16km Western bypass, another is connected to the Timah Tasoh dam upgrading works, with a third part of the widening and deepening of Sungai Arau. All three projects are due to be finished by the end of 2014.

The first tranche of tenders for the US$392 million Rustenburg Rapid Transport (RRT) project in the north west of South Africa has been announced by the local municipal council.The tenders are for the construction of the North-West RRT Corridor, topographical and structural survey services and environmental-impact assessment (EIA) services. The RRT aims to provide transport to half-a-million Rustenburg residents from 2015.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is reported to be in talks with the sponsors of the A-66 Benavente-Zamora highway public private partnership (PPP) in Spain over a possible bond financing deal, which would see the Bank provide subordinated debt for an A-rated bond issue. The possible bond issue would be a further greenfield project to launch the European Union’s Project Bond 2020 initiative, with its initial pilot stage being managed by the EIB.

Manitou Group (MG) president Jean-Christophe Giroux says the Group will look to double its business in the next three to four years after revenue rose by 35% to US$1.13billion in 2011. Speaking on the publication of details of MG’s FY11 performance Giroux, who is also the French construction, industry and agricultural machinery manufacturers chief executive, said: “We want to take advantage of all growth opportunities in a developing yet fragmented market and double our business over the next 3-4 year, t

Dutch surveying company Geomaat is capturing millimetre accurate measurements in record times to support a range of highway design, construction and maintenance projects. Using the mobile laser mapping system StreetMapper, and specially developed point cloud software, the company can calculate very accurate cutting, milling and asphalt figures, create as built models and undertake change detection. “In the past, these types of measurement were undertaken using total stations which was time consuming, and

Clearview Traffic Group has secured a contract for the installation and maintenance of automatic traffic monitoring equipment on behalf of Transport for London (TfL). As part of the contract, the company will install a number of additional automatic traffic counter (ATC) sites, as well as continue to maintain and repair nearly 200 existing ATC sites in and around the city of London to ensure there is a continued supply of acceptable traffic count data. The sites include equipment, ancillary devices and serv

Doka is playing a leading role in Denmark’s first ever public private partnership roadbuilding project. The 26km long, four-lane M51, 15km from the German border, will link Kliplev and Sønderborg in southern Jutland. And Doka will be the sole provider offormwork for the concrete used in erecting the motorway’s 72 bridges and crossings. The M51 is using 9000m² of the extremely adaptable Large-area formwork Top 50, and more than 4,750 basic frames of the heavyduty Load-bearing tower Staxo 100 system.

A new 1km long tunnel is being planned to help reduce congestion in Skopje, capital of Macedonia. The tunnel will be built by Turkish contractor Limak. The contractor will also build its own commercial development above the tunnel as part of the agreement. The cost of the tunnel project is not available at this point.

AECOM’s UK transport team has been selected to develop a masterplan for the Romanian national transport system. An assessment of the short, medium and long-term outlook for the country’s transport system will form part of the masterplan. It will also contain sustainability-conscious infrastructure and policy recommendations for all transport modes, including road, rail, air, Constanta Port and navigation of the Danube River.

Renault Trucks’ Tridem 8x4*4 is designed for carrying heavy loads in restricted spaces and is also suitable for mounting mobile cranes or vacuum units. Based on a lightweight Lander 6x4 chassis, the Tridem has an additional 10tonne rated rear steering tag axle giving it a turning circle some 10 to 15% tighter than a traditional 8x4 (depending on the wheelbase). Once back on the road the driver can, depending on the load being carried, raise the rear axle to increase fuel economy.

Renault Trucks’ Tridem 8x4*4 is designed for carrying heavy loads in restricted spaces and is also suitable for mounting mobile cranes or vacuum units. Based on a lightweight Lander 6x4 chassis, the Tridem has an additional 10tonne rated rear steering tag axle giving it a turning circle some 10 to 15% tighter than a traditional 8x4 (depending on the wheelbase). Once back on the road the driver can, depending on the load being carried, raise the rear axle to increase fuel economy.

Deutz has unveiled its latest range of 2.9-16litre EU emission standard diesel engines. The TCD 2.9 L4 is available in either naturally aspirated or turbocharged versions, each with the optional extra of an intercooler. It features cooled external exhaust-gas recirculation and common-rail high-pressure fuel injection. Generating up to 55.4KW, the TCD 2.9 L4's maximum torque of 255Nm is up to 15% higher than comparable Tier 3 engines.

Caterpillar has given its D6N fine grading and muck-shifting dozer an EU Stage IIIb emissions-compliant engine for 2012. The 129kW C6.6 Acert engine now gets a DOC and DPF with passive regeneration, helping the machine to a 2% productivity boost primarily from sharper throttle response. There is also a selectable economy mode – linked to 2nd gear – that automatically shifts the dozer into 3rd gear when reversing, and simultaneously reduces engine revs from 2000 to 1700rpm. This system can give fuel saving

Cat has added three new models of wheeled loader to its range, badged 924K, 930K and 938K. All share the same basic architecture, differing in wheelbase, axles, machine width and bucket capacities – the latter extend from 1.9-5.0 cubic metres. The biggest change over the H-series models they replace is an all-new cab, offering a massive improvement in ergonomics and comfort. A wider, deeper front windscreen, climate control, seat-mounted joysticks and an ultra-low in-cab noise level of 66dB(a) are among i