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In a move that has taken the construction equipment industry by surprise, Caterpillar unveiled at Conexpo its first bulldozer powered by an AC electric drive. Cat said that the D7E offers "significant productivity increases and reduced owning and operating costs". Backed-up by over 100 patents, the mid-range machine will be introduced in selected markets during 2009. "From an environmental sustainability perspective, the D7E uses substantially less fuel per hour - dramatically reducing the amount of carbon

Development of mechanical drills represented a significant step forward for extracting aggregates. ABE takes a look at the development of the Tampella drill The crushing of rock has always been one of the most difficult tasks for man - the innovation of mechanical hand-held drills was a significant improvement in terms of productivity. Chisel and hammer required two men, but air powered hand-held drills were operated by one man only. Naturally the productivity increased tremendously through the fact that th

US-based crushing and screening specialist Astec has announced that it has appointed a new sales director to target growth of its business in Europe. The company has said that Nathalie Fourrier will have responsibility for the European region with a specific focus on Western Europe. Fourrier was formerly director of marketing and sales for Mix Process France and has previously worked for BGW France and Eurasphalte-Hartmann.

Volvo has announced that it is relocating its motorgrader production from Goderich in Ontario, Canada to the company's site in Pennsylvania, US by 2010. The move is part of plans to consolidate its road machinery business in North America to improve competitiveness and profitability. The move will affect 500 employees but will be phased but the US$45million restructuring costs will be recorded in the third quarter 2008 accounts.

Russia-based equipment manufacturer Chetra has appointed Vadim Kalabashkin as its new deputy general director for sales. Kalabashkin, who joined the company in 2006 as executive director, has a degree in economic sciences. According to a press release from the company Vladimir Lukonin will take over the role of executive director from Kalabashkin.

Mexican cement producer Cemex has decided to shut down a number of its installations in Europe, due to weak sales in this region. Operations will be closed down in countries such as Poland, Germany and the UK. Cement sales in Northern Europe fell 14% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2012. The UK and Germany are two of Cemex's main markets in Europe.

Attachment specialist INMALO has announced that it has been appointed as a dealer for the DustBoss line of mobile dust suppression units manufactured by US-based Dust Control Technology. The DustBoss features a fully automatic, oscillating ducted fan with a high pressure misting system that creates an ultrafine mist that attracts dust and drives it to the ground. According to INMALO, the DustBoss units can blanket an area between 511 and 1,950 square metres in size, depending on the model.

Metso Minerals has announced that it has acquired PSP Slévárna in a bid to improve its wear parts supply chain in Europe. According to Metso, the takeover of the crusher wear part manufacturer based in Prerov, Czech Republic will help improve capacity and shorten lead times for its construction and mining business. In a statement, Metso has said that the acquisition is a part of the company's profitable growth strategy to develop its services business. PSP Slévárna has, until now, been a supplier to Metso a

Tight environmental conditions and limited resources make the benelux aggregates market a challenging one The Benelux countries - Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg - are slightly out of the ordinary in the European aggregates arena in terms of steady demand, reliance on imports and high levels of recycling. But the regions' shortages caused by limits on space or geology and policies strongly influenced by green issues in recent years, mean that the challenges facing their aggregates markets are simila

While Europe's quarrying industry will be heading to Neider-Ofleiden in Germany for Steinexpo in September, ABE has been taking a look at the quarry that hosts the tri-annual event Once every three years, Mitteldeutsche Hartstein-Industrie AG (MHI) throws open the gates of its Neider-Ofleiden quarry near Marburg in Germany to host Steinexpo. But the site has more of a claim to fame than being the home of continental Europe's largest tri-annual quarrying exhibition - it is also Europe's largest basalt quarry

According to Liebherr, its new Generation 6 crawler excavators will set new standards in the 21 to 28tonne weight class when they are unveiled to the public at Intermat in Paris next year. There are three models in the new range - the 21.7 to 23.3tonne (depending on specification) R 906, the 23.7 to 26.4tonne R 916 and the 25.7 to 27.1tonne R926. Each of the machines will be available as a Classic or Advanced version, an option which Liebherr claims has been developed to meet differing market requirements a

Atlas Copco continues to develop its comprehensive range of drilling solutions in the shape of its latest down-the-hole (DTH) rigs as well as adding new compact rigs and new consumables to the line-up. The firm's latest Roc L630 DTH rig benefits from a new feed as well as improved cooling. The new aluminium feed is said to improve hole straightness and quality. It also allows the machine to be made ready for transport more quickly and easily, while the rig also features an upgraded cab with more space than

Vermeer continues to broaden the range of applications for its trencher derived machines in minerals extraction duties. The firm now has machines operating in various limestone quarrying operations around the world. The Vermeer machine differs from other methods of mechanical cutting because the drum rotates in a different direction. Instead of cutting from the bottom up, the drum cuts from the top down. The company claims that this allows for higher productivity as the weight of the machine helps in maximi

Drilling technology specialist Rockmore International is breaking the mould in the drill bits market with its latest innovation. The firm has developed highly distinctive cemented carbide buttons that feature a dimpled rather than a smooth surface. These are intended to boost drilling penetration rates by generating multiple rock fractures and allowing greater penetration. Although this technology is innovative, Rockmore said it has been extensively tested. The firm used the buttons for over a year in devel

US-based Western Retek is offering a new mobile impact crushing plant to the European, North American and Russian markets. The machine is now available on the market following two years of testing and is the first unit from this firm, with more models due. One of the firm's representatives said, "A jaw crusher is in development at the moment." Interestingly, the firm intends to offer these 36tonne mobile crushers with a modular design. The representative said, "We are working on a flexible system that means

Austrian-based crusher manufacturer Rockster claims that its new screening box represents a new opportunity for customers to boost production. Previously the company had solely targeted the mobile crushing equipment sector but is now broadening its horizons into screening as well. The screening box comes as an additional unit to the firm's now proven mobile crusher, itself a fairly recent introduction. Using the return belt on the 10tonne screenbox allows the customer to achieve a 100% final product size, w

Sandvik's latest DTH and tophammer drilling technologies will deliver great penetration and performance, according to the firm. The company is broadening its DTH offering and intends to offer hammers aimed at three different performance levels. The new RH550 units are the first of this upgraded line-up and are designed as the top grade models for quality, performance and longevity. These replace the earlier Mission units and are being offered in 76mm, 102, 152 and 203mm (3, 4, 6 and 8") diameters. The rest

Caterpillar has added the D11T dozer to its product range and claims the new machine offers reliable performance, long life and low cost per tonne production. The machine also features a number of safety improvements for the operator including a hydraulically actuated access ladder and a two-camera Work Area Vision System (WAVS). The D11T is also available in a 'CarryDozer' configuration - the D11T CD - which, according to Cat, helps to maximise productivity when moving large loads over long distances or up

Bell Equipment has unveiled its new E Series wheeled loaders and announced that the machines will be made available in the UK market for the first time, with a view to rolling them out to the rest of Europe at a later date. The new E Series features seven machines aimed at the utility and aggregate production markets but Bell claims that it is the specification that distinguishes the range from others already available on the market. Standard features include ride control, reverse radar object detection, re

McCloskey has just announced that it is adding crushing equipment to its product range in a bid to offer a full crushing and screening line up. The C50 jaw crusher is the first of two new crushers that will be launched by the company and will be supplemented with a new range of screens that McCloskey expects to launch at Intermat next year. The C50 is McCloskey's first ever crusher and is part of a strategy by the company to become a full line crushing and screening supplier to the aggregates market. The ma