Kubota enjoys last laugh with historic milestone
When mini-excavators were first introduced to the British market in the 1970s, some scoffed at the concept. As Kubota celebrates its 50,000th excavator sale...
Getting to know… Sandy Fairweather
SANDY Fairweather is one of the most admired and popular figures in the Scottish plant industry. He’s seen most things after a lifetime in...
Laying the groundwork for increased flexibility
GROUNDFORCE’S decision to align three distinct brands into one attachments division has been credited with bringing a range of benefits to customers.
Work started earlier...
New technologies put wind in the sails of civils contractor
A Komatsu HB365LC Hybrid excavator is among a range of machines that have been impressing on Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK’s build of the...
Getting to know…Tim White
TIM White is MD of Pinnacle Platforms, the exclusive GB distributor for Sinoboom aerial work platforms. The business was founded three years ago and...
New AB2T training site is ‘as good as it gets’
THE new AB2T training academy in Whitburn has been tipped to play a key role in helping to alleviate plant operator skills shortages in...
Big money deals secured at record-breaking Plantworx
ALMOST 350 exhibitors attended Plantworx 2015, with many of the biggest names in the construction equipment industry in top form.
The likes of JCB, Volvo,...
Anatomy of a quality steel
One breaker steel looks much like another, so it can be difficult to make sensible judgements about quality. Linlithgow-based Rock Force shared some of...
School of hard NOX
Kinshofer UK recently held two open days to educate potential users on the benefits of the NOX tilitrotators. Andrew Little, Kinshofer UK national sales...
There’s never been a more important time to join YOUR trade association
The Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA) appointed HHH Equipment founder Callum Mackintosh as its new president earlier this year. With trade bodies playing a...
Patience pays off for Lomond Plant
Lomond Plant has taken huge strides since being founded in 1988. The firm was significantly impacted by the recession but is back on track...
JCB on the charge to an electric future
Dan Gilkes gets behind the wheel of the new JCB 525-60E electric Loadall, launched as part of the manufacturer’s expanding portfolio of electric solutions...
A moment to ‘Take’ in 20 years of progress
Takeuchi UK has come a long way since establishing a home in Rochdale, Lancashire in 1996. Gary Moug reports on how the firm has become a...
Miller time
AFTER purchasing a machine to carry out drainage on their family farm in rural Aberdeenshire in the 1960s, the Miller family began completing contracts...
A powerful partnership
Kubota UK joined forces with engine and transmission specialist Mitchell Powersystems (MPS) in 2016 in a strategic partnership that established MPS as the official...
Cloburn Quarry fix costs and save fuel with new Cat
CLOBURN Quarry in Lanarkshire has become the first company in Scotland to purchase a Cat® 966K XE Wheel Loader.
The business has also invested in...
Good energy: Scottish market embraces solar solutions
Rail and social housing projects are helping to drive growth for Garic in Scotland.
Departure from the norm helps breathe new life into trade body
Outgoing Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA) president Callum Mackintosh reflects on his term in office and explains why the journey both challenged and exceeded...
Getting to know…Kenny Price
Rokbak is the new name for Terex Trucks after the Motherwell-based articulated hauler specialist rebranded recently. The business, which is part of the Volvo...
Getting to know… John McGrath
John McGrath recently retired from his role as senior lecturer in plant mechanics at Glasgow Kelvin College.
John, who’s also chairman of the Glasgow branch...
Plant operators rise to Scotland’s peatland challenge
SCOTLAND’S plant operators have been praised for their role in the ongoing initiative to restore the nation’s degraded peatlands – with calls going out...
Raising the safety bar in Edinburgh
THE Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, held on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle, attracts massive crowds on an annual basis.
Seating for spectators is provided by...
Role diversity helps lift Scottish crane technician
Glasgow-based Sandy McCulloch is one of three service technicians dedicated to keeping the Manitowoc mobile cranes, crawler cranes and boom trucks of Scotland in...
Kiltrotator: the rise of Steelwrist in Scotland
STEELWRIST has been making waves north of the border this year, with a number of clients spanning from the Borders to north of Aberdeenshire.
Project...
In the Black: hard work pays off for Stewarton hire firm
WHEN Tom Blackwood bought out his retiring father, Tom Senior, in 2001, Blackwood Plant Hire consisted of a few machines.
Today, the Stewarton-based firm has...
Quick off the mark: latest X-Series model treads well-worn path
JCB has expanded its X-Series crawler excavator portfolio with the launch of the 145XR – a second reduced tailswing model. Here, Dan Gilkes gets...
Hyundai sets sail for harbour work
AN Isle of Bute-based boat builder has recently completed work on a canal dredger custom fitted with a 22-tonne Hyundai excavator, which is now...
New blood vital to the SPOA
Jim Houstoun, Past President of the Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA), currently involved with training for members, explains why the organisation remains in robust...
Five benefits of going green on-site
SITES in the construction sector are turning green in order to combat the challenges climate change presents to our society. Alongside the environmental concerns...
Getting to know Alistair Hodge
Alistair Hodge founded Hodge Plant 30 years ago with just one machine. Today the business has a substantial fleet of premium equipment for sale...
