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...

“People will put their money where it makes sense”

ACCORDING to Andy Black, founder of Relentless Plant Services, breakers now make up about 40% of the flourishing firm's business. This is partly due to...

Getting to know…Greg Paterson

KIRKCALDY-headquartered Astrak UK has grown from humble beginnings to become one of the leading suppliers of undercarriage and wear parts in the industry. Recent developments...

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...

Live, Move and Fight: life in the Army Reserves Plant Division

HAVING started as a private soldier in the Army Reserves in 1994, Dave Hanley, now Capt. Dave Hanley, has managed to turn his beloved...

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...
Mark Ormond, Managing Director Manitou UK

Getting to know… Mark Ormond

Mark Ormond was appointed managing director of Manitou UK last year, having spent the vast bulk of his career in the agriculture sector.

Charging forward with electric mini

Dan Gilkes tests out the new JCB 19C-1E electric mini excavator.

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...

Hyundai demonstrates European commitment

ONE year on from the inauguration of its new European headquarters in Tessenderlo, Belgium, Hyundai Construction Equipment Europe (HCEE) recently played host to a...

Built to last: JCB in new 3.5-t offering

Dan Gilkes tests out the new 35Z-1 zero tailswing mini excavator, which is tipped to appeal to customers globally WITH more than 15,000 sales a...

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...

Converted ADTs propel groundworks specialist forward

A duo of Hydrema articulated dump trucks have been converted for use as binder spreaders by a Whitburn-based ground engineering contractor, which has proved a...

Getting to know… Geoff Smith

KUBOTA is this year celebrating its 25th anniversary as the UK and Ireland’s ‘number one supplier’ of mini-excavators. A whole year of activities to...
Claire Sheerin of Hays

Diversity in construction: how far have we come?

In a recent survey of construction professionals nearly half of the respondents (46%) said they felt their career progression has been limited due to their background.

Firms must consider a future of sustainable construction

David Kinloch, business development executive at CDE Global, discusses new ways to approach construction waste and recycling restrictions COUNCILS all over the UK are becoming...

Murphy’s law

ADRIAN Murphy was appointed CEO at Blue Group last year, tasked initially with bringing increased coordination across the various businesses. Having held senior role at...

Windswept and interesting

A windswept Livingston industrial estate on a cold Tuesday morning might not be everyone's idea of a dream destination. But for Worsley Plant managing director...

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...

Optimum bearing selection for mines and quarries

Mining and quarrying are among the toughest of industrial environments, with dust contamination posing a real threat to plant and machinery. David Oliver, channel...

Pursuit of quality pays off for Loc Hire

A recent £3.5 million investment in mobile welfare highlights how far Bonnybridge-based LOC Hire has come in a short space of time. The firm, which...

Where Eagle dares

When many plant hire firms decided to scale back on investment during the recession, Eagle Plant adopted a different approach by seizing the opportunity...

It’s all in the Wrist

A lifelong love of diggers and a desire to start his own business led Alan Gow to purchase his first machine – a used...

Getting to know…Gordon Cameron

Gordon Cameron has been involved in the plant industry for many years now, working his way up to become managing director of Hardox Wearparts...

Family values remain at the heart of Young Plant

BRIAN Young has revealed it’s been very much business as usual at Young Plant Sales despite selling to the Molson Group. Brian, who has agreed...

Perfect timing: Young Plant explains decision to expand in the north

YOUNG Plant Sales managing director Brian Young has hailed the firm’s new Inverness depot as “key” to growing the business in Scotland. The Doune-headquartered firm...

Getting to know…Heath Davies

HEATH Davies is general manager of Mecalac Construction Equipment UK. The firm has added a number of new products to its portfolio over the...

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...
finance

Clock is ticking on firms eligible for AIA tax relief

A new survey shows British plant firms are in danger of missing out on tax relief worth hundreds of thousands of pounds due to...

Getting to know…Brian McGrane

BRIAN McGrane is area sales manager for southern and central Scotland for Liebherr, where he is tasked with selling a full range of products...