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...
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...
Getting to know…Jason Periam
Jason Periam was appointed head of sales at Takeuchi UK late last year. The experienced plant sector stalwart has been tasked with helping to...
Breaking new ground: a year with 71 Engineer Regiment
71 Engineer Regiment is made up of three Squadrons including Paisley-based 102 Field Squadron, which specialises in construction plant and combat infrastructure.
They’ve had a...
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...
Best foot forward
A.T. Best Handlers Ltd. has opened a new depot in Tranent, East Lothian after telehandler manufacturer Manitou extended the company’s area at the start of this year.
Dumfries firm banks on new slow speed shredder
ESTABLISHED in 1983, Oakbank Waste Management has built its reputation throughout the Dumfries, Galloway and Cumbria regions, proudly achieving 100% diversion from landfill.
The...
Handle with care
AIRDRIE-based plant equipment supplier, A. T. Best Handlers, is the specialist dealer for Manitou in the west of Scotland.
The business is run by father...
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...
Constructing plans to tackle mental health
Male construction workers are 1.6 times more likely to take their own life than the average UK male, according to research from the Office for National Statistics.
Getting to know…Rob Oliver
ROB Oliver has been chief executive of the CEA (Construction Equipment Association) for the best part of 20 years now. In that time, he’s...
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...
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...
Kubota dig deep to mark anniversary
KUBOTA has teamed up with plant hire specialist GAP Group at ScotPlant 2014 to showcase its range of solutions for the construction industry.
The...
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...
Tracked conveyor is the ‘missing link’ for Breedon
BREEDON Northern has invested in the largest Terex Finlay tracked conveyor currently available from Finlay Scotland. The TC-100 is being used as a link...
“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...
A whole new level
Dan Gilkes gives his verdict on the latest additions to the JCB X Series excavator line-up
JCB has taken a major step forward with the launch...
Are you really ready for winter?
Brendan Aherne, GRITIT’s regional director for Scotland, explains that taking on adverse weather conditions in increasingly litigious times takes careful planning and meticulous execution.
It’s...
“Price alone should not be king”
Brian Young has been managing director of Young Plant Sales for over 20 years. Based in the outskirts of Doune, Stirlingshire, the business was...
Retiring Young: industry stalwart reflects on 40 years in plant
BRIAN Young, one of the most respected and longest-serving figures in the Scottish plant industry, recently retired from his role as managing director at...
JCB takes next step on electric journey
JCB has expanded its E-Tech battery electric range, with the launch of the 403E compact wheeled loader. Dan Gilkes recently visited JCB’s HQ to...
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...
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...
A towering success for XSPlatforms
XSPLATFORMS have Introduced the SafeTower, which they describe as the safest mobile scaffold for all heights.
To meet the growing need for safe working...
Mini machines fill the final gap in JCB range
JCB is expanding its Next Generation line of mini and midi-excavators, with the launch of two 2.5-tonne models. Here, Dan Gilkes gives his take...
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...
Hitachi ’empowers’ customers with new medium excavators
HITACHI has announced that owners and operators have been put 'at the heart' of the design for its latest Zaxis-7 medium excavators: the ZX210-7,...
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...
Getting to know…Stephen Grieve
NINE years ago Stephen Grieve sold his car for £5000 and invested the money in spare parts for the construction industry. The rest, as...
