370X marks ‘huge step forward’ for JCB
The new JCB 370X - the largest model in the X Series range of tracked excavators – was shown for the first time in...
Andy’s on a Relentless pursuit for success
ANDY Black is fast becoming a huge presence in the Scottish plant industry – and not just because he stands 6ft 7in tall!
A former...
Getting to know… Steven Mulholland
STEVEN Mulholland was recently elected to the role of chairman of the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA). The founder of West Calder-based Mulholland Plant Services succeeded...
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...
Innovation is “part of JCB’s DNA”
Project Plant editor Gary Moug recently visited a JCB factory in Uttoxeter to see the manufacturer's latest excavator developments. Afterwards, he spoke to Nick...
Compressors on track to meet tough rail challenge
COLAS Rail is using Doosan Portable Power’s new generation of compressors to apply shotcrete to the interiors of French train tunnels.
Colas is the...
Getting to know…Harry Denholm
SCOTTISH plant sector stalwart Harry Denholm joined Broxburn-based Field and Forest Machinery earlier this year.
Boasting several decades’ experience in the industry, Harry took up...
Staying safe while working at height in poor weather
Matthew Bailey, divisional manager for inspection and certification at HCL Safety, explores what those working at height, and those responsible for their safety, need...
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...
Charging forward with electric mini
Dan Gilkes tests out the new JCB 19C-1E electric mini excavator.
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...
Getting to know… Russell Conn
RUSSELL Conn was appointed Scottish sales manager at Bell Equipment UK earlier this year, having worked for the manufacturer in South Africa for almost...
Fall protection kit can limit risks
THERE were 144 work-related deaths in the last year, according to a recently published HSE report. The most common cause of death was a...
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...
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...
Getting to know…Darragh O’Driscoll
WITH origins dating back to the 1950s, McHale Plant Sales is regarded as one of Ireland’s foremost machinery distributors. The firm’s portfolio of applications...
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.
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...
Island stay provides a welcome antidote
ORGANISERS of FINROCK 2021, a live virtual exhibition for plant operators, construction professionals and heavy equipment enthusiasts, have hailed the event a roaring success.
Hosted...
The sound of success
Mark Williamson, sales and marketing director at PH Media Group, looks at how plant hire firms can harness the power of on-hold marketing to...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
No job too big or small
Gary Moug reports on the Glasgow firm making waves in the hydraulic problem-solving industry.
TWO years ago, Annabel Allam and Craig Pottie took the bold...
Callum Hammers home the message
CALLUM Mackintosh, owner of Highland Hammer Hire, is aiming to become THE one-stop destination for attachments in the north of Scotland.
It may seem like...
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...
Wet processing plant helps firm to double up
A family business in Tempo on the outskirts of Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, has reportedly doubled its materials processing ability since installing a new CDE wet...



































