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… 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...
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...
A sense of CAM in Castle Douglas
IT’S fair to say Castle Douglas-based CAM Engineering has come a long way since founder Clive Montgomery borrowed his dad’s van, put a toolbox...
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...
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...
Brammer to sponsor Hillhead 2014
BRAMMER, a supplier of maintenance, repair and overhaul products and services, has confirmed that it will once again sponsor Hillhead 2014 – the world’s...
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...
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...
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...
The components that make the wheels turn
Graham Bow, committee member of the Scottish Plant Owners Association, takes a look at some of the changes within the plant industry in recent...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
CDE champions female engineering heroes
Ahead of International Women in Engineering Day, CDE shines a light on the contribution made by women within the business.
INTERNATIONAL Women in Engineering Day,...
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...
Getting to know…Clive Montgomery
Clive Montgomery, founder of Castle-Douglas based family business CAM Engineering, launched the company with wife Jennifer in 2006, having decided to branch out on...
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...
No fair-weather friend: JCB Finance vows long-term sector commitment
IT goes without saying that a firm's ability to invest in plant equipment and associated products can play a crucial role in the creation...
Going green in a demanding location
McCloskey Equipment’s Tim Watson explains how one London company is ‘pushing the envelope’ on sustainable aggregates
ACCORDING to the British Marine Aggregate Producers Association, every...
Don’t let HAVS take hold of tool operators
By Martin O’Boyle, technical compliance manager at VJ Technology, suppliers of fasteners, tools, fixings and associated products to the UK’s construction and civil engineering...
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...
Getting to know…Will Redman
Will Redman is distributor manager (north) for dumper specialist Thwaites. He is responsible for managing the manufacturer’s supply of products to dealers in the...
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...
The unsung heroes of the Covid pandemic
HOUSEHOLD waste has increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the Environmental Services Association (ESA), every household in the country produces an estimated one...
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...
The “next big thing” in demolition raring to go
WHEN the Stanley LaBounty Mobile Demolition Processor (MDP) was launched during Bauma 2013 it came with the boast of being the “next big thing”...
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...
