| October 2011 | Past Issues/Subscribe | Printer-Friendly | Advertise |
UPCOMING EVENTS
VENDOR NEWS
 Case Construction Equipment recently donated a specially modified skid steer loader to Chicago Children’s Museum at Navy Pier. Museum officials accepted the donation during a ceremony at the Skyline Exhibit. Case, headquartered in Racine, Wis., is a major sponsor of the Skyline Exhibit, where the skid steer will be displayed. The company removed the skid steer’s mechanical components to eliminate moving parts, so children visiting the museum will be able to climb into the cab, sit in the operator’s seat and let their imaginations take over.
Learn More...  On September 20, Deere & Company announced a new sales and marketing agreement with Honda Power Equipment to sell Honda premium power products at participating John Deere dealerships in the United States. Shipments of Honda inventory to John Deere dealerships will be phased in beginning in 2012. Under the terms of the agreement, participating John Deere dealers will offer Honda's award-winning walk-behind lawnmowers, generators, tillers, water pumps and snow blowers. In addition, Deere said, it will no longer market John Deere-branded walk-behind mowers or walk-behind snow blowers in the U.S., in any sales channel, after 2012.
Learn More...  Congratulations to Anchor Tents' CFO Dave Conner, for being the recipient of the Chamber of Commerce’s 2011 Volunteer of the Year Award for his outstanding volunteer service to the Chamber. According to the Chamber, "among Chamber members, business professionals, and the local manufacturing community, Dave is recognized as being an instrumental member of the team who successfully launched The Chamber’s Tri-State Manufacturers’ Alliance, or TSMA. In 2009, TSMA began as a roundtable of manufacturers sharing best practices. Two years later, thanks to the countless volunteer hours from Dave Conner and many others, TSMA has grown into a robust manufacturing organization that boasts over 100 member companies steered by a dynamic Executive Committee."
Learn More...  Generac Power Systems announced recently that it has acquired Magnum Products, a leading manufacturer of high-quality light towers and mobile generators. The acquisition combines Magnum's 23 years of experience with Generac's 52 years of power expertise to create a stronger, larger company with broadened product offerings and expanded distribution channels. Magnum will function as a standalone business, continuing operations out of its facilities in Berlin, Wis. Generac will maintain the Magnum brand and the companies will together employ more than 1,800 people throughout Wisconsin.
Learn More...  Vermeer Corporation has posted a recent New York Times article on the status of manufacturing in the United States. The article discusses how manufacturing, which helped make the United States a world power, has declined in its contribution to gross domestic product, roughly equivalent to the national income, from as much as 28 percent in the 1950s to just 11.7 percent last year. The article discusses the economic reasons for this decline, some of the damaging consequences resulting from the decline, President Obama’s goals for increasing manufacturing in our country, and how government support is needed to halt manufacturing’s decline.
Learn More...  Caterpillar ® recently announced that it has expanded its Mini Excavator range to 0.9-2.7 tons with the introduction of the 300.9D, 301.4C, and 302.7D CR, three models with operating weights of 2061 lbs (935kg), 3340 lbs (1515kg ) and 5886 lbs (2670kg). These additional models broaden the appeal of the Cat compact crawler excavator line-up, extending machine choices for customers in a variety of industry sectors.
Learn More...  Kubota Tractor Corporation, in observance of the National Education Center for Agriculture Safety’s "National Farm Safety and Health Week," September 18-24, 2011, reminded all tractor and equipment users to brush up on ten critical safety reminders -- Kubota’s Ten Commandments to Tractor Safety. "At Kubota, we advocate for safe operating practices year-round, but especially during peak seasons like harvest," says Greg Embury, vice president of sales and marketing. "As the end of summer moves to fall, it is a good time to remind everyone who operates tractors and heavy equipment – farmers, ranchers and their families – about tractor safety to help prevent serious injury or fatality due to an unfortunate accident."
Learn More...  Doosan Infracore Construction Equipment (DICE), a global alliance that includes the Bobcat® compact equipment and Doosan heavy and portable power equipment brands, has awarded $1,000 scholarships to 20 children of full-time DICE employees in North America. The scholarships go to students who currently attend or plan to attend a two- or four-year college or university, or technical school.
Learn More...  The Volvo Rents business will benefit from its independence from Volvo Construction Equipment through greater access to group capital and an increased focus on its own objectives, said Pat Olney, president and chief executive officer of Volvo CE. Volvo Rents was a subsidiary of Volvo CE before it was spun off as a separate Volvo group business earlier this year. Mr. Olney, who took up his post at Volvo CE in May, told IRN's sister magazine International Construction: "The key performance indicators we follow are different... to the rents side of the business, and we recognized that close to half the market in North America goes through the rental channel."
Learn More...  Wacker Neuson SE announced on October 5 that it is officially opening its new Group headquarters in the north of Munich. The new building complex is home to the holding organization and its operational companies as well as the new European Research and Development Competence Center for Wacker Neuson light equipment. Wacker Neuson has invested a total of around EUR 43 million in the new building and its modern, exposed concrete façade in five different shades of gray clearly reflects the company’s construction industry ties. The headquarters is located close to the European logistics center in Karlsfeld and the Reichertshofen production facility. It is home to Wacker Neuson SE and its new subsidiaries, Wacker Neuson Vertrieb Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Wacker Neuson Vertrieb Europa GmbH & Co. KG, and Wacker Neuson Produktion GmbH & Co. KG.
Learn More... BUSINESS NEWS
A September 30 CalChamber Alert newsletter reported that a number of organizations are challenging the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule requiring most private sector employers to notify employees of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) by posting an 11"x17" notice beginning November 14, 2011. The first lawsuit was brought by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). The NAM lawsuit alleges that the NLRB acted outside of its jurisdiction and should suspend the rule. The lawsuit was brought in the federal district court for Washington, D.C. The National Right to Work Foundation also filed a lawsuit in D.C. challenging the NLRB’s authority to issue the rule. In addition, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit against the NLRB in the U.S. District Court of South Carolina.
Learn More... The U.S. Energy Information Administration released its "Weekly Retail On-Highway Diesel Prices" on October 17, 2011. The price chart shows the cost of on-highway diesel in dollars per gallon, including all taxes, for the different regions in the United States. Click on "Learn More" to see current prices.
Learn More... The California Chamber of Commerce Alert newsletter reported on October 14 that Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. has concluded his work on legislation by vetoing two more California Chamber of Commerce-opposed "job killer" bills last weekend in addition to two vetoed earlier, and by signing one "job killer" into law.
Just five "job killers" ultimately made it to the Governor’s desk from the 30 identified for 2011. "We commend Governor Brown for vetoing nearly all CalChamber-identified job killers," said CalChamber President and CEO Allan Zaremberg. "Governor Brown’s commitment to ‘do no more harm’ to California’s economy will send a strong message that eliminating economic uncertainty is the first element of any program to make California more competitive." Learn More... Earlier this month, 60 business leaders from California participated in a three-day whirlwind tour of our nation’s capital meeting with members of Congress, U.S. Senators, pundits, and think tankers. In all, 22 members of Congress met with a delegation largely comprised of members of the Lincoln Clubs of Northern California, Orange County and San Diego. This entry focuses on the House members.
What these business leaders wanted from Congress was the cold, hard truth – what are you doing to solve the economic problem in the form of job creation? Learn More... CARB
On September 23, the Air Resources Board announced that during the second quarter of 2011 it settled 37 cases of air quality violations, mostly by trucks and buses for failure to properly conduct and pass self-inspections aimed at measuring vehicle smoke emissions to ensure state requirements are met. Of the $223,295.00 collected, approximately $172,000 went to the California Air Pollution Control Fund to support air quality projects and research to improve California’s air quality. Roughly $52,000 went to the Peralta Community College District to fund emission education classes at participating California community colleges under the California Council for Diesel Education and Technology program.
Learn More... An independent study of the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) on-road in-use diesel regulation indicates that the agency has again overestimated emissions and the need for regulation, according to a press release from http://drivecleanca.org.
Learn More...  Driving Toward a Cleaner California (DTCC) is a coalition of owners-operators, farmers, construction contractors and other business and community leaders committed to working with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to craft a sensible truck and bus replacement rule that both cleans the air and keeps California's economy moving forward.
Learn More... Owners or operators of portable engines and certain other types of equipment can register their units under the Air Resources Board's (ARB) Statewide Portable Equipment Registration Program (PERP) in order to operate their equipment throughout California without having to obtain individual permits from local air districts. Recently, there were revisions made to the PERP Regulation and Portable Engine ATCM. These revisions became effective on February 19, 2011, and all holders of PERP Registrations are now subject to the new requirements. Updated operating conditions reflecting the new requirements will be issued upon renewal for all existing registrations.
Learn More... The California Air Resources Board (ARB) is testing heavy-duty trucks and buses (gross vehicle rating over 6,000 pounds) for excessive smoke and tampering. All heavy-duty trucks and buses are subject to California’s anti-smoke and tampering inspections -- any heavy-duty vehicle operating in California, including vehicles registered in other states and foreign countries, may be tested. Click on "Learn More" for a pamphlet with details about this program.
Learn More... On July 26, 2007, the Air Resources Board (ARB) adopted a regulation to reduce diesel particulate matter (PM) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions from in-use (existing) off-road heavy-duty diesel vehicles in California. Such vehicles are used in construction, mining and industrial operations. On February 11, 2010, ARB issued a delay of the regulation's NOx and PM requirements pending further notice. Reporting, labeling, idling and disclosure requirements are still in effect.
Learn More... This area of the Off-Road Mobile Sources website pertains to off-road large spark-ignition (LSI) equipment greater than 25 horsepower, including farm, construction and industrial equipment, powered by gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and other alternate fuels. Typical applications that use LSI engines include forklifts, specialty vehicles, airport service vehicles, large turf care equipment, portable generators, and a wide array of other agricultural, construction and general industrial equipment. The U.S. EPA has sole authority to control new farm and construction equipment under 175 horsepower. To find out more about the regulatory activities and related information, click on "Learn More."
Learn More... The On-Road Light-Duty Certification Section is responsible for the certification and production audit of new passenger cars (PC), light-duty trucks (LDT), medium-duty vehicles(MDV), on-road motorcycles (ONMC), off-highway recreational vehicles (OHRV) including off-road motorcycles (OFMC), all-terrain vehicles (ATV), off-road utility vehicles (UV), off-road sport vehicles (SV), and cars (SCAR), and electric golf carts (eGC). The Compression Ignition and Heavy-Duty Certification Section is responsible for the certification and production audit of new heavy-duty engines (HDE) and vehicles (HDV), including urban buses (UB), and new off-road compression ignition (OFCI) engines. Vehicles and engines (hereinafter, vehicles) are not legal for sale in California until certified. Violation of the requirement for certification can subject the vehicle manufacturers and/or selling dealers to enforcement actions including a fine of up to $5,000 per vehicle.
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