May 2016
Subaru to Close Industrial Power Products Division
Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) will close the Subaru Industrial Power Products after fulfilling all order commitments for 2017, the company announced. Along with that move, the company is changing its name to Subaru Corporation and will "focus all engineering and financial resources on the quickly growing automobile division," the company stated in a news release.
New Home Sales Surge in April
Sales of new, single-family homes took a 16.6% jump in April over March, according to U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Sales prices for the homes also continued to increase, suggesting a stronger market for builders.
Proxibid, John Deere Agreement Will Synidcate Equipment Listings
Proxibid and John Deere have an agreement that allows John Deere dealers to quickly and easily syndicate equipment for sale to the Proxibid and eBay Marketplaces. Leveraging the M.A.X. (Multiple Advertising eXchange) to manage and list inventory across multiple platforms lets dealers show their inventory to more than 157 million buyers from 190 countries.
Volvo North America Launches New Website
Volvo Construction Equpment North America has launched a redesigned website to provide information in a reorganized, user-friendly and intuitive format.
Subsite Supports AEM Utility Awareness Campaign
Subsite Electronics is helping put a focus on safety in underground utility job sites with its support for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ (AEM) Utility Awareness Campaign. The AEM campaign aims to promote safety best practices and debunk common myths associated with underground utility installations.
MMD Launches Improved Online Parts System
MMD Equipment's new Online Parts System is up and running, with improvements made based on customer feedback. After the first week with the improved system, the company says, it has seen significant increases in registration and customer satisfaction.
CASE Offers Dire States Equipment Grant
The Dire States Equipment Grant from CASE will provide one winning community with $25,000 in free equipment use to help offset the costs of building or repairing a critical piece of local infrastructure. Representatives of municipal, county and other local governments are eligible to apply for the grant.
FocalPoint Rental Software Supports Fingerprint Readers
FocalPoint rental software from Visum now offers rental store employees and managers the aiblity to sign in using fingerprint readers, providing further security, speed and accuracy for rental stores, and allows manager overrides at the touch of a button.
New Preventive Maintenance Protocols from Genie
A new, consolidated maintenance protocol for all Genie GS scissor lift models and GTH telehandler models in North America will help reduce maintenance time and costs, the company says. Following updated procedures and simplified intervals, the new Genie maintenance instructions provide rental store owners the flexibility needed to keep their equipment on rent longer while making routine tasks a priority.
Housing Starts, Permits Rose in April
CTSK JCB Holds Open House
CSTK JCB hosted an open house at its new facility in Kansas City, Kansas, with nearly 100 attendees. Though the facility has been open a few months, the dealership waited for warmer weather to demonstrate JCB equipment, offer raffle items and food.
Manitou Adds Dealer in NY
Manitou has added Insley-McEntee Equipment Co., Inc. to its dealer network. Insley-McEntee Equipment Co. serves the Rochester, New York area and will handle Manitou rough terrain vertical masted forklifts and semi-industrial vertical masted forklifts.
Kubota Enters Agreement to Purchase Great Plains Manufacturing
Kubota Corporation has entered into an agreement to purchase Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., based in Salina, Kansas. Once final, the purchase will expand the company’s long-time partnership with Land Pride and include all five Great Plains divisions with multiple facilities in Kansas and a manufacturing plant in Sleaford, England.
Toro's Rick Rodier Is ICUEE Show Chair
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has named The Toro Company’s Rick Rodier, general manager of the Sitework Systems business, as the 2017 chairperson for The International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition (ICUEE). ICUEE, also known as The Demo Expo, takes place every two years in Louisville, Kentucky, and features over 950 exhibitor companies that serve the utility and construction markets.
Pro Power Equipment Joins Mustang Dealer Network
Pro Power Equipment, Inc. has joined the Mustang dealer network. Pro Power Equipment provides sales, service and parts support to Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania and the surrounding area for Mustang skid loaders, track loaders, compact excavators and articulated loaders.
Terramac Adds Wilson Equipment as Dealer
Terramac has added Wilson Equipment to its dealer network. Wilson Equipment will represent Terramac in the Louisville, Lexington and eastern Kentucky markets as well as southern Indiana.
Husqvarna Acquires Diamond Tool Supply
Husqvarna's Construction division has aquired Diamond Tool Supply, Inc. (DTS), a producer of polishing and grinding diamond tools for concrete, stone and terrazzo. Based on last year's performance, the tool company will add about $5.8 million in sales to the division.
Atlas Copco Appoints Service Provider in Florida
Atlas Copco Construction has appointed MECO Miami Inc. as a dedicated service provider for customers near Pampano Beach, Florida. MECO is a 43-year-old family-owned company that sells, rents and services a variety of new and used equipment and parts for the agriculture, cranes, heavy lifting, mining and road construction industries in the United States and worldwide.
Durante Rentals Opens Sixth Location
Durante Rentals LLC, New York’s fastest growing privately-owned construction equipment rental company, has opened its sixth location. The new facility is in West Nyack, New York, at 78 NY-303, offering the company's construction equipment to Rockland County.
Private Construction Spending Increases
March construction spending increased 0.3 % from February, according to the Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce. Residential construction helped drive the increase, showing 1.6 % growth over February's number, which was upwardly revised to show a 1% gain instead of the original report of a 0.5% drop.
Construction Momentum Index Increases in April
The Dodge Momentum Index rose 0.6% in April to 116.5 from its revised March reading of 115.8. The Momentum Index is a monthly measure of the first (or initial) report for nonresidential building projects in planning, which have been shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year.
Equipment Rental Industry On Course for Record Revenues
In the ARA's most recent quarterly update to its five-year forecast, the organization is calling for revenue growth in the U.S. of 5.6 percent this year and 4.9 percent in 2017 for the equipment rental industry. However, in a news release, the association said several factors pose potential risk, including unexpected government policy changes, oil price changes and more.
Mustang Adds Dealer
Mustang has added a Delaware-based dealership to its network. Asphalt Paving Equipment and Supplies, Inc. offers sales and service to the Wilmington, DE and Harbeson, DE area.
Gradual Upward Trajectory for Single-Family Housing
Supported by steady job growth, affordable home prices, attractive interest rates and pent-up demand, the single-family housing market should continue to grow, according to economists participating in a National Association of Home Builders Spring Construction Forecast webinar last week.
Genie Joins OSHA's National Fall Prevention Stand-Down Efforts
Terex Aerial Work Platforms (AWP) is participating in OSHA’s National Fall Prevention Stand-Down, May 2-6, by offering free Genie marketing safety kits to support safety awareness and training initiatives in the aerial access industry. The purpose of the National Fall Prevention Stand-Down is to raise awareness of work at height best practices in construction applications.
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