Day: November 24, 2021

Construction Blogs

Alta Equipment Q3 revenue up 33%, mergers and acquisitions support growth

David Oliver

Alta Equipment reported an increase in net revenues of 33.7 percent year-over-year in Q3, rising to $295 million this year. In addition, the company’s construction and material handling revenues were $184.7 million and $110.3 million, respectively, during the quarter.

“Our operating performance in the third quarter reflects our flexible business model and our ability to produce strong financial results in a supply-constrained market,” says Alta CEO Ryan Greenawalt. “Both our Construction and Material Handling business segments delivered year over year revenue growth leading to a 43.4% increase in adjusted EBITDA. Our high level of new and used equipment sales in the first three quarters of the year are expected to continue to drive future high-margin product support revenue.”

Alta continues to drive growth through mergers and acquisitions. During the quarter, Alta expanded its warehousing and logistics capabilities in the material handling business with the acquisition of Baron, an established provider of dock and door sales, service, and installation that services customers in the greater New England area.

“We continue to see significant customer demand across all our business segments and anticipate finishing the year on a high note. The growth in our core markets combined with our expanded capabilities in our material handling business, our entry into the electric vehicle market, and our recent acquisitions have positioned us well for future success,” says Greenwalt.

Starting off Q4 strong, Alta closed on the acquisition of Ohio-based Gibson Machinery on October 1. Gibson expands Alta’s presence in the Midwest and adds several new original equipment manufacturing partners while presenting an opportunity to expand its service operations in the Midwest region.

Alta now has 55 locations across Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, New England, New York, Virginia, Florida and Ohio.

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https://www.3555pacific.com/?p=582

Construction Services

Cat Expands it Remote-Control Command D5, D6, D7 Dozers

David Oliver

Cat D5, D6 and D7 dozers have now joined wheel loaders and excavators as Cat Command machines. Command for Dozing removes operators from the cab and gives them the ability to operate the machine using either a line-of-sight, over-the-shoulder remote console or a non-line-of-sight station.

“We now have the broadest range of remote-control offerings in the industry between our product line and our two scalable offerings of the Cat Command station and console,” says Mike Lenzie, product marketing consultant.

By getting operators out of hazardous environments, Cat says its Command system promotes safety, increases production and helps attract and retain skilled operators. “We can always replace the machine, but we cannot replace the person,” Lenzie says.

Applications where Command could offer safety advantages include steep slopes, underfoot conditions that are so soft the machine could potentially sink into the ground, demolition — especially when there’s the chance of falling debris  and working around hazardous materials. 


Using the Cat Command station, operators can switch between three different types of Command-enabled machines.CaterpillarBecause operators can easily switch between Command-enabled machines in the Cat Command station, users can see increased productivity. “They can be operating one machine and then with a touch of a button operate another piece of equipment,” Lenzie says.

Cat’s next-generation D5, D6 and D7 come remote ready from the factory; dealers can quickly install remaining components in the field. The Command components are fully integrated with the machine’s electronic and hydraulic system.

As previously mentioned, Command for Dozing comes in two versions:

The console provides access to all dozer functions and supports assist technologies such as traction control, AutoCarry and stable blade. Operators can switch between Command-enabled machines by changing out an RFID chip. Using the console, operators can control a Command dozer up to 437 yards away. The machine shuts down if the remote shutdown switch is pressed, wireless communication is lost or the console is tilted more than 45 degrees.The non-line-of-sight station, where the operator can be in a climate-controlled environment and control the dozer from close by or several miles away. Station controls operate all three types of Command machines – dozer, excavator and wheel loader – and feature pedals, joysticks and an adjustable seat. Multiple screen displays offer visuals from the left and right dozer cutting edges, blade top-center and rearview/ripper. In addition to the assist technologies offered on the console, the station is compatible with blade load monitor, slope assist and Grade with 3D. 

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.3555pacific.com/?p=579

Construction Services

Automate Point-to-Point Pile Driving With Vermeer PD10

David Oliver

Vermeer’s new PD10R drill, introduced at The Utility Expo and directed at solar installation contractors, now can be outfitted with point-to-point automated machine positioning technology.

“We’ve always had GPS integration,” says Bo Howell, product specialist with Vermeer. “Point-to-point takes that GPS technology to another level, navigating the pile driver while tracking the machine.” The point-to-point system repositions the machine automatically using the onboard GPS.

After driving a pile, the operator uses a remote control console to press a button and the PD10R travels and aligns itself to drive the next pile. “We’ve basically boiled it down to one manual step: physically loading the post into the guides,” Howell says. “Everything else is done with a single button motion, stepping the machine through the sequence.”

While labor constraints have been a pain point across the entire construction industry, Bode says the solar industry has been especially receptive to adopting equipment technology to combat labor shortages. “We’re trying to take some of the human error out of the equation,” Howell says. Solar contractors typically use a fleet of drills to install a solar field, especially on large installations that cover several hundred acres. 

Vermeer says the system reduces the number of operational steps involved in moving the machines around solar farm construction projects, which can involve drilling hundreds of piles before installing racking and solar panels. The point-to-point system moves the drill’s mast orientation using the PD10R’s auto-plumb function. Operator input is reduced by eight steps. 

The system works by syncing GPS coordinates with a digital project map of identified pile sites. After a pile is installed, the system recognizes the next waypoint (or pile location) on the map, and then positions itself into alignment. The unit also has red bump bars on each side that disengage the machine if it encounters an obstacle. 

“The whole idea is to get as many posts into the ground as possible and as safely as possible,” Howell says.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.3555pacific.com/?p=576