3555 Pacific

Editor’s note: Each day until Christmas, Equipment World is featuring a new gift idea for the construction enthusiast in your life. Check back each day to our Gear section or subscribe to our Equipment World Daily newsletter to see each day’s new idea.

Scorching summer days call for ice cold beverages. Ice cold beverages call for, well, ice. If you’re looking for serious ice retention, Blue Coolers is a great bet. 

This heavy-duty, roto-molded cooler is durable enough for the jobsite and boasts 10 days of ice retention.

The 55-Quart Ice Vault, the company’s most popular model, includes wheels (a must-have for easy transportation), a folding handle, grip handles, non-skid feet, a lockable lid, a freezer-style gasket, a drain plug, tie-down slots and 2 inches of insulation.

For the best possible ice retention Blue Coolers recommends the following:

Pre-chill your cooler: Keep the cooler in a cool place or fill it with a sacrificial bag of ice to lower the internal temperature before adding your food and beverages. Pre-chill your food and beverages: Start with cold or frozen drinks or food to reduce ice loss.Leave no air space: After filling your cooler, top it off with additional ice or fill in any air gaps with newspaper or towels. Air contributes to ice loss. Close and secure the lid with lockdown straps and limit access: Only open the lid when necessary and keep it securely closed as much as possible.Keep out of direct sunlight: Place the cooler in a shady area, or if it must be in direct sunlight, cover it with a tarp or towel. 

Head over to the Blue Coolers website to scoop up this tailgate hero for $279. 

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Editor’s note: Each day until Christmas, Equipment World is featuring a new gift idea for the construction enthusiast in your life. Check back each day to our Gear section or subscribe to our Equipment World Daily newsletter to see each day’s new idea.

If you’ve ever tried to mount your phone in a cab or in the shop, you know how flimsy most store-bought models really are.

Mob Armor’s MobNetic mounting series features 90-pound pull-force rare-earth magnets for one of the strongest grips this side of the Mississippi.

The mounts are capable of nearly unlimited mounting locations for your smartphone or other handheld devices. It can be tilted 90 degrees, rotated 360 degrees or angled for optimal viewing.

Mob Armor phone mounts are built to withstand rugged environments.Mob ArmorThe magnet will attach to almost any surface made from iron, steel, nickel or several other metals. It also comes with two MobNetic shield plates and two Mob discs for mounting on non-metal dashboards and other surfaces.

“My phone always stays put even when riding through harsh terrain and large bumps. Worth the price – and so far no other magnet mounts that I have tried come close to the strength of these,” says one reviewer.

The MobNetic Maxx (MobNetic Pro) Magnetic Car Mount features solid metal construction and is hand-assembled in the United States. The mount is $49.99 and can be purchased from the Mob Armor website or Amazon. 

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Thirty-two-year Kubota veteran Shingo Hanada has been appointed president and CEO of Kubota Tractor Corporation (KTC) and Kubota North America (KNA).

Shingo Hanada will take the helm as president and CEO of Kubota Tractor Corporation and Kubota North America, replacing Haruyuki (Harry) Yoshida who will retireKubotaHanada most recently held the position of executive officer, Kubota Corporation, and president of Kubota Holdings Europe B.V. and Kverneland AS. He will replace Haruyuki (Harry) Yoshida who will retire from his role of senior managing executive officer, Kubota Corporation, Japan, and president and CEO of KNA and KTC. Yoshida assumed his role as president in January 2019.  

“Kubota Tractor Corporation will celebrate 50 years in the U.S. in 2022, and I’m honored to join KTC as we celebrate our history and our 50th anniversary,” says Hanada. “I am eager to continue the tremendous momentum Kubota has experienced over the last several years under Mr. Yoshida’s leadership. We are committed to expanding our product lines and building our infrastructure to better meet the needs of our customers and dealers, and I am confident we will continue to further strengthen the Kubota brand in the U.S. marketplace and throughout North America in the process.”

Along with Hanada’s promotion, Todd Stucke, vice president, sales and marketing, KNA, and senior vice president, marketing, product support & strategic projects, KTC, will be promoted to executive officer of Kubota Corporation.

Stucke will be involved in the Grapevine, Texas-based company’s operations with a focus on building a strong business structure for the North American market.

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Is it too soon to talk about Bauma, the big European equipment show held every three years in Munich?

We think not, especially when the previews demonstrate what is arguably the biggest and most significant trend in heavy equipment — electrification.

In this particular case, Yanmar gave the press a preshow preview of its first electric mini excavator prototype: the new SV17e. The company positions this machine as an important strategic step in the transformation for Yanmar Compact Equipment and indicative of the direction of the company.

“Our transformation will embrace our entire business and will encompass new products with alternative-fuel technologies,” says Giuliano Parodi, CEO of Yanmar. “The SV17e prototype is a demonstration of our intent to build a sustainable business for our customers and dealer partners.”

Without a diesel engine the overall size and weight of this excavator can be greatly reduced.YanmarThe SV17e mini excavator is aimed at customers in the European market and plays in the 1.5- to 2-metric-ton segment. It is powered by an electric drive with 48-volt batteries and fast charging capability. At zero emissions it not only passes the greenhouse gas test but is also quiet and suitable for indoor and confined-space operations where diesel exhaust emissions pose health hazards to workers.

“The operator is at the heart of this machine, and we have challenged ourselves to deliver the comfort, power, control and precision which we believe will surpass the expectations of professional operators,” says Cedric Durand, director product management.

In preparation for its sales start at Bauma 2022 (October 24 – 30), the prototype SV17e is currently undergoing a product testing regime including field tests.

If you don’t want to wait until Bauma to see the new SV17e in action, Yanmar Compact Equipment has prepared a short film. Watch the SV17e video here: 

And Yanmar isn’t alone in this race to electrification. Check out our other reporting on this topic at the links below:

Cat on electric construction equipment: “We are ready.”Bauma Preview: Kobelco Construction Machinery Europe to show company’s first electric compact excavatorKomatsu, Honda Team Up to Build Micro Electric ExcavatorsJCB, Takeuchi, Ditch Witch and Toro show off electric compact construction equipment at rental show

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Bobcat has redefined what a utility terrain vehicle is and does with the release of the new UW53 and UW56 Toolcats.

The pair have been engineered to combine the abilities of several machines and accept more than 45 attachments, turning them into haulers, lifters, mowers, towers and loaders.

LED illumination

The new UTV models include redesigned LED lighting that gives broader illumination and uses less power. The road lights are embedded in the front fenders providing good protection and visibility in all directions.

Rear work lights also use LED bulbs to help you see better. And a new optional rearview camera gives you visibility into blind spots for tasks that require regular machine maneuvering. The rear-frame location of the camera provides an unobstructed view when connecting a ball hitch (UW56 model only).

Smooth ride, traction for work

Bobcat updated its dual-drive response system for smoother acceleration and deceleration, and it also recalls drive response settings. The first setting gives you a smooth response for driving between tasks.

The second setting changes the system to a more aggressive response when operating in low to maintain hydraulic and traction power for uninterrupted work. This allows you to adjust your travel speed independently from your engine speed for optimal attachment performance and precise acceleration.

Tight space turns

With all-wheel steer, the Toolcats easily move around tight spaces with minimal ground disturbance. Hydraulic power makes steering easy, even in soft dirt or boggy conditions. The standard HVAC system forces air distribution where it’s needed most with the help of newly positioned 360-degree adjustable vents.

Operators will also enjoy several comfort upgrades. The redesigned interior has an integrated 5-inch display and storage spots within easy access. Controls are ergonomically placed for ease of operation.

A larger fuel filter and extended oil-drain intervals, plus increased corrosion resistance, boost uptime and reduce maintenance. The standard Bob-Tach mounting system makes it easy to attach your work tools. 

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Komatsu has announced two new tools that allow contractors to analyze data throughout each phase of a project to track production and billing.

The new Komatsu Smart Construction Field and Smart Construction Drone are part of Komatsu’s Smart Construction solutions, an umbrella of apps created to help construction customers optimize their business remotely and in near real time.

“When the Smart Construction group came in, they integrated everything together, and the transition felt seamless,” said Kevin Hawkinson, vice president of operations, A.W. Oakes & Son. “Now, we can take the data, transfer it to the machines, get data back from the machines to the office, and utilize all of that information across the board for bidding, customer reference and billing.”

Smart Construction Field lets contractors quickly track spending to better manage project costs and resources. Komatsu partnered with Moovila, a provider of project management software, to develop the mobile app. Contractors can use the app to record jobsite activity and analyze operational efficiencies in near real time.

The app generates reports that can track daily jobsite conditions. Task progress can then be broken down by labor, equipment and materials, including machine utilization and fuel distribution, receipts, timecards and subcontractor work.

Komatsu says Smart Construction Field can collect machine data, regardless of equipment brand, from an entire fleet.

Smart Construction Drone allows contractors to gauge production progress through topographic surveys. The drone solution captures quantities for production tracking and billing, without personnel hoofing it around the jobsite.

With the capability to take still photos from up to 400 feet above ground level or under bridge decks, Smart Construction Drone can be used as pre-job verification or to keep stakeholders up to date. 

The survey technology integrates seamlessly into Komatsu’s Smart Construction Dashboard powered by Cesium, a platform used to visualize, analyze and share 3D data. Cesium’s 3D visualization engine combines video game computer-graphics technology with GPS accuracy that ties data to its precise location on the globe.

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