Manitowoc Crane CARE offers new electronic training modules

Manitowoc Crane CARE has added three new modules to its popular E-Training program. Basic courses on mechanical systems, pneumatics, and AC/DC drives and motors are now available on-line. The three new offerings join the mobile hydraulic and mobile electric courses previously available.

John Alexander, Manitowoc Crane CARE's director of training and technical publications for The Americas region said that all five of these basic courses will provide an excellent starting point for more crane-specific training in hands-on factory courses. The basic skills taught in these courses are applicable to all types of equipment and not just cranes.

"These E-Training courses are a cost effective way of building basic knowledge," he said. "When students attend our full factory level course with this basic knowledge, our trainers can focus more on teaching with actual cranes, test benches, and simulators rather than taking time to teach the basics of mechanical power transmission or pneumatics."

The basic mechanical course will give students a broad-based view of the physics, schematics, and systems design associated with mechanical power transmission. Specific topics include: linear actuators, clutches, brakes, bearings, gears, and drives.

The pneumatics course focuses on the basics associated with pneumatic and fluid power systems. Students will learn about compressors, air dryers, actuators, and airline conductors. They will see how air can transfer energy through vacuum, distribution, and directional controls.

The AC/DC drives and motors module will help students understand how electrical motors and drives work with each other and other systems. Students will learn how to identify and calculate the speed, torque, and horsepower of a motor, how motors and drives operate, and how to match system components to specific applications and the safety considerations associated with operating electro-mechanical systems are also covered.

At the beginning of each 15-hour module, students are encouraged to take a pre-test to establish their base level of knowledge. Throughout the course, there are quizzes to check comprehension and a post-course test for certification. Students can complete the course at their convenience and can stop and start whenever necessary.

For more information on the courses, visit www.manitowoccranegroup.com/MCG_CARE/Training/ecourse_descdd.cfm

Ritchie Bros. holds largest auction in company history
Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers held its biggest auction in more than 40 years of business from Feb. 20-24 in Orlando, Fla. The unreserved industrial auction, which sold close to 6,500 truck, equipment and real estate items, generated gross auction sales in excess of $172 million -- beating last year's company record of $113 million.

"Record crowds attended the auction from around the world," said Gary Seybold, regional manager for Florida and the Caribbean. "They came to the sale for the top-notch selection of trucks and equipment and the fact that it was a fair auction, like every Ritchie Bros. auction. Everything sold to the highest bidder, regardless of price, with no minimums or reserves. At the end of the day, buyers paid fair market value and consignors were pleased with their results."

More than 5,800 registered bidders from 63 countries, every U.S. state, and Canadian province and territory participated in the Orlando auction. More than 1,700 of these bidders registered to use the company's auction Bid-Live real-time bidding service, which allows people to participate in the auction live and in real-time over the Internet. Internet participants purchased more than $27 million worth of trucks and equipment at the Orlando auction -- the most online gross auction sales ever at a Ritchie Bros. auction.

"This auction was 50 percent larger than last year's Orlando sale thanks in part to the momentum of our auction business," said Peter Blake, CEO of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. "We had a record number of people choosing to use the Internet to bid at our auction, and even more people came to our auction site in person to participate. Bidders tell us they still like to come in person to inspect the equipment and 'kick the tires' themselves. Our team worked non-stop in the weeks leading up to the auction, both at the yard and at our support offices. Our Orlando refurbishing facility washed, detailed and/or painted close to 2,000 items for the auction. It was a tremendous effort across the company."

With the end of the Orlando auction, the local team is now gearing up for their next unreserved auction taking place in May. Currently on the upcoming Ritchie Bros. auction calendar, there are more than 43,000 truck and equipment items featured in 37 unreserved industrial auctions and 115 unreserved agricultural auctions. Details on all upcoming Ritchie Bros. auctions, including equipment that will be sold, are available online at www.rbauction.com.

Ingersoll Rand sells Road Development business for $1.3 billion
Ingersoll Rand Company Limited announced Feb. 27 that it has agreed to sell its Road Development business unit to AB Volvo for cash proceeds of approximately $1.3 billion. The sale, which is subject to government regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, is targeted to close in the second quarter of 2007.

The Road Development business unit manufactures and sells asphalt paving equipment, compaction equipment, milling machines, and construction-related material handling equipment. In 2006 Road Development generated net revenues of approximately $850 million, which included inter-company revenues of approximately $150 million. The sale includes manufacturing facilities in Letterkenny and Shippensburg, Pennsylvania; Hameln, Germany; Wuxi, China; and Bangalore, India; as well as 20 distribution and service facilities in the United States. The business includes approximately 2,000 people worldwide.

"The Road Development business has been a strong contributor to Ingersoll Rand's success for several decades and remains an industry leader with dedicated and talented employees," said Herbert L. Henkel, chairman, president and chief executive officer. "However, the business' markets and products do not fit within our transformed portfolio of diversified industrial businesses. I am confident that Road Development will benefit by joining a company sharing similar competencies and offering complementary products and services. We are pleased to have entered into this agreement with Volvo, which represents a strong strategic buyer for the business."

United Rentals appoints new chief operating officer
United Rentals, Inc. announced March 7 the appointment of Michael J. Kneeland as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Kneeland had served as the company's executive vice president-operations since 2003.

Wayland Hicks, chief executive officer for United Rentals, said, "Michael's new position as chief operating officer allows United Rentals to further capitalize on his extensive knowledge of the equipment rental business. His wealth of experience has been instrumental in helping our company to shape its strategy and achieve significant growth."

Michael Kneeland has more than 25 years of management experience in the equipment rental industry, including key positions in sales and operations with private, public and investor-owned companies. He initially joined United Rentals in 1998 as district manager upon the company's acquisition of Equipment Supply Company. In 1999 his responsibilities were expanded to include multiple districts within United Rentals' aerial operations. Kneeland was subsequently named vice president-aerial operations in 2000, and vice president-southeast region in 2001, before becoming executive vice president-operations.

Prior to joining United Rentals, Kneeland was president of Freestate Industries, Inc. from 1995 until that company was sold to Equipment Supply Company in 1996. From 1996 to 1998 he served as general manager for Rylan Rents dba Freestate Industries, a division of Equipment Supply. At the time it was acquired by United Rentals, Equipment Supply was the largest aerial equipment rental company in North America.

U.S. employers hired fewer workers in February than a month earlier as the economy struggled to overcome declines in housing and manufacturing. The economy created 100,000 jobs last month, the fewest in two years, after a gain of 111,000 in January, according to the median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of economists before the Labor Department's March 9 report. The jobless rate is projected to hold at 4.6 percent for a second month.
www.bloomberg.com

In January of 2007, home and apartment construction fell by more than 14 percent according to the U.S. Commerce Department. This figure indicates that activity has been slowed down more greatly than anytime since August of 1997. By contrast, the pace for the same time period in 2006 was nearly 38 percent faster.
U.S. Commerce Department

Despite the downturn in housing, cement producers have been able to continue to push prices higher. March started with a 1.8 percent increase in cement prices, capping seven months of constant raises. This month's increase pushed prices 7.6 percent above a year ago. This compares to year-to-year March increases of 6.5 percent in 2006, 3.7 percent in 2005 and just 0.5 percent in 2004. Ready-mix concrete prices also are continuing to climb and are averaging 5 percent higher than a year ago.
www.enr.com

In the New York metro area, 52 construction workers died in 2005, according to the federal statistics. Most of those deaths resulted from falls, but they included incidents in which workers were struck by objects or hit by vehicles. No other occupational group recorded more than 15 deaths.
The Journal News www.thejournalnews.com