26 minute read
VOLVO CE DELIVERS ITS VERSION OF ‘FACTORY 4 TOMORROW
Across 14 sites around the world, smart factory teams have been set up, tasked with looking for ways to innovate and impact the business.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is occurring at a speed that has never been seen before. It has the potential to change everything. For Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE), it’s an opportunity not only for digital transformation, but to build a future that we all want to live and work in.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0 — which was first identified by Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum in his book of the same name — is revolutionizing the way companies manufacture, improve and distribute their products. Volvo CE is embracing the change and putting the power for innovation directly in the hands of its employees with a vision of the future it’s calling Factory 4 Tomorrow (F4T).
Explaining the company’s approach, Lina Stålberg, manufacturing technology development and governance at Volvo CE, said, “For us, Factory 4 Tomorrow is about far more than just introducing new technologies, there’s a far higher purpose behind it. It’s about building a world we want to live in and workplaces we want to work in.”
Working closely with others at the site, these teams are actively seeking ways to solve everyday business problems and challenges with the help of exciting new technologies, such as IoT, AI and machine learning. They will be experimenting and testing to generate new ideas and ways of working. It will be a complete overhaul of every production detail and the innovations that are explored could very well become a reality on the factory floor in the coming years.
Automation in the factories and offices, for example, will reduce the need for employees to engage in repetitive tasks, creating a safer and more ergonomic work environment.
Lina added: “To be successful, it’s critical to create the right culture for change. We want our people to be excited by the possibilities new technologies can deliver and the solutions they can provide to real problems they might face in their day-to-day jobs and lives. That’s why our approach is collaborative and very much bottom-up. We’re empowering our employees to help enact change.”
Brunno Muller, head of advanced manufacturing engineering and research at Volvo CE, said, “Our role is very much to facilitate good dialogue and collaboration and provide coaching and mentoring to help guide the site teams on their journeys. We hold the big picture, but it is up to the individual sites to identify areas for change. It’s very inspiring to see how engagement in Factory 4 Tomorrow is growing across the entire organization, from employees all the way up to leaders. And with it, we are all developing new skills and competencies.” As well as creating an attractive workplace, Factory 4 Tomorrow will transform manufacturing processes at
Volvo CE, delivering significant benefits for customers, many of whom are demanding more customization and more individualized products. Due to globalization and new technologies, flexibility and speed of change are becoming ever more important. A digital transformation will accelerate Volvo
CE’s lean journey towards operational excellence. Optimized manufacturing also will bring sustainability benefits, helping to reduce Volvo CE’s industrial footprint.
“At Volvo CE, our mindset is very much based on collaboration, both internally between teams and across sites, as well as externally with customers, suppliers and partners. We cannot build the future we want by ourselves. We need to step away from silo thinking and consider how we do this endto-end, joining forces with partners and sharing experiences,” Muller said.
For more information, visit www.volvoce.com.
Factory 4 Tomorrow will explore new technologies and ways of working to make manufacturing more sustainable.
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20E058 – 2008 CAT 320DL, EROPS W/AC, 9’.6” STICK, 31’.5” PADS, HYD Q/C, 42” BUCKET............................................................$78,000 19E007 – 2010 CAT 336DL, EROPS W/AC, 10’.6” STICK, 33’.5” PADS, AUX HYD, BKT..............................................................$98,000 21E013 – 2017 CAT 315FL, EROPS W/AC, BACKUP CAMERA , 8’.6” PUSH BLADE, 23’.5” PADS, 9’.10” STICK, DUAL FUNCTION, AUXILIARY HYD, HYDRAULIC THUMB, HYD QC, 58” BKT, 24” BKT $98,000 21E016 – 2012 CAT 336EL, EROPS W/AC, 10’.6” STICK, HYD QC, 33’.5” PADS, AUXILIARY HYD..............................................$102,000 21E024 – 2017 CAT 308ECR-2, EROPS W/AC, BACKUP CAMERA, PUSH BLADE, 18” PADS W/RUBBER INSERTS, 7’.3” STICK DUAL FUNCTION AUX HYD, HYD THUMB, HYD QC, 18” BUCKET....$58,000 21E029 – 2012 CAT 328DL CR, EROPS W/AC, 33’.5” PADS, 10’.6” STICK, AUXILIARY HYD W/4TH FUNCTION, HYD Q/C, 36” BKT $POR 21E034 – 2013 CAT 321DL CR, EROPS W/AC, 31’.5” PADS, AUXILIARY HYD, HYD Q/C....................................................................$POR
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19E068 – 2013 CAT 924K, EROPS W/AC, HYD. FUSION QC, GP BKT, RIDE CONTROL, TRACTION CONTROL, POWER AND HEATED MIRRORS, 20.5 X 25 TIRES..........................................................$89,000 19E078 – 2012 CAT 930K, EROPS W/AC, HYD FUSION Q/C, AUX HYD, GP BUCKET, RIDE CONTROL, TRACTION CONTROL, POWER AND HEATED MIRRORS, REARVIEW CAMERA, 20.5X25 TIRES ......$92,000 21E005 – 2013 CAT 950K, EROPS W/AC, GP BUCKET, RIDE CONTROL, BACKUP CAMERA, SCALE, AUTO GREASER, POWER AND HEATED MIRRORS, ROADING PACKAGE, 23.5X25 TIRES......$95,000 2017 CAT 315FL, STK#21E013
19E071 – 2015 DOOSAN DL250-5, EROPS W/AC, HYD QC, GP BKT, RIDE CONTROL, HEATED MIRRORS, 20.5R 25 TIRES..........$89,000 21E021 – 2004 CAT 950G-II, EROPS W/AC, HYD QC, AUX HYDRAULICS, GP BUCKET, RIDE CONTROL, 23.5X25 TIRES $64,000 21E023 – 2008 CAT 966H, EROPS W/AC, GP BUCKET, RIDE CONTROL, 26.5R25 TIRES............................................................$94,000 21E025 – 2008 CAT 950H, EROPS W/AC, SCALE, GP BUCKET, AUXILIARY HYDRAULICS, RIDE CONTROL, 23.5X25 TIRES........$72,000 21E026 – 1997 CAT 950F-II, EROPS W/AC, HYD QC, AUX HYDRAULICS, SIDE DUMP BUCKET, 23.5X25 TIRES............$38,000
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LOADER BACKHOES
21E001 – 2009 CAT 450E, EROPS, W/AC, 4X4, POWERSHIFT W/AUTO, RIDE CONTROL, 4-IN-1 BUCKET, FRONT AND REAR AUXILIARY HYD, EXT-HOE, PATTERN CHANGER, 24” BUCKET........$69,000 21E022 – 2005 CASE 580SM-II, EROPS W/AC, 4X4, GP BUCKET, EXT-HOE, 24” BUCKET............................................................$38,000 21E028 – 2006 CAT 430D, EROPS W/AC, 4X4, FRONT Q/C, GP BUCKET, EXT-HOE, PATTERN CHANGER, 24” BUCKET....................$40,000
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Macy’s Plans to Spend $235M to Build New Skyscraper, Improve Herald Square
Macy’s revealed new renderings on May 10 that illustrate its plans to build a FXCollaborative rendering new office tower over its midtown Manhattan, N.Y., flagship location in Herald Square.
Two years after its initial announcement to build the skyscraper atop its landmark department store, the retailer also said that it will invest $235 million in the surrounding neighborhood — including new subway entrances and more pedestrian space.
The New York Post reported the multimillion plans could help get the skyscraper plans approved by easing “the project’s way through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, the city’s often contentious approval process. The tower needs City Hall’s green light for a zoning change for its size and height Rendering of the proposed skyscraper on top of Macy’s. — 1 .5 million square feet of office space and between 750 • Lighten pedestrian access and 900 feet tall, according to at Broadway and 34th Street plans shown earlier.” while also creating new and
In a statement about the efficient transit entrances to project, Macy’s said that the the Herald Square Station Herald Square store will near Penn Station; remain open during construc- • Building a significantly tion and that its plans will not upgraded gateway entrance to “impact various classic and the Herald Square Station at celebrated features at the Greeley Square; store, including the wooden • Adding ADA-accessible escalators that pioneered the elevators at the subway statechnology when they were tions at 7th Avenue and 34th built in the 1920s.” Street, and at 35th Street and
Released to both the Post Broadway, while also creatand to Gothamist, the state- ing additional pedestrian ment said that Macy’s is bet- space on the northern edge of ting on creating its huge, new Penn Station. office tower because it “envi- Macy’s noted in its press sions a Herald Square that release to the Post and thrives long beyond New Gothamist that these plans York City’s current recovery will be implemented only from the global pandemic. As after it confers with the local a leading center of interna- Macy’s proposed changes for the neighborhoods. community board and other tional commerce, New York is concerned groups. forecasting a significant The retailer expects that its amount of new office jobs in 2021, expecting a return to pre- multi-million-dollar “renewal plan” will generate an estimatpandemic office employment levels by the fourth quarter and ed $269 million in new annual tax revenue and support recouping office jobs lost at the outset of the pandemic. In 16,290 annual jobs, while fueling $4.29 billion in annual addition, improved access to mass transit at this major cross- economic output. roads for the city will be a significant investment in the “Macy’s Herald Square is one of New York City’s most future.” iconic institutions and, as we plan for the future, we are doubling down on our commitment to New York by reinvesting Currently, Macy’s Plans Include: in our flagship location while committing $235 million in • Transforming Herald Square and Broadway Plaza into a private investment to upgrade the Herald Square neighbormodern, car-free pedestrian-friendly urban space for New hood through our tower project,” said Jeff Gennette, CEO of Yorkers and visitors to gather and enjoy one of the city’s Macy’s, in the company statement. most storied locations with upgraded connections to public “We are proud to make this leadership investment in New transportation and substantial improvements to the Herald York’s recovery and are excited to welcome visitors back to Square Subway Station; Herald Square not only today, but for generations to come.”
K-Tec, Soil Connect Partner to Promote Efficient Earthmoving
Soil Connect and K-Tec Earthmovers are working together to promote responsible and efficient earthmoving and material transportation practices across the United States.
In order to bring awareness to the common pitfalls and inefficiencies faced by today’s dirt movers, the companies have agreed to work together to educate the earthmoving industry through multiple cross-promotional channels about new technologies and best practices.
The companies also have discussed the integration of Soil Connect’s eTickets system into K-Tec’s new scraper telematics portal dashboard.
“K-Tec is a heavy equipment manufacturer that is constantly on the cutting edge of technology,” said Cliff Fetner, founder and CEO of Soil Connect. “I see many parallels between our businesses, as we are often working with the same contractors that move lots of dirt, have excess dirt, or need more dirt on their job sites. Our marketplace is able to connect these hardworking professionals to make their lives easier.”
“Soil Connect continues to develop revolutionary technology that is disrupting the dirt world and challenging old, inefficient methods of daily tasks,” said Mike Palitsky, president and CEO or K-Tec Earthmovers Inc. “Likewise, K-Tec’s scrapers have proven to be more efficient than traditional forms of earthmoving. We believe that working together progresses our mutual goal to advance earthmoving technology in the USA, which will benefit both of our organizations — as well as the entire industry — now and for the foreseeable future.”
For more information on Soil Connect, visit www.soilconnect.com. For more information on K-Tec Earthmovers, visit www.ktec.com.
Work Begins On $950M Clean Energy Project Running From Maine to Canada
By Lori Tobias
CEG CORRESPONDENT
Work on a $950 million project to bring clean energy to New England began three months ago and crews have already set a handful of the nearly 1,000 structures involved.
The New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project runs 145 mi. from Maine to Canada and is expected to reduce carbon emissions in Maine and New England by 3.6 million metric tons annually as hydropower replaces fossil fuels to provide power to homes across the region.
Thorn Dickinson, president and CEO of NECEC Transmission, has been envisioning the day for at least a decade.
“The project started with three engineers sitting around a table in Maine trying to find a way and the options to bring clean energy from Quebec into New England,” said Dickinson. “I think it is a fascinating story. In particular, what I find very interesting is that the majority of people in the country agree on the way forward, particularly on projects like this, where there are so clearly massive benefits of reduced carbon, but also economic benefits. This project is critical for Maine and for the region because it has such substantial environmental benefits in the reduction of greenhouse gases and such a big economic boost at a time when Maine really needs it.”
The project includes 53 mi. of new transmission corridor from West Forks, Maine, to Canada, which Dickinson said will run through a logging area. The remainder of the corridor is existing.
“What we did in studying the transmission system and how we might bring power in is we prioritized using existing corridors,” he said. “Two-thirds is along lines that have existed for decades. It was land we had acquired. On the new part, we had to figure out how to get from the existing corridor to Quebec. We studied the land, looked at lands that were conserved, lands that were higher impacted, tourism … we landed on a corridor to Quebec that for generations that has been heavily logged, and bought the land from two large logging companies.”
The project also includes a significant upgrade to 26.5 mi. of new 345 kV transmission line between Coopers Mills substation in Windsor, Maine, and the Maine Yankees substation in Wiscasset. Additional upgrades are planned in Pownal, Sabattus and Lewiston.
In July, Maine Gov. Janet Mills OK’d a deal with HydroQuebec ensuring that Maine benefits from the power generated by the NECEC. Under the agreement, Hydro-Quebec will provide up to 500,000 megawatt hours of electricity a year to the state based on a 1,200-megawatt capacity of the proposed New England Clean Energy Connect.
“I have heard people say that the NECEC will deliver power directly to Massachusetts but not to Maine,” Mills said. “With this new commitment, we ensure that Maine consumers access power directly from the line at a discounted price.” Hydro-Quebec also pledged to speed up disbursement of about $170 million in benefits for the state that were already promised in a deal with the state last year, including ratepayer relief and incentives for broadband expansion, electric vehicle charging stations and heat pumps, Dickinson said. The project calls for a total of 829 self-weathering structures, including 723 monopole structures and 106 twopole structures. During the peak season of construction,1,600 union and nonunion workers will be hired for the project with a preference given to Maine residents. In 2020, more than $320 million in contracts in connection with the project were awarded, Dickinson said. That includes $20 million in timber mat contacts split among seven Maine companies in reviewing 2020.
“The timber mats are required by the permitting agencies to cross wetlands, streams and other sensitive areas,” said spokesman Ted Varipatis. “The timber mats prevent those crossings from getting rutted up and soil from being disturbed. Once the mats are in place, that gives us a travel way for both track equipment and some rubber tire equipment. Contractors will use both for this type of project. Typical equipment being used is cranes, excavators, large drills, bucket trucks, tracked dump trucks, loaders, hot saws, pulp trucks and pickups.”
Major contractors are Cianbro, Northern Clearing, Irby and Sargeant Electric, all using a combination of leased and owned equipment from dealers including: Anderson Equipment Company, Nortrax Inc. and United Rentals of Maine and Enterprise Fleet Management of Missouri.
Other contracts totaling $300 million were awarded to companies building and upgrading the line that will run from Quebec to Lewiston.
In addition to the reduction in carbon emissions, other benefits include: • 500,000 megawatts directly to Maine at below market price; • an anticipated $18 million increase in property taxes annually in the communities the corridor will run through; • $15 million in broadband infrastructure to improve broadband access in western Maine; • $6 million in educational funds to provide for vocational and training programs in Franklin and Somerset counties, as well as for scholarships, internships and research at the University of Maine; and • $2.5M for decarbonization and Maine energy resource planning studies
The transmission corridor is expected to be online in 2023.
Workers set a pole for the Clean Energy Corridor project.
Case to Host Live Virtual Event On Proper Inspection
In this virtual event, Case experts will demonstrate the best practices in pre- and post-operation equipment inspection and why it is important to the overall health and performance of construction equipment.
Case Construction Equipment has announced the next installment of Case LIVE: The Daily Equipment Walkaround, which will be held on May 26 at 10 a.m. Central.
In this virtual event, Case experts will demonstrate the best practices in pre- and post-operation equipment inspection and why it is important to the overall health and performance of construction equipment. It will be followed by a live Q&A between the audience and presenters.
The webcast will be hosted by Brad Stemper, director of compact equipment, and Ted Polzer, director of product and customer support, Case Construction Equipment.
“We talk a lot about Total Cost of Ownership, and one way to ensure that you are getting the most uptime and performance out of your equipment is to take a few extra minutes at the beginning and end of each day to really look over your equipment and identify any possible elements that may cause downtime,” said Stemper.
Case LIVE is a new virtual event platform with live events and educational sessions delivering topics that include equipment fleet management, acquisition strategies, new technologies, operational tips and new product launches.
For more information on Case, visit CaseCE.com.
For a full schedule of upcoming webcasts and events, visit Visit CaseCE.com/LIVE.
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Baschmann Services Names Kirsch to Represent Aggregate, Rolling Stock
Peter Baschmann, president of Baschmann Services in Elma, N.Y., announced the addition of Bill Kirsch to its sales staff. Kirsch will be representing both the aggregate and rolling stock divisions of Baschmann Services, with manufacturers including Kobelco, ASV, Anaconda, Hitachi, Carlton, McLanahan and TCI. His area of responsibilities will include the counties of Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming and Alleghany.
Kirsch has 10 years of experience in the medical device industry in training, sales and the sales support side of the industry. He has a strong background in machinery operation, including agricultural and construction equipment and continues today to be involved in his family’s farm.
Bob Tracey (L), Baschmann Services sales manager, and Bill Kirsch, Baschmann Services sales representative of the counties of Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming and Alleghany.
ARTBA: Federal Investment Advanced 22K in Improvement Projects in 2020
State governments leveraged $29 billion in federal funds to advance $70 billion in highway improvements during fiscal year (FY) 2020, according to new federal data.
An interactive dashboard created by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) provides U.S. taxpayers, elected officials, news media and the public with a clear look at how and where all 50 states use their federal highway program funds.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) data compiled by ARTBA’s Chief Economist Alison Premo Black displays information on more than 22,000 projects that moved forward last year.
“This dashboard is chock-full of projects that are realworld outcomes of the federal highway program,” Black said. “We encourage members of Congress, their staffs and Biden administration officials to tap this valuable resource as they continue working on a robustly funded surface transportation infrastructure bill.”
Nationally, 47 percent of project funds were dedicated to major repair or reconstruction work on existing highways. Adding capacity (19 percent of funds), planning, design and construction engineering (13 percent), new construction (6 percent), planning, environmental, and research and administration (3 percent) are among the other featured categories.
The top five projects that moved forward nationwide in 2020 include a mix of federal, state, local and private funds. Each project uses advance construction funds, which means that additional federal funds will be dedicated to the project in future years. Those projects are: 1) Virginia I-64 Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Expansion Project ($3.9 billion) 2) Indiana PR 69 New Road Construction Marion County Segment ($725 million) 3) Arkansas I-530, Highway 67 Widening and Reconstruction ($631.7 million) 4) Louisiana I-10 ($592 million) 5) Texas U.S. 290 ($556 million)
The top five states with the most projects (including advance construction) are: 1) Texas: 1,249 projects 2) Ohio: 1,222 projects 3) California 1,120 projects 4) Michigan: 1,100 projects 5) Indiana: 1,041 projects
The dashboard allows users to see how each state annually deployed federal funds and features the top projects dating back to 1950.
ARTBA’s Black populates the dashboard using the data states submit to FHWA’s Fiscal Management Information System (FMIS).
CRACKS from page 1
and Demolition Operations address-
Holes are defined by OSHA as es the hazards as well. gaps or spaces in a floor, roof, hori- Gardner believes both “are helpful zontal walking-working surface, or in defining the standard-of-care for similar surface at least 2 in. at its managing holes on construction smallest dimension. sites.”
“Safety is a cornerstone of any In a Simplified Safety blog post,good business in the construction industry,” wrote crane service company Crane Repair, Englewood, Colo. “A construction manager’s commitment to ensure safety for everyone who steps foot on a site is essential.” In a blog on its website the company offers tips for preventing fallhe offered a summary of industry safety regulations and standards for prevention of fall-through injuries. • If you make a hole, guard it. Before cutting the hole, barricade the work area to keep people out. • If the hole must be open, and the fall distance is more than 6 ft., through incidents and injuries on the employees must be protected by use job. of a fall arrest system, guardrails or
Noting many places a worker can covers. fall through on a construction site, the • Any fall arrest system must meet crane repair company said that trip- OSHA criteria established in 1926, ping hazards often cause fall- Subpart M. throughs. • A guardrail must be a minimum
“Another hazard is any place on of 42 in. high, have a mid-rail and be site with excessive noise,” the com- capable of withstanding a 200-lb. pany said. “Excessive noise can make Regardless of fall distance employees be protected from tripping or stepping into holes. If a hole load. “Toe boards are recommended it hard for a worker to hear verbal is big enough to fall through, it must be covered, guarded or fall protection measures utilized. at all times; they are required for warnings about a safety hazard from work under the hole,” wrote Gardner. co-workers.” • If the hole is not guarded, it must be cov-
Crane Repair believes the first step to pre- ered. The cover must support at least a 200-venting falls on a job site is a thorough safety lb. load. The cover must be larger than thehazard inspection. That’s where OSHA comes opening, secured against displacement andin. The agency offers guidelines for inspections, including identifying load limits for each job site area, potential tripping hazards, unprotected edges and areas of excessive noise. “Another critical factor in workplace safety is worker training,” the company said. “Workers need to be kept up to date on OSHA safety requirements and your company’s policies regarding fall prevention.” The proper use of fall arrest systems must be taught to ensure that if a fall does happen, the system will stop it before the worker hits the ground. Crane Repair offers tips for preventing falls from hazardous hotspots across a construction properly labeled or identified, such as “Floor Opening Do Not Remove.” “If you have a choice,” said Gardner, “make both the hole and cover round. An oversized round cover cannot fall through a smaller round hole.” • Never cover a hole with any type of nonsubstantial or non-weight bearing material(s) such as paper, cardboard or plastic. • Industry standards require that, regardless of fall distance, employees be protected from tripping or stepping into holes by covering the openings. “In layman’s terms, if a hole is big enough to fall through, then it must be either be covered, guarded or fall protection measures utilized,” wrote Gardner. site, including unprotected edges. After creating a hole, workers should immediately cover it or put up rope around “If it is a small hole that presents only a “An opening in a wall or a hole in the floor can be a falling hazard if left unprotected.” To it. The area should be kept off limits, and coverings must support twice the weight of a worker, tools and materials. tripping hazard for example a 4-inch diameter hole for a pipe, cover it regardless of the fall prevent a fall from an unprotected edge: distance below the hole.” • After creating an unprotected edge, immediately cover it or put up rope to protect it; Beyond Manholes Open manholes aren’t the only fall-through hazard on a The Contractor’s Role • Keep areas with holes off limits; job site, according to David Gardner, construction safety It is the general contractor’s (GC) responsibility to assure • Hole coverings must be able to support twice the weight consultant of Simplified Safety. all parties properly communicate with one another, and of a worker and their tools or materials; Unprotected holes in a floor, deck or roof can result in potential safety hazards are brought forth and discussed. “If • Do not carry materials that are big enough to block your serious injuries as well if workers are unaware of or choose you see something — say something.” vision. If you must do so, be sure your fall arrest system is to ignore them. Safety materials provider WeeklySafety.com notes that securely in place; and OSHA covers the rules for fall-through protection in 29 holes are one hazard area in which many workers forget to • Keep the work area clean of clutter that could cause a trip. CFR 1926 Construction Industry Regulations, Subpart M. protect themselves and co-workers “or at minimum throw
“Falls are a risk for every construction worker. But work- ANSI volume A10.18 Safety Requirements for some caution tape up and call it good.” ing to prevent them in these ways can minimize the chance of Temporary Roof and Floor Holes, Wall Openings, them happening on your job site,” said Crane Repair. Stairways, and Other Unprotected Edges in Construction see CRACKS page 52
