Equipment Report

Cat lays off thousands of employees globally

Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, Illinois, laid off hundreds of workers in its headquarters and thousands of employees in Northern Ireland and Belgium.

The layoffs occurred after the company announced plans to close overseas production plants.

Three hundred employees in support and management positions at Building AC and the Tech Center, both located in Mossville, Illinois, were reportedly given job loss notifications that included severance packages, a 60-day notice and mandated Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act letters.

The layoffs were to take effect by Oct. 31, 2016. The company says it will help its former employees either find work elsewhere or be placed in new positions within the company.

The terminations consisted largely of engineers working in divisions Caterpillar recently announced would be consolidated.

The job losses in Northern Ireland and Belgium result from the company’s plans to restructure its operations in Northern Ireland, reducing production, support and management positions down to 200 to 250 over the next one or two years.

The company also announced intentions to shift production of construction equipment from Belgium to France, resulting in the termination of 2,000 jobs.

In other company news, Cat also announced that its six-year strategic alliance with Wacker Neuson, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, will be phased out beginning in 2018.

The company’s Building Construction Products Division will begin handling the design and manufacture its smallest hydraulic excavators.

Truck Bodies & Equipment acquires Travis Body & Trailer

The private equity firm GenNx360 Capital Partners, headquartered in New York City, has announced that Truck Bodies & Equipment International Inc. (TBEI), headquartered in Lake Crystal, Minnesota, one of its portfolio companies, has acquired Travis Body & Trailer Inc., based in Houston.

Travis manufactures aluminum end dumps, bottom dumps and transfer trailers for the construction, waste and recycling, rendering and agriculture end markets. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“This acquisition is consistent with our expansion into the dump trailer market, an expansion that began in 2013 when TBEI entered this market with a line of steel dump trailers designed, manufactured and marketed under the Ox Trailer brand,” ” says Bob Fines, president and CEO of TBEI. “TBEI is excited to bring together two of the most trusted brands in the industry.”

“This acquisition further strengthens the GenNx360 truck body and trailer platform, bringing expertise in aluminum dump trailers and dump bodies, expansion into the Southwest, a strong and loyal dealer network and a leading position in the trailer market,” says Ron Blaylock, a founder and managing partner of GenNx360. “Travis will be structured as a standalone division within TBEI, which continues to focus on high levels of service, continuous improvement and a commitment to quality.”

Rotochopper hosts sixth annual Demo Day

St. Martin, Minnesota-based Rotochopper’s sixth annual Demo Day was its largest event yet, bringing in more than 200 guests from all over the world to see the “Perfect in One Pass” advantage in person.

The day began with tours of the manufacturing facility, giving attendees the opportunity to see Rotochopper grinders in every stage of manufacturing, from cutting to final inspection and testing. The facility tours also allowed guests to meet the teams who design, build and support their Rotochopper equipment.

Rotochopper President and CEO Art de St. Aubin welcomed attendees with opening remarks that focused on the benefits of working with a factory-direct manufacturer.

“Today, you’re going to witness what Rotochopper stands for: loyalty, community, commitment and service,” he said. “This commitment allows us to create new products and equipment enhancements based on your feedback.”

The demonstrations began with Rotochopper’s 950 horsepower B-66 showing off the convenience of a Track & Dolly system. Through the course of the day, Rotochopper completed more than 20 demos with a variety of raw materials and end products, featuring 10 machines.

Customers and prospects spent the evening before and after Demo Day networking, comparing the ins and outs of various grinding operations and fiber commodity markets and building business relationships.

Shred-Tech to distribute Haas Tyron shredders

Shred-Tech, headquartered in Cambridge, Ontario, has announced it has been named the exclusive North American distributor of Haas Tyron shredders.

The company hosted an open house Sept. 27 in honor of the launch and also demonstrated the shredder’s capabilities Sept. 29 at the Guelph, Ontario, Solid Waste Transfer Station.

At the transfer station, the company used a Haas Tyron machine to shred a pile of wood debris. Around 25 of Shred-Tech’s employees were on-site for the demonstration, which the company also videotaped and photographed using a drone.

The Haas Tyron is manufactured by Germany-based Haas Recycling Systems.

The double-shaft, slow-speed shredder is capable of processing difficult materials, such as wood debris, pallets, tires, paper rolls, mattresses and plastic.

The Haas Tyron is available in three models—the 1500, 2000 and 2500—with capacities ranging from 25 tons per hour to 100 tons per hour for wood debris with minimal dust generation and low wear and tear.

They feature central lubrication and a control system that works in extreme temperatures. Available options include trailer or track mounting, a hopper extension, a particle filter and a sprinkling device.

Environmental Solutions Group acquires Alliance Wireless Technologies

Environmental Solutions Group (ESG), Chattanooga, Tennessee, has announced the acquisition of Alliance Wireless Technologies Inc. (AWTI), Houston. Details of the acquisition have not been disclosed.

AWTI, with its 3rd Eye Cam, provides advanced mobile and facility vision technology that the company says greatly improves safety, security, driver accountability and behavior, and mitigates risk related to fleet and facility management.

“The acquisition of AWTI gives ESG the industry’s first fully integrated digital safety-body-chassis-route solution,” says Pat Carroll, president of ESG. “AWTI products will ensure our customers have the right data at the right time to make the right decisions related to their hauling activities and the safety of their vehicle operators.”

“ESG brings innovative body and chassis information for fleet analysis, which can now be overlaid with AWTI 3rd Eye Cam video analytics,” says Darrick Reed, president and CEO of AWTI.

In addition to AWTI’s 3rd Eye Cam, the company is planning to release a product expansion known as Enhance that will monitor and transmit chassis and body signals for improved maintenance and productivity solutions. All of this plus the 3rd Eye Cam will be delivered through one device in the vehicle to reduce clutter in the cab as well as to provide multiple signals for data transmission. AWTI says it will deliver the first fully integrated solution focused on customer needs.

Fuchs adds Thoesen Tractor to dealer network

Fuchs, with U.S. headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, expands its North American distribution network with the appointment of Thoesen Tractor and Equipment Co., Lynwood, Illinois, as an authorized distributor. The company will distribute Fuchs material handlers in northern Illinois, including the greater Chicago market area. Thoesen Tractor has sales and service team members blanketing this territory to offer sales, rental, parts and service support for the full Fuchs equipment line.

“Thoesen Tractor specializes in heavy industrial equipment with an emphasis on the scrap, recycling and demolition industries, and they are extremely committed to supporting the customer through a 24/7 service approach,” says Steve Brezinski, Fuchs technical sales manager. “They are an excellent fit for delivering local sales and service support for our purpose-built handlers in Illinois.”

Boasting a broad line with models ranging in operating weight from 31,900 to 191,800 pounds and working radii from 27 to 80 feet, Fuchs offers purpose-built machines for a variety of material handling application. The line includes Fuchs’ newest entry into the 120,000-pound class for high-production scrap yards with the MHL 370 F handler, the new MHL 390 F model with its 80-foot reach for the port market and the new MHL 320 F machine built for the needs of recycling operations. Featuring a modular design, each handler can be customized to meet the customer’s specific need by the Fuchs application center. These models, along with all Fuchs F Series handlers, offer Eco Mode and can be equipped with Terex Telematics to improve machine operating efficiency.

Through the use of Terex Financial Services (TFS), Thoesen Tractor also offers financing and leasing solutions for Fuchs equipment.