Equipment Report

According to Simplicity, a Terex company, customers ordering online will still have their orders fulfilled by their respective regional dealer. "Customers will benefit from the added ease of ordering, while dealers will continue to be supported by Simplicity with the implementation of this system," according to the company.

The availability of more than 3,000 parts, organized by product, will be offered through a check-box shopping cart-style interface. Other capabilities of the site will prompt customers and dealers for timely part replacement and allow dealers to communicate forecasting data.

To access the service, customers can go to www.simplicityengineering.com/parts or call (989) 288-3121 for further information.

The new 5 & 5 program from Eriez Magnetics boasts a 5-year coil warranty and 5-week delivery on its popular self-cleaning SE7000 series Suspended Electromagnets. The program is designed to:

• Ensure the best delivery and the longest warranty in the industry.

• Apply to Eriez’ 23 different sizes and 69 standard models ranging from manual to continuous self-cleaning units, along with hundreds of special designs.

Eriez stocks five suspended magnets for next day shipment. Suspended magnets remove damaging tramp metal contamination from product flows, protecting process equipment and improving product purity.

Eriez’ SE7000 series suspended electromagnets feature precision wound electromagnetic assemblies built with limited wiring crossovers, with options including dust enclosures, explosion-proof motors, special belts, speed switches, suspension gear and controls for every environment.

Southworth-Milton Inc., Milford, Mass., has added the Precision Husky line of grinders to its existing Caterpillar and Barko product offerings.

"Precision Husky has a well-established reputation for its forestry products," says Peter Collins, forest industry manager at Southworth-Milton. "Its equipment is widely used among Northeast loggers and has a great track record for quality, reliability and performance." The equipment can also be used by New England’s growing C&D recycling industry.

Southworth-Milton marketing director Larry Cutliffe says the Precision Husky line will be a perfect complement to the Barko knuckle-boom loaders and Cat forestry products carried at the dealership.

Southworth-Milton has been a Caterpillar dealer since 1940. It operates from nine locations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and eastern New York.

Vibrotech Inc., Plessisville, Quebec, Canada, has introduced new features and upgrades to its heavy-duty portable screening plants marketed under the Vibroscreen name.

The upgrades are the result of Vibrotech’s own continuous improvement process as well as from feedback solicited from Vibroscreen owners and dealers, according to the company.

Among the upgrades are a new vibrating grizzly option available on the SCM-75 and SCM-55 models. Oversized material is quickly discharged either onto an optional lateral discharge conveyor (for material carried away from the plant) or directly onto the ground.

Spacing between the vibrating grizzly bars is adjustable, from as small as 3 inches to as large as required for a particular application. A finger screen option is also available on the two models, in addition to substructure enhancements for an optional second deck.

On the Vibroscreen model SCM-35, the opening width under the screen has been increased from 8 feet, 2 inches to 8 feet, 8 inches to "more easily accommodate loaders equipped with eight-foot buckets," according to the company.

Komatsu Ltd. and Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) have agreed to jointly produce and develop certain construction equipment components.

As a first step, Komatsu and Volvo have signed a letter of intent for the production of Komatsu-designed wheel loader cabs at Volvo CE’s cab plant in Hallsberg, Sweden. The cabs, currently outsourced, will be for four models of Komatsu’s small wheel loaders produced in Europe and North America.

Production is scheduled to start at the beginning of 2003. The volume will be set for approximately 1,500 units per year. Komatsu says that with the outsourcing of production to Volvo CE, it predicts a reduction in costs.

The agreement is part of an ongoing dialog between Komatsu and Volvo CE. Topics of discussion include collaboration in the supply and development of drivelines, except engines.

"The cab venture is an initial step in our commitment to reinforce cost competitiveness, further improve quality and technology and increase customer satisfaction. It shows how a ‘win-win’ situation can be achieved," say Masahiro Sakane, president of Komatsu, and Tony Helsham, president and CEO of Volvo CE, in a joint statement.

Discussions between Komatsu and Volvo CE regarding cooperation in the production and development of construction equipment components were first announced in November 2001. The companies say they will not talk about cooperation in sales, service, distribution and equity participation. Corporate spokespersons say both companies will continue to engage in business as independent competitors using their own dealer networks, brands and product identities.

The cable stripper designed by Greenberg Engineering Co., Bala Cynwyd, Pa., is celebrating its 65th birthday in 2002, according to company president William B. Greenberg.

The stripping device, which separates plastic sheathing from the copper or aluminum cable within, was designed by William’s father Elmer H. Greenberg in 1937. Ten years later, William joined his father in making and selling the machines, so it is also the 55th anniversary of his involvement in the scrap industry.

William says the machines are just as productive and helpful as ever. "Now that we all must be as efficient as possible, it is important to make as much profit as available on every pound of metal moving through a utility scrap processing operation. When insulated cable is passed on to another processor to recover the copper or aluminum, the ability to accurately determine the exact metal content is lost," Greenberg comments. Similarly, demolition and construction contractors can help guarantee they’ll get maximum value for their metallics by separating the metal from its plastic coating.

The Greenberg models are billed as "self-adjusting," with multiple openings and "floating" shafts that offer continual cutting when fed different sizes of cable, rather than needing to be constantly adjusted.

Greenberg engineering now offers seven different models of cable and wire strippers, with different models having the ability to handle wire as thin as 1/16th of an inch to 3-1/2 inch-thick cable.