Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) announces winners of annual Big Beam competition
September 12, 2018—The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) announced that Saint Martin’s University (Lacey, Wash.) won the organization’s Engineering Student Design Competition, also known as the Big Beam Contest. The national competition, which is in its 13th year, was created to teach university students important structural engineering skills in an applied learning environment that will translate to their future professions. The competition involves teams of students, along with a faculty advisor, designing, building and testing a 22-ft, precast-concrete beam. Local precast concrete producers provide students with ongoing mentorship. Project entries are judged on a variety of criteria, including the beam’s performance in stress tests that simulate the types of real-life conditions structural building and infrastructure components must endure to ensure life safety, as well as the quality of their analyses and reports, and a video overview of their project.
CASE SiteWatch supports new AEMP telematics standard
September 12, 2018—CASE Construction Equipment announced that its CASE SiteWatch telematics portal is now aligned with the new Association of Equipment Management Professionals (AEMP) 2.0/ISO-15143-3 standard. The AEMP-compatible portal is populated with data provided by equipment manufacturers in a standardized format to ensure a practical and intuitive user experience for the contractor/equipment owner. This allows owners of a mixed fleet to access the telematics data of all their AEMP 2.0 equipment in a single place, gaining efficiency in running their operation. CASE equipment owners can activate the new AEMP API from the CASE SiteWatch web portal, where they can now monitor more elements in shorter intervals, view more data, and monitor new types of parameters related to fuel, idle times, engine load, and speed.
John Paxton joins MHI as COO / CEO Designate
September 12, 2018—Emerging technologies will shape the future of material handling, noted John Paxton, as a stalwart of the industry stepped into his new role as Chief Operating Officer / Chief Executive Officer Designate at MHI this month. Paxton brings over three decades of relevant experience to the position, including over 20 years as an executive leader at crane and hoist manufacturer Demag Cranes & Components, a member company. He is also recognized for volunteer leadership, including tenure as president of the association’s overhead lifting product groups, namely the Crane Manufacturers Association of America (CMAA), Hoist Manufacturers Institute (HMI), and Monorail Manufacturers Association (MMA), in addition to serving as Chairman of the Board at MHI. Current CEO George Prest will remain at the helm through December 2020, when Paxton will transition to the lead role.
CM Labs sets industry benchmark with new Dozer Simulator Training Pack
September 12, 2018—CM Labs Simulations has announced the release of a state-of-the-art Dozer Simulator Training Pack that allows trainees to experience the unique feel of pushing soil and aggregate material from the seat of a virtual dozer. Trainees can perform both heavy excavation and fine grading with the simulator’s 6-way blade, and dozer tracks even slip based on operator behavior. This enables trainees to learn precision techniques—and efficiency—in an environment that poses no risk to them or to the equipment. The realism is based on the training solution’s unique ability to engage a simulated transmission and engine the moment the virtual blade touches virtual soil.
CEMEX opens its first admixture blending facility in U.S.
September 6, 2018—CEMEX, a global building materials company, announced the opening of the company’s first admixture blending plant in the U.S. to provide CEMEX’s nearby ready-mix plants with up to 16 different products for regular as well as high-performance concrete applications. CEMEX USA President Ignacio Madridejos and other company representatives were at the new 21,000-sq-ft facility in Brooksville, Fla., Wednesday to celebrate the opening of the plant. When fully operational, the plant will service CEMEX’s nearly 160 ready-mix facilities throughout its Florida and Mid-South regions.
