16 Utility Contractor | December 2011

At the Utility Contractor offi ces, only the fi nest models of machines are tagged for further study. The most curious and cutting-edge brands of construction equipment (excavators, skid steers, wheel loaders and onward) are captured, researched and reviewed to inform our readers who work in the asphalt jungle every day. For the fi nal installment of Utility Contractor in 2011, we open the gates to our exclusive equipment showcase, revealing the most innovative machines we discovered this year. Manufacturers from around the globe released next-generation product lines into the commercial construction wilds (general equipment, attachments and exclusive utility construction technologies). We can’t include every piece of great equipment, but we’ve brought the best of these new releases right here to our 2011 Innovations Showcase. Pore through the next fi ve pages and fi nd 10 of the most interesting pieces of equipment unleashed during the last year and pick the newest tool for your company and crews.

Keith Gribbins is Managing Editor of Utility Contractor.

Case is a clever company. It’s taken the opportunity to meet new diesel engine regulations (Tier 4 Interim emissions stan-dards) to make its machines more powerful, comfortable and effi cient. In early 2011, Case Construction Equipment introduced three new F Series wheel loader models with three new next-gen engines. The new machines provide faster acceleration, quicker cycle times and higher travel speeds while delivering as much as 17 percent greater fuel effi ciency. The F Series wheel loaders meet contractors’ needs while delivering clean green benefi ts demanded by municipal and state governments.

The Case 721F, 821F and 921F wheel loaders use prov-en selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology to meet

Tier 4 Interim emissions standards while also delivering in-creased power and improved fuel effi ciency. “With the SCR technology in our Case F Series wheel loaders, Case has made what was already the industry’s most fuel-effi cient line of wheel loaders even more fuel effi cient,” says Tim O’Brien, Marketing Manager at Case Construction Equip-ment. “At the same time, the Case F Series engines are more powerful and respond faster.”

The Case 721F, 821F and 921F wheel loaders feature a 6.7-liter Tier 4 Interim-certifi ed engine, rated at 179, 211 and 242 hp (133, 158 and 180 kW), respectively. Contact: www.casece.com.

Effi ciency Is the Mission New Case F Series Wheel Loaders Boast 17 Percent Greater Fuel Savings

The Next EvolutionThe Next Evolutionin Innovationin Innovation Discover 10 Utility Construction Machines and Discover 10 Utility Construction Machines and Technologies Changing the Industry Technologies Changing the Industry By Keith Gribbins

December 2011 | Utility Contractor 17

Rearmed JCB’s New Generation of One-Armed Skid Steers and Track Loaders

In 1993, JCB introduced the industry’s fi rst mono-boom skid steer, a machine based upon the same principles as a telescopic handler. Today, the company’s New Generation skid steers and track loaders embody this same innovative spirit while taking performance and safety to a higher level (a true NUCA mission statement). Available in a range of models featuring radial or vertical lift and compatible with more than 30 attachment families, these skid steers and track loaders are safe, durable, comfortable and simple to use for operators at all skill levels.

JCB’s unique “PowerBoom” design provides an unob-structed rear view and best-in-class visibility. This design also gives operators access via the industry’s only side-entry door, clear of the attachment and loader arm. Rede-signed control panels are located in the panels at the top of the cab within the operator’s line of sight. A 17 percent larger cab, multifunction joystick controls and an optional heated air-suspension seat improve operator comfort. A simplifi ed design has decreased the total number of parts by 38 percent, and the company claims these machines use 16 percent less fuel for signifi cant savings over time. Con-tact: www.jcbamericas.com.

Nobody knows machines like the operators in the fi eld. So John Deere fi gured it would bring the professional operator into the design process, launching three new G-Series excavators featuring IT4-certifi ed engines, more power and cab improve-ments to increase visibility — all with customer input. The new series introduction includes the 250G, 290G and 350G, ranging from 191 to 299 net hp. The company incorporated a whole host of new technologies and creature features on these three models that actually came from customers (from increasing power and hydraulic fl ow to reconfi guring the cab).

Customer John Gleim, one of a group of excavator owners who has shared his needs and opinions with Deere for many years, noticed a power gap between excavator models that wasn’t apparent during conventional digging. It was apparent in another application, craning trench boxes. “They won’t use as big a box as is really needed, and pretty soon safety is compro-mised. We can’t have that — safety is critical to our day-to-day operations. I talked to Deere about adding more stability and power. They not only listened, they responded,” Gleim says. Contact: www.deere.com.

Operator AssistanceOperator Assistance John Deere’s G-Series Excavators Designed John Deere’s G-Series Excavators Designed with Contractor Collaborationswith Contractor Collaborations

Polarizing Solutions Vermeer Unveils New Magnetic Technology for Hard-Core Rock Drilling

Equipped with the rock-focused MAGnum drilling system, the D36x50R Series II horizontal directional drill is a uniquely amazing piece of equipment. Using rapidly rotating magnets of alternating polarity within the carriage assembly, a high frequency percussive action is generated to fracture and ef-fectively bore through tough formations, including solid rock. This hammer technol-ogy was developed in collaboration with FlexiDRILL, a New Zealand-based engineer-ing company, and is licensed for exclusive distribution by Vermeer.

Not a dedicated rock drill, the MAG-num system can be disengaged by the fl ip of the switch and the D36x50R Series II will perform as a conven-tional HDD drill. This ver-satility qualifi es the drill for a

range of ground conditions to help boost overall utilization. The D36x50DR Series II also comes in a rod-in-rod design confi guration (with dual threaded makeup). With a rated rotational torque of 1,500 ft-lb (2033.7 Nm), the inner rod powers the downhole tri-cone as the outer rod provides steering and backreaming rotation. The dual threaded rod design also enables drilling fl uid to course between the in-ner and outer rod, as well as through the inner rod, to help meet the volume requirements needed for effi cient removal

of the cuttings. Contact: www.vermeer.com.

18 Utility Contractor | December 2011

DDesigned to Adaptesigned to Adapt Wacker Neuson Introduces New Vertical Digging System on Mini Excavators

Flexibility is the mantra of compact machinery, but Wacker Neuson is pushing the fl exibility formula further with the introduction of its Vertical Digging System (VDS). An option on select compact excavators in 2011, the VDS compensates for height differences on uneven terrain and quickly sets the operator in an upright position, greatly increasing productivity. This innovative system enables operators to tilt the cab and boom of the excavator by up to 15 degrees with the push of a button, allowing the operator to compensate for slopes up to 27 percent.

The excavator can then be used to dig more precisely in a vertical position, which signifi cantly speeds up excavation and backfi lling work, result-ing in time and material savings of up to 25 per-cent. Operators can remain in an upright position, making it easier and more comfortable to oper-ate. Increased stability is a further benefi t, creating a safer environment for operators and across the construction site as a whole. Wacker Neuson is the only excavator manufacturer in the industry to of-fer the unique Vertical Digging System. The jobsite uses for the VDS are endless, but popular appli-cations include digging on an embankment, strad-dling concrete curbs and digging in narrow areas. Contact: www.wackerneuson.com.

Road Runners Caterpillar Enters the Vocational Truck Market with the CT660

Caterpillar makes just about every-thing. It’s the biggest manufacturer of earth moving equipment in the world, en-gineering skid steers, wheel loaders, min-ing trucks, excavators, backhoes, engines and everything in between. Now you can add vocational trucks to that expansive list. To a large group of press corps be-fore CONEXPO-CON/AGG in March, Cat-erpillar released the Cat CT660, the fi rst model in a full line of Class 8 vocational trucks designed to work as transit mixers, refuse haulers, dump trucks and in any application requiring a heavy-duty truck with reliability, durability and low cost of ownership.

The project has been a long term partnership with Navistar, one of the major vocational truck leaders in the world. The synergy has yielded an awe-some addition to the Class 8 market. Engine options for the CT660 include the Cat CT11, CT13 and CT15 — with displacements of 11.1, 12.5 and 15.2 liters — providing horsepower ratings from 330 to 550 and peak torque rat-ings from 1,450 to 1,850 lb-ft. A notable transmission option for the CT660 is the Cat CX31 automatic, a reliable, proven performer since 2004 in global voca-tional applications. The CX31, with six forward speeds and one reverse, is built to complement the torque output of Cat CT Series engines. Contact: www.cat.com/on-highway-transportation.

For more information go to www.utilitycontractoronline.com/info

December 2011 | Utility Contractor 19

20 Utility Contractor | December 2011

The Heat Is On Serious Thermal Products Introduces Fastest

Ground-Thawing MachineExcavation in the cold is a common concern for year-round and

northern-located utility contractors. When it comes to winter under-ground installations, there’s no better way to heat up frozen tun-dra than with the Serious Toaster ground-thawing machine, from Serious Thermal Products Ltd. Using patented infrared technology, the Toaster thaws frozen ground more than three times faster than similar competitive units, says the company, and it is the only CSA-approved product of its kind on the market.

Ideal for underground installations, each Toaster thaws up to 1.6 in. deep per hour in a 2-ft-by-10-ft area. Multiple units can be placed together in a series or any other confi guration to accommo-date larger applications. The Toasters are controlled by a solid-state electronic system, and they are fueled by clean-burning propane, making them an environmentally friendly choice. Furthermore, they do not produce open fl ames, so they can be safely placed next to buildings and utility pedestals. Weighing only 345 lbs each, Toasters fi t in standard pickup beds and can be easily moved by two people. Contact: 403-671-7393 or www.serioustoaster.com.

Installing and removing cold patch asphalt around road plates has always been time consuming, hazardous and labor intensive. Fortunately today, it’s no longer necessary. Plate Locks, winner of the Transportation Development Foundation Award and Roadway Work Zone Safety Awareness Award, has developed a new, inventive, cost-effective and reusable road plate securing system that does away with cold-mix for road plates and actually marks, identifi es and secures them.

Unlike cold patch, which depends entirely on adhesion to the road, Plate Locks is actually fastened to the road, prevent-

ing any sliding and shifting of the plate. Plate Locks is made from a recyclable, safety orange polypropylene thermoplastic. It comes in 5-ft lengths and can be cut to fi t any sized plate or confi guration of multiple plates. You can move them from job to job and it pays for itself after one or two uses vs. cold patch asphalt material, says the company. Plate Locks is also envi-ronmentally safe, unlike cold mix. It is reusable, has no off gas-sing of volatile organic compounds and is recyclable. There are also no harmful chemicals that can contaminate storm drains. Contact: 541-821-3622 or www.platelocks.com.

Roadwork Made Easier Plate Locks Offers a Cost-Effective Alternative to Using Cold-Mix Around Road Plates

Economic Excavation The Ditch Witch FX25 Is a Nice Price-Conscious Vacuum Excavator

Money and size are two big factors in the purchasing process. So when the Ditch Witch organization announced the release of the FX25 vacuum excavation system, they wanted to release an economical, but value-added solution for contractors needing the essential services of a vacuum excavator. Equipped with a 500-gal spoils tank, the FX25 is the direct result of customer re-quests for a low-cost vac system that can perform a wide range of cleanup and soft excavation tasks, including potholing, valve box and utility vault cleanout, storm drain cleaning, exposing buried utility lines, HDD site cleanup and everything in between.

The basic FX25 utilizes several components common with the FX30 for comparable performance but with the added ben-efi t of the simplicity of a gasoline engine. And, like other members of the Ditch Witch vacuum excavation product family,

it can be confi gured and customized with numerous options, including an 80- or 200-gal water system with 3,000-psi water pressure. The economical ben-

efi ts of the FX25 extend to both its purchase price and general main-tenance. The FX25’s large-capacity, single-element, three-micron,

washable vacuum fi lter is easy to maintain, extending the life of the blower when properly serviced. All of the FX25’s func-tions are run by a single, open-access power pack, add-

ing to the serviceability and simplicity of the unit. Contact: www.ditchwitch.com.

December 2011 | Utility Contractor 21

Super SuckerSuper Sucker The Vacuworx MC3 Mini Lifter Uses Air to Pick and Place Project Materials

It takes dexterity to safely piece together a construction site. It’s a puzzle of moving pipes, concrete slabs, large lumber and working crews. It’s in this complex environment that the Vacu-worx MC3 Mini Lifter was designed to excel. Fitted to a mini ex-cavator, the Mini Lifter uses material-specifi c vacuum pads that can suction up and move all types of construction supplies — all diameters of coated and non-coated pipe, concrete slabs, steel plates, steel tanks, polished stone, glass, granite and landscape rocks. Only the pads must be changed to switch to different pipe diameters or other materials. It’s ideal for in-plant or in-fi eld ap-plications, making the versatile Vacuworx MC3 Mini Lifter a com-pact material-handling attachment capable of completing a wide range of utility construction-related jobs. Contact: 918-259-3050 or www.vacuworx.com. For more information go to www.utilitycontractoronline.com/info