Genesis Attachments GDT 590

Genesis Attachments, Superior, Wisconsin, has announced the release of its GDT 590, which it describes as the largest Razer Demolition Tool in the line that features four models. Features of the line include:

• a lighter weight design that is optimized to fit on standard and most high-reach excavators
• extends the minimum excavator weight to 120,000 pounds, up from the 45,000-, 66,000- and 90,000-pound minimum excavator weights of previous models
• a 52-inch jaw opening, 46.5-inch jaw depth and 12-foot-plus reach
• an open relief area that allows material to easily pass through and prevents jamming, which is designed to further enhance processing capability

Visit https://www.genesisattachments.com/ for more information.

NRT color-based optical sorter with Al

Nashville, Tennessee-based National Recovery Technologies (NRT), a subsidiary of Bulk Handling Systems (BHS), Eugene, Oregon, has released the ColorPlus with Max-AI. Features of the optical sorter include:

• an additional layer of AI that creates new sorting capabilities by combining the ColorPlus sorter’s high-volume and high-confidence capabilities with Max-AI’s person-like identification decisions
• a high-resolution RGB color line-scan sensor to identify and sort recyclables by color
• a camera and deep-learning-based AI to identify recyclables similar to the way a person does
• tuned to aggressively detect brown fiber and identifies material by type

Visit https://www.nrtsorters.com/ for more information.

Fontaine Magnitude 60LCC lowbed trailer

Springville, Alabama-based Fontaine Heavy-Haul is introducing a new lowbed trailer called the Fontaine Magnitude 60LCC. According to the company, it can haul 60-ton loads in an efficient configuration. Features of the trailer include:

• designed for customers operating in regions where spread axle configurations are not required to maximize trailer loads
• improved maneuverability with a reduced overall length of more than 11 feet compared to a trailer equipped with a flip box, spreader and fourth axle
• 60-ton capacity and 18-inch deck height
• boasts a 26-foot clear deck length and a loaded deck height of 18 inches with 6 inches of ground clearance

Visit https://fontainetrailer.com/ for more information.

Taylor Machine Works lift trucks

Louisville, Mississippi-based Taylor Machine Works Inc. has announced the release of its XH-650L and XH-700L lift trucks. Features of the new trucks include:

• powered by a 250-horsepower Cummins QSL9 Tier 4 final turbocharged diesel engine
• a full range of structurally enhanced Ultra-View XD masts
• equipped with heavy-duty planetary axles, wet disc brakes, multispeed automatic powershift transmissions and a steer axle
• backed by Sudden Service Inc. personnel, along with Taylor’s team of authorized dealers and direct factory store locations

Visit https://www.taylorforklifts.com/ for more information.

Big Truck Rental names Zach Martin president

Big Truck Rental LLC, Tampa, Florida, announced Aug. 4 that it has promoted Zach Martin to the position of president effective immediately. Martin will report directly to founder and CEO Scott Dols.

Martin originally joined Big Truck Rental in 2016 as vice president of sales.

“During his time with Big Truck Rental, Zach’s contributions have been invaluable, not only driving the growth of the business and enhancing customer service, but also strengthening the great company culture for our dedicated employees. He is now ready to assume the broader, strategic leadership role as president,” Big Truck Rental CEO Scott Dols says.

“It is an honor to be selected for the position of president at Big Truck Rental,” Martin says. “I have been very fortunate to work with an outstanding team. Big Truck Rental is a special place, and high-performing people are core to our DNA. I look forward to leading this fine group of people and cementing our company’s position as the leader in the specialty waste rental space.”

The company says that the appointment will help position Big Truck Rental for continued success in the future.

“I’m excited about 2021 and beyond,” Martin says. “I welcome the challenge and will continue to focus on the four pillars of our success—product, brand, customers and execution—as we transition into this next phase of growth.”

“I know Zach will do a great job in his new role, and we are confident about the future of Big Truck Rental under his leadership,” Dols says.

Liebherr opens newly expanded corporate headquarters

Liebherr USA Co. has announced the opening of its newly expanded corporate headquarters in Newport News, Virginia.

The upgraded headquarters features a 60,000-square-foot administrative building, a 82,000-square-foot workshop and training facility, a 92,000-square-foot parts distribution warehouse with retail operations, a guardhouse and a one-story, 7,500-square-foot wash bay building.

The five new buildings cover a 30-acre site and significantly increase Liebherr’s capability for expanded courses and inhouse training, as well as for production, equipment preparation, product support and parts distribution for the nine different product divisions that fall under the Liebherr USA umbrella, the company says.

The administration building is a four-story office building designed to enable collaboration among team members. It features sophisticated design elements, multiple technology-laden training rooms with video conferencing capabilities and flexible workspaces for different types of working. The fourth floor offers a variety of client-facing features and workspaces, as well as an executive conference area with two balconies.

The workshop houses a two-story training center with classrooms for in-house dealers, dealer technicians, and customers who can gain hands-on experience with real equipment on the warehouse training floor.

A large maintenance shop allows Liebherr staff to service cranes of all sizes; concrete pump trucks; and earth moving equipment such as bulldozers, excavators and loaders.

The $60 million investment underlines the company’s commitment to building on Liebherr’s 50 years of success in the United States, the company says.

Torben Reher, managing director of Liebherr USA, says, “Apart from investing in research and design for cutting-edge technology, we have a long-term focus with respect to our business and the relationships with our customers. We want to grow together, and our new site is the evidence for this approach; we are preparing for the future while investing in our customers’ success.”

Fecon adds two vice presidents

Lebanon, Ohio-based wood processing equipment maker Fecon has announced the hiring of two new vice presidents. Robert Soehner has been added as vice president of operations and Mike Kucharski as vice president of dealer development. Both are new positions within the company, says Fecon.

Soehner has previously worked at four other companies, including General Electric. He says he intends to focus on continuous improvement and to “continue to develop a respectful, collaborative culture” at Fecon.

Kucharski has spent the past 16 years with Illinois-based equipment maker Caterpillar and its dealers. His responsibilities will include establishing, training and growing Fecon’s dealer network. Kucharski also will be responsible for all marketing activities, including internal and external communications, trade shows, advertising, e-commerce, website and digital activities.

“We’re excited to welcome Rob and Mike to the Fecon team,” says Fecon CEO Bob Dieckman. “Their extensive industry experience and positive attitudes will be assets as we strive to grow the company through enhanced customer experiences. Our goal is continuous improvement in all areas of the company, including dealer development and operations, and these two are well-suited to lead that task.”

Established in 1992 near Cincinnati, Fecon manufactures the Bull Hog forestry mulcher, tracked carriers and tractors, and a range of attachments and other equipment for vegetation management and materials processing.

BHS appoints new CTO

Bulk Handling Systems (BHS), Eugene, Oregon, has promoted Thomas Brooks to the position of CTO. Prior to taking on this position, Brooks was the company’s director of technology and product development.

Since joining BHS, Brooks led the redesign of NRT’s optical sorters, oversaw the creation of BHS’ Controls & Intelligence division and led the development of BHS’ artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics technology, Max-AI. Recent developments include the integration of Max-AI technology into NRT optical sorters, which combines AI with both color and near infrared (NIR) optical detections to make enhanced sorting configurations possible.

In this new position, Brooks will focus on leading new technology and product development efforts across the organization, including BHS, Max-AI, Nihot, National Recovery Technologies (NRT) and Zero Waste Energy.

“Thomas is an exceptional leader and does an excellent job of bringing to market innovative technology that’s in line with our corporate vision,” says Steve Miller, CEO of BHS. “The progress he’s made with Max-AI, our optical sorters and our system control and intelligence solutions are advances that are paying real dividends to our customers.”

“It’s an honor to lead the technology development for BHS and all of the brands that are in our family,” Brooks says. “I have the pleasure of working with a tremendous team, co-workers that deeply care about performance and achieving results for our customers, and for a leadership team that is forward-looking and invests heavily in our technology.”

ASV adds to dealer network

Grand Rapids, Minnesota-based ASV Holdings Inc., a manufacturer of all-purpose and all-season compact track loaders and skid steers, has added new dealers to its network. The company has added three locations each for new dealers CLM Equipment Co. Inc. and TraxPlus LLC. The company has also added Nick’s Skid & Steer and a location for Quality Forklift Sales & Service Inc.

The new dealers represent a significant addition to ASV’s growing dealer network as the company expands across the U.S. and Canada. The new dealers will offer ASV’s full line of Posi-Track compact track loaders (CTLs), featuring best-in-class rated operating capacity, cooling systems and hydraulic efficiency, according to the company. The line includes the RT-40, RT-25 and the recently introduced RT-50 compact track loaders; the midsized RT-65, RT-75 and VT-70 high output; and the RT-120 Forestry, which ASV says is “the industry’s most powerful CTL.” The dealers also will offer ASV’s full line of skid-steer loaders.

“A widespread presence of reliable dealer partners is important to us at ASV because we know how our customers appreciate being able to count on their local dealer,” says Jeff Pate, ASV director of sales. “We’re excited to welcome these new partners. They truly share ASV’s values of integrity, quality and customer service—which we consider critical for maintaining customer satisfaction.”

Rotochopper recognized as CMMA Manufacturer of the Year

Rotochopper Inc., St. Martin, Minnesota, announced it has been recognized as the Central Minnesota Manufacturers Association (CMMA) 2019 Manufacturer of the Year. This award recognizes member excellence and the investments, services and contributions offered by Rotochopper to the CMMA.

Rotochopper CEO Tosh Brinkerhoff said, “We are honored to be presented with this prestigious award. CMMA continues to contribute to the growth and success of the Central Minnesota manufacturing community. We are grateful for the work CMMA has done for manufacturers and are proud to work as a partner to enhance those efforts.”

On July 29, CMMA board President Les Engel and CMMA board Secretary Tim Zipoy traveled to the company’s headquarters to present Rotochopper with this award.

“Rotochopper Inc. has professionally delivered a positive and meaningful impact upon CMMA in many ways. … They wisely join the assembly to further advance the truth that today, growth and innovation can rarely be maximized by one company, one service organization or even one industry going it alone,” Zipoy said in a message to the CMMA board of directors.

According to the company, Rotochopper has provided guidance and servant leadership to CMMA by having a multiple-term presence on its board of directors, helping provide insight and direction to meet CMMA objectives and accomplish strategic organizational goals.

Recycled wood waste derivatives make carbon-fiber composites tougher, study finds

Polymers reinforced with ultra-fine strands of carbon fibers give composite materials their lightweight, yet strong, properties that allow them to be used in versatile applications across a number of industries.

Adding materials called carbon nanotubes to these materials can further enhance the composites’ functionality. But the problem is that the chemical processes used for incorporating carbon nanotube into the materials end up spreading them unevenly on the composites, limiting the strength and other useful qualities that can be ultimately achieved.

In a new study conducted by engineers at Texas A&M University, researchers used a natural plant product, called cellulose nanocrystals, to pin and coat carbon nanotubes uniformly onto carbon-fiber composites. The researchers said their prescribed method is quicker than conventional methods and also allows the designing of carbon-fiber composites at the nanoscale level. The results of the study are published online in the journal American Chemical Society (ACS) Applied Nano Materials.

Composites are built in layers. This layered structure is the source of the composites’ weakness. Any damage to the layers causes fractures, a process technically known as delamination.

To increase strength and give carbon-fiber composites other desirable qualities, such as electrical and thermal conductivity, carbon nanotubes are often added. However, the chemical processes used for incorporating the carbon nanotubes into these composites often cause the nanoparticles to clump up, reducing the overall benefit of adding these particles.

“The problem with nanoparticles is similar to what happens when you add coarse coffee powder to milk—the powder agglomerates or sticks to each other,” Amir Asadi, assistant professor in the Texas A&M University department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution, says. “To fully take advantage of the carbon nanotubes, they need to be separated from each other first, and then somehow designed to go to a particular location within the carbon-fiber composite.”

To facilitate the even distribution of carbon nanotubes, Asadi and his team turned to cellulose nanocrystals, a compound easily obtained from recycled wood pulp. These nanocrystals have segments on their molecules that attract water and other segments that get repelled by water. This unique molecular structure offers the ideal solution to construct composites at the nanoscale level, Asadi says.

The hydrophobic part of the cellulose nanocrystals binds to the carbon fibers and anchors them onto the polymer matrix. On the other hand, the water-attractive portions of the nanocrystals help in dispersing the carbon fibers evenly, much like how sugar, which is hydrophilic, dissolves in water uniformly rather than clumping and settling to the bottom of a cup.

For their experiments, the researchers used a commercially available carbon-fiber cloth. To this cloth, they added an aqueous solution of cellulose nanocrystals and carbon nanotubes and then applied strong vibration to mix all of the items together. Finally, they left the material to dry and spread resin on it to gradually form the carbon nanotube coated polymer composite.

Upon examining a sample of the composite using electron microscopy, Asadi and his team observed that the cellulose nanocrystals attached to the tips of the carbon nanotubes, orienting the nanotubes in the same direction. They also found that cellulose nanocrystals increased the composite’s resistance to bending by 33 percent and its inter-laminar strength by 40 percent based on measuring the mechanical properties of the material under extreme loading.

“In this study, we have taken the approach of designing the composites from the nanoscale using cellulose nanocrystals. This method has allowed us to have more control over the polymer composites’ properties that emerge at the macroscale,” Asadi says. “We think that our technique is a path forward in scaling up the processing of hybrid composites, which will be useful for a variety of industries, including airline and automobile manufacturing.”

Republic announces deal to purchase 2,500 electric collection trucks

Republic Services Inc., Phoenix, Arizona, announced a partnership with Phoenix-based Nikola Corp. on Aug. 10 to develop and purchase 2,500 electric waste and recycling collection trucks. According to Republic, this represents “the industry’s first large-scale commitment to fleet electrification.”

The zero-emissions vehicles, which will have a range of 150 miles and recharge overnight, are expected to be integrated into Republic Services’ fleet beginning in 2023. The deal is expandable to 5,000 vehicles over the life of the agreement.

“This partnership significantly accelerates Republic Services’ progress in fleet innovation to drive profitable growth, reduce emissions, enhance customer loyalty and create long-term shareholder value,” Republic President Jon Vander Ark says. “Our agreement with Nikola represents the industry’s first large-scale commitment to fleet electrification. We expect to realize significant operating cost savings and environmental benefits from these trucks, and we are confident that our customers, communities and employees will benefit from our bold commitment.”

Republic says the collaboration with Nikola represents a transformational step forward in its efforts to leverage technology and innovation to reduce emissions, increase operational efficiency and provide economical, environmentally sustainable solutions to its customers. Among the anticipated benefits of fleet electrification are instant torque, no idling, regenerative braking, up to 90 percent lower emissions on a per-mile basis, quieter operation in neighborhoods, as well as significantly lower maintenance costs.