Monthly Archives: December 2015

Repo Heavy Construction equipment

Have you ever wondered what happens to the heavy equipment that are not loan free and the buyer of the machine is unable to pay any further installments. Well, those machines are taken away by private repo companies and the bank sells them at a significantly cheaper rate. If you look deeply there are many people who have made good sum of money after getting into the repossession business which is also known as the repo business. Repossession need not happen on only construction equipment. It can be on your vehicle or anything on which you have taken a bank loan and are now unable to pay it off. This is how it works. After having received repeated reminders from the bank to pay the installment if you are still unable to pay the money, they get in touch with people who are into hauling of heavy equipment. The banks pay them descent money for this work. They come to your place either by letting you know that they are taking away the machine or just do this by keeping you uninformed.

Once the bank is able to repossess the construction equipment, they try to auction it in the open market where they are bound to sell it at a considerably lower price. However, they still manage to recover the money which would have otherwise remained as bad debts in their book of accounts.

If you are a person who is always on the hunt of repo machines, then the best thing for you would be to keep a constant watch on the industry websites or keep on checking the industry trade publications. Such news is published out there and many people have benefitted by making a deal there. All you have to do is locate the heavy equipment that you may need and then place your bids on it on the website. In order to ensure that the machine is in order and not wrecked, you can go for a personal inspection. Just in case if that is not allowed you can go very carefully through the description of the machine mentioned on the website. In this way you will get to know the state the machine is in and the price that you should stick to in the auction.

Once you have placed your bid and see that your bid is the highest priced one, the next important step is that you start making arrangements for funds. You need to ensure that you have the entire sum of money with you before the auction ends. It is because most of the banks demand cash immediately after the auction ends or you should be ready with cashier check. There are only a handful of banks that allow you to make the payment via credit card or allow you to make the payment after few days. Since banks are selling the machine at a cheaper rate, they expect the money immediately and do not wish to wait for days to get it.

Heavy equipment that is used by the military

If we think that heavy equipment are used only by the construction or the mining industries then we are only partially correct with our thoughts. There is another sector which is presumably larger than the both the sectors which also uses number one quality heavy equipment and accessories and this is the military. The US military uses various types of heavy equipment for its different uses and they give the order of its requirements to some top notch companies. The requirement is given to the heavy equipment manufacturing companies and they in return give the quotation to the military officials. Once they get the clearance from the higher officials, the procurement process starts off.

The reason why military needs advanced heavy equipment is that they always get involved in activities that can’t be done without the use of sophisticated machines. Machines that some construction companies have probably never heard or have seen are procured by the military for doing everything that a logical mind can think of. They use bulldozers, excavators, cranes, loaders, crawlers etc. and they train their men for the work. They at times also recruit operators from outside but for work that is done in highly confidential places, they prefer to put their men at work. Therefore, they also provide training of operating heavy equipment to the men in uniform so that they can curtail the use of civilian operators in highly confidential zones.

The heavy equipment used by the military may not be similar to the ones used by civilians. They are more sophisticated and technologically advanced and have the potential to do the work at a comparatively lesser time than the machines used by big construction houses. You may have witnessed some companies using machines that seemed to have served the military. Well, it all works this way. Once the heavy equipment gets older or outdated and the engineers in the military feel that they no longer need their services, it will auctioned at dirt cheap price to the civilians. These heavy equipment still have their worth in sectors other than military and therefore you will get to see large number of potential buyers interested to buy such machines.

Other than that the quality of metal used in such machines is outstanding and hence everybody knows that they will end up buying something worthy at a lesser price. The US military not only used heavy equipment produced by American heavy equipment manufacturing companies. They do not mind going for machines that are produced by French, German, Canadian or Australian companies. They primarily need quality to be number one and second the machine should deliver by consuming less time.

There is not set model of a machine. They may produce a dozer and make it look like something else. It may not look like a dozer that we all know. It may not necessarily be deceptive but the model that is used for military purpose is quite unique but will be highly reliable and efficient.

Announce a bonus to your staff this Christmas

It has been debated in numerous and in different occasions about the fact that does the employees for a construction company are really paid for the kind of hard work they do for the company. Most of them feel that they are underpaid and there is also a certain section of the population that feels that they are correctly paid on the basis of time they give for the work. But at the same time, there is something that needs to be done for the people who work tirelessly for the entire day on a construction or mining jobsite and what better it will be than declaring a bonus for the month of Christmas. Though money can’t buy happiness but it undoubtedly plays a very significant role in bringing happiness at home. The children of construction workers want their fathers’ to bring gifts to them. They do not understand the debate if his/her father is under paid or overpaid. They expect something extra from their father during this season and fulfilling their dreams will eventually make the man happier.

There are several companies that offers their employees with several gifts and do not wish to pay them via cash. They on the other hand give them gifts which obviously make them happy. However, the gifts given to the employees will only service their purpose and in case if someone wants to buy a gift for his children and he does not have enough money with him, the gift given to him by his company stands meaningless. This is why giving money in cash and in kind makes more sense.

Once he cashes the money received to him as bonus, he can buy whatever he wants to and is not restricted to the item that he receives as gift. He can take back home the thing that his family needs. Giving your employee a gift only becomes meaningful when he can make good use of it and you do not know which employee needs what and therefore it is better to declare a bonus to everybody so that they can buy things that means the most to them. They can even use that money to plan their vacations which was not possible if he was merely given a gift.

Christmas is also a time when maximum people plan their vacations irrespective how rich they are. They definitely want to go someplace which they could otherwise not afford and they can realize their dream of going to an exotic location with the help of the bonus money. Some companies also offer vacation tickets to the best employees of the year. This sounds really great to the guy who gets it. He can go off for a week and just relax without have to think about any work.

Another option that you can adopt is announce a bonus that will be a mixture of food coupons or shopping coupons and some cash with it. This will allow the employee to go at an expensive restaurant with his family and have a great time out there.

Thumb attachments on Excavator

An operator working on an excavator understands who difficult it is to get every bit of work done with the help of the bucket. If it is all about pushing the dirt inside the bucket, the operator may do it with ease but when it comes to picking up the branch of a tree or lifting a concrete or a rock, it just turns out to be one of the most difficult task for him to complete. However, if he is provided with a thumb that is attached with the bucket of the excavator then things get pretty simplified. It works like fingers on your palm. As you can lift anything using your fingers, in the same fashion when the thumb is attached to the excavator it also gives great deal of comfort to the operator and he can easily lift items like huge rocks, concrete etc.

Ideally there are 2 types of thumb that can be installed on an excavator. The first is Progressive Link Thumb and the second is Stick Pivot Thumb. The Progressive Link Thumb gives more pressure throughout the complete cylinder range. It can achieve a rotation of more than 180 degree which allows it to pick items that are very close to the excavator. This means that the machine does not have to move back in order to pick up something that is lying close to it. The operator would rather find this to be more comfortable than driving the machine back to pick stuffs. This kind of thumb can be used for multipurpose work such as picking up heavy materials, clearing the land, clearing the forest (picking up big log), cleaning the debris after demolition. Since it allows you to pick stuffs close to you, it saves a lot of time and fuel which is otherwise spent in repositioning the machine and also makes it convenient to work in place that is space crunched.

Stick Pivot Thumb can be used both on an excavator as well as on a backhoe loader. Here the thumb rotates with the original bucket pin. In order to ensure that the thumb has a greater grip on the load, the pivot point sets the thumb tip with the bucket in such a way that during the complete bucket rotation, there is no chance of the material to set off the grip and come out of the clutch. The stick pivot thumb can be used for all the work for which one will use a progressive link thumb. However, it depends on who wants to use what.

Other than that there are also other products that are used extensively by mining and construction companies like Graptor, Jaw Bane etc. The main motto of preparing a thumb attachment is to ensure that the machine do not lose it grip while holding heavy materials and also that it is able to put them in its grip. The thumb attachments can be bought online or directly from a store that deals with accessories and they are certainly the stuff that everybody can afford to buy.

Maintaining good relation can be helpful to get construction business

The construction sector is a business of huge competition where you are always in the race of surpassing your competitor so that you can get more business. However, having said that, it is also very important that people belonging to this kind of business have and maintain good relation with each other. You will need the help of the other person at some point of time and in case you do not have a healthy relation with the next guy, you may land into a temporary trouble. In many cases, businesses also come through references. So it means that somebody has spoken good about you and has referred the business giver to you. Now that can be anybody. Right from your client to your business competitor, it could be anybody and yes you heard it right. Even your business competitor can at times be helpful to you only if you share a healthy rapport with him.

The few basic pointers that one should do to create and maintain a strong bondage from people concerned to your business.

Do not try to eat away everybody’s business:-

Undoubtedly, the construction business is quite a tempting business that will entice you to get more and more businesses. While you are in the mode of getting businesses, ensure that you do not become an encumbrance into someone else’s business. You garner businesses on your merit and not by bribing someone and if you see any of your competitor who is not in good shape and trying to get the same project, try to let that go to him. You may not want to eat everything that you get. Let the other guy know that he deserves the business and which is why it has gone to him. He will appreciate your help and will someday return your favor. Please understand that while you are in the construction arena, you will have both good and bad phases. It all depends how good you have been to people when things are good with you. Your generosity will help you during your hard times.

Establish yourself as a clean businessman:-

Being a businessman who causes no harm to others is liked by everybody in the business circle. No one likes to be in the company of a chap who is way too greedy and has the potential to cause damage to other’s business. Good clean people always have a place in everybody’s heart and when you are good to people then you have fewer enemies to bother you. In this way, you can establish a healthy relationship with people sharing the same business and at times can also get some favors from them.

Too much of gluttony can be harmful for your business:-

You must not keep your mouth full that you find it hard to chew. Concentrate on the quality rather than giving more attention to the amount of businesses you are getting. You will get more business on the basis of work you do. If you just keep on adding work without being able to complete them, it will become utterly chaotic for you to handle. On the contrary, you can suggest few names of your competitor who are known for their quality work and in this way you create a good relation with them.

Heavy Equipment Operator jobs overseas

The job of a heavy equipment operator is a highly paid one across United States but if someone likes to seek for opportunities outside US, they have a much brighter prospect. Job opportunities for heavy equipment operator in the overseas markets are huge and they are always in search of highly skilled men who have ample of experience working in the same profile. Years of experience in this domain will only make you more and more better with machines. You not only know how to operate heavy equipment in different work conditions but also learn how to fix machines when they go bad. It is not always possible to have a mechanic handy who can come at their beck and call. In situation like these, it is the operator who puts his foot ahead and takes up the responsibility to resolve the problem.

People outside United States have not received such kind of training that is given to people here in this country and this is why operators from US are in great demand in countries in the Mideast and the Gulf. The job opportunities of a heavy equipment operator is not only limited to these countries but their work are highly appreciated in many other developing countries that engages hugely in construction and mining works. Heavy equipment operators have huge scope in these countries.

The most convenient way to know if there are any opportunities for heavy equipment operator jobs overseas is through advertisements in newspapers. If you are looking for any such opportunities, then you should keep an eye on the newspaper on a daily basis. Just go through the paper once in the overseas assignment section and check if you have anything for you. It is advisable that you do not involve any kind of agent in between. Try to do things on your own and establish contact with the employer via emails. Check if you are eligible for their requirements and then send your resume to them. If they find you eligible, they will respond to you via email. You can then further establish contact and check the procedure on how you can get the visa and work permit. Also check the package they are ready to offer. You should have a clear communication on these things as it may turn into a big problem once you land up in a foreign country.

The other better option is to search for overseas heavy equipment operator jobs online. Checking newspaper advertisement is terms to be primitive and more people are latching on to internet for the smallest of things. Here you can get ample of options and also select the country you want to work. If you want to work in an English speaking country, then you can even opt for countries like Australia, New Zealand etc. They have immense opportunities for heavy equipment operators. However, they want you to give your best to them. Working as a heavy equipment operator overseas will turn out to be a rewarding career for you and you will end up making good chunk of money after having worked for few years in a foreign land.

Simple tips to choose pumps for construction work

Dewatering is a crucial factor which enables most of the jobsites to carry the construction works smoothly and safely. It poses a variety of challenges like picking up the right pump and its accessories for the successful implementation of the pump while working, taking prompt decision regarding the release of the water and its management at the site. All these tasks are quite difficult especially when you have to do them keeping in mind every relevant rules mentioned by Environmental Protection Agency.

Things to consider

The foremost step regarding the plan development of dewatering at the jobsite is to find out the needed capacity, lifting power of the suction and the discharge of used water at the plot. The speed at which water should be released is fathomed in gallons/minute. The upright distance of the suction in the equipment suction lift has to be swamped by the pump to take in the fluid. This vertical distance is actually the gap between the top of the pump and its suction end. The head of the discharge is the perpendicular altitude of the outlet pipe. To properly select the pump from the manufacturing company, at first it’s better to calculate all these factors.

Questions that help in selecting the pump

To make the right choice, try to answer these questions very carefully:

  • Why are you purchasing the pump?
  • What kind of fluid will be sucked by the pump?
  • Will the fluid in the pump consist of solid particles?
  • How afar the fluid has to be pumped out?
  • At what speed the water has to be removed?
  • Is your jobsite is competent enough to carry out its work with any auxiliary pump machine?
  • Where you are going to keep the pump?
  • Where you are going to discharge the water?
  • Will the usage demand any type of filtration?

Capabilities of each pump vary from high pressure to low pressure. Some of the pump machines are strong enough to pump the water vertical as compared to the others. There are some pumps which are comparatively more efficient in removing the solid materials from the water whereas others block the outlet while dealing with the same situation. The latter types of pumps are cost-effective but generally most of the site owners try to avoid them because of their inferior quality. These kinds of pumps are fragile and can easily break if any trash is pumped through it.

Most of the pumps are either skid-mounted or trailer-mounted. The trailer-mounted pumps are big sized but are portable. If your jobsite have limited space, you should opt to skid-mounted pumps. You should also use active systems of treatment to regulate the pH and minimise the turgidity of the fluid which is to be evacuated from the site to a satisfactory extent. At the conclusion of the article, you surely have got a clear idea on how to make a wise selection of the pump needed for your business. For best outcome, your supplier of the machine should assist you in selecting and analysing the appropriate system fulfilling all your requirements.

Heavy Equipment being used in the Military

The role that heavy equipment play in the construction and the mining industry is known to all of us but few know the importance it has in our military. The United States Military depends a lot on the heavy equipment and they go for the best in the market. Therefore, you will get too see machines manufactured by CAT, John Deere, Hitachi and other popular brands being used by them. One of the most common reasons why the Military requires heavy equipment is to load the weapons in a truck and then transport it from one place to another. It is pretty obvious that the kind of weapons US Military has can’t be lifted by ordinary machines and the need of big strong machines are evident.

The Military also needs heavy equipment to build their bases. They ideally do not give works like these to any private contractors due to reasons of security. There is a wide possibility of intelligence information may get leaked in case they hand over the job of building bases to private contractors. It is therefore that they buy the equipment directly from the company and use them to construct the bases. The use of different kinds of heavy equipment is more in constructing air bases and air strips. There you need the strip to be absolutely smooth take-off and landing and for that you require the best of heavy equipment to put them in use.

The heavy equipment manufacturing companies majorly produce customized machines for the Military. They first receive orders from the Military upon the kind of equipment they are looking for and in turn they present few designs which are based on the needs of the Military. The Military in turn approves the design and give them the order to manufacture “X” number of machines. This is how they go about manufacturing heavy equipment for the defense sector and probably this is why you will hardly find any similarity between construction equipment used by a contractor and the ones used by the defense personnel.

The heavy equipment manufacturers also ensure that they dedicate few employees to service the machines built for Military purpose. These men are not given any other job and are only entitled to service the machines the companies have produced for the defense. These men are given special ID’s that suggests that they belong to a private concern but are allowed to work inside the military compound. At times, these men also have to work on naval ships, sometimes on the water and at times beneath the water.

The companies have to ensure that the service they offer to the Military is of top notch quality and they do not receive any sort of complaints from them. The US military is using all sorts of heavy equipment right from dozers to grader to loaders. Special training is also given to the military personnel to operate the machine. It is evident that the guys in the force do not have much knowledge how to operate it and hence giving proper training to them becomes very ess

How to operate a bulldozer

Operating heavy equipment can be easy only if you have hands-on knowledge and know which gadget has what function. It is definitely not a child’s play and just in case you do not know how it works and still try your hands on it then you should be also ready for the consequences. Guys who are new to the construction world are often found to be curious to work on a construction machine and they try their luck when the operator is not around. However, that is not a healthy thing to do as they can cause serious damages to life and property. Out of the many heavy types of equipment that one can see in a construction site, the one that is very frequent is a bulldozer also known as “Dozer”. It may not be difficult to learn to operate a dozer but it is absolutely difficult to operate it in vulnerable places like on the mountain slide or on muddy surfaces. This means that one needs a lot of practice to become an expert operator of the dozer and therefore can also become a highly priced driver.

We will speak about some basic techniques that one can make use of to operate a dozer.

Start the engine and keep your foot on the brakes:-

The first thing that you will do to operate a bulldozer is turn the machine on by turning the machine into ignition mode. Once you find the dozer has started, keep your foot on the brakes so that just in case it starts off and catches speed, you should be able to control it well within time and stop it by applying those brakes.

Start moving the machine:-

Once you have started the dozer, it is time that you start moving it a bit by having complete control on the machine. Now you should hold the joystick and move it slowly on the place you need to go. The joystick of the machine is smooth and will facilitate you to move the machine the way you want it to.

Keep good control on the speed:-

You can’t treat a dozer like your car and therefore you need to take immense care and ensure that you keep the speed of the dozer in control. You should make use of the decelerator to bring down the speed of the machine. You hit the decelerator with your foot which is located just beside the brake and can slow it down.

Make the ground smooth:-

The sole purpose of the dozer is to keep the surface of the ground smooth like butter which is done with the help of the blades that runs on the ground. You have to lower the blade so that it can hit the ground in a way that it is making it look smooth. You have to make use of the pedal and the joystick to maneuver the entire area and make sure that the face of the blade is always hitting the ground as you move over it.

Knowledge always pays off in the heavy equipment and construction sector

A man with abundant knowledge is respected and greeted well wherever he goes and specifically if he intends to make money by selling his knowledge, he will have many takers. We currently live in a society where people tend to know more about gadgets and less about the industry they are in. This does not mean that they should not know about gadgets but this means that they should give equal importance to the subject they are dealing with and therefore it becomes very hard to find someone who is an expert in their respective domain. We are perhaps more attuned to things that are kind of not so important to us and less interested in what we should know. Other than that, many people like to keep themselves restricted to the work they are doing. It seems that they have killed their hunger of learning something new in life. The curiosity has just died down and this seems to be a very dangerous sign.

Keeping the current trend into consideration, many heavy equipment companies are hiring people who have enormous knowledge in their field and are also paying them handsomely to work for them. Something that was abundant at one point in time is now rare to get and for which companies are ready to pay good sum figures to ace engineers and machine designers. Knowledge does not necessarily come out of books. In order to get more knowledge, one has to work endlessly and also have the urge to learn more. It is only then that he will get to learn new things in life. If you get to check with some real good engineers that deal into manufacturing of heavy equipment, you will find that they used to work for hours at a stretch just to understand how things work and what can be done differently to simplify things for the comfort of the user.

Time was only restricted to a word for them as they did not know the literal meaning of it. Companies like Caterpillar, Hitachi, and John Deere are said to have such experts working for them which is why they are such renowned heavy equipment manufacturing companies. People who use their equipment do not want to switch to any other brand. They have complete faith on their products and know that it will last for many years. It is very difficult to generate this kind of trust in the minds of the user. You can only get this trust if you can give them the number one product that you have manufactured and every product of yours should be number one.

Heavy equipment industry is a highly rewarding industry. Many people have made their career being a part of this industry and are dwelling a decent live. However, in order to get to this place they had gone through rigorous training and acquired enough knowledge which they have used for the development of the company and for the betterment of the users.