Category Archives: Volvo

Volvo is likely to stick to its old plan for the year 2015

It seems the construction and the mining industry is the worst hit industries in 2014, which is why they are finding it tougher to recuperate in the forthcoming year. It has been seen that many companies saw a huge decline in their sales due to which they are forced to take some real tough decisions. Undoubtedly, these decisions also had an impact on the industry as a whole. Not only the sales figure dipped but also there were jobs cut throughout the industry which became a matter of concern for many. Hiring were the lowest across sectors and many people who completed their studies in civil engineering or learnt about machines were finding hard to get to a job.

Many heavy equipment manufacturing companies were of the view that they should be calling off their overseas markets, shrink their business to a certain extent and focus more on home turf. Others were of the view to pay more attention in countries that was giving them profits. It means that they were ready to take risks to produce more equipment for countries that showed them opportunities and by doing that, they were able to keep afloat in turbulent tides.

Volvo also gained success internationally but in some countries, it did not do well and that resulted in forcing them to cut jobs of its employees. Volvo is world’s 2nd biggest truck manufacturer and has a reputation of producing world-class trucks and delivering them all over the world. Many countries in Asia, Middle East, Africa, and Europe and in the America uses their products to cater the needs of the customer. However, the year 2014 was not at all good for them. They experienced a severe fall of demand for trucks and were finding it difficult to sustain. It became important for them to take some stringent decisions and they decided to lay off few people from the company. They are of the view to eliminate around 2000 jobs by 2015 which will happen in a phased manner. By that time, if the business picks up, they might reconsider their decision. Or else, they might have to stick to the old plan. It is assumed that the reorganization costs will be around $766 million and the annual savings is estimated to be lower than that.

Company biggies are worried about the reaction that their decision will have on the stock exchange. They were optimistic and feel that the market will react positively to their decisions as they understand the need of the situation. Volvo’s mission is to attain highest operating margins in the entire industry. They have planned to liquidate a North American unit. It is estimated to be over by the end of January. Volvo is also focusing on paying the same amount of dividends that will help a little to keep the prices of their shares intact.

Volvo feels that the year 2015 will be the year of efficient machines and cost reduction. If the company is able to attain these things, they will be able to sustain for now.

Loader Backhoe – How Useful Are They in the Construction Industry

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A number of heavy equipments have proved their utility in the construction business but there are certain equipments which are of utter importance and without which it is unimaginable to work in this industry. Out of those few, we would be discussing about Loader Backhoe, also known as a digger or simply “Backhoe”. Let us first understand what exactly it is. A Loader Backhoe is ideally a heavy equipment that has a tractor with a built-in bucket in the front and a backhoe at the rear. The backhoe loaders are not very big in size which is why they are quite versatile on the fields and is often seen as one of the best equipment in small sized construction projects. However, that doesn’t lessen its importance in bigger projects and may carry equal weight as far as the performance is concerned.
The Backhoe Loader was invented by Joseph Cyrill Bamford in the UK in 1953. During those days, heavy equipments were not multi-functional and one type of machine was made to do just one work. Somehow the idea of multi-tasking stuck Joseph’s mind and he removed the tractor from his barn and tried to install a shovel in the front and a backhoe in the rear of his tractor. He found this idea to be very interesting and thought that people who are into agriculture will find this very helpful. This is how after giving some final touches to his craft, he started to manufacture more and more of these machines. Though few external appliances are added on the tractor, still the equipment is not called a tractor but a loader backhoe as it gives altogether a different look to the machine. This equipment is popularly known as “JCB” in the UK. However, back in US, they call it as “Backhoes”.
Backhoe Loaders are of multiple usages but is primarily used to clear snow off the road or to move earth by using the shovel and digging it deep in the earth, take off the mud, fill it in the bucket and dump it in the truck. They are also used for other works such as constructing or demolishing small houses, transportation of materials which are not too huge and heavy in proportion to the machine, excavating earth, paving roads and so on. The attachments built in the machines can be easily replaced if they get faulty. For instance, the bucket can be replaced by grapple or a stump grinder. These attachments are much more powerful that the bucket and may prove to be highly effective in getting the work done.
Some of the buckets are built like a clamshell which helps it to unload the mud quickly. These attachments are the result of those innovative engineers who actually knew the importance of this machine and believed that a bit of innovation will turn out to be very helpful to the consumers.
Just to name a few companies that produce Loader Backhoe are Caterpillar, John Deere, J. C. B. , Hitachi, Volvo etc. This is probably the machine which every construction company irrespective of how big or small their businesses are would like to have with them.

Volvo Construction Equipment like Articulated Trucks

We often give a lot of credit to heavy equipment which are used to move earth, break old establishments, paving way in dense snowfall and so on and so forth. However, it has been extremely unlikely for us having given any credit to the Volvos used to carry stuffs from one place to another. You may have seen the Volvo haulers making their way through the dense forest or just gliding its way through the hillside and makes it to its destination.
These articulated trucks are of immense importance in the construction and mining industry. Heavy equipments which are used for various purposes have certain limitations and cannot be used to ferry remnants to be dumped at their destined place. In this juncture, one has to make use of Volvo articulated trucks to get the work done. These trucks are of excellent quality and have made its mark in proving the metal they are of.
We would be speaking in length about the features and utility of the Volvo trucks.
Can run on the toughest roads for days:- The Volvo trucks had their test of the time to prove its quality and the kind of service it has to offer to the customers. While it was on the testing phase, it was made to run on a very rough terrain for some days. It seemed to have outperformed in its tests and the visitors who belonged from distinguished construction companies had already ordered few of them. The same were delivered within few months.
Alternatively, they are also in the course of adding few more features in it which will not only increase its productivity but will also reduce the consumption of fuel. What bothers much to the construction companies is its fuel consumption which is already in the testing phase. We shall see some new models in the near future which will be actively productive and will also eat less of fuel.
What it has for the operator:- The comfort of the operator has been the fore point while manufacturing Volvo trucks. It’s known that the truck operator has to go through a lot of stress and pain during rough weather and hence care has been taken to ensure that things become cosier for him. At the same time, in order to increase the visibility for the operator, the front part of the truck is reduced which allows him to see things which otherwise gets blocked. The cabin of the operator is quite spacious so that he can move his hands freely and don’t hurt himself by knocking his arm with the steering or any hard device.
Stress on safety:- A lot of stress has been given on the safety of the operator on occasions when stuffs are getting filled in it or while transporting it from one place to another. Right from the steering to the accelerator and the brakes, special care has been taken to ensure that they all work smoothly with absolutely no errors.
Volvo articulated trucks are the new-age trucks that fulfils the customer’s needs in every manner.