WCN blog
Oil and Steel's Octopussy Evo
February 23, 2010
This is Oil and Steel's new Octopussy Evo, a crab like crane that can stretch and twist as required as it can be fitted with a fixed or rotating hydraulic jib. The fixed hydraulic jib performs a vertical movement from -85° to +60°; the rotating hydraulic jib performs the vertical movement and also a horizontal rotational movement 45° to the right and 45° to the left. This feature combined with the hydraulic rotation of the platform allows a 90° rotation on both sides, making it possible when necessary to go round corners or work on different fronts (e.g. to prune a tree).
Posted by Editor on 12:02 PM | Comments (0)
Cutting red tape
February 22, 2010
By Richard Howes, Group Editor of Cranes Today, Hoist, OCH and Middle East Cranes
The UK's Health & Safety Executive (HSE) is growing on me. As group editor for three construction and industrial lifting titles, you can imagine that I have closely monitored its work for some years now.
Three and a half years ago, for example, I wrote a damning comment piece for Cranes Today's sister title, Hoist, about how its response to a lifting accident involving a coil was misleading.
Posted by Editor on 9:38 AM | Comments (0)
One St. Peter's Square plans get the green light
February 16, 2010
The Greater Manchester Property Venture Fund (GMPVF) and its joint venture development partner, Argent, have today received planning approval from Manchester City Council for the redevelopment of Elisabeth House for a new 270,000 sq ft office building, which will now be known as One St. Peter's Square. The planning application was submitted to the Council in November 2009. Prior to the application being submitted, a public exhibition was held in October 2009, as part of which, visitors had the opportunity to view the plans and discuss them with the developers, the project's architects and its planning advisors. The results from the consultation were then reviewed and incorporated into the final submission before being presented to the Council.
Posted by Emma Gritt on 3:18 PM | Comments (0)
The China syndrome
February 15, 2010
By Jon Young Editor of Tunnels and Tunnelling International Magazine
Most, if not all, tunneling businesses will be looking to China to boost their returns over the coming years as previously buoyant markets slow. Understanding the opportunities that exist in the nation and its neighbours, how to integrate with local business and at the same time protect the companies' self interest is probably the greatest challenge to overcome.
Posted by Editor on 12:04 PM | Comments (0)
All the fun of the fair
February 10, 2010
By Richard Howes, Group Editor of Cranes Today, Hoist, OCH and Middle East Cranes
Manufacturers preening their feathers and an inbox swamped with marketing literature and Photoshopped images are sure signs that the trade show season will shortly be upon us. For cranes, indeed, many construction and earth-moving equipment sectors, April's Bauma show in Munich is the biggest trade fair of the lot. Also preparing for showtime is the industry's independent international magazine, Cranes Today. As editor, I'm looking forward to exchanging stories with fellow exhibitors and visitors alike, some of which I haven't seen since the previous large-scale construction event, Intermat, which was held in Paris, last April.
Posted by Editor on 3:24 PM | Comments (0)
Eliminate the positive, accentuate the negative
February 6, 2010
By Mike Jeffree editor of Timber Trade Journal
A decade ago I scoffed and sneered with the best of them when a BBC newscaster, Martyn Lewis, said there was too much stress on bad news in the UK media. But experience and, no doubt, accelerating middle age are increasingly persuading me he had a point. And for the media, include in the best selling British newspaper The Daily Telegraph.
Posted by Editor on 4:27 PM | Comments (0)
