Author: Kate Wade

Maintainer Corp. of Iowa has added two new 25-foot hydraulic cranes to its line of work truck cranes. The H12025 and H14025 telescopic cranes are engineered to provide more lifting capacity at further distances from the truck. Each new crane boasts a 90,000-foot-pound crane rating and has a reach of 25 feet. The H12025 has a maximum lift of 12,000 pounds, while the H14025 can lift 14,000 pounds. The cranes feature a planetary winch mounted on the boom, which is an upgrade over Maintainer’s existing 12000 and 14000 crane models.

The two new cranes are also equipped with Maintainer’s latest Advanced Crane Control to monitor the stability of the crane during operation. New sensors have been installed that will monitor the tilt angle of the truck as well as the boom angle of the crane. If the system senses an out-of-level condition, it will warn the operator and even stop the crane rotation if necessary. The system also monitors the rotational position of the crane to determine overall truck stability when making large lifts. www.maintainer.com

Ford Motor Co. is teaming with DTE Energy to build Michigan’s largest solar array at Ford World Headquarters. The project, funded by DTE Energy, will provide employees with 360 covered parking spaces and 30 charging stations for plug-in electric vehicles such as the company’s Ford Fusion Energi and C-MAX Hybrid Energi. A kiosk will also be on-site offering general information to visitors about solar power and specific details about the Ford carport.

The solar canopy will have capacity to generate 1.038 megawatts of electricity – enough to power 158 average-sized homes. It will be the second-largest solar carport in the Midwest, after a 1.1-megawatt facility at the Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio, and it will reduce the amount of electricity Ford pulls from the grid to run its offices. The solar array will offset an estimated 794 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

The solar installation is part of an initiative DTE Energy launched in 2009 called SolarCurrents. The program works to fulfill DTE Energy’s commitment to generate 10 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2015. This is the second collaboration between Ford and DTE Energy in recent years. www.ford.com, www.dteenergy.com

Royal Purple has introduced Duralec, its new commercial lubricant product line. The new line has been specifically developed for the over-the-road trucking, construction, mining, agriculture and heavy-duty fleet markets with state-of-the-art technology to optimize equipment performance.

Some of the new products include Duralec Super, made for EPA 2007 and 2010 emissions-equipped diesel engines requiring the use of emissions-compliant oil; Duralec Ultra, recommended for use in two-cycle and four-cycle diesel applications including automotive, commercial fleet and stationary industrial diesel engines; Duralec ATF, a synthetic high-performance automatic transmission fluid formulated for demanding operating conditions; Duralec MTF, which provides outstanding friction performance with both the metallic and nonmetallic friction materials found in today’s high-tech power-shift transmissions; and Duralec Gear Oil HD, which is recommended for use in truck and automotive front or rear differentials, manual transmissions, and lower gear units of marine engines that specify use of an API GL-5 or GL-4 fluid. www.royalpurple.com

The newest edition of the industry’s favorite rigging handbook is available from the Crane Institute of America. “Rigging,” by James Headley, has been converted from imperial to metric. Providing practical information and great illustrations, the “Rigging Metric” handbook contains the latest information on wire rope, rigging hardware and slings, including capacity tables and charts.

Along with the rated capacity tables of slings and rigging hardware, the book covers how to calculate load weight and sling loading, and proper load-handling techniques. The information is applicable to rigging operations no matter where you are in the world. By offering two versions of the books, trainers and students now have a resource that improves communication, understanding and safety. www.craneinstitute.com

Virtual Driver Interactive Inc. showcased Virtual HD at ASSE’s Safety 2014 in June. Virtual HD is the industry’s first voice-controlled, interactive, simulation-based driver safety program designed to improve hazard recognition skills and reduce crash risk for many top commercial fleets.

Organizations including UPS, PSE&G, Cox and GE Oil & Gas currently use Virtual HD to train employees. The simulation includes a self-paced series of experiences designed to improve hazard recognition skills, lower accident rates and reduce distracted driving in about 60 minutes. Virtual HD focuses on eliminating the primary cause for crashes: a failure to recognize and react to hazardous driving situations. A unique feature of the Virtual HD program is vehicle-specific training mimicking actual driving experiences on the job no matter what fleet vehicles are used by the company.

Virtual HD can help not only lower crash incidents and associated costs, but also lower the cost of training while increasing the rate at which drivers are trained. www.driverinteractive.com

Terex Texoma Interchangeable Head (ICH) augers are now available for the Terex General and Commander series digger derricks. ICH augers enable utility contractors to accommodate a variety of drilling configurations and applications with a single auger body.

ICH augers eliminate the need for customers to have multiple augers. By switching out the auger head, customers can work in various ground conditions throughout their operations area, as well as change hole diameters, with minimal effort.

Three types of Terex ICH augers are available: TX Series for dirt or cobble applications, BTA Series for hard rock applications, and a core barrel option for extreme applications.

ICH augers are offered in three flight options: medium duty, heavy duty and extra heavy duty. Replacement teeth and pilot bits are available. www.terex.com/utilities

KH Industries has expanded its Quad Light offering to include 3,200 and 7,200 Lumen LED models. The Quad Light is known for its durability and is the industry standard for rugged, wide area lighting in large-scale manufacturing, and in the overhaul, maintenance and repair industries. With the recent dual cUS/CSA Certification for the 3,200 and 7,200 Lumen models, the Quad Light will deliver more durability.

KH’s LED Quad Lights can be used for feed-through lighting or single use. They are available with clear tube shields for 360-degree wide area lighting or reflective tube shields for focused task lighting. The lights have flexible positioning and can hang, stand or lay on the floor. They also come with mounting straps and 45-degree-angled feet. www.khindustries.com

Verizon Networkfleet and J.J. Keller & Associates have reached an agreement to develop the trucking industry’s first integrated GPS fleet management solution that will provide complete performance and compliance management. Unique to the industry, J.J. Keller’s Encompass compliance system will be added later this year to Verizon Networkfleet’s comprehensive fleet management portfolio.

With this new integrated solution, Verizon Networkfleet clients will be able to efficiently manage critical requirements such as hours of service, driver vehicle inspection reports and fuel taxes. The J.J. Keller electronic compliance functionality will be embedded in Verizon Networkfleet hardware, which will seamlessly transfer data to the J.J. Keller Mobile app via Bluetooth technology. www.networkfleet.com

The 2015 Chevrolet City Express LS – the brand’s first entry in the small cargo van segment – will have a starting price of $22,950. It has 122.7 cubic feet of customizable cargo space, turning diameter of 36.7 feet and an estimated 1,500-pound payload capacity.

Standard features include fold-down mobile workspace passenger seat, 20 interior cargo-mounting points, six floor-mounted D-rings, six exterior roof rack mounting points and a 150-amp alternator.

The 2015 Chevrolet City Express LT starts at $24,510. Standard features, also available on the LS, include cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity and backup sensors. Remote keyless entry and heated, power-adjustable outside mirrors also are standard on the LT.

The City Express will arrive at dealers in the fourth quarter. www.chevrolet.com