New Holland Donates Skid Steers to Kansas Relief Effort

Greensburg is a sleepy city in the central part of southwest Kansas. It’s the most populous city in Kiowa County (estimated to have 1,452 residents in 2004) and is home to North America’s largest hand-dug well (109 ft deep, built in 1887 for the Santa Fe and Rock Island railroads).

On Monday, May 4, 2007, Greensburg was devastated by an F5 tornado that destroyed 95 percent of the city and killed 10 people. The twister was estimated to be 1.7 miles in width and traveled for nearly 22 miles.

The city is still pulling together its resources to recover. To help augment disaster relief, New Holland Construction is donating construction equipment and clothing to the Kansas National Guard to support the humanitarian effort and restoration work in Greensburg in the wake of the powerful F5 tornado.

“Our thoughts are with the residents of Greensburg and the surrounding area who are trying to recover from one of the most severe tornadoes to hit the state of Kansas in 10 years,” said Terry Sheehan, vice president of New Holland Construction North America and president of Kobelco Construction Machinery America. “We’re proud to help make a difference and do our part for the community by providing equipment that can help in the cleanup and rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of the tornado.”

New Holland Construction has already dispatched six Super Boom L190 skid steer loaders and pallet fork attachments, brush grapples and grapple buckets from the company’s Wichita plant to the area for use in clearing and removing tons of debris and moving emergency supplies and materials.

To further assist in the massive cleanup effort underway, New Holland Construction and its local Wichita dealer, Wichita Tractor Co., have also offered to supply the Kansas National Guard with a W110 full-sized wheel loader and, through the company’s joint venture arrangement with Kobelco Construction Machinery America Co. Ltd., a Kobelco SK210LC hydraulic excavator.

Answering the call for clothing and headwear, New Holland Construction immediately shipped boxes of shirts and caps to the Greensburg relief effort. New Holland Construction is also working closely with its dealers in Kansas, Wichita Tractor Co. and KanEquip Inc., to channel assistance and provide product support to the Kansas National Guard for the L190 skid steer loaders.

Individuals and groups can assist AmeriCorps with debris removal and other jobs throughout town subject to the approval of Greensburg and its law enforcement officers. Volunteers must call 211 (in Kansas) or (888) 413-4327 (out-of-state) prior to arrival. Volunteers must be ready to present a driver’s license and consent to a vehicle search to gain access at any checkpoint. Volunteers should bring solid work gloves, jeans, and prepare for hazardous environments. For more information, visit AmeriCorps online at www.americorps.org.

Toro Partners with Talladega Superspeedway

While watching stock cars hit speeds well in excess of 200 mph, in the scorching Alabama heat, on the largest oval track in the Nextel Cup Series, a cool spot on the grassy infield is a fan favorite for patrons of the Talladega Superspeedway. Now, that refreshing, well-groomed green space will be maintained with the help of Toro equipment. The Toro Co. has entered into a relationship with Talladega Superspeedway as the Official Supplier of Turfgrass Maintenance Equipment.

“Toro is extremely excited and proud to be associated with such an impressive venue as Talladega Superspeedway,” said Peter Moeller, director of sports fields and grounds marketing at Toro. “Toro equipment has already been in full force, from mowing the turf to transporting tools and supplies, helping to prepare the grounds of the Talladega Superspeedway in advance of several high-profile motorsports events.”

Toro has provided Toro Workman 1110 utility vehicles, several Toro walk power and riding mowers and the renowned Groundsmaster 580-D wide area rotary mower with 16-ft width of cut for maximum productivity.

“Talladega Superspeedway is the largest, fastest, most competitive motorsports facility in the world,” said Rick Humphrey, vice president and general manager at Talladega Superspeedway. “We have the reputation for being the best in the business, so a partnership with Toro is a natural fit. We are thrilled to bring Toro on board with us and look forward to all of the opportunities this will bring.”

Toro’s equipment and expertise are also utilized at a variety of other sporting venues including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Wimbledon All England Lawn Tennis Club, all Super Bowl venues, the University of Notre Dame, the Rose Bowl, soccer’s World Cup, Walt Disney World Resort and Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex and many collegiate and professional sports stadiums.

Book Store: New Case IH Publication Celebrates the Equipment Brand

Since we know you love to read about machines, the bibliophiles at Compact Equipment recommend Case IH’s latest hardcover coffee table book — For Those Who Demand More: We Are Case IH — now available for purchase on the company’s Web site. The award-winning book highlights the company’s rich agricultural heritage, which spans nearly two centuries from the Industrial Revolution to today’s precision farming technologies.

“Anyone interested in the evolution of farming will enjoy this book,” said Krista Knigge, Case IH director of brand communications. “The history of Case IH dates back to the early 1800s, when Cyrus McCormick’s reaper and Jerome Increase Case’s threshing machines helped increase agricultural productivity a hundred times over.”

According to Knigge, increasing productivity is a tradition that continues today at Case IH. “From high-horsepower tractors and Axial-Flow combines to utilizing energy from farm-grown fuels and pioneering auto-guidance systems, our engineers focus on creating innovations that meet our customers’ demands for increased power and productivity.”

For Those Who Demand More: We Are Case IH is available in English, French and Spanish, at a cost of $35 each. For more information or to order a copy, visit your local Case IH dealer or click on the Merchandise tab at www.caseih.com/na.

United Rentals Announces U.S. Government Is Its Largest Customer

United Rentals is all about big government spending — especially when it comes to their rental lots. The company announced in May that the U.S. Federal Government became its largest customer in 2006. The company first obtained its General Services Administration (GSA) contract allowing it to do business with all agencies of the federal government in 2005 and, interestingly enough, it is the only national equipment rental company that has a GSA contract.

“The U.S. Government represents a very unique opportunity for United Rentals,” said Michael MacDonald, senior vice president of sales for United Rentals. “All branches of government and the armed services have unparalleled access to our rental equipment fleet and our line of contractor supplies. The company’s dedicated sales force also provides a broad array of services ranging from preventative maintenance to emergency response in times of natural disaster.”

Under the terms of its GSA contract (with the catchy name GS-06F-0068R Schedule 51V), United Rentals provides government customers with access to rental equipment, contractor supplies and new equipment sales and services through its extensive network of rental locations. The scope of the agreement establishes United Rentals as an approved supplier to the executive, legislative and judicial branches, as well as the U.S. Military.

Although the federal government is United Rentals’ largest customer, revenues from the government represent less than 1 percent of the company’s revenue (but that was still a whopping $3.6 billion in 2006). United Rentals Inc. is the largest equipment rental company in the world, with an integrated network of over 690 rental locations in 48 states, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico.

Jobs Report Shows Nonresidential Construction Is Hot

The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) considers itself the voice of the construction industry. Being the nation’s largest and oldest construction trade association (established in 1918 after a request by President Woodrow Wilson), the AGC’s voice has be honed by the most informed and sophisticated contractors in American construction history.

The AGC’s market swami — chief economist Ken Simonson — helps voice the association’s industry analysis insights. And according to Simonson, current, leading indicators show the nonresidential market is cooking.

“Today’s employment report shows that nonresidential construction is still a potent job creator,” said Simonson, from his AGC think tank in Washington, D.C. Simonson was commenting on the June 1 payroll employment report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

“Seasonally adjusted total construction employment was flat in May and down by 21,000 or 0.4 percent compared to May 2006,” Simonson remarked. “But that masks divergent trends in nonresidential and residential construction. Over the past 12 months, employment in the three nonresidential categories — nonresidential building, specialty trades, plus heavy and civil engineering — climbed 2.4 percent, considerably faster than the 1.4 percent gain in overall non-farm payroll employment. That nearly offset the 3.9 percent drop in residential building and specialty trades employment.”

The actual difference is most likely even starker, pondered Simonson. Ears planted firmly to the ground, the AGC has been hearing that many subcontractors that formerly concentrated on residential work are now doing commercial construction, but their companies are probably still counted as being in the residential specialty trade industry.

“The report contains more good news for nonresidential construction in that architectural and engineering service firms are hiring workers at an even more rapid clip,” Simonson noted. “Their employment rose 3.8 percent in the past 12 months. Their output will turn into construction jobs in the next several months.”