Plantworx 2019

04 June, 2019

First published in the May 2019 issue of Quarry Management

A preview of some of the new plant, equipment and services at this year’s construction machinery show

Plantworx 2019 – a three-day exhibition of equipment, plant, tools and services for the UK construction industry – will take place at the East of England Arena and Events Centre (EEAEC), on the outskirts of Peterborough, from 11–13 June 2019.

Around 15,000 visitors from a variety of construction sectors, including plant and tool hire, highways, civil engineering and demolition, are expected to attend the biennial event, whilst some 350 exhibitors will be using the trade show as a platform to showcase their latest products and service offerings.

The last two editions of the exhibition were held at the Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, near Lutterworth, but this year the Construction Equipment Association (CEA), which organizes the show, has decided Plantworx will relocate to a brand-new venue – the EEAEC – following exhibitor feedback from the 2017 event.

The event organizers hope the move will deliver an event that is bigger, better and more collaborative than the previous shows. At the new venue, Plantworx will continue to give visitors the chance to see some of the latest plant and machinery operating in ‘live working’ construction site conditions in the Dig Zone, alongside compact/mid-range equipment, tools and services.

This year’s exhibition will feature three other key activity areas – Simulation Zone, Classic Plant and Railworx.

The Simulation Zone at Plantworx 2019 will promote interactive training, highlighting the latest virtual reality technology in the construction equipment sector. The zone will comprise six state-of-the-art simulators; creating a ‘live virtual construction site.’

Each virtual reality simulator will be linked and represent an individual construction machine (eg excavator, wheel loader, tower crane, articulated dumptruck etc.). And participants will be encouraged to work together on the simulators to complete tasks on the virtual building site.

Not only will visitors discover the latest immersive technology in the construction industry at Plantworx, they will also be able to take a step back in time, revisiting the equipment and kit that inspired today’s modern machines in the Classic Plant exhibition.

This year’s Plantworx will also see the launch of Railworx, which will give visitors the opportunity to see the latest plant, equipment and systems used for railway civil engineering, including piling, reinforcing, access, lifting, surveying and monitoring.

A number of exhibitors such as JCB, Hyundai, Finning Cat, LuiGong and Komatsu have confirmed their attendance at this year’s exhibition. Here, we provide a snapshot of some of the new products, systems and services on display or demonstration at Plantworx 2019.

Atlantis Tanks are showing their PortaFuel and StoraFuel range, which the company says offers the very best in terms of transportable fuel tanks for use in many different sectors to refuel machinery and/or any other needs, such as bulk fuel storage to service fleets of vehicles.

Atlas Copco’s E-Air electric-powered compressor is part of the company’s new award-winning Power Technique range. The E-Air provides up to 40% greater flow for the same power consumption as conventional portable compressors, whilst weighing less and having a 15% smaller footprint than comparable models.

Changes to legislation have meant that volumetric concrete mixers have had to reduce their payload from 40+ tonnes down to 32 tonnes. Armcon’s designers have risen to the challenge and created the brand-new DuraLight machine, which can hold 8m3 of concrete whilst maintaining compliance with new axle weight regulations. By incorporating modern high-specification Hardox and Strenx performance steels, Armcon have also improved the mixer’s structural integrity and durability.

Banks Plant Solutions are an experienced and skilled plant and equipment engineering team providing comprehensive plant maintenance services to the waste, recycling, construction, mining, quarrying and plant hire industries across the north-east of England, the North West and North Yorkshire.

On the Barrus stand and ready to meet Stage V emission regulations, the John Deere engine range offers ratings from 36kW to more than 500kW (48hp to more than 670hp) with displacements from 2.9 litres through to the new 13.6 litre unit. John Deere have pioneered advanced emissions technologies for previous tiers, which have provided the foundation for their Stage V solutions.

Featuring a patented replaceable screening net system, the PRODEM PSB-R range on the BPH Attachments stand offers screening flexibility, durability and productivity on demolition, construction, recycling and landfill sites. The PRODEM PSB-R rotary screening bucket is suitable for material selection, aggregate recovery, waste separation, filling containment cages, covering pipelines, and more. It is suitable for use on excavators weighing from 2.5 tonnes to 75 tonnes and is also available in a wheel loader version.

Brigade Electronics will be introducing their new Backsense radar on-screen display. Brigade’s Backsense radar sensor systems detect people and objects in vehicle blind

Capital Seating will be showing the Actimo Evolution seat which is, according to the company, the premium comfort seat for wheel loader and excavators. It is equipped with a low-frequency pneumatic suspension to compensate for vibrations and jolts even more effectively, plus a fore and aft isolator to minimize vibrations in the driving direction.

Euroflo are one of the leading suppliers of high-quality site pumps. Their range of pumps includes Grindex submersible pumps, dredging pumps and super-silent diesel pumps. Available for hire and sale, the company’s range of pumps is specifically designed for tough site conditions and arduous applications.

Hyundai Construction Equipment will be bringing a range of machines including examples from their new A series. Taking centre stage will be the HX220A L (stage V) crawler excavator, which includes EPFC, Auto Safety Lock and Eco Guidance. Hyundai will also have a demonstration area where machines will be in action.

Miller will be launching what they claim to be their safest, most innovative and intelligent quick-coupler, the GT Series. The innovative GT quick-coupler features an Intelligent Coupler Connect System as well as a novel ISO-compliant locking system, designed to ensure that the widest range of OEM pin pickups are safely attached even if there is a loss of hydraulic power.

Pavemac will be showing their KS12-16 Extendachip, which is a new and innovative design with a focus on safety. A review of past incidents surrounding chipper operations has led to significant investment into the improvement of the aggregate chip spreader. Operational reliability, enhanced controls, manoeuvrability and ease of operation were central to the development of the KS12-16.

Rototilt say their tiltrotators completely transform the way excavators are used, and with their new R9 model, this transformation is now available for excavators up to 40 tonnes in weight.

Siltbuster, a UK leading supplier of water treatment technology to the construction industry, will be demonstrating that there is more to water treatment than just equipment. At Plantworx, the company will be showcasing Clarity – a groundbreaking, award-winning, real-time monitoring system which means contractors and subcontractors know how their on-site water treatment is performing 24h a day, seven days a week.

Sitech UK & Ireland will be showing the latest machine control technology in the form of the Trimble Earthworks Grade Control Platform. This next-generation control system is designed to optimize mixed fleets and create an integrated site solution. With a simple and intuitive platform utilizing Android user interface on a 10in touch-screen, visitors will be able to learn more and trial the system on the company’s advanced simulator.

Stock Sweepers will be showing their new Quadvac road sweeper, which is said to feature the most advanced road sweeping technology and the highest standard specification of any machines in the market. The rear suction nozzles with high-pressure water follow the ground contour, ensuring optimum cleaning performance even in areas with surface imperfections.

Tyre Boss will be showing the next generation of Cushion solid tyres. Suitable for loading shovels, wheeled excavators, telehandlers and re-handling machines, they have a super-deep tread and deliver four times the life of a pneumatic tyre, providing a reliable, maintenance-free solution. Tyre Boss also have an extensive range of pneumatic OTR and construction tyres for applications that do not require cushion solids.

Fluid-power specialists Webtec have recently launched an ‘Introduction to Practical Hydraulic System Maintenance’, a new guide for all fluid-power technicians. This invaluable tool aims to help educate technicians and engineers new to hydraulic fluid-power maintenance. All profits from the book will be donated to support STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) programmes.