Welcome to our latest issue of Plant & Civil Engineer. While we are still in the grip of a lockdown, the industry in general on both sides of the border is weathering the storm caused by the global pandemic.
Indeed, an annual construction industry review, published by AECOM, predicts that the construction industry will remain stable in 2021. The report also indicates that, despite the challenges presented by Covid-19 and Brexit, the sector is one of the better performing industries at the moment in Northern Ireland.
The picture in the Irish Republic is even better. The report anticipates a strong year for the sector based on a presumption that normal activity will resume shortly as the vaccine roll-out continues, with a projected growth rate of 15% for the year ahead, highlighting the Irish industry’s resilience at the moment.
Also striking a positive note in a broader context is the UK’s Construction Equipment Association. In a New Year message it points to the fact that throughout 2020, construction sites across the country have kept working under unprecedented conditions, and it is optimistic about what 2021 will bring.
However, as the MPANI’s Gordon Best says in his regular column, there is no denying the last 11 months have changed us and society forever. The virus will be with us for some time yet, if not indefinitely, so we must continue to protect our families, our friends, our work colleagues and ourselves from the virus.
So, what have we got for you in this issue? We turn a special focus on the excavator market, highlighting new machine launches from Komatsu, Doosan, Kobelco, Hyundai and other leading manufacturers, including a special report on JCB’s first ever virtual launch of its new electric range, and Caterpillar’s unveiling online of its next generation wheeled and tracked machines.
We also have a comprehensive guide to buying a tiltrotator, highlighting what to consider
when investing in this increasingly popular and innovative tool that can transform
an excavator into a more versatile piece of equipment, and we investigate what the
construction site of the future might look like; it makes an interesting read!
Please click the download button in the magazine viewer below
for the Jan-Feb 2021 issue of Plant & Civil Engineer Magazine.
