Check out some interesting headlines around the construction and heavy equipment industry from the past two weeks.

Komatsu Equipment Awarded SHARP Certification (Construction Equipment Guide)
"Komatsu Equipment was awarded the prestigious Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) Award at its Salt Lake City, Utah, facility on April 12. Komatsu Equipment is the first company to receive the certification in the heavy equipment industry in Utah and fourteenth overall company to become SHARP certified in the state." Read more

John Deere MyMaintenance App to Simplify Construction Equipment Maintenance (MachineFinder)

"The John Deere MyMaintenance mobile app was officially rolled out on May 12, providing a new machine maintenance tool to John Deere construction equipment owners and operators. The app, which can be downloaded for iOS and Android devices, is designed to work exclusively with John Deere machines that have an active JDLink ™ subscription." Read more

Join us tomorrow, May 24th for our last Tuesday of the month Tools, Parts and Attachments sale. Look for nearly 400 accessories and parts that extend the life and capabilities of your machines such as concrete forms, buckets, pipe, air compressors, concrete mixers, tanks, and much more.

Don't see the tools you need? Join us again on Wednesday, May 25th for our Complete Dispersal for R.J. Taylor-Wyatt, LLC in Ballard, Utah. You'll find another huge selection of misc. items, shop tools, parts & attachments. View all items here!

Wildfires that forced the evacuation of 88,000 people from the city of Fort McMurray in northern Alberta nearly three weeks ago continue to burn. Alberta officials say the fire now covers more than 2,000 square miles. It destroyed 2,432 structures in the city and damaged another 530. The good news is 25,000 structures were saved. Red Cross and Finning Canada have stepped forward in support of evacuees.

Tragically, two people, one the daughter of a deputy fire chief, died in a vehicle collision after escaping the inferno that engulfed their town. The Fort McMurray fire grew quickly, from just 200 acres to 6000 acres within two hours of being discovered on May 1; two days later, all of Fort McMurray, a community that supports the huge oil sands industry in the region, was placed under a mandatory evacuation order.

Although fire conditions remain extreme in the region, Fort McMurray evacuees should begin returning home June 1. Cooler temperatures and rain are helping firefighters battle the blaze.

Check out some interesting headlines around the industry from the past week.

Convergence Impact on Oilfield Services - Disrupting a $250 Billion Market (PR Newswire)
"As low oil prices give way to dwindling profit margins, strategies dictate organizations to curb inefficient practices and replace them with technologically advanced smart solutions. Connected oilfield services facilitate reduced drill time and increased productivity. The digital transformation has shifted focus to chasing efficiencies from the traditional one of chasing barrels. Business model disruptions to sell performance instead of equipment have taken over, as analytics becomes a strong part of the automation portfolio. The ICT industry has taken a leap of faith with the introduction of cognitive technologies through virtual assistants in oilfield services, taking artificial intelligence applications to a higher level." Read more

This week, we kick off a new weekly blog feature, "Canadian Perspectives" from our team at IronPlanet, Canada.

Most people know that Canada’s a big place, 2nd only to Russia in land mass (the U.S. ranks 3rd). So not having to drag the equipment you want to sell to an auction site hundreds of miles away is a real bonus. Some Albertan equipment owners, who were in attendance at a recent Cat Auction Services auction in Edmonton, wholeheartedly agree. The equipment management team from a Calgary-based operation with nearly 200 pieces of used heavy equipment scattered from coast to coast made the difficult decision to trim the fleet. A sizeable portion was parked against a fence due to a sputtering economy. The equipment director’s thinking was this - as inactive units age, potential repair and maintenance bills could potentially balloon. 

Last month, IronPlanet held it's very first Cat Auction Services Unreserved Public Auction in the UK at Rockingham Motor Speedway. Hosted by Finning, this landmark auction featured high-quality Cat equipment and machinery from other dealers, rental customers and construction companies in the UK and from across the continent. Click here to view a video of the auction, including interviews with customers and the IronPlanet executive team. Interested in learning more about auctions in Europe? Preview featured items in IronPlanet's upcoming European auction on May 25, 2016.

Check out some interesting headlines around the industry from the past week.

Volvo CE is Giving Students Access to a Golden Ticket (Construction Equipment)
"In honor of its 50th anniversary, Volvo kicked off its first in a series of educational workshops for technical students this month. Volvo Construction Equipment is touring North America in a golden hauler, making stops at dealerships and welcoming local chapters of SkillsUSA and Skills Canada along the way. Volvo's goal is to connect students with an interest in the trades with the many opportunities available in the construction industry. Volvo's gold-painted articulated hauler catches their attention." Read more

Don't miss these featured items coming up this Thursday, May 5th!  Bid on nearly 1,000 pieces of equipment starting NOW! Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with GREAT DEALS on equipment!

Don't miss these featured items from Canada this week as we Spring Into Action with our end of April auctions! Bid on these and much more starting now!

Join us the last Tuesday of each month for a special Tools, Parts and Attachments Sale. Our Tuesday, April 26th sale will features hundreds of accessories and parts that extend the life and capabilities of your machines. Look for concrete forms, buckets, pipe, trench shields, wheels, barriers, steel beams and much more. Check back each month to find the parts you are looking for!