Industry bible gets a hip new look

As the must-have annual resource guide, the Plant Specs print edition has become a collectable in its own right with hundreds of bookshelves around the country boasting the complete collection of print releases dating back into the 1980’s.

More modern types have adopted the CD-Rom product with great enthusiasm, providing access to historical data on construction equipment as well as the current models available for sale; the CD-Rom has proven particularly popular with used equipment specialists and general enthusiasts who like the on-demand nature of the data and the convenience of the digital product.

Plant Specs Online is the next evolution of the product which delivers all of the benefits that the print and disc versions offer, along with the convenience of access from any internet ready PC or mobile device. Increased functionality in the online product is offered through the ability to create customisable reports in PDF or Excel format, using data extracted from the Plant Specs database.

Familiar but even more powerful

Using the same classification system as the print version – which is now recognised as the industry standard – the Plant Specs Online product is the easiest to use resource guide yet. Whether you’re researching information to classify an upcoming tender, or looking for equipment models to suit a specific need, Plant Specs has become the indispensable guide to CE information for more than two decades.

With the introduction of the www.plantspecs. com.au product, there is now a more costeffective way to deploy Plant Specs across your organisation, through a range of site licenses which have been made available to substantially reduce the cost of accessing the information on a per person basis.

When accessed through a laptop computer in the field, you have the same powerful engine and statistical database at your disposal, as you do in your office or on hardcopy in your briefcase.

You can even access Plant Specs Online using an iPad or Mobile Phone provided you have access to the internet. Any machine, any year, if it was listed in print since 1987, we’ve got it online for you and all of it can be accessed with a simple username and password.

Celebrate with us and enjoy a free trial

For a limited time you can access a free 14 day trial of the new Plant Specs Online product by visiting the www.plant-specs.com.au website and completing the simple registration process. You can enter the username and password as often as you like within the fourteen day trial period to take full advantage of the increased functionality of the new format and the convenient access to information that it offers.

You can access the site from any internet ready computer, at home, at work, on the road, however only one user can be logged on at any one time. Using the site itself is incredibly simple and logical to ensure that even non-regular computer users will be able to navigate through the site with ease, but the site hasn’t been dumbed down and the versatility of the engine that drives the searches is truly impressive.

Once logged in, you select the piece of equipment you want information on from a range of buttons featuring images of the actual
equipment, so it’s at once familiar and if you want to research dozers you simply click on the image of the dozer. From there you are offered a sub-menu of choices to narrow the search field into categories, ie: swamp dozers, crawler dozers etc. And that’s it!

Your results are laid out for you in the same way they are presented in the print edition, making it easy to understand and compare between models, you also have the option of further refining your search according to 4 key parameters:

• Searching by Make
• Search by specific Model Number
• Search by Year Range
• Search by Class

As many of you would have experienced when using automotive websites, on www.plant-specs.com.au you are able to search according to a specific equipment make or manufacturer, which can be selected from a menu at the top of the page.

The menu lists all of the manufacturers with equipment in that category and using this feature will limit your search results to equipment produced by that specific manufacturer only. There is also the facility to search according to a specific equipment model number if you know it, along with a sliding rule to limit searches between specific years.

There are two adjustments on the sliding rule, they set the beginning and end dates for the search and can be used independently, or in conjunction with, the other adjustable search parameters.

You can also refine your search parameters from a menu according to the specific equipment class you are interested in. Again, this feature can be used independently, or in conjunction with the other search features, to narrow the results to exactly what you’re looking for.

The results of the search or refinement will be tabled in the standardised format and you can tailor the presentation of the data to your liking by simply adjusting the number of results per page you would like to have displayed.

New comparison feature

One of the most exciting additions to the Plant Specs Online product is the ability to directly compare multiple pieces of equipment. A column down the left hand side of the screen contains a series of check-boxes and you simply click on the models you would like to compare and the website takes care of the rest for you, presenting the information in a clarified and easy to compare format.

From there you can export the comparison as an Adobe PDF or Microsoft Excel Worksheet for distribution or printing at your convenience, never before have you had so much power and flexibility at your fingertips.

The choice of two export formats means that the vast majority of businesses have access to a means of sharing the information digitally without having to invest in new software suites which can be prohibitively expensive. Many business operate the Microsoft Office suite or something similar and Adobe’s PDF Reader is available free of charge, although most PC’s currently come pre-loaded with both these products.

Additional Directories add value

The website also features the definitive and comprehensive listing of industry participants, the Plant Specs Directory of Suppliers, a complete database of all companies that stock and/or supply earthmoving equipment, tools and machinery in Australia.

Compiled by Earthmover & Civil Contractor with the assistance of the Civil Contractors Federation, this is the essential database for anyone looking to source a supplier Australia-wide.

There’s also a cross-referenced Product Directory, a tool which allows you to search for a particular brand via its Australian distributor, so if you’re looking to purchase a particular item by a specific manufacturer, you can search by its brand name to find your closest retailer.

A separate list of Quick Hitch suppliers is also available to minimise confusion, wasted telephone calls and substantially reduce browsing times.

At $297.00 for a twelve month subscription, the package represents excellent value. It has evolved into a powerful business tool through a simple evolution of its format and the harnessing of current technologies to improve accessibility. CCF Members (beyond their initial 6 month free trial period) have access to a 50% discount off that annual rate, with twelve months costing just $149.00

Packages combining the Earthmover & Civil Contractor magazine, along with the print edition of Plant Specs and a twelve month subscription to Plant Specs Online are also available. Early adopters pick up a bonus 2013 print edition of Plant Specs as an incentive to get on board with the new program.

Who’s using it ?

There has been keen interest from the equipment manufacturing sector since the concept was first touted and in the first few weeks since release there have been expressions of interest in company-wide site licenses to help improve information flow in respect of equipment specs.

Local Government is also an early adopter, using the specifications to classify tenders and advertisements. Transport & Logistics companies have been quick to see the benefits; fingertip access to specifications ‘on-demand’ is a key time-saver in their workflow process.

Equipment Hire companies watch the specifications intently, to see which pieces of equipment are classified in each class, and which therefore, represents the best return on capital outlaid. Auction Houses and Used Equipment specialists have a vested interest in getting their facts right, particularly when it comes to some of the older models which are becoming ‘rarer than hen’s teeth’, so access to information where and when they need it – even in an outback paddock – is an essential business tool.

Where to for print...

For all the purists, have no fear, the print edition of Plant Specs isn’t going anywhere just yet and Informa have confirmed their intention to continue publishing the print edition and helping contractors expand their bookcases into the foreseeable future.

For many, an electronic device is not practical in their work environment and the print edition is a more reliable way of ensuring they can access the information when they need it. Beyond the collectors, there are quite literally thousands of contractors who use Plant Specs everyday and for many of them the print edition will be more helpful. Whichever way they decide, there will be an industry bible available to meet the changing needs of their business.