CalContractor - 2021 Compact Equipment Construction

Issue 7 - 2021

MAGAZINE

18 Volvo Compact Electric

06 Pierre Landscape 24 Backhoes

COMPACT CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT CONTINUES UPWARD TREND IN CALIFORNIA 12 Fresno Plumbing & Heating

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Let’s talk size for a minute. Cat small excavators can handle smaller jobs or space-constrained applications at a low cost per hour. That means more productive and more profitable jobs. And now, you can take advantage of the latest offer for these machines and get big savings — a low financing rate to lower your payments and free up cash.

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*Offer valid from July 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021 on new 311 through 318 Cat excavators sold by participating Cat dealers to customers in the USA. Purchase must occur during offer period. Offer subject to machine availability and credit approval by Cat Financial. Not all customers will qualify. Offer may change without prior notice and cannot be combined with any other offers. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Contact your Cat dealer for details. ®

© 2021 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, LET’S DO THE WORK, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Corporate Yellow”, the “Power Edge” and Cat “Modern Hex” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

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CONTENTS 2021 Compact Equipment

06 12 18 24 28 06

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PUBLISHER: Kerry Hoover khoover@calcontractor.com

PIERRE LANDSCAPE

Leverages John Deere Compact Equipment to Maintain their Advantage in the Southern California Commercial Landscape Construction Industry

FRESNO PLUMBING & HEATING, INC.

Cat Mini Excavators Drive Productivity for Fresno Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

EDITORS: Brian Hoover, Senior Editor GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Aldo Myftari FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION: Please call: (909) 772-3121 CalContractor is published twelve times each year by Construction Marketing Services, LLC.

VOLVO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT & SERVICES, INC.

Copyright © 2021. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

Marketing Compact Electric Construction Equipment in California

P.O. Box 892977, Temecula, CA 92589

Backhoe Loader Going Strong in Specific Applications and Still the Primary Tool for Many Contractors INDUSTRY NEWS www.CalContractor .com 12

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Bakersfield 9150 Golden State Hwy. Bakersfield, CA 93308 661.387.6090 Corona 22099 Knabe Rd. Corona, CA 92883 951.277.7620 Fresno 4501 E. Volvo Ave. Fresno, CA 93725 559.834.4420 Sacramento 8594 Fruitridge Rd. Sacramento, CA 95826 916.504.2300 Lakeside 12345 Mapleview St. Lakeside, CA 92040 619.441.3690 San Leandro 1944 Marina Blvd.

San Leandro, CA 94577 510.357.9131 Turlock 1275 Venture Ln. Turlock, CA 95380 209.410.6710

Find us on social media: facebook.com/volvoces VolvoCES volvoces

Volvo performance. at any size.

Your equipment fleet should be scalable to meet any job site needs.

Good thing Volvo power and productivity come in a full range of sizes.

Volvo compact equipment brings the same engine performance, wellmatched hydraulics, and ease of operation as their larger siblings.

All Volvo, all sizes Call or visit your nearest Volvo Construction Equipment & Services location to learn more today.

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PIERRE LANDSCAPE

By Brian Hoover, Senior Editor

Pierre Landscape Leverages John Deere Compact Equipment to Maintain their Advantage in the Southern California Commercial Landscape Construction Industry 6

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Above: Pierre Landscape’s operator, Mario Orozco, using a John Deere 26G compact excavator to excavate for irrigation pipe in tight conditions between fence and sidewalk at Liberty High School in Winchester.

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ierre Landscape has been in the landscape business since 1988. It started out as a residential irrigation only business operating in West LA, expanded quickly into landscape construction in greater Los Angeles, and now works throughout Southern California exclusively on high end commercial projects. In 2020, Pierre Landscape opened a satellite office in San Marcos to handle the needs of its Los Angeles and Orange County clients that also work in San Diego.

Rigo Sanchez is Pierre Landscape’s executive project manager. Sanchez started his career with Pierre Landscape 26 years ago, working from the trenches to management. From an irrigation C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

Above & Right: Operator Mario Orozco using the compact excavator to dig 36” trench for new irrigation mainline.

technician to foreman, supervisor and working in sales, estimating and design, Sanchez has gained experience in just about every job area over the years. “We are currently doing around $46 million annually with a field staff of approximately 160 employees. That is a relatively small staff compared to other companies doing equal volume,” says Sanchez. “You need an edge in this business, and part of our advantage is using the best and most appropriate equipment for each application. As a result, we achieve maximum production with fewer employees because we provide our professional staff with the best equipment available on the market.”

Pierre Landscape currently has around 30 John Deere compact excavators and 30 John Deere skids steers supplemented by Toro Dingo walk-behind units, ride-on buggies, trenchers and other compact machines. “We use compact equipment almost exclusively on our projects where deadlines and space are almost always an issue,” says Sanchez.

“Chuy Ponce is our truck and equipment fleet manager, and he works primarily with Coastline Equipment when purchasing compact excavators and skid steer loaders.”

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According to Sanchez, Ponce does a great job managing the fleet of machines that the field personnel rely on every day. “I work with Mitchell Apodaca from Coastline Equipment for most of our compact excavator and skid steer purchases. Mitchell is there for us before and after the sale and does everything he can to keep us up and running,” says Ponce. “Our operators and field staff prefer using John Deere equipment. We have tried other compact brands in the past but always ended up back at John Deere and Coastline Equipment.

We do rent and purchase other types of equipment from various other manufacturers and distributors, but John Deere is our ‘go-to” brand of choice.”

One of the many large jobs that Pierre Landscape has been on is for the Irvine Company on its Spectrum Terrace project. This is a 1.1 million square foot office campus project with nine fourstory buildings spread across 73 acres in Irvine. The project began in May 2018 and will be completed toward the end of this year. Burton Studio was the landscape architect, and Pierre Landscape was awarded a $5 million contract to install everything from the irrigation to large trees and other major landscaping components. “The Spectrum Terrace project has been a great, ongoing job for Pierre Landscape, and we always enjoy working for Irvine Company,” says Sanchez. “This job is a great example of where professional,

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Left L-R: Mario Orozco, Journeyman, Sergio Arenales, Apprentice and Alberto Delgado, Foreman, Pierre Landscape.

Above & Below: Pierre Landscape’s operator, Gilberto Lucas, using a John Deere 27D compact excavator to trench for lateral lines on slope and uneven terrain.

Pierre uses compact excavators to trench on most slopes.

knowledgeable crew members equipped with the right machines can achieve maximum productivity to meet contractual deadlines consistently.”

Pierre Landscape was contracted to do irrigation and landscape construction for the SOFI Stadium Media Center.

They are also finishing up a large landscaping job at Cerritos College and installing soccer fields at Irvine Valley College.

The company has made a name for itself over the years, performing unique landscaping on multiple floors of high-rise and condominium structures in downtown Los Angeles. “Our high-rise landscaping jobs were made a bit more difficult for us during the pandemic. Everything was just slowed down a bit for obvious safety reasons, like only allowing three individuals on an elevator, instead of the normal number of up to 12,” says Sanchez. “Shortages in plant material have also been an issue recently, not due to COVID-19, but for other reasons like when much of the container stock in Texas was lost to frozen temperatures. Texas and other states have come into California 8

and bought out entire nurseries, which means that our plant material is now made up of smaller and younger specimens.

No matter what the challenge or obstacle, our management, crews, and support staff always find a way to get it done and keep our clients happy.”

Pierre Landscape is also currently on a $3.5 million project at the new Liberty High School in Winchester.

“We started on this job a year and a half ago and will have it finished in November. This is a brand-new high school being built where Pierre Landscape is performing the irrigation work and placing of decomposed granite, along with the installation of ponds, trees, shrubs, and other ornamental plants,” continues Sanchez.

“We are also installing both synthetic and natural turf on the baseball and softball fields and in the common areas.”

Sanchez reiterates just how crucial compact construction equipment is to the speed and success of almost every job they take on. “We have jobs like this one (Liberty High

COMPAC T EQU I P MENT / 2 0 2 1

{ Continued on page 10 } C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

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Above: Pierre Landscape’s operator, William Cisneros, uses a John Deere 35G compact excavator to move equipment from the staging area to work area with all the attachments needed for the day. Various attachments are needed to dig holes for trees, auger holes for drain sumps, as well as breakers to break through an area of hardpan soil/rock.

Below: John Deere 320D skid steer with grappler attachment being used to remove branches from the trees being removed. Pierre also uses the same attachment for carrying pipes around large jobsites.

Bottom: Operator Jonathan Sanchez using a John Deere 317 skid steer to carry and fill power buggies with mulch. These skid steers are also used to carry and fill other materials such as gravel, DG and soil.

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Above: At Pierre Landscape, they strive to train employees on use of compact equipment anytime they have an open area that has safely been identified to have no underground utilities. Garret Young is shown operating the John Deere 27D compact excavator, as he was taking his first operator class in an open field area. Garret did well and adapted to the controls on the compact excavator and successfully operated the equipment. He was surprised and impressed with the performance of the John Deere compact equipment.

{ Continued from page 8 }

School) and others where we are planting hundreds or even thousands of shrubs, and there needs to be a system in place to get it all done productively. First, we mark the planting sites with paint and then drill holes with our auger attachments, connected to a John Deere compact excavator. It is like a full production line where the auguring is followed by laborers who plant the trees and shrubs. We always insist on working smarter and never wasting energy with unnecessary steps.”

Sanchez says that their compact excavators and skid steer loaders often work together as a team to move the job along quickly and safely. “We use our John Deere compact excavators to dig trenches and holes for trees and large shrubs. These excavators work in tandem with a John Deere skid steer that can backfill sand, remove rocks, or add soil

amendments. We also use the combination to install sleeving and mainlines on irrigation projects,” concludes Sanchez.

“The possibilities are endless with the right compact equipment and attachments.

From digging and lowering plants into place to removing existing sidewalks and other hardscapes with grapples and hammers, we have the perfect solution for any project.”

Pierre Landscape is headquartered in Irwindale and is signatory to the Pipefitters and Laborers’ union agreements. As one of California’s largest award-winning landscape firms, Pierre Landscape has grown rapidly in the commercial marketplace and is recognized as one of the Top 100 Landscape Contractors in the United States. For more information on Pierre Landscape, please visit their website at www.pierrelandscape.com or call (626) 587-2121. Cc C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

Cat Mini Excavators Drive Productivity for Fresno Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

By Brian Hoover, Senior Editor

resno Plumbing & Heating, Inc. has been serving the Central Valley since 1945 with commercial, design-build and residential services. The company works on various commercial jobs, from schools and hospitals to new tract home developments and industrial building projects. Jason Poole has been working at Fresno Plumbing & Heating since 1993 and now serves as their fleet manager overseeing 200-plus pickup trucks, 10 heavy-duty semi-trucks, eight Cat mini excavators, skid steers, backhoes and numerous trailers.

“Part of my job description calls for me to purchase, sell and maintain our truck, trailer and construction equipment fleet,” says Poole. “We have a full-time mechanic that I oversee, and he does a great job keeping our trucks and equipment running at their top performance levels. Our mini excavator fleet is made up of all Cat 305 machines.

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We lease our construction equipment from Quinn Company Cat because downtime is the enemy of productivity. We do everything we can to avoid downtime, and leasing ensures that our operators are in low hour, high production machines at all times.”

Poole points out that he also wants every truck and piece of equipment under warranty. “We have designated operators for each machine, and they take good care of their equipment. Every one of our Cat machines is under a 30 month/3,500-hour warranty. We average right at 100 hours a month per Cat unit, and the warranty does a lot toward peace of mind.”

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Poole says that Fresno Plumbing & Heating has been going with Cat since their first purchase in 2000. “We go with Cat primarily for the service after the sale. We tried other brands early on, but the quality, product support, and resale value moved us over to Cat. The Cat brand holds its value better,” continues Poole. “I have been working with Scott Fishel, our Quinn Cat representative, for around 15 years, and he has been there for us every step of the way.

At the end of the lease period, if for any reason we want to keep the machine, Quinn Cat has allowed us to roll it over to a month-to-month lease at the same rate.”

Fresno Plumbing & Heating is extremely busy, and they have ordered additional Cat 305E2 mini excavators to support the workload. “We took delivery of our newest Cat 305 mini excavator last week, and it only sat in our yard for 30 minutes before one of our operators picked it up,” says Poole. “We have two more Cat 305 mini excavators on order and

Below: Fresno Plumbing & Heating has a fleet of Cat equipment that includes eight mini excavators.

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Above: Fresno Plumbing and Heating’s Cat 305E installing a sewer main at Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera.

will continue to add machines as demand continues to rise.” Poole explains that his company uses the Cat mini excavators, skid steers, and backhoes primarily to dig plumbing trenches for commercial and residential commercial projects. “We did approximately 1,800 new home projects last year, and every single one required the use of one of our Cat mini excavators, skid steers or backhoe,” continues Poole. “We use our Cat machines at least twice on 14

every project. Once to excavate the trench and then again later to backfill. Seventy percent of our commercial projects also require an excavator at some point.” Fresno Plumbing & Heating perform their own in-house maintenance on their Cat machines. “The beauty of having all Cat 305 mini excavators is that we only have to stock maintenance and wear parts for one make and model. That sure saves a lot of money and hassle.”

Fresno Plumbing & Heating currently has nine designated operators, and each of them is assigned a specific Cat machine.

They each have a company truck and haul their own equipment.

They show up in the morning with instructions on where to go for that day. Sometimes they remain on one job, while other operators move to as many as six projects daily. “We work on everything

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from a single residence to a $5 million hospital project. We recently completed a new hospital in Bakersfield that required an extensive amount of excavation.

We had a machine and operator on that project for nine months installing 1,500 linear feet all-new PVC from 12 inches down to 4 inches,” says Poole. “We also recently finished a large apartment building project in Fresno that we had our Cat machines on for more than a year. We did the rough and under slab plumbing, installing 6 inch to 4 inch PVC pipe,” continues Poole. “Additionally, we have been very busy on the Riverstone housing tract project in Madera County. We have been on this job for three years, roughing in PVC sewer pipe, along with other plumbing on more than 1,500 new homes so far. { Continued on page 16 } C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

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Above Left & Right: Fresno Plumbing & Heating uses a Cat 305E2 mini excavator to backfill at a housing project in the Riverstone tract in Madera.

{ Continued from page 14 }

Poole says that most of the excavation and backfill work is accomplished with the Cat 305 mini excavators. “We utilize our Cat 420 backhoes on the bigger and deeper excavating projects. We also use our Cat 259D skid steers to load and move material within and off the project area,” says Poole. “We train our highly skilled operators in-house, and they all seem to prefer using the Cat mini excavator whenever possible. They 16

like them for their tight turning radius and ease of maneuverability, but there is nothing like a backhoe when you need one for those heavier, deeper trenching projects.”

Poole insists that they get more productivity out of their operators when they are comfortable in the cab. “Our operators love the comfort they get in our Cat machines. Every machine is equipped with full A/C and heating climate control and other enhanced ergonomic controls and seating,” continues Poole.

“The operators look forward to the end of their lease because they know they are getting a brand-new version with all the latest bells and whistles.”

Fresno Plumbing & Heating also has a service division that works for residential homeowners and industrial and commercial customers. “We use trenchless technology and pipe bursting

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machines to replace private building and residential sewer connections or laterals. We use our Cat mini excavators to dig both pilot and receiving holes on both sides of the sewer line,” says Poole. “Sometimes a job requires more excavator power than we can provide with our mini excavators, so we rent those larger machines from Quinn Rental Services when necessary.

Fresno Plumbing & Heating is an ESOP company (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), 100% owned by the employees.

These company owners offer an extensive list of services devoted to new construction projects.

Re-piping duties and other services are available on a 24-hour basis. For more information on Fresno Plumbing & Heating, please visit www.fphinc.com or call their Fresno headquarters at (559) 294-0200. Cc C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

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Construction Equipment & Services

By Brian Hoover, Senior Editor

Volvo Construction Equipment & Services, Inc. Marketing Compact Electric Construction Equipment in California

V

olvo CE has been on the leading edge of sustainable, forward-thinking solutions for many years. Research and development are moving fast, and Volvo CE is one of the companies leading the charge toward new technology. Recently, the manufacturer announced the launch of their electric range of Volvo branded compact excavators and compact wheel loaders.

According to their announcement in Jan. 2019, Volvo CE was the first construction equipment manufacturer to commit to an electric future for its compact machine range. The first electric machines were unveiled at the bauma exhibition in April 2019.

Volvo CE makes it clear that diesel combustion remains the most

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robust power source for its larger machines but says that electric propulsion and battery technology is the focus toward a diesel-free compact equipment future.

Michael Burrell has been with Volvo Construction Equipment & Services, Inc. for about 10 years and serves as the territory manager for San Diego and Imperial County. “We have been working with Volvo CE to get the new Volvo ECR25 electric excavator and L25 electric wheel loader into the hands of working contractors and agencies and get their feedback on the productivity and viability of this new technology,” says Burrell. “We have partnered with companies like Baltic Sands, Inc. in Joshua Tree, Casper Company out of

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Spring Valley and agencies like Caltrans. As a result, there is a great deal of interest in this new electric compact equipment technology. If things go like they are in Europe, we are expecting to turn our long list of interested agencies and contractors into active sales very soon.”

Baltic Sands, Inc. (Baltic Sands) Tests Volvo Electric Excavator and Wheel Loader in the Desert According to Burrell, Baltic Sands expressed great interest in electromobility in their pursuit of developing responsible housing with environmentally responsible equipment. Baltic Sands works primarily in remote desert locations where power, water and utilities

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Above: Beam Solar charging station powering up Volvo compact electric excavator and wheel loader.

can be scarce. They were looking for a solution that would allow for the use of compact electric equipment where an electric power grid does not exist. Volvo CE stepped up and provided Baltic Sands company director Jacques Marais and his team, with a pilot program opportunity.

The commercial pilot was part of a $2 million grant administered by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) to accelerate the deployment of zero-emission technologies for off-road mobile equipment.

The South Coast AQMD region includes Orange County and major portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside

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counties, including the Coachella Valley. “This pilot project with Volvo CE allowed us to pursue the ideal of being more ecologically friendly through the adoption of new technologies,” says Marais.

“In my opinion, they (Volvo ECR25 electric excavator and L25 electric wheel loader) perform equally in terms of productivity. They’re extraordinary and they surprised us. In fact, we’d love to have these machines working all the time.”

Baltic Sands operators pointed to several benefits, including experiencing less fatigue due to the lack of engine noise and vibration. They also reported enjoying the ability to hop in and out of the electric units and get

instant, efficient power whenever they needed it. However, one of the most talked-about benefits was the ability to speak directly to other operators and laborers from a safe distance without the need to yell. “The Volvo ECR25 electric excavator currently offers around five hours of continuous run time, and the L25 loader has approximately four and one-half hours. It is perfect for those who are not continuously running their machine and will easily run all day long on any jobsite. For major production jobs or situations like all-day digging operations, the conventional diesel version might be more appropriate,” says Burrell.

“For Baltic Sands, running these

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Above: Volvo L25 compact electric wheel loader loading trucks on Casper Company construction project.

units continuously became possible once we were able to install a solar charging station on the jobsite. These patented Beam solar panel stations can charge the batteries overnight or even during lunch to provide a contractor with uninterrupted power for large production jobs whenever necessary. Having access to electricity or a reliable charging infrastructure is a big part of deciding whether battery-powered compact equipment is the right choice for your construction firm or agency.”

Burrell says that the Beam solar panel charging stations can be folded for easy transport.

“I love these Beam charging stations and was able to get a close-up look at one at their Miramar facility last year. The charging unit and compact electric machines require a substantial upfront investment.

However, these extra costs can and will be deferred by fuel and maintenance savings, along with

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upcoming government programs similar to what is currently available for electric cars,” continues Burrell. “These charging stations take up what amounts to the size of one parking space. It has Phase 1 charging, so you can fully charge machines in just six hours. The charging unit also has a slick GPS system that moves with the sun for optimum charging.”

Jacques Marais of Baltic Sands says that he looks forward to taking part in another trial soon with the same two electric Volvo units. The long-term plan for Marais and the Baltic Sands team is to integrate the electric machine technology to work harmoniously within their existing diesel-powered fleet. “This is where ideology meets reality,” says Marais. “I’m mindful of that and hoping that as early adopters to electromobility, we get it right. I’m pretty excited about getting that under our belt and seeing what the future holds for our company.”

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Casper Company Strives to Remain on the Leading Edge of Technology Burrell has worked with Casper Company for many years, and he points out that they have always been pioneers when it comes to cutting-edge technology. “Darrell Merritt is a customer and a friend, as well as the head operator at Casper Company. Darrell contacted me to let me know that his company was interested in our compact electric machines.

They have purchased equipment from us over the years, and they perform a large amount of inside demolition work, and for obvious reasons cannot have diesel fumes indoors,” says Burrell. “They were already utilizing smaller plug-in robot type breakers that connect to an outside generator but were looking for additional and possibly better solutions.” Burrell delivered a Volvo ECR25 electric excavator and an L25 electric wheel loader to { Continued on page 22 }

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Left: The Volvo ECR25 electric excavator performed various tasks in helping Baltic Sands build off-the-grid homes out in the Southern California desert.

Below: The Volvo ECR25 electric excavator working on an off-grid housing project for Baltic Sands, Inc. Bottom: The Volvo L25 electric wheel loader reshaped the larger areas, performed the finish grading to assist with stormwater control and relocated the soil stockpiles for further processing. { Continued from page 20 }

Casper in Jan. 2021 for testing on an indoor project they had with a naval base station in San Diego.

“We put a hammer on the Volvo electric excavator right away and were immediately surprised by the power and performance we were getting. Such a great design with plenty of power and the added bonus of an ergonomically designed cab that our operators really appreciated,” says Merritt.

Casper was also testing the Volvo L25 electric wheel loader on the site.

Burrell says that Caltrans is also currently testing the Volvo compact electric excavator and wheel loader at one of their yards in Riverside.

“Caltrans wanted to test the battery life in their yard and out in the field, and we are currently waiting for their feedback,” continues Burrell. “We also took in some electric demo units at our Corona facility and will be making those available to our customers. We want them to see firsthand what these amazing electric machines are capable of doing out on their jobsites.” In addition, Burrell points out that there are also several local and regional nurseries that want to get their hands on these revolutionary

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machines. “These compact electric machines are ideal for nursery operations where three or four trucks come in each hour and need to be loaded or plants need to be quickly planted, transplanted, or moved,” says Burrell. “When you engage these machines, you start to burn battery life, but after your task is complete, you shut it off, and the remaining battery life is there for your future use throughout the day. There are just so many applications where these Volvo compact electric units are just perfect, and soon you will see them all over California.”

According to Burrell, none of the companies or agencies that have tested the electric machines so far have been shy about their opinions. “We are very open to opinions and suggestions. Some of the comments include the development of a longer-lasting battery for longer production jobs and other small tweaks here and there,” says Burrell. “There are cities in California that will not allow gas-powered blowers or weed eaters. These are the agencies that are most likely to be among the first to jump on board. We want to put out the best electric machine possible before mass production begins in North

COMPAC T EQU I P MENT / 2 0 2 1

America. Developers, Caltrans, and other government agencies have and will continue to specify zero-emission equipment on their job sites. We want to be there when they are ready, with the best the industry has to offer.”

For more information or to pre-order a new Volvo ECR25 electric excavator or an L25 electric wheel loader, please visit www.vcesvolvo.com or call their Corona headquarters at (951) 277-7620. Cc C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

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23

BACKHOE LOADER GOING STRONG IN SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS AND STILL THE PRIMARY TOOL FOR MANY CONTRACTORS

By Brian Hoover, Senior Editor

Left: 1957 Case 320 tractor loader backhoe.

M

any of you have read countless articles about the advent of the amazing tractor loader backhoe (backhoe). Several companies contributed to the early development of the backhoe, including Wain-Roy, Case Construction Equipment, John Deere, Ford, New Holland and Cat, who sold their first branded machine in 1985. There are many accounts of who did what and when, but the important thing is that this wonderful Swiss Army Knife-like invention successfully changed how civil general engineering contractors did business. The versatility of having both digging and loading buckets

24

Above: Case 580 EV, the industry’s first electric backhoe.

on one piece of equipment meant that contractors could do more with just one machine, one investment. As a result, backhoes are used in a variety of construction, industrial and agricultural applications. From heavy production trenching to material handling, demolition, road construction and general site preparation, the backhoe has long been a favorite of contractors, cities, municipalities and government agencies. The backhoe was also the bestselling piece of construction machinery for decades, but that would

COMPAC T EQU I P MENT / 2 0 2 1

change right around 2015 when sales began to decline.

Enter the compact excavator and skid steer loader. According to reports, equipment operators and construction firms began moving heavily to the combo package of compact excavators and skid steers in 2006. The use of these machines together goes much further back, but 2006 is when sales of these units began to overtake that of the backhoe loader. However, declining backhoe sales did not signal the need to write an epitaph honoring the once-dominant machine of C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

Above: 1971 John Deere 310 backhoe.

Right: 2021 John Deere 310L backhoe.

choice. The backhoe still holds certain advantages over the compact excavator and skid steer combo. The most important benefits are that backhoes come in a wide range of sizes and offer more reach and power, resulting in faster digging and loading times. For certain customers and specific applications, the backhoe will remain the machine of choice. Utility contractors that require an excavating machine that can trench for utilities all day long is a great example. Other situations where a backhoe makes more sense include its use for cemeteries where machines need to dig deep in hard or even frozen ground. The average backhoe can dig 12 to 16 feet deep and travel up to 25 mph on various surfaces between jobsites. The backhoe’s best asset is that it can do both digging and loading duties. It truly is a versatile do-it-all machine.

One of the cons of going with a backhoe over the compact excavator/skid steer combo is that you cannot dig and load simultaneously with a single backhoe. Although the combo package requires purchasing two separate machines, contractors argue that they are getting much more work done in the same CALCON TRAC TOR.CO M

amount of time. The phrase “time is money” may not be more accurate than when used to describe the day in a life of a general engineering contractor.

Deadlines and other scheduling demands dictate that these contractors use the most efficient means possible to get the job done on time and on budget.

But then there is the argument for speed and mobility. Some believe that a backhoe loader’s speed and trenching capabilities outweigh the benefits of using a compact excavator/skid steer combo. While others disagree, stating that digging and loading simultaneously gets more done in less time. Beauty or in this case, equipment choice, is truly in the eye of the beholder. At the end of the day, it seems to come down to the specific application at hand, and that is why the backhoe will continue to live harmoniously with the compact excavator and skid steer loader for many years to come.

Having safely defended the need for a backhoe loader in today’s construction scene, I must point out the obvious benefits of using the compact excavator/ skid steer combo. The skid steer and mini excavator allow a

company to accomplish two tasks simultaneously. For instance, a mini excavator can be digging trench, while the skid steer follows behind with the backfill operation.

The skid steer and mini excavator can also use up to 60 different attachments and get into confined spaces where a backhoe would never fit. The compact excavator also comes with a zero-tail swing and can even make its way into buildings, along with a skid steer loader. Then there is the apparent and simultaneous dig and load capability of using the two machines together. The final takeaway might be that there is a time and a place for both scenarios and neither is mutually exclusive. But don’t take my word for it. Check out the comments below from operators currently using backhoes, excavators, and skid steers on California jobsites.

Mark and Stephanie Burros – Burros Backhoe Service, LLC – Grand Terrace Burros Backhoe Service, Inc. is a mobile-operated excavator and backhoe service. “We choose to regularly use a backhoe versus other machines on our jobsites for several reasons. It is our opinion that using a backhoe is

CO M PAC T EQ UI PM E N T / 2 0 2 1

25

Above: 1985 Cat 416 backhoe on display at Cat dealer meeting circa 1986.

Right: 2021 Cat 430F2 backhoe.

more cost-effective, cuts down on maintenance, and is an overall more versatile and time-efficient tool,” says Mark Burros. “Oftentimes, a backhoe comes in handy with its tremendous mobility on jobsites.

The backhoe can perform multiple tasks, such as loading and transporting material from one location to another. It is also our experience that backhoes tend to require a more highly skilled and efficient operator. Therefore, it is our tool of choice for many applications.”

Newman Backhoe Service, Inc. – Ron Harder, Peter Herrera and David Blake – Buena Park Ron Harder has 35-plus years of experience operating heavy machinery. “For most of my jobs, I still need the reach, dig depth, and power that can only be found with a backhoe,” says Harder.

Peter Herrera has been an operator for Newman Backhoe Service since 1995. “Backhoes are great, but there is also the need for the mini-excavator and skid steer combo. We work in tight access areas where the combo is not only

the best solution but many times the only choice due to lack of space,” says Herrera. “Then there is the advantage of having a 360degree turning radius, which makes our lives easier in many situations.”

David Blake has been with Newman Backhoe Service since 2005. “A backhoe with attachments can handle a multitude of tasks. It is one of the most versatile pieces of construction equipment around, making it the backbone of the construction industry.”

The decision to go with a backhoe or mini-excavator/skid

John Deere compact excavator and skid steer loader work in tandem on housing project.

26

COMPAC T EQU I P MENT / 2 0 2 1

C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

Left: Ford 8N tractor with Wain-Roy backhoe attachment circa 1948.

Above: 2021 New Holland B110C Backhoe.

steer combo comes down to the application and the type and size of a worksite. Where there are space constraints, the operator will more than likely go with the combo. However, where speed

and power are concerned, they may opt for the traditional backhoe with outriggers and other features that allow for heavier loads and deeper digging depths. There is also the price concern of

purchasing two machines instead of one, but many contractors have the wherewithal to have all three in their fleet, which is simply the best of both worlds. Cc

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27

HAWTHORNE CAT OPENS NEW STORES IN OCEANSIDE AND CHULA VISTA EXPERIENCE THE HAWTHORNE DIFFERENCE AT ALL OF OUR STORES IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY

Hawthorne Cat, the exclusive Cat® equipment dealer in San Diego, the Hawaiian Islands and the Pacific Region, is proud to announce the opening of our new store in Oceanside, CA. Additionally, our Chula Vista store has moved to a larger, more convenient location. Customers can rent or buy equipment and purchase parts at all of our branches.

Throughout 2021, we will also be expanding our services so customers can also have maintenance work done on their equipment at our San Diego branch stores. Hawthorne’s unparalleled technical support and service team takes great pride in delivering the best customer experience in the 28

industry. “Experience the Hawthorne Difference for all of your equipment, parts, and service needs, we are excited to be opening these two new branches to better serve San Diego County” says Ross Farmer, Corporate Machinery Sales & Rentals Manager.

Visit the new Hawthorne Cat Oceanside branch at 2401 Industry Street, Oceanside, CA 92054.

Hours of operation are 6:30 am 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

The branch can be reached at 760.529.4700.

The Chula Vista location has moved to 1751 4th Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91911 Hours of operation are 6:30 am - 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. The branch can be reached at 619.336.2500.

COMPAC T EQU I P MENT / 2 0 2 1

Hawthorne Cat currently has five stores in San Diego County, with a total of 13 locations throughout San Diego, Hawaii, and the Pacific Region.n. Cc About Hawthorne Cat Hawthorne Cat is the authorized dealer for Cat construction and power equipment in San Diego, Hawaii, Guam, Saipan, and American Samoa. Hawthorne sells, rents, provides parts and service, training, and emission solutions to various industries including general building construction, landscaping, marine, paving, and power generation. For more on Hawthorne Cat, visit https://www.hawthornecat.com/.

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