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BURROS BACKHOE SERVICE DOING WHAT THEY LOVE WHILE PROVIDING PREMIUM OPERATED AND BARE EQUIPMENT RENTAL SERVICES

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Owner / Operator

CONTENTS

Issue

Feature Articles 06

BURROS BACKHOE SERVICE

PLATINUM EXCAVATION & GRADING, INC

ALLIED BACKHOE SERVICE

Doing What They Love While Providing Premium Operated and Bare Equipment Rental Services

Building Trust with Consistent Quality Work

A True Case Backhoe Owner/Operator Story

SOUTHLAND FOREST MANAGEMENT, LLC

ROCHE EXCAVATING, INC.

Fuel Mitigation Contractor Relies on Rugged New Holland and Kobelco Construction Equipment

Continues to Excel in Custom Home Subterranean Excavation Niche

CalContractor Magazine / www.calcontractor.com PUBLISHER: Kerry Hoover khoover@calcontractor.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Brian Hoover, CMS, LLC

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Doing What They Love While Providing Premium Operated and Bare Equipment Rental Services

How lucky is the person who can make a living doing something that they are passionate about every day? I have heard it said, “Choose a job that you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Mark Burros followed his passion, and he is most fortunate to also make a good living doing it. Mark started as a laborer right after graduating from high school in 2002. He got his start working for small mom and pop

construction companies and even at a recycling and crushing plant. He eventually landed at Arizona Pipeline where he continued to work as a laborer, but what he truly wanted was a shot at becoming a heavy equipment operator. “My ultimate dream from youth was to have my own business,” says Burros. “I have always had an interest in tractors, although I did not necessarily grow up in the business. My parents owned a sand and gravel transport business and that was the closest I ever came to construction equipment. The rest is self-taught, and what I learned along the way.” Burros recalls staying after work and practicing his newly learned operating skills in a pile

By Brian Hoover, Editor 6

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Above Left: Burros Backhoe Service filling slope on grading project for 405 freeway ramp widening in Fountain Valley. Above Right: John Deere 345G rented from RDO Rents loading material from 405 freeway lane expansion in Seal Beach.

of dirt at a satellite yard out on the jobsite. “I began practicing with a backhoe or whatever I had available to get used to the controls and feel of the machines,” says Burros. “The foreman for the non-union company I was working for stopped and watched me for a bit one day and decided to give me a shot as an equipment operator and that is all I needed to start the ball rolling.” Just a few years after starting his career in civil engineering construction, Burros decided to walk right into the Local 12 – International Union of Operating Engineers and see if he could make the grade. “I walked into the union hall in 2004 when work was plentiful, and the demand was high and that was a good time to join,” says Burros. “From there, I began working for

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smaller to medium-sized operated equipment rental companies.” Burros Remembers that R.J. Noble was the first Union company that he worked for, and eventually, he ended up at Savala Equipment Rentals in 2012. “Most of my knowledge and high-end experience came from working for Savala Equipment Rentals, where I worked as an operator for a little more than five years,” says Burros. “I am not exaggerating when I say that the folks at Savala Equipment Rentals are the most knowledgeable and best people you could ever hope to work for in this business. I owe them a great debt of gratitude.” For Burros, going out on his own was not a long, drawn-out planned ordeal. It just happened one day while he was at his local

Caterpillar dealer to purchase some ancillary products. “When I turned 31, I decided that I either wanted to work as a foreman for a pipeline utility contractor or start my own lowbed equipment delivery business. I just needed a change, but fate had something different in store for me I guess,” says Burros. “Long story short, I ended up at Quinn Company in Riverside, and my eyes were drawn to the Cat 450 backhoe that they had on display. I asked a sales representative how much something like that would cost and if it was difficult to get financed. The next thing I knew, I was filling out the paperwork, and 30 minutes later, I was the proud owner of a brand new, shiny Cat backhoe. It was always just a dream, and now it had become a reality.”

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Above: Burros Backhoe Service excavating benches in Orange County. Right: Mark Burros, Owner, Burros Backhoe Service, pictured on the 405 freeway widening project.

Burros remembers having his new Cat backhoe delivered to a friend’s jobsite for a side-job that he was doing some excavation work on for a residential utility crossing. According to Burros, a couple of days later, another friend called who had just found out about the new Cat backhoe purchase, and he asked if Mark could help him out on his job. “Remarkably, everything spread pretty fast by word of mouth, and the work started pouring in,” says Burros. “I started handing out t-shirts and hats on jobsites, and it grew from there.” The first job that Mark Burros took on as Burros Backhoe Service was for a small pipeline company doing some library retrofitting work at Lyons Park in Costa Mesa. “We did the pipeline and storm drain retention excavation on that job, and it lasted for a couple of months,” says Burros. “I then moved on to do some work here and there for All American Asphalt, and it just snowballed with one referral leading to another. I got started on my own at a good time, and there seems to be plenty of work right now for an operator like me. I also have my C12 contractor’s license,

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and most of my work is for Caltrans and other public works agencies. We also just finished up some work for AES Alamitos where we performed a lot of finish work. They also have used our services to help mop up some of the mud during the rainy season.” Burros Backhoe Service takes on everything from big jobs with 80,000-pound excavators to small projects that require smaller compact equipment. “I was on a school project a few weeks back in Huntington Beach where I was using a compact excavator with a thumb attachment in a very tight access area,” says Burros. “That job called for a specialty piece of equipment, and so I rented it from Valerie Morrison at RDO Rents in Riverside.” Burros points out that he rents what he doesn’t have available. “You can’t own it all, especially when you are a small startup like me, so I purchase only what I know I will be using almost every day. That way, the return on investment is there, and our cash flow remains intact.” Burros Backhoe Service is now a bit more than just one backhoe. They now offer operated equipment rental services for just about any machine a contractor

may need on a jobsite. From backhoes, excavators, and dozers, to water trucks and lowbed delivery services, Burros is there to serve. “We have several machines to choose from and I can operate any machine, Currently, I am running a Cat 450F backhoe and a John Deere 345G excavator from RDO Rents. I have a good friend that works with me, and he owns a Cat 430 backhoe, and we help each other out quite often,” says Burros. “The other operators that work for me are friends of mine that I have gotten to know in the industry, and they do great work.” Burros is on various projects, but he has one particular job that he has been on for over a year. There he is currently providing three machines. “We are on the 405 Freeway lane expansion project where we are doing some heavy loading, as well as grading and removals. I have machines out there that are operated and one that is on bare rental,” says Burros. “We have the John Deere 345G onsite from RDO Rents, and we also have a Cat 450 backhoe on bare rental, so that is a pretty good job for me right now.” { Continued on page 10 }

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Above Left: Burros Backhoe Service using their Cat 450F backhoe to install new utilities in Orange County. Above Right: Burros Backhoe Service’s Cat 450F backhoe photographed in South Orange County.

{ Continued from page 8 }

Burros Backhoe Service is a union operated company that can perform everything from underground utility work to grading, excavating and loadout services. They may be chasing French drains up a hillside one day and relocating utilities in downtown Los Angeles the next. They also have a 24-hour mobile backhoe service complete with a fully equipped haul rig, and every attachment one could ever need on board. “My customers seem to like me for my all-around abilities and attitude. I always do my best to bring high morale and an energetic work ethic to every job that we take on,” says Burros. “Our customers like to see high production while maintaining a nice, safe and clean jobsite. We are known for our productivity, cleanliness and safety and that keeps our customers asking us back time after time.” Burros Backhoe Service currently has four full-time union 10

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operators working for them, as well as a fifth individual that is kind of close to Mark Burros heart. “I really want to acknowledge and thank my wife, Stephanie. She is the one that keeps things moving forward around here and is my biggest supporter. There is a lot more than meets the eye to properly operating an equipment rental company, and none of it is going to happen without Stephanie,” says Burros. “She has a business degree and knows how to handle all of the things like certified payroll, DIR, and all the other legal aspects this business requires. If you are going to play with the big dogs, you need to do it right and legal, and I want to thank her for everything she has done for our business and family.” Mark Burros will be the first one to tell you that he has a long list of people to thank for his early success. “My wife and I took a big risk going out on our own, and

there were those who said that it would be rough at times and they were right, but we know that we made the right decision and are having a great time doing what we love,” says Burros. “I do want to take a moment to thank a few companies like Savala Equipment Rentals for taking me on and providing such valuable training and experience. I would also like to thank all of our vendors like Quinn Company and my salesman, Justin Usary, who has sold me two Cat 450 backhoes. Big thanks should also go out to my RDO Equipment sales representative, Valerie Morrison, who takes care of my sales and rental needs. It takes good people like this to make a small rental equipment company like mine survive and prosper.” For more information on Burros Backhoe Service, call their Grand Terrace office at (714) 313-9387. Cc

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PLATINUM EXCAVATION AND GR ADING, INC . BUILDING TRUST WITH CONSISTENT QUALITY WORK By Brian Hoover, Editor

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Left Page: Jerome Aguilera, Platinum Excavation & Grading, Inc. uses their Cat 305.5E2 mini excavator with a swivel bucket attachment purchased from Quinn Company to clean-up an edge on a home addition project in Laguna Niguel.

erome Aguilera’s father was an owner/operator and that old adage, ‘the apple does not fall from the tree’, certainly rings true once again in his story. “I have been around heavy machinery for as long as I can remember and started operating equipment at a very young age. I purchased my first tractor when I was 21 years old and have now been in the business for 35-plus years,” says Aguilera. “It is in my blood and I have worked in just about every role you can think of in this business.” Aguilera has worked as a laborer, operator, project manager and foreman over his many years in the civil general engineering construction trade. “I decided to go it on my own the first time in 2003 after seeing first-hand how other earthwork and rough grading firms were being managed,” continues Aguilera. The skip loader was his machine of choice and within five years, Aguilera had built his business up to five such machines with an equal number of talented operators to run them. CALCON TRAC TOR .CO M

Above: Platinum Excavation & Grading, Inc. uses their Cat 305.5E2 mini excavator and a rented Cat 315F excavator working in tandem on a house demolition project in Yorba Linda.

Business was good and like so many others, he did not anticipate such a dreadful recession in 2008. After careful consideration, Aguilera made the decision to shutter his business in favor of going to work as a superintendent for a couple of large contractors who were lucky enough to have ample work in the public works arena. Time passes on and after a long and grueling economic downturn, Aguilera began to make plans to start up his own enterprise once again. “My wife, Biby, remained supportive throughout these rough years and I owe her everything for always being there and helping out in so many ways. I always knew that I would be back on my own as soon as I was financially able,” says Aguilera. “Life is better when you have your own deal and I know what I am capable of and the reputation that I have with those that had trusted me in the past. It didn’t take much convincing for me to decide to go back into business for myself once again in 2012.”

The new company would be named, Platinum Excavation & Grading, Inc. with an equipment rental company dba going by the name of Aguilera Grading Service, Inc. Aguilera now specializes in earthwork to include rough grading, finish grading, over-excavating and recompaction, as well as slope work and other specialties. His projects are performed as a contractor or operated equipment rental company, doing jobs that are in the range of $600,000 or less. “I am a premier preferred contractor for three well-known general contractors who never fail to request a bid from me for every applicable project,” continues Aguilera. “I have to say that things are going very well for me and I am the happiest I have ever been.” Platinum Excavation & Grading, Inc. recently completed a project in La Habra for a new Starbucks location. “We just completed the first move where we removed the upper two feet of soil and exported around 1,500 cubic yards of dirt,” OW N E R /O PE R ATO R / 2 0 1 9

says Aguilera. “We followed this up by performing a 4-foot overexcavation and recompaction. We went 6-feet below the pad elevation and then brought that pad back up by importing 1,500 cubic yards of fill material to cap the pad, followed by finish grading. We then handed the job over to the general contractor to begin digging footings. We were on the job for around a week and a half and this is the first of three move-ins on this project.” The company also just completed another project in Yorba Linda where they demoed and loaded out a 5,000 sq. ft. home down to the slab foundation. “We followed up the demo work by performing the over-excavation, compaction and grading work,” continues Aguilera. “The general contractor is now beginning the process of building a new 10,000 sq. ft. home in its place.” Yet another project that Platinum Excavation & Grading, Inc. has just completed involved the rough grading and export of approximately 1,000 cubic yards of dirt for a new Circle K in Lake Elsinore. The new gas station and 14

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Above: Another shot of the two Cat machines, the 305.5E2 mini excavator and a rented Cat 315F excavator on a house demolition project in Yorba Linda.

store required Aguilera to once again perform over-excavation and recompaction, followed by rough grading the parking lot area, as well as all of the bioswales and intuitions. “We are doing a lot of this type of work right now, including an office building project in Ontario,” says Aguilera. “We will be exporting 1,500 cubic yards of dirt and the over-excavation and recompaction. This is what we do best and I am happy and proud that we keep getting requested to bid by just about everyone that we work for.” Jerome Aguilera gets all of this done with his right hand person, Alfredo Toasto and an additional laborer. “Alfredo does great work as my grade checker and he runs our compact utility machines when necessary,” says Aguilera. “I do the over-excavation and recompaction duties with my Cat 966 rubber-tired loader. It is the perfect machine for digging out and building new pads. I move a lot of earth with my Cat wheel loader. I purchased it as the demand for my services on larger projects began to come in on a regular basis.”

Platinum Excavating & Grading, Inc. also owns and operates a Cat 305.5E2 excavator and a Cat 415F2 skip loader, both purchased from Quinn Company in City of Industry. “I purchased both my Cat mini excavator and Cat skip loader at around the same time in 2018,” says Aguilera. “I love my Cat mini excavator and purchased it from Quinn Company along with five different bucket attachments.” According to Aguilera, one of these units is an angle attachment that he utilizes to grade slopes and V-ditches. “My new Cat 305.5E2 is the most utilized of all of my machines at this time and I use it for so may varying applications all day long,” continues Aguilera. Aguilera says that his new Cat 415F2 skip loader is used for finish grading the pads and for grading curb and gutter and parking lot projects. “My brother is also an operator and he referred me to the Cat 415F2 skip loader after renting one for a period of time on one of his projects,” says Aguilera. “I had { Continued on page 16 } C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

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Above & Middle: Cat 966H wheel loader preparing for new house pads. Right: Platinum Excavation & Grading’s future operator Anthony Aguilera.

{ Continued from page 14 }

always used and owned another popular skip loader brand, but when I climbed into the enclosed cab of the Cat 415F2, I knew that I would never go back. It was just so roomy and comfortable, and the visibility was amazing. I am so impressed with the Caterpillar product line and when I roll up on a jobsite with my Cat wheel loader, mini excavator, and skip loader, they know they are getting the best there is to offer.” Aguilera deals with Derek Miller at Quinn Company and he makes it clear that his representative is just another reason that he keeps going back to purchase Cat 16

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machines. “Derek is simply the best, and I consider him a very good friend. He has been there for me since my first meeting with Quinn Company,” says Aguilera. “I just got off the phone with him a little while ago because I currently have a Cat 315F excavator on rent from Quinn Rental Services and once again, I am just in love with it. I want it, but I am still very cautious after 2008 and these days, I take a little more time before jumping headfirst into anything.” Platinum Excavation & Grading, Inc. is in it for the long run and Jerome Aguilera is on solid ground with a well-earned reputation for consistent, quality work. “I am going

to keep plugging away as I continue to evolve and add more public works contracts to my portfolio,” says Aguilera. “The next step is to take on more roadway and freeway projects. We have been doing a lot more work for cities, counties and other local agencies with bid requests coming in daily. As private jobs begin to possibly lessen, we will move more in this direction or wherever the work takes us. I look forward to what the future has in store.” For more information on Platinum Excavation & Grading, Inc. please visit www.platinumeandg.com or call their Torrance headquarters at (310) 650-1846. Cc C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

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ALLIED

BACKHOE SERVICE By Brian Hoover, Editor

A TRUE CASE BACKHOE OWNER/OPERATOR STORY

aul Demkiw worked for civil general engineering contractors for 20-plus years before deciding to go out on his own as a backhoe owner/operator in 2016. He got his start in a skid steer loader and eventually worked his way into a backhoe where he felt most at home. “My dream has always been to own 18

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a backhoe operated equipment rental company,” says Demkiw. “That takes money, and so I put some funds aside and waited for an opportunity to come along.” An opportunity presented itself in 2016 when a friend, Shawn Moreau of Preferred Backhoe let Demkiw know that his father was retiring and looking for someone to purchase

his truck and backhoe. “He was selling a well-used Case 580M Series 1 two-wheel drive backhoe with no 4-n-1 bucket. It had more than 9,000 hours, was a bit wobbly and loose in just about every joint,” says Demkiw. “The truck was an older International 2-axle semi, and I knew going in that if either of these units failed, I was more than C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

Above: Paul Demkiw, Owner/Operator, Allied Backhoe Service. Right: Allied Backhoe Service uses their Case 580 Super N to dig for utilities at a recycling facility in Santa Ana.

likely out of business. I took a chance and cared for the truck and backhoe as much as I could to make them last for at least one year. The risk paid off, and in 2017, I upgraded my truck to a Freightliner 3-axle, and my backhoe to a new Case 580 Super N.” Demkiw also modified and upgraded his 5th wheel truck by stretching the frame and having a dovetail built. “I went all out on my new Case backhoe, CALCON TRAC TOR .CO M

knowing that it would be my office and where I would be spending the majority of my days for the next several years,” says Demkiw. “It has a very comfortable enclosed cab and all of the bells and whistles. I like the swing on the boom and how fast it cycles and digs. I also enjoy the hydraulic quick coupler where I no longer have to leave the cab to change buckets or attachments.”

Demkiw points out that he primarily ran John Deeres and Cat backhoes before going out on his own. “The last company that I worked for ran Case backhoes, and then I bought that used Case backhoe, and I had the controls converted to John Deere,” says Demkiw. “I built a relationship with Larry Jovanelly at Sonsray Machinery in Santa Fe Springs when I was maintaining my older OW N E R /O PE R ATO R / 2 0 1 9

Left: Another shot of the Case 580 Super N excavating for the installation of new electrical service at a recycling facility in Santa Ana.

Case backhoe. I let him know that I was starting to think about buying a new backhoe and he introduced me to my sales representative, Tony Lucia.” Things proceeded from that point, and soon afterward, Demkiw was the owner of a brandnew Case 580 Super N backhoe. “The people at Sonsray Machinery are very professional and friendly, and both Larry and Tony know their machines inside and out and have been there for me from the very beginning,” continues Demkiw. The Case 580 Super N backhoe has expanded on the rock-solid legacy of previous generations. The Tier 4 Final Super N is quicker, more powerful, more efficient, and more productive than ever before. According to the Case Construction website, the newly re-engineered PowerDrive transmission option tackles hills and heavy loads with ease and the PowerBoost backhoe button releases ferocious digging force with no RPM loss. The ProControl anti-rebound system, ECO Mode, and SiteWatch™ Telematics all come standard, while the PowerLift option delivers an industry-leading 4,000 lb. lifting capacity. Additionally, the cabs have floor-to-ceiling glass and opening rear-quarter windows for exceptional visibility. 20

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Paul Demkiw says that Allied Backhoe Service generally works for brokers, with the exception of relationships he has formed with a few regular clients. “One of my regular clients is my past employer. They know what I am capable of doing and call me from time to time when they need an extra backhoe,” says Demkiw. “Many of these brokers are owner/operators that have been in the business a very long time, and they know just about everyone. They keep me busy, and I appreciate that. It’s a tough industry, and many people think you can go out and buy a backhoe and a truck and get rich, and it’s just not like that. You have to pay your dues and avoid stepping on toes along the way. I enjoy what I do and the freedoms I have from being an owner/operator.” Demkiw operates his company out of Costa Mesa, and he likes to stay close to home as much as possible. “I work primarily in Orange and Los Angeles counties and the Inland Empire area. I will venture out further, but the traffic and costs are many times a deterrent,” says Demkiw. “I excel at trenching for plumbers or pipeline contractors installing sewer, storm drain, or other utilities. I also do a good amount of footings

for tilt-up and concrete contractors.” Demkiw says that he has excavated thousands of feet of pipeline trenches over his nearly four years in business. He has worked for some large, high-profile contractors and is quite often working out near Chino Airport. “I would say that I have trenched more than 10,000 feet for a commercial plumbing contractor out by the Chino and Ontario border over the past few years. They have been developing the old dairy area for some time now, and that has kept me busy,” says Demkiw. Paul Demkiw takes a conservative approach when it comes to the expansion of his company. “I would like to see growth eventually, but I have worked too hard to take unnecessary chances and risk losing what I have built up so far,” says Demkiw. “I am making double payments right now on my truck and tractor, and there is not a lot left at the top right now. I look forward to getting those paid off, and then we will see where the business takes me from there.” For more information on Allied Backhoe Service, call Paul Demkiw at (949) 903-0706. Cc

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SOUTHLAND FOREST MANAGEMENT, LLC Fuel Mitigation Contractor Relies on Rugged

New Holland and Kobelco Construction Equipment By Brian Hoover, Editor

amie Hamilton grew up admiring his father who owned a heavy civil engineering construction company in California, and an uncle who owned and operated a logging company in Washington. During summer break, and from the age of 12, Hamilton would work for his father one summer and then alternatively for his uncle in Washington the next. He then began working full-time for his father’s construction firm after graduating high school in 2000. Just a little more than a year later, Hamilton decided to go out on his own with some help from his father. “My dad

co-signed on my first loan so that I could buy an old rickety dump truck,” says Hamilton. “I named my company, Southland Forest Management, and incorporated in 2014. My first few jobs consisted of residential tree work and fighting fires through the removal of trees and brush.” At barely the age of 20, Hamilton secured a contract with the California Department of Forestry (known as CalFire today) and the U.S. Forest Service as a faller. His primary job was to cut trees within active fire areas and remove the fuel. “I remained in this type of work for a few years before

getting my first big contract in 2005 with Southern California Edison (SCE),” says Hamilton. This was during the Bark Beatle crisis, and Southland Forest Management was charged with removing large, dead pine trees in the Lake Arrowhead and Idyllwild areas. “We spent our days removing these dead pine trees that lay adjacent to power lines by use of climbing and crane,” says Hamilton. “This kept us busy till around 2008 when we were hired to work on a thousand-acre BLM fuels management project in Williams Valley, Oregon for the prime contractor, South Bay Timber.”

Below: Southland Forest Management uses their Kobelco SK35 mini excavator to load tree stumps and clear debris at a private residence in Temecula.

Above: Jamie Hamilton, Owner/Operator, Southland Forest Management in front of his New Holland C245 skid steer with Bradco mulching head purchased from Scott Equipment.

Southland Forest Management was growing, and that meant investing in heavy machinery. “We purchased a mastication machine, which is essentially a dedicated forestry mulcher. I kept busy doing fuels mulching and large tree removal to reduce fire hazards,” says Hamilton. “We then moved on to work for the NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) doing helicopter logging in Idyllwild. As a subcontractor under Valley Timber Resource, we cut and climbed 5,500 dead and dying trees along the trail systems in Idyllwild and delivered the trees to helicopters to be removed and destroyed.” One job led to another and Hamilton soon landed another good-sized clearing and grubbing contract for Harper Contracting out of Utah. “This contract had us working on the Santa Ana River CALCON TRAC TOR .CO M

Phase II B project for the Army Corp. of Engineers, and we were on and off of that job for two years,” says Hamilton. “We ended up getting two more Army Corp. projects later; the Santa Ana River Phase III and Phase IV with too many other jobs in-between to even begin to mention. This was around 2010, and we essentially lived on that river for close to eight years.” Southland Forest Management now performs an impressive amount of fuel reduction and brush removal management contracts every year throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and Arizona. “Our bread and butter comes from working as a fuel mitigation contractor, primarily on federal, state and private fire protection projects,” says Hamilton. Along with some necessary licenses and insurance, comes the need for specialty

equipment like the before mentioned masticators and other equipment such as excavators, dozers, skid steers, brush mulchers. “Many of the machines we own, and use are standard equipment, other than the mulching equipment which is dedicated forestry. We just recently purchased a brand-new New Holland C245 skid steer with a Bradco mulching head from Scott Equipment in Fontana,” says Hamilton. “This amazing machine is dedicated to brush mulching work, and I don’t even know where to begin to express just how excited I am about our New Holland skid steer loader.” Hamilton had been in the market for a good six months, just sort of poking around and trying out various machines and brands. “I had been talking with Kevin Scott of Scott Equipment about purchasing a New Holland 238 skid steer several months OW N E R /O PE R ATO R / 2 0 1 9

Left & Below: Southland Forest Management chose the New Holland C245 skid steer with Bradco mulching head because it can withstand the rigors of constant use in rough conditions.

before the actual purchase. I did not know much about New Holland equipment, other than what I had read online. After trying out most of the main competitors, I set up a demo for the New Holland C245 skid steer,” says Hamilton. “I tried it, and the moment I got in the machine and started using it with the Bradco mulching head, it was game over, and my decision was made.” Hamilton let a week go by after the demonstration and then said to himself, “Ok, I am buying this machine.” He was impressed with the fact that Scott Equipment gave him the machine and attachment to demo for an entire day and a half. “Most of the other brands allowed for a two-hour window to try out their machines, and for what I do, that is just not enough time to see if it can withstand the rigors of constant use in rough conditions,” says Hamilton. “The New Holland C245 skid steer is light years ahead of similar machines on the market, and together with the Bradco mulching head, it is just a workhorse.” Southland Forest Management also owns a Kobelco SK35 mini excavator that they also purchased 24

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from Scott Equipment. “The thing I fell in love with most about my Kobelco is the sheer power it offers in each of its classes. That along with the fast cycle time and just the way they are built to last, made it an easy decision to own,” says Hamilton. “It is just a great all-around machine that I value over the other competitive

compact excavators on the market. Plus, I got a great deal, and that is just more bang for the buck.” This marks the second Kobelco SK35 that Hamilton has purchased from Scott Equipment. The first machine was a 2014 model that was purchased used in 2017, while the other was purchased brand new at the C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

end of 2018. “I traded my 2014 Kobelco SK35 for a brand-new unit, and we use it regularly for removing rocks and loading brush and heavy debris that the other machines can’t get to,” says Hamilton. “These machines have opened my eyes to new and exciting possibilities. Scott Equipment is hands down the best dealership in Southern California that I have ever dealt with, and I mean that across the board. Kevin Scott went out of his way to not only demo these machines, but to also do little things like personally delivering parts, oil, and other miscellaneous attachments that I have ordered. Working with Kevin, Chuck and Walt and really everyone at Scott Equipment has just been an amazing experience. They have earned my business and loyalty for life.” Southland Forest Management owns other brands and other types of equipment,

including two Cat D6 dozers with a forestry package, a Fecon 140STX dedicated brush mulcher with dozer tracks, a Cat 325 79,000 lb. excavator and a long list of other trucks and support equipment. Southland Forest Management currently has four employees that work as operators and laborers on every project. Hamilton says that he is grateful for the success he has had since starting his business at just 19 years of age. “My wife, Miriam, is my partner in this business and we would not be where we are today without her dedication, hard work, and understanding,” says Hamilton. “We have big growth plans that will include the purchase of a larger Kobelco excavator with a Fecon mulching head for some big jobs that appear to be coming up soon. Scott Equipment has offered to fly me up to Oregon to see the machine in action because it is a

fairly large purchase.” The new work that Hamilton is referring to includes a possible contract with a large forestry company that has thousands of acres under contract in California and other states. “If all goes well over the next three months, we may very well be growing our company by around 300 percent with work in California, Nevada, and Arizona,” says Hamilton. “These new opportunities are the result of the networking we have done over the years, and the relationships we have been fortunate to develop. Having our name recognized by these large companies is fulfilling after going virtually unrecognized for so many years. The future is bright, and my wife and I couldn’t be more excited.” For more information on Southland Forest Management, LLC, please call (951) 306-9908. Cc

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S PREMIER EQUIPMENT DEALER

Power Meets Efficiency WORK SMARTER – NOT HARDER Call Scott Equipment Today (800) 316-0327

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SALES • RENTALS • PARTS • SERVICE Fontana / 909-822-2200

14635 Valley Blvd., Fontana, CA 92335

Santa Fe Springs / 562-777-0775

10918 Shoemaker Ave., Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670

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By Brian Hoover, Editor

CONTINUES TO EXCEL IN CUSTOM HOME SUBTERRANEAN EXCAVATION NICHE Good day at work - Dave Roche, Owner, Roche Excavating, Inc.

ave Roche came up through the ranks the old-fashioned way; he earned it. Even though he grew up with academic parents and a professor father with a Ph.D., nothing was handed to him, but much was expected. Like many of today’s youth, Roche was not exactly sure what he wanted to do with his life. At the age of 15, he remembered a brief comment that his father spoke one day about seeing a man operating a backhoe on campus where he worked. “My father was impressed with this backhoe operator, and even described what he witnessed that day as a work of art,” says Roche. “That stuck with me, and I immediately logged that in my mind as something I would be interested in pursuing.” It impressed young Roche so much, that he went out in 1974, at the age of 17, and procured his first job at an equipment rental yard in Corona. He learned a lot about a variety of construction machines and eventually landed a job operating equipment for Power Breaking and then Newman Backhoe Service out of Orange County. His next logical 26

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step was to join the Operating Engineers Local 12 Union, and that brought a whole new level of experience to Roche’s early career. “I watched as other older operators lamented on never starting their own operated equipment company, and it occurred to me that I could be saying the same thing in 25 or 30 years,” says Roche. “The job I was on at the time was shut down for lack of water, and just like that, I went straight down to Case Power & Equipment and leased a backhoe and drove it off the lot.” The year was 1988, and Roche’s hard work and the youthful dream was now being tested out on his own with little money and an uncertain future. “One thing I knew for sure was that going back to my parents as a failure was not an option,” says Roche. “I had a leased backhoe, an old 1971 pickup, and lived out of a rented room. It wasn’t going to be easy, but I had the right attitude and work ethic, and most importantly, I believed in myself.” Eventually, Roche graduated to a one-bedroom apartment in Dana Point. He purchased a small dump truck and a Zieman trailer and started digging footings and

performed subterranean excavation for custom home builders. “I remember that my first job was for Frank Graceffe at Inter American Builders on Highlands Ave. in South Mission Viejo. It was a 73-acre utility excavation job, and I was so excited and grateful to have the work,” says Roche. Roche continued to work hard, and his reputation for precision and excellence grew with every passing year. Today, Roche Excavating, Inc. is still making their living performing primarily subterranean excavations, along with pipeline, grading, and demolition work. They are currently on a highprofile project in Newport Beach for Rodeo Homes, who is in the process of building a 13,000 sq. ft., $20 million-plus home. “I have worked with Robert St. John of Rodeo Homes for more than 25 years,” says Roche. “We have a nice list of loyal customers that we have built long-lasting relationships with and they count on us to provide nothing but the best on these high-profile projects.” Roche’s Newport Beach custom home excavation project for Rodeo Homes started around two months C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

Digging America - Always Good! Above: Roche Excavating, Inc. uses their equipment on high-profile projects in Newport Beach for Rodeo Homes.

back, and all of the grading and subterranean excavation is currently complete. “We are now performing the storm drain, sewer, and backfill work and should have it wrapped up with a couple more weeks,” says Roche. “We exported around 6,000 yards of dirt, and performed 15 to 20 cuts, while also installing a lagging/shoring wall.” Roche explains that the permanent shoring wall is necessary for jobs like these to retain and sustain the earth structure for the existing adjacent homes. “We cut in a 20-foot wide bench for the drill rig so that the caissons and pilings could be installed first, followed by the wood lagging as we excavated down to subterranean levels.” When complete, this Spanish style, ocean view, Newport Beach CALCON TRAC TOR .CO M

home will include a long list of amenities, like an outdoor cabana building, as well as a dry sauna and steam shower in the basement. It will also feature a 3,000 sq. ft. subterranean garage, a movie theatre, full bar area, and rec room,along with other high-end features throughout the three levels. Rodeo Homes has built around 70 such homes in the Newport Beach and surrounding area since their inception in 1990. They currently hold the “highest sales” in Orange County at $38 million in Newport Coast and $40 million at Emerald Bay. Roche Excavating, Inc. also recently completed work for a Paul Mirage home in Pelican Hill. Roche worked for several months, removing up to 25 feet of dirt,

amounting to more than 60,000 cubic yards. Roche performed all of the subterranean excavation, as well as the storm drain, sewer, and gas line work. One of the more unique projects that Roche has worked on recently was for a professional baseball pitcher on a demolition project in Irvine Cove. “We demoed a home out on the point in Irvine that looked out over a 200-foot cliff. The new home we built looks like a rock castle, it’s very iconic in the area,” says Roche. “We have another demo job coming up soon in Laguna Beach, and a pretty big 7-acre project in Cowan Heights where homes are being constructed. This is good work in any economy, and we are glad to have it.” OW N E R /O PE R ATO R / 2 0 1 9

Top Left: Sandra Perez, Office Manager for Roche Excavating, Inc. Above Right: Roche Excavating, Inc. completed subterranean excavation in Newport Beach. Left: Roche Excavating, Inc. crew. Sergio Garcia (left), Benedicto Gatica, Jim Dullaney, Andrew Borda and Dave Roche.

Roche Excavating, Inc. owns and operates around 15 pieces of heavy machinery. This includes three excavators, one skid steer loader, one dozer, two skip loaders, a backhoe, three track loaders, three wheel loaders, a water truck, a Rammax and a long list of attachments and other ancillary equipment. “The bulk of our fleet is made up of Cat machines, along with three John Deeres,” says Roche. We go with Cat because we know that they are the leaders in research and development, and offer the best in parts availability, as well as product and mechanic support. If something is wrong, I know that I can count on Quinn Company to get us back up and running with little or no downtime.” According to Roche, Quinn Company has been providing him with quality Cat machines for more than 30 years. “I can call Dennis Madden at Quinn Company very early in the morning, or even on weekends and he is always there for me,” says Roche. “Our relationship goes back 25 years, and I have complete trust in his overall knowledge and opinions. I will be purchasing a new self-propelled padfoot compactor from him very soon. Quinn Company Cat operates as a team, and that is how we do it around here as well. We are a lot like a family unit, and we do everything we can each day to assure that our customers are always satisfied.” For more information on Roche Excavating, Inc., please call their Santa Ana headquarters at (714) 953-1650. Cc 28

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Below: Performing subterranean excavation in Newport Beach while exporting approximately 6,000 cubic yards of dirt.

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JR VAN OSTEN JOINS THE SCOTT EQUIPMENT TEAM IN SANTA FE SPRINGS Scott Equipment would like to welcome JR Van Osten to their team. Scott Equipment has locations in Fontana and Santa Fe Springs. JR Van Osten will work out of the Santa Fe Springs location and cover Orange and Los Angeles Counties for the large/heavy equipment lines of Doosan and New Holland. JR is no stranger to the Southern California construction industry after working 15 years in the rental industry for United Rentals, and five years in machine sales for the John Deere equipment line. JR Van Osten has two daughters and resides in La Mirada with his wife Anni. “I am really excited to join the Scott Equipment team,” says Van Osten. “I’d like to especially thank Richard Scott, Brian Peters and Don Houston who’ve made me feel so welcome.”

Established in 1972, Scott Equipment is a family owned and operated heavy equipment company led by brothers, Richard Scott Jr. and Gregg Scott. They serve all of Southern California with the New Holland Construction, Kobelco Excavators and Doosan Heavy Equipment lines. They also

own and operate Western Equipment Rentals for their customers full-line equipment rental needs. For more information, please visit their website at www.scottequip.com or call their Fontana headquarters at (909) 822-2200 or their Santa Fe Springs location at (562) 777-0775. Cc

JEFF BROWN JOINS ROADTEC AS REGIONAL SALES MANAGER Chattanooga, TN - Roadtec is pleased to announce Jeff Brown has joined the company as their new Regional Sales Manager, serving the California and Hawaii market. Brown will represent Roadtec as the primary contact in the region, and will be responsible for assisting their valued customers and developing new business opportunities. An Air Force veteran, Jeff earned an MBA from the University of Arkansas, and is an established Business Development Manager. Jeff previously worked for the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, where CALCON TRAC TOR .CO M

he was a Pavement Management Engineer. At the AR DOT Jeff became well versed in Federal Highway Administration regulations, and conducted research regarding crack detection, pavement condition, pavement distress, and more. Eric Baker, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, said, “We are glad to have Jeff on board and look forward to his success in California and Hawaii. Jeff’s unique combination of talent, experience and attitude made him the ideal fit for this opportunity.” Jeff is based in Oxnard, CA and can be reached at jdbrown@roadtec.com. Cc OW N E R /O PE R ATO R / 2 0 1 9

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NIXON-EGLI EQUIPMENT CO.,

Link-Belt and Danny’s Crane, inc.

Above: Danny’s Crane purchased a new HTS-86100 telescopic boom truck crane from Nixon-Egli Equipment Co.

Danny’s Crane, Inc. was established in 2005 and provides their crane lifting services throughout Southern California. They currently own and operate nine cranes from 5-ton to 100-ton capacity. The bulk of their work is lifting general freight, to include rooftop air conditioners for commercial and residential customers, hot tubs and other large, heavy items for the private homeowner, or placing jobsite items like caissons for general construction contractors. Owners, Danny and Connie Jimenez recently purchased their first Link-Belt crane from Nixon-Egli Equipment Co. “We purchased the Link-Belt HTC-86100, 100-ton, telescopic boom truck crane to round out our crane fleet for those larger picks that we are getting into more these days,” says Danny Jimenez. “It is our first Link-Belt, and we like the overall versatility of the machine for lifts from 5-to-100-tons. The controls are state-of-the-art with incredible visibility and comfort.” Jimenez also mentions the excellent transportability and the fact that his new Link-Belt crane can be configured to meet the most stringent transportation laws, especially right here in California. Jimenez purchased his new Link-Belt HTC-86100 from Nixon-Egli crane specialist, Tom Trevithick. “Tom delivered on everything he promised, and he went out of his way to make the entire process enjoyable,” says Jimenez. “Tom has the knowledge and experience you want when making a big and important purchase like this. When the time comes, I would certainly buy another crane from him in the future. The entire team at Nixon-Egli Equipment Company has been just great, and I look forward to our ongoing relationship.” Danny’s Crane, Inc. is headquartered in Sun Valley and can be reached at (818) 438-2478.

California’s Largest General Line Construction and Municipal Equipment Dealer. So. California: 2044 S. Vineyard Ave., Ontario, CA 91761 • (909) 930-1822 No. California: 800 E. Grant Line Rd., Tracy, CA 95304 • (209) 830-8600 www.nixon-egli.com