CalContractor - 2023 Rental Equipment

PUBLISHER: Kerry Hoover khoover@calcontractor.com

EDITOR: Brian Hoover Senior Editor

IF YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO RUN A VOLVO, NOW’S THE TIME.

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

Lakeside 12345 Mapleview St. Lakeside, CA 92040

619.441.3690

Redding

4963 Mountain Lakes Blvd. Redding, CA 96003

279.201.4869

Sacramento

8594 Fruitridge Rd. Sacramento, CA 95826 916.504.2300

San Leandro 1944 Marina Blvd. San Leandro, CA 94577

510.357.9131

Turlock

1275 Venture Ln. Turlock, CA 95380 209.410.6710

Stay up and running with high-quality machines and unrivaled support.

vcesvolvo.com

Volvo equipment simply offers more — more power, more fuel efficiency and more uptime to improve your bottom line. Our Volvo excavators and wheel loaders are designed to reduce fuel consumption and maximize uptime to help you lower your operating costs — and you can work confidently knowing your Alta Equipment team is always there when you need us.

Learn how Volvo excavators and wheel loaders can deliver more reliability on the job and boost your bottom line. Contact your nearest VCES location today.

R-2 CONTRACTORS, Inc.

By Brian Hoover, Senior Editor / Photo credit: Brian Hoover / CMS, LLC

R-2 Contractors, Inc. Rents John Deere 850L Crawler

Dozer with Topcon 3D-MC2 Machine Control System for Work on Proxima Solar Project in Stanislaus County

Founded in 2008, R-2 Contractors, Inc. is based in Redmond, Oregon and works exclusively on power projects throughout the United States. Their projects include everything from construction of solar and wind

collection systems to substation construction expansions and retrofits, to distribution underground cable replacements and airport runway lighting systems. R-2 Contractors self-performs all of the civil and underground work

on these projects, to include site subgrade construction, foundation excavation and placement, cable trenching, grounding trenching install work, rough and fine grading, as well as road construction,

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Above: A John Deere 850L crawler dozer rental unit with a Topcon 3D-MC2 Machine Control system rough grading roads at Proxima Solar Project in Stanislaus County. Both rented from Coastline Equipment.

conduit installation, direction drilling and rock sawing. The company is signatory to the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers), IUOE (International Union of Operating Engineers), and Laborers Union, and specializes in creating innovative approaches designed to keep efficiency high, costs down and safety always at the forefront.

Zach Stephenson is a project manager for R-2 Contractors, and he is currently overseeing the Proxima Solar project in Newman, located in Stanislaus County. “We began working out here in August 2022 as a subcontractor to Cupertino Electric and should have our end of the work complete by August 2023. We have a longstanding relationship with Cupertino Electric and have been

on several projects for their great company over the years,” says Stephenson. “Our primary duties on this project are to construct roads and perform underground trenching and backfill, including around 133,000 +/- linear feet of cable plowing.”

The Proxima Solar project is an innovative solar and energy storage project currently under construction that will provide 200 megawatts of clean, renewable energy for residents and businesses in Stanislaus County. Additionally, the new solar farm will provide 150 megawatts of battery energy storage. NextEra Energy Resources, LLC is the owner of the Proxima Solar facility, and currently one of the world’s largest generators of renewable energy from both wind and sun. The Proxima Solar project will cost approximately $250 million to construct, generate around $4 million in tax revenue and create more than 175 construction jobs.

Stephenson points out that before any of the heavy lifting and placement of panels, inverters and batteries could begin, a roadway

had to first be constructed. “In order to navigate the site, you have to have roads for the numerous trucks, cranes and construction machines. Our company was contracted by Cupertino Electric to construct more than 137,000 linear feet or nearly 26 miles of 12-foot-wide roadway throughout the site,” says Stephenson. “We are currently placing Class II ¾-inch state specified aggregate base rock material at around six inches in depth to construct these new roads. Our crews are selfperforming all of the rough and final grade utilizing John Deere 672 and 772 motor graders and a John Deere 850L dozer equipped with a Topcon 3D-MC2 dozer system.”

According to Stephenson, the new aggregate roadways are being constructed according to the appropriate slope and rainwater sheet flow specifications. “Before any grading could begin, we sent the project design, plans and CAD files to the engineering firm who then built the specific files for the

Above: Cupertino Electric installed structural steel piles for solar panels at Proxima Solar Project in Stanislaus County.

Topcon GPS dozing system. We then loaded that information into the John Deere 850L dozer and Topcon system that we rented from Coastline Equipment,” continues Stephenson. “Our 850L dozer operator is very familiar with the Topcon system that we have on many of our own machines. He is using it to cut and pre-rip the subgrade at the Proxima Solar site. The Topcon system allows our operator to simply follow the set of lines on the monitor that show him the edge and center of the roadway and the machine takes it from there to grade to the project design to the specifications. Using Topcon on our machines saves both time and money. It allows our company to do the work with less boots on the ground and keeps our tolerances within 0.05 feet (five one hundredths of a foot).”

Stephenson says that after the John Deere 850L dozer cuts and rips the subgrade, it is followed by a John Deere 672 or 772 motor grader. The motor graders are then followed by a roller that compacts the 12 or so inches of subgrade material. “At R-2 Contractors, we own and maintain a large fleet of heavy equipment, including dozers, excavators, motor graders, wheel loaders, skid steers, skip loaders and a whole lot more. However, because we have so many jobs going on at once across the country, we regularly rent machines, like the 850L, from companies like Coastline Equipment when ours are not available,” says Stephenson. “I first became familiar with Coastline Equipment when we were on a project in Lompoc constructing access roads and building pads for a large transmission line running

between a wind farm and the switch station. A friend told me about Coastline, and I made a call to the local sales representative, Clark Guest, to see about renting a dozer for our project. We really hit it off and have been doing business together now for the past two years. Clark is always there for us, even with last minute requests. I recently called him on a Friday for a 772 motor grader that I would need for the Proxima Solar job on Monday morning. He made it happen and that is just another reason why we will keep Coastline at the top of our list when we are looking for rental machines.”

According to Topcon, the 3D-MC2 dozer system takes 3D machine control to a whole new level. The secret to 3D-MC2 increased grade performance is a revolutionary 3D-MC2 sensor

Above: A John Deere 1050K crawler dozer equipped with a medium voltage plow system installing cable and fiber optic at Proxima Solar Project in Stanislaus County.

Right: Bron V250 vibratory plow attached to John Deere 1050K crawler dozer shown burying cable to support the solar farm infrastructure.

Photo credit: Nate Raulston, Superintendent, R-2 Contractors, Inc.

which measures movement and rotation in 9 axes, and 10 times faster than standard systems. This means operators can move twice as fast, with greater accuracy and get to grade in fewer passes. This results in less machine operating time, less fuel, less wear on the machine and most importantly, increased productivity. The Topcon 3D-MC2 dozer system comes in both single-antenna and twinantenna configurations.

Kevin Murphy is the Topcon Manager for Coastline Equipment, and he further explains the many benefits of using Topcon technology on your heavy construction

machine.” Our focus is providing precision solutions to our customers. We provide smart machines to smart customers and Deere has done a great job of equipping us with the tools to help our contractors perform with maximum efficiency,” says Murphy. “With Topcon GPS on one of our machines, projects just make more money.”

R-2 Contractors was also contracted by Cupertino Electric to perform the trenching and underground cable plowing portion of the work on the Proxima Solar project. “We are performing all of the excavating and cable plow work

help Cupertino Electric

bring the power from the solar panels to the inverters and then on to the grid switch station or battery storage,” continues Stephenson. “Our crews are using a John Deere 1050K dozer with a cable car setup in front of the dozer to plow nearly 30-miles of electrical cable from the large spools to depths of 48 to 54-inchs. The job is going smoothly so far and that is in no small part due to the equipment we own and rent from companies like Coastline Equipment.” Cc

to

Top: John Deere 772GP motor grader with a Topcon 3D-MC2 Machine Control System rented from Coastline Equipment. Shown here manicuring roadway shoulders in preparation for final surfacing.

Above Left: Zach Stephenson, Project Manager, R-2 Contractors, Inc.

Above Right: Nathan Raulston, Project Superintendent, R-2 Contractors, Inc.

Myers and Sons

Construction (Myers and Sons) began working on a water treatment plant for the Lytton Rancheria of California (Lytton Tribe) in August 2021. During construction, the Lytton Rancheria Tribe also decided to construct their own wastewater treatment plant, and once again hired Myers and Sons to get the job done. Barron Sweet has been working as a

Myers and Sons Construction Building Wastewater Treatment Plant for Lytton Rancheria Tribe in Windsor with Help From Sonsray Rentals

Superintendent for Myers and Sons for nearly eight years and has more than 35 years experience in the civil general engineering construction business. “We were around 50 percent complete with the Lytton Rancheria Tribe water treatment plant when they asked us to also build the wastewater treatment plant across the street,” says Sweet. “We broke ground in June 2022 after all of the design work was complete and should

have the plant tested and commissioned by October 2023.”

Sweet explains that before his crews mobilized onsite, Ghilotti Construction had to do their job to complete the civil work necessary for Myers and Sons to begin. Ghilotti serves as a subcontractor to Midstate Construction Corporation who is a subcontractor to Myers and Sons who is the prime general contractor onsite. A big part of

{ Continued on page 14 }

Above: Progress from July 2022 to February 2023 shows completion of 13.8 MG seasonal storage basin and liner, UG storage tank, RECW pump station, MBR pad and Operations building.

By Brian Hoover, Senior Editor / Photos provided by Sweet Media

{ Continued from page 12 }

Ghilotti’s work was to excavate and construct an approximately 13.8 MG seasonal pond to handle the overflow from seasonal rains or storage overflow. They also excavated and constructed the levee around the pond.

“Once the seasonal pond and levee were excavated and constructed, we came in with our subcontractor, Barber Webb Co., who then installed HDPE liner throughout the pond. After this, we were able to then tap into it with a 18-inch overflow pipe,” says Sweet. “The next job at hand was to excavate and construct a recycled pump station and UG emergency storage tank to help manage the wastewater and keep the plant running efficiently. According to Sweet, the construction of the 18-foot-tall by 24-footwide reclaimed water structure required his crews to dig into the side of the levee and excavate down around 30 feet.

Once the reclaimed water structure was complete, Myers and Sons crews moved on to the next step of constructing a 110,000-gallon emergency storage unit to a depth of around 25 feet. This 90-foot by 60-foot structure is designed for emergency use during a 100-year flood or in the event the storage pond is at full capacity and more space for water storage is needed.

“The UG emergency storage structure was originally designed to be a precast structure, but due to the long lead time for the precast sections, Myers worked with the design team to change the design to cast-in-place. This was a wise decision as it saved us around four months’ time had we instead waited,” continues Sweet.

While one of Myers and Sons crews was constructing the emergency storage unit, another was busy digging, forming, and pouring the Operation’s Building foundation. “The 85-foot by 32-foot Operations Building pad is around two feet thick with cement building block on top,” continues Sweet. “Midstate Construction performed all of the block wall work along with the buildout of the restrooms, chemical storage rooms and other buildouts.”

Myers and Sons is currently at around the halfway point of construction on the Membrane BioReactor (MBR), a process

Above: CASE CX245D SR excavator from Sonsary Rentals excavating a 130” diameter by 30-foot-deep lift station as part of the construction of a wastewater treatment plant for Lytton Rancheria Tribe in Windsor.

that is now widely used in both municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants. The MBR combines a microfiltration or ultrafiltration membrane unit with a suspended growth bioreactor to provide an advanced level of organic and suspended solids removal. “The MBR system for the Lytton Rancheria Tribe is designed and being constructed so that additional holding tanks can easily be added with basic connections. We are building seven 10-foot-high by 8-foot-wide by 40-foot-long rectangular tanks right now with the capacity to add three more in the future,” says Sweet. “These tanks will all sit upon a massive 115-foot by 72-foot pad that we poured in late February. Then, our subcontractor, Cloacina/FRM, will set the storage tanks on top for use in processing the treated wastewater.

Sweet says that his crews are now just getting into all of the underground pipe installation work. “The deepest sanitary sewer

sections will be at around 31 feet deep and some of the other pipe will be as shallow as only three feet. We are using both slide rail shoring systems and quick shore units, along with conventional benching and sloping techniques to get the pipeline safely into the ground,” says Sweet. “One of our greatest challenges with the excavation of the pits and trenches has been the tremendous amount of rain we received this past December and January. The rains pushed things back a bit and filled up our emergency storage tank, but we got things back on track with constant dewatering with 4-inch pumps for around three weeks. Thank God we had our seasonal pond to dump into during this time because I think we moved more than 250,000 gallons of water and it had to go somewhere.”

Sweet says that other challenges included supply chain issues with things like valves, piping and electrical panels. “We are just now receiving the valves and piping

and some other materials are still two to three months out. The electrical panels may take as long as ten months to receive from the time we ordered. But everything has been manageable, and we are expediting these delivery dates whenever possible,” continues Sweet.

When it comes to construction equipment usage, Myers and Sons is relying on machines from their own extensive fleet, as well as renting several units from Sonsray Rentals. “I would estimate that around 60 percent of the machines onsite are from our fleet and the other 40 percent is coming from Sonsray Rentals,” says Sweet. “I am working with John Johnson from Sonsray and have been renting from him pretty much exclusively for the past three years. The reason I go with Sonsray Rentals for our rental equipment is pretty simple. It’s all about service and John Johnson and Sonsray Rentals have always been there for us. If we have any issues, they are

Above L to R: Avadh Radadiya (Project Manager), Nick Baer (General Superintendent), and Barron Sweet (Project Superintendent) – Supervising 400 cubic yard MBR pour.

Left: Pouring slab for 110,000-gallon Underground Emergency Storage Unit (ESU) at a 30+’ excavation.

there that day to fix it or give us a new machine. There is no waiting three or four days like you might find with other rental companies. John and Sonsray have always made our needs a top priority and that really comes in handy when you are on a job like this wastewater treatment plant for the Lytton Rancheria Tribe.”

Myers and Sons maintains a large fleet of heavy construction equipment that serves their Water, Bridge and Roadway divisions. “We obviously want to make use of our own fleet whenever possible. But when we are on several jobs and we need a machine is needed, 90 percent of the time, we go with Sonsray Rentals. Every job is different and the economics of using owned or rental equipment can come down to who needs what the most and what type of work we are doing at the time,” says Sweet. “On this particular project so far, we have rented or are renting a 2,000-gallon water truck, a skip loader, a track loader, a telehandler, several rollers, numerous excavators from 7,000 to 60,000 pounds and a wheel loader.

Our equipment needs change every day on a job like this and it is comforting to know that we have Sonsray Rentals in our corner to get what we need, when we need it.”

Myers and Sons Construction is a heavy civil construction company that still believes in a hard honest day’s work. With headquarters in Sacramento, the firm specializes on delivering high quality, safe, complex projects that require innovation, partnering, transparency and a focus toward on-time and on-budget delivery. From roadways and bridges to wastewater treatment plants, Myers and Sons stands ready to deliver. For more information on Myers and Sons Construction, please visit www.myers-sons.com or call (916) 283-9950. Cc

Scan the QR code to view a video of Myers and Sons Construction building the wastewater treatment plant for Lytton Rancheria Tribe in Windsor.

Right: Myers and Sons pouring the top deck of the Underground Emergency Storage Tank (ESU). Originally designed as a precast tank, the ESU was changed to cast-in-place due to the long lead time for the precast sections. Myers and Sons worked with HydroSciene to design and construct the cast-in-place tank, saving nearly four months on the schedule.

Kelly Killingsworth and KelCo Construction, LLC, First to Purchase Volvo L25 Electric Wheel Loader in North America

By Brian

Kelly Killingsworth has operated equipment since his youth and seemed to always know that was what he would eventually do for a living. He is an Army veteran and served in Iraq in 2008 and 2009, and in Afghanistan in 2012. After being honorably discharged in 2012, Killingsworth decided to acquire his Commercial Class A Driver’s License (CDA) and a Level II Certificate of Heavy Equipment Operations. Soon after, Killingsworth began working for a general engineering contractor for around six years before he became a casualty of COVID layoffs. Instead of just sitting around waiting for the world to open back up, Killingsworth made the decision to go into business for himself. He initially started under KelCo Logistics in 2020, but changed the name in 2022 to KelCo Construction, LLC after getting his Class A Contractor’s License and becoming an official Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE).

KelCo Construction, LLC is located in Fortuna, California and his company specializes in excavation projects that include trenching, site development, underground utilities, and demolition throughout Humboldt County. Killingsworth knew that he would need an edge in order to be successful in today’s competitive general engineering construction business, so he chose his trucks

and equipment carefully. “I started out renting the construction equipment in the very beginning and eventually purchased a Peterbilt Super 10 dump truck for the bigger dirt jobs. I also bought a Ford Super Duty F-350 with a 14-yard dump trailer,” says Killingsworth. “As my company continued to grow, I knew that it was time to purchase my own

construction equipment. I did a lot of research on the numerous makes and models, and although I had mainly operated two main brands in the past, I wanted to see everything available before making the financial commitment.”

Hoover, Senior Editor / Photos provided by Brandon Rice with Double B UAV drone innovations out of Humboldt County CA.

Killingsworth immediately noticed a difference when he visited Volvo

Above: Kelly Killingsworth, Owner, KelCo Construction, LLC with his new Volvo L25 Electric Wheel Loader from Volvo Construction Equipment & Services.

Construction Equipment & Services in Redding. “The personal attention and service I received in the past from the other big major brands was just not that friendly or attentive. I mean, I get it. I’m a small company and that kind of service seems to mostly be reserved for big guys with the massive equipment fleets. But, with the folks at Volvo, it was different. From the moment I started working with David Brand and Ed Galindo at Volvo Construction Equipment & Services, I knew I had found a company that cared about my business, my goals and my company’s future. The only thing left to do was see if their equipment was as good as their customer service.”

According to Killingsworth, discussions with Volvo went on for several months and it was during this time that Killingsworth was made aware of the new Volvo ECR25 Electric excavator and the Volvo L25 Electric wheel loader. “I made a trip down to Redding to put both the Volvo electric wheel loader and excavator to the test. I am extremely sincere when I say that I was thoroughly impressed with the stability and capability of these electric construction machines,” says Killingsworth. “Brand and Galindo

also introduced me to the California CORE program that would help me with the purchase of the Volvo L25 Electric wheel loader, if I qualified.”

The California Air Resources Board (CARB), in partnership with CALSTART, launched the Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE) to accelerate the purchase of zero-emission off-road equipment in California. The project also offers additional funding for charging infrastructure to support the zero-emission equipment (www.californiacore.org).

“I applied for CORE and I qualified for the voucher incentive funding. At this point, I made the decision to purchase the Volvo L25 Electric wheel loader,” says Killingsworth.

“I am primarily using my new Volvo electric wheel loader in trenching and backfilling applications, and for loading my dump truck with the spoils. I fully expect my Volvo L25 Electric wheel loader to replace most of the work that I was previously

performing with a skid steer loader, while also handling the heavier wheel loader applications.”

Killingsworth points to several of the features that sold him on the Volvo L25 Electric wheel loader. “My new Volvo electric wheel loader can handle more material than your average skid steer with its 1.2 cubic yard bucket. I also like that you sit up higher and have a full 360-degree view, instead of just seeing what is right in front of you. When you consider the overall comfort, the 360-degree cab with superior visibility, the dramatic reduction in noise and the overall environmental benefits of this electric machine, it just makes sense to have these electric units in your fleet,” continues Killingsworth. “It was important to me to jump on the electric machinery trend early and take advantage of business opportunities for environmentally sensitive contracts, or jobs where exhaust emission or high noise levels are prohibited. There are numerous agencies and applications that call for zeroemission or noise ordinances that prohibit use at certain times of the day or night. PG&E is a good example of a company that prohibits working at certain times of the day due

to noise restrictions. There

Above: Killingsworth with his fleet consisting of KelCo’s new Volvo L25 Electric Wheel Loader, their new Volvo ECR50 Excavator and the company’s Peterbilt Super 10 Dump Truck, along with a Ford Super Duty F-350 with a 14-Yard Dump Trailer.

Left: The Volvo L25 Electric Wheel Loader dumping spoils into KelCo’s Super 10 dump truck.

Right: Kelly Killingsworth. Owner, KelCo Construction, LLC. on a jobsite with his new Volvo L25 Electric Wheel Loader.

are also several cities, towns, municipalities and other agencies in California that require zero-emission machines to even bid on the contract. This is going to be a busy summer for me as I have already secured three subcontracts as a DVBE that is going to require me to hire a few more operators and add additional equipment. The Volvo L25 Electric wheel loader was also a factor that helped me secure some of these contracts. I am so energized by this new technology, that I am making a trip to CONEXPO in March to have a look at Volvo’s new EC230 mid-size electric excavator to see about adding that to my fleet.”

According to Volvo CE, the Volvo L25 Electric delivers all the performance you would expect from a wheel loader in its size class, but with less noise and zeroemissions. The machine delivers outstanding lifting and breakout forces, maximum traction, as well as unrivaled off-road capability and stability. “The battery life on these units is great, especially when you

consider that when you stop using the machine, the battery is put on hold. It is easy to get an 8-hour day out of this machine and you can plug right into any 110 or 220 outlet or even use a generator or a Beam Global mobile solar charging unit on remote sites.” According to Volvo, the Volvo L25 Electric wheel loader comes with an integrated on-board charger. It supplies a 6kW power output to the batteries, allowing the machine to charge from 0 to 100% in under 6 hours, and comes with the necessary charging cable, plug and adapters to charge from a wall socket or wall box. When projects and applications demand faster charging, a range of optional fast off-board chargers are available for both indoor and outdoor use. These will charge the machine from 0 to 100% in less than 2 hours.

Although electric powered Volvo machines will be a big part KelCo Construction’s future, they also maintain their need for diesel powered machines. “I took a good look at the Volvo ECR25 Electric

excavator, but decided to purchase a larger conventional Volvo ECR50 excavator instead because it better served my current and future needs. But my plans are to eventually add a Volvo ECR25 Electric in the future as I continue to grow and expand,” says Killingsworth. “I am proud to be the first in North America to own the new Volvo L25 Electric wheel loader. My plan is to make this electric Volvo machine the first of many. Volvo Construction Equipment & Services is hands-down the best equipment distributor I have ever dealt with over my many years in the business. For me, everything starts in the dirt and that is where I want to be, and I know I can rely on Volvo Construction Equipment & Service to help me grow my company.” For more information on KelCo Construction, LLC, please visit www.digkelco.com, (www.instagram.com/_kelco_ construction_), (www.facebook. com/KelCoConstructionllc) or call their Fortuna headquarters at (707) 498-0378. Cc

Above Left: Beam Global Mobile Solar Charging Station is ideal for charging the Volvo L25 Electric Wheel Loader on remote sites.

Above: The Volvo Electric Compact L25 Wheel Loader has six batteries, weighing 99.2 pounds each.

Left: Kelly Killingsworth taking delivery of his new Volvo L25 Electric Wheel Loader and shaking hands with David Brand, Territory Manager for Volvo Construction Equipment & Services.

DANA RANDALL RETIRES AFTER 33 YEARS AT NIXON-EGLI EQUIPMENT CO.

By Brian Hoover, Senior Editor

Dana Randall started working at Larson Truck Repair in Santa Fe Springs right out of high school while he attended diesel mechanic school at night. Randall remained at Larson Truck Repair for 12 years before making the decision to move over to Nixon-Egli Equipment Co. in 1989 where he would happily spend the rest of his career. “I have worked for just two employers my entire professional career. I decided to apply at Nixon-Egli in June 1989, after they brought a street sweeper into Larson for a frontend alignment.

I had never seen a street sweeper up close before and it really caught my attention. So much so, that I decided to go over to Nixon-Egli at their previous headquarters in Santa Fe Springs to apply for a job,” says Randall. “They offered me a job as a shop mechanic, and I remained in this position for several years before being promoted to Field Service Mechanic.”

Randall explains that the Assistant Service Manager position became available in 1990. “I was excited to be promoted to Assistant Service Manager and I did this for

a few years. However, we were hit by a pretty bad recession and the position was eliminated, so I went back to work in a field truck as a mechanic in 1992,” says Randall. “In 1996, the parts manager position became available, and I of course applied and was awarded the position. I did this for a couple of years before being promoted to Product Support Manager in 1998 and eventually Vice President of Product Support a few years later. As the VP of Product Support, Randall was responsible for supervising and directing all

Left: Dana Randall retires after 33 years of service at Nixon-Egli Equipment Co.

Above: James Nixon (left), Dana Randall and Steve Nixon.

Above: Steve Nixon (left), Robin Cacciatore, Joanne and Dana Randall at Randall’s retirement party on Jan 25th.

operations for both the parts and service departments at both branches. This included everything from employees, inventory all the way to facility maintenance.

Randall decided to retire a bit early to spend more time traveling and enjoying what he and his wife, Joanne, love most. “I will remain a part time employee, working five days a month at Nixon-Egli for the next year or so to help my successor, Mike Burns, transition into his new position as the VP of Product Support,” says Randall. “Mike is a great person that will do a fantastic job for Nixon-Egli as their new VP of Product Support.”

Randall says that both he and his wife, Joanne, enjoy traveling, roading and boating. They have a place in Lake Havasu and keep a 26-foot Four Winds Cabin Cruiser docked at Dana Point for trips to Catalina and other destinations. “We really enjoy being on the water and also like to spend time in our RV at places like Crystal Cove in Newport Beach where we just spent five wonderful days. We also have a Mediterranean cruise coming up in June that we are very excited about,” continues Randall. “I was blessed to have been able to work for such a great company like Nixon-Egli. I just love the

people here and the friendly, family atmosphere that I have enjoyed for so many years. We all work hard at our jobs, but we also enjoy one another’s company and take the time to have some fun and a laugh or two every day. I really want to thank everyone at Nixon-Egli for being such good co-workers and friends for these past 33 years. I will miss this place.” Cc

Left: Dana surrounded by the Nixon-Egli service team.

Above: Steve Nixon (left) with Jonnie Larkin, Carl Bahnsen, Dana Randall, Jerry Maly and John Skaff.

INSURANCE COLUMN

PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY

CONSIDERING IT IS A NEW YEAR, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS BUSINESS OWNERS SHOULD DO TO BETTER PROTECT THEMSELVES?

By Steve Cota, Patriot Risk & Insurance Services

There are several things you can do to help better protect yourself and your employees in the coming year. While our focus at the start of any year is on increasing profits, doing the following are easy ways to increase value for your company and make yourself stand out above your competitors.

Contract review and risk management are imperative. We must help protect our enterprise by carefully reviewing our contracts with general contractors or sub-contractors. Specifically, we need to review the contract information that references each party’s indemnifications and responsibilities. Do not be afraid to request revisions to your contract if you do not believe it appropriately protects your organization. Confirm that each party involved provides a point of contact should issues arise. By utilizing the correct language in a contract, you are protecting yourself should a matter require filing a claim.

We also recommend that your staff visit and walk jobsites prior to mobilization. Doing this lets you identify any risks before encountering them during construction. In addition, this process can assist in identifying hazards and provides supporting documentation should you be required to file a claim. This process can assist with workers’ compensation, general liability, or construction defect issues.  Document everything. We encourage employers to document communication with vendors and clients as well as internally, particularly when it comes to employment practices. Documentation is crucial when involving terminations, for example. As an

organization, it is essential to document and catalog employee performance, including disciplinary actions. As stimulus money and Covid pay fizzles out and the economy slows, we expect an increase in claims. Therefore, you should lean heavily into documentation practices to protect your organization and provide your risk team with the ammunition needed to fight claims.

Finally, we want to focus on hiring practices as we start the new year. We have found it very beneficial for our insureds to conduct pre-employment background checks and physicals. Protect your organization by vetting new staff thoroughly to ensure new hires are competent and capable of the work required. This will help reduce the chances of accidents, claims, or fraudulent demands.

Your insurance agent can assist you with these items. Please feel free to contact me if you need further guidance, and I will point you in the appropriate direction. Cc

Steve Cota, CRIS, directs the Construction Division for Patriot Risk & Insurance Services in Irvine, California. For more information regarding the above or any other insurance-related questions, he may be reached at (949) 486-7947 or  scota@patrisk.com.

2023 MANITEX 40124SHL STK # 99538 - $495,000 PETERBUILT 567 – 13 SPEED

2023 MANITEX 35124C 35 TON STK # 106087 – CALL FOR PRICE PETERBUILT 567 AUTO TRANS

2018 TADANO GR1200XL 120 TON STK # 71341

2021 MANITEX 26101C 26 TON STK # 92313 – $280,000 SALE – RENT – RENTAL PURCHASE

2023 MANITEX 22101S 22 TON STK# 104778 – CALL FOR PRICE MACHINE IS IN STOCK

2018 MANITEX 2281T 22 TON STK # 76842 - $205,000  SALE – RENT – RENTAL PURCHASE

2019 TADANO MANTIS GTC1200 130 TON STK# 85818 – $1,135,000 SALE – RENT – RPO

2018 TADANO GR350XL 35 TON STK # 78047 - $335,000  SALE – RENT – RENTAL PURCHASE

YOUR EQUIPMENT RENTAL NEEDS, COVERED

No matter the job site, Sunbelt Rentals is ready to cover your equipment rental and service needs. With more than 100 Sunbelt Rentals locations across California and the industry’s most extensive fleet, we’re here to support your project from start to finish. From small tool rentals to specialized turn-key solutions, let’s work together to make it happen.

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We offer a diverse product mix that can accommodate any project SERVICE

We’re able to assist with all your needs, from regular maintenance to unplanned situations.

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Volvo Construction Equipment & Services

Welcomes Frank Valente to Machine Sales Team

Frank Valente (Valente) learned to operate construction machinery at a young age from his father, who was a trainer for Local 12 – International Union of Operating Engineers. However, he had to pay his dues like everyone else, so at 14, Valente took a job power washing equipment. Valente eventually earned the right to become an operator and began working for firms like Davis Earthmoving, Guinn Construction and in the oil fields for Sturgeon & Son.

After working for several years as a heavy equipment operator, Valente decided to move from running machines to selling and renting them for companies like Road Machinery, Quinn Cat, Foley Cat, Denio Equipment Rentals, and Downs Equipment Rentals. After many years of selling and renting

construction equipment, Valente has accepted a position with Volvo Construction Equipment & Services as their new machine sales representative for Kern, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Inyo, and Northern LA counties.

“I am very honored and excited to be a part of the Volvo team. My goal is to meet and consult with existing and new customers and provide them with the best possible solution for their individual needs,” says Valente. “One of my strengths is product support, so whether it’s education or operator training, my priority is to be there when they need me. Customer relationships have always been the key to success in this business. I look forward to many years of service to Volvo Construction Equipment & Services and all of their loyal customers.”

Frank Valente can be reached at (661) 847-8234. Volvo Construction Equipment & Services has extensive offerings, including all Volvo product lines, support products and services, used equipment, rental services, and merchandise. For further information, go to  www.vcesvolvo.com. Cc

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