West 1, January 12, 2025 by Construction Equipment Guide

Topanga Canyon Landslide Work Nears End

By Irwin Rapoport CEG CORRESPONDENT

A massive landslide occurred at post mile 1.8 on State Route 27 (Topanga Canyon Boulevard) near Malibu, Calif., on March 9, 2024, closing the two-lane highway with a significant debris field.

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) personnel were immediately on-site and, shortly afterward, the department hired Flo Engineering Inc. of Monterey Park, Calif., to handle the emergency cleanup and repair work.

The roadway was cleared and reopened on June 2, months ahead of schedule. Follow-up work that involved installing straw wattles was completed on Sept. 26.

The remaining work consists of hydroseeding the hillside with native seeds in coordination with California State Parks. The vegetation will help keep the soil in place.

“Caltrans has completed the installation of straw wattles across the face of a bare hillside where a massive landslide occurred,” said Jim Medina, a Caltrans public information officer. “It is a safety measure to prevent soil runoff during the rainy season. A fabric catch fence also was mounted atop k-rails to prevent rocks from falling on the roadway.”

September was a busy month for Flo Engineering crews.

Steady as She Goes in 2025?

Construction Industry Optimistically Preparing for New Year Ahead

By Lucy Perry CEG CORRESPONDENT

The construction industry is “cautiously optimistic” going into the new year. Infrastructure makes up the largest market sector and it’s expected to grow in 2025. And while growth will continue, it’ll be incremental heading into the fourth year of the federal IIJA, now that many of the projects launched under this act have started or are under construction.

ARTBA predicts public highway, pavement and street construction will grow by 8 percent to $128.4 billion next year.

see OUTLOOK page 25

A Cat excavator removes landslide debris on Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

2016 Kobelco SK140SRLC-3, Stk#: 13546, EROPS, A/C, Heat, Radio, 4,742 hrs., 34" Bkt, 24" Pads, Aux Hyd, Back-Up Camera $48,500

2018 John Deere 450K LGP, Stk#: 13610, OROPS, 2,585 hrs., 6 Way Blade,

A/C & Heat, 609 hrs., Water System, 8 ft. Broom, 225x75Rx15 Tires, 4 Cy. Kubota Eng .. $24,500

24" Pads, 10' 4" Wide $59,500

2019 John Deere 850K LT, Stk#: HR-1207, EROPS, A/C & Heat, Radio, 6 Way Blade, 6,728 hrs., 90% U/C, 24" Pads, Multi Shank Rear Ripper, 14 ft. Wide $179,500

2018 Bell B30E, Stk#: 13464, EROPS, A/C & Heat, Radio, 5,343 hrs., 30 Ton Dump Cap., Auto Greaser, 23.5Rx25 Tubeless Tires $169,500

2016 Cat 330FL, Stk#: 13598, EROPS, A/C & Heat, Radio, 7,186 hrs., 47" Bucket w/Manual Thumb, 31" Pads, Quick Connect. $139,500

2020 John Deere 750L LGP, Stk#: HR-1427, EROPS, A/C & Heat, Radio, 6 Way Blade, 7,118 hrs., 33" Pads, 13' 5" Wide $159,500

2018 Snorkel S3219E, Stk#: 13637, 550 lbs.,

ft., 235 hrs., Electric Power $4,250

2020 John Deere 450K LGP, Stk#: HR-1171, OROPS, 6 Way Blade, 2,666 hrs.,

2017 Sullair

8 SOCAL JCB EXPANDS REACH WITH $14M COLTON DEALERSHIP

SoCal JCB announced its continued growth in Southern California. This expansion strengthens SoCal JCB’s ability to provide industry-leading JCB equipment and services to customers across the region, meeting the growing demands of the construction and landscaping industries.

12 U.S. 259 HOCHATOWN BOULEVARD WORK STARTS IN OKLAHOMA

Construction began on the 2.3 mi., nearly $30 million U.S. 259 Hochatown Boulevard project in McCurtain County, Okla., that will ultimately result in a fourlane highway with a center turn lane, sidewalks and crosswalks, according to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

12 WYO. TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AWARDS $75M IN CONTRACTS

The Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded more than $74.8 million in contracts for eight Wyoming Department of Transportation construction projects. The commission awarded a more than $26.6 million bid to Cheyenne-based Simon Contractors for a bridge replacement project.

16 NATIONAL EQUIPMENT LEAGUE LAUNCHES SECOND SEASON

The National Equipment League has launched its second season with the debut of a new event, new contests and six competitors from the world of construction and heavy equipment operation. This includes returning champion Bryan Furnace. This will be an official championship round of four events.

18 PCL CONSTRUCTION’S SPECIAL PROJECTS DIVISION SETS RECORD

The year 2024 has been a record-breaking year for PCL Construction’s Special Projects Division, which secured nearly 270 new projects, amounting to approximately $500 million in new work — its highest ever. This achievement underscores the division’s pivotal role within one of NA’s largest contractors.

18 METSO BREAKS GROUND ON MAJOR EXPANSION IN ARIZONA

Metso celebrated the groundbreaking of its service center expansion and new training facility, in Mesa, Ariz., on Dec. 11. Both the service center expansion and the training center are expected to be operational during the fourth quarter of 2025.

IN THIS ISSUE

WESTERN EDITION

26 FLEETWATCHER HELPS TAME ‘DATA OVERLOAD’ WITH NEW PLATFORM

An overabundance of data from construction site equipment can hurt rather than help companies, but FleetWatcher’s advanced telematics platform allows users to manage multiple apps with a single platform. FleetWatcher aggregates the data and allows companies to make real time decisions based on the data.

26 TADANO COMPLETES MANITEX INTERNATIONAL ACQUISTION

Tadano announced that it completed the acquisition of Manitex International on Jan. 2. Manitex is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Tadano Ltd., and, as a result, Manitex shares are no longer listed on Nasdaq. Tadano’s Mid-Term management plan outlines the company’s growth strategy.

34 MAXIMIZE WINTER WORK: SIX TOP REVENUE-GENERATING JOBS

For land clearing contractors, winter often brings a slowdown in work, especially in regions where vegetation management takes a backseat during colder weather. However, with the right strategy and equipment, winter can present an opportunity to take on new jobs.

38 AED FOUNDATION RECOGNIZES 100TH HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM

This milestone underscores the significant progress of AEDF’s Vision 2025 workforce development initiative, aimed at strengthening the future of the equipment industry, with the goal of introducing 10,000 technicians into the workforce by the year 2027.

When ALL Erection & Crane Rental, flagship branch and member of the ALL Family of Companies, provided heavy lift equipment to dismantle a 170,000-lb. industrial bolt press in Northeast, Ohio, it also was able to offer a value-added service: delivery of that same piece of machinery to its destination in Alsip, Ill. 49 THUNDER CREEK NAMES DAVID BERTINO TERRITORY SALES

Thunder Creek Equipment has named David Bertino as its new territory sales manager for the southern United States, including New Mexico, Oklahoma, Alabama, Texas and Louisiana. Bertino joins Thunder Creek after a long career in both compact and heavy equipment sales and territory management.

Stellar Industries, a 100 percent employee-owned and -operated manufacturer of mechanic and service trucks, cranes, tire service trucks, hooklifts, trailers and service truck and van accessories, was named as the 2024 Legacy Award recipient.

THE BEST PARTS ALL IN ONE PLACE B N HE BE O T PAART EST P TS

SoCal JCB Expands Reach With $14M

Colton Dealership

SoCal JCB announced its continued growth in Southern California with the groundbreaking of a new full-service dealership in Colton at 2860 S. Iowa. Ave.

This expansion strengthens SoCal JCB’s ability to provide industry-leading JCB equipment and services to customers across the region, meeting the growing demands of the construction and landscaping industries.

The event was marked by the attendance of Alice Bamford, granddaughter of JCB founder Joseph Cyril Bamford, and George Heining, west region vice president for JCB North America, underscoring the significance of this milestone for JCB’s presence in the region.

“This new facility represents our unwavering commitment to supporting our customers and expanding access to dependable JCB equipment,” said Caleb Wright, dealer principal at SoCal JCB. “We’re excited to serve the Colton community and surrounding areas with innovative products and outstanding service.”

see JCB page 52

Dealer Principal Caleb Wright Leads JCB Growth in Southern California

Caleb Wright took the reins as dealer principal at SoCal JCB in late 2022, and he’s already steering the company toward a bright future.

With an extensive background in the heavy equipment industry, including 13 years with Caterpillar and several years at John Deere, Wright was more than prepared to lead the privately held dealership through its next growth phase.

His experience at large heavy equipment dealership groups gave him valuable insight into the critical aspects of running a business in the landscaping and construction space — particularly the importance of sales and customer service. Today, as dealer principal, Wright oversees all aspects of the business, from parts and service to sales.

Despite the role’s demands, he embraces the challenge and is committed to being a handson business owner. By early 2025, Wright is set to gain full ownership of SoCal JCB, cementing his long-term vision for the company.

“My focus is on solving problems and ensuring customer satisfaction,” Wright said. “Growth comes from responding to our customers’ needs and adapting to the current business climate. We grow with our customers, and we do what we say we’ll do.”

As SoCal JCB continues to expand, the company has outgrown its Fontana location. To meet the increasing demand, the company is moving to a modern facility in Colton, Calif. The new location will be significantly larger and better equipped to serve the region.

“The Inland Empire is growing rapidly, and customers need more options,” Wright said. “This new flagship location will allow us to better serve customers in San Bernardino and Riverside counties, both now and in the future. By investing in this new facility, we’re not only enhancing the customer experience but also ensuring we have the space and resources to support our growing team.”

The move to Colton is just the beginning of SoCal JCB’s expansion plans. Wright envisions further growth across Southern California to assist customers with accessible, high-quality after-sales support.

“We’re committed to expanding our footprint in Southern California,” he said. “To truly support our JCB customers, we need to be closer to them. Our future success hinges on our ability

to provide local support, and having more geographic locations is a key to delivering that.”

Wright’s business philosophy is built around two pillars: serving end-users and becoming a rental support services hub. He noted that SoCal JCB is the only dealership in southern California without its own rental fleet, which creates an opportunity for rental companies to partner with SoCal JCB.

“We’re in a unique position to support equipment rental companies, and that’s part of our long-term growth strategy,” Wright said.

“But above all, we remain focused on taking care of our customers and their equipment, whether they’re an ‘end user’ customer or a local rental business. All our customers need to be prioritized and given the full breadth of our capability. We serve a diverse range of clients, each with different needs, and we’re committed to meeting those needs with exceptional service.”

As the industry evolves, Wright is prepared for the challenges ahead.

“The construction market will always change, but the core principle remains the same: people helping people,” he said. “In my business plan, it’s crucial to empower people to make the right decisions for customers, no matter the circumstances.”

Growth, however, comes with challenges. Wright acknowledged that scaling a business too quickly can stretch resources, but he remains focused on maintaining flexibility while continuing to support customers.

With the new facility opening in late 2025, Wright expects to increase their team by about 30 percent, growing the workforce of 30 employees.

“The new location is four times larger than our current Fontana facility,” Wright said. “This expansion will allow us to double or even triple our support capabilities across the Inland Empire."Another challenge the company has faced is the impact of rising interest rates, which have affected industries across the board, including heavy equipment. Wright is proud that JCB is finding ways to absorb these challenges without passing them on to customers.

Looking ahead, Wright is excited about the future of SoCal JCB. With continued support from JCB and a clear growth strategy, he’s confident that the company will thrive in the years to come. 

JCB officials break ground on the new SoCal JCB facility.

Rental Sales. Aftercare are . e.

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U.S. 259 Hochatown Boulevard Work Starts in Oklahoma

Construction began on the 2.3 mi., nearly $30 million U.S. 259 Hochatown Boulevard project in McCurtain County, Okla., that will ultimately result in a four-lane highway with a center turn lane, sidewalks and crosswalks, according to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

The Oklahoma Transportation Commission Awarded the project to C-Gawf Construction of Henryetta, Okla. The project is estimated to be completed in October 2026.

Activity began the week of Dec. 30, 2024, along U.S.259 between State Highway 259A North and State Highway 259A South as crews set a staging area then begin clearing operations along the highway, weather permitting, before utility and dirt work.

Two lanes of traffic will be maintained throughout the project and the highway will not be closed to local or through traffic.

“The community has been outstanding on giving us their input on this corridor. They know that with substantial growth in the area there’s a need for additional lanes and added pedestrian features and to address safety issues. We want to provide drivers with a comprehensive, modern system while keeping the main street feel,” Oklahoma Department of Transportation Chief Engineer Brian Taylor said.

The next project in the sequence is the northern segment between SH 259A North and Golf Course Road. It is tentatively scheduled in the eight-year construction work plan for fiscal 2026.

A third project will explore the needs of U.S. 259 from SH 259A South to Fifth Street in Broken Bow, tentatively scheduled for 2029.

“We’re excited to get this project under way and appreciate the community’s willingness to work with us,” said District Engineer Anthony Echelle, who is responsible for the oversight of construction and maintenance projects in southeastern Oklahoma.

When talks of improvements to the U.S.-259 corridor began in 2021, there were concerns about addressing safety

A map of the three phases of the U.S. 59 project at Hochatown, Okla.

needs, the project’s footprint and being sensitive to the area’s businesses, development patterns and the unique tourism attractions.

The department helped establish a local advisory committee consisting of appointees of local legislators, tribal leaders and county and city officials to capture ideas and identify critical needs for U.S.-259 improvements in the area when Hochatown was still unincorporated. The department has since spent $1.5 million on an interim traffic signal project at four locations and has held multiple public meetings and presentations to facilitate community engagement.

Wyoming Transportation Commission Awards $75M in Contracts

The Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded more than $74.8 million in contracts for eight Wyoming Department of Transportation construction projects during its Nov. 21 regular business meeting.

The commission awarded a more than $26.6 million bid to Cheyenne-based Simon Contractors for a bridge replacement project involving concrete paving, structure work, asphalt paving, aggregate surfacing, grading, traffic control and stormwater drainage on approximately 11.25 mi. of Interstate 80 between Cheyenne and Pine Bluffs in Laramie County.

Sundance-based Croell Inc. was awarded a nearly $17.3 million bid for a bridge rehabilitation project involving asphalt paving, grading, structure work, aggregate surfacing, traffic control, chip seal,

stormwater drainage, guardrail, fencing and erosion control/seeding work on approximately 9.09 mi. of Interstate 25 between Casper and Kaycee in Johnson County.

A nearly $12.2 million bid was awarded to JTL Group Inc., DBA Knife River, based in Cheyenne for a mill, overlay and Americans with Disabilities Act upgrade project on approximately 2.01 mi. of U.S. 287 and U.S. 30 (Third Street) in Laramie. The scope of work involves asphalt paving, grading, structure work, electrical work, sidewalk work, curb and gutter work, traffic control, stormwater drainage, aggregate surfacing and concrete paving work.

The commission awarded a more than $9.8 million bid to Lovell-based Mountain Construction Co. for a mill, overlay, bridge rehabilitation and fish passing construction project on approximately 8.5 mi. of

Wyoming Highway 296/Chief Joseph Highway in Park County. The scope of work involves asphalt paving, traffic control, structure work, chip seal, grading, stormwater drainage, milling and aggregate surfacing work.

Worland-based McGarvin-Moberly Construction Co. was awarded a $3.8 million bid for a project involving asphalt paving, stormwater drainage, chip seal, traffic control, grading and milling work on approximately 7.9 mi. of Wyoming Highway 433 between Worland and Manderson in Big Horn County. The contract completion date is July 31, 2026.

McGarvin-Moberly Construction also was awarded a $2.5 million bid for a project involving asphalt paving, chip seal, grading and traffic control on approximately 5.6 mi. of Wyoming Highway 434 between Ten Sleep and Big Trails in

Washakie County. The contract completion date is June 30, 2026.

Cheyenne-based Reiman Corp. was awarded a $2 million bid for a bridge rehabilitation project involving structure work, traffic control, asphalt paving, guardrail and erosion control/seeding work at various locations within Sublette County. The contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2025.

The commission also awarded a $496,782 bid to Mills-based King Enterprises for a fencing project involving fencing, clearing/grubbing, grading and asphalt paving work on approximately 7.2 mi. of Wyoming Highway 372 between Kemmerer and Fontenelle in Lincoln County. The contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2026.

All of the projects are funded primarily with federal dollars. Almost all WYDOT projects are awarded to the lowest bid. 

Oklahoma Department of Transportation photo

National Equipment League Launches Second Season

The National Equipment League has launched its second season with the debut of a new event, new contests and six competitors from the world of construction and heavy equipment operation.

This includes returning champion Bryan Furnace, returning competitors Andrew Camarata and Mike Simon (Dirt Perfect), as well as new competitors Brenna Moore, Chris Guins (LetsDig18) and Brandon Shannon (Dirt, Grain & Steel).

This will be an official championship round of four events with Furnace putting up his championship belt to the eventual winner at the conclusion of event four.

The National Equipment League is hosted by HD Hyundai Construction Equipment North America and is built as a new entertainment platform to show-

case the skills, character and passion of the construction industry through competition.

“The competition is more fastpaced this season, and we have great rivalries that rise to the surface in each event,” said Bill Elverman, commissioner of the National Equipment League.

“This includes the great ongoing rivalry between Mike Simon and Chris Guins, the darkhorse champion Bryan Furnace and the legend Andrew Camarata reminding everyone of how good they are at the controls, and new competitors like Brenna Moore showing us the power of women operators in the industry, and Brandon Shannon matching humor and wit with skill. It’s going to be a great season.”

“It really is a hybrid of auto racing and combat sports — it’s entertaining, it’s fun to watch, and

heavy equipment operation translates very well as a sporting event,” said Susan Philpott, marketing manager, HD Hyundai Construction Equipment. “Turning equipment operation into a professional sport and creating this competition is a great way to raise awareness and for people to understand the role that the construction industry plays in the world around us.”

The series of National Equipment League events will be broadcast from the Hyundai YouTube and Facebook channels.

Triple Crown Products came on board for the new season as the official apparel sponsor/partner, outfitting competitors and field crew for each event. Additional promotional considerations were made possible by Blue Diamond Attachments.

A new development this season:

each competitor is sponsored at the event by a local heavy equipment dealer from their home territory. These partners include National Equipment Dealers, A Montano, Diamond Equipment, Buck & Knobby, Jet City Equipment and Hardings Heavy Equipment.

For more information on the

National Equipment League, or to inquire about competing in and sponsoring/participating in future events, email Commish@EquipmentLeague.co m, or fill out the form at EquipmentLeague.com. 

(All photos courtesy of National Equipment League.)

Returning champ Bryan Furnace will be putting up his championship belt to the eventual winner at the conclusion of event four.

Brandon Shannon warms up for the competition.

Returning champion Bryan Furnace is prepared to defend his title.

Andrew Camarata competes in the mass excavation sprint.

Dirt Perfect gets in a practice run at The National Equipment League event.

The National Equipment League competitors assemble.

Metso Breaks Ground On Major Expansion in Arizona

These enhancements will serve the increasing demands of mining customers by offering a wider range of repair services, advanced competence development capabilities, and improved safety and sustainability.

“Our expanded service center and innovative training facility in Arizona will significantly boost our ability to support customers with comprehensive and reliable services. The facilities will address labor shortages by equipping Metso as well as customers’ employees with the latest skills and technologies,” said Giuseppe Campanelli, president, North and Central America, Metso.

Expanded Repair Shop, Advanced Training Facility

The expansion will increase the repair shop area by nearly 60 percent, significantly enhancing Metso’s capacity and capability to provide OEM-quality repairs and refurbishments. This investment will support a wide range of mining equipment, covering essential process steps such as crushing, screening, grinding and HPGRs, filtration, flotation, and slurry handling, among others.

An advanced training center will be built on the same property to bridge the knowledge gap between people, equipment and operational goals. It will feature dynamic digital training assets like the Metso Geminex operator training

simulator (OTS) as well as dedicated areas for classroom and hands-on learning.

Comprehensive programs will support mining professionals’ technical knowledge at the component, equipment and plant levels, enhancing their skills to promote safety and career growth.

The Mesa center will offer jobs to skilled personnel, including service engineers and technical experts. Being recognized as a Great Place to Work in North America in

The expansion will increase the repair shop area by nearly 60 percent, significantly enhancing Metso's capacity and capability to provide OEM-quality repairs and refurbishments. An advanced training center will be built on the same property and will feature dynamic digital training assets like the Metso Geminex operator training simulator (OTS) as well as dedicated areas for classroom and hands-on learning.

autumn 2024 underscores Metso’s dedication to taking care of employees’ well-being and creating a positive work environment.

Numerous upgrades to the facility will be implemented to improve energy and water efficiency to meet the CO2 emission reduction targets set for own operations.

Continuously Increasing Presence Close to Customers

“Beyond North America, we continue to invest in our service footprint close to major mining areas to support our strategic target to become the preferred service provider in our industries. Our goal is to elevate our service center operations to a shared, industry-leading standard. We are committed to continuing our successful employee certification program, ensuring top-tier customer service experiences. Additionally, we are focusing on digitalization to further enhance our capabilities and efficiency,” said Annami Toukoniitty, senior vice president, Professional Services, Metso.

Metso has a vast service and repair center network, comprising more than 3,700 field service professionals and technical support experts, spread across more than 140 service locations and repair centers on six continents. Since 2021, the Phoenix region also has hosted one of Metso’s largest warehouse operations globally.

In October 2024, the company announced an investment to expand its presence with a new service center in a key mining hub in western Canada.

For more information, visit metso.com. 

PCL Construction’s Special Projects Division Sets Record

It was a record-breaking year for PCL Construction’s Special Projects Division, which secured nearly 270 new projects in 2024, amounting to approximately $500 million in new work — its highest ever.

This achievement underscores the division’s pivotal role within one of North America’s largest general contractors, delivering specialized small-contractor services in the buildings, civil and industrial sectors.

Tackling projects valued between $10,000 and $15 million, the division’s guiding principle — “compact, complex, quick and competitive” — enables clients to leverage the resources and expertise of a major contractor,

tailored to the demands of smaller, fast-paced projects.

Looking ahead to next year and the anticipated uptick in smaller-scale projects — spanning various market sectors, including hospitality, education, nonprofit organizations, civil infrastructure and data centers — PCL plans to strategically expand its Special Projects Division in 2025 across the United States. To support this anticipated growth, the company plans to expand its Special Projects workforce by at least 25 percent in the next three to five years.

“Our network of close to 20 local offices and over 4,000 employees across the United

States equips us to offer the specialized attention and flexibility of a ‘local contractor,’ while also leveraging the extensive resources of a major construction company,” said Sean Barnes, vice president of special projects of PCL. “This unique combination allows us to handle the intricacies of phasing and working within occupied spaces, ensuring that business continues as usual for our clients.”

As the economic landscape remains uncertain, PCL’s Special Projects Division has emerged as a key contributor to the company’s success. These smaller projects not only allow for quick-turnaround work but also provide vital infrastructure to local communities. Whether it’s performing seismic upgrades at a university or renovating a nonprofit to better serve the community, PCL ensures each project is both impactful and efficiently executed.

Some of PCL’s notable Special Projects awarded in 2024 include:

• Four Seasons Maui upgrades: Nordic PCL Construction is enhancing the Four Seasons Resort Maui with a new sushi bar and lobby, as well as upgrades to two model rooms and the Maile Presidential Suite in Maui, Hawaii.

• The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Mid-Wilshire Parking

Structure seismic upgrades: Seismic upgrades and code-required corrections will take place for UCLA’s Mid-Wilshire parking structure in Los Angeles.

• Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center renovation: Renovations include remodeling the third and fourth floors and adding an ADA-accessible tenant entrance on the second floor in Minneapolis, Minn.

• Flexential Chaska Data Center upgrades: Phase five of the project will accommodate increased demand and includes significant upgrades to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and electrical infrastructure in and around the facility. It is located in Chaska, Minn.

• Lake Mary Water Treatment Plant Sedimentation Basin Improvement: Rehabilitation, removal and replacement of the major mechanical and electrical equipment associated with the sedimentation and flocculation basins will take place at the plant in Flagstaff, Ariz.

Looking ahead to 2025, PCL’s Special Projects Division is well-positioned to continue addressing the needs of communities across the United States, delivering projects that are lean, flexible and designed to meet the needs of local communities.

For more information, visit PCL.com.

Metso photo

PCL Construction photo

The James River Bridge Cable Replacement project involved replacing 80 main counterweight ropes and eight auxiliary counterweight ropes over two, 100-hour allotted periods.

Aggregate Production and Recycling Section

Komplet Jaw Crusher Helps N.J. Biz Save Time, Money

For a small family construction company to be able to celebrate 20 years in business is quite an achievement due to the industry’s often unforgiving economic realities.

Despite that, Lancha Construction in Monroe Township, N.J., northeast of Trenton, has managed to carve out a niche for itself in the region by staying true to itself as a concrete and paving contractor for the area’s different municipalities.

Another factor that has kept Lancha in business is its dedication to hard work, a trait that its co-founder, Rogerio Lancha, brought with him from his native Portugal. Now semi-retired from actively running the company, he has passed on the leadership role to his son, Paul, who was his partner in starting the firm and today serves as its president and owner.

But just because Rogerio Lancha stepped away from overseeing field operations for the construction firm approximately two years ago, that does not mean he has stopped working there. Rather, his son said that the elder Lancha currently oversees the company’s yard, where he operates — among other machines — its Komplet K-JC704 mobile jaw crusher.

“To be honest with you, what my father is doing is a good thing because it is a lot less stressful environment for him,” Lancha said. “And, of course, being from Portugal, he did not want to leave the field so soon.”

As a small, family-run operation, Lancha Construction is a fully unionized general contractor specializing in utility work, including concrete drainage, curb and gutter and sidewalk jobs, in addition to road improvements and paving projects.

It employs eight people in the field full-time and hires subcontractors to handle the paving jobs for its clients, 99 percent of which are small New Jersey municipalities.

“With our being located in central Jersey, we usually travel within an hour radius of Monroe Township,” Lancha said. “We can go in any direction; we do a lot of jobs in Union Township, closer to Newark, or to Old Bridge, or as far east as Rumson Township. We’re all over the place.”

Making RCA Is Win-Win for Lancha

Much of Lancha Construction’s work involves breaking up old concrete surfaces and, typically, at the end of each work day, Paul Lancha’s crews must dispose of several truckloads of material that cannot be brought back to its yard.

Rather than paying someone to haul off the entire amount of old pavement, the company brings back at least one load to its property each day to be crushed by Rogerio Lancha into 0.75-in.-size recycled crushed aggregate, or RCA.

“What that does is keep Dad busy,” Lancha said. “He will go crazy if he is not busy.”

By doing so, he said, Lancha Construction is not

Rogerio Lancha (L) and Paul Lancha of Lancha Construction, based in Monroe Township, N.J.

FROM REDUCTION TO SHAPING

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Making RCA Proves to Be Win-Win for Lancha Construction

LANCHA from page 19

grading underneath curbs, sidewalks and pavement, but save substantial amounts of time and money for the budget-conscious family company and allow it to further its environmentally friendly practices.

“So, we are saving, let’s say, $200 to bring a load in, and another $200 to take it out — that is $400 a day,” Lancha said. “It does not seem like a lot, but it adds up.”

The remaining four loads of broken concrete, particularly if they came from a job an hour or more away from the Lancha office, would then be taken to a nearby concrete plant, which would charge the contractor a dumping fee.

“It also saves us time,” he added. “For example, at the end of the day, the plants close at 3:30 p.m. If the driver can’t make it to one in time, and we have a truck loaded, that would mean he would bring it back here, and the next morning go back to the concrete plant, dispose of that old concrete and pick up new material.”

If, instead, that same truck driver comes to the Lancha yard late in the work day and drops off the old concrete to be crushed in time for him to load up RCA the next morning, the repurposed concrete is ready to be used once again at a job site.

“It saves us at least two hours during the day,” Lancha said. “Not only are we saving on the material and the material disposal but saving time as well. It has worked out very well for us in that sense.”

To help accomplish those savings, and with so much concrete to process, the company purchased a Komplet KJC704 mobile jaw crusher in January 2023 from the Komplet America master distributor in Hillsborough, N.J.

With it, the elder Lancha is able to process a single load of concrete in just a couple of hours, according to his son.

“We went with a little bigger model, one that was perfect for us because, as I said, we don’t sell any material — it is just for us to reuse concrete,” said Paul Lancha. “We felt this machine was the right size for us because we are not looking to process very big amounts even though this crusher can do up to 10 loads of material a day. For a small company like us with a small operation, it is perfect.”

Lancha Purchases Komplet Jaw Crusher for Its Simplicity

After having used other crushers and screeners in the past, he said that when he and his father were shopping for a new

machine, they quickly became impressed with the simplicity of the Komplet jaw crusher’s mechanics.

“It is simpler because it is all hydraulic-powered,” he said. “There is no electrical generator, and it is easy to maintain.”

Another key point in the Komplet jaw crusher’s favor, Lancha said, is the relative ease with which it extracts rebar and wire from old concrete. The machine is adept at pulling steel components from the material via its powerful magnetic separator.

That function is an important one for companies like Lancha Construction that often must remove unwanted debris from concrete and pavement.

“Some of it comes with wire mesh, although not a lot of rebar, but we do get that sometimes, too,” he said. “We break up concrete into smaller pieces with a hammer excavator before we throw it into the crusher because the pieces are often too big, but you cannot get all the rebar and wire mesh out that way. With the Komplet jaw crusher, the wire and rebar will come through the hopper and as it enters the belt, its magnetic separator extracts it in the end. It is all done very well.”

Lancha Construction’s own mechanic has been able to keep up with the Komplet’s preventive maintenance — about the only service the piece of equipment has needed since the company acquired it almost two years ago.

Although Komplet machinery has been in existence for 25 years, it has only been over the past seven years when it has become known to the U.S. marketplace through Komplet America. Lancha noted that as Komplet is still a relatively new product line in the U.S., he and his technicians are still learning from Komplet America what parts need to be switched out and how often.

“We changed one of the back plates recently because they tend to get worn out more often,” he said. “When the problem came up, I called Komplet America because we have a good relationship with them. They are excellent to work with and anything that we have needed so far, they have in stock and, if they didn’t, they would order it. They took my mechanic through the process to change the plate, and it was very simple.”

His technician was trained by Lancha Construction’s Komplet representative shortly after the K-JC704 mobile jaw crusher was purchased and has since received further instructions on how to change other components on the machine.

“They have come down to our facility a couple times and shown my mechanic how the system works so that we can do

it ourselves in the future. Like I said, it is not a hard machine to understand and Komplet has been 100 percent helpful with everything.”

Among the other equipment in the Lancha Construction fleet are a Kubota KX57 excavator with an FRD hammer attachment that Paul Lancha said is used to break up old cement, and an older John Deere 310-J backhoe that works in the company’s yard to load the Komplet crusher.

“We also have three other John Deere backhoes that we use in the field, along with a larger Kubota KX80 model, four Scania dump trucks and two Dynapac rollers, one of which is older that we keep in the yard,” he said. “Although we subcontract out much of our paving work, we use the Dynapacs for smaller stuff. Plus, we have both a John Deere and a Bobcat skid steer.”

He noted that his crews have used the Scania-brand dump trucks since the company’s beginning, and each one of its current fleet of trucks are older models.

“We have a guy up north that rebuilds them up to standard and almost from scratch,” Lancha added. “He rebuilds the engines, he rebuilds the transmissions, and he puts new bodies on them, but we have had those for a long time.”

Lancha Brings Tremendous Work Ethic to Each Job

Paul Lancha noted that he and his family came from very humble beginnings in Portugal before arriving in the United States just a few decades ago.

“When I came to America, I was 12 years old,” he said, adding that his family had lived in the city of Aveiro, near the Atlantic coast.

“After high school I went straight to work with my father, who has been in construction all his life. It was tough because he wanted me to stay in school and I decided not to do that, so he pushed me hard and after a couple of years, I got used to it. I began liking it more and more to the point that I started thinking to myself, ‘This could be something very good if I did my own thing.’

“That was the hunger we had back then,” Lancha added. “We wanted to do better things. So, when I was 23 years old, I started my own business to be my own boss and help our family.”

As a result, the entire company is made up of extended family members, many of whom are his cousins and uncles.

“In fact, my future son-in-law and all of our subcontractors are in my cousin’s company, which does all our paving work,” he said.

When Lancha Construction began, it worked on building driveways and concrete steps, but after it became bonded, it moved up to performing municipal projects, a sector of the industry in which both he and his father were experienced.

Eventually, they joined the New Jersey Laborers unions, Locals 472 and 825, and began to take on larger projects. Lancha said they also saw to it that their employees were paid a fair wage and focused their efforts on making the business profitable.

“As I said, we are not a big company, but we do big work and sometimes it’s not about the size,” he said. “For about the past three years, we decided that we wanted to do more quality work instead of just more work. And by keeping the company compact and having the family involved, we have come up with a better way for us to do the best job for our clients.”  CEG

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ARTBA: Overall Transportation Work to Grow 7.5 Percent

Alison Black, the association’s chief economist, noted that the sector reached $119.1 billion this year. She said several factors support continued growth.

Besides the launch of IIJA projects, several states have hiked revenues to meet federal fund levels. They’ve tapped a combination of general fund transfers, bond issues, business taxes and other user-fee increases to do so, said Black.

ARTBA believes overall transportation construction work, including highways, will grow 7.5 percent … to $219.4 billion in 2025, she said. That’s good news for contractors, even though industry economists are taking a more prudent view of the market next year.

Mixed Bag of Expectations

In its fall webinar on the construction economy, ConstructConnect noted that commercial construction is up this year, but will slow down in 2025.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that non-residential commercial construction spending has increased by nearly 7 percent this year.

Kermit Baker considers that “healthy” growth, but monthly drops in spending will result in a real growth rate of about 5 percent to 5.5 percent.

Chief economist for the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Baker expects spending to fall even more next year. Citing an AIA survey from last summer, he said non-residential spending growth is predicted to be only 2 percent in 2025. Still considered increases, he noted, they continue to get smaller. That’s troubling when you add in other factors, such as the continued labor challenges.

The AGC learned more than 90 percent of contractors who responded to a recent association survey have trouble filling hourly and salaried positions. That’s up from 80 percent of AGC members in 2023. But, Ken Simonson, association chief economist, said employment is up nearly 4 percent this year. In fact, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 40 states have tracked an increase in construction employment.

Infrastructure remains “a bright spot,” reports SmartBrief. In fact, highway, transportation and water systems are expected to sustain investment next year.

“We’re seeing growth opportunities, especially in infrastructure and data centers,” Simonson said. “But labor constraints and regulatory confusion will continue to be significant headwinds.

“Nevertheless,” Simonson said during the ConstructConnect webinar, “contractors tell us that finding workers is still their number one challenge.”

Trained positions, including surveyors, estimators, pipefitters and welders, prove the hardest positions to fill, he said.

Simonson said contractors are finding it easier to fill entry-level positions this year. Traffic control and general labor fall into those categories.

“People who shunned construction because they thought they could get an indoor job, perhaps with flexible hours, [are now] finding those aren’t so available.”

“Or, they’re not paying as well as construction,” he said.

“So, more people are showing up to apply for entry-level construction jobs.”

As SmartBrief reports, it’s a systemic problem that’s been years in the making. So, it’s nothing new to contractors.

The aging workforce is retiring faster than new workers can be recruited and trained, while projects in remote locations make it tough to attract trade workers.

“Unlike sectors that can adopt hybrid or fully remote work arrangements, construction remains tied to the job site,” said SmartBrief. “This dynamic not only limits flexibility but also makes it harder for younger professionals to learn from veteran workers.”

That’s because mentorship and skill transfer are simply more challenging at a distance.

Construction Industry Meets Fork in the Road

Inflation remains “stubbornly high” for certain materials, reports SmartBrief. While interest rates have dropped, long-term financing costs may stay elevated.

Simonson said that even if inflation stabilizes, mortgage rates and long-term borrowing costs could remain in the 6 percent to 7 percent range. That in turn will exert pressure downward onto certain types of construction projects.

Although improving, supply-chain issues remain. Certain items — like large generators and specialized electrical components —are still hard to source reliably.

“Unexpected disruptions, from low river levels to plant shutdowns, can create ripple effects that delay projects and increase costs,” noted SmartBrief.

“If labor and material challenges define the industry’s current struggles, technology may shape its future,” said the publication.

Contractors seeking to boost efficiency and reduce errors are adopting drone, (BIM) and project management technology.

Yet not all innovations inspire confidence, SmartBrief discovered. In fact, AGC survey respondents were hesitant about AI and autonomous machinery. More than half of the AGC members who responded expressed concerns about adopting AI on job sites.

“This skepticism often stems from liability worries and uncertainty about ROI,” said SmartBrief.

Contractors want hard evidence that these tools deliver tangible benefits before committing.

“People need to see case studies that demonstrate feasibility, methodology and measurable results,” said Kris Lengieza.

Global technology specialist at Procore Technologies, Lengieza was part of the SmartBrief report, “Future Focus: The AEC Industry Outlook for 2025.”

He believes that without that proof, AI and robotics may remain on the industry’s periphery. Business management firm Deloitte notes that while the construction industry in 2024 was defined by strong fundamentals, it remains “challenged.”

The industry saw a 10 percent addition in nominal value this year, and a 12 percent increase in gross output. Spending passed $2 trillion and maintained a balanced trajectory in the first half of the year, reports the firm.

“Despite facing a pervasive talent shortage, the sector’s employment level reached 8.3 million in July 2024,” said Deloitte.

That surpassed the market’s previous peak of 7.7 million from 2006 and has been increasing steadily for more than a year.

Plus, the Dodge Momentum Index, measuring nonresidential building dollars, has also steadily risen, showing owner confidence in market conditions.

“Nevertheless, the industry had its fair share of challenges,” said Deloitte, including high interest rates and price inflation that hit residential and commercial.

On the other hand, construction investment being driven by government investments and an expected decrease in interest rates may provide relief next year.

Adobe Stock photo

Contractors are cautiously optimistic about industry conditions for 2025.

FleetWatcher Helps

Tame ‘Data Overload’

By seamlessly integrating with multiple software programs, FleetWatcher aggregates the data and allows companies to make real time decisions based on the data. In addition to establishing geo-zones, tracking equipment productivity-versus-idle time, tracking driver behavior, determining yield dynamically, thwarting theft and reporting whether personnel are qualified to operate particular equipment, the company will introduce functionalities like buckets and attachments tracking, fuel burn management, equipment inspection and more.

By taming the “data overload”, this advanced telematics platform brings the connected site closer to reality. FleetWatcher will feature its telematics platforms for heavy civil construction and asphalt paving in World of Concrete booth #1773.

“The abundance of data available makes it increasingly difficult to keep track of it all and make real time decisions based on that data,” said Larry Baker, FleetWatcher founder and CEO. “But by developing advanced technology and then pairing it with technology advancements, we’re able to integrate with apps and software to provide a single system to manage complex construction projects.

“We continue to develop new functionality at customer request, like monitoring fuel burn, and tracking buckets and

Deal Wraps On Jan. 2...

attachments. We also closely watch the tech industry overall and use technology advances when they are warranted. Everyone has a phone now — so gathering and delivering data via the app streamlines the integration with other programs and apps and brings the ‘smart site’ or ‘connected site’ concept to fruition.”

Fleetwatcher will demonstrate its new functionalities, like bucket and excavator tracking and fuel burn monitoring, at World of Concrete and World of Asphalt.

“Like all of our new functionalities, this was customer driven,” said Baker. “Customers have been asking for small tool tracking for a while, and with recent Bluetooth advances, it is now a viable tool to collect and disseminate data to deliver the functionality. Better management of buckets and excavators gives managers a clearer picture of what is happening on site, so that they can better manage the day-to-day activities, and complete projects on time and on budget.”

For more information, visit www.FleetWatcher.com. 

Tadano Completes Manitex Acquistion

On Sept. 12, 2024, Tadano announced its plans to acquire all the remaining shares of Manitex that it did not previously own. Tadano first invested in Manitex in 2018 and held 14.5 percent of the outstanding common shares of Manitex at the time of the September announcement.

Tadano’s Mid-Term management plan outlines the company’s growth strategy and the objective to venture into new areas. The Manitex acquisition is a significant step in implementing this strategy to further diversify the Tadano product portfolio while remaining 100 percent committed to the lifting equipment industry.

In addition to other crane models, the strategic move adds mobile truck cranes and aerial work platforms to the Tadano portfolio to help expand the company’s

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global presence in these markets.

Commenting on the Manitex acquisition, Toshiaki Ujiie, president, CEO and representative director of Tadano, said: “We welcome Manitex as the newest members of the global Tadano team. Tadano enjoys a strong global market share in large cranes. In Japan, we are market leaders in truck loader cranes and aerial work platforms but have not yet been able to duplicate this success outside of the country.

“Combining the engineering, sales and service expertise of both companies allows us to rapidly expand Tadano’s global presence in these areas, so we can better support our customers’ lifting needs and further innovate. Together, we will work hard, grow strong, achieve great things and reach new heights.”

Hiroshi Nishizaki will assume the position of chairman of the board of Manitex International, bringing extensive experience in managing construction machinery businesses in the United States. Dean Barley, current president

and CEO of Tadano America Corporation and Tadano Mantis Corporation, will take on the role of president and CEO of Manitex International in addition to his current responsibilities.

The former executives — Dave Langevin, chairman of the board; Michael Coffey, CEO; and Joseph Doolan, CFO — are stepping down but will remain with the organization for a transitional period as interim advisors to the new management and the Tadano team before their departure.

Serving the infrastructure, heavy industry and general construction markets, the acquired product line includes Manitex mobile truck cranes, PM knuckle boom cranes, Valla small electric cranes and Oil & Steel aerial work platforms. Tadano also gains five engineering and manufacturing locations throughout North America and Europe.

Additionally, this acquisition includes Rabern Rentals.

For more information, visit www.tadano.com. 

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SECTIONAttachments

Amulet’s HoeClamp Features Kidney Link Design

Amulet Manufacturing Company first developed its full-motion, mechanical thumb — the HoeClamp — in 1983. Since then, HoeClamps have been designed to fit most models of loader backhoes, including those with telescopic extendable dipper arms.

The concept of function, quality, durability and quick, easy installation are still the most important aspects of all HoeClamp thumbs. The grasping action of the HoeClamp, offering full thumb movement without requiring any additional hydraulics, is achieved through Amulet’s unique “kidney link” design, eliminating the need for costly hoses, valves and cylinders required for conventional hydraulic thumbs. The HoeClamp is quick and easy to install; needs very low maintenance; and is easy to place in its stored position when the HoeClamp’s digging or grasping functions are not needed, according to the manufacturer.

The HoeClamp includes everything required for complete installation: clamp body, new

main pin, kidney links, new actuator guide links and all required link pins. In addition, all milled holes have replaceable bushings, with all pins made of a heat-treated hardened alloy. The Amulet HoeClamp is very heavyduty and built to last and will often pay for itself on the very first project, according to the company.

“Most jobs currently performed with a bucket alone can be accomplished faster, easier and cheaper with the mechanical, fullmotion HoeClamp thumb,” said a spokesperson for Amulet. “For more than 40 years the Amulet HoeClamp has exceeded customer expectations and allows the operator to take on projects that they would have never been able to tackle before. Whether digging a trench, clearing a woodlot of logs and brush, or demolishing a building, the HoeClamp makes dollars and sense.”

For more information, call 800/526-8538 or visit amulet.com.  Pages 31-35

Amulet photo

HoeClamps have been designed to fit most models of loader backhoes, including those with telescopic extendable dipper arms.

Amulet photo

Amulet Manufacturing Company first developed its full-motion, mechanical thumb — the HoeClamp — in 1983.

Amulet photo

The Amulet HoeClamp is very heavy-duty and built to last and will often pay for itself on the very first project, according to the company.

Amulet photo

The grasping action of the HoeClamp, offering full thumb movement without requiring any additional hydraulics, is achieved through Amulet’s unique “kidney link” design.

Tigercat Releases Lower Weight Class 544 Harvesting Head

The new 544 is Tigercat’s lowest weight class harvesting head for track harvesters.

Based on the proven 534 design, the 544 is a three-wheel drive head with triangulated wheel arm geometry. The chassis, covers and tilt frame are designed to handle the rigors of track carrier operating conditions. Four cast steel knife arms, and fixed front and back knives provide excellent delimbing quality.

Targeting trees in the 6-20 in. diameter range, the 544 has a maximum main cut capacity of 31 in. along with a 31 in. feed wheel opening, and 30 in. maximum knife arm opening to handle the occasional larger tree. Available with an optional 22 in. cut capacity top saw, the 544 is a great match for selective harvesting applications in mixed diameter hardwood and conifer stands.

Operating weight ranges from 3,760 lb. with standard rotator and link up to 4,720 lb., allowing the head to be mated to Tigercat H822 and H855 series carriers with standard or telescopic boom sets.

The hydraulically actuated measuring wheel promotes positive contact and reduces component wear. Diameter measuring on the wheel arms and front knife arms provides accurate measurement. An efficient high-flow hydraulic system matched to Tigercat carriers provides excellent performance and outstanding fuel economy. Optional 360 degree continuous rotation with throughtip hose routing and robust, stable wireless communication is available on select carriers. Various rotator, feed motor, feed wheel, knife arm, and wheel arm choices are available to tailor the 544 for specific applications.

For maximum productivity and performance in eucalyptus processing applications, the 544 debarking package includes several features to increase productivity and performance. The feed wheels and the wheel arm geometry are designed for debarking, spiraling the trees during feeding for better performance. The feed motor sizes are tuned for high demand and productivity. Unique front and back knife geometry provides comprehensive tree coverage.

For more information, visit tigercat.com. 

Tigercat photo

/ Grader Ripper

Bulldozer Screen Sweep Bulldozer SU Blade

Maximize Winter Work: Six Top Revenue-Generating

For land clearing contractors, winter often brings a slowdown in work, especially in regions where vegetation management takes a backseat during colder weather.

However, with the right strategy and equipment, winter can present an opportunity to take on new jobs. By offering specialized, seasonally tailored services, contractors can maintain consistent revenue streams and even grow their client base.

Diamond Mowers’ versatile attachments are designed to help professionals tackle a wide range of winter jobs with efficiency and precision. Following are six revenuegenerating opportunities to keep contractors’ businesses thriving all year long:

Winter Storm Cleanup

Winter storms can wreak havoc, leaving behind fallen limbs, tree trunks and debris that obstruct roads and pathways. By offering prompt storm cleanup services, contractors can address urgent community needs while generating valuable revenue.

Assisting property owners and municipal-

ities in clearing hazardous obstructions not only restores safety but also reinforces their role as a reliable resource in times of crisis.

“When severe winter weather strikes, it can leave a trail of destruction and debris that clutters the landscape and creates significant issues for landowners. Quickly clearing this debris is essential for ensuring safety, supporting sustainability and restoring the land’s functionality and appearance so landowners can get back to work,” said Jordan Hagena, new product specialist at Diamond Mowers.

With the right equipment, storm debris can be efficiently broken down and removed. For example, Diamond offers disc mulchers engineered for use with skid steers and excavators that can cut through trees and brush up to 14 in. diameter and shred material up to 6 in. diameter.

Diamond’s drum mulchers are compatible with skid steers and excavators, too. For skid steers, the mulchers come in open and depth control models and are designed to continuously mulch material up to 9 in. in diameter. For excavators, Diamond offers 30 in. and

50 in. depth control options, delivering powerful, versatile solutions for storm cleanups of all sizes.

Agricultural Field Preparation

Winter is ideal for agricultural operations to prepare fields for spring planting because clearing stumps, brush and other vegetation during the off-season helps to lay the groundwork for a productive growing season.

“Offering winter field prep services can be a highly profitable niche, especially for farms and agricultural operations looking to maximize their spring yield,” Hagena said. “Starting early provides more time to thoroughly assess and prepare a property for planting or construction.”

A brush cutter is an excellent tool for efficiently cutting through thick grass, shrubs, branches and small trees. This versatile, allin-one attachment combines power and adaptability, making it ideal for reclaiming property, controlling overgrowth and managing unwanted vegetation.

For large-scale land clearing, Diamond’s skid steer disc mulcher BD Pro X is perfect for processing heavy-duty vegetation due to a two-speed motor that delivers industryleading torque for optimal performance and productivity, according to the manufacturer. Additionally, the drum mulcher DC Pro is designed for small to mid-size skid steers and features a bent-axis piston motor for faster spool-up and greater force to tackle larger and denser material with ease.

Vegetation Control for Wildlife Management, Trail Maintenance

The cold months present an ideal time for landowners to manage their properties for wildlife, whether preparing for hunting season or supporting conservation efforts. Controlling overgrown vegetation improves

access for wildlife and helps sustain a healthy ecosystem.

“Removing dead or diseased trees is more efficient during winter because the frozen ground minimizes disruption caused by heavy equipment, and the hardened sap in trees makes them easier to cut and mulch,” said Hagena.

For large brush and tree removal, a depth control drum mulcher is a highly effective tool. Designed to pull entire trees into its deck, this robust attachment is built to withstand heavy ground engagement, making it ideal for demanding land management tasks.

Diamond’s drum mulcher DC Pro and Pro X are equipped with sharp planer teeth, which deliver maximum productivity and help to create an aesthetically pleasing mulch on the first pass.

The excavator disc mulcher processes material up to 12 in. in diameter to assist in forestry management and land reclamation, while a stump grinder is essential for clearing remaining trunks and roots once trees are removed.

Public parks, private lands and recreational areas also require maintenance during the winter to keep trails and pathways safe and accessible for hikers, snowmobilers and cross-country skiers. By providing these services, land management professionals equipped with the right tools can deliver significant value to park services and private landowners, creating an excellent off-season revenue stream.

Fire Mitigation Services

Fire mitigation doesn’t pause for winter. In wildfire-prone regions, the colder months provide an ideal opportunity to clear potential fire hazards, such as overgrown brush and dead trees, helping to reduce risks before the next fire season.

“Thinning or removing these fuels creates open areas that act as barriers, reducing the spread and intensity of fires and making it harder for them to encroach on valuable land,” Hagena said. “Contractors can offer this essential service to landowners in fireprone areas, such as rural regions or those susceptible to seasonal dry spells, as a proactive measure to protect homes, farmland and other properties from the devastating effects of wildfires.”

Mulching heads and brush cutters are excellent for managing thick, flammable vegetation, helping to reduce fire risks before dry conditions set in. Diamond’s drum mulcher open drum (OD) Pro X takes fire mitigation and cleanup a step further by efficiently mulching vegetation or the burnt remnants of previous fires, returning valuable nutrients to the soil and fostering a healthier ecosystem.

Diamond’s skid steer disc mulcher BD Pro X is perfect for processing heavy-duty vegetation.

The drum mulcher DC Pro is designed for small to mid-size skid steers and features a bent-axis piston motor for faster spool-up and greater force to tackle larger and denser material with ease.

Jobs, Equipment for Land Management Professionals

Outfitted with twin maul carbide teeth, the OD Pro X delivers exceptional durability and performance, excelling in heavy abrasion and ground contact while offering a significantly longer lifespan than traditional steel teeth, according to the manufacturer. These interchangeable teeth provide balance and adaptability across various terrains, including rocky landscapes and fireprone areas. With reduced maintenance requirements, the OD Pro X is a dependable solution for rigorous applications like fire mitigation.

Infrastructure Protection

Protecting roads, utility lines and other critical infrastructure from encroaching vegetation is a year-round priority. Winter provides a perfect window for this work as reduced foliage allows easier access to dense vegetation. Utility companies and municipalities often seek contractors equipped with brush cutters or mulchers for right-of-way maintenance to clear vegetation near power lines, roadways and pipelines. These services not only improve roadway safety and drainage but also reduce erosion and mitigate infrastructure risks during harsh winter conditions.

Site Preparation for New Developments

Winter is an ideal time for site prepara-

tion, offering land clearing contractors a chance to assist developers in clearing land for upcoming construction projects. The season’s frozen, hardened ground is firmer, which prevents rutting, while reduced foliage improves visibility, making it easier to work and mulch efficiently. Additionally, the cold causes vegetation to harden, allowing it to shatter and process more easily during mulching.

“While most construction shifts indoors during the winter, site preparation and development can continue because contractors can take advantage of frozen ground and reduced foliage to streamline the process,” said Hagena.

Winter doesn’t have to mean a slowdown for land management professionals. With the right equipment, contractors can fill their winter schedules providing seasonal services that sustain steady revenue streams. From storm cleanup and fire prevention to agricultural field preparation and right-of-way maintenance, these winter projects diversify service offerings while maximizing the value of existing equipment investments. By seizing these opportunities, land management professionals can remain profitable and productive all year long.

For more information, visit www.diamondmowers.com. 

(All photos courtesy of Diamond Mowers.)

Diamond’s drum mulcher DC Pro and Pro X are equipped with sharp planer teeth, which deliver maximum productivity and help to create an aesthetically pleasing mulch on the first pass.

Diamond’s drum mulcher open drum (OD) Pro X takes fire mitigation and cleanup a step further by efficiently mulching vegetation or the burnt remnants of previous fires, returning valuable nutrients to the soil and fostering a healthier ecosystem.

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Equipmentshare.com

Vision 2025 a Success...

AED Foundation Recognizes 100th High School Program

The AED Foundation (AEDF) announced its 100th AEDF recognized high school program in North America.

“The success of Vision 2025 is a testament to the steadfast commitment of our contributors and industry partners who share our vision to create a stronger, more sustainable future,” said Brian P. McGuire, president and CEO of Associated Equipment Distributors (AED). “By revitalizing the high school recognition program, we are creating a seamless pipeline from high school to apprenticeships and accredited college programs. The AED Foundation will continue to lead the way to meet the needs of our industry.”

Launched in 2020, Vision 2025 aims to raise $10 million to recognize 200 high school programs and accredit 120 college programs by 2027. With 100 recognized high schools and 94 accredited college pro-

“By revitalizing the high school recognition program, we are creating a seamless pipeline from high school to apprenticeships and accredited college programs.”

Brian P. McGuire Associated Equipment Distributors

teacher and Future Farmers of America (FFA) advisor Taylor Donnelly, Sheridan High School, Sheridan, Ark.

AEDF expands opportunities for students by creating partnerships among local equipment dealers, manufacturers and educational institutions. Its “community-based, school-to-work” strategy creates direct pathways for students to pursue rewarding technical careers in the equipment industry. By bridging the gap between educators and industry stakeholders, AEDF is tackling the skilled labor shortage head-on, cultivating a new generation of highly trained and indemand professionals.

grams already achieved, AEDF is well on its way to meeting these objectives with $8.1 million pledged to date.

“Through the AED Foundation’s Vision 2025 campaign, we’re creating a pathway that benefits both students and dealerships alike,” said Diane Benck, chairwoman of AED Foundation and president of West Side Tractor Sales Co. “By connecting stu-

dents, schools, and industry affiliates, we are fostering collaboration and making the connections essential to the long-term success of our industry.”

“AEDF recognition means that I can rest assured the quality of education and training provided in my agriculture mechanics coursework is truly preparing students to be ready for life after high school,” said

“In the past two years, AEDF has recognized and accredited more schools than at any other time in its history,” said Robert K. Henderson, president emeritus of AEDF. “We value our partnerships with schools and remain dedicated to supporting existing programs while collaborating with dealers, educators and industry affiliates. Together, we are ensuring that incoming technicians are equipped with the skills and expertise required to build sustainable, rewarding careers in the equipment industry.” 

ALASKA NC MACHINERY

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VATO C OUR EX A

Landslide Debris Removal, Stablization Efforts Complete

“Beginning Sept. 3, anchors were installed at the top of a steep slope where soil, vegetation and boulders came crashing down during a heavy rainstorm and covered a section of SR-27 in March,” Medina said. “Crews tethered themselves to the anchors to attach and space straw wattles in advance of the winter storm season.”

The landslide wasn’t the first in the area, Medina said, noting that another one occurred nearby in the 1940s.

“The landslide that occurred March 9 is twice as large — the visible face is about 300 ft. above the roadway but extends about 200 ft. beyond that point into the brush,” Medina said at the time. “Due to present geological conditions and instability of the slope, material must be removed from the top down. Removing the ‘toe' of the slope will bring down the unstable earth and large boulders above as water is still percolating under the surface.

“A boulder that is about 10 feet high that is visible from the south side of the landslide is a safety concern,” he added. “A crack has formed behind it that is about 5-10 ft. wide, with the weight of the hillside pushing down on the boulder. A rough estimate of the landslide — just the visible face — is about 80,000 cu. yds. and 9.2 million lbs. This is enough material to fill 5,500 dump trucks.”

Several hurdles had to be cleared before the debris could be removed, which had Caltrans and Flo Engineering per-

sonnel working as a team. These steps included Flo Engineering teams establishing a trail on the slope, which required thick brush to be removed; the placing of flags and the use of drones to provide detail footage of the surface; and having a loader cut through a section of the debris field to create a berm to protect a creek.

A day later, drones surveyed the slide area, and a loader cut through a toe section of the slide on the roadway to collect the dirt, mud and rocks that was used to build a berm to protect a creek from falling slide material. California State Parks requested the berm.

At the time, Medina said: “Clearing some of the roadway will make room for loaders, bulldozers and excavators to begin clearing the slide at an undetermined time. The slide is still active and potentially dangerous, with soil clearly muddy and saturated. Our team from Geotechnical Services will begin mapping the slide. This will help us refine our recommendations and our initial calculations.”

Heavy rains hampered those efforts.

The removal of the debris field began on April 29 and was completed on June 2.

“Flo Engineering built a zigzag path parallel to the slide to get heavy equipment, including a spider excavator, to the top of the hill to push down loose soil, rocks and boulders to SR 27,” said Medina, “where super 10 trucks hauled away the debris at night to various locations to avoid disrupting daytime traffic on Pacific Coast Highway. Caltrans determined that attacking the slide from the top was the safest method to clear the area.”

Safety was always top of mind.

see TOPANGA page 46

TOPANGA from page 1

A landslide on March 9, 2024, in Los Angeles County, blocked Topanga Canyon Road.

A hydroblaster truck was used to clean pavement once covered with thousands of pounds of debris.

Straw wattles keep a wall in place until vegetation can be planted.

Boulders block the road also known as California State Road 27.

SECTION Trucks & Trailers

Volvo Begins Autonomous Operations for DHL Supply Chain

The operations will be enabled by the purpose-built, production-ready Volvo VNL Autonomous, which is powered by the Aurora Driver.

Volvo Autonomous Solutions (V.A.S.) and DHL Supply Chain have taken a significant step towards transforming freight transportation with the launch of autonomous operations in the United States. The operations will be enabled by the purpose-built, productionready Volvo VNL Autonomous, which is powered by the Aurora Driver.

The start of operations marks a critical phase in validating the full ecosystem required for autonomous transport at scale. At this stage, a safety driver will be present to monitor performance and ensure seamless integration into existing logistic networks. Freight will initially be hauled on two lanes, Dallas to Houston and Fort Worth to El Paso.

Strategic Alliance for Innovation

“Early adopters play a pivotal role in accelerating the deployment and acceptance of autonomous technology, enabling us to validate both safety and operational performance,” said Sasko Cuklev, head of on-road solutions at Volvo Autonomous Solutions. “Our collaboration with DHL Supply Chain exemplifies the potential of autonomy as a complementary mode of transport that increases freight capacity and optimizes supply chain efficiencies.”

Jim Monkmeyer, president of transportation of DHL Supply Chain North America, added, “Autonomy is a key enabler in advancing the digital transformation across the logistics sector by providing reliable long-haul capacity. Our long-standing partnership with Volvo has been instrumental in aligning their autonomous transport solutions with our 24/7 operational demands. Volvo’s legacy of safety and relentless pursuit of innovation make them an

ideal partner in our journey to elevate trucking efficiency and deliver greater value to our customers.”

Uncompromising Commitment to Safety

Staying true to Volvo’s long-standing commitment to safety, the Volvo VNL Autonomous is designed from the ground up with built-in redundancy for critical systems. In autonomous trucks, redundancy replaces the backup provided by a human driver with systems that can automatically take control in the rare case of primary systems encountering an issue, ensuring safe operations.

This safety approach is further strengthened by Volvo’s close partnership with Aurora, whose sophisticated and robust technology enables the Volvo VNL Autonomous to safely navigate the world around it.

The Aurora Driver is equipped with powerful sensors, including high-resolution cameras, imaging radar and proprietary long-range lidar that allow for safe autonomous operations at highway speeds.

Ecosystem Approach to Real-World Autonomy

“As part of the Volvo Group, we have access to industry leading product development, world-class manufacturing and a mature dealer and service network,” said Nils Jaeger, president of Volvo Autonomous Solutions.

“For a large-scale deployment of autonomy, in addition to the autonomous truck, there also needs to be a cohesive and seamless support network of surrounding infrastructure, which creates a comprehensive autonomous ecosystem that enables daily operations,” he added.

To ensure uptime for future autonomous fleets, V.A.S. has leveraged the industry and transport knowledge of key Volvo

Trucks’ dealers across Texas to establish critical support and service points for the Volvo VNL Autonomous.

Investing in Future of Freight

Autonomy is set to revolutionize the transport industry by lowering operational costs, increasing efficiency and enhancing safety. With 24/7 capabilities, autonomous transport can accelerate delivery times and optimize supply chains, promoting a more resilient transport network.

“Autonomous trucks can also offer drivers new opportunities, such as remote monitoring and management of fleets while also addressing ongoing labor challenges,” said Monkmeyer. “Additionally, autonomous trucks can reduce the physical and mental strain on drivers, leading to improved quality of life and increased job satisfaction.”

Strategic partnerships like that of V.A.S. and DHL Supply Chain are essential for leveraging resources and expertise to earn regulatory and public trust and acceptance of autonomous technologies — and ultimately, to deliver on the full promise of autonomy.

About Volvo Autonomous Solutions

The autonomous transport solution offered by Volvo Autonomous Solutions includes a vehicle purpose-built for autonomous driving, a virtual driver, required infrastructure, operations and uptime support as well as a cloud solution that controls the transport system and manages logistics flows. The solutions developed by Volvo Autonomous Solutions are tailor-made for each customer’s needs are intended to make their operations safer and more productive and sustainable.

For more information, visit volvotrucks.us. 

Volvo photo

Stellar Receives Entrepreneurial Center’s 2024 Legacy Award

Stellar Industries, a 100 percent employeeowned and -operated manufacturer of mechanic and service trucks, cranes, tire service trucks, hooklifts, trailers and service truck and van accessories, was named as the 2024 Legacy Award recipient.

This award was given to Stellar at the North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Gala that took place in Mason City, Iowa, on Oct. 3, 2024.

The Legacy Award is given each year to a business that has significantly contributed to north Iowa through vision, leadership, job creation and economic impact. In addition to these four considerations, recipients of this award are known to be stewards in their communities.

Stellar joins a prestigious list of companies that have received the Legacy Award, including Winnebago Industries and Sukup.

“Stellar Industries and the Zrostlik family exemplify the spirit of entrepreneurship in north Iowa,” said Candi Karsjens, NIACC Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center Director.

“Through continuous innovation and expansion, they not only strengthen their presence locally, but they also make an impact beyond the region. Their enduring contributions perfectly capture the essence of the Legacy

Award.”

“It’s an honor to receive the Legacy Award,” said David Zrostlik, president of Stellar. “Stellar was founded on putting people, the community and a quality product

first and I’m proud to say that more than 30 years later that focus is still true. Thank you to the NIACC Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center and the selection committee for this recognition.”

Stellar was founded in 1990 in Garner, Iowa, by local entrepreneurs Francis Zrostlik, Jim Vlaanderen and Gary Bomstad. Stellar began as the first U.S. corporation to design and manufacture a domestic hydraulic hooklift hoist. Over the last 30-plus years, Stellar has expanded operations to multiple U.S. locations including facilities in Garner, Mason City and Kanawha, Iowa.

“Stellar’s impact on the north Iowa area is tremendous,” said Ivan Dodd, former mayor of Garner and employee of Stellar. “They are very giving people and it’s just amazing what they give back to the community.”

With more than 800 employees, Stellar continues to be a community-focused company that is proud to still operate and make an impact in the same small-town in which it began.

“Headquartered in a town of about 3,000, Stellar has over 800 employee-owners,” said Tim Davison, vice president of sales and marketing at Stellar. “So instead of just one owner of a company living in Garner, we have 850 owners that are spread across north Iowa, Nebraska and Pennsylvania and the better we do for ourselves, the better we do for our communities.”

For more information, visit www.stellarindustries.com. 

Recently Acquired HighwayMAX Trailers Lend Big Assist

When ALL Erection & Crane Rental, flagship branch and member of the ALL Family of Companies, provided heavy lift equipment to dismantle a 170,000lb. industrial bolt press in Northeast Ohio, it also was able to offer a secondary, value-added service: delivery of that same massive piece of machinery to its destination in Alsip, Ill.

What enabled the transport service was ALL’s recent acquisition of two Faymonville HighwayMAX trailers.

The HighwayMAX is a nineaxle extendable highway trailer with nine hydraulically steered pendle-axles and a legal payload of up to 170,000 lb. (249,000-lb. technical payload). Axle spacing is adjustable by up to 22.5 ft. between each three-axle group, and each axle steers independently at 60 degrees for ultimate maneuverability in tight spaces. All axles are liftable.

“We initially purchased the trailers to haul tracks for two of our own newly acquired crawler

cranes, the Liebherr LR 11000 and Liebherr LR 1800,” said Brian Meek, sales representative of ALL. “But we soon realized these trailers could offer something unique to our customers, and perhaps even open new markets for us in heavy haul transport.”

Faymonville is a European company, known for blending heavy industrial manufacturing expertise with technical know-how and cutting-edge technology. Its accompanying software package allows loads and trailer configurations to be planned in advance, much the same way 3-D lift planning for cranes enables ALL to design, plot, and practice lifts in the virtual world.

“We’re able to simulate the load to make sure the axles are carrying an even amount of weight,” Meek said. “Because axle spacing and load limits vary by state, the HighwayMAX provides ultimate flexibility.”

ALL was first contacted to provide a 360-ton Liebherr LTM 13006.2 all terrain crane to remove the

The HighwayMAX is a nine-axle extendable highway trailer with nine hydraulically steered pendle-axles and a legal payload of up to 170,000 lbs. (249,000-lb. technical payload).

bolt press, when inspiration struck to also offer heavy haul services to transport the 25-ft. by 12-ft. piece to the Illinois factory that purchased the equipment.

On the maiden voyage across parts of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, the load required special permitting and, at times, even police escorts. ALL was already well-versed in arranging these requirements due to decades of transporting its own cranes via an in-house trucking division that includes all the logistics support that entails.

Since that first journey, other heavy-haul jobs have come in to

ALL just through word-of-mouth.

“Faymonville trailers are still fairly rare in the U.S.,” said Jimmy Hill, logistics manager of ALL.

“Once people see what they’re capable of, they’re interested in trying them out.”

By combining technology with practical development, quality manufacturing, and innovative features, the new trailers offer great versatility, payload capacity, maneuverability and quick mobilization.

This versatility is expected to earn it many fans.

“It will be in demand for trans-

porting large industrial equipment, as well as work at steel mills and wind farms,” said Hill. “For many of our customers, they will find that anywhere they thought they needed a Goldhofer, they can use the HighwayMAX.”

Hill expects the trailers to find many uses for ALL’s new and existing customers.

Because every axle on the Faymonville HighwayMAX steers independently, the resulting tighter turning radius enables it to maneuver in more restricted areas than a traditional trailer, especially one of its size. That makes it a welcome tool within the footprint of plants and refineries.

“We’ll be able to build crawler cranes in even more constricted areas,” said Hill. “It’s also ideal for making multiple onsite moves due to the trailer’s high maneuverability. The ability to adjust height will also be attractive to plant managers.”

For more information, visit www.allcrane.com.  (Photo courtesy of ALL Crane.)

Stellar photo

The 2024 Legacy Award was given to Stellar at the North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Gala that took place in Mason City, Iowa, on Oct. 3, 2024.

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Hillside Hydroseeding Last Step in Landslide Repairs

“Tumbling car-sized boulders, slipping soil, seeping water and steep hillside were the prime safety issues,” Medina said. “Workers had to wait for the saturated hill to dry out and become stable. The super 10 trucks were hauling away 60 loads a night. By the end, about 15,000 cu. yds. of debris were removed. It was unsafe to put workers in the

path of the active slide until the hillside dried out. Soil, rocks and boulders continued to fall after the initial massive landslide on March 9.”

On April 29, the debris field was deemed safe enough for excavators, dozers and other equipment to deal with the debris directly.

The soil, rocks and boulders were repurposed, with loads taken to a Ventura County farm, Los Angeles County roadways and an art institution in downtown Los Angeles.

“No debris went to a landfill,” Medina said.

He said lessons were learned and best practices were honed via the debris removal operations.

“Mother Nature can be a monster,” Medina said “Two winters of atmospheric river storms saturated hillsides in Southern California. Climate change is contributing to numerous landslides, wildfires, flooding and beach erosion. … Drones were invaluable for mapping the upper sections of the landslide in the weeks before workers could get to the top of the hill."

In addition to the super 10 trucks, operators used spider excavators, front loaders, bulldozers and drones.

With the debris removed, and slope stabilized, it was time to install the anchors; that was completed between Sept. 39. The fabric catch fence to prevent rocks from falling on the roadway was installed afterward.

The hydroseeding operation has not been scheduled. Caltrans is consulting with the California Parks Department on the type of vegetation that should be sprayed across the hillside.

Flo Engineering’s management team includes CEO

Kristin Flores, and the Caltrans management team includes John Yang, Dan Leon, Steven Zaw and Matt Gaffney.

“The team dynamic was professional and efficient,” Medina said. “The efforts of the crews were outstanding.”  CEG

(All photos courtesy of the California Departments of Transportation.)

Canyon Road was closed for several weeks.

AGC Survey: More Than Half Believe Markets Will Be Healthy

Bracing for Future Possibilities

As Deloitte states, disruption and volatility are nothing new to the construction market. Evolving economic and regulatory factors, said the business consulting firm, are expected to shape the industry in 2025.

“Nonetheless, 2025 could present opportunities for continued growth,” and contractors should pay attention to several factors.

The “labor mismatch” and evolving skills requirements require innovative workforce strategies, automation, enhanced worker experiences, and diversity.

“The sector’s ability to adapt … will be important in working to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving market and ensuring a robust … workforce,” said Deloitte.

Advancements in technology will continue to modernize the industry next year, according to Deloitte. Technologies, such as digital twins, robotics and AI, can streamline project management, collaboration and decision-making as they reduce delays and costs.

“With wide-scale adoption,” noted the firm, “companies could experience improved productivity, safety and resource allocation.”

Changing economics will shape the

industry next year. Lower interest rates and falling inflation could reduce the cost of project financing. That, in turn, could encourage both public- and private-sector investments in construction, Deloitte said.

Finally, federal infrastructure investment will continue to benefit non-residential projects. This includes transportation, manufacturing and utilities.

“The recent increase in tariff rates on strategic materials like steel and aluminum aims to boost domestic production capacity,”

noted Deloitte.

At the same time, it also has the potential to heighten the risk of reciprocal tariffs.

At the ConstructConnect webinar in November, economists summarized the industry outlook for next year as a combination of optimism and caution.

“While commercial construction spending continues to grow, it will likely do so at a slower rate next year,” according to the organization.

Despite an increase in entry-level con-

struction staffing, finding experienced help is still a challenge. But that’s not hindering bidding on new projects.

“As is the case every year, it will be important for contractors and firms to keep a keen eye on market factors and trends in 2025,” said the firm.

SmartBrief’s take is that despite the challenges, many firms remain hopeful. Nearly 60 percent of the AGC survey respondents believe markets will be healthy.

And almost half plan to purse new markets next year. SmartBrief urges contractors to address labor shortages with robust workforce development.

The organization suggests businesses “recalibrate” project bids and supply agreements to counteract inflation’s effects, and strategically adopt technology.

SmartBrief suggests “focusing on tools that deliver clear returns and build trust among stakeholders.”

The firm believes that cultivating a flexible, forward-thinking mindset and forging strong partnerships contractors can navigate the uncertainty.

“For those willing to embrace change … the next few years hold the promise of sustainable growth, improved efficiency and a more resilient industry.”

TOPANGA from page 42

Topanga

A closeup view of wattles helping to keep the hillside in place.

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WANTED (US): ALL MODELS DITCH WITCH VACUUM/EXCAVATION EQUIPMENT EMAIL: BILL@DITCHWITCHNEWMEXICO.COM

WANTED (WORLDWIDE): CATERPILLAR WHEEL LOADERS, ALL MODELSNEED TO PURCHASE FOR OWN STOCK CATERPILLAR WHEEL LOADERS (916, 926, 936E, 950B, 950E, 950H, 966E, 966F, 966H, 970F & 980F. EMAIL: ROYALMACHINERYTRADERS@ GMAIL.COM; PHONE: +923360598261

WANTED (US): KAWASAKI WHEEL LOADERS 85ZV , 90ZV , 90ZIV , 95ZV. ALSO SEARCHING FOR KOMATSU WA470-3 , WA600-3 , WA600-6. RUNNING OR NON-RUNNING CONDITION. EMAIL: ALADNANENT@GMAIL.COM; PHONE: +923445757577

WANTED (NC); CLARK ECX 25 FORKLIFT. EMAIL: JBSSERVICES37@GMAIL.COM

WANTED (AL): KOMATSU 12 INCH BUCKET, PC35 EMAIL: JSGODSEY78@GMAIL.COM; PHONE: 205-485-4605

WANTED (US): MANUFACTURER: JCB 540-170 TELEHANDLER, 2016 OR NEWER. EMAIL: NORTHHEAVYEQUIPMENTS@GMAIL.COM PHONE: 281-694-5478

WANTED (US): CATERPILLAR 140G MOTOR GRADERS - NEED TO BUY CAT MOTOR GRADER 140G/H, 14G,14M. ALSO LOOKING FOR A KOMATSU WHEEL LOADER WA-600 AND WA-900. EMAIL: IKCEQUIPMENTS@GMAIL.COM

WANTED (US): MISCELLANEOUS CATERPILLAR ATTACHMENTS. LOOKING FOR RELIABLE IT COUPLER ATTACHMENTS AND JOHN DEERE 644K FORKS (JRB COUPLER) TO ENHANCE OUR CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS. ITEMS REQUIRED TO BE IN GOOD, WELL-MAINTAINED CONDITION. THE MOST DESIRED ATTACHMENTS ARE SIDE DUMP BUCKETS (LEFT AND RIGHT), BROOM ATTACHMENT, EXTENDABLE BOOM ATTACHMENT FORKS. PHONE: 484-781-2958 EMAIL: JWALSH@JAMESTOHARAINC.COM

WANTED (US): CLARK M371 SKID STEER LOADER EMAIL:ANDYGRANGER30@GMAIL.COM

WANTED (US): CATERPILLAR D10N CRAWLER DOZER. PLS PRICE FOB OR CIF ALEXANDRIA PORT EGYPT. EMAIL: ELEKTESADCO@YAHOO.COM; PHONE: 00201005311220

WANTED (US): CATERPILLAR 336 EXCAVATOR - MUST HAVE A HYDRAULIC QUICK COUPLER, AUXILIARY HYDRAULICS AND GPS EQUIPPED. UNIT SHOULD HAVE BETWEEN 4-6000 HOURS. EMAIL: AARONA@BLACKSTARACA.COM PHONE: 737-587-1936

WANTED (CA): CATERPILLAR OFFHIGHWAY TRUCKS - CAT MODELS 777C, 777D, 777F, 777G. EMAIL: TONYTHOMAS@ PACIFICCRANES.COM; PHONE: 1-818-956-5231

WANTED (WORLDWIDE): KOMATSU WA-600, WA-500 AND WA-900 WHEEL LOADERS. EMAIL: IKCEQUIPMENTS@GMAIL.COM

WANTED (IL): A CUMMINS 5.9 TURBO CHARGED ENGINE FOR A CASE 1155E LOADER. EMAIL: KUBERSKIEXC@CHARTER.NET

WANTED (IN): HYSTER H80FT FORKS EMAIL: YADAV.JYOTI178@GMAIL.COM PHONE: 09500208661

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

WANTED (TX): NEED CAT 988 USED WHEEL LOADER. IF AVAILABLE PLEASE CONTACT ASAP. EMAIL: NORTHHEAVYEQUIPMENTS@ GMAIL.COM; PHONE: 281-694-5478

WANTED (TX): ALL MODELS EAGLE CRUSHERS / PULVERIZERS / SHEARS. ISO PORTABLE, PREFERABLY CLOSED CIRCUIT, IMPACT CRUSHERS. ALSO INTERESTED IN PORTABLE SCREENS EMAIL: GIVEBUYSELLTRADE@GMAIL.COM; PHONE: 512-822-8818

WANTED: KOMATSU WA600-6 WHEEL LOADER & CAT 988. IF AVAILABLE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANKS. EMAIL: EDDIE.SIDDIQUI3@GMAIL.COM

WANTED (OK): CATERPILLAR D5N CRAWLER DOZER. EMAIL: JUNK4@ACEINVESTMENTS.COM; PHONE: 405-627-6246

WANTED (US): CATERPILLAR MODEL 815 SOIL COMPACTOR. EMAIL: ANDREWL@BLACKSTARACA.COM; PHONE: 312-898-5355

(IN):

EMAIL: YADAV.JYOTI178@GMAIL.COM PHONE: 09500208661

ALEX LYON & SON

AUCTIONEERS

www.lyonauction.com

315-633-2944

• Houston, TX

Wed., January 15, 2025

For: Major Cat Job Completion & Rental Fleet Construction Equipment

• Queretaro, MX

Wed., January 22, 2025

For: Late Model Construction & Asphalt Equipment

• Delaware, OH

Fri., January 24, 2025

For: Late Model Construction, Ag Equipment & more

• Bushnell, NJ

Jan. 31 – Feb. 10, 2025

For: 32nd Annual Florida Auction

RITCHIE BROS. AUCTIONEERS

www.rbauction.com

402-421-3631

• Las Vegas, NV

January 31, 2025

• Los Angeles, CA

February 6 - 7, 2025

• Houston, TX February 11 – 13, 2025

• Great Lakes Regional Event February 12, 2025

• Tipton, CA February 13 - 14, 2025

• Phoenix, AZ

February 14, 2025

• Orlando, FL February 17 - 21, 2025

ABSOLUTE AUCTION & REALTY, INC.

www.AARauctions.com

800-243-0061

• Online Ends January 13, 2025

For: Oxford, CT Vehicle & Equipment Auction

AUCTIONS INTERNATIONAL

www.auctionsinternational.com

800-536-1401

• Online January 2 - 16, 2025

For: Online Auctions Closing Daily!

Coming Auctions

To view our complete list of upcoming auctions visit our Auction Calendar at www.constructionequipmentguide.com

BAR NONE AUCTION

www.barnoneauction.com

866-372-1700

• Online

Fri., January 17, 2025

For: Fontana, CA Monthly Public Auction

BIDADOO AUCTIONS

www.bidadoo.com

1-877-BIDADOO

• Online

January 14, 2025

• Online

January 21, 2025

• Online January 28, 2025

BIG IRON AUCTIONS

www.bigiron.com

800-937-3558

• Online

January 15, 2025

• Online

January 22, 2025

• Online January 29, 2025

FREIJE & FREIJE AUCTIONEERS

www.freijeauctioneers.com 317-539-2895

• Clayton, IN

Tues., January 14, 2025

For: The Elliott Estate Real Estate Auction

• Indianapolis, IN Fri., January 17, 2025

For: Absolute Universal Lighting & Electric Retirement Auction

HANSEN AUCTION GROUP

www.hansenauctiongroup.com

920-383-1012

• Online

January 14 - 28, 2025

For: Monthly Construction, Heavy Trucks & Government Consignment Auction

HUNYADY AUCTION COMPANY

www.hunyady.com

800-233-6898

• Virtual Live

Wed., January 22, 2025

For: Large Absolute Auction Century 21 Construction

I.R.A.Y. AUCTION

www.iraymn.com

320-968-7230

• Online

Wed., January 22, 2025

For: Heavy Equipment, Truck & Trailer Auction

J.J. KANE AUCTIONEERS

www.jjkane.com

855-GO2-KANE

• Online

January 14 - 15, 2025

For: Northeast Regional Online Timed Auction

• Online

Thurs., January 16, 2025

For: Jurupa Valley, CA Ken Porter Timed Auction

• Online

January 21 - 22, 2025 For: Western Regional/Government Surplus Auction

J. STOUT AUCTIONS

www.jstoutauction.com

888-230-8840

• Online

Wed., January 22, 2025 For: Live Streaming Auction

JEFF MARTIN AUCTIONEERS, INC.

www.jeffmartinauctioneers.com

601-450-6200

• Online

January 15 - 21, 2025

For: MyAuctionYard.com

Online Auction

• Online

Ends January 21, 2025

For: Southern AZ Complete Liquidation Solar Farm Contractor

websites for details

• Brooklyn, MS

Fri., January 24, 2025

For: Winter Construction & Transportation Public Auction

• Stanton, TX

Thurs., January 30, 2025

For: Permian Basin Public Auction

• Kissimmee, FL

February 10 – 13, 2025

For: Annual Winter Auction

MYRON BOWLING AUCTIONEERS, INC. www.myronbowling.com 513-738-3311

• Online

Thurs., January 16, 2025

For: Escambia Operating Co. Auction

PURPLE WAVE AUCTION www.purplewave.com 866-608-9283

• Online

Wed., January 15, 2025 For: Vehicles & Equipment Auction

• Online

Thurs., January 16, 2025 For: Construction Equipment Auction

• Online

Tues., January 21, 2025 For: Government Auction

• Online

Wed., January 22, 2025 For: Ag Equipment Auction

ROLLER AUCTIONS www.rollerauction.com 866-515-1668

• Denver, CO

Wed., January 15, 2025

For: Construction & Contracting Equipment Auction

RTi AUCTIONS www.rtiauctions.com 585-243-1563

• Online

January 7 – 14, 2025

For: January NetAuction Edition 1

SHETRON AUCTION & EQUIPMENT LLC www.shetronequipment.com 717-532-8828

• Shippensburg, PA Wed., January 29, 2025

For: Construction & Farm Equipment Auction

SOLD AUCTION COMPANY www.soldauctionco.com 404-725-2267

• Jacksonville, FL Fri., January 31, 2025 For: Construction Equipment, Trucks, Trailers, Farm Gear & More

VANTAGE AUCTIONS

www.vantageauctions.com 951-228-9040

• Lake Elsinore, CA Sat., January 18, 2025

For: Heavy Construction Equipment & Commercial Truck & Trailer Auction

WESTERN CONSTRUCTION AUCTIONS INC. www.wca-online.com 866-731-7760

• Lake Elsinore, CA Fri., January 17, 2025 For: Upcoming Public Auction

WOLFE INDUSTRIAL AUCTIONS, INC. www.wolfeauctions.com 800-443-9580

• York Springs, PA Fri., January 31, 2025

For: Part 1: Mid-Atlantic Winter Classic Contractors Auction

• Online Sat., February 1, 2025

For: Part 2: Mid-Atlantic Winter Contractors Auction

YODER & FREY HEAVY EQUIPMENT AUCTIONS www.yoderandfrey.com 419-865-3990

• Kissimmee, FL February 12 – 15, 2025 For: 51st Annual Florida Auction

Thunder Creek Names David Bertino Territory Sales Manager

Thunder Creek Equipment has named David Bertino as its new territory sales manager (TSM) for the southern United States, including New Mexico, Oklahoma, Alabama, Texas and Louisiana.

Bertino joins Thunder Creek after a long career in both compact and heavy equipment sales and territory management — serving manufacturers and the dealer sales channel.

Thunder Creek designs and manufactures innovative, premium fueling and preventative maintenance solutions that are used in a variety of industries including construction, roadbuilding, oil and gas, and utility construction. This includes the original, industry-leading, No-HAZMAT Fuel & Service Trailer (MTT), the Multi-Tank Oil Trailer (MTO), and Service and Lube Trailer (SLT).

markets while also lifting up local dealer networks to be supportive, responsive and helpful to their customers,” said Larry Lea, vice president of sales, Thunder Creek Equipment.

“Each state in this region has markets with strong growth and regulatory needs that perfectly match the Thunder Creek lineup of fuel and service solutions, and David represents a strong partner for our dealers and customers in the region.”

“David understands equipment sales and support from almost every perspective — he has better established manufacturers in his

“I’ve lived in the southwestern U.S. almost my entire life, and I’m fortunate to represent a great American brand like Thunder Creek to contractors and businesses in my territory,” said Bertino. “Once fleet managers understand the benefits that Thunder Creek provides their businesses, fueling practices throughout this territory will become more efficient and more profitable.” For more information, visit ThunderCreek.com. 

Thunder Creek Equipment photo

SoCal JCB Dealership Showcases Sustainability Focus

JCB from page 8

In addition to its enhanced service capabilities, the Colton dealership underscores SoCal JCB’s commitment to sustainability. The facility will feature 256 solar panels generating nearly 200,000 kWh of clean energy annually, which offsets about 133 metric tons of CO2 emissions. Added battery storage also will reduce demand charges, provide backup power during outages and save nearly $1 million in energy costs over 20 years.

“It’s inspiring to see JCB’s legacy, built on our family’s commitment to innovation and customer focus, continue to thrive through

partners like SoCal JCB,” Alice Bamford said. “This new location is a testament to how our values are carried forward.”

Richard Fox-Marrs, president and CEO of JCB North America, stated: “SoCal JCB’s new dealership is an exciting milestone, not just for the region but for JCB as a whole. Their dedication to serving customers with exceptional products and a focus on sustainable practices reflects the values of our brand and our vision for the future. We look forward to seeing their continued success.”

For more information, visit socaljcb.com.  (All photos courtesy of SoCal JCB.)

Business Calendar

To view our Business Calendar online, go to www.constructionequipmentguide.com.

ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS (AGC)

AGC Events Calendar:

All AGC Web-Eds are scheduled in Eastern Standard Time (EST). Conferences are scheduled using the local time zone where the event takes place.

• 2025 AGC Construction Safety & Health Conference (https://safety.agc.org/

Dates: Wednesday, January 22, 2025 (7:00 AM) –Friday, January 24, 2025 (12:00 PM) Jacksonville, FL Safety and Health

• AGC EDGE STP Units 3 & 4 Planning and Scheduling; Contract Documents (https://edge.agc.org/course/vstp250101-2/)

Dates: Wednesday, January 22, 2025 (2:00 PM) –Wednesday February 19, 2025 (6:00 PM) Online Virtual

Training/Professional Development

• Construction Project Manager Course (https://www.agc.org/learn/education-training/events/construction-project-manager-course-3)

Dates: Sunday, January 26, 2025 (4:00 PM) – Friday, January 31, 2025 (2:00 PM) Atlanta, Georgia Training/Professional Development

• 2025 Surety Bonding & Risk Management Conference (https://risk.agc.org/)

Dates: Monday, January 27, 2025 (7:00 AM) –Wednesday, January 29, 2025 (12:00 PM) Bonita Springs, FL Risk Management

• 2025 In-House Environmental Managers Meeting (https://news.agc.org/news/join-your-peers-at-the-next-environ-

mental -roundtable-discussion/)

Dates: Thursday, January 30, 2025 (8:00 AM) –Friday, October 31, 2025 (3:30 PM) Centennial, Colorado Environment

Association of Women Contractors (AWC) January Newcomer Luncheon

Date: Friday, January 17, 2025

Time: 11:30 AM (CDT) – 1:00 PM (CDT)

Venue: Burger Moe’s Address: 242 7th St. W. Saint Paul, MN 55102

Have you even been interested in membership with the Association of Women Contractors?

Join us on Friday, January 17th for our January Newcomer Luncheon at Burger Moe’s.

This (FREE) event will give you the opportunity to learn more about the beneﬁts of AWC membership, meet AWC staff, board members and each other!

Please note:

This event is reserved for new AWC Members who have not yet attended a Newcomer event, as well as potential members who are interested in learning more about AWC.

We hold Newcomer Luncheons every other month, so if you are unable to attend this one, there will be another in the future!

Registration will close on Wednesday, January 15 at 5:00 PM.

If registration is closed, and if you still wish to attend, please email admin@awcmn.org.

Our Mission:

The Association of Women Contractors provides advocacy, collaboration and industry leadership to support and enrich women-owned companies in the construction industry.

For more information:

Association of Women Contractors

1337 Saint Clair Avenue #4 Saint Paul, MN 55105

Phone: 651/489-2221

MINNESOTA NURSERY & LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION

NORTHERN GREEN 2025

DATES: January 21 – 23, 2025

PLACE: Saint Paul River Centre

175 Kellogg Blvd. West, Saint Paul, MN 55102

Phone: (651) 265-4800

Description: Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Community day for these Villages with a full day of focused education.

Landscape/Hardscape Contractor; Landscape Design/Landscape Architecture; Golf; Water/Irrigation; Management Path Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Dedicated Trade Show Day!

Trade Show: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM

Block Party: 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM Thursday, January 23, 2025

Community day for these Villages with a full day of focused education, plus the trade show will be open in the morning.

Trade Show: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Turf, Grounds & Snow Management; Garden Center/Grower; Professional Gardening Services; Tree Care/Arborist: Management Path Summary:

An exclusive trade show day is being built for your Northern Green 2025 experience! Wednesday of Northern Green week is made speciﬁcally for your needs, plus we’ve added a half-day on Thursday morning as well. This year’s exhibit hall will feature industry vendors and providers grouped by area of specialty.

No need to seek out exhibitors for your needs – they will be gathered in designated areas excited to see you!

For more information, contact: Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association: Phone: 651/633-4987 Email: info@northerngreen.org

Website: https://northerngreen.org/ MICHIGAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION (MITA)

MITA 2025 Annual Conference

DATES: January 22 – 23, 2025

PLACE: Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort 6800 Soaring Eagle Boulevard Mt. Pleasant, Michigan 48858

MITA is a statewide construction trade association that consists of over 500 Michigan companies.

The Conference will feature insights, innovation, and networking opportunities for industry professionals. Annual Conference – Industry Event

For more information on this Industry Event: Contact MITA, 2937 Atrium Drive, Ste. 100, Okemos, MI 48864

Phone: 517/347-8336

Email: info@thinkmita.org

Website: https://thinkmita.org/annual-conference/

ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA (AGC)

AGC Construction Safety and Health Conference

Dates: January 22 - 24, 2025

Start: January 21, 2025 (1:00 PM)

End: January 24, 2025 (5:00 PM)

Place: Hyatt Regency, Jacksonville Riverfront 225 E. Coastline Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32202

Phone: 904/588-1234

Description: Welcome to the premier national conference for Construction Safety and Health Professionals. This event provides a forum for professionals to learn, network, and problem-solve.

Through engaging presentations, workshops and panel discussions, attendees gain insights into industry challenges, best practices, and emerging trends.

Discover the latest Construction Safety Trends at our Conference!

Join us for a one-of-a-kind experience as we bring together industry professionals from around the country for the Construction Safety and Health Conference.

Our program gives you access to the most up-to-date information and resources on construction, safety and health. You will have the opportunity to interact with experts in the ﬁeld, learn from their experiences, and discover new tools that will help you create a safe working environment.

Safety Awards Season is open!

Nominate your company or an outstanding professional for a prestigious award!

Learn more and register: www.agc.org

ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA (AGC)

AGC’s Annual Surety Bonding and Construction Risk Management Conference

Dates: Monday, January 27, 2025 (4:30 PM) to Wednesday, January 29, 2205 (12:00 PM)

Place: Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa 5001 Coconut Rd, Bonita Springs, FL 34134 Phone: 239/444-1234

Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa has a modern, coastalinspired ambiance, and it provides the perfect setting to soak up the spirit of the Naples area in SW Florida.

Reasons to Attend:

1. Meet top Risk Professionals. Engage with purpose.

This Conference is focused on the thought leaders in the ﬁeld of Construction Risk Management.

2. Customizable Agenda.

Carefully crafted Agenda covering industry-leading topics in both keynotes and breakout sessions. Unique pre-conference meetings provide an opportunity for peer-to-peer discussion of the biggest challenges for today’s construction ﬁrms.

3. Connect with friends.

Share your expertise and experience with your peers in driving the industry forward.

For more information, contact AGC: 2300 Wilson Blvd., Ste. 300, Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703/548-3118 Fax: 703/548-3119

A rendering of the planned SoCal JCB equipment yard.

A rendering from above of the SoCal JCB’s planned equipment stockpile.