6 minute read
Southeast Outdoor Solutions LLC
Southeast Outdoor Solutions LLC started out as a lawn care services company, now offers turnkey sitework
Nestled in the town of Gray, Ga., Southeast Outdoor Solutions LLC was founded nearly 25 years ago by Nick Cameron. While the company provides turnkey sitework solutions today, its origins can be mowed down to grassier beginnings.
“Originally, I was a fireman in Macon and was cutting grass as a side business,” Cameron recalled. “I turned that into a full-time lawn care business for about five or six years. Eventually, we ended up buying some skid steers and taking on heavier landscaping. The growth was a result of the quality of work we were completing.”
The company’s focus shifted away from landscaping when Cameron purchased a dozer and started moving larger quantities of dirt. Cameron admits that his family history in the industry played a role in his path toward owning his own construction company.
“I had a granddaddy who cleared lots and stuff, and I helped him when I was younger,” said Cameron. “He taught me how to operate a trackhoe, bulldozer, and all of the other equipment you find around job sites.”
Today, Cameron’s business continues to thrive and now includes 17 employees.
“My company's success is a result of my employees' dedication to the company's growth,” Cameron commented.
Game-changing role of GPS
Another important factor in Southeast Outdoor Solutions’ success has been its adoption of technology, most notably GPS-equipped Komatsu Intelligent Machine Control (IMC) dozers and excavators. The company’s transition to the technology about four years ago was a genuine game-changer.
“Before I had GPS, we had a surveyor come out to the job and put stakes out,” said Cameron. “If my guys ran over a couple of stakes, it would take three days for the surveyor to come back out here. Now, my operators can see everything on the screen in front of them and view the job’s progress in real time. It speeds up the job tremendously. The machines do a lot of the fine grading for the operator and keep them from digging too deep. It saves us time and money.”
Typical projects, such as completing the sitework for name-brand hotels, that previously took nine weeks are now finished in six weeks. To complete the work, Southeast Outdoor Solutions utilizes several Komatsu machines, including a PC490LC excavator, PC210LC excavators, PC210LCi IMC excavators, D51PXi-24 IMC dozers, a D61PXi-24 IMC dozer, and an HM400 articulated truck. Cameron appreciates the strength of the PC490LC excavator when moving large quantities of material.
“On one of our recent hotel projects, we had to haul 800 loads of dirt off-site,” recounted Cameron. “That’s not uncommon for jobs out here, and having a PC490 doubles the speed and cuts the number of operators we need in half compared to running a pair of PC210 excavators. It makes us more efficient while saving on fuel and other costs. The PC210s are great for ditch digging, laying storm pipe, and moving smaller quantities of dirt. Both machines work well in their own capacity and are essential to our operation.”
The Komatsu dozers are also crucial to Southeast Outdoor Solutions' success.
“We run D51 models on almost all our projects,” noted Cameron. “It’s the perfect size because it can get in tighter spots, such as on 3-acre jobs with a bunch of curb. The D61 is useful when we need to push larger quantities of material. Having the GPS system on both is essential because we can track where we’re at on the job and how close we are to grade, reducing the amount of material that’s touched twice.”
Service and support
While equipment and technology play a massive role in the company’s success, Cameron is quick to highlight another vital component: support. For him, choosing Komatsu over other brands isn’t just about equipment efficiency; it’s about the unmatched support he gets from Tractor & Equipment Company (TEC), especially sales representative Kyle McMahon.
“Service and support from TEC are essential,” said Cameron. “If we only have one trackhoe on this job and it goes down, we’re not working that day. I know I can call Kyle and tell him I need it done now, and TEC will get somebody out here that day.”
The swift responsiveness and proximity of TEC to Cameron’s operations make TEC an invaluable partner.
“Kyle and TEC’s responsiveness are one reason I prefer Komatsu over any other brand,” emphasized Cameron. “I know it’s one call to Kyle and he’ll take care of whatever I need.”
Contentment meets ambition
With such a rich history and robust operational framework, what does the future hold for Southeast Outdoor Solutions? Cameron’s answer is simple and profoundly grounded.
“I’m happy if it stays the same or if we grow or shrink,” commented Cameron. “I was happy when I had six people, and I’m happy with 17. I just want to keep our customers happy too.”
While many entrepreneurs chase relentless expansion, Cameron’s contentment with his company’s size allows him to focus on quality over quantity. Whatever the future holds, Southeast Outdoor Solutions is built to adapt, innovate and excel. ■
*The opinions expressed here are from the end user as quoted. The results described herein are those of these end users under certain conditions. Your results may vary.
