Snow Manager Issue # 2015

Flying High

Canadian airports demonstrate excellence in snow and ice removal

The Perfect Pavement

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #40934510

Mobile sensor MARWIS improves road safety

Whether You Like It or Not The last two winters have been tough. What can we expect this winter?

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TABLE OF CONTENTS A Balancing Act Navigating the perfect storm with road salt Whether You Like It or Not The last two winters have been tough – what can we expect this winter?

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Flying High Canadian airports demonstrate excellence in snow and ice removal

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Save Your Salt Calhoun Super Structures provide a better way to store sand and salt

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Empirical Proof Idaho Transportation Department implements key systems to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of its snow and ice control operations

Plow Through REIST “Power Bonus” turns compact tractors into industrial-strength snow throwers Taking Control Bonnell Industries Inc. introduces commander series dump bodies

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Publisher Jason Stefanik Managing Editor Carly Peters carlypeters@mts.net Sales Manager Dayna Oulion

Magazine Consultant Gladwyn Nickel Production services provided by S.G. Bennett Marketing Services www.sgbennett.com

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Art Director Kathy Cable Layout/Design Joel Gunter Advertising Art Sheri Kidd | Dana Jensen Cover photo courtesy of Bonnell Industries

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Push Over Arctic Snow and Ice Products launches a unique line of snow pushers

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Viking Cives Ltd. Towplow saving time and money

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OUNCE OF PREVENTION Anti-icing mitigates risk for big retailers

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Let it Drop Ventrac introduces new sidewalk drop spreader

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Unmatched Minerals NSC Minerals Ltd. brings their distinctive product to customers across Canada

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President David Langstaff

Advertising Sales Cheryl Ezinicki | Jennifer Hebert Gladwyn Nickel

product SHOWCASE The Perfect Pavement Mobile sensor MARWIS improves road safety

Published by: DEL Communications Inc. Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3L 0G5 Fax: (204) 668-4641

Subscription information available.

Please contact DEL Communications Inc. Two issues for $12.00 © Copyright 2015 DEL Communications Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the publisher.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein and the reliability of the source, the publisher in no way guarantees nor warrants the information and is not responsible for errors, omissions or statements made by advertisers. Opinions and recommendations made by contributors or advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher, its directors, officers or employees.

Publications mail agreement #40934510 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: DEL Communications Inc. Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road, Winnipeg, MB R3L 0G5 Printed in Canada 08/2015

ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

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A Balancing Act Navigating the perfect storm with road salt

By Colleen Biondi

D

oug Freer loves the objectivity of the snow and ice removal business. “You either did or didn’t clear the snow. It is down to pavement or it is not,” says the president and owner of Cleveland-based Blue Moose Company Inc. “There are no grey areas.”

Unless you take into account what happens when the critical material you need to clear that pavement – salt – is in short supply.

Then, you get fifty shades of grey.

It is not a matter of the raw supply. Salt considered to be abundant with approximately 30 million tonnes a year being mined in North America alone.

“Salt is a mineral that can’t be destroyed. It doesn’t leave the earth. It is always around,” says Freer, but he adds, he and his colleagues must pay attention to the domino-like factors influencing the supply chain in order to keep their companies afloat and their customers safe.

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And those factors are forever changing. In the winter of 2008, for example, key U.S. waterways froze so salt deliveries to service providers in the midwest were restricted. When Cleveland subsequently experienced two relatively mild winters, the Department of Transportation (DOT), which uses 90 per cent of road salt supplies, didn’t order as much. So the mines cut back on producing and bidding on contracts and the plants cut back on processing (Morton Salt actually laid off staff due to reduced demand), making the situation tenuous for the time when serious winter conditions would re-appear and that salt would be needed again.

In light of these kinds of uncertainties, snow and ice removal companies need to be proactive in determining how much salt they can afford to buy in advance (last winter’s prices were 50 to 100 per cent higher than the previous season) while balancing other business expenses like rent and payroll, and how much storage capacity they have (a midwest farmer might need a whopISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

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ping 20,000 tonnes of product per season and, ideally, a gargantuan storage bin). It is a complex balancing act; after all, service providers need to be prepared for any snow event. “And nobody is a fortune teller,” says Freer. “We are all guessing about what will happen.”

One thing that is guaranteed is snow will continue to fly. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport records an average of 68 inches of snowfall each winter (35-year average) and, on the east side of the city where Freer works, there is usually about 25 to 40 per cent more accumulation. The moisture and wind coming off the lake can complicate existing storms or even create new ones.

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Despite that likelihood, in the 2013/2014 season, the DOTs didn’t make their salt orders until the last minute as they were hedging their bets due to those previously-mentioned mild spells. But this caused a pinch in the supply, with less available for the remaining 10 per cent segment of snow and ice removers. As a result, there was barely enough salt to make it through and no carry-over to the next winter. And since the mines and processing plants were still not fully functional, there was also a shortage in the 2014/2015 season.

“It had a significant impact on the industry,” says Freer.

So how do service providers prepare for an industry that relies so heavily on Mother Nature’s whims? Freer has some ideas: • Consider cheaper, foreign salt from places like Egypt or Brazil.

Mind you, there are complex logistics in getting this kind of salt to service providers, such as offloading the product from large, ocean vessels onto smaller barges for delivery through water systems. This may not be the most viable option for smaller companies.

• Talk to your supplier early about product for the upcoming season and learn to overstock. “We try to keep a year’s worth of inventory on hand,” adds Freer. He buys a bit extra every year (relying on dollar-cost averaging to make it financially viable), stockpiles his salt in a warehouse, and re-supplies in the off season – a cheaper option than a frantic, last-minute order.

• Communicate with your customers. Can they flex their expectations? For example, can they use a little less product or fewer applications and still ensure safety? Assess your customers’ risk profile and their tolerance for snow and ice accumulations.

Nobody wants a “slip and fall” situation, but in some cases you may be able to use less product and still get a satisfying result.

• Do some creative mixing. Freer will mix his salt with liquid chloride or an organic product (some service providers use sugary beet juice) to make it more effective at lower temperatures and to extend the product. A liquid brine can also be used to pretreat pavement before the snow flies to reduce the likelihood of build-up and bonding to the pavement, therefore requiring less salt to de-ice later.

With these tips in mind, snow and ice removal companies should be in a good position for what winter will bring this year. And a little bit of optimism never hurts, recommends Freer. “No matter what happens, we will always get through the storm.” ❆ ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

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Whether You Like It or Not The last two winters have been tough – what can we expect this winter?

By Emily Pike

B

eing in Canada means two certain things: there’s a lot of weather and it’s a hot topic of conversation. The last two winters have been hard for most of Canada, even though the world as a whole had the warmest winter on record last year. It has left many people worried about what to expect this year: from endless sidewalk shovelling to frozen water pipes to record snowfalls that shut people in, it’s not hard to see why.

“We’ve had two tough winters in a row and people are worried that this will be a ‘three-peat,’” states Dave Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada.

For most of us, the weather is something that effects us but we don’t understand it very well. Chris Scott, chief me-

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teorologist with The Weather Network gives an overview of what has happened over the past two years.

“The last couple winters we’ve had either weak or neutral El Niño conditions which has allowed the jet stream to bring cold weather, freeze-thaw cycles, and of course it has brought some big snow,” he states.

Part of the reasoning behind this is what’s going on in the Pacific Ocean.

“When we have an El Niño it means the water temperatures off the coast of South America and through the Central Pacific Ocean are warmer than normal and La Niña means those waters are below normal. Depending on how warm or cool those waters are, it effects the jet stream,”

explains Scott, adding he likens the Pacific Ocean to a car’s engine. “If the engine is running hot or is running cool, you’re going to have an impact on the rest of the car and how it drives. That’s why the Pacific is so important – because it really is the engine of our weather.”

The Pacific Ocean is the biggest ocean in the world, and the part of it that defines an El Niño or La Niña is massive, meaning the effect that it can have on the weather is major.

“Depending on whether that area is a half degree above normal or two degrees above normal has a massive impact. A degree or two when it’s that size puts a lot more heat and a lot more moisture in to the air and that has to have an impact on the weather,” says Scott. “It changes our storm track, which is our jet stream, and that changes our weather. That’s what we have to monitor.”

What brings about an El Niño is just as mysterious, continues Scott, “Roughly every two to seven years in the Pacific Ocean there’s a switch in whether the waters are warmer or cooler, and why that happens is a combination of what’s happening in the air above and how that’s linked to what’s happening in the ocean. It tends to happen when the trade winds blowing from east to west across the Pacific weaken, which allows warmer water to pool up, which changes the air above it, so you get this feedback that allows an El Niño to develop. Exactly why that happens isn’t fully understood, because we don’t really understand all the physics involved.”

ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

What this winter will be like is hard to predict this far out, however what’s happening in the Pacific Ocean is key to making that prediction.

“I’m more confident about telling you what this winter is going to be like than what this summer is going to be like and that’s because of El Niño. With El Niño and La Niña, those episodes of water being too warm or too cool, does improve the accuracy of long-lead or seasonal forecasts,” explains Phillips.

Meteorologists are seeing a trend towards a stronger El Niño developing but even that isn’t guaranteed. Scott shares what winter could look like with and without an El Niño effect, “If it becomes a strong El Niño then that will tend to make a warmer, milder pattern across most of Canada – less cold, bitter, arctic air, and probably below-normal snow fall. However, if that developing El Niño halts and doesn’t become stronger, then we may end up with more of a winter like we had last year. Those are two pretty different scenarios and it all depends on how the Pacific Ocean behaves in the next three to six months.”

Weather predictions dictate how many of us plan for our day – whether that means grabbing an umbrella, a hat, or a bottle of sunscreen, but how much can we rely on a prediction of weather that’s many months away?

“An analogy I use is ‘it’s as accurate as a 10-day forecast’. You’d never plan an outdoor social engagement based on the tenth day’s outlook. It’s just giving you an indication of what the weather might be,” says Phillips.

Scott agrees the details can be hard to nail down.

“There are different levels of confidence we have with different parts of the forecast. Sometimes we can guarantee a snowstorm is going to happen for a specific place, but other times it’s less certain if a location is on the edge of the storm.

Sometimes we know we’re going to get a really messy storm and we know exactly when it’s going to hit but it’s difficult to predict how much of it will be ice pellets versus freezing rain versus snowfall, “ he states.

SNOW MANAGER | www.snowmanager.ca

One thing meteorologists have to help them with weather forecasting is weather modelling technology. For Environment Canada that is a super computer in Montreal. Phillips explains how it does its job, “The computer looks at water temperatures and snow and ice boundaries, and stored heat and water in the ground and runs the information, giving us a forecast out to seven or nine months ahead. We then take that information and analyze what it’s telling us.”

Clear roads.

Whether you want a tonne of ski-worthy snow this winter, or you’d rather have clear roads to drive on, one thing is clear right now: we just can’t say for sure what the weather will be like.

“That’s the ‘stay-tuned’ hook-line – lets wait and see how strong this El Niño is.

If it’s a strong one its probably a winter that’s not quite as bad, if it’s a weaker one then we may be looking at a winter that’s similar to the last two,” concludes Scott. ❆

Clear data.

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Flying High Canadian airports demonstrate excellence in snow and ice removal

O

ur national airports are sophisticated transportation hubs designed to get us safely and seamlessly to and from our destinations. But each winter they face a particular challenge - making sure that snow and ice is removed from airfields so planes can fly unencumbered.

Check out the following dedicated operations, taking place from east to west.

Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport This place sees its share of the white stuff. On average, it gets 220 centimetres of snow per year and about 57 snow events (accumulations on the airfield that need to be cleared). But last year’s winter was particularly long and hard with 80 snow events. Snow removal personnel kicked into super-high gear, for which Don Desrosiers, director of Airport Infrastructures, was extremely grateful. “We have a great team,” he says.

This team consists of 20 regular maintenance workers and 70 winter staff. The turnover of seasonal personnel is very 12

low; many work summer jobs as farmers or in construction and appreciate regular winter work. Plus, at this location, seasonal workers are guaranteed 720 hours per season and get paid extra for overtime.

Seasonal workers return in advance of the season, get trained regarding any new equipment and re-oriented to any construction changes on the airfield. When the first snowfall hits (occasionally it has been on the first day of the season which is November 15th), the crew is prepared and ready to roll.

They work with plows, sweepers, and blowers in a moving formation. Three plows, each with its own sweeper and blower, go forward down the runway and three other plows (with the same accompaniments) go backward. It takes 12 minutes for one clearance to take place; 22 minutes when you add in peripheral areas.

Transport Canada provides the guidelines and regulations for snow and ice removal maintenance at airports. A special document (TP 312) highlights optimal friction rates (more than a .25 index is need-

ed), when snow removal teams should intervene, when planes can land and when they can’t. Daily reports of ice and snow accumulation and friction rate statuses on the airfields are disseminated to the pilots.

When the season is over, maintenance begins. After a full mechanical work-up is done on all the machines and any acute repairs are completed, preventive work begins on transmissions, hoses, engines, hydraulics, and sensors.

“The more we do in the summer, the less we will need to do as winter approaches,” says Desrosiers. In September and October, the annual snow plan is reviewed with the airport departments to ensure complete coordination and collaboration is in place.

Closures or service delays are rare, but take place when safety is at risk. And coming back from a delay is just as complex as day-to-day operations – every task needs to be integrated in a timely and sequential fashion with all the players (the tower, handlers, airline personnel) on the same ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

page so that planes can re-exit and reenter smoothly.

Experienced staff make all the difference. They know each event is unique, are prepared to expect the unexpected and switch up a plan of operation, if necessary, in a matter of minutes.

“I have been here for 10 years,” says Desrosiers. “There is always a new strategy, new timing, and interventions. We continue to learn and improve every year.”

Toronto Pearson International Airport If you are a numbers person, you will love Kevin Lacey, associate director of Airfield Operations. In an average winter in Toronto, the airport sees 110 centimetres of snow, he explains, but that snow falls on 1.9 million square meters of roads and parkades and 4.2 million square meters of runways, taxiways, aprons, and service roads.

“That is a little bit of concrete to clear,” he quips.

The job of clearing falls to 163 directlyrelated personnel, but mechanics, airport operations control staff, electricians, and managers are involved in the planning and execution phases, as well.

The team works with over 100 pieces of equipment. There are plow, sweeper, and high-speed blower combos which conduct three applications at once – the plow component clears the surface snow, the sweeper component gets rid of any residual snow in the macro texture, and the blower brings up the rear, eliminating anything left behind. There are trucks laying down liquid and solid chemical product, front-mounted agricultural tractors, loaders with ramp hogs, and specialized sweepers that work tight spaces on the apron. In 2013, the airport purchased a Raiko Icebreaker, manufactured in Finland.

SNOW MANAGER | www.snowmanager.ca

“It looks like a porcupine, explains Lacey. “It is a roller with a bunch of metal spikes cut in a special way to break up the ice.”

For Lacey and his group, winter is never really over; the seasons simply shift to before-winter and after-winter operations.

During these off-seasons, equipment is fully inspected and repaired, plans are reviewed and tweaked, return staff are brought back and re-oriented. New employees are fully trained and operate only one or two pieces of equipment in their first year. “You want them to focus and to be able to operate them well, before moving on to the rest of the inventory.”

They are also well outfitted, donning insulated coveralls, thermal parkas, balaclavas, and toques. That apparel plan appears to be doing the trick; in the 15 years since Lacey has been employed at the airport there has not been one case of frostbite. Mind you, the emphasis on safety, deeply embedded in airfield operations, is also clear. “Everyone looks out for one another,” he says.

And this crew is in constant-learning mode. For example, from season to season, staff review what is being cleared and how long it takes. “Maybe we went a little too far on that runway circuit,” adds Lacey.

“Can we clear a bit less, save 40 seconds, and still have a completely safe result for customers?”

Because every moment of time saved

on the airfield is amplified when you consider that 39 million people per year fly in and out of Toronto. Although this is a daunting task compared to snow removal operations in the community, Lacey and his crew are clearly up for the challenge.

Last year, for example, there were no closures at Toronto Pearson, he explains.

“Our biggest reward is when the snow has minimal impact on the schedule and operations.”

Winnipeg Richardson International Airport There is nothing better than a sense of humour to get you through a long, cold winter of removing snow and ice at Winnipeg’s new airport. “We get dry, powdery snow which is subject to drifting,” explains Richard Griffith, airfield maintenance foreman. “And if things are compounded, with one snow event after another, the situation really snowballs.”

Despite moments of levity, getting snow cleared from this airport is serious business. When big snow events occur, Griffith and his crew – who are glued to the weather channel in the winter season – take out the big guns. There are eight snow maulers – with brooms and highspeed runway sweepers attached – and two, 1500-horsepower snow blowers. A truck deposits potassium acetate from a 1700-gallon tank to keep ice from forming on the runway; a granular chemical application also helps melt compacted snow.

Winnipeg is also a short distance from Airport Technologies Inc. (ATI), a manufacturer of some of these large machines, and airport staff have been able to work closely with the company in research and development and in testing prototypes.

When it comes to a clearing session, an experienced staff takes the first position on the equipment line; a foreman, who 13

sits at the end spot, is in constant radio contact with the lead operator. “I’m in the half-tonne after the plows go by making sure everything is acceptable and meeting standards,” adds Griffith. Any status updates about snow and ice conditions and changes are delivered to the pilots in real time.

Not only is this practice critical for regular airlines flying in and out of Winnipeg, but the campus is also home to the headquarters for the RCAF 1 Canadian Air Division (CAD) and 17 Wing Air Force Base, whose staff use the same airfield space to dispatch their aircraft for search and rescue. Emergency flying adds an additional dimension to the importance of smoothrunning machines and operations.

Transport Canada regulates airport standards, including those affecting runway conditions. They also provide guidance in the form of advisory circulars, but they “don’t get into the nitty gritty about tactics,” explains Darryl Dowd, director of operations. “That is our own homegrown expertise.”

Winnipeg airport personnel also speak frequently to the staff at other airport venues about best practices, strategies, and new technologies.

During the off season, the same due diligence is in place. Tear-down inspections and full-boar maintenance is provided on all equipment in the spring and summertime and seasonal staff are called back into work for re-orientation in the fall. All medicals are updated and statuses for specialized (airside) drivers’ licenses are reviewed. Changes in construction are discussed; in 2011, for example, a new terminal opened in Winnipeg which increased the amount of pavement by 25 per cent.

What wraps around this year-round, 14

comprehensive work plan is the focus on safety – safe equipment, safe operations and, ultimately, a safe flying experience, adds Dowd. “It pervades everything that we do.”

Vancouver International Airport It is true that Vancouver is milder than many Canadian cities, but when the snow flies the airport needs to be as prepared as any located in a snow belt, explains Brett Patterson, director of Airside Operations, Vancouver Airport Authority. And that is one of his biggest challenges, since this is not an everyday occurrence on the coast. “We’ll get a big dump of snow coming in fast and furious and then nothing for weeks,” he explains.

In order to make sure staff are fully prepared for whatever Mother Nature brings, Patterson and his team focus on four key areas – training, top-of-the-line equipment, monitoring, and communication.

Training and retraining is a fundamental part of the basic supervision structure; this way, staff remain current, knowledgeable and comfortable with roles and equipment even if the snow is on temporary hiatus.

Vancouver’s $60-million equipment fleet is modern and powerful (most of the large equipment pieces are manufactured

by Oshkosh out of Wisconsin; this company also provides for the military and firefighting communities). When a machine comes to the end of its service life, it is switched out for a new version with more capacity; case in point, two large chemical spreaders were put out to pasture this year and replaced with higher-end ones.

With the right training and equipment, staff can be super-efficient. “We clear our runways full length and full width within

20 minutes or less,” says Patterson. On the aprons, teams also use three high-tech snow melting machines (known as “hot tubs”) which have the capacity to melt up to 20 truckloads of snow every hour.

In-house employees are responsible for clearing runways and taxiways. One person, placed at the back end of the equipment line, monitors the initiative and reports minute-by-minute condition changes to air traffic controllers who feed that data to airlines and pilots. Contractors manage the apron areas (loading and off-loading sections) and are monitored by a safety officer.

A critical dispatch function flows from what is commonly called the “Snow Desk”.

Here, a snow and ice director works with dedicated staff to make sure taxiways and aprons are being cleared properly. A communications co-ordinator updates the community about snow and ice clearing activities (chemicals going down, active clearances taking place).

Vancouver airfield crews also meet with stakeholders – groups like airlines, ground handlers, air traffic control - every fall to discuss the annual snow plan and to review operational and communications capabilities. Typically changes to the snow plan would involve how to integrate new gates or taxiways. Since there has been no such construction in Vancouver this year, the plan will remain similar to last year’s.

Instituting such a well-rounded plan is all in a day’s work, says Patterson. And despite seeing only five to seven snow events per year, his team is second to none when it comes to clearing that pavement for safe flying. “We meet the same performance standard as any other airport in the world.” ❆ ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

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Save Your Salt Calhoun Super Structures provide a better way to store sand and salt

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hen it comes to Canadian winters, sand and salt plays a vital part in keeping the roads and highways safe and drivers on the road.

With millions of tonnes of sand and salt used in Canada each year, it’s no wonder we see countless sand and salt domes in our towns, cities, and on the side of our highways.

Municipalities are often faced with exceptionally high investments and maintenance costs to operate the traditional sand and salt dome. These domes have no natural light and are accompanied with substantial costs to replace shingles. An excellent alternative to the sand and salt dome is a fabric building.

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Calhoun Super Structure has been a leader in the fabric building industry since its inception. With over 20 years of experience, Calhoun’s detailed engineering process will assure customers that their structures are reliable and safe. Calhoun’s hot dip galvanized (HDG) structures have a free-span interior and can reach up to 200 feet in width, leaving plenty of room for machinery and workers to move effortlessly. The fabric allows natural light to shine through, omitting the need for interior lights to be used on a sunny day, resulting in lower operational costs. In addition, worker safety is improved because of fewer shadows casted with fabric roofing.

One of the challenges when storing salt is the corrosive damage it causes to a building. Calhoun understood this problem and found a solution. Their Super Shield rubberized coating spray is applied to all trusses including the concrete and block wall foundation. This will create a moisture barrier protection layer, seal cracks, and ensure that your structure stays standing. It lengthens the life expectancy of the trusses and base plates by guarding against deterioration and corrosion. Super Shield has over a 1,000 psi tensile strength, and is applied after the HDG process. In addition, its elasticity will move with the expansion and contraction of concrete as the weather changes.

ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

Calhoun’s Super Shield rubberized coating spray is resistant to most waterborne chemicals including most concentrated acids and bases, such a fertilizer chemicals. The rubber is UV and weatherresistant, non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, and asphalt-free, so your structure will be economically and environmentally sustainable.

All of Calhoun’s structures are engineered and stamped, so their structures are superior in safety and quality in comparison to numerous other companies in the fabric building industry. Calhoun is one of the only fabric building manufacturers to use a 3D finite element nonlinear analysis during the engineering of each of their buildings. That is, they determine the exact points of pressure or stress that falls on every inch of your building. Knowing this information, Calhoun is able to customize its design and engineering for each building to ensure that the structure is safe and strong.

These are the type of details that municipalities should focus on when choosing a salt and sand storage solution. Not only will a fabric building save you hundreds of thousands of dollars in comparison to a traditional building, it will be a safer, brighter environment for your employees. With its unsurpassed engineering and experience, a Calhoun structure is an obvious choice for your next sand and salt storage building. With their head office in Tara, Ontario, and knowledgeable dealers located across North America, Calhoun’s strength is certainly in their structure. Visit their website at www.calhounsuperstructure.com for more information. ❆ SNOW MANAGER | www.snowmanager.ca

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1-800-688-6221 17

Empirical Proof Idaho Transportation Department implements key systems to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of its snow and ice control operations

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he Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) mission is clear-cut: “Your Safety. Your Mobility. Your Economic Opportunity”. Its charge is to keep Idaho’s highway system safe each snow season and ensure the movement of interstate commerce, out-of-state visitors and Idaho’s 1.6 million population. Challenges faced by ITD include conducting winter maintenance operations on over 12,000 lane miles of largely remote highways in a sparsely populated state with diverse terrain. Recently, ITD also challenged itself to set up systems to empirically verify the effectiveness of its snow and ice control operations.

To tackle the challenge of collecting accurate data on materials applied to road surfaces, ITD is installing a new spreader control system on its fleet of 450 snow plow trucks. The electronic spreader control system provides two critical functions: regulating the rate of salt and other deicing materials applied to road surfaces based on a snow plow truck’s speed, location, and road surface temperature, and providing accurate data on the amount and type of materials applied to road surfaces, enhanced with GPS location data and nearly real-time reporting.

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ITD has installed the new spreader control system on 224 of its snow plow trucks.

The cost for each unit is roughly $3,500 to $4,500. ITD anticipates having its entire fleet equipped within the next two years.

To obtain empirical proof of the effectiveness of its snow and ice control operations, ITD is depending on its spreader control systems along with weather and road surface information provided by its road weather information system (RWIS) monitoring sites. Funding for the new spreader control systems and RWIS sites has been provided by pilot and statewide program funding sources.

Technologies enable calibrated performance measurement “Calibrated performance measurement is an integral part of our winter operations,” says Dennis Jensen, mobility services−winter maintenance coordinator for ITD. “This measurement is made possible by the RWIS monitoring sites supplied by Vaisala and the spreader control systems from Cirus Controls.”

Each of the 106 RWIS sites located throughout the state use sensors to measure air temperature, wind speed and direction, and precipitation. The sites also use pavement sensors and optical cameras and lasers to measure the thickness of individual layers of ice, snow, or water on road surfaces. The cost of each site along with installation is $60,000.

“The RWIS technology has allowed us to compare events across the state and pin-point storm event similarities,” adds Jensen. “And the integration of spreader ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

controllers and GPS-based spreading data along with RWIS data gives ITD a window into our operations that didn’t exist before.”

In addition, ITD can now see exactly what treatment its snow plow trucks executed at RWIS locations and match that specific material application data and timing to the RWIS road surface data, before and after treatment, to evaluate the effectiveness of its winter road maintenance operations.

“Bottom line we can see how well we’re doing at preventing and removing ice from roadways,” says Jensen.

Fleet-wide expansion with fast payback “Our pilot programs demonstrated we could save $600,000 a year by using the new Cirus spreader control system, if implemented statewide,” says Jensen.

“Based on our projected ROI – that the new system would pay for itself in two to three years – we received a special appropriation to equip all ITD snow plows with the spreader control system.”

Mobility up, accidents down ITD defines its mobility index as the percentage of time a traveller’s mobility is not significantly impeded during winter storms. ITD’s goal is 55 per cent.

Of ITD’s six operating districts, District Two (D2), was the first to fully implement snow plow trucks equipped with the new spreader control system. Reviewing its snow and ice control treatment effectiveness along with timing, D2 realized it needed to modify its practices to meet ITD’s mobility index goal. D2 critiqued its operations by evaluating data from both the new spreader control system and from the RWIS monitoring sites and then compared effort against accomplishment.

In the 2014-2015 winter season, D2 made significant changes in product selection, timing, and material application rates based primarily on the data supplied by two systems.

“Without the Cirus and Vaisala RWIS databases and matching those together for critiques, I am confident to say that D2 would not have achieved a 70 per cent mobility index,” says Jensen. “The technology SNOW MANAGER | www.snowmanager.ca

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has made a huge difference in our operational planning and accomplishments.”

The combination of RWIS sites and snow plow truck spreader control systems result in measurable data, and more importantly, safer roads and fewer accidents.

“With data from the RWIS monitoring sites, we can analyze how we did to prevent or remove ice from the roads. Based on our first small samples of data, we’ve seen our mobility index going up and the number of road accidents going down. The evidence is from a small sample size right now, but the trend is definitely in the right direction,” said Steve Spoor, ITD maintenance services manager.

During the coming snow seasons, ITD will continue to analyze the data supplied by its snow plow truck spreader control and RWIS systems to evaluate and improve its snow and ice control operations and fulfill its mission of keeping winter travellers safe, mobile, and economically available.

About Cirus Controls Cirus Controls designs, engineers, and manufactures central hydraulic systems, electronic spreader controls, advanced plow controls, and innovative telematicsbased data management systems for snowplow trucks. The company’s awardwinning winter road maintenance system provides fleet managers with additional tools for making snow and ice control services more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. For more information, contact Cirus Controls at 763.493.9380 or info@ciruscontrols.com. Learn more at www.ciruscontrols.com. ❆ ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER



Wide range of models and sizes

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Customizable to mount to any machine

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Product Showcase

The Perfect Pavement Mobile sensor MARWIS improves road safety

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ince its introduction in October 2014, the Mobile Advanced Road Weather Information Sensor, or MARWIS, has revolutionized winter road maintenance data collection. Two months after the product launch, more than 200 MARWIS are already in use around the world.

What makes the MARWIS so innovative and useful? The MARWIS improves road safety with the help of real-time road weather data collection, especially during the winter season when the days get colder and the roads tend to be below 4°C. The sensor measures road weather conditions, such as road surface temperature, relative humidity above the road surface,

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dew point temperature, water-film height, ice percentage, friction, and various road surface conditions (dry, damp, wet, critically wet, ice, snow and chemically wet).

The MARWIS collects data at a rate of 100 times per second. Within this time frame different road conditions can occur, which need to be analyzed during every measuring cycle.

For example, a speed of 80km/h results in a measurement at every 20 centimetres. If there are, for example, different water-film heights within one measurement, it is necessary to determine the output values of these numerous measuring points. In order to solve this task, three values are available (minimum, maximum,

or average) over the entire distance within one measuring period. The default setting upon delivery is set to “average value”, however, it is user selectable.

ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

Forget the black You holes in your weather waste forecast. too much.

MARWIS makes weather networks mobile.

MARWIS.

www.lufft.com/wondermadeingermany MARWIS@traftech.2000.com www.lufft-MARWIS.com 1.800.363.6224 ext 2

www.lufft.com

MARWIS converts your vehicle eets into rapid response weather stations.

Product Showcase

Friction and Stopping Distances Out of the measurement of weather-related parameters on the road or airfield (such as ice percentage, water film height, and surface temperature), the MARWIS calculates which average friction arises.

The term friction can be translated into traction or friction coefficient between tire and road surface. The friction coefficient is defined as, “the ratio between the brake force and the normal force affecting the tire surface area in physical terms (through the weight of the vehicle loading the tire)”.

This definition is equivalent to another definition which may be better applicable in practice: “The ‘friction’ is the ratio of the average braking deceleration (at full braking) to the acceleration due to gravity (gravitational acceleration measures very roughly 10 m/s2)”. The braking deceleration is a negative acceleration (therefore a change of velocity per time unit) and also expressed in “m/s2”. The relation is a dimensionless number.

The MARWIS can be mounted horizontally on a roof top, either in the front, rear, or the side of the vehicle. The minimum installation height for the one metre sensor version is 75 centimetres and 150 centimetres for the two metre version respectively. A vertical installation with the same restrictions is also possible.

The sensor data by itself is of great value; however, without processing/visualizing the same, it’s rather useless. For this purpose, LUFFT created an iOS app for Apple devices with an Android app

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If you know these connections, the change of the friction value can help to estimate the impact on traffic, because it allows specifying the extension of the stopping distance for a given initial speed. Friction is thus a measure of how slippery the road is.

Figures based on experience showed, that an average road surface, which has been exposed to the traffic for a longer time, has a friction value of at least 0.82 in dry conditions. In wet weather the value can be reduced down to 0.55. A snowpacked road can have values between 0.5 and 0.2. Black ice values between 0.3 and 0.1 can occur, according to the type of black ice.

A friction reduction from 0.8 to 0.4 or from 0.6 to 0.3 means a doubling of the braking distance. From 0.8 to 0.2 a four time longer braking distance must be reckoned.

The winter services should try to avoid weather-related friction values dropping below 0.6 – if possible.

being released shortly. The app shows all measured data and at the same time transfers all information to a server. Various configuration settings, as well as the sensors’ calibration can be handled directly through the application.

The back-end process can be accomplished through a LUFFT software solution called SmartView/Glance, which allows the visualization of different mobile sensors on one map, showing the collected data of each sensor in operation. The entire information system behind MARWIS updates itself automatically and is thus highly user friendly. Moreover, it is quite robust against interferences such as power loss etc. The data transferred from the MARWIS to the collection device (Apple/Android device) is being carried out via Bluetooth and onwards through a cellular connection to a data server.

A specific production process leads to a sensor with an approved protection class of IP68 (NEMA 6P), as well as having passed vibration and shock tests under the European EMC (Electromagnetic compatibility) standards.

Additional information and latest news about the LUFFT mobile road sensor MARWIS is available on the following website: www.lufft-marwis.com/en_US/features ❆ ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

For the last 20 years HLA Snow has been committed to providing our customers with innovative equipment. With a comprehensive line up of snow and ice management tools HLA Snow has the right blade, bucket, or spreader for your team.

HLA Snow products are engineered and field tested by our dedicated staff. They bear the cold and scrape their knuckles in real world environments to ensure that when you receive your HLA product, it performs as promised.

On those cold dark nights when the snow won’t stop falling, you can stay in the cab and rest easy because it’s an HLA.

4000 Series SnowPusher

2000 Series Blade

3200W Series SnowWing 4000 Series Razor Sectional Blade

In addition HLA Snow produces a full line of tractor under carriage mounts to distribute the high stresses and forces associated with plowing evenly across the frame. Equipped with parallel linkage, the undercarriage ensures that your blade remains parallel to the ground whether you’re clearing or piling snow.

Available for most makes, the HLA Snow undercarriage mount includes all hardware and hose kits allowing for easy installation.

Scatter Shot Orbital Spreader

www.hlasnow.com | 1.866.567.4162

Product Showcase

Plow Through REIST “Power Bonus” turns compact tractors into industrial-strength snow throwers

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eff Mitchell, owner of Mitchell Property Maintenance in Millbank, Ontario, is beyond pleased with a customized REIST 2000 series snow thrower he has mounted on a fleet of ultra-compact Steiner tractors.

“We got them last year and survived the winter. The year before, we didn’t and it was a nightmare. This year, it’s down to a fine science,” he states.

Two years ago, Mitchell won the snow removal contract for the sidewalks of the Town of Elmira. Located near KitchenerWaterloo, Elmira is in the heart of southern Ontario’s snowbelt. Mitchell was tasked with winter maintenance for 62 kilometres (about 35 miles) of sidewalks for the town of 10,000 people.

He recalls the winter of 2012/13 painfully, “We owned two blowers for every tractor and it was non-stop welding on a daily basis to try to honour the contract. This year, we go out for a nice eight-hour shift and we’re done. But the years before, it was more like 25 hours, and we still weren’t done.”

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Downsizing for tight walks The customized single-stage thrower that’s making life so much better for Jeff Mitchell is the latest development from REIST Industries. It’s no coincidence that REIST is also based in Elmira. Mitchell has been working with REIST equipment for many years. He and Brian Reist, the manufacturer’s third-generation owner, have also worked together for many years.

The challenge of Elmira’s sidewalks contract was not the volume of work required, but the nature of the sidewalks in this historic rural community.

“About 50 per cent of the sidewalks are 42 inches in the old part of town,” Mitchell explains. “In the newer parts you can do a 48-inch machine but you don’t want to have two separate machines for one contract.”

Mitchell needed a unique solution for the job – a tractor small enough to fit the sidewalks, plus a snow thrower that would work efficiently and reliably on such a small machine. Mitchell put together the right package with a REIST 2000 series snow thrower

sized down to 42 inches on a Steiner 440 tractor.

“There are only a couple of machines that will fit,” continues Mitchell. “Everything is 48 inches and bigger. They just don’t fit between guy-wires and poles, around the wheelchair ramps and mailboxes.”

“They don’t break” He asked REIST for help, knowing the company’s history in snow blower engineering.

“It’s common knowledge in the industry: if you want to put on a snow blower that works, it’s a REIST,” claims Mitchell. “REIST had a front-mounted snow blower on tractors before tractors had a front PTO. They have mastered the big blowers – they don’t break. There’s other kinds of blowers out there, and I’ve had them all.”

With its new line of snow throwers, REIST introduced an innovative single-stage system that can generate the power to throw snow efficiently. According to Brian Reist, “Whether you prefer PTO power ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

Product Showcase or hy-draulic, our latest single-stage throwers require 20 per cent less horsepower than conventional two stage snow blowers. That 20 per cent power bonus makes it possible for us to offer hydraulic drive kits for compact loaders and skid steers as small as 15 HP.” Right-sizing the equipment was just part of the job. But could such a small unit stand up to the work?

“When we go out to work, we’re not nice to our equipment,” admits Mitchell.

“I’ve tried to clog; tried to kill them – I’ve piled up windrows deliberately four feet high and I just drove right through them.

Clogging is not a problem anymore.”

Mitchell especially appreciates having his nights off without welding his snow machines back together. Sidewalks, he feels, are the most demanding snow removal application, “It’s just continuous banging – every crack in the sidewalk is like a shock. The machine never stops getting beaten up, and every hundred feet, you’re driving over a curb. It’s a huge load on the tractors and, if I didn’t’ have those blowers, I couldn’t do it.”

ny’s state-of-the-art engineering and manufacturing facilities are located in Elmira, Ontario, where its technical design and engineering departments work towards creating new, innovative products in an ongoing pursuit to better serve the needs of its customers. A dedicated staff has made REIST Industries the number one choice for landscaping and snow management equipment. ❆

Cutting a smoother path To reduce the impact on both the snow thrower and the tractor, REIST equipped Mitchell’s small throwers with a cutting edge designed to provide a snow plowquality scrape. These single-stage units come with a carbon-fibre cutting edge that’s set on an angle, plus carbon fibre feet to help it glide over the cracks in the sidewalk.

Mitchell’s sidewalk fleet is filled out with a Bobcat 110, also fitted with a REIST single-stage snow thrower, “It’s the smallest skid steer they made with a cab, but it’s still too big for 50 per cent of the Elmira sidewalks. We only use it in the newer areas. That 62 kilometres is more like double the distance you actually have to drive. But now, we do the entire town with a couple of machines in just a normal shift.”

About REIST Industries Founded in 1947, REIST Industries is a leader in manufacturing landscaping and snow removal equipment. The compaSNOW MANAGER | www.snowmanager.ca

23.3% professional grade salt brine everytime!

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www.HendersonProducts.com 27

Product Showcase

Taking Control

Bonnell Industries Inc. introduces Commander Series Dump Bodies Mary Mahan-Deatherage, Marketing Director

C ”

ommander” evokes visions of a leader, authority, and control. A commander gives you the support you need with the reliability of a trusted friend. Additionally, integrity is a word that is often associated with Bonnell Industries, Inc. Integrity in the time spent on their manufacturing process, integrity in the way the sales staff interacts with customers, and integrity in the long-standing relationships held with vendors and business partners.

Combine commander and integrity and these two concepts result in the new Commander Series of dump bodies exclusive to Bonnell Industries. This innovative design features a unique prism shape that tapers both toward the middle of the

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body and toward the back of the unit. The distinctive body design efficiently directs material to the centre of the dump body for quick dispersal without the need to raise it.

Joe Bonnell, president of Bonnell Industries explains, “The Bonnell Commander Series bodies have been engineered as a money-saving, game-changing municipal body. These units will allow your organization to run it as a salt truck in the winter months, and then convert easily to gravel, sand, dirt, etc. in the warmer months. The unique tailgate and spinner assembly were designed to give the truck operator maximum ease of use.”

A multi-purpose dump body is able to complete a variety of tasks such as gen-

eral hauling and dumping, spreading, and berming. Commander Series features include: • Unique prism-shaped body design efficiently unloads a variety of materials without lodging • Body available in carbon steel, stainless steel or other materials upon request • 30.5-inch wide conveyor width utilizing 667xh stainless pintle chain and beltover chain • Rear discharge centre conveyor powered by motor/planetary gearbox combination • Dual auger system available – conveyor system • Body sidewall shape provides ideal location for optional pre-wet tank system ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

Product Showcase •F ully-welded body compliant to AWS welding standards • Zero to eight-inch infinite rear slide gate opening • Twin pneumatic cylinders lock tailgate into position with over-centre latches • Reinforced longsill and cross member design provides superior body strength • Removable .25 inch conveyor floor • Grease manifolds ensure all critical lubrication points are serviced • Double-acting trunnion hoist cylinder with nitrided shaft • 1.5-inch diameter tailgate pins on double-acting, six panel tailgate • Manually adjusted conveyor chain takeup bearings • Stainless steel subfloor protects truck chassis from contamination “Municipalities benefit by running this multipurpose truck throughout the year, which translates to savings all year long.

The integrity is in our Bonnell name. Put your trust in Bonnell’s guaranteed quality and craftsmanship,” states Bonnell.

Today, Bonnell Industries is one of the leading truck equipment distributors in northern Illinois. Through a nationwide distributor network, they are also a major supplier of snowplows, spreaders, leaf vacuums, and road maintenance equipment for municipalities throughout the country.

Currently, Bonnell Industries is affiliated with numerous organizations within the industry such as the National Truck Equipment Association and the American Public Works Association.

Bonnell regularly attends product shows and seminars with these organizations to maintain their involvement in the industry. Bonnell also shares working relationships with multiple manufacturers within the industry holding valuable partnerships with the likes of the Knapheide, Western, and Duraclass companies.

Located in northern Illinois just 90 miles west of Chicago, Bonnell’s current facilities includes 46,000 square feet of floor space and is one of the most modern within the industry.

“We take great pride in the quality of products and services we offer to our SNOW MANAGER | www.snowmanager.ca

customers. The dedication and loyalty of our employees is a major factor in our past success and will ultimately pave the way for continued growth and expansion in the future,” states Bonnell.

For more information on the Commander Series or to join the Bonnell team as a distributor, visit our website at www.bonnell.com or contact 815-284-3819. ❆

Bonnell Commander Series

Rugged - Reliable - RIGHT!

Bonnell Commander Series bodies are an all-new design that features a unique polygonal shape that tapers both toward the middle of the body and toward the back of the unit. This design efficiently directs material to the center of the dump body for quick dispersal.

The Commander is designed to be used during the winter as a salt spreader and during warmer months as a dump body.

The Commander Series is a cost-efficient, multipurpose truck solution for municipalities.

Put your trust in Bonnell’s guaranteed quality and craftsmanship!

Scan to see Commander in action!

Call today to have a conversation about your organization’s work truck needs.

800-851-9664 www.bonnell.com 29

Product Showcase

Push Over Arctic Snow and Ice Products launches a unique line of snow pushers

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ectional Sno-Pusher, a division of Arctic Snow and Ice Products Bradley IL, offers three lines of unique snow pushers, the HD, LD, and CD models.

They are compatible with wheel loaders, back-hoes, skid steers, compact loaders, and tractors.

Incorporating several unique features,

“We make Safety our Business” Specializing in the supply and delivery of medium and coarse road salt that meets all government specifications in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario & the Northern U.S.A. Our supply chain features a cost effective combination of truck and rail transportation ensuring efficient & reliable delivery of our product to your door.

Learn more at kleysen.com, or call 888-452-9929.

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the Sectional Sno-Pusher increases snow removal efficiency and reduces fuel costs. The patented steel moldboard design is made of 32, 30, and 24-inch-wide individual sections depending on the model, each featuring spring-loaded trip edges. The exclusive moldboard design combines the precision of a small plow with the capacity of a large pusher.

The separate sections move independently of one another, allowing the unit to contour to the surface and scrape snow and ice out of dips and recessions, all while moving over raised objects. This enhances plowing efficiency and protects operators from impact injuries and minimizes property damage.

Each moldboard section features an AR400 hardened-steel trip-cutting edge designed to scrape snow and ice down to the pavement. In addition to removing compacted ice and snow, the cutting edge’s sectional design is also more economical. On a typical one-piece moldboard plow or pusher, the entire cutting edge must be replaced when damaged. In the event that a Sectional SnoPusher’s cutting edge is damaged, only the individual section needs to be replaced.

The pusher operates independently of the machine and automatically adjusts to the pavement grade, resulting in fewer missed areas and less follow-up plowing. Additionally, the patented Slip Hitch ensures all four tires remain on the pavement at all times.

As a result, the machine is able to achieve full traction, and eliminate drag and loss of horsepower.

Our customers have reported salt savings as high as 50 per cent and fuel savings exceeding 30 per cent easily out performing any other pusher on the market today and designed for equipment weighing 5,000 to 60,000 the Sectional Sno-Pushers are available to accommodate all your snow removal needs.

For more information go to www.sectionalsnopusher.com ❆ ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

Product Showcase

Viking Cives Ltd.

Towplow saving time and money T

he towplow concept had been discussed for a few years prior but became a working project from a Viking Cives Group sales/engineering meeting in 2003. From this it rapidly took shape at Viking Research & Development with a prototype built and tested during 2004 and 2005. The first production model came off line in 2006, and sold to the Missouri DOT. The first towplow sold in Canada was to Ontario’s 407ETR in 2006. Production has increased steadily to where production unit # 368 was completed in the spring of 2015 for Vehicles and Equipment Management Agency (VEMA) in Manitoba.

Ontario is the biggest users of the towplow in Canada with over 100 units working across the province, while the Missouri DOT is the biggest user in the U.S. with 76 units in their fleet. There are only three Canadian provinces that do not use the towplow and fewer than six states without a towplow. The quick acceptance of the towplow into North American fleets speaks to its ease of use and effectiveness at doing its intended job.

A single towplow effectively replaces the use of one plow truck in winter maintenance fleets. Using a standard pintle hook to connect chassis and towplow, the 26-foot towplow moldboard, which is mounted on a 34-foot trailer frame, steers out to create a maximum clear path of 14 feet when fully deployed. The hydraulic tan-

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dem steer axles are controlled by the chassis operator from the cab with air or electric controls. The operator uses the cab mirrors to monitor the towplow clear path although there is available laser guides and remote mounted cameras used to help the operator to safely operate the towplow. The clear path can be changed from three feet to 14 feet while moving depending on the situation and what type of road is being plowed. Typically used in conjunction with a front mounted plow, this combination can create an overall clear path of close to 25 feet. The cost savings make this a very appealing option for snow removal contractors, as well as reducing time spent covering roads which increase service levels to the driving public.

At its most effective the towplow is used on multilane highways and in echelon plowing situations. It can be and is used very heavily on single-lane highways that have multiple passing lanes or turning lanes. The towplow when deployed for these lanes eliminates the need for repeat passes, saving time and money while increasing service.

Options available on the towplow include an eight-yard, threehopper sander which is controlled from the cab by the operator using a split screen spreader controller allowing both chassis and towplow hoppers to be controlled independently. A safety arm, ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

Product Showcase

that auto deploys to the left, prevents drivers from potentially pulling up behind the tow chassis and beside the towplow while it is deployed. The 26-foot moldboard is comprised of a 14-foot and 12-foot poly-moldboard pinned together for the ability to form to the crown of the road and improve plowing flexibility. A DLA option is available on the towplow that allows the ballast tank liquid to be used while in straight trailer mode. This feature also can be used for bridge washing in summer operations.

Manufactured in both Mount Forest, Ontario, and Morley, Mis-

souri the towplow has found a market with snow movers that look for innovative and effective ways to clear snow.

Viking Cives Ltd. is the Canadian manufacturing, distribution, and installation centre of Viking Snow and Ice control equipment.

Our main manufacturing/installation plant is located in Mount Forest, Ontario with a dealer network across Canada including Applied Pressure in St John; Gin-Cor Industries in Mattawa, Ontario; Cubex Municipal in Winnipeg; and Prairie Hydraulic Equipment in Calgary. ❆

• C A N A D A’ S I N N O VAT I V E L E A D E R I N S N O W A N D I C E C O N T R O L E Q U I P M E N T • M A N U FA C T U R I N G I N C A N A D A F O R C A N A D I A N W I N T E R S F O R 3 0 Y E A R S

01:2 ISO 90

From rugged one way plows to innovative hydraulically extendable speciality plows Viking systems to combination sander/dumps. Viking builds all lengths and sizes to suit your chassis.

008

With an extensive network of dealers and distribution centres across Canada, Viking can deliver f o r all your snow and ice equipment requirements.

The Viking TP26 towplow is transforming the

contract snow plow business as well as becoming an essential

Contact any one of our branches or dealers for more information on any of our products, specifications or for a quotation.

VIKING-CIVES LTD. Mount Forest, Ontario

GIN-COR IND. Mattawa Ont.

PRAIRIE HYDRAULICS Calgary, Alberta

CUBEX MUNICIPAL Winnipeg, Manitoba

Bill Reeves PH# 519-323-4433

Rob Kent PH# 1 705 744 5543

Earl Farmer PH# 403-279-2070

Rob Emes PH# 204-336-0008

SNOW MANAGER | www.snowmanager.ca

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Product Showcase

Ounce of Prevention Anti-icing mitigates risk for big retailers

By Taryn Brady Photo credit: Twitchy Fingers Photography, Red Deer, AB

Photo credit: Twitchy Fingers Photography, Red Deer, AB

I

t’s the middle of winter and a blizzard has hit the night before. Snow is covering the ground and the temperature outside is -10C. You’ve parked your car outside a big retail store to do some shopping and are pushing a shopping cart from the kiosk towards the entrance. At this point do you stop to notice if the parking lot surface is easy to walk on? Is it clear of snow and ice? Or do you need a team of huskies to get the cart over the snow drifts? Many customers may not really appreciate how much retailers and property managers do to maintain a hazard free parking area and entrance to their buildings, especially in the Canadian climate.

Just ask Gerald Grona, country service manager for Green Drop in Edmonton, Alberta. For over six years he has been in charge of keeping the parking areas free of snow and ice for Costco, one of the largest retailers in North America.

“It’s all about being proactive,” says Grona. “Our process is to spray the road surface before a snow event with RoadGuard Plus 8™, a liquid calcium chloride product from Tiger Calcium.”

Why spray before the snow falls? If an

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area is left untreated snow and ice will quickly bond to the road surface making it difficult to remove. Spraying with calcium chloride (called anti-icing) creates a chemical layer that prevents surface bonding and allows for much easier removal of snow and ice.

“Anti-icing is quite a science,” explains Steven Plamondon, accounts manager, Tiger Calcium Services. “Calcium chloride is effective because it is hygroscopic in nature, meaning it draws moisture to it. So as snow falls calcium chloride may need to be re-applied to keep the concentration high, prevent refreezing, and ensure a clear surface.”

Plamondon works closely with property managers and retailers who use calcium chloride and have questions like: “the parking lot is frozen. How do I get to bare surface when it’s snowing,” or “the surface keeps on refreezing. What can I do now?”

Today it is even more critical that commercial properties be kept free of snow and ice. The main reason, of course, is safety of customers and public. However, the even larger reason is liability. Slip-andfall accidents are some of the most common reasons people file lawsuits against property or business owners. These accidents can represent a significant cost, both to retailers and to their insurance companies. In fact, slip-and-fall accidents are a primary source of risk, resulting in millions of dollars of liability losses, increases in insurance premiums, lost productivity, increased administrative activity, and potential negative publicity within the community. All of these costs are largely preventable.

Rui Rodriques, national loss prevention manager for Best Buy Canada and a member of the Retail Council of Canada’s (RCC) Safety Group program, advises all retailers to treat health and safety as another metric to measure their business’ success.

The RCC Retailer’s Guide, Health and Safety Checklist recommends retailers keep their entrance clear of ice, snow, and other slip and trip hazards. Parking lots, walkways, stairs, and other high-traffic areas should be monitored frequently for any of the identified hazards and control measures should be put in place to remove/eliminate these hazards.

Many retailers have risk management programs. But how many retailers have a “preventative” snow and ice removal program in place; one that is proactive and helps mitigate foreseeable risks? As the saying goes: “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, and Grona of Green Drop can attest to that.

“By us putting down RoadGuard Plus 8™ the owners of the property are covered, they are doing their due diligence, making it safe for vehicles to stop, as well as pedestrian traffic walking in and through the parking lots,” he comments. “Property owners also notice less damage to their buildings from the tracking of dust and grit that often goes with using sand and salt.”

RoadGuard Plus 8™ is Tiger Calcium’s premium anti-icing product. It contains eight per cent corrosion inhibitor which makes it 85 per cent less corrosive than rock salt. Discover the benefits of incorporating RoadGuard Plus 8™ into your winter maintenance program by calling Tiger Calcium at 1-800-661-4298 or visit www.tigercalcium.com.

Based in Nisku, Alberta, Tiger Calcium is an industry leader supplying North America with calcium chloride products for over 45 years. From manufacturing, research, and development to product application of premium calcium chloride, Tiger Calcium specializes in road de-icing, anti-icing and ice melting. ❆ ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

Product Showcase

Let it Drop Ventrac introduces new sidewalk drop spreader

C

ontinuing their commitment to provide industry leading solutions for snow contractors, Ventrac is pleased to unveil the new Sidewalk Drop Spreader.

This patent pending Drop Spreader is designed for the commercial snow contractor who needs the ultimate tool for spreading a variety of deicing materials with precise flow control. With a narrow frame and a 40inch drop pattern, this spreader is ideal for spreading material on sidewalks and other narrow walkways. The stainless steel construction prevents premature failure due to rust and corrosion.

NEW INTRODUCING THE

SIDEWALK

DROP SPREADER

Fits Sidewalks

Precise Application

Low Vibration

Stainless Steel

Made In USA

Spreader Features Increases Salt Savings Precision Drop-Rate Control Consistent Drop Pattern

Minimal Maintenance Quick Return on Investment Easy Flow Adjustments

Request More Info or Schedule a Demo

36

1-877-933-SNOW (7669)

Innovative Agitation System 12V Electric Drive/Transmission Capacity 2.5 ft3/200 lbs www.ventrac.com/spreader ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

Product Showcase

Standard Features and Benefits include: • • • • • •

ompression Roller System C Precision Drop-Rate Control Wireless Controller Innovative Agitation System Stainless Steel Construction Accurately Spreads Coarse and Free-flowing Material

• • • • • •

niversal Mounting Options U Minimal Maintenance Built for Sidewalks Consistent Material Flow Increased Salt Savings Low Vibration

• Optional High-Capacity Extensions • Quick Return on Investment • Material Safety Grate • 12V Electric Drive/ Transmission

Unique to this products’ design is the ability to be universally mounted to other power unit platforms.

The innovative compression roller system allows operators to accurately spread both coarse and free flowing materials. An easy gate adjustment allows for fine tuning flow rates based on the type of material being spread and the desired quantity being applied. The wireless remote control regulates five motor speeds for quick flow adjustments from the operator seat. A state-of-the-art agitation system prevents material bridging and eliminates the need for a traditional, noisy vibration motor.

SALT & SAND STORAGE

LONG SERVICE LIFE. COVERED. Calhoun expertly engineers and manufactures corrosion resistant, fabric-covered structures to provide protection for your road salt and sand stock.

Our naturally bright, hot dip galvanized structures have an exceptional return on investment and are built to last.

Product Compatibility Unique to this products’ design is the ability to be universally mounted to other power unit platforms. With mounting options for a two-inch receiver hitch or a category one three-point hitch, the Ventrac Sidewalk Drop Spreader can be easily attached to other sub-compact tractors, ATVs or UTVs, making this a very versatile unit.

The Sidewalk Drop Spreader can be mounted on all Ventrac tractor models.

While applying deicing material, a Ventrac Snow Blower or V-Blade can be mounted on the front of the tractor for more efficient snow and ice management. ❆ SNOW MANAGER | www.snowmanager.ca

Our hot dip galvanized structures and optional Super Shield rubberized coating protect against corrosion associated with salt and sand storage.

With no reshingling required, and low operational and maintenance costs in comparison to the traditional dark salt & salt dome, a Calhoun structure will assure you that your investment is protected.

Our free-span interiors reach up to 200 ft. wide and have an overhead clearance space that easily accomodates your large machinery.

Our Strength is in our Structure. calhounsuperstructure.com 1-800-265-3994

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Unmatched Minerals NSC Minerals Ltd. brings their distinctive product to customers across Canada

U

”

nlimited salt supply, a solid logistics network, supply of quality product with strong cus-tomer support” sums up NSC Minerals.

NSC mineral crystals are brought to the surface in their natural rock form untouched al-lowing all of the natural trace minerals to remain intact. These trace minerals - which in-clude calcium, magnesium, and potassium - increase the melting power to a lower tem-perature.

This unique combination of high-soluble chloride and enhancing

trace minerals encapsu-lated within each crystal gives the crystal its pinkish colour, making NSC’s products truly distinctive.

NSC Minerals operates two production facilities in Saskatchewan, along with a transload facility in Alberta, handling various products at this location in addition to 40,000 metric tonnes of covered storage. With several strategically located distribution facilities, combined with a large private railcar fleet and solid trucking network, NSC is poised to provide all customers bulk and packaged salt requirements. ❆

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Arctic Snow & Ice Control Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Ariens Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Bonnell Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Calhoun Super Structure Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Cirus Controls Co Creative Communications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Del Equipment Ltd.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC Drive Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 FallLine Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Fort Garry Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Henderson Products, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Henke Manufacturing Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Horst Welding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 38

John Deere. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC Kleysen Group LP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Machinability Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 MacLean Engineering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Nsc Minerals Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OBC Reist Industries Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Rhomar Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Snow Wheel System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Tiger Calcium Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Traffic Technology 2000. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Ventrac By Venture Products Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Viking-Cives Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 ISSUE 2 - 2015 | SNOW MANAGER

Need fewer clients?

Tell them your tractor wouldn’t start.

3:02 AM on a snowy winter morning? It’s time to go to work. In this business, you need equipment that’s ready to take on tough tasks in any weather, any time of day. Tractor won’t start in the middle of the night? Guess what. Your client just found someone else to do the job.

That’s what makes the new 4R Series Compact Utility Tractors such a smart investment. How do we make sure they’ll start in freezing conditions? Simple. We test them in freezing conditions. We make sure that the legendary reliability you’ve come to expect from John Deere is not just a buzz word. Add in all the premium features in the new 4R Series – hydrostatic or PowrReverser™ Transmission options, our exclusive Hitch Assist for easy implement hookup, and a plush climate-controlled cab – and you’ve got the right tools to keep your operators happy, and more importantly, your clients.

See your John Deere dealer today and while you’re there, ask about discounts and other benefits your business could receive as a John Deere GreenFleet™ member.

JohnDeere.ca