equipmentworld.com | May 2019
®
2019 CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR Shrock Premier Custom Construction After operating from a phone booth, Joseph Shrock strikes balance between business success and Amish faith P.
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Vol. 31 Number 5 |
Cover Story
table of contents | May 2019
18
P.
2019 CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR
Amish contractor’s faith, leadership talent help grow construction firm
Equipment 15
Marketplace
The Fat Truck, Toro Dingo TXL 2000, Komatsu GD655-7, Gehl RT105, Cat 777, Wacker Neuson mini dumpers, Miller EnPak
48
Road Works
Pavers get easier to use, more productive, more technologically advanced
59 Technology Stanley developing Xbox-like remote control for compact excavators
EquipmentWorld.com | May 2019
3
table of contents | continued
Features 29 Rental Report
Digital platforms, machine telematics continue to add new features to the rental experience
Matters 36 Machine As North American demand for tiltrotators grows, early adopters tout their versatility
®
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Departments 7 On Record
Big show. Really, really big show
9 Reporter Mother of trench-collapse victim fights back with safety talks, lawsuit. Also, Cat and LiuGong at Bauma.
55 Safety Watch Fatal decision
66 Final Word
Notre Dame, vocational education and the long game
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May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Jesse H. Neal Award, Best Single Issue of a Tabloid/Newspaper/Magazine, 2019, American Business Media Jesse H. Neal Award finalist, Best Subject-Related Package, 2019, American Business Media Best Editorial Series, 2018, Construction Media Alliance Eddie award for B-to-B Series of Articles, 2016 Highways 2.0, Folio: magazine Editorial Excellence, Original Research, Silver Award, 2016 American Society of Business Publication Editors Jesse H. Neal Award, Better Roads, 2011 American Business Media Robert F. Boger Award for Special Reports, 2006, 2007, 2008 Construction Writers Association Jesse H. Neal Award, Best Subject-Related Series of Articles, 2006 American Business Media Editorial Excellence Special Section Gold Award, 2006 Midwest-South Region, American Society of Business Publication Editors
Cover photo: Fred Hansen Photography
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on record | by Marcia Doyle MarciaDoyle@randallreilly.com
Big show. Really, really big show.
F
or many North American contractors, the reasons not to attend the Bauma trade show can add up. The show begins just as you’re getting into high gear for the season. It involves an overseas flight – there’s no escaping that tedium – and hyperinflated hotel prices. There’s also the perception that it’s just a German/European show. Nothing to see here, folks… And that’s a shame. Because for anyone who bleeds hydraulic fluid, this is the show. First, let’s talk about the numbers. Bauma organizers calculate that more than 620,000 visitors from 200-plus countries went through the show’s gates April 8-14. (A good number of them are in the photo below, taken just after the show opened Wednesday.) This was about 40,000 more attendees than in 2016, when the every-three-year show was last held. Indeed, attendees can sometimes feel as if they’re at a Black Friday sales event as they make their way through the packed halls and outside aisles. There were more than 3,700 exhibitors in 6.6 million square feet – two-and-a-half times the square footage of our own ConExpo. (Bauma organizers even boasted that the show was “larger than the smallest town in Germany.”) It’s true that 60 percent of the attendees were from Germany, a figure likely enhanced by a “family day” on a Sunday, its final day. I’ve always thought it pretty cool that
the German populace thinks a construction trade show is a pack-up-the-babies-and-grab-the-old-ladies event. You’ll see familiar names – Cat, Case, Deere, Manitowoc, Terex, etc. – mixed with companies you’ve never heard of. Since English is the show’s second language, though, it’s fairly easy to learn about what’s being displayed. All of that aside, why should you consider attending? Here’s my quick take: • Exposure to new ways of doing things that won’t be on your competitors’ radar. • Viewing world premieres of equipment and services that will make their way to North America. • Getting a first glimpse of concept machines that – if nothing else – give you Facebook bragging rights. (Check out our online story of the Case Tetra, a naturalgas-powered wheel loader with a cab interior that looks like it was designed by Maserati by way of Apple.) • Grasping the true global nature of construction equipment and gaining additional pride in what you do for a living. So after you attend ConExpo next year, here’s another date to put on your calendar: April 4-10, 2022. Plenty of time to brush up on your basic German. Check out our stories from the show at equipmentworld.com. Opening bell, Wednesday, April 10.
EquipmentWorld.com | May 2019 7
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reporter
| by Marcia Doyle |
MarciaDoyle@randallreilly.com
Mother of trench-collapse victim fights back with safety talks, lawsuit Cindy Hess talks to city workers in Fairfield, Ohio.
S
Zach Hess
The “Remember Zach” hardhat sticker was designed by staff at the Cleveland (Ohio) Water Department after they heard Cindy Hess’ talk.
ince her son’s death in a trench collapse December 28, 2017, Cindy Hess has done her best to make sure Zachary David Hess is remembered. She’s spoken 11 times so far to construction and governmental groups, detailing the circumstances of his death. Four more talks are scheduled. She promotes trench safety to these groups with a “Remember Zach” hardhat sticker. She’s investigating setting up a foundation to channel funds into trench safety awareness. And in March, she filed a $20 million lawsuit against the entities she believes are at fault in her 25-year-old son’s death: NVR Incorporated (doing business as Ryan Homes), Nathaniel Development Corporation (NDC), Payne Excavating and Transport, and an unknown sewer subcontractor. “I’ve been obsessed with investigating the circumstances of Zach’s death, and these people were negligent,” says Hess, who was profiled in Equipment World’s “Death by Trench” special report in June. “The bigger picture is all of the things that happened before Zach even got there that day. It was an exercise in futility. He didn’t have a chance.”
A few months after his death, Hess started telling Zach’s story in construction and governmental safety meetings. “For me, it’s keeping him alive,” she says. Just after she talked with Equipment World last month, Hess got yet another request, this time to be the keynote speaker at an Ohio construction safety meeting. (Two workers died in April in separate trench collapses in the state within two days of each other.) She tells her audiences about the poor jobsite conditions, how Zach received no trench safety training, how he called out to a coworker when the trench started collapsing, how he was buried up to his neck when first responders finally got to the site, and how she waited in the bitter cold until 11 that night before they could recover his body. “At the close of my talk, I ask for everyone to remember Zach, whether they’re a worker or a supervisor or the owner of a company, and that they make an emotional connection to Zach and his death,” she says. “He didn’t have any kids, so this is Zach’s legacy,” she adds. “This might be the beginning of a change in the industry.” EquipmentWorld.com | May 2019
9
reporter |
continued
Cat on electrification: “We are ready”
C
at released a statement on its “strategic approach to electrification” during the Bauma trade show in Munich, Germany. “We are ready,” it said. Cat defines electrification as “making a machine, product or system operate using electricity when it did not before.” Cat pointed to two alreadyin-production machines in its Bauma display last month that fall under its electrification banner: the D6 XE dozer, introduced late last year, that uses a high drive electric drive, and the 988K XE wheel loader, introduced in 2017, that uses a generator, invertor and motor instead of a torque converter and transmission. Cat also showed a 300.9D VPS dual-power compact excavator that can switch between a diesel engine or a cable-powered electric motor, and a concept 906 compact wheel loader, which uses a fully electric drivetrain powered by a lithium-ion battery. The statement also pointed to innovations by Cat dealers. German dealer Zeppelin has adapted a Cat 302.7D CR compact excavator and a tethered electrified material handler for primarily indoor use. And Pon
Cat’s concept electricdrive loader at Bauma.
Equipment, based in the Netherlands, is building eight fully electric excavators based on the 323F model for the Norwegian market. Cat says it will continue to fund research and development, as well as apply “tried-and-true concepts across industries, applications and products large and small,” to help customers adapt to electrification more quickly – and at a lower cost and risk.
LiuGong aims to be top 10 equipment maker
“T
he shift from ‘made in China’ to ‘created in China’ has inspired LiuGong to accelerate innovation in science and technology with the aim of becoming an industry leader,” says Guang’an Zeng, chairman of LiuGong Group and LiuGong Machinery, in remarks April 8th at the Bauma trade show in Munich, Germany. The 61-year-old company’s vision is to be a top 10 global construction equipment manufacturer – it is currently No. 21 – and top three
10 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Chinese construction equipment manufacturer by 2025. The company is focusing on its global presence. One-third of the company’s income is from business outside of China. Kevin Thieneman from North America has been named the company’s new vice president of global strategy and aftersales. The company has also opened a new European headquarters in Warsaw, Poland, and has increased its European production base for excavators and wheel loaders, now being produced along-
LiuGong 4180D
side Dressta dozers and pipe layers. Zeng also says the company intends to launch an electric-powered wheel loader and compact excavator next year in China.
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marketplace
| by Don McLoud |
Fat Truck traverses land and water
DonMcLoud@randallreilly.com
EDIT PICOR’S K
The Fat Truck is “an industrial off-road utility vehicle specifically designed for the transportation of personnel and materials in difficult terrain,” says owner Zeal Motor of Bromont, Quebec, Canada. The amphibious vehicle is steered by a joystick and comes in three versions: an eight-person crew cab, a pickup with a small dump bed, and a pickup with a box bed. An automatic tire-inflation system allows the operator to adjust to the terrain. For instance, when traveling in water, a press of a button inflates the tires; when in mud, another button push deflates them for more traction. The Fat Truck is designed for contractors working on powerlines, pipelines and telecommunications.
Grading in comfort
Komatsu has introduced its GD655-7 motor grader with improvements centered on operator comfort. The new “hexangular” cab helps provide an unobstructed view of the moldboard and front tires. A new steering wheel also provides more visibility and
room in the cab. Operators can use a new steering lever instead of the wheel so they can keep their hands on the low-effort, work equipment levers while making small steering adjustments. The cab also features adjustable arm rests and air-suspension seat. EquipmentWorld.com | May 2019 15
marketplace
| continued
CTL goes ‘ultracompact’
Manitou Group calls the new Gehl RT105 an “ultra-compact track loader,” with an overhead clearance of 71.5 inches from the ground to the top of the ROPS. The RT105 is 50.8 inches wide with the bucket detached, and it has a rated operating capacity of 1,050 pounds. Powered by a 31.8-horsepower Yanmar engine, the CTL has a 2,975-pound tilt breakout force and a 3,042-pound lift breakout force. The 4,720-pound RT105 also features automatic track tensioning, designed to eliminate daily tension checks and extend track life.
Saving fuel with more speed, torque
Caterpillar‘s latest version of its 777 dump truck features improved visibility, operator comfort and fuel efficiency. The Cat C32 ACERT Tier 4 Final engine delivers 1,025 gross horsepower, with a 7 percent increase in torque and a higher top speed of 41.7 mph. Cat added two operating modes and features such as auto neutral idle and speed limiting to save on fuel. The cab is easier to enter and exit and has a new operator seat and more comfortable trainer seat. There’s also more space for storage and a new console with an integrated hoist-and-shift lever. 16 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
For rough terrain, confined spaces
Wacker Neuson has three new mini track dumper models, offering users a material handling solution for smaller jobs. The models – the .8-ton DT08, 1-ton DT10 and the 1.5-ton DT15 – come in six skip options. The models are designed for smooth travel while maneuvering across rough terrain and in confined spaces. With a fully hydrostatic drive, there are no gears to change during operation. All models have rubber tracks and a weight distribution designed to reduce ground pressure and prevent damage on sensitive surfaces.
Get power while saving truck wear
The new Miller EnPak A30GBW Power System for work trucks runs off its own diesel or gas engine and provides compressed air, DC and AC power, battery charging, and welding capabilities for Class 3 to 5 trucks. The diesel engine option is a three-cylinder Kubota with 19 horsepower. The gas engine is a two-cylinder, 23-horsepower Kohler. Since the A30GBW doesn’t rely on the truck’s engine and PTO, it significantly reduces maintenance and fuel costs. The EnPak is 47 inches long, 20 inches wide and 28 inches tall. It can also be operated remotely.
From prototype to production
Toro’s Dingo TXL 2000 compact utility loader with telescoping loader arms has progressed from prototype to production. Fully extended, the boom has a hinge pin height of just over 10 feet, allowing it to dump material into the center of a full-size truck. It has a rated operating capacity of up to 2,000 pounds, which is more than some skid steers. It also can handle most standard skid-steer attachments. The machine gives the operator 360-degree visibility. It is designed for construction, landscaping, earthmoving, utility and rental markets.
These product introductions are just a few of the many featured regularly on equipmentworld.com.
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contractor of the year winner
| by Don McLoud |
DonMcLoud@randallreilly.com
S
18 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Samuel and Joseph Shrock
Amish contractor’s faith, leadership talent help grow construction firm
A
t 14, Joseph Shrock went to work for “I’m not saying it to brag,” Joseph says his father’s construction business. decades later. “It’s just that I loved it.” He had completed his formal eduTen years after starting with his father, cation after finishing eighth grade in Joseph filed to establish a construction firm. his Amish community in rural Ohio. Today, he owns and runs Shrock PreHis father usually had a crew of two or mier Custom Construction, which employs three workers, repairing old barns, framing, 35 people and has annual revenues of $14 laying block, whatever customers needed. million. “He had an engineer-type mind,” recalls Joseph. “He could fix anything.” Doing business from a phone booth But his father didn’t enjoy reading plans Ruthie Deal went to work for Joseph about and the business side of construction. 15 years ago as his assistant. She soon “He was kind of the type that would learned he wasn’t the typical boss. barely have a business card,” Joseph says. For starters, Joseph was a member of a “He didn’t have a tax strict Amish church district 2019 Contractor of the Year winner ID number.” that prohibited phones in So Joseph began the home. And Joseph’s Joseph Shrock, reading blueprints and office was in his home. Shrock Premier Custom Construction organizing the projects. “So he would go down City, State: Loudonville, Ohio “I would handle that to the end of the road,” Year started: 1983 stuff at a really young Ruthie recalls, “and do all age,” he said. “As I of his calls from the little Number of 35 got to 17, 18, 19 years phone booth. Twenty employees: old, I was talking my degrees below zero, and Annual revenue: $14 million dad into taking bigger he’s in his phone booth projects.” making phone calls. Markets served: Site development, “My dad was just re“He didn’t have a demolition, comally good at letting me fax; he didn’t have any mercial building, utility, residential run the stuff,” Joseph electronic stuff. All of his construction adds. “It was a Godchecks for a long time given talent that I had.” were handwritten, and his proposals were all handwritten.” He recalls talking with a college student Working from her home, Ruthie quickly who would work with his father’s business made a change. during the summers about taking some “We got a fax machine as soon as I courses at a technical college on how to started,” she says. read blueprints. By then, the business was When asked about working from a phone doing larger projects, such as apartment booth, Joseph laughs. buildings and motels. “It got cold,” he said. “You would learn to The college student chuckled. “You’ll know get ‘er done,” he says. more about the plans by now than the guy But those 20 years of working from a teaching the course,” he told Joseph. EquipmentWorld.com | May 2019 19
contractor of the year winner |
continued
From left, Shrock employees Ruthie Deal, Teri Derr, Lisa Christine, Shayne Glass and Ross Yoder. phone booth didn’t hinder him, he says. “That didn’t keep me from being successful,” he says. “It took more effort was all. I might have to work more hours. But I made sure that every move counted.” “People have it too easy now,” he adds. “I am convinced that it’s not the difficulties that keep people from being successful.”
Focus on quality As Joseph led the company to take on bigger projects as a subcontractor, contractors began to take notice of Joseph’s talents. He would bring new ideas to the contractor on the job. “I would try to foresee obstacles,” he says. “And it just kind of grew from there, little by little.” Soon, the jobs began rolling in – commercial work and then homebuilding. “We were traveling quite a bit in those early years,” he recalls. He realized, though, that the travel and pace were burning out his crew. “If I want to keep these employees, I’m going to have to create an environment where they’re going to stay, where they can take care of their families,” he recalls. So he turned the company’s focus to custom houses and other custom work, projects that took more talent, more foresight and kept them closer to home. He would preach to his crews to focus on quality. “Next thing we knew,” he says, “we’d have people trust us with their high-end projects.” And that trust continues to build, as the company strengthens its relationships with its customers. One such relationship has led to a $20 million, 2,20020 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
seat sanctuary the company will soon embark on for Faith Life Church. Shrock built the pastors’ home, and 10 years ago, they called on the company to complete an addition to their church. The church had trouble with previous contractors and had become frustrated. Shrock redesigned the addition, saving them money while still giving them the look they wanted. “Now they’re trusting us with this $20 million addition,” Joseph says. “And we’ve never done a $20 million church sanctuary before.” Gary Keesee, senior pastor of Faith Life Church, says the Shrock company took on the church’s first addition project during the Great Recession even after the bank had warned the church that it may not be able to provide the promised line of credit. “Amazingly, Joseph said, ‘We’re going to finish the building,’” recalls Keesee. “He finished the building without assurances that the funding was there.” “He exceeded all our expectations in not only rescuing what was already a difficult project,” says Pastor Drenda Keesee, “but taking it to our expectations, our desire and our dream.”
Moving out of the phone booth About 10 years ago, Joseph decided it was time to make a change. He was now part of a New Amish Order church district, which didn’t prohibit phones in the home. Along with himself, all of his employees were working out of their homes. “We just got to the point where we really needed an office,” he says.
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contractor of the year winner |
continued
A building came available for sale in the historic Main Street section of Loudonville, which the company bought. It later bought the adjoining building. Shrock employees remodeled the old buildings, not only to make room for offices, but to display their talents for woodwork and cabinetry, to give their customers a better feel for what the company could do. “Every office we did in a different type of wood,” Joseph says. With the adjoining building, the company developed a showroom to display photos of their projects, as well as eight different styles of cabinets the company crafted. Employees also made the furniture. Two years ago, the company bought another nearby building – a 380,000-square-foot former Flxible bus manufacturing plant. The company was able to consolidate all of its maintenance shops and storage areas that were scattered around the area. Joseph also brought in two other companies he had started, a prefab wall manufacturing business and fire-, water-, smoke- and mold-restoration business, under the old factory’s roof. Not only did the factory provide a place for muchneeded consolidation, it also helped restore some community pride that had been lost after the factory closed in 1996. It had been a fixture in the small town since 1913, when it first began building motorcycle sidecars. In its heyday in the ’80s, it employed over 1,000 workers manufacturing motor coaches. “It is a historic building; every family was related to it because their parents and grandparents worked there,” says Lisa Christine, who handles HR and safety for Shrock and who also worked at the factory. Shrock has invested more than $1 million into refurbishing the old plant, with more investment planned.
Excavation takes off The consolidations have been a natural result of continued growth over the years. In 2018, the company saw an 80 percent increase in revenue, with its excavation division posting the fastest growth. The growth has been the result of the company’s ability to adapt to new opportunities. “We had to be adaptive, because in the beginning, we weren’t professionals at anything,” says Cliff Conner, who helps manage excavation work. He explains that the company would try new ventures and then the market would turn, and it would have to look for other opportunities. “Everybody’s experience levels went way up by being so versatile,” Conner says. Now, the company can handle just about any job that comes along. That has led to some multi-million-dollar campground projects for the Muskingum Watershed Con22 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
servancy District and a $5 million gas station project, in which the company handled the entire job – land clearing, water and sewer, plumbing, building the store and other structures. “All of a sudden, we find ourselves the perfect match,” says Joseph. He explains that many of the excavation contractors in the area focus on a specialty such as land development, storm water or sewer. So when a project like the campground comes up, it’s hard to compete with Shrock, which can do the total package. “It seems like we work best at full speed; everything seems to flow better,” Conner says. The company’s reputation for quality and integrity also tips the scales in its favor. Dwight Hackworth of Michael Baker International oversaw Shrock’s campground projects for the Muskingum district and appreciated being able to trust the company’s workers.
“I didn’t have to worry about the guys on one job doing something wrong, while I was dealing with another job,” Hackworth says. “Our customer realizes that due to the integrity of Shrock, it saved them money in the long run.”
Employees as fans Shrock has also made fans of its employees. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” says company controller Shayne Glass. He had been wanting to transition from corporate accounting, and he met Joseph about four years ago over lunch one day. “The more I met with him, the more unique I realized he was, as far as integrity and the values here,” Glass says. “It’s like family,” adds Teri Derr, the company’s paralegal and contract manager. “Everybody that works here that you meet, they have a personal investment.
Photo: Fred Hansen Photography
Shrock employees say they work best at full speed. It’s almost like each one of us owns the company.” As to Joseph, she adds, “He is such a great leader. He values the employees, and you can feel that he values you.” Joseph also believes in helping employees improve their lives, not just at work. Last year, he decided to create a new part-time position for business development. He hired Ross Yoder, an assistant baseball coach at nearby Mount Vernon Nazarene University, to run it. “We do a lot of leadership training where the idea is to help people with understanding themselves, understanding how they can best connect with the people in their lives,” Yoder says. “Ultimately, it’s not just for the workplace.” Word of Joseph’s good treatment of employees has spread, to the point where he doesn’t face the challenges many contractors do in finding qualified workers. They come to him. “Now that things are booming, where people can get
EquipmentWorld.com | May 2019 23
continued
Photo: Fred Hansen Photography
contractor of the year winner |
Samuel Shrock helped introduce 3D machine control to the company’s excavators and dozers. a topnotch job wherever they want, I’m getting more calls (from job seekers) than I did during the recession,” he says.
Keeping the faith Joseph was born and raised Amish, and he and his wife raised their children in the faith. Their first language is Pennsylvania Dutch, but they grew up in communities near non-Amish, learned English and get along well with those inside and outside of the Amish world. Though part of a New Amish Order church district, the family still adheres to many traditional Amish practices. On their farm where they raise longhorn cattle, they use only solar energy or a gas well dug on their property for power. They also don’t drive cars or trucks, instead driving horse and buggy. To get to work and jobsites, they rely on non-Amish friends and employees for transportation. Joseph’s son and three daughters all attended Amish school through the eighth grade and then went to work for the family businesses. The family opened a deli and bulk food store, which the daughters run. Samuel, Joseph’s 26-year-old son, has been through all aspects of the family businesses, including leading construction crews. He began operating a backhoe on the family farm in his early teens – operating such machinery does not violate Amish beliefs – and later performed excavation work on construction sites. “The goal was to shift him to a little bit of everywhere, and he has been,” Joseph says. Despite being raised in traditional Amish ways, 24 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Samuel loves technology. He uses a drone to make company videos of jobsites. He also helped introduce GPS machine control for company dozers and excavators and then trained workers on it in the field. “I’m always trying to watch for new opportunities of systems or software that can help us,” Samuel says. For business, there are no major issues with being Amish, Samuel says. “I don’t feel like it limits much the way that we do things,” he says. Joseph believes his faith has helped him become a better leader. He is passionate about leadership and has attended several seminars over the years. “A lot of the principles that work are biblical principles,” he says of the leadership seminars. “Proverbs 16 has a lot of good principles that you can use in the business world.”
Looking to the future Being a business leader is always a challenge but being Amish has presented some unique circumstances for Joseph. “In the conservative Amish world, big business is not looked on as a real honorable thing,” he says. “I spent probably more time and effort trying to keep things smaller than I did trying to grow it.” But that’s beginning to change. “I’m convinced if you put the right people in the right place and the right motives and the right energy, you can’t hold it back,” he says. So he has been developing a long-term succession plan that will allow the company to keep growing and
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contractor of the year winner | protect the employees, which are about 50-50 Amish and non-Amish. He and Samuel have been meeting with a non-Amish businessman about eventually owning the company. “When we made the determination a few years ago to bring another person on board that’s not Amish, that’s when we focused a little more on, OK, let’s go ahead and grow it,” Joseph says. “Samuel and I spent about four years meeting with this person on a monthly basis behind closed doors until we felt comfortable bringing somebody in that had our values, that would take care of the employees, where we could still be involved and be in the leadership positions.” While Samuel is interested in being involved in the family business, he wants to explore his passion, which is real estate development. He recently began development of a 14-lot high-end gated community near Columbus. Shrock is handling the site development, lot sales and custom home construction – the company’s first such venture. It has already made plans for another 70- to 80-lot development. “If that’s profitable and it works, that’s going to be another good fit to our company,” Joseph says. And just as Joseph’s father allowed him to follow his passion, Joseph is doing the same for Samuel. “Taking over the whole operation would really tie him down,” Joseph says. “So we’re trying to come up with a way he can have his own thing and still be involved in the business.” As for Joseph, he plans to continue following his passion of helping his employees and community. “There’s got to be more of a purpose than just generating income,” he says. “There’s a bigger mission. And I think God gave me certain talents for a reason, and I feel good about exercising them. “Everybody feels best when they’re making a difference, and if you can create that environment and these people can feel like they’re making a difference and they’re helping. … “I just love it.” 26 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
continued
Joseph Shrock outside the company’s headquarters
Shrock employees put their craftsmanship on display in the company’s headquarters
CONGRATULATIONS
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rental report
| by Marcia Doyle |
MDoyle@randallreilly.com
Digital platforms, machine telematics continue to add new features to the rental experience
Rental customers are asking for insights into fleet management, such as with Sunbelt Rental’s Command Central.
T
here’s an essential first step to rental customer service: do the job. “We need to give our customers reliable equipment on time, ready to go, and in a way that helps them get their jobs done,” says Chris Hummel, chief marketing
officer of United Rentals. “There’s a huge structural shift, with users moving away from ownership into rental,” says John Washburn, senior vice president, marketing and sales, Sunbelt Rentals, “so if they’re not going to own it, it needs to be available when
they call.” It also needs to be easy to rent, whether that involves an online order or interaction with a sales representative. “Although human interactions will always be involved, we are transitioning to a digital age,” says Washburn. EquipmentWorld.com | May 2019 29
rental report
| continued Southeastern Rents
Beyond basics But rental customers want more than the basics these days; they want insight into how rental machines figure into their total fleet management, and rental companies are responding to the task. “The idea is to use the equipment as effectively as possible, so they can rent as little as possible from us,” Hummel says. “That’s an odd thing for an equipment rental company to say, but we think that’s part of helping them do their job better.” “Customers want to understand where their rented assets are located, their production costs and average fuel burns and idle time,” says Andy Grover, Cat’s digital product manager – rental and used. With all rental assets connected through Cat’s dealer network, the push is to support customers with telematic reports on these machines, a feature that will be available later this year on catrentalstore.com. For some customers, it will be important to track the loca30 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Equipment dealers experience rental growth Two Case dealers show how more traditional dealers are using rental to expand their footprints. “We’ve been around for 62 years, and we’ve been renting from the company’s inception,” says Heath Watton, vice president, Southeastern Equipment. In the past two years, the dealership has established four rental-specific locations, including one at the company’s corporate headquarters in Cambridge, Ohio. “By doing this, we were able to do a significant amount of business in these areas that we weren’t getting before, and it’s helped us get new customers in the door,” Watton says. One location doubled in business in its first six months. Part of the uptick was because of the oil and gas play in the region. “This allowed us to be more efficient in dealing with these customers,” he says. “They can get in and get out, and they can get the products they need.” “Rental is just a different animal,” Watton adds. “It’s like the difference between walking into a hardware store that has a bit of everything and a car dealership. Rentals are a bit of everything designed for a quick turnaround, and dealerships are for creating a long-term relationship.” Groff Tractor also is a long-established Case dealer expanding its rental busi-
ness, says Mike Juskowich, director of business development. Established in 1958 and growing to six branches across Pennsylvania, the dealer has seen its business shift more toward rental and is trying to capitalize on rent-to-rent business for customers who just want to use equipment and return it. Rental customers can go beyond the owners or purchasing agents who usually handle equipment sales. “Depending on the company, rentals can be done by field operations,” Juskowich says, “and the smaller gear can be rented from the field.” Because of this, Groff Tractor has established Peak Rentals, which will bring additional equipment lines into the fold, including air compressors, telehandlers, light towers and welders. At first, Peak Rentals will share space in the company’s New Stanton location. “Once we’ve got that established, we’re looking to move into other locations in the MidAtlantic region,” Juskowich says. “How we are coming to market is unique,” Juskowich adds. “Groff Tractor is a sales and rent-to-sale operation, and since we’ve added Peak Rentals, our sales people can offer the customer multiple avenues to obtain construction equipment.”
rental report
| continued United Rental’s benchmarking service lets users compare their rental utilization with peers in their industry segment.
tion of all rental machines positioned throughout several jobsites. “Let’s say you have a loader sitting on a jobsite and there is a new job starting five miles away,” Grover explains. “If there’s an opportunity to improve utilization on that asset, it may make sense to just move that machine instead of ordering another one.” United’s Total Control system is designed to track a customer’s entire fleet – rented and owned – on multiple jobsites in real time. With the system, users can pinpoint equipment locations, streamline on and off renting and billing pro32 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
cesses and use alerts to stay on top of everything. Users can customize reporting features and analyze key performance indicators and other statistics at a glance and access the information by web or phone. Sunbelt’s online Command Center allows customers to see where their ordered equipment is in the delivery cycle. “In some cases, we know our customers’ rental habits better than they do themselves,” Washburn says. “And we’ve empowered our direct sales force with technology that allows them to provide real-time availability and pricing from their phones.” The ability to
access the rental process through either a website or a mobile app is another customer request. Command Center has been enhanced through the years to respond to customer requests for asset management tools. “They can see at any point exactly what’s on rent, how long it’s been on rent, and understand the utilization metrics,” Washburn says. This allows customers to manage their rental cycle from beginning to end. Other features include paperless invoicing, customized alerts, such as notifications when a purchase order has reached a threshold, and
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rental report
| continued
job-specific rental reports. “Our customers’ projects are hard enough,” Washburn says. “We need to make equipment rental easy for them.”
Fingertip management Customers are looking for the same kind of tools and experience they now get outside of the equipment world, Hummel says: “If they can track a pizza being delivered, how come they can’t get notification when their equipment is going to arrive?” Sunbelt tracks customers’ recent and frequent orders, allowing them to reorder a preferred set of machines or tools, such as an air compressor/hammer/tooling package. “They don’t have to size up the compressor or count out the feet of hose or find three hammers,” Washburn explains. “They just choose the package and go.” Customers can also set up favorite orders. The Cat Rental Store “My Account” portal, accessed online or through its mobile app, is designed to personalize a customer’s rental experience and data access. Launched in February, the feature gives customers quicker access to account information and expands what they can do online, including requesting a quote, calling off a rental machine, or requesting service 24/7. “This gives customers improved access to their account information and the ability to export their own reports,” Grover says. “They want to understand their rental spend by jobsite, for instance.” For contractors who work in several Cat dealer territories, the portal gives users a single log-in and easy navigation among customers’ accounts. “Through a click of a button, they have quick access to multiple accounts throughout our network,” Grover says. Cat Rental Store’s mobile app 34 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
“By using these kinds of productivity measures, our customers can see a 20 percent reduction on their overall rental equipment spend.” Companies can see benchmarks by the equipment type and industry vertical, such as nonresidential construction. “We compare their data by peer group in their industry vertical, and we’re starting to examine it by job type, so we can give them more contextual information,” Hummel says.
Cat Rental Store’s mobile app gives users quick access to frequent functions.
allows users to log in and quickly view a menu that offers several options, such as requesting a machine or extending a rental. The app also allows them to see what they’ve got on rent, which contracts are ending soon and if anything is overdue. “It lets customers manage their accounts through one navigation screen,” Grover says. United now has more than 250,000 assets tagged with telematic sensors, data it uses to offer a benchmarking service that lets contractors compare their rental utilization with other companies. “We probably have the largest fleet in the world; we have a good database of how people are using several brands of machines across multiple projects,” Hummel says.
Addressing service pain points One pain point the Cat Rental Store mobile app addresses is service calls, Grover says. The app allows users to take photos of the issue, add text and send it immediately to a Cat dealer. “This eliminates a back-and-forth call experience, which uses too much time and doesn’t track the progress of the request,” he says. The system also allows users to indicate whether it’s an emergency situation, and to directly call the dealer instead of using the photo/text route. The app’s messaging feature allows a record of electronic communication with the dealer. Say, for example, you realize you really need a 36-inch bucket instead of a 24-inch bucket on the backhoe you just ordered. “Rather than going through the whole process to reorder the machine, you can simply use the messaging feature,” Grover says. “We’ve really sped up the communication with the dealer.” “Our techs and drivers are the heroes in what we do,” says Sunbelt’s Washburn. “They use technology to diagnose what’s wrong, call up the schematics on an iPad, and they’re able to order parts from the field.” The digital game in rental is just getting started, say our experts. “If this was a baseball game, rental would be in the third inning,” Washburn says. “So there’s still a lot left to do.”
machine matters
| by Marcia Doyle |
MarciaDoyle@randallreilly.com
TILTROTATORS CATCHING ON
As North American demand for the device grows, early adopters tout their versatility
A
Tiltrotators can reposition an attachment 45 degrees to the left or right. 36 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
n attachment considered a machine standard in northern Europe is making headway in North America. Generically known as a tiltrotator, the attachment originated in Sweden in the mid-1980s and gained steam during the ensuing years. It’s now so well established in Scandinavia that operators there regularly express amazement on social media that it still gets a golly-geewhiz reaction from operators here. You may have seen a tiltrotator demonstrated at a recent trade show or viewed a video on YouTube. There’s no doubt about it, explaining what a tiltrotator can do requires visuals. (Check out a sampling of user-produced videos at http://bit.ly/tiltrotator.) “We sold our first unit it the United States after a guy saw it on YouTube,” says Stefan Stockhaus, co-founder of tiltrotator manufacturer Steelwrist, which recently opened a U.S. office in Berlin, Connecticut. “We’ve had tremendous interest from the U.S. market. We’ve been growing as fast as you can grow, actually.” (Volvo Construction Equipment has minority ownership in Steelwrist.) Rototilt established its North American presence in 2008, opening a sales office in Ontario, Canada. “We feel that our competitors are actually helping us, even though we were here first,” says Gerry
Tiltrotator benefits include not having to constantly reposition your machine to get at hard-to-reach spaces.
EquipmentWorld.com | May 2019 37
machine matters
| continued
An integrated gripper (also called a grabber) on the back of a tiltrotator allows you to pick up oddly shaped materials.
Mallory, general manager. “All of us have increased the awareness of the product. The base is here now and it’s growing fast.” When Rototilt announced an expansion of its plant in Sweden in late 2018, it specifically cited continued growth in North America as one of Anthony LaFata the reasons for the move. “Most of the contractors we speak to in the states are quite openminded about it. There’s a huge interest on social media,” says Sten 38 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Stromgren, communications manager, Engcon, which established a U.S. office in 2017. Anthony LaFata of LaFata & Son Incorporated, a specialty recycling and site development contractor in Guilford, Connecticut, shares the enthusiasm of these manufacturers. “I think this country is about to see a wave of these things come through,” he says.
Why all the excitement? A tiltrotator allows users to not only tilt an attachment 45 degrees left and right but also rotate it 360 degrees. Advocates say this gives excavator operators the ability to perform a variety of tasks without repositioning the excavator. That in turn leads to reduced labor, material
costs and machine hours, they say. “You’re totally transforming how you use an excavator,” says Mallory. “With a tiltrotator you can dig, backfill and level contour with your machine in one spot. You can work around and under pipes and other obstacles.” “We’re seeing a 25 percent increase in production on our grading and backfilling jobs, and we’re using 25 percent less material,” says Tom Gardocki, co-owner with Craig Hammel of New Era Excavation in Manchester, New Hampshire. The two-man residential sitework operation first put an Engcon 226 tiltrotator on a John Deere 200 LC excavator. When they bought a Cat 316F in 2018, it was fitted to share the tiltrotator.
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machine matters
| continued
“It’s just the two of us, so we are interested in any tool, attachment or machine technology that will save us time and allow us to stay small,” Gardocki says. “With a tiltrotator, I can be in the machine, and on jobs where Craig normally would have to shovel stone after it’s dumped, he can be in another machine instead and be productive.” Pete Stroeder, owner-operator of Pete Stroeder Contracting, Ottawa, Canada, is the definition of early adopter. In 2005, he saw his first Rototilt on a machine sitting in a Toronto-area subdivision. “I thought that could just change everything; it would be easier to do a lot more,” he remembers. He made the plunge in 2006, buying a Rototilt RT60 as a package deal when he bought a Volvo EC 210B. Since then, Stroeder estimates, he’s put a total of 20,000 hours or more on five Rototilts, two of which he still owns. “If you compare me with anyone else out there with a 20-ton machine, I’m easily 35 to 40 percent more efficient,” he says. One of the areas where the tiltrotator really shines for New Era is in backfilling a perimeter drain, Gardocki says. “We usually put in 6 inches of stone and then a filter fabric followed by dirt. Tom Gardocki With a regular excavator, you can’t get the stone exactly where you want it.” A tiltrotator, he says, allows him to turn the bucket and angle it any position. “There’s no shoveling or wasted material.” Grading is also “unbelievably faster,” Gardocki says. The tiltrotator eliminates the time spent repositioning the machine. “You can pretty much travel in a straight line and grade around any bump-outs or anything else that’s around a house.” LaFata cites his recent experience of taking down 1,000 feet of chain-link fence. “It usually takes an operator with two guys about three hours to do the job,” he says. Using the tiltrotator with an integrated gripper (also called a grabber) and a grapple attachment, his operator did it in 45 minutes. “He pulled out each post with the gripper and laid it on the ground; then he took the grapple to load up several posts in the truck. He then used the gripper again to roll up the chain-link fence and put it the truck… all by himself.” Gardocki is far from shy when sharing his tiltrotator experience. His “The Dirt Ninja” persona on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram has a combined 280,000 followers. “It’s been cool to show off the 40 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Tom Gardocki, who provided this photo, says his company has seen a 25 percent increase in production on its grading and backfilling jobs while using a tiltrotator.
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machine matters
| continued
Although more commonly found on excavators, tiltrotators can also work on backhoes, including this machine modified for railroad work.
tiltrotator because most people in the U.S. don’t even know what it is,” Gardocki says. “Everybody from Europe, however, is going, ‘Well, it’s about time.’”
Let’s talk about price Perhaps the biggest barrier to tiltrotator acceptance is sticker shock. Depending on the specific configuration, a Rototilt that can fit 15to 24-ton class excavators will cost around $40,000, plus installation and any additional attachments, Mallory says. For installation costs, figure two to three days of labor at your local dealer’s rate. Stockhaus estimates a Steelwrist tiltrotator will run 6.6 to 7 percent of the cost of a 20-ton excavator. Engcon places the ROI at 1,500 hours. Gardocki says New Era spent $65,000 to install its tiltrotator. This amount included labor and two buckets, a grading beam, an integrated grabber – a pincher on the back of the tiltrotator designed to pick up odd-shaped materials – and Engcon’s EC-Oil quick hitch 42 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
and Trimble-ready option. They have since added a grade beam, SK grapple, compaction wheel, ripper and buckets of various sizes. “If you just look at the cost, you’re looking at it the wrong way,” Gardocki says. “It’s how much it saves you and how much more efficient you become. Buying this means we didn’t have to hire a laborer. We paid for it in a little over a year.” LaFata understands hesitations over price. “We first saw it in 2008, and the economy was tough and it was just too much money,” he says. It still required a big gulp when the specialty recycling and site development firm made the decision to buy a Steelwrist X12 last spring. “They kind of held our hand and walked us through it and ran the numbers,” he says. Part of his uncertainty centered on the everyday terrain in his locale. “We’re in a very rocky, boney, wooded area, so I was concerned about the durability,” LaFata says. “But they told us not to be shy, so we get into ripping and pulling out stumps and loading some large tim-
Web extra: Tiltrotator user videos, social media
P
osting videos of what can be accomplished with a tiltrotator is natural for some end users. Manufacturers have realized this and even equipped contractors with GoPro cameras to share their experiences. To look at several, go to http://bit.ly/ tiltrotator.
Tiltrotator manufacturers in North America Engcon (engcon.com) U.S. sales office: North Haven, Connecticut Rototilt (rototilt.com) North American headquarters: Brantford, Ontario, Canada SMP (crdcreighton.com) North American distributor: Creighton Rock Drill Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Steelwrist (steelwrist.com) U.S. sales office: Berlin, Connecticut
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machine matters
| continued
bers with it. Granted, we’ve had it for less than a year, but based upon what I’ve seen, I’m not scared.” LaFata estimates he spent $28,000 on his tiltrotator, which was put on one of the company’s two Kubota KX080s. “It’s paid for itself in just this short amount of time in labor and materials. Right now, we have seven excavators, and eventually, we’d like to convert all of them to tiltrotators.”
got all these buttons at your thumbs, and you get frustrated because you just want to go back to the old way of doing things,” is how LaFata, who’s been running equipment for around 40 years, describes it. “About a week later, you feel you can’t live without it.” Although Gardocki was used to operating tilt buckets, the rotation added an entirely new element. “I’ve had it for more than two years, and I’m still finding uses for the tiltrotator that I would never thought of,” he says.
Learning curve “The best way to learn is to just operate it,” Mallory says. Getting used to the tiltrotator joystick controls can appear daunting. For example, there can be up to three rollers and seven buttons on each Engcon MIG2 joystick. The right joystick controls tilt, and the left joystick Pete Stroeder controls rotation. Integrated grabber controls are on the back of the right joystick. “The first day or two I would do the odd thing that made me look stupid,” Stroeder says, “but it was a really quick, natural pick-up.” “At first you love it, then you hate it because you’ve got something strange at the end of the excavator, and you’ve
Attachments A tiltrotator can be applied directly on the excavator dipper stick or underneath a hydraulic quick coupler. After the tiltrotator is attached, contractors can either use attachments designed by the tiltrotator manufacturer or purchase adapters that allow them to use their existing attachments. New Era’s tiltrotator is shared between the company’s two similarly sized excavators. “It’s an attachment that comes on and off the machine, so we have a normal quick hitch on each machine and attach the tiltrotator to it,” Gardocki says. The tiltrotator itself also has a quick hitch, so various attachments can be attached at the bottom. Gardocki uses the Engcon EC-Oil quick hitch, which allows him to disconnect the tiltrotator in 10 seconds without leaving the cab. “There’s no more hooking up
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hydraulic hoses,” he says. “You can buy any attachment for the tiltrotator, and they sell the brackets that allow them to be used.” Gardocki recommends using a tiltrotatorspecific bucket: “They’re shaped a little differently than most buckets you see in the U.S., with a longer bottom and lower sides. It makes it easier to scoop up rocks, stumps and materials.” Part of the versatility of a tiltrotator is that ability to put it aside when it’s not the best choice for the task at hand, LaFata says. “If we’re picking up heavy, heavy loads or ripping out a huge boulder, something the tiltrotator wasn’t designed for, we can disconnect from it in a matter of seconds.” Trevor Lott, LSL Alpine Enterprise, a landscaping company out of Alpine, Utah, equipped his Kubota KX121 with a Steelwrist X04 S40 early last year. “Right now I have three buckets, an MG grapple, a grading beam and a compaction wheel,” he says. “My arsenal is starting to grow because it’s an addiction. Once you start, you start putting more things on your wish list.” Contractors can also opt to use an independent quick hitch, such as OilQuick’s
H&R Construction_Ew0419_Pg.indd 1
Tiltrotators can fit excavators ranging from 1.5 to 33 tons and higher.
3/22/19| May 10:162019 AM 45 EquipmentWorld.com
machine matters
| continued automatic quick coupler system, which allows the tiltrotator to be connected and disconnected from the cab. “If you need all of your machine’s breakout force, you can take off the tiltrotator in seconds rather than minutes,” says Per Skaaret, OilQuick CEO.
Tiltrotator manufacturers are forming alliances with machine control technology providers.
Breakout force Skaaret’s comment brings up a ding against tiltrotators: the loss of breakout force. “Whatever the excavator can handle as far as breakout force and lift capacity, the Rototilt was designed to handle,” Mallory argues when asked about breakout force. “People think it’s only for light-duty work, but it’s for everyday standard excavator bucket work.” And Stromgren says asking about breakout force is asking the wrong question. “Do you get paid for breakout force or do you get paid for doing the job?” he asks. “I think the perception of breakout force for some people is that they need all the power the machine can give
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46 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
you,” Lott says. “For me, it’s not how much breakout force I need, it’s how I can make the machine more efficient. I didn’t necessarily feel like it would be a factor in me buying one, and it hasn’t been an issue at all.”
Installation Tiltrotators typically fit 1.5- to 33ton excavators. (Excavators above 33 tons are generally used for moving dirt and not considered the best tiltrotator candidates. However, some manufacturers are exploring heavier machines as North American tiltrotator use grows.) They also appear on backhoes, especially those retrofitted for railroad work. Installation requires expertise. “It’s quite involved, and it typically takes a couple of days,” Mallory says. This includes electric-over-hydraulic controls on the attachment, which typically involve changing the excavator joystick controls, installing an auxiliary hydraulic control unit and running
electrical cable to connect controls to the tiltrotator. “It’s not a plugand-play, where you just hook up a couple of hydraulic hoses,” he says. Added to that is the unfamiliarity of dealer personnel with installing tiltrotators. “They don’t know what they don’t know,” Stockhaus says, and tiltrotator manufacturers know they need to be involved in initial encounters with dealer installations. Now, some excavator OEMs are offering factory-installed units. “That will speed up the market penetration big time,” Stockhaus says. Tiltrotator manufacturers are also forming machine control alliances with technology providers; one example is Engcon’s partnership with Leica Geosystems and Kobelco. The three firms have developed a system to provide an automatic height and tilt function, a feature that will be available this spring.
Where to now? Prime U. S. markets for tiltrotator
adoption are in the Northeast and Midwest, says Mallory. And it’s the smaller contractors who are leading the way. “Once we penetrate a market with an innovative excavating contractor, when their competitors start to lose business, it opens their eyes,” Mallory says. But there’s another aspect to tiltrotator ownership that may be just as powerful. “I like being part of Trevor Lott this community,” says Lott, talking about the social media surrounding tiltrotators. “I love posting videos and getting feedback, and I’m meeting new people I wouldn’t necessarily have met if I didn’t get a tiltrotator.”
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EquipmentWorld.com | May 2019 47
road works
| by Don McLoud |
DonMcLoud@randallreilly.com
Pavers get easier to use, more productive, and technologically advanced
T
he basic operations of the asphalt paver remain the same but manufacturers continue to upgrade their machines to make them easier to use, more cost efficient and able to deliver a higher quality asphalt application. Some manufacturers are also integrating 3D machine control into their pavers. Though still not as popular in North America as in Europe, some see 3D’s expansion inevitable as it can lead to greater
precision and productivity. Paver technological advancements are also being touted by some departments of transportation. For example, the Minnesota DOT in 2018 began requiring paver-mounted thermal imaging on highway projects that are 4 linear miles or longer. Other DOTs have been eyeing similar requirements. Here’s a brief overview of some of the latest pavers on the market and the advancements they offer.
Vögele Super 1700-3i
Vögele’s RoadScan uses a thermal camera to show temperature of asphalt mix. 48 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Vögele Super Series “Thermal imaging has become a big topic across the country with certain DOTs and the FHWA looking for thermal segregation in the material,” says Jim Holland, Vögele vice president. To that end, the company’s RoadScan system involves integrating a thermal camera into the paver. RoadScan further integrates into the company’s WITOS paving telematics system, giving the operator and others on the jobsite what Holland calls “a total management system.”
“You’ll be able to see where the trucks are in transit from the plant to the jobsite, so you’ll be able to manage your paving speeds in accordance with your delivery of materials,” he says. With the thermal imaging camera, you can check the temperature of the asphalt mix as it is applied. “If the asphalt is not in the temperature range that you’re looking for or if you have segregation,” he says, “you’ll be able to make adjustments.” Vögele has integrated RoadScan and WITOS into all its pavers with ErgoPlus operating systems. That includes the company’s 8-foot Super 1700-3i and 10foot Super 2000-3i, as well as their wheeled cousins, the 1703-3i and 2003-3i. The ErgoPlus 3 operating system on these pavers is designed to make them easier to operate, with a touchscreen and easy access functions. The Vögele pavers can also perform three-dimensional paving, a practice Holland expects to grow in North America. The company’s Navitronic Plus provides control of grade and slope, screed position and paver direction.
conveyor, leads to longer life and greater efficiency, Colwell says. Also new, Carlson replaced all the operator controls with toggle switches to give a more intuitive feel and increase operator visibility of the augers and conveyor. The new CP75 retains its Deutz 74-horsepower Tier 4 Final engine, which does not require diesel exhaust fluid. The 17,000-pound paver also features the company’s EZC815 electrically heated screed, which has a standard paving width of 8 to 15 feet. Mauldin 1860
Carlson CP75 II
Carlson Paving CP75 II Carlson Paving says its upgraded CP75 II eliminates the need for daily cleaning under the hopper. The paver does this with a new high-flow material conveyor and frame design that does not require hydraulically lifting hoppers. Instead of daily cleaning, the operator need only do an undercarriage inspection every 500 hours to make sure there’s no buildup, says Carlson marketing and communications coordinator Travis Colwell. “Eliminating daily cleanout is a huge feature for customers,” says Colwell. “After working eight to 10 hours a day, that is the one thing you don’t want to do.” Along with less cleanup, the system, which pairs belt technology with a heavy-duty chain and slat
Mauldin 1860 Mauldin recently introduced its largest paver, the 1860. It replaces the company’s former largest paver, the 1750-C. One of the big differences between the two models is the 1860’s larger hopper. It can handle 9.5 tons of material versus the 1750’s 7.5 tons. Geared toward commercial applications, the larger hopper means paving more between loads, says Brandon Granger, Mauldin marketing specialist. Mauldin also replaced the center console gauge display, moving all controls to the two individual operator stands. Each operator stand has a 5-inch display screen. The tracks have been upgraded from 12- to 14-inch track pads for better traction. The 1860 is powered by a 110-horsepower Cummins engine, in comparison to the 1750’s 99-horsepower Tier 3 engine. One thing the 1860 maintains is the company’s Silver 16 Screed, which Mauldin says is the heaviest in its class at 4,500 pounds. The heavy weight means it can pack more material to a higher density, Granger says. “That’s going to lead to less rolling time and better compaction right out from the screed,” he says. “This is a lot more efficient for the operator, less people working on the job, less rolling time.” EquipmentWorld.com | May 2019 49
road works
| continued BOMAG BF 300 C-2
BOMAG BF 300 Series The new 6-foot pavers in BOMAG’s BF 300 Series – the tracked BF 300 C-2 and wheeled BF 300 P-2 – are designed with features commonly found on larger pavers, the company says. Those features include hydraulically variable paving widths, from 5.6 to 11.2 feet. Paving width can be further extended with screed extensions for max width of 16.4 feet. BOMAG says the screeds’ quick coupler wedge-and-socket system allows for fast extension. And if you have a tighter paving job, the company offers reduction skids that can pave as narrow as 2.3 feet. The screed features BOMAG’s MagmaLife, which heats to paving temperatures within 20 minutes and uniformly distributes heat to the screed bottom for mat quality. Operators can shift the operator’s console left and right and swivel the seat up to a 23.6-inch overhang for a better view of the paver’s hopper, side and screed. The console’s switches have been placed for a more intuitive feel to help new operators learn to operate the machine, the company says. The tracked BF 300 C-2 model has a 10-ton hopper capacity. A hydraulically folding front gate and hopper wings that can be controlled individually clear asphalt from the hopper. It runs on a 74-horsepower Tier 4 Final diesel engine that requires no diesel particulate filter or diesel exhaust fluid. The machine’s Ecomode can reduce fuel consumption by 20 percent, according to BOMAG. 50 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Cat AP1055F
Cat F-Series Cat designed its F-Series pavers for fuel economy, with all of the series’ pavers coming standard with Eco-mode. When pairing Eco-mode with automatic engine speed, engine rpms are automatically managed for better fuel efficiency, less noise and smoother operation, the company says. It also adjusts rpms when the engine reaches a high threshold or needs additional cooling. The screeds for the F-Series can reach paving temperature within 15 minutes, more than half the time of preceding models. The screed heating system is directly connected to the paver engine and requires only 1,300 rpms. The operator can adjust the screeds on the F-Series pavers from the cab. Cat Grade Control is available for operation from the tractor console, as well. The pavers also feature an auto-fill feeder system that operates with the flip of a switch instead of four switches. When it’s time to clean the paver, the operator can switch to warm-up/cleanout mode, which runs the feeder at a lower speed. It also automatically lifts the auger for transport. Cat added a color touchscreen display that is easier to use and gives access to advanced features that go beyond the most common functions, which are still operated by switches. Cat designed the tracked models to match the speed of wheeled pavers. The Mobil-Trac System uses oscillating bogies and a rubber belt instead of steel tracks. For wheeled models, Cat offers a six-wheel drive option for better traction and 200 percent more front pull force over previous wheeled modes, the company says.
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road works
| continued Weiler P385B
Weiler P385B Weiler’s P385B commercial paver is designed to be versatile, handling such jobs as parking lots, driveways and city streets. The 8-foot front-mount screed is heated electrically and has thermostat control. The screed hydraulically extends to 15.8 feet. The paver can be integrated with automatic grade and slope systems and can conduct variable width paving from 0 to 8 feet, depending on the configuration. With an optional handheld remote control, the screed can be controlled at ground level for tow-point height, extension width and auger override. Weiler also added some features to make operation easier. The two identical operator consoles can be configured three different ways – for a better hopper view, better auger chamber view or better screed view – depending on the job demands. A three-speed gearbox, multiple rpm settings and engine auto de-idle increase efficiency and reduce noise, according to Weiler. Weiler’s Intelligent Steering automatically adjusts the steering wheel for better control at travel speed and in tight spaces. The walkways can also be folded for working in tight areas. The 9-ton hopper has a rounded design for easier cleanout. The paver is powered by a 100-horsepower Cat 3.4B Tier 4 Final engine. The 34-gallon tank provides for a full day of paving without refueling, Weiler says. The 90-inch-long tracks have automatic tensioning and 68 inches of ground contact. 52 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Volvo P7170B
Volvo P7170B Volvo’s P7170B Wheeled Paver is powered by an 8-liter Volvo D8J engine that can run 12 hours continuously without refueling. The Tier 4 Final engine with passive regeneration also improves fuel efficiency by 5 percent over previous models, the company says. For operators, the paver delivers 360-degree visibility, thanks to seats that can be extended beyond the paver’s edge and rotated. Operators get an unobstruct-
ed view of the auger tunnel and hopper. The operator station’s controls allow the paver to be operated from the left or right side, and the consoles rotate and tilt to align with the adjustable seat. The paver also protects the operator from fumes from the auger tunnel area with its SmokEater system. For paving quality, hydraulic tunnels can be extended to 42 inches to ensure an even head of material in front of the screed. The paver’s basic paving width is 10 feet and has a max paving width of 26 feet. The company offers front- and rear-mounted screed extension options that can be attached and removed in minutes with a quick coupling system. Four ultrasonic sensors come standard to match material flow and screed speed. Purchase of the wheeled paver comes with a free one-year subscription to Volvo’s telematics system, ActiveCare Direct, and a lifetime frame and structure warranty.
For safety, Roadtec added emergency shutoff switches at ground level on both screed boxes and on the operator stations. Roadtec’s Guardian Telematics System allows realtime viewing of the paver’s operations on the machine and remotely by computer. That includes grade and slope, hydraulics, GPS location, machine codes and screed operations. The system comes standard with the pavers, and the license is automatically updated when new versions are released. LeeBoy 8520
Roadtec RP-195e
Roadtec RP-190/195 The 10-foot wheeled RP-190e and tracked RP-195e asphalt pavers from Roadtec feature dual operator stations that can move out over the sides of the machine for better visibility, and the seats are fully adjustable. Roadtec also added a standard fume-extraction system to protect operators. The system uses two fans to draw fumes through vents at the front of the engine hood, keeping a high flow of air moving over the hopper and away from the operator. The pavers feature a variable speed radiator fan that reduces operating noise. The fan is controlled hydraulically and can be adjusted to the load. Sauer Danfoss Series 90 hydraulic pumps keep the hydraulic circuit running cool. Each conveyor on the pavers can be operated independently to adjust material delivery to each side of the paver. The conveyors also have a 13-inch-high opening and replaceable liners that resist wear. The conveyors are designed for easy cleanout with hinged, dual apron plates.
LeeBoy 8520 LeeBoy’s 8520 paver runs on a 106-horsepower Tier 4 Final Kubota turbocharged diesel engine and has a hopper capacity of 9 tons. The paver features an “ultra-efficient material management system” for consistent flow from the truck to the screed, the company says. The dual 36-inch conveyors are wide and slow-moving to prevent segregation, and each conveyor, as well as the under auger cutoffs, are independent. The 3,260-pound free-floating screed is electrically heated and has two hydraulic extensions. Paving width can be adjusted up to 15 feet. Two 12-inch hydraulic augers can be operated manually or automatically. LeeBoy offers high-deck or low-deck configurations for the operator station. The operator station also features Plus One dual electronic steering controls. The control panel can be shifted to the left or right side. Additional standard equipment includes a backup alarm, rotating safety beacon, LED work lights, vandalism protection covers and a gauge package that consists of oil pressure, hour meter, fuel gauge, volt meter, water temperature, tachometer, hydraulic-oil temperature, hydraulic level warning and engine diagnostics. Remote screed control is available as an option, as is screed extension vibration and automatic screed temperature control. EquipmentWorld.com | May 2019 53
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| by Tom Jackson |
TJackson@randallreilly.com
Fatal decision
T
he company had a good safety program, but a split-second impulse negated all that. The job was to install a geotextile mat in a swale that was about 100 yards long and 40 yards wide. The swale had been dug with 45-degree banks about 10 feet high running on both sides. The final bit of earthmoving was to dig two shallow trench terraces on top of the banks 2 feet from the edge. Afterward the geotextile would be draped over the trenches and dirt backfilled to hold it in place. To get close to the top edge of the bank, the victim positioned the backhoe at an angle to the length of the bank with the right rear tire on the edge. The backhoe’s stabilizers were lowered, but the machine was so close to the edge that the right-side stabilizer came to rest on a sloped part of the bank. The victim cut the first few feet of the trench at the top and was Date of safety talk: Attending:
55 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
attempting to move the backhoe forward but hit a large, flat rock with the front left tire. This shook the steering column. The victim, in an attempt to get control of it, turned his seat half way between the rear and front operating positions. In doing so, he accidently hit the transmission lever and threw the machine into reverse. The right rear wheel dropped down the bank, tilting the machine hard to the right. Fearing a violent rollover, the victim took off his seat belt and attempted to jump out of the cab to the high side, but somehow ended up below the machine. Sprawled on the dirt, he was run over by the rear wheel, the front wheel and then the front bucket. The backhoe, however, never rolled over and came to rest at the bottom of the swale. Rescue personnel were called, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene from blunt trauma injuries.
Leader:
How this accident could have been prevented: • Train employees to stay in the cab with the seat belt fastened during a rollover. There is a reason they call it a ROPS – a rollover protective system. • Never position the wheels or tracks of a machine on the edge of a slope or at an angle near the edge of a slope. Even if you don’t accidently go into reverse and back down the slope, the dirt at the top may give way and cause the machine to tumble. • Use the right machine for the job. In this case, an excavator with an offset boom could have easily dug the trench while keeping the tracks parallel to and at a safe distance from the edge of the bank. For more information on this accident see: http://bit.ly/NIOSHroll
_____________________
Illustration by Don Lomax
safety watch
alerta de seguridad
| por Tom Jackson |
TJackson@randallreilly.com
Una decision fatal
Fecha de la charla de seguridad: Asistentes:
Illustration por Don Lomax
L
a compañía tenía un buen programa de seguridad, pero un impulso de último minuto echó todo por la borda. La tarea consistía en instalar una cubierta geotextil en una superficie húmeda de terreno bastante grande, de unas 100 yardas (92 m. aprox.) de largo por 40 yardas (36 m. aprox.) de ancho. Al terreno se le habían cavado pendientes de 45 grados de unos 10 pies (3 m.) de alto a ambos extremos. Para terminar las labores de movimiento de tierra tenían que excavarse dos zanjas no muy profundas en la parte alta de las pendientes, a dos pies del borde. Luego, la cubierta geotextil cubriría las zanjas y se le taparía con tierra para que se mantenga en su lugar. Para acercarse al borde en lo alto de la pendiente, la víctima tuvo que colocar la retroexcavadora en ángulo a lo largo de la ladera, con la llanta trasera de la derecha sobre el borde de la pendiente. Los estabilizadores de la retroexcavadora habían sido descendidos, pero la máquina estaba tan cerca de la orilla que el estabilizador del lado derecho estaba apoyado sobre la parte inclinada de la ladera. La víctima cavó los primeros pies de la zanja en la parte alta y estaba tratando de mover la retroexcavadora hacia adelante cuando chocó contra una piedra grande y plana con la llanta delantera izquierda. Esto sacudió la columna de la dirección y, en su intento por mantener el control, la víctima volteó su asiento a medio camino entre las posiciones traseras y delanteras de operación. Al hacerlo, accidentalmente golpeó la palanca de cambios de la transmisión y colocó la máquina en reversa. The right rear wheel dropped down the bank, tilting the machine hard to the right. Fearing a violent rollover, the victim took off his seat belt and attempted to jump out of the cab to the high side, but somehow ended up below the machine. Sprawled on the dirt, he was run over by the rear wheel, the front wheel and then the front bucket. The backhoe, however, never did roll over and came to rest at the bottom of the swale. Rescue personnel were called, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene from blunt trauma injuries. La rueda trasera de la derecha bajó por la pendiente, inclinando la máquina fuertemente al lado derecho. Temiendo una súbita volcadura, la víctima se quitó el cinturón de seguridad e intentó saltar de la cabina hacia la parte alta, aunque terminó debajo de la máquina. En el suelo fue arrollado por la rueda trasera, la rueda
delantera y, luego, por la pala frontal. La retroexcavadora, sin embargo, no se volcó y avanzó hasta detenerse en el fondo de la parte húmeda del terreno. Se llamó al personal de rescate que pronunció, ahí mismo, la muerte de la víctima debido a lesiones traumáticas causadas por impacto.
Cómo pudo haberse prevenido este accidente • Capacite a los empleados para que se queden en la cabina con el cinturón abrochado durante una volcadura. Por algo al sistema de la cabina se le llama ROPS: son las siglas en inglés de “sistema de protección en caso de volcadura”. • Nunca coloque las ruedas o las orugas de una máquina sobre el borde de una pendiente o en ángulo cercano al borde de una pendiente. Aunque no retroceda accidentalmente y baje por la pendiente, la tierra en la parte superior de la pendiente podría ceder y tumbar la máquina. • Use una maquinaria adecuada para cada tarea. En este caso, una excavadora con un brazo extensor pudo fácilmente haber cavado la zanja manteniendo una trayectoria paralela y a una distancia segura del borde de la ladera. Para más información sobre este accidente visite: http://bit.ly/NIOSHroll
Líder: EquipmentWorld.com | May 2019 56
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technology
Stanley developing Xbox-like remote control for compact excavators
H
oping to give compact excavator operators more flexibility when facing challenging work conditions, toolmaker Stanley has announced a retrofit kit for compact excavators that enables remote operation with a controller similar to those used in video games. Developed by Stanley’s Infrastructure Team, the ROC, or Remote Operated Control, System can be installed on excavators under 10 tons in roughly five hours by someone with little to no mechanical experience, the company says. The system allows operators to easily switch between traditional manned control and remote-control modes. “Through research of compact equipment, we discovered oc-
casions where operators found themselves in situations with low visibility or working on unstable ground, and we wanted to give them a better solution than sitting in the cab,” says Harry Zhong, lead engineer on Stanley’s Infrastructure Innovation team. Once operators find themselves in a position where remote control might make work easier or safer, they can operate the excavator with a long-range controller. The controller, developed in partnership with Humanistic Robotics Network, resembles the design of Microsoft’s iconic Xbox controller. ROC will be able to retrofit Bobcat, Caterpillar, Kubota and John Deere compact excavators. Planned
| staff report
for a 2020 release, the ROC system is still in development and is undergoing beta testing in the field. Stanley says its trials have revealed the following benefits of the system: • Visibility – With operators running the excavator outside of the cab, they can get a broader view around the equipment and attachment, as well more accurate depth perception for digging and breaking activities. • Safety – Removing operators from the cab will also remove them from harm’s way on dangerous jobsites, including demolition, steep banks, unstable ground and sites with toxic materials. • Productivity – Freedom from the cab allows operators to act as their own spotter, freeing up labor for additional tasks. • Worker recruitment – With many young people identifying as video game players, adopting a remote system will attract new labor to the construction market, putting them at controls they are already familiar with and reducing the learning curve. Stanley is also recruiting more contractors for its beta testing through Fall 2019. If you’re interested in taking part, go to: www. infrastructure-innovation.com/roc/ index.html. –Wayne Grayson
Hitachi intros grade guidance for excavators
H
itachi has introduced a new machine control system for excavators developed with Topcon. Hitachi Grade Guidance offers fingertip control and real-time distanceto-grade indication on everything from trenching and shaping ditches to slopes and digging foundations. The 3D system is outfitted with GNSS and displays position and elevation with respect to a global reference. A 2D system is available with an optional laser receiver to display the elevation of the cutting edge in relation to a reference
plane. All system data can be sent to Hitachi’s ZXLink telematics for machine health monitoring. Grade Guidance is installed and calibrated at the factory and sup-
ported by Hitachi’s dealer network. Hitachi also offers an open architecture option that includes sensor mounting brackets to enable installation of a Trimble, Topcon or Leica aftermarket kit. Because the system is fully integrated into the machine’s cab and structures, all the wiring and sensors are shielded from damage. The system is available on ZX2106, ZX210LC-6 and ZX350LC-6 excavators. The option will be offered on additional Dash-6 models in the future. –Wayne Grayson EquipmentWorld.com | May 2019 59
technology |
continued
Deere offers new simulators for multiple machines
J
ohn Deere has introduced a new line of operator training simulators that can be outfitted for several types of equipment. The new simulators combine interchangeable joysticks and foot pedals with realistic 3D software for backhoes, crawler dozers, excavators, wheel loaders, and joystick-controlled and fingertip-controlled motor graders. The software creates highly detailed environments that lead operators through advanced duties and multiple tasks. Jon Goodney, Deere Construction & Forestry manager of learning technology, says the simulators not only teach operators the basic control functions of each machine, but help improve hand-eye coordination, technique and safety. Deere says the simulators feature a performance function to measure student progress, and the simulators can be coupled with free online training available through John Deere University. Deere says the new backhoe, excavator, and motor grader simulators will be available this spring, while the crawler dozer and wheel loader will be available for purchase this summer. –Wayne Grayson
Topcon upgrades 3D MC Max for 4-way dozer blades
M
ast-free GPS machines are taking over the machine control world, and Topcon has been at the forefront of this design revolution. Now the company has announced an upgrade to its flagship 3D dozer machine control system, the 3D MC Max. Topcon’s original 3D MC Max system was introduced in 2016 with support for six-way dozer blades. The upgraded Topcon 3D MC Max system has been designed to support the four-way pusher class of dozers from multiple manufacturers. The update also includes an optional third inertial measurement unit (IMU) that enables pitch-controlled blade systems support. The optional third IMU is designed to improve performance when moving material on jobsites with large inclines. And if you already have the older version of Topcon’s 3D MC Max installed, you can upgrade it with the third IMU option configured. –Tom Jackson 60 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
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equipmentworld.com | May 2019
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EquipmentWorld.com | May 2019 65
final word | by Tom Jackson
TJackson@randallreilly.com
Notre Dame, vocational education and the long game
A
mid all the reporting about the Notre Dame fire in the press, one fact is particularly disturbing. According to The Wall Street Journal, the fire was caused by – get this – deferred maintenance. An excerpt: In 2013, the cathedral hired Didier Dupuy and his son to scale the building and install lightning rods at different points, including its central spire. Gaping holes and cracks they discovered in the lead roofing shocked them. Just below was a dry and dusty space of timber beams, known as “the forest,” that had supported Notre Dame’s roof for centuries. The cause of this neglect? France passed a law in 1905 making all churches state property. Ever since, to no one’s surprise, funding for maintenance and upkeep has been constrained. In our country, the same government ownership, funding shortfalls and short-sighted thinking have led to our infrastructure crisis. In both cases politicians deserve some of the blame, but so does the public. Today most people can’t project a thought beyond a sound bite, bumper sticker or social media post. The public fights like hell against gas tax increases and then howls about potholes and traffic jams. Cities let development run wild only to wake up a few years later wondering where all the traffic came from. Almost nobody can see the long game anymore. Most of the great cathedrals in Europe were commissioned by kings who would not be alive to see the finished project. Notre Dame took 200 years to build. The Cologne Cathedral in Germany took 632 years. Even though life was short back then, or perhaps because life was short back then, everybody under-
66 May 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
stood the long game. Today, you’re more likely to get a long-term perspective from a construction worker than a politician, professor, television commentator or tech entrepreneur – the kings of our current world. When the high schools in this country gutted most of their vocational programs, they did more than deprive blue-collar students the skills they needed to succeed. They deprived the college-bound students – the future leadership of this country – the handson experiences they needed to understand the requirements and challenges of constructing and maintaining our built environments. Short-term thinking dominates in this culture because there is no penalty for changing your mind about the theories and abstract concepts they teach at universities – not the kind of penalty, say of pouring a 40,000-square-foot concrete slab only to discover it’s in the wrong place. So Notre Dame burns over the course of one night and the world mourns. But what the general public doesn’t see is that the rest of our built environment – at least that part governed by people who’ve never done a day of manual labor in their lives – is decaying, too, albeit at a slower rate, a rate that people who work in construction understand but our leadership does not. William Buckley Jr. once said the first 100 people in the Boston phone book could probably do a better job of running the country than Congress. I’d wager the first 100 fleet managers signed up for the next Association of Equipment Management Professionals conference would do even better. At least they’d know something about deferred maintenance.
Your local Mack® dealer is always there for your business. When you partner with Mack, you’re family. Our dealers take the time to get to know you and your business. They’re dedicated to your success and are there to help year after year. With a local dealer in your community, there’s always someone nearby to keep your business running strong. Find a Mack dealer near you at MackTrucks.com/Local.
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