equipmentworld.com | January 2019
®
24
P. THE UNIVERSAL
SKID STEER
Doing it all with speed and efficiency
2018 YEAR IN REVIEW:
17
Top News and Newsmakers............ P.
ELEVATE
[ YOUR ] CONTROL
AND YOUR COMFORT. L-Series Wheel Loaders provide control like never before, with exclusive features such as programmable multifunction buttons, controls for up to a sixth hydraulic function in a single joystick, and bucket vibrate for precise material dumping. And with ample legroom, automatic temperature control, and an available heated, ventilated seat, your operators will be as comfortable as they are in control.
JohnDeere.com/Elevate
Vol. 31 Number 1 |
Cover Story
table of contents | January 2019
MACHINE MATTERS:
THE SKID GROWS UP Staying relevant with lower costs, versatility and speed
P. Equipment 13
Marketplace
New heavy equipment from Cat and ASV. Case upgrades backhoes. Product launches from Milwaukee Tool, Wanco, Road Dryer.
24
35 Maintenance
55 Earthmoving Attachments
A look at what you’re doing wrong with lubes, coolants and greases and how to fix it.
9 equipment add-ons for grading, digging, grabbing, compacting, sloping.
EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019
3
table of contents | continued
Features
®
17 Year in Review
equipmentworld.com facebook.com/EquipmentWorld twitter.com/Equipment_World
40 Road Works
Editorial Director: Marcia Gruver Doyle Executive Editor: Tom Jackson Online Editor: Wayne Grayson Senior Editor: Joy Powell Managing Editor: Don McLoud Contributing Writer: Richard Ries editorial@equipmentworld.com
2018 brought good news and bad for equipment buyers, with hefty tax breaks for equipment purchases, yet longer delivery times due to higher demand. Check out our quick overview and timeline of last year’s construction industry highlights. Contractors, state agencies save time, money with nonwoven geotextile fabrics in concrete overlays.
47 Contractor of the Year Finalist
Dan and Marsha Steffey, Steffey Excavating, Peoria, Arizona
Media Sales Geoffrey Love: gdlove@randallreilly.com Pete Austin: paustin@randallreilly.com Drew Ingram: drewingram@randallreilly.com Patsy Adams: padams@randallreilly.com Jordan Arsenault: jordanarsenault@randallreilly.com Art Director: Tony Brock Advertising Production Manager: Leah Boyd production@equipmentworld.com
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On Record Meet our 2019 Contractor of the Year finalists Reporter bauma is booming: 2019 show gets bigger, adds virtual reality. Quick Data Telehandlers Product Report Trimble conference: Loadrite SmartScale for
Hitachi, new ZW130 loader unveiled.
Cat eRoutes: Track and coordinate asphalt paving 52 Technology trucks, plants, pavers.
59 Safety Watch Unseen, unheard 66 Final Word Robotics and the technician of the future For subscription information/inquiries, please email equipmentworld@omeda.com. Equipment World (ISSN 1057-7262) is published monthly by Randall-Reilly, LLC, 3200 Rice Mine Road N.E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35406. Periodicals Postage-Paid at Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: SEND ALL UAA TO CFS (SEE DMM 507.1.5.2). Non-postal and military facilities: send address corrections to Equipment World, P.O. Box 2029, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403 or email at equipmentworld@ omeda.com. Rates for non-qualified subscriptions (pre-paid US currency only): US & possessions, $48 1–year, $84 2–year; Canada/Mexico, $78 1–year, $147 2–year; Foreign, $86 1–year, $154 2–year. Single copies are available for $6 US, $9 Canada/Mexico and $12 foreign. The advertiser and/or advertising agency will defend, indemnify and hold Randall-Reilly, LLC harmless from and against any loss, expenses or other liability resulting from any claims or suits for libel violations of right of privacy or publicity, plagiarisms, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or suits that arise out of publication of such advertisement. Copyright ©2018 Randall-Reilly, LLC, all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Equipment World is a trademark of Randall-Reilly, LLC. Randall-Reilly, LLC neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee regarding the quality of goods and services advertised herein.
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January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Chairman Emeritus: Mike Reilly President and CEO: Brent Reilly Chief Operations Officer: Shane Elmore Chief Financial Officer: Kim Fieldbinder Senior Vice President, Sales: Scott Miller Senior Vice President, Editorial and Research: Linda Longton Senior Vice President, Audience Data: Prescott Shibles Vice President, Events: Stacy McCants Vice President, Digital Services: Nick Reid Vice President, Marketing: Julie Arsenault Vice President, Business Analyst: Joe Donald Director of Media Sales: Seth Becker Vice President, Strategic Accounts: Michael Newman For change of address and other subscription inquiries, please contact: equipmentworld@halldata.com Editorial Awards: 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
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on record | by Marcia Gruver Doyle MGruver@randallreilly.com
Meet our 2019 Contractor of the Year finalists
N
ow in its 19th year, Equipment World’s Contractor of the Year program is designed to recognize contractors for their business acumen, equipment management expertise, attention to safety and community involvement. Here are our 2019 finalists, along with some of the comments our editors heard that put them over the top:
Todd Eichholtz and Bob Olson A & A Paving Contractors, Roselle, Illinois “They are head and shoulders above any other paving company their size. You see their trucks and they’re almost waxed. It’s going to be good to watch them grow and get bigger.” Jason, Jami, Tyler and Mike Jackson Deming Excavating, Deming, New Mexico “They do outstanding work. They have a great attitude about getting things done when they need to be done and doing whatever is necessary to keep a completion date.” John Kovacs Diamond Construction, Brick, New Jersey “I don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and call John when I run into an issue that I’m not even sure how to solve. The quality of their finished product is amazing.” Dean and Craig Evans Evan’s Construction, Greentown, Ohio “They do a knockout job. We went through three contractors before we finally got to Evans. We haven’t had any problems since.” James K. (Ken) and Kellie Cooley K-Co Enterprises, Piedmont, South Carolina “When they work for us, we get a lot of compliments on how well they performed their work – the quality, professionalism and willingness to help solve problems, and their ingenuity.”
Rita Lawrence L & L Asphalt, Phoenix, Arizona “L & L isn’t just interested in getting your business. They are always there to help value engineer options, and provide their expertise and experience.” Don Logan Logan Excavating, Rock Spring, Georgia “When we give them a schedule, they exceed it. They don’t mess around when they get on site. They get the work done.” Richard Milaeger, Tracy Greenfield and Marty Van Els Municipal Well & Pump, Waupin, Wisconsin “Municipal goes out of their way to share their expertise with clients, even if they recognize they may not get the work. They have an impeccable record with us.” Joseph Shrock Shrock Premier Custom Construction, Loudonville, Ohio “I can’t say enough positive things about them. Joseph loves his job, and his company just keeps expanding. Wherever he goes, he seems to make it work.” Robert and Joyce Oliver Total Asphalt Paving, Washington, Michigan “Through the lean times and the boom times, they have maintained their high quality. A lot of people know them for the quality of their workmanship and the type of jobs they produce.” Jodee and Greg Huylar Tri-Valley Construction, Yakima, Washington “They could teach other contractors about how to maintain their equipment and have a solid safety program.” Jim Davis, Jim Davis Sr. and Terry Davis Whirl Construction, Port Monmouth, New Jersey “They go above and beyond what is necessary to deliver great service and a quality product. Their employees exemplify honesty, trustworthiness and dedication.” EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 7
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reporter
| staff report
The REALLY big show: 2019 bauma now 2.5 times the size of ConExpo
S
lated for April 8-14 in Munich, Germany, the massive bauma show continues to grow. Its square footage is now more than 2.5 times that of ConExpo-Con/Agg 2017, according to show organizers. More than 3,500 exhibitors from 60 countries will be at the show, and 600,000 visitors are expected. To accommodate the growth, two new halls, which cover 215,278 square feet (20,000 square meters) of exhibit space, have been added. “The industry is booming, which is reflected in the growth of bauma,” says Klaus Dittrich, chairman and
CEO for Messee München. “We’ve taken account of the rise in demand and expanded our site in eastern Munich to 614,000 square meters (6.6 million square feet). Our aim is to offer a platform to as many exhibitors as possible.” Expanded to 18 halls, the exhibition boasts 2.1 million square feet of indoor exhibit space and an additional 4.5 million square feet of outdoor space. The large-sector construction machines and attachments were expanded to five halls, and an outdoor area was added beside the hall complex. Mining will continue to play a significant role in the EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019
9
reporter |
continued
show: 20 percent of the exhibitors offer mining equipment, and 24 percent of the visitors at the last show were from that sector. “We included mining equipment 15 years ago because many manufacturers produce machines for both the construction side as well as the mining side,” Dittrich says. New for 2019 is underground mining. “Why do 600,000 people flock to the trade fair grounds in Munich within seven days?” asks Dittrich. “I think one important reason is that bauma shows the full dimension of the construction machinery industry, starting with everything you need at the construction site; all machines you need for mining, raw material extraction, and processing; construction material manufacturing; and all of the suppliers and services. It’s really the place to be to see the latest innovations in the industry. At bauma, you can see the construction machinery market of the future.” To highlight the introduction of new equipment, the show sponsors the bauma Innovation Awards. The five award categories are machinery; compounds and digital systems; construction work, construction method and construction process; science and research; and design. Nominees will be announced this month, and awards will be presented April 7 as part of the opening ceremony. The show also has a new digital platform for exhibitors. For the first time, visitors to Hall B0 can experience virtual and augmented reality. A combination of images, sound and sensor feedback such as wind will make that possible. “The booths have size limits, but the digital area is limitless,” says project manager Mareile Kastner. In addition to the VR hall, many exhibits throughout the show will include a virtual-reality perspective on machine maintenance. To accommodate the VR space, the “THINK BIG!” exhibit that showcases career opportunities for students has been moved to the International Congress Center Munich (ICM), neighboring the VR exhibit at the west entrance to the trade show. The hall includes simulators, video games and live presentations to attract students. Dittrich estimates that between 15,000 and 20,000 students visited the show in 2016. “In Germany, we are running out of young talent,” says Joachim Schmid, managing director of the German engineering trade association VDMA. “We have a whole hall to present the young people with the fascination of our industry.” He adds that the show works with local schools to attract student attendance, but the exhibit also benefits from word-of-mouth and social media promotion. –Therese Dunphy 10 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Briefs Posting a 54 percent jump in fourth-quarter earnings over 4Q 2017, Deere & Company predicts strong equipment demand and order backlogs through mid-2019. Deere also posted a 26 percent rise in net sales and revenues for the full year. Caterpillar dealer machine retail sales to end users for all segments in North America were up 21 percent in October. Worldwide, Cat dealers saw an increase of 18 percent for the month. In other Cat dealer news, Toromont Industries based in Ontario, Canada, reported a revenue jump of 54 percent in the third quarter and 66 percent year-to-date. Vermeer has acquired Florida-based Vac-Tron Equipment, makers of vacuum excavation products for underground utility applications. Vac-Tron will be integrated into the McLaughlin Group, a South Carolina-based drill tooling and vacuum excavation company Vermeer bought in 2017. The combined companies will operate under the group name Vermeer MV Solutions. Hoffman Equipment of Piscataway, New Jersey, has acquired Penn-Jersey Machinery’s assets and will offer Volvo Construction Equipment in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Hoffman is assuming Penn-Jersey’s three locations, in Deptford and Middlesex, New Jersey, and Lionville, Pennsylvania, adding to Hoffman’s existing locations in New Jersey and New York. The American Rental Association’s latest five-year forecast says North American rental revenues will exceed $71.7 billion in 2022, with the United States accounting for $65.4 billion of that amount. The large construction/industrial segment will see growth rates of 5.6 percent in 2019, 5.3 percent in 2020, 4.4 percent in 2021 and 4 percent in 2022. Michelin and Goodyear have raised prices on commercial tires. On December 1, Michelin increased prices 8 percent in the United States for all commercial brands, products and services. Goodyear raised prices December 1 by about 4 percent on all of its brands of commercial tires in the United States.
For more on each of these stories go to equipmentworld.com.
Saw it work. Had to have it.
Precision grading to
of spec
Josh Hucke Owner, Hucke Construction, Bartlett, KS
“ One of the best tools I’ve ever had. ” Josh Hucke loves moving dirt. When he saw a Level Best Precision™ Grading Box prepping for a large concrete pad pour, Josh was duly impressed . . .
“It was so quick and maneuverable, and when I heard how precise it is, I just had to have one. It’s simple to learn, easy to use, and it fits the equipment I already have. Now I can even put an inexperienced operator on it and know the job is being done right. My Level Best is one of the best tools I’ve ever had.” See Josh at Level-Best.com
Lower costs, better bids, more jobs. For about half the cost of a new pickup truck you can grade with unrivaled precision and get a significant competitive edge on nearly every job you bid. Here’s how.
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% CONCRETE OVERAGE INCLUDED WITH EVERY BID 10 % 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 STANDARD 1 10% material 0
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BIG MACHINE. BIG POWER. CHANGE THE WAY WORK GETS DONE WITH THE TIER 4 FINAL SV340. With a rated operating capacity of 3,400 lb. and bucket breakout force of 9,531 lb., the SV340 is a productivity monster. The SV340 runs virtually all attachments with better handling and performance thanks to superior high-flow auxiliary options. Add to that a host of other features including a stronger lift arm, H-link, and upper chassis, and you have one mean machine that will perform like a pro on your construction site.
Learn more at CaseCE.com/SV340
Š2019 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. CASE is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.
marketplace
| by Don McLoud |
DonMcLoud@randallreilly.com
’S R O T EDI ICK P
MORE POWER, LESS FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR NEXT GEN EXCAVATOR Cat’s next generation 30-ton excavator, the 330, can lift 10 percent more than the 330F and up to 15 percent more than the 330D2, and it has a 5 percent increase in swing torque. With a 275-horsepower Cat 7.1 engine, it consumes 20 percent less fuel than the 330F and 15 percent less than the 33D2. Cat’s Grade with 2D comes standard, with Advanced 2D or 3D grading as options. It also comes with Cat Payload, which helps prevent over- and under-loading of trucks. All of the three cab options come standard with keyless push-button start, a large touchscreen monitor with jog dial keys, and a sound-suppressed, rollover protective structure.
Smallest CTL gets turbocharged ASV has introduced the RT-25 compact track loader to replace its RT-30 in the United States. As ASV’s smallest track loaders, both CTLs have similar dimensions, as well as being the smallest ride-in CTLs on the market. ASV says it upgraded the RT-25 over the RT-30, which will still be available in Canada, with a turbocharged engine for better performance at higher elevations. Other upgrades include a displacement drive motor for improved tractive effort; faster, easier access to daily service checkpoints; and longer oil change interval of 500 hours. EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 13
marketplace
| continued
Brighter lighting with less space
Boosting dig, lift power
Case Construction Equipment has upgraded its N Series backhoes with such features as PowerBoost, which gives a quick punch of hydraulic digging power at the touch of a button. Case also added the PowerLift function, which delivers a similar boost in lifting power. All N Series Extendahoe models now come standard with a factory-installed hydraulic thumb. Inside the cab, operators will find an improved air-ride seat with more cushioning. A new heated, air suspension seat is optional.
Wanco has designed its new WALi Compact light tower to take up less space, run longer and operate more safely. The company says the tower provides the brightest LED fixtures in its class. It also takes up less space on a jobsite, with 18 units fitting on a single truck. Wanco gave the tower a large fuel tank and made it safe for adjusting lights on the ground. A safety dual-pulley system lifts each tower section from the bottom creating a more reliable weight-balanced load, the company says. The tower is light enough to be moved around by one person.
Blow dryer for roads
Road Dryer’s RD-1200XT can dry asphalt and concrete pavement in one pass, allowing crews to begin applying surface treatments or striping sooner after inclement weather or wet paving conditions, the company says. The dryer comes truck-mounted, or it can be pulled behind a pickup truck. The unit blows hot air up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit directly onto the paved surface. It can be adjusted to widths of 8 to 12 feet. The company says the dryer won’t cause flying debris, and it is safe for traffic to travel in the adjacent lane while the dryer is operating.
Faster, harder-hitting cordless drilling
Milwaukee Tool says its new cordless M18 Fuel 1-3/4-inch Rotary Hammer represents the company’s fastest drilling and hardest hitting SDS Max rotary hammer, equaling the power of a 15-amp corded hammer of the same size. The hammer can chip a half-ton of material per charge, the company says. It also comes with One-Key that allows users to track the hammer’s location by mobile device in case it is missing. The app updates the drill’s records and location when any device with One-Key comes within 100 feet of the hammer. These product introductions are just a few of the many featured regularly on equipmentworld.com. 14 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
COME SEE US AT
Big or small, future-proof them all.
Jan 22-25, Las Vegas
Booth# C4816
Get the X-53x (full 3D) now or go with the X-52x (2D) excavating system and easily upgrade later. It’s the best available excavating technology on the market, and you can grow with it as your needs and demands change. No matter which system you start with you’re sure to get more out of all your excavating projects, now – and into the future. The Intersection of Infrastructure and Technology™
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Experience the Progress.
Visit us at:
World of Concrete 2019 January 22 – 25 Las Vegas, NV, Convention Center, Central Hall, Liebherr booth C6277
Liebherr Wheel Loaders L 526 - L 546 for industrial applications Waste applications demand a machine that is custom-engineered for the job, with wastespecific guarding to protect key components from debris. Our range of wheel loaders are powerful, offer smooth operation and can be configured with optional parallel linkage for industrial operations. And like the rest of our loaders, the Liebherr-Power-Efficiency (LPE) System adjusts the power to the job for fuel savings of up to 25 percent - so you handle more, faster. Find your dealer at liebherr.us/dealers-emt. Liebherr USA Co. Construction Equipment Division 4100 Chestnut Avenue Newport News, VA 23607 Phone: +1 757 245 5251 E-mail: Construction.USA@liebherr.com www.facebook.com/LiebherrConstruction www.liebherr.us
A
late-2017 tax cut created plenty of incentive to buy in 2018, yet good times have their own problems. Machinery demand outstripped supply last year, causing many manufacturers and component suppliers to scramble while contractors waited for delivery. As of October, construction unemployment was 3.6 percent, exacerbating an already large skilled-trades deficit. To refresh your memory of what happened in the construction equipment industry last year, read on.
2018 YEAR IN
REVIEW
(Note: In order to meet our print deadlines, our coverage was cut off in early December and will not reflect later stories.)
Equipment World staff report
r 2018
vembe .com | No
entworld
equipm
2018’s Top Newsmaker: Equipment demand
C
®
P.
21
ND: A M E D T N EQUIPME
REPORT: SPECIAL
T O H , T O HOT, H
ontractors and other construction equipment buyers responded to increased work and expanded tax breaks by ordering record numbers of new machines. Final tallies of equipment shipments are expected to be up 10 to 15 percent for the year. Contractors buying new and used construction equipment in 2018 and over the next five years will reap some hefty tax breaks: Section 179 and bonus depreciation now allow contractors to deduct 100 percent of the cost of new and used equipment in the first year they put the equipment into use. Another provision of the new tax law increased the maximum depreciation deduction on Section 179 property from $500,000 to $1 million and increased the cap on the equipment purchases from $2 million to $2.5 million.
30
: P. VENTORY BRIDGEesIN best e th ve ha Which stat rated bridges? and worst
Crane operators must be certified Long-awaited rules governing crane operations took effect in November, including a requirement that operators be certified on the type of crane they are running. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s final rule says crane operators must be certified or licensed on the equipment and receive ongoing training as necessary to operate new equipment. The rule applies to a range of equipment, including mobile cranes, tower cranes and articulating cranes, such as knuckle-boom cranes.
EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 17
2018 YEAR IN REVIEW
Fighting copycats, Cat changes trade dress
Following a nomenclature change that dropped the generation lettering system on models, Cat announced a new trade dress mark. The updated design, dubbed “Cat Modern Hex,” will replace the “Power Edge” trade dress, which displayed the “CAT” logo on a black background with a diagonal red bar. The Power Edge was introduced in 2006, but Cat says it saw a proliferation of competitors starting to use imitation designs.
2018 by the numbers
Demand up, OEM stock prices still take a beating The price of OEM stocks took a beating last year, down 16 percent on average, but that’s not necessarily bad news. In 2017, this same index was up an average of 35 percent thanks to a rebounding economy. So consider these prices the new normal. And keep in mind that at the depths of the Great Recession, March 30, 2009, Caterpillar stock was selling at $27.07 a share. OEM stock prices Company:
Caterpillar
Deere
157.04
$
135.67
$
Jan. 2017
$
Nov. 2018
$
14
158.01
$
154.88
$
2% %
Cummins
Loss
Loss
Kubota
177.06
$
151.06
$
14 Loss
%
Komatsu
98.60
$
85.48
$
13 Loss
36.36 27.06
$
January
• Volvo enters rigid hauler market • Kawasaki loaders change to Hitachi branding 18 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
48.59 33.06
%
26% Loss
2018 TIMELINE
Terex $
32% Loss
February
Donté P. Shannon heads AEMP The Association of Equipment Management Professionals named a new chief executive officer in September. Donté P. Shannon replaces retiring CEO Stan Orr, who steps down this month after 20 years at the helm of AEMP.
• Ritchie Bros. record-breaking $273 million Orlando auction • Cat gets $2.3 billion IRS penalty
Product intros of note: • In its first electric-drive dozer since the D7E introduced 10 years ago, Cat’s new D6 XE is the first high-drive dozer to use an electric drive. Cat says the XE version offers an 8 to 10 percent productivity improvement over the company’s new D6, claiming customers will see a payback on the extra cost in less than two years.
Medium-duty truck return
Chevrolet and International Truck are back in the medium-duty truck game with a lineup of trucks split between the two brands that were designed in partnership. At the Work Truck Show in March, Chevy unveiled the new Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD and 6500HD. In November, International unveiled its versions of these trucks.
• In August, John Deere unveiled the industry’s first mastfree SmartGrade GPS control for motor graders on its G-Series motor grader line. Deere replaced the mast-mounted receivers and exposed cables with two receivers on the top of the cab, inertial measurement units (IMUs) on the body of the machine and position sensing cylinders that control the blade.
Gas-tax votes up and down Californians decided in the November election to keep the state’s 12-cent gas-tax increase that was enacted in 2017 and raises an estimated $5.4 billion a year for road maintenance and other transportation programs. A campaign by conservative and anti-tax groups to abolish the gas-tax increase placed the repeal question on the ballot. Missourians, however, weren’t excited about paying more for gasoline. They voted down a 10-cent gastax increase that would have been phased in over four years.
Ford bets big on trucks
By 2020, the average showroom age of Ford’s vehicles will fall from 5.7 to 3.3 years, and trucks and SUVs will account for 86 percent of the automaker’s product mix, the company says. The company’s F-Series business is $41 billion, which Ford says makes the brand alone bigger than Coke or Nike.
March
• Florida International University bridge collapse • Liebherr announces U.S. headquarters expansion
• With a rated operating capacity of more than 2,000 pounds, the Toro Dingo TXL2000 compact utility loader uses exclusive telescoping arms to extend the machine’s reach and digging envelope. • For the first time in 25 years, Ram completely redesigned its 1500 pickup, showcasing an all-new chassis and suspension, along with an interior that emphasizes luxury. • The 1.9-ton 19-1 E-Tec compact excavator is JCB’s first electric model. Working all day on a single, six-hour charge from a standard domestic electric supply, the machine is powered by a 48-volt electric driveline consisting of an electric motor and three lithium-ion battery packs.
April
• Sunbelt Rentals announces footprint expansion • Komatsu says it will move headquarters EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 19
2018 YEAR IN REVIEW
Construction wages year-to-date Statistics don’t lie, but charts can deceive. That escalating line on 2018’s construction wage chart actually only shows an increase from $29.33/hour to $30.21/hour, a gain of only $0.88, or 3 percent.
Out from Bobcat’s shadow, Doosan develops its own identity Construction employment year-to-date The jobs kept coming in 2018, starting with 7.1 million in January and ending with a projected 7.318 million at the end of November, a 3 percent gain. Despite the modest yearly rise, the industry has picked up almost 2 million new jobs since 2011, an increase of 26 percent.
In May, Doosan Infracore America announced plans to forge a separate business and identity with a new headquarters in Suwanee, Georgia, new management and marketing. Doosan bought Bobcat in 2007 and used that company’s footprint to bolster its presence in North American markets, but this latest move will focus exclusively on growing the heavy side of the business and expanding into markets it doesn’t currently serve.
Companies move, expand:
AGC survey: 80 percent of contractors report difficulty in finding qualified craft workers to hire.
• Liebherr will invest $45 million to expand its U.S. headquarters in Newport News, Virginia. • Komatsu America will move from a Chicago suburb into the city in 2020. In addition, it will build a $47 million customer support and service center in Elko, Nevada. • Kubota buys land for “Kubota Ranch” near Dallas for a facility that will be used for testing, operating, demonstrating and training. • LBX breaks ground on a 25-acre tract in Lexington, Kentucky, that will house its new Customer Experience Center.
Cummins announces massive recall of faulty emissions devices Calling it the largest voluntary recall of medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks in history, the EPA announced in July that nearly half a million Cummins engines had a defective emissions component that would have to be replaced. The SCR catalyst was found to be less durable than originally proposed, degrading within a few years rather than the 10-year requirements set by the EPA.
May
• JCB ceases backhoe production, adds telehandler manufacturing in North America 20 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
June
• Kubota buys land for “Kubota Ranch” • Deere-Hitachi partnership celebrates 30th anniversary
Connected vehicle technology advances Connected vehicle technology, which enables vehicles to communicate with each other as well as with infrastructure, could significantly reduce the number of work-zone crashes by alerting drivers before they even see road construction signs, experts say. Tests are underway on systems that alert drivers to work zones with auditory, visual or vibratory alarms. One possible use is a collision warning on construction vehicles – such as slow-moving striping trucks – if outside vehicles are dangerously approaching a work zone.
}
Milestones Anniversaries celebrated this past year included:
130th:
Founded by Johannes Fuchs in 1888 as an agricultural machinery and stable equipment manufacturing company, Fuchs is now a specialist material-handling company.
120th:
Matthew Myles Walsh started a carpentry business out of his home in Chicago in 1898 that later became the Walsh Group and is now the 11th-largest construction firm in the United States.
90th:
Faustin Potain started tower crane manufacturer Potain in 1928, a brand now owned by Manitowoc Cranes.
80th:
Beginning as A-1Rentals in 1938, pneumatic and hydraulic tool manufacturer APT celebrated its anniversary with a roadshow.
}
80th:
Austin Talbert started Talbert Construction Equipment in 1938 in Lyons, Illinois. The company later became known as Talbert Manufacturing.
70th:
Richard Elliott of Omaha, Nebraska, introduced his truckmounted telescoping aerial work platform and crane in 1948, forming Elliott Equipment.
60th:
Case Construction Equipment introduced the fourwheel drive W9 wheel loader in 1958, its first loader.
60th:
FIU pedestrian bridge collapses, six die
Photo: NTSB
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited five firms for safety violations after one worker died and five other employees suffered serious injuries when a new pedestrian bridge collapsed at the Florida International University campus in Miami. In addition, five people in vehicles were killed when the bridge fell March 15 after cracking was incorrectly deemed to not be a safety threat. The failure came just days after that span was moved into place using accelerated bridge construction. Cracks were spotted on the bridge 19 days before it fell.
July
• Tornado rips through Vermeer factory • Michelin acquires Camso
Chinese construction equipment manufacturer LiuGong formed in 1958 in Liuzhou to make wheel loaders.
50th:
Roger Minnich, founder of Minnich Manufacturing, began building concrete vibrators at a gas station in Mansfield, Ohio.
35th:
Begun in 1983 by veterans in the snowmobile industry, ASV Holdings is now primarily known for its compact track loaders.
30th:
The John Deere-Hitachi joint venture in North America formed in 1988.
August
• Deere debuts first mast-free grader GPS • Cat sells purpose-built forestry business to Weiler EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 21
2018 YEAR IN REVIEW
Domino’s “Paving for Pizza” campaign strikes chord Domino’s “Paving for Pizza” ad campaign invited viewers to nominate potholes in their areas to receive repair grants. According to PR Week, the company received more than 137,000 nominations from 15,200-plus zip codes in all 50
states. By the end of August, Domino’s decided to launch a second phase, which will fund at least lease one project in all 50 states. The pizza chain told the website: “People are very passionate about potholes.”
Price of diesel fuel: October 2017
$2.79/gallon
October 2018
$3.37/gallon
Increase
17%, 57 cents/gallon
Miles of pipeline built in 2018 (US and Canada) Oil:
3,596 miles, +49%
Natural gas:
2,824 miles, +78.5%
Construction put in place 2018
Up 13%
Up 10%
Up 10%
Up 7%
Transportation
Public safety
Conservation and development
Single-family housing
Cement consumption in 2018
Up 2.9%
Most expensive machine sold at last year’s Ritchie Bros. auction in Orlando:
1.5
$
million for a 440-ton 2006 Manitowoc 16000 self-erecting crane
Average price of a full-size pickup truck July 2017
$46,475
July 2018
$48,644
September
Up
4.7%
Dealer/rental moves • United Rentals bought BlueLine Rental, formerly Volvo Rents, for $2.1 billion in cash. It also purchased BakerCorp International Holdings, entering the European market. • Cat dealer deals: Foley Incorporated of New Jersey acquired fellow Cat dealer Giles & Ransome of Pennsylvania. And Iowa-based Altorfer Holdings bought Patten Industries, with territories in Illinois and Indiana. • Deere subsidiary Nortrax sold seven Midwest stores to McCoy Group. • Countering 2017’s Deere buy of Wirtgen, three Komatsu America-owned dealers dropped the Wirtgen brand. • Sunbelt Rentals will expand by about 50 percent, adding roughly 250 more locations in the next three years, announced parent Ashtead Group. • Hitachi Construction Machinery bought a one-third equity interest in ACME Lift, an Arizona-based equipment rental company.
• United Rentals buys BlueLine Rental • Hitachi enters U.S. rental market with share of ACME Lift 22 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
October
• Cat unveils new machine trade dress • Komatsu announces mining sales facility in Nevada
Technology 2018
Kawasaki/KCM becomes Hitachi Hitachi purchased KCM loaders from Kawasaki in 2016 and last year changed KCM’s name to Hitachi Construction Machinery Loaders America.
Virtual reality got a big boost, with several firms announcing initiatives: • Trimble’s HoloLens design integrates with hardhats and allows workers to see 3D images of a CAD design streamed to the device via the cloud. • At the American Rental Association show, Serious Labs showed off an aerial lift VR training simulator it produced in a partnership with the International Powered Access Federation and manufacturer Skyjack. United Rentals is now using the simulator in its United Academy training centers. • Hiab says it will bring VR crane operation to the States this year that allows operators to don VR goggles and direct the crane from the cab. • And in October, Ditch Witch announced the first VR training kit for horizontal directional drill operators.
Additional tech initiatives included: • Volvo Construction Equipment’s 10-week Electric Site trial, conducted at a quarry owned by Swedish construction giant Skanska, produced better than expected results. The company reported a 98 percent reduction of carbon emissions, 70 percent reduction in energy costs and 40 percent reduction in operator costs.
Atlas Copco divests concrete, compaction business The Swedish firm sold its plate compactors, tandem rollers and concrete vibrator business to Husqvarna Group in a deal completed in February.
}
November AUGUST
• Vermeer acquires Vac-Tron • OSHA publishes final crane rule
} • Komatsu’s Smart Construction, launched two years ago, expanded to offer a full suite of services and consultation for the digital jobsite, including a drone consulting service. • In a new partnership, United Rentals customers can now use Triax Technologies’ Spot-r Clips and EquipTags worn by workers and attached to equipment. The devices automate worker time and attendance while providing real-time location and safety information. EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 23
machine matters
| by Richard Ries The Deere 330G and 332G (shown) are available with the EH Boom Performance package. Features include return-to-dig, return-to-carry and boom height kickout as well as electronic self-leveling of the bucket. Both are vertical-lift machines powered by Yanmar diesel engines.
THE SKID GROWS UP Staying relevant with lower costs, versatility and speed
O
nce an upstart, the now-venerable skid steer loader has been defending itself against newer rivals and has been doing so quite effectively. There was a time when other compact equipment was steadily chipping away at skid steer market share. Compact wheel loaders and compact excavators stole what they could grab, and compact track loaders seemed ready to loot what was left. But in recent years the decline of the skid steer market share has stopped, and sales have been mostly 24 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
flat. Not growing, mind you, but flat, and that’s seen as a triumph of sorts. What realities stemmed the flow? “Mostly it’s a matter of economics,” says Gregg Zupancic, product marketing manager, John Deere. Skid steers have lower initial costs than other compact equipment, as well as lower owning and operating costs. Much of that difference is due to the lower costs of tires and drive chains compared to tracks and undercarriages. Skid steers give up nothing in terms of versa-
Bobcat offers 24 models of the M2 Series skid steers in the 400-, 500-, 600-, 700- and 800-frame sizes. Improvements over previous models include the ability to turn ride control on and off from inside the cab and reversing fans with auto, manual and off modes.
tility to the other machines and handle most tools and attachments as well as any of them. Skid steers usually have higher travel speeds and always have greater maneuverability. The lower O&O costs, especially the lower initial cost, make skid steers attractive for someone starting a company, says Lee Padgett, product manager, Takeuchi, “and they work well in tandem with other machines such as compact excavators.� Tim Boulds, Kubota construction equipment product operations manager, says the cost difference between skid steers and CTLs is narrower than it used to be for the original purchase, but the difference in ongoing costs remains noteworthy. Tracks and undercarriages not only cost
ASV focuses on serviceability with its new vertical-lift VS-75 and radial-lift RS-75 (shown). All fluid service compartments have drain plugs, and direct-drive pumps eliminate the need for belt tensioning and replacement.
EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 25
YOU DRIVE TO WORK ON A ROAD YOU BUILT. We’re in the word-keeping business. For us, every move counts. Our machines are taking production to a whole new level. Because we know that what’s important to you isn’t just a job. It’s upholding the standard by which you measure every job.
A FULL LINE OF WHEEL LOADERS
• 13 Models • 30 HP – 531 HP
REPUTATIONS ARE BUILT ON IT Hitachi Construction Machinery Loaders America Inc. news.hitachiwheelloaders.us
machine matters The radial-lift Cat 246D is powered by a Cat C3.3B turbocharged engine rated at 72.9 gross horsepower. ROC is 2,150 pounds or 2,400 pounds with the optional counterweight. Standard hydraulic power is 44 horsepower; optional High-Flow XPS boosts that to 76 horsepower.
The Case SV340 is the company’s most powerful skid steer. It has a 3,400-pound ROC and bucket breakout force of 9,531 pounds. Compatibility with more than 250 tools and attachments is enhanced by the 14 x 17.5 tires and available counterweights.
| continued
more to replace but also cost more in daily operation. “For example, maintaining a CTL takes a little more time and effort each day to properly clean the undercarriage.” Conventional wisdom holds that skid steers are preferred for use on hard surfaces because the inevitable scuffing wears out tires instead of more expensive tracks. But Zupancic points out that skid steers are also excellent in dirt. It’s only in soft, muddy underfoot conditions where tracks’ higher flotation is a benefit. In addition to cost advantages, “skid steers offer universality thanks to the many different attachment options,” says Lars Arnold, global products manager, skid steer loaders, Volvo Construction Equipment. “Skid steers are the perfect mobile hydraulic unit.” Arnold says speed rounds out the triumvirate of features that keeps skid steers relevant since so many applications, from load-and-carry to snow removal, place a premium on speed.
Ever better Manufacturers have defended their skid steers against other equipment by continually improving the product. ASV simplified its offering by going from a four-model lineup to two, the radial-lift RS-75 and vertical-lift VS-75. ASV design hallmarks carried forward: direct-mount Rexroth pumps eliminate belts and pulleys, and wheel hubs have metal face seals instead of rubber for improved durability. Despite a long, successful history building CTLs, ASV took a clean-slate approach to skid steers. “The frame and geometry are optimized for a skid steer,” says Buck Storlie, product line manager, ASV. “Weight balance is also optimized for a skid steer with 30 percent on the front and 70 percent on the rear. With a CTL you strive for a 50/50 weight balance.” The skid steer is also narrower, making it easier to transport. But ASV also emphasized parts commonality between the two platforms to make life easier for customers. The newest and largest model in the Case lineup, the SV340, has a 3,400-pound ROC at 50 percent of tipping load. Available high-flow hydraulics provide 35 gallons per minute and 4,000 pounds per square inch of pressure. “It’s that psi that’s critical in the operation of really heavy-duty attachments such as cold planers and mulching heads,” says Deborah Townsley, product marketing manager, Case Construction Equipment. The SV340 also EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 27
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machine matters
Standard features on the LiuGong 385B include a mechanical quick-coupler, ROPS/FOPS protection, a Yanmar 3.3-liter engine rated at 72 gross horsepower and LED light clusters front and rear for maximum worksite visibility. Breakout force is 6,699 pound-feet. features a cab-wide rearview mirror, “which seems like a minor detail but speaks to the importance of the operator environment.” Volvo D Series machines have a number of improvements over their predecessors, says Arnold. Redesigned arms provide more strength and rigidity with efficient load distribution, and the single-arm design yields 270 degrees of visibility, which is 60 percent more than that of traditional two-arm machines. Lifting capacities are higher. The ROPS/FOPS high-spec cab includes a larger door, which, along with the side-entry allowed by the single-arm design, makes it even easier to get in and out of the machine.
Electronics as enabling technology Nathan Ryan, product manager, Wacker Neuson, says electrohydraulic machines with controls that switch between ISO- and H-patterns allow operators to choose the pattern they are most comfortable with, improving both efficiency and safety. To further improve operator efficiency, Wacker Neuson’s creep mode limits drive speed to 60 percent of maximum speed for refined machine movement. Onboard grade indicate is available on G Series skid steers from Deere. The system shows both side-to-side and fore-and-aft grade and can display both absolute and relative grades. Deere’s Boom Performance Package is available for joystick-equipped machines and includes programmable return-to-dig, return-to-carry and boom height kickout functions. It also provides self-levelling when raising and lowering the bucket. Kevin Coleman, product specialist, Caterpillar, recites a long list of improvements to Cat skid steers in recent
| continued
Kubota offers two skid steer loaders, the SSV65 and SSV75. Specs for the SSV65 are 64 gross horsepower, 1,950-pound ROC and a 6,790-pound operating weight. Numbers for the SSV75 are 74.3 gross horsepower, 2,690-pound ROC and an 8,157-pound operating weight. years, many relying on sophisticated electronics. The dual self-level system provides load control in both raising and lowering. The work tool positioner has a memory function to return the tool to a desired angle at the touch of a button. That’s “useful where a repetitive angle enhances productivity and consistency, such as trenching, using forks or a wheel saw or cold planer and when back-dragging with the bucket,” Coleman says. The foot throttle pedal acts as a deceleration pedal when the electronic dial-controlled hand throttle is set to high idle, allowing the operator to use the foot pedal to decrease engine speed when using attachments or to meet specific operating conditions. Throttle smoothing prevents lurching when the throttle pedal is used on rough terrain. The ride control feature on M2 Series skid steers from Bobcat has distinctive design elements. “Rather than responding to travel speed, Bobcat’s system has pressure sensors in the lift cylinders responding to fluctuations in pressure resulting from operating conditions,” says Jorge DeHoyos, senior product manager, Bobcat. The system can be toggled on and off while the machine is in motion. Even machines without electronics are seeing improvements. A change to the hydrostatic pump on Bobcat skid steers with standard controls results in 25 percent less lever effort, so operators who prefer the feel and function of mechanical controls also benefit from design changes.
Other advances Bobcat M2 Series models have side-screen dampers to reduce noise and rattle. Improved cab isolation materials maintain their performance longer. The top window has 34 percent more viewing area than previous models, espeEquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 29
machine matters
| continued
cially helpful when loading trucks. Optional side-light LED kits are available for models from the 500 level and up and can be field-installed. The S850, Bobcat’s largest model, went from 92 to 100 horsepower. The newest addition to Cat’s offerings is EquipCoat, a clear anti-corrosion coating option for customers working around corrosive substances such as salt and drilling fluids. “While EquipCoat won’t completely eliminate corrosion, it will extend the useful life and appearance of equipment,” says Coleman. “Properly maintained, EquipCoat can last for several years, protecting machine and components, and may increase resale value.” It’s not just the machines that are improving. “Kubota has tripled the number of attachments we offer in the past two years,” says Boulds. “The range of hydraulic and nonhydraulic tools and attachments further enhance skid steers’ versatility and reduce the need for other dedicated equipment to do work that can be done with those attachments.”
Warranty wars We’ve mentioned the warranty wars for compact equipment, and skid steer loaders are part of that fracas. Some manufacturers have made no changes, but many have. In January 2018, Caterpillar moved from one year with unlimited hours to two years or 2,000 hours. Wacker Neuson now offers a 3-4-5 warranty on all skid steers and compact track loaders: three years or 3,000 hours
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full machine coverage, four years or 4,000 hours on the drivetrain (including the engine), and five years or 5,000 hours on the entire electrical system. Several manufacturers offer extended warranties or custom warranties. Kubota’s standard warranty is two years or 2,000 hours, but customers can purchase a one- or two-year extended warranty plan, thereby potentially ensuring coverage for up to four years or 4,000 hours. Coleman, with Cat, says customers can speak with their dealers to explore the full range of extended Equipment Protection Plans available to them. As OEMs adjust their warranties, it’s common to see a move from fewer years with unlimited hours to more years but with a set maximum of hours. Why? Typical skid steer customers run the machines around 500 hours a year, so offering 1,000 hours per year of coverage doesn’t reduce the coverage. But it does protect manufacturers from claims resulting from high-hour applications, especially those in environments such as steel mills and fertilizer plants where ambient conditions attack equipment. The MC135D is the largest Volvo skid steer with 3,186 pounds ROC and 73.8 gross horsepower. The single-side lift arm and narrow ROPS cab pillars yield 270 degrees of visibility. The ROPS/FOPS cab on the MC135D is the largest in the industry.
The one thing Acknowledging that skid steer customers are sophisticated and understand their needs and market offerings, we asked our experts what one thing they’d
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machine matters
| continued
recommend to further improve customer satisfaction. Basics, such as reading the owner’s manual, are still important, says Storlie. “We all like to think we’re experts, but each machine is unique. The manual will give you machine-specific insights on operation, maintenance and more.” “Look for easy access to routine maintenance items and daily checks,” says Coleman. “Look for features that make operation easier and more productive. These features can save time and money and can help turn novice operators into skilled operators.” Ryan says to consider all the costs and technology associated with modern Tier 4 Final machines, such as downtime for regeneration and replacement of diesel particulate filters, where applicable. “Make sure you’re estimating the total cost of ownership for the specific machine you’re considering.” “Don’t buy more than you need,” says Zupancic. For example, he says, the take rate for high-flow hydraulics is much higher than the percent of attachments requiring high flow would indicate. High flow can’t be added later, and customers may just be trying to future-proof their machines. “But if you never use it, it’s a dead loss because you’ve already paid for it.” He says some of the cost may be recovered in higher residual value when the machine is sold, but you can’t count on that, and you’re still losing a portion of that front-end cost. “A big part of total cost of ownership is determined by what and how much you can bill your customers for the use of that machine,” says Townsley. “The more you can utilize and bill for that asset, the lower its cost of ownership.” She says customers should spec their machines with the hydraulics, options, capacities and lift patterns to make them the most versatile for the work they’ll do. “The right skid steer with the right attachments will minimize the need to purchase other dedicated equipment and will boost productivity and profit margins,” Boulds says. Get answers to the right questions so you can properly configure your machine, says Arnold. “What weights will you be carrying? That determines ROC. What attachments will be used with this machine? That determines three-way or seven-way controls and standard or high flow.” Continue in this way until you’ve matched every aspect of operation with relevant machine specs. Padgett says feature selections can be grouped into three areas: applications, terrain and feature set. And finally, “Skid steers are going to stay around,” says DeHoyos. “They’re the equipment of choice where speed, agility, durability and versatility are required. There will always be demand for what they offer.” 32 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
The Wacker Neuson SW21 has a 2,000-pound ROC and classleading 124 inches of lift height. Powered by a 74-horsepower turbocharged Kohler engine, the SW21 is available with mechanical hand/foot and selectable electrohydraulic controls to meet operator preferences.
The vertical-lift JCB 300 has an operating weight of 9,288 pounds and is powered by a JCB EcoMAX engine rated at 74 gross horsepower and 295 pound-feet gross torque. The distinctive single-side lift arm design yields 270 degrees of visibility, a 60 percent advantage over traditional two-arm designs.
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FLUID FAILURES maintenance
| by Tom Jackson |
TJackson@randallreilly.com
Lubes, coolants and greases are easy to overlook, but small mistakes can lead to big problems. A look at what you’re doing wrong and how to fix it.
I
t’s always a good idea to follow best practices in any maintenance program. But what about avoiding worst practices? We asked two oil company experts to reveal the most common mistakes construction equipment fleet managers make regarding lubes, coolants and greases, and
which mistakes cause the most damage. Their answers may surprise you.
Coolants Although Shell Oil is known as a petroleum-based company, it sells, like most oil companies, engine coolants. Stede Granger, OEM tech-
nical services manager for Shell Lubricants, says coolants are often the most commonly mishandled part of a fluid management program. “Coolants are the least understood fluids on a truck or piece of equipment,” says Granger. “If they don’t do this right, it can have catastrophic impacts and cost a lot of money.” EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 35
maintenance
| continued
Some people think all coolants are alike and interchangeable, says Granger. But there are two distinctly different types of coolant – older conventional fully formulated and the newer extended life (or organic acid technology or OAT). These two coolants protect engines from corrosion in different ways, and anytime you mix the two, you dilute or reduce their effectiveness. The problem arises when someone tops off a radiator with the wrong fluid. Maybe the maintenance manager uses the right coolant. But does the operator, the field service guy, a contracted service provider, a driver or whoever first notices the low coolant level know this? “The different additives in those different coolant chemistries don’t help each other out,” says Granger. “In mixing the two, you are setting yourself up for possible catastrophic corrosion.” And by catastrophic, Granger means corrosion that eats a hole from the coolant side of a cylinder liner to the oil side. And by the time you see coolant show up in your oil samples, it’s too late. The major damage has been done.
Preventing and solving coolant problems The solution is to make sure everybody – mechanics, operators, drivers, contract maintenance people – understands the brand and type of coolant used and the dangers of mixing two formulas. This requires training and perhaps an operator care program, and it should be your first line of defense. The second line of defense is to monitor coolants with test strips made for your coolant type, says Granger. Wet these simple paper strips with coolant in the system. If they turn one color, you’re good to go. A different color means your coolant doesn’t have a high enough percentage of the right additives to prevent corrosion. 36 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Another recommended step is to check the freeze point of the coolant with a hygrometer, or for more accurate results, a refractometer. This will tell you if your coolant is too diluted with water, which also reduces its anti-corrosion properties. If the coolant is out of spec, it’s not usually necessary to drain and refill the entire system, which on some machines can require dozens of gallons. Coolant vendors offer concentrated coolants to allow customers to bring the coolant levels to the recommended freeze points. A freeze point correction chart will show you how to adjust your coolant so that it is at the proper level. Correction fluids are used to restore additive content to recommended levels. These two procedures enable you to bring your equipment’s coolant back into spec without draining the cooling system. Your coolant vendor can help you establish these procedures. A good practice is to check the coolant every time you change the oil.
Oil contamination This is just basic housekeeping, but too often overlooked, says Jami Melani, field engineering/HD technical services manager, Castrol. “Oil contamination is a huge problem and ongoing challenge,” he says. “A lot of times it starts with the oil delivered in drums or bulk containers,” says Melani. “Drums sit outside in the rain because people think they are sealed tight. But just through everyday heating and cooling those drums will suck moisture right past the gaskets on the bungs.” A desiccant breather on your bulk lube oil tanks will go a long way toward preventing moisture contamination. Moving from bulk storage to the machine also introduces opportunities for contamination. “We’ve found some shops use a lot of dirty, open-top containers,” says Melani.
And sometimes technicians will use a spare container that had been used to handle other products such as coolant, transmission or hydraulic fluid. Even small amounts of these other fluids will compromise the effectiveness of your lube oil and cause erroneous readings in a used-oil analysis report. “If you keep lubricants clean, cool and dry, you’re going to get better life out of your product and your equipment,” says Melani. And keeping your lubricants cool means making sure your engines don’t exceed the recommended operating temperatures. “There is a basic rule of all lube oils,” says Melani. “As oil temperature increases, the oxidative life of the oil decreases.” Lube oil oxidation today is a big deal for engine oils in the heavy equipment world. “Engines are running hotter all the time,” says Melani. It’s one of the reasons the oil industry developed a new lube oil standard, API CK-4, which requires heavy-duty diesel engine oils to better resist oxidative degradation.
Getting grease right While greasing a machine isn’t the most technical task, doing it at the right intervals and using the right product are important, says Granger. “More often than not, putting less grease in more frequently is better than putting more grease in less frequently,” he says. When you pump a lot of grease through a joint, most of it is wasted, says Granger. “The amount of grease that is doing the lubrication is actually very small. Sometimes it is no more than the size of a pea. The mechanical motion of the joint tends to squeeze that grease out over time. Until it gets regreased, it’s going to have no lubricant in the joint. So overextending grease intervals is not a good idea.” This is why central grease systems work so well. They give a tiny bit of grease frequently. Grease
maintenance
| continued
can also get contaminated, and by greasing more frequently, you purge the contaminated grease, says Granger. Moly greases, those that contain a small amount of molybdenum, are better at sticking in a joint, says Granger. “They stay put longer while the other stuff squeezes out, but after a period of time, that goes away too.” Granger also recommends finding the OEM’s specifications for all greasing applications and sticking to them. For example, a heavyduty grease with tackifiers works better on joints under a heavy load. But those greases aren’t good for things like lubricating U-joints on drive shafts, with their small needle bearings and passageways.
Move from reactive to proactive These days it seems everybody is trying to do more with less, says
Melani. In used-oil analysis, they’re not taking time to look at the results. They don’t read it. They put it in a drawer and forget about it, not understanding and not responding to the information given to them. When fleet managers see a red flag on an oil analysis report, they have to pull the machine from the field and find out what’s going on. But such regressive or reactive maintenance, says Melani, is expensive in terms of downtime and damage to a machine. “Usually there is a trend line,” says Melani. “Most of the time when you get a sample that shows something terribly wrong, you probably had a previous sample that gave you a hint that something was going wrong.” That gives you a chance to be proactive, schedule workarounds to fix problems before they disrupt operations or become catastrophic failures. The next step up is getting to
the point where as a technician or fleet manager your ability to read and interpret a used-oil analysis becomes as much an art as a science, says Melani. “There are so many factors. You have to look at the environment, the application, the metallurgy of the equipment, the product, the severity of the application, all kinds of factors. But there is a great payback.” The end goal is to move toward a world-class maintenance program and key to that is institutional learning. “From the top to the bottom of the organization, they have to be interested in learning and want to know how to get better,” Melani says. Do that, and the benefits and savings can be astronomical. “There is a lesser or some difference between different products,” Melani says, “but there is a huge difference between the practices of a regressive maintenance program and one that is proactive.”
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38 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com Social Network_Equip0518_PG72.indd 1
4/19/18 2:15 PM
| by Marcia Gruver Doyle |
quick data
Telehandlers
MGruver@randallreilly.com
A snapshot of new and used sales trends from Randall-Reilly’s Equipment Data Associates and TopBid auction price service.
Year-over-year change*
NEW: UP 14%
Auctions
USED: UP 1%
Telehandler auction prices, October 2017-November 2018 $46,000
*Comparison of number of telehandlers financed Nov. 1, 2017 to Oct. 31, 2018, and Nov. 1, 2016 to Oct. 31, 2017. Source: EDA, edadata.com
1-year average: $
$45,000
42,551
$44,000 $43,000 $42,000
Top three states for telehandler buyers*
High: $45,381, Jul. 2018
$41,000 $40,000 $39,000
New
Current: $42,226,
$38,000
Nov. 2018
$37,000 $36,000
In November, the average price for the top 10 models of telehandlers sold at auction was 7 percent below the 12-month high for these machines, but less than 1 percent below the one-year average of $42,551.
Low: $39,445, Jan. 2018
$35,000 $34,000 $33,000
Oct.
PRICE
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
Jun.
2017
Jul.
Aug.
Sep.
Oct.
State
# of buyers
Texas
162
California
109
Florida
62
Used
Nov.
2018
State
# of buyers
Texas
429
Michigan
174
Minnesota
145
Trend prices for the top 10 models of telehandlers sold at auction, not seasonally adjusted.
180,000
$
117,500
OTHER TOP BID:
Top financed new telehandler*
Top auction price paid for a 2015 Xtreme XR1270 with 906 hours at a Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers sale Mar. 27, 2018, in North East, Maryland.
$
2017 Skytrak 10054, Alex Lyon & Son Auctioneers, on Feb. 7, 2018.
0 2 9 , $56
HIGH
0 0 0 , $ 24
AVERAGE
Dec. 1, 2017 – Nov. 30, 2018; prices for telehandlers 5 years old and newer, U.S. sales only. Only includes bids $5,000 and above. Source: TopBid, topbid.com
LOW
Final bids unit count: 259
,00 $ 180 New
Telehandler new, used financed sales trends, 2008-2017*
0 Used
4,500
Used low: 2010, 2,457 units
4,000 3,500 3,000
2,000
1,000
New high: 2017, 1,742 units
500 0
UNITS
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
*Financed equipment, 2008-2017, number of units sold by sale or lease. Source: EDA, edadata.com
2015
2016
Genie GTH-1056, 100 units
Skytrak 8042 198 units
New low: 2010, 339 units
1,500
Other top selling new machine:
Top financed used machine*
Used high: 2015, 4,188 units
2,500
Bobcat V519, 107 units
2017
*In terms of number of new and used financed units sold Nov. 1, 2017 to Oct. 31, 2018. Source: EDA, edadata.com (Note: EDA reports are continually updated.) EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 39
road works
| by Joy Powell |
JoyPowell@randallreilly.com
Contractors, state agencies save time, money with nonwoven geotextile fabric in concrete overlays
I
n Minnesota, Shafer Contracting has been installing unbonded concrete overlay over concrete projects on Interstate 35, using nonwoven geotextile fabric as a separation layer. The Shafer crews are among a rising tide of contractors and state DOTs turning to nonwoven geotextile fabric as an alternative to hot-mix asphalt separation layers for unbonded concrete overlay over concrete ap40 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
plications (called UBCOC). For the past 11 years, these geotextile interlayers have worked well to prevent courses of new and old concrete from bonding together, which could allow reflective cracking from the old concrete to damage the new concrete, says industry expert Dale Harrington. For many years, contractors used asphalt as an interlayer to separate, drain and provide a cushion layer for
the new concrete overlay, he says. Now, many states use geotextile separation layers routinely, while others are considering the practice, according to the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center (CP Tech Center) at Iowa State University, with which Harrington has long been affiliated. So far, geotextile separations have been used on more than 10 million square yards of concrete overlays in the United States. In fact, the majority of unbonded concrete overlay projects are now incorporating or considering the geotextile fabrics as a separator layer to prevent reflective cracking, enhance drainage and provide cushioning, Harrington says. Using the permeable fabric in overlays rather than a oneinch layer of asphalt saves contractors and state agencies time and money, he and other experts say. It’s an application that’s easy to learn, and state highway departments such as the Minnesota Department of Transportation are researching how to optimize use of these fabrics. “It’s about half the cost typically, or less, than an asphalt interlayer. It’s relatively quick to put down, and you don’t have to bring in an asphalt contractor to a concrete project,” Harrington says. “A fabric drains better than asphalt,” adds Harrington, coauthor of the Guide to Concrete Overlays manual. “It’s a material that wicks away water.” Minnesota has adopted geotextiles for widespread use. More than 3 million square yards of nonwoven geotextiles have been used in unbonded concrete overlays in the state since 2010, according to Matt Zeller, executive director of the Concrete Paving Association of Minnesota. MnDOT requires roughly 50 to 75 percent of unbonded concrete overlay projects – concrete over concrete – to use geotextiles, says Zeller, a former MnDOT engineer. He instructs contractors and has provided input to Harrington and other co-authors for a new guide* published by the CP Tech Center on the use of geotextiles as a separation layer. “It saves time, so therefore, it saves money,” agrees Blake Nelson, MnDOT technologies engineer. “It just goes down so much faster than any other means or method. You can cover a lot of area with these fabrics in a hurry.” The fabric cost is nominal, with MnDOT seeing bids that are “a couple dollars to a few dollars per square yard,” he says.
Under an MnDOT specification, a road crew installs unwoven geotextile fabric at a new doweled joint on a stretch of I-35 near Hinckley, Minnesota. The contractors were Shafer Contracting and PCi Roads. Above, workers anchor the dowel basket through the fabric and into the old asphalt overlay below. The old concrete pavement was overlaid with asphalt years before this project. Photo: Concrete Paving Association of Minnesota
A contractor’s view While geotextile fabrics are typically unrolled over an entire lane, MnDOT has taken a different tack on some unbonded concrete overlay over asphalt projects, specifying that crews place strips that are only 15 to 18 inches wide under transverse joints. That’s been the application for Shafer, a prime contractor in two major concrete and bridge overlay projects on I-35 north of the Twin Cities. These are the ongoing $60 * Nonwoven Geotextile Materials Used as the Separation Layer for Unbonded Concrete Overlays can be found at bit.ly/geotextileguide. EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 41
road works
| continued
Photo: Concrete Paving Association of Minnesota
Shafer Contracting used strips of nonwoven geotextile fabric under the transverse joints only, after exposing old concrete beneath asphalt during milling. This is part of a $60 million unbonded concrete overlay project on I-35 in the Forest Lake area, north of St. Paul, Minnesota.
million Forest Lake area project and another to the north, the $24 million “Snake River” project in the Pine City-Hinckley area, says Greg Pelkey, Shafer vice president. Crews have placed the material under transverse joints, “so when the water flows through the cracks or the joints down to the base, the geotextile fabric acts like a wick and wicks it out to the outside edges of the road,” Pelkey says. The fabric extends beyond the edge of the concrete pavement, he explains. The other major benefit – preventing reflective cracking – led to a different application for Shafer crews working on the six-mile project of I-35 in the cities of Lino Lakes, Columbus and Forest Lake. That $60 million project, set for completion in 2019, includes installing a concrete overlay on existing asphalt that was atop old concrete pavement, along with three new bridges. “When we milled the asphalt to correct for the cross slope before we paved,” Pelkey says, “we ended up running into the underlying concrete pavement.” 42 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Photo: Concrete Paving Association of Minnesota
On Interstates 90 and 35 in Minnesota, nonwoven geotextile fabric has been installed beneath the joints. In some areas, only strips of fabric were used, leaving the old asphalt overlay in place and using the fabric to drain where the new joints will be.
MnDOT engineers realized that with the existing asphalt working as a stress relief layer for much of the roadway, they could put down less fabric as an interlayer, and only where needed, for their concrete overlay, says Pelkey. Those areas weren’t large, so the road crews placed nonwoven geotextile fabric over the full length and width of where they had exposed the old concrete. That constituted a dual purpose for the geotextiles, Pelkey notes. “It would work as a stress relief layer, so the underlying cracks in the pavement below don’t reflect through,” he says. “And it also drains the water away from the underlying pavements.” Throughout the rest of the projects, rather than spending the money to place the geotextile fabric under the entire roadway, Pelkey says, crews installed the bands of geotextile that are 15 to 18 inches wide. Contractor PCi Roads of St. Michael, Minnesota, was also involved.
Dowel bar assemblies Between the transverse contraction joints, each panel on the roadway is
15 feet longitudinally and 12 to 14 feet across the road, and they act as separate panels. The crews installed the geotextile fabrics at the transverse contraction points under dowel bar assemblies. The dowel bars carry the load on the roadway from one panel to the next. The dowel bar assemblies, or baskets, were placed in the transverse contraction joints on top of the textile. “The basket anchors down the geotextile to the underlaying pavement and surface so it doesn’t move,” Pelkey explains. The baskets secure the dowels – the short steel bars that connect slabs without restricting horizontal joint movement. This can help prevent the faulting, or “steps,” that can occur during a pavement’s life, according to the Federal Highway Administration, which works closely with the CP Tech Center.
Application For jobsites, the fabric typically comes in black or white rolls, often 12 or 13 feet wide – the width of most lanes. If you’re looking at a two-lane interstate with two lanes on each side
Photo: MnDOT
Workers use a variety of equipment, including home-made systems, to install nonwoven geotextile fabric, and they often manually unroll it. Shown above, a 2015 MnDOT project on County State-Aid Highway 25 in Rochester. To apply the fabric, workers overlap the sheets and use glue, hot-pour sealant or nails with washers.
of the median, your total width might be between 24 and 27 feet, Zeller says. “On some jobs, you may end up with 8-foot-wide rolls to do a shoulder and 12- or 13-foot-wide rolls to do the main line,” he explains. Shafer crews have been using an industrial glue and have also used a hot-pour sealant on large sheets on another job, which works well, Pelkey says. “We could drive trucks across the geotextile fabric and have turning movements on it, yet it wouldn’t move the fabric at all.” Batch trucks, for example, hauled across it, as did related traffic, but the glue adhered well, Pelkey says. You can also pin the fabric to the ground with nails and washers, he adds. Sometimes workers manually unfurl the rolls, and some firms develop home-made systems for the application. “They use different paving machines or compaction machines, or in the case of a mill and overlay, the milling machines behind those,” says Nelson. “It could be any kind of machine. Some may just use a front-end loader and mount it on there and be able to drive and unroll it that way.” He’s seen contractors take buckets
Photo: Matt Zeller
This concrete overlay project was on I-90 near Adrian in southwestern Minnesota. PCi Roads of St. Michael, Minnesota, was the contractor. Equipment used includes a concrete paver, shown with the fabric rolled out ahead. The machine is parked; it must be adjusted to the shoulder width before paving.
off their loaders and put on a mounting bracket to lift and deploy rolls. “They adapt to whatever equipment they have available out there, so it really varies from contractor to contractor,” Nelson says. “They’ll find a way, mount it on their machines and away they go.”
Fabric versus asphalt What are the other jobsite benefits of using geotextiles as an alternative to a layer of asphalt? “The nice thing about it,” Zeller says, “is for a lot of the concrete paving contractors, it’s an operation they do in-house. If they were going to use an asphalt separation layer, they’d have to get another contractor to do that work.” Getting another contractor to do part of the work adds to the complexity, he says. “You can end up having conflicts of equipment and operators and trucks; whereas, when it’s in-house, it’s an operation they do with their crews.” In addition, using fabric instead of asphalt as a separator layer can minimize how much height you need to add for an overlay, which can increase costs in more ways than one, Zeller notes.
Matt Zeller
Dale Harrington EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 43
road works
| continued
While asphalt might raise the surface 1 to 2 inches, the fabric will raise it around a quarter inch. For each inch the pavement is raised, shoulders also have to be adjusted. Abutting roads have to be matched, along with making sure there’s enough vertical clearance for bridges – all of which can increase application time and costs, Har-
rington and Zeller say. Zeller elaborates on how a fabric interlayer application can enhance drainage: “On a lot of our designs, the designer will put an edge drain – a trench drain – right along the old edge of the concrete, under the new concrete, and they’ll run that fabric down into that trench drain.
Booth #C6187
• • • •
GPS Curb & Gutter Safety Barrier Recreational Trails
• Sidewalks • EASI-Connect Mold Exchange System • Simple Machine Setup & Operation
www.easipour.com • sales@easipour.com 800-368-8920 • Huron, SD 44 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
If any water gets between the two layers of concrete, it’s going to drain right into that trench drain and then out into the ditches.” Water in concrete or asphalt expands when it freezes, and most of the fabric installations are being carried out in the Midwest to help address that, Zeller says. As a road gets cold, it shrinks and the joints or the cracks get wider as the panels of asphalt or concrete shorten. That can cause pavement to crack and break up. Southern states can experience heat-related pavement issues that fabrics may help, Zeller says. “The concrete’s going to move relative to a high temperature, so it’ll expand a little yet still provide drainage characteristics,” he says. “They may not have the freeze problems, but saturated concrete and saturated asphalt can be an issue because they soak up the water and can become a problem.”
Moving forward So how to get started using geotextiles in your paving business? “I would say, like anything new, start small,” advises Zeller. “Start off and learn and ask for help. The manufacturers of the fabric are really good resources.” Go to conferences, he suggests, such as the American Concrete Paving Association, as well as those at the state level, such as in Minnesota. And for those jobs using continuously reinforced concrete with steel, Zeller recommends that roadway owners have contractors “put fabric on there as kind of a belt and suspenders to make sure we do separate the two layers – and the concrete gets to work as an independent layer.” For more information, go to https:// cptechcenter.org/geotextiles or contact the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center at 515-294-8103.
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uipment
CONGRATULATIONS
to the 2018 Contractor of the Year winner and finalists
IN
R
E
N
W
Matt Bachtel
Don and Rae Peters
Bachtel Excavating Massillon, Ohio
Solid Earth Civil Constructors Pueblo, Colorado
Jon Claycomb
Clem Cooke
Fritz-Rumer-Cooke Company Claycomb Excavating New Enterprise, Pennsylvania Columbus, Ohio
Stephen Bielecki and Russell Kibler R & S General Contractors Bristol, Pennsylvania
Kurt Unnerstall
K. J. Unnerstall Construction Washington, Missouri
Dan and Marsha Steffey Steffey Excavating Peoria, Arizona
Sponsored by:
Dana Wiehe and Stewart Petrovits Blacktop Maintenance Corporation Poughkeepsie, New York
Bryan Kissner
Kissner General Contractors Austin, Colorado
Tommy Turner Turner Reed Liberty Hill, Texas
Brett Reshetar Reshetar Systems Anoka, Minnesota
Victor Serrambana, Jr. VMS Construction Company Vernon, Connecticut
contractor of the year finalist
| by Wayne Grayson |
WayneGrayson@randallreilly.com
Dan and Marsha Steffey, Steffey Excavating City, State: Peoria, Arizona Year Started: 2000 Number of 38 employees: Annual revenue: $6.5 million Markets served: Wet and dry utilities installation, primarily for residential
‘Never be a sub’: contractor succeeds with ambitious mindset
D
an Steffey had the job. His boss just didn’t know it yet. Two weeks earlier, he and his family had hopped into their Mercury Capri with all their belongings stuffed into a 4x6 U-Haul in tow and made the move from Seattle to Peoria, Arizona. Steffey had spent much of that time standing in line for backhoe jobs listed in the newspaper before walking into a mom and pop excavation business and demanding an audition from the owner’s son. “I said, ‘Look man, I am the real deal and I am not leaving this office until you’ve agreed to give me a
shot,’” he recalls. “‘You’re going to send me out, let me work for you for a week for free. If you like me, hire me. If you don’t, then don’t.’” Shortly after meeting Steffey, you realize he is not someone who has been told “no” a lot in life. Not because of a sense of entitlement, but because he rarely puts himself in the position to be denied. The owner’s son agreed to Steffey’s…let’s say…request. Within five minutes of hopping into the backhoe, Steffey says, the owner hired him. Steffey Excavating, the company Steffey co-owns and runs with his partner and wife, Marsha, wouldn’t
come for another 14 years. But that day in 1986 when he walked into a business and, for all intents and purposes, hired himself, cast a mold for the rest of his professional life.
Chasing the work Steffey started working in construction when he was only 10 years old. Each summer from the ages of 10 to 18, he would travel between Newburg, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington, to work for his uncle’s construction company. “He made sure I started at the bottom, too,” Steffey says of his uncle, R.C. Smith. “I was a grunt at first.” Upon graduating high school, StefEquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 47
contractor of the year finalist |
continued “When everyone else is sleeping you have to be willing to be out working seven days a week,” Steffey says.
Steffey Excavation performs wet and dry utilities installation, predominantly on residential projects.
48 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
fey made the move to Seattle and worked with his uncle another four years before deciding he’d likely find more stable work if he left the cold and wet weather of that city for the drier climate of the desert. Steffey worked in his first job for about seven years before leaving and becoming project manager at Pauley Construction. In that role, Steffey says, he had the opportunity to build his own organization within that company’s structure. It gave him his first experience at calling all the shots while still allowing him to have boots on the ground to see those decisions through. While working for Pauley, Steffey ran into his previous boss Charlie Croft on a jobsite one day. The two had become friends, and Steffey considers Croft a key mentor in his life. Croft explained to Steffey that he had fallen ill and asked if he would come back to run the company for him until he
got better. Steffey agreed and spent two years at the helm of Croft LLC. With a lot of leadership experience under his belt and Croft’s health improving, Steffey was ready to start his own business. And after another brief stint at Pauley, he did just that.
When a dream turns into a downturn Steffey Excavating was established in 2000, the realization of a long-held dream for Steffey, who says none of it would have been possible without his wife and vice president, Marsha. The company started out with three Cat 420 backhoes and an ambitious mindset: never be a sub. “I decided if I was going to start my own business, why should I be a subcontractor?” Steffey says with a smile. “I just always saw subcontracting to be losing 30 percent right off the top. Why shouldn’t I go
“
I don’t want to be a shinyshoes owner or executive. I want to be a worker and feel the pulse of my company.
”
– Dan Steffey
work direct for the man?” The company grew quickly, reaching nearly 85 employees by 2004. “It was a monster,” Steffey recalls. “We wouldn’t do a job with less than 3,000 to 5,000 lots. We had five excavators going, and my guys would literally open 30,000 feet every 10 days.” Then the downturn hit. “It was bad,” Steffey says. But if not for a gut feeling and Steffey’s aggressive business acumen, it could have been much worse. “In 2008 I was driving around, hitting 10 to 12 jobsites each day, equipment and people all over the valley,” he says. “And one day, something just didn’t feel right.” Steffey says his phone wasn’t ringing and it had been a while since the company had bid a job. Back at the office he noticed a flyer for an auction coming up two miles from one of his jobsites. “I sold every piece of equipment I owned after having that feeling,” he says. “Four weeks later the market dropped.”
Lessons learned When the market collapsed, Steffey says, his top priority was paying off his bills. Once that was done, he
went back to renting equipment for every job. “I kept the best 15 guys I had, and we tried for another nine months,” he says. “After we blew through $1 million trying to keep the doors open, we shut everything down save for me and my son going out and taking small jobs.” That went on for a couple of years. Finally, in 2010, Steffey says, he told Marsha it was time to start ramping things back up. Steffey says he likely could have built his staff back to the 80 to 85 people he had before the downturn. Instead, he opted to remain nimble with a smaller crew and between 10 and 20 percent of his fleet on rental. “I want 25 to 40 people because I want to be an active owner,” he says. “I don’t want to be a shiny-shoes owner or executive. I want to be a worker and feel the pulse of my company.” While Steffey spends most days either on or driving between jobsites, Marsha runs the business end from an office that sits just a few feet from their home. She handles all of the company’s accounts receivable and accounts payable while assisting their daughter Jen, the company’s project coordinator.
The company brought in $6.5 million in 2017, employs 38 people and today performs both wet and dry utility installation primarily for residential projects. Steffey says he has plans to expand into the commercial market as well. “At this point, it honestly feels like we’ve been doing this forever,” Marsha says. “But at the time, I didn’t even know how to run a computer.” “But everything gets easier once you realize you don’t need more than 2 to 3 hours of sleep each night,” she adds with a laugh. Marsha also maintains a relationship with all of the company’s vendors. “That’s really important to me. If there was ever a problem and Dan couldn’t come in, we try to make ourselves as familiar as possible with all of that in case we have to run the business by ourselves,” she says. “When everyone else is sleeping, you have to be willing to be out working seven days a week,” Steffey says of his philosophy on success. “People complain that they never get ahead in the world, but they’re only willing to work 40 hours a week. If you only work 40 hours a week, you’re not going to make it.” EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 49
Get the the most current information with the 2018 Aggregates Industry Atlas and the Atlas Download. While the printed version of the Aggregates Manager 2018 Aggregates Industry Atlas will become an integral part of doing your job, don’t forget to order your copy of the Atlas Download to see additional information about companies’ mine locations, types of rock mined, GPS coordinates, pertinent facts about companies listed in the atlas, and more.
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Quarries and property values Equipment investment continues to climb The final Workplace Exam Rule
product report
| by Tom Jackson |
TJackson@randallreilly.com
Trimble Dimensions: Loadrite SmartScale for Hitachi, new ZW130 loader unveiled
T
Hitachi’s new ZW310-6 wheel loader rimble announced the availability of its Loadrite L3180 SmartScale as an option on Hitachi wheel loaders at the Trimble Dimensions Conference in Las Vegas. Hitachi also took the opportunity at the event to showcase its new wheel loader, the ZW130-6.
ZW310-6 wheel loader The new loader from Hitachi Construction Machinery Loaders America (HCMA) comes with all elements you need on a machine built for high production, material moving applications. These including a lock-up transmission for fuel savings in the travel mode, a 360-degree panoramic view from the cab, ride control, optional joystick steering, a quick power switch for climbing hills, load sharing hydraulics, and a Z-link boom-arm design for improved reach and clearance. The bucket options range from 5.5 to 6.1 cubic yards, and the machine tips the scales at 53,310 to 54,390 pounds operating weight. A 285-horsepower, Tier 4 Final Cummins engine powers the unit, but does not need a diesel particulate filter (DPF), only a maintenance-free diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC). Aluminum radiators improve resistance to corrosion. Engine covers open fully for access to the engine, fluids and filters. The heated, air suspension operator’s seat and a rearview camera are standard. Improvements to the cab insulating materials create a quieter operator environment. Hitachi purchased KCM loaders from Kawasaki in 2016 and in
2018 changed KCM’s name to Hitachi Construction Machinery Loaders America. Hitachi plans to increase loader production and streamline its loader offering in North America. The company manufactures loaders in Japan and in Newnan, Georgia. For a walk-around of the ZW130, check out this video from the Trimble Dimensions outdoor exhibit area: http://bit.ly/W310. Loadrite L3180 The Loadrite L3180 automates the weighing of material loads and connects machines and devices via Wi-Fi for collection and syncing of data on the backend. Trimble’s InsightHQ reporting portal consolidates live data from Loadrite-enabled devices at the site to give you real-time productivity and performance reports on operations. The L3180 offers more precise weighing in a wide range of conditions than previous iterations of the system, adjusting for rough terrain, operator technique and machine movement using new weighing intelligence. CAN-Bus sensors for noise immunity and ground-slope compensation come standard. A 5.7-inch in-cab display screen shows color graphics and the operators’ and drivers’ key performance indicators (KPIs), such as total tons, tons per hour and truck count. The information is also shared in the cloud, so dispatch personnel can review production and operator performance KPIs on their desktop or mobile devices. Production information can be customized to the specific needs of each job or customer. EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 51
technology
| by Marcia Gruver Doyle |
MGruver@randallreilly.com
Cat eRoutes:
Track and coordinate asphalt paving trucks, plants, pavers
T
iming on an asphalt paving job is everything. Trucks need to be loaded with the right type and amount of hot mix. The mix needs to be delivered to the jobsite and dumped
52 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
into a paver or material transfer vehicle. And then the cycle needs to be repeated. Myriad things could go wrong – things that could impact production and a potential bonus. The truck
could get the wrong mix; it could be stuck in traffic; it could spend too much time waiting in line at the paver. Not to mention the headache of load tickets. “The ability to keep the paver
moving gets you into a bonus situation,” says Dann Rawls with Cat. Cat’s new eRoutes processmonitoring solution gives contractors visibility of the entire asphalt production process, Rawls says. “They now have an opportunity to influence it.” Rawls says that half of the trucks used in asphalt paving are contracted out. “Finding trucks and drivers who will do the job that you’re paying them to do is a challenge,” he says. “This will help you get a handle on who are the good drivers, create some metrics and perhaps devise some incentive programs.” You’ll also be able to compare company drivers with contracted drivers. The eRoutes solution takes the locations of the asphalt plant, truck and paver and merges it with electronic ticket data from the plant. “By doing that, you get a good handle on cycle times and where you might be losing time,” Rawls says. Alerts can be set for specific parameters you want to track. Cat’s technology partner Trimble makes the hardware required for the plant, trucks and paver. A geofence is created around the job, the paver and the plant. Each truck has a GPS unit, so every time it reaches a geofence, it’s recorded. Software that captures ticket data creates electronic tickets when each truck is loaded. “We know when the truck left the plant, where they are en route to the jobsite, when they got to the job and when they got to the paver,” Rawls says. “You can quickly see how much time was taken during each part of the cycle and where you may be losing minutes.” eRoutes uses both a mobile and a desktop platform. The mobile app concentrates on giving users information to keep the job humming. The desktop platform provides an overall view and accounting of all projects. The app’s mobile dashboard, for
example, will show where trucks are in relation to the plant and paver. It shows the arrival times and scale weights of each truck, updated continuously in real time. You can see the tons per hour that are going to each job. The data will also help manage asphalt silos and scales. “If you can get the right mix at the right time, you can go a long way to keeping that paver moving,” Rawls says. One display shows a cycle timer for each connected truck – the time spent in loading, hauling, dumping and return. It will show you the average of the last five cycles, and how the current cycle compares. If, for instance, you planned a 27-minute cycle and reality shows a 43-minute cycle, then continuing at
that pace means a three-day paving job becomes a five-day job, Rawls explains. The app will pinpoint the part of the cycle eating up minutes. Perhaps the drivers spend more time than you planned after unloading. An investigation reveals that it’s taking additional minutes to clean out their tailgate and roll up their tarps. “This helps you bid reality in the future,” Rawls says. A ticket screen on the app also enables users to view and share any ticket. “We want to eliminate paver stops,” Rawls says. “To do that we need to see the whole process. It’s all about balancing production with delivery, specifically when you’re dealing with multiple crews.”
Cat Remote Services troubleshoots in-use machines
A
s part of its Cat Connect technology, Cat Remote Services is offering Cat Remote Troubleshoot. With Remote Troubleshoot, after receiving an alert, a user calls a Cat dealer to report the issue. The dealer technician accesses live machine diagnostics and remotely identifies problems. “The machine doesn’t need to stop while the dealer looks at what the root cause of the alert is,” says Herwig Peschl, Caterpillar global marketing manager. “If a repair is required, the dealer can then dispatch the right
technician with the right parts and tools to fix the machine and engine right the first time.” Using the machine’s onboard telematics, Remote Troubleshoot allows the dealer to run diagnostics testing and pinpoint potential issues. Some issues can be resolved remotely, saving a technician repair call. Remote Troubleshoot is available on Cat’s Next Gen excavators, and it will work on Cat machines or engines with an onboard PLE641 or PLE742 card and telematics 2017B software or newer.
EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 53
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earthmoving attachments
| by Don McLoud |
DonMcLoud@randallreilly.com
Switch from grading to dozing
The Eterra Dozer-Grader allows the operator to raise the bolster wheels on the attachment when it’s time for pushing large piles of material and then lower the wheels when grading. This dual function attachment comes with a moldboard that is 40 percent taller than most standard graders for pushing more material, the company says. Intelligent design allows for manual, laser and GPS controls to raise, lower and angle the moldboard to achieve accurate grade. It is operated with dual joystick controls. The blade system allows for grading in all directions.
Dig more, cleanout with ease
Bobcat has redesigned its trenching buckets and added new grading buckets for its E26 through E85 compact excavators. The buckets have been designed for durability, improved digging capabilities and easier cleanout. The grading buckets are available in widths of 36, 48 and 60 inches and have the same profile as the trenching buckets, which come in widths of 12, 16, 18, 20, 30 and 36 inches. The trenching buckets have a replaceable cutting edge. A toothed version of the trenching bucket uses the same teeth as previous models, so dealers do not have to stock two types of teeth. EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 55
earthmoving attachments
| continued
Control each grapple arm independently Wacker Neuson’s utility brush grapple is fabricated with highstrength steel and is designed for heavy-duty applications, with reinforced components and replaceable cutting edges. The hardened steel bushings, pins and cylinders are designed for durability. The operator can control each grapple arm independently for greater control and for stabilizing irregular loads. Bucket tines are spaced 6 inches apart with support plates to help hold material in the bucket for easier pickup and material management. The skeleton-style ribbing makes the grapple strong, yet lightweight.
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Visit specguideonline.com 56 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com Spec Guide Online_EW0119_PG.indd 1
12/7/18 9:48 AM
Grade, slope with ease
Geith designed its angle tilt buckets to make it easier for excavator operators to complete slope finishing, grading and land-clearing. As their name implies, the buckets can tilt 45 degrees in each direction. They can also be equipped with two heavy-duty hydraulic cylinders, spill guards and cylinder guards. The buckets weigh between 388 and 2,034 pounds. The largest model has a heaped capacity of 1.75 cubic yards. They are made for excavators ranging from 3 to 33 tons. Other features include reversible bolt-on cutting edge, heavy-duty side cutters and wear pads.
Turn skid steer into grading machine
The EDGE grader blade attachment can turn your skid steer or track loader into a grading machine. It features a 96-inch blade, in-cab hydraulic control of angle and tilt, and a reversible and replaceable cutting edge. A proportional current valve gradually adjusts the blade height, angle and tilt. A Leica laser grade control system is optional. The transmitter features accuracy up to 3,608 feet. The grader is designed for building pads, parking lots and runways, land leveling, concrete forming and framework, retention ponds, and setting foundations and footings.
Soil compaction with excavators, backhoes
John Deere has designed its three new plate compactors for trench, slope and excavation compaction applications. The PC4, PC7 and PC10 plate compactors are compatible with the John Deere compact excavator models 26G, 30G, 35, 50G and 60G, and backhoe models 310L, 310L EP, 310SL, 310SL HL, 315SL and 410L. They also work on most competitors’ models, the company says. The PC4 delivers 4,000 pounds of impulse force and is 13 inches wide; the PC7 delivers 6,400 pounds of impulse force and is 18 inches wide; and the PC10 delivers 8,000 pounds of impulse force and is 24 inches wide.
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EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 57 Untitled-2 1
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earthmoving attachments
| continued
Forward and reverse laser-control grading Case Construction Equipment says its new Laser Grading Box for its skid steers and compact track loaders achieves finished grades with 0.1-inch accuracy. The box is designed for such uses as concrete subgrade, parking lots and driveways. The operator sets the laser at the desired grade, and the rotating laser beam is read by the receivers on the mast poles. The control panel then tells the hydraulic valve system to adjust the grading box up or down based on the laser’s location in relation to the grade. The attachment grades both in forward and reverse for increased maneuverability and productivity.
In-cab remote grader blade Worksaver’s SSGB-8B Skid Steer Grader Blade is designed for high-performance subgrading and surface preparation. The 8-foot six-way hydraulically controlled moldboard delivers 25-degree rotation/tilt with in-cab remote. It is controlled by a proportional current valve. The moldboard is shear-pin protected to prevent damage. The blade features a reversible beveled cutting edge for long life and half-inch “connect under pressure” flat-faced hydraulic couplers. Optional end plate kit and laser pole kit, both offered in pairs, are also available.
58 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Handle abrasive materials Doosan severe-duty buckets for use with crawler excavators can handle abrasive materials in heavy digging and loading applications. Features include abrasive-resistant side cutters, shell bottom and side plates; weld-on wear shroud; four or six reinforcing gussets to strengthen the machine fitting joint on the bucket; front wear pads for additional protection from rocks and irregular materials; and an abrasiveresistant wear strap on the bottom to improve wear resistance when working with harsh materials.
safety watch
| by Tom Jackson |
TJackson@randallreilly.com
Illustration by Don Lomax
Unseen, unheard
I
t was a crowded, noisy and busy construction site. Dump trucks came and went delivering gravel, and a hydraulic excavator loaded the trucks with spoils from a trench. A skid steer distributed the gravel from the dump piles, and a dozer spread it all out. The victim, a 56-year-old male construction worker, drove one of the dump trucks while the boss leveled the gravel with the dozer. When the trucks weren’t being loaded with spoils from the excavator, the victim passed the time sitting in the truck cab or getting out to mingle with the crew, take bathroom breaks, etc. The area where the trucks entered the lot to dump the gravel was tight, due to structures and the location of the excavator. Several truckloads of gravel had already been dumped on the ground, creating a large pile and further restricting site lines on the ground. About 10:30 that morning a truck delivered and dumped another load of gravel but did not lower the dump body or drive away from the immediDate of safety talk: Attending:
ate vicinity. The victim stepped out from behind the gravel pile to signal the truck driver to lower the dump body and move out, at the same time as the dozer went into reverse heading for the gravel pile. A skid steer operator yelled a warning to the dozer operator and the victim, but because of the noise of the jobsite, he was not heard by either. The dozer struck the victim, knocking him to the ground and running over his legs. When the dozer operator saw the victim on the ground, he called 911 and started administering CPR. EMS personnel arrived just two minutes later but were unable to revive the victim. He was pronounced dead at 10:44 a.m.
How this accident could have been prevented: • A jobsite hazard analysis should be conducted and communicated to all personnel at the site. Anytime the jobsite changes, such as the erection of buildings, digging of trenches or addition of material stockpiles, the hazard analysis should change as well
Leader:
and new information relayed to all at the morning tailgate talk. • Before work starts, supervisors should map out truck routes and designate spaces where spotters on the ground can stand and be seen by truck drivers and equipment operators. • Supervisors should schedule tasks so that personnel spend as little time on the ground as possible. In this example the victim was switching between skid steer operation, truck driving and truck spotting, putting him on the ground between machines and trucks far too frequently. • Use two-way radios to communicate between operators and truck drivers. • Use backup cameras to improve visibility on equipment. • Set up Jersey barriers or other obstacles to mark safe places for workers to walk. For more information on this accident and steps you can take to prevent these kinds of incidents, go to: bit.ly/DozHaz
_____________________ EquipmentWorld.com | January 2019 59
alerta de seguridad
TJackson@randallreilly.com
No se le vio, no se le oyó
l área de construcción era un lugar lleno de gente, ruido y actividad. Los edificios en construcción se elevaban desde sus cimientos, y los camiones de volteo iban y venían trayendo grava, mientras una excavadora hidráulica cargaba esos camiones con desmonte de una zanja. Un minicargador distribuía la grava amontonada por los volquetes y una motoniveladora se encargaba de esparcirla. La víctima, un trabajador de construcción de 56 años, manejaba uno de los camiones de volteo mientras el jefe nivelaba la grava con una motoniveladora. En los momentos en que los camiones no estaban siendo cargados de desmonte con la excavadora, la víctima pasaba el tiempo sentado en la cabina del camión o saliendo a reunirse con la cuadrilla, aprovechando para ir al baño y cosas así. Los camiones entraban al terreno a descargar la grava a través de un área reducida debido a las estructuras existentes y a la ubicación de la excavadora. Ya se habían vaciado varias camionadas de grava esa mañana, creando un enorme montón que restringía aún más los espacios sobre el terreno. A eso de las 10:30 de la mañana, un camión descargó otra camionada de grava pero no bajó el volquete ni se alejó. La víctima salió de detrás del montón de grava para señalarle al conductor del camión que baje el volquete y salga de ahí, justo cuando la motoniveladora retrocedía hacia el montón de grava. Un operador de minicargador dio un grito de advertencia al operador de la motoniveladora y a la víctima pero ninguno de ellos lo escuchó debido a lo ruidoso del área de trabajo. La motoniveladora atropelló a la víctima tumbándolo a tierra y pasando sobre sus piernas. Cuando el operador de la motoniveladora vio a la víctima en el suelo llamó al 911 y empezó a aplicarle Resucitación Cardiopulmonar. El personal de emergencia llegó dos minutos después pero tampoco pudo reanimar a la víctima. Su muerte fue declarada a las 10:44 a.m.
Fecha de la charla de seguridad: Asistentes: 60 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
Líder:
Illustration por Don Lomax
E
| por Tom Jackson |
Cómo pudo haberse prevenido este accidente: • Se debería realizar un análisis de riesgos del área de trabajo y comunicarlo a todo el personal. Con cada cambio en el área de trabajo, como cuando se erigen nuevos edificios, se cavan zanjas o se apilan materiales, el análisis de riesgos también debe cambiar y la nueva información debe ser transmitida a todos durante las charlas abiertas de las mañanas. • Antes de que empiece el trabajo, los supervisores deberían establecer rutas para los camiones y designar espacios donde los vigilantes sobre el terreno puedan pararse y ser vistos por los conductores de camiones y operadores de maquinaria. • Los supervisores deberían programar tareas de tal modo que el personal pase el menor tiempo posible sobre el terreno. En el ejemplo de arriba, la víctima pasaba de la operación del minicargador y la conducción del camión a la vigilancia del camión, ubicándose en el terreno entre la maquinaria y los camiones con demasiada frecuencia. • Utilice equipos de radio de dos vías para que operadores y conductores de camiones se comuniquen. • Utilice cámaras de retroceso para mejorar la visibilidad de la maquinaria. • Implemente barreras modulares u otros obstáculos para marcar los lugares donde los trabajadores puedan caminar con seguridad. Para más información sobre este accidente y los pasos que puede tomar para prevenir estos incidentes, visite: bit.ly/DozHaz
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final word | by Tom Jackson
TJackson@randallreilly.com
Robotics and the technician of the future
T
here is an interesting discussion going on among members of the Association of Equipment Management Professionals. The question is who will be the heavy equipment technicians of the future and what skills will they need to succeed. Old-school technicians started out changing fluids and filters, doing minor repairs and PMs. From there they might have moved up to doing engine and transmission rebuilds, then advanced to shop manager and eventually fleet manager. But equipment is changing with every new advance in technology. Telematics has revolutionized truck dispatching and operations as well as machine monitoring. GPS machine control is automating earthmoving activities and robotics, and autonomous/semi-autonomous machine operation is now becoming a thing. The question up for grabs is: Who will be in charge of all these technology assets, the cost of which are not inconsiderable? Who will evaluate them, buy them, train others to use them, maintain them and dispose of them? Is that going to be the old-school equipment manager or a new breed of technology manager? A lot of this technology now seems to be in the hands of the operations folks, with not much input from maintenance, unless the technology is shop and equipment-related software. But one area of technology that I think will push technicians and fleet managers into a more sophisticated role is robotics and autonomous/semi-autonomous equipment. It’s becoming evident that robotics will play a bigger role in construction, and safety will be the big driver. There are hundreds of trench-collapse and confined-space-related deaths every year. In
66 January 2019 | EquipmentWorld.com
less than a month this summer, six firefighters died in California fires. This past winter, an 81-year-old dozer operator died fighting a fire in Northern California. It’s almost certain these tragedies will spur the growth of construction robots to work in hazardous environments. States will start mandating more robotic equipment for contractors, rescuers and emergency personnel working in these high hazard jobs. As that happens the industry will need a new breed of equipment technician capable of diagnosing and repairing robots, and that takes us considerably beyond the old fluids and filters mentality. This isn’t an official position or policy at AEMP – just my opinion – but it is based on a lot of casual conversations in AEMP committees and networking events. But keep in mind that 10 years ago AEMP members were having similar conversations about the lack of a telematics standard. That impetus led to the creation of the AEMP Telematics standard, which is now an ANSI and ISO level certification supported by most OEMs. What’s discussed casually at AEMP today may be the reality of equipment management tomorrow. If you would like to participate in the conversations about the future of technicians in our industry, go to the AEMP website (www. aemp.org) and make plans to attend its next management conference and annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, March 19-21. The main purpose of these meetings is the education and professional development of technicians and fleet managers, and there’s a roster of education sessions dedicated to just that. So keep an ear to the ground, find out what the members are thinking, and you may just get a glimpse of where this is all headed.
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Everything we put into Bobcat ® equipment is designed to make more of whatever you bring to the job. Whether it’s strength, versatility, speed or agility, it’s built around you. Bobcat is a Doosan company. Doosan is a global leader in construction equipment, power and water solutions, engines, and engineering, proudly serving customers and communities for more than a century. Bobcat®, the Bobcat logo and the colors of the Bobcat machine are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries. ©2019 Bobcat Company. All rights reserved. | 1357