equipmentworld.com | July 2018
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CAN CTL s COMPETE WITH SMALL DOZERS? IN THE 75-100 HP CLASS OEMS SAY YES Rental is rockin’ with independent dealers, online service and tech savvy upstarts.............
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Experience the Progress.
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
Vol. 30 Number 7 |
Cover Story
table of contents | July 2018
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MACHINE MATTERS:
COMPACT TRACK LOADERS GROW UP
As CTL market matures, OEMs boost warranties, power, features to compete
Equipment 15
Marketplace
Featuring Deere-Hitachi excavators, Doosan’s DA-30-5 artic, Hamm’s GRW 2801 pneumatic tire roller, the Volvo ECR355E excavator, a new Felling tilt trailer, Rototilt’s largest tiltrotator
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Rental Strategies Special Report
Cat launches Fast Rent pilot. Independent dealers take on the big boys. BigRentz grows up fast.
50 Highway Contractor Intelligent compaction users report uniform asphalt results, enhanced visibility during night paving.
EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018
3
table of contents | continued
Features 39 Maintenance Management
Everything you want – and need – to know about API CK-4 diesel engine lube oils.
44 Road Technology
Trimble: Milling begins to automate with AGS – and more technology is coming.
55 Contractor of the Year Finalist
Steve Bielecki and Russ Kibler, R&S General Contractors, Bristol, Pennsylvania
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Departments 7 On Record
Think you’ve got the best equipment supplier?
11 Reporter
Doosan steps out from Bobcat’s shadow with plans to break top 5 in North America.
Data 38 Quick Articulated Trucks
43 Technology Goodyear’s EMTrack uploads tire data to the cloud for customized cost reports.
58 Safety Watch Brake fail
60 Backhoe Attachments
From hammers to buckets, these products add versatility to your backhoe.
66 Final Word Thinking big
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July 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com
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on record | by Marcia Gruver Doyle MGruver@randallreilly.com
Think you’ve got the best equipment supplier?
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or the past year and a half, Equipment World has been addressing dealer/rental distribution with a daily newsletter, Big Iron Dealer. Now we want to kick it up a notch. That’s why we’re announcing our first annual Big Iron Dealer of the Year Award, designed to give these critical members of the equipment community the recognition they deserve. With this award, we’re not just looking for the dealers and rental centers that have been to the sales and revenue mountaintop. We’re seeking companies of all sizes that excel in community engagement, customer education, staff training and marketing initiatives. These are the companies that you know are on your side, whether the issue is a down machine, a parts or machine delivery or technology training. Not to mention that they’re mighty important sounding boards when you need to make a critical business decision. Why should you care about an award that goes to a dealer or a rental opera-
tion? You can have a hand in picking who wins. We’re taking nominations from several sources for this award, including contractors. Nominations can also come from manufacturers, associations and other dealer/rental companies. In addition, a company can also nominate itself. All nominations will be anonymous. With your nomination, you’ll be doing your dealer/rental partner a big favor. The winner of this award will receive an invitation to Randall-Reilly’s R-Squared construction and trucking marketing conference, held Oct. 8-11 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In addition to being recognized at the event, the winning company will be featured in an article on the Equipment World Big Iron Dealer website. To nominate your equipment supplier for this award, just go to equpmentworld. com/dealeroftheyear/ to fill out a quick form. But hurry: the deadline for your nomination is August 3rd. We’ll do the rest.
EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 7
PARTNER SOLUTIONS | KUBOTA
EXCAVATING EFFICIENTLY:
COMPACT EXCAVATORS DELIVER ADVANTAGES
F
or years, the star of any excavation was the backhoe — a large, powerful machine that could handle a variety of digging tasks. A tried and true workhorse, the backhoe enjoyed market expansion for decades. However, jobsites were changing, demands were changing, and there was a new machine waiting in the wings: a piece of equipment that would offer a range of advantages on today’s jobsite. Now, this machine — the compact excavator — is rapidly gaining market share as contractors discover their performance, power, and versatility.
Taking the lead
Compact excavators have gained an advantage for a number of reasons. Their tracked undercarriages outperform wheeled machines in wet conditions. The reduction in ground pressure created by the tracks also results in less damage to the site. Size is also an issue, and in this case, bigger isn’t always better. Over the years, backhoes have increased in weight, making them less useful on tight jobsites. Compact excavators, on the other hand, not only are perfectly suited to tighter working conditions, their smaller size and lower weight aids in transportability.
Big machine features
Compact excavators are increasing in popularity because they offer productive, efficient engines, optimum hydraulics, and unmatched comfort features, says Jeff Jacobsmeyer, product manager for excavators, wheel loaders and tractor loader backhoes, Kubota. “Modern compact excavators are designed to dig every day, all day long, with an increasing emphasis on operator comfort and control,” Jacobsmeyer says. “The compact excavator industry overall has
Tackle the tightest jobsites with Kubota’s U27-4, which features best-in-class reach and dig depth, as well as an arm and bucket design enabling faster, deeper, more efficient digging, with a bucket digging force of 7,014 pounds. The U27-4 has adjustable auxiliary flow hydraulics, an auxiliary diverter valve and two-speed automatic downshift travel to maximize productivity and performance. A spacious cab includes a wide entrance, more leg room and flow space and a luxurious interior operators will enjoy, as well as a user-friendly front meter panel.
grown in 2017 and 2018 for all sizes up to 8 metric tons.” Like other equipment manufacturers, Kubota has complied with Tier 4 Final emissions regulations on engine design. The end result was a benefit to both the customer and the environment, and the engines now are not only environmentally friendly, but they also operate more efficiently at a lower operating cost to the customer. Achieved through a combination of computer controlled common rail fuel systems, precision engineered hydraulic systems, and new engine technology, Kubota’s compact excavators ensures no power is lost.
Enhancing efficiency
One of the most effective ways to boost productivity on a machine is through the use of advanced hydraulics, which can greatly enhance efficiency by improving cycle time. Most Kubota models, for example, feature digital control panels that enable the operator to program up to five different flow rates for attachments. With no tools, and no need to leave the operator’s seat, the operator simply uses the panel to set the hydraulic control for the attachment, eliminating the need to continually adjust the hydraulic flow when changing attachments. The Kubota Advanced
Load-Sensing Hydraulic System ensures optimal oil flow to each cylinder. In recent years, Jacobsmeyer says, compact excavators began to offer more than just comparable features. “Compact excavators started offering features that quickly set them at an advantage to backhoes,” he says. For example, compact excavators that exceed 25 horsepower offer an economy, or ECO, mode as a standard feature. This selection allows for increased fuel savings without sacrificing digging performance in situations when digging demands are minimal. Another feature Jacobsmeyer sees as a game changer for the machine is the auto idle feature, which allows the contractor to not only save fuel, but reduce noise on the jobsite. When selected, the feature reduces engine RPM to low idle when the controls are idle for four seconds, saving fuel while reducing emissions and noise pollution on the jobsite. The auto idle feature is excellent for urban settings. A third feature is the AUX diverter valve, which allows for a thumb attachment to be connected while running other hydraulic attachments. Standard on most Kubota models, the auxiliary diverter valve eliminates the need to couple and uncouple the thumb line to switch attachments, saving time and boosting productivity.
Enhance the versatility of a wide range of Kubota excavators with the hydraulic thumb attachment, which allows for handling, manipulating or loading irregular shaped objects, debris, rocks and more. Custom designed to match the bucket tip radius, the hydraulic thumb kit is retractable for trenching. The kit is available for the U27-4, KX-71-3, KX033-4, U35-4, KX040-4, U55-4, KX057-4 and KX080-4s excavators.
All-day comfort
While power, performance and productivity are musthaves on the equipment checklist, it doesn’t matter if your machine can go all day if your operator cannot. That’s why Kubota has rolled out a suite of creature comforts across its entire line of models, featuring ergonomics that simplify routine excavating operations. A deluxe reclining, high-back suspension seat delivers maximum comfort for the operator, including weight compensation. The digital display is placed conveniently for easy machine monitoring and hydraulic flow adjustment, and is similarly located across models, no matter the size. All machines can be switched from ISO to backhoe style controls for operator comfort while using pilot function controls. A ROPS/OPG canopy is standard, and most models can include the cab option, ample foot space and a gasassist mechanism to ease opening the front window.
Assessing the advantages Hard to reach areas are no problem with Kubota’s KX033-4 with the optional extendable dipper arm that easily extends to 31 inches to deliver a 12-foot, 2-inch dig depth and an 18-foot, 3-inch dig reach, this 3-ton-class machine boasts the digging depth of a larger class machine in its compact footprint. Powered by Kubota’s direct injection diesel engine with auto shift and auto idle features, the KX033-4 offers powerful performance.
While there is, of course, still a market for backhoes, the compact excavator industry continues to grow as the backhoe market shrinks, Jacobsmeyer says. “Many contractors have upgraded their ‘tired’ older machines,” he says. “A compact excavator is only limited by its dig depth and lifting capacity. As a rule, projects requiring a trench 12 feet or less in depth are a good fit for compact excavators. It’s important to look at a jobsite as a whole and assess what size excavator you’ll need.
Introducing a truly unique machine with endless possibilities. The new JCB Teleskid is the first and only skid steer and compact track loader with a telescopic boom, making it the most versatile machine you’ve ever seen. It can lift higher, reach further and dig deeper than any other skid steer on the market and can access areas you wouldn’t have thought possible, until now.
jcb.com/teleskid
4972
| staff report
reporter
Doosan steps out from Bobcat’s shadow with plans to break top 5
Briefs
D
oosan bought Bobcat in 2007, merging Korea’s top heavyequipment manufacturer and America’s well-known compact machine experts. And while the two are still under the same umbrella company, Doosan, which operates under the name Doosan Infracore North America, is forging a separate business with a new headquarters in Suwanee, Georgia, new management and marketing, and a revitalized strategy for the heavy side of things. “After seven years of growing our business under Bobcat, we now believe we can do some things differently,” says Heejoon (Edward) Song, CEO of the new company. Doosan now reports directly to Korea, says Song, and has dedicated almost 100 people to focusing solely on expanding the heavy business. Behind the new initiative is Doosan’s desire to become one of the top five brands in North America in the next few years. When it purchased Bobcat, the company was 16th in global revenues but moved up to ninth in just four years. Last year it hit sixth. But in North America, it has just a little under 3 percent market share. To boost those numbers, Doosan
will lay out new dealer and support programs, more training programs in Suwanee and more integration of its telematics program, Doosan Connect. The primary goal is to grow the Doosan-only network in the United States and Canada. The company is looking at expanding into markets it doesn’t now serve, including Salt Lake City, Pittsburgh and Toronto. Doosan is also developing a second parts depot at an as-yet undisclosed location. “By having two locations we should be able to reduce shipping costs by air by 70 percent and deliver 67 percent of our parts in less than two days,” says Song. The company also plans to complete an assessment by the end of the year on the possibility of building an assembly plant or customization center in North America, Song says. And while there are no firm commitments yet, the new Doosan Infracore North America is looking to expand its machine lineup. Song mentioned the possibility of some new excavators, including a 16-ton excavator and 34-ton and larger excavators, as well as larger wheel loaders and articulated trucks. –Tom Jackson
I
n what is perhaps the longest and most successful joint venture in the heavy-equipment business, John Deere and Hitachi are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their partnership this year. The Deere-Hitachi partnership has established three major manufacturing facilities – in Kernersville, North Carolina; British Columbia, Canada; and Sau Paulo, Brazil – and built more than 55,000 hydraulic excavators for the North, Central and South American markets.
Volvo Construction Equipment has been adding new dealers and expanding veteran dealers’ territories in the past year as part of a strategy to shift dealerships toward more consultative roles, as telematics and analytics change the industry. The new dealers include Housby Heavy Equipment in Iowa, Wise Heavy Equipment in Nebraska; TranSource Truck & Equipment in South Dakota; Hawaii Truck Parts, Sales and Services; and Alta Equipment, which is expanding territory to Illinois.
(continued on following page) EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 11
reporter |
continued
OSHA drops ROC rule on crane operators
A
fter hearing extensive feedback from the construction industry that rated operating capacity (ROC) is not a suitable indicator of a crane operator’s skill and experience, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed removing a provision from its standard for cranes and derricks in construction that required
different levels of operator certification based on a crane’s ROC. Crane operators will still have to be certified, but they won’t be limited to what cranes they can operate by what cranes they have been certified on, according to the new rule. From now on, that will all be in the hands of their employers. With the removal of ROCbased restrictions from its required operator certifications, OSHA says it will instead require employers to thoroughly and continuously ensure the competency of their crane operators through training and evaluation. The proposed changes to the crane certification rule follow two delays in the agency’s deadline for compliance, currently set for November 10. –Wayne Grayson
JCB swaps U.S. backhoe production for telehandlers
L
ess than four years after the first JCB 3CX backhoe rolled off the assembly line at the British equipment maker’s Savannah, Georgia-based North American headquarters, the company has ceased backhoe production at the plant to make room for production of the 505-20TC compact telehandler. JCB says installation of the new telehandler production line has begun at the plant, which employs 600 workers, and that it expects full production to begin in September. Though it has manufactured the 3CX backhoe since November 2014, the Savannah plant’s primary manufacturing responsibility is and will remain skid-steer and compact track loaders. Thus, the company
12 July 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com
expects no significant impact to its Savannah employment as a result of the change. JCB North America president and CEO Richard Fox-Marrs described the move as allowing “our people to more directly contribute to the success and growth of a product that is in high demand in this market.” –Wayne Grayson
Briefs (continued)
Komatsu recently made drone history by placing the single largest order for commercial drones, according to China-based DJI, makers of the popular Phantom series of quadcopter drones. The DJI drones will be designed to integrate into Komatsu’s automated equipment service, currently in Japan only, that combines Komatsu’s Intelligent Machine Control with jobsite surveys provided by drones and 3D laser scanners, with the goal of automating prefoundation work. Ashtead Group plans to increase the footprint of its North American business – Sunbelt Rentals – by about 50 percent within the next three years. The company has been eying the opportunity to add roughly 250 more Sunbelt Rentals locations, according to Ashstead’s website. For more on each of these stories go to equipmentworld.com.
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marketplace
| by Don McLoud |
DonMcLoud@randallreilly.com
EDIT PICOR’S K
Deere-Hitachi partnership yields reduced tail swing excavators The John Deere 345G LC and Hitachi ZX345USLC-6 excavators are the latest creations from the companies’ 30-year partnership. The 80,788-pound excavators feature reduced tail swing to deliver more reach, lift capacity, digging depth, breakout force, swing torque and bucket capacity than previous models.
The Tier 4 Final Isuzu engine produces 249 horsepower. Max digging depth is 24 feet 10 inches. One of the three pumps of the hydraulic system is dedicated to the swing circuit for faster cycle times. Cab size has been increased, and improved LCD monitors have been added. A rearview camera is standard.
Boosting power while burning less fuel
Volvo Construction Equipment’s latest excavator model, the ECR355E, represents an 18 percent increase in horsepower and a 28 percent increase in torque over its predecessor. The 35-ton excavator also represents a new class size for Volvo’s excavator lineup. Its short tail swing allows it to work in tight spaces that typically require smaller, less powerful machines. It runs on a 241-horsepower Volvo D8 Tier 4 Final engine. Volvo reduced the excavator’s fuel usage by 10 percent and increased cab space 10 percent over its predecessor. Rearview and side-view cameras are standard.
EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 15
marketplace
| continued
Roll on with Easy Drive
Smoother ride with self-leveling suspension
Doosan upgraded its DA30-5 artic truck with a new hydro-gas, self-leveling front suspension for increased ride smoothness. The driver can change the suspension by adjusting the pressure. The new rear tandems have four brakes instead of six to reduce maintenance, and the tandems use common oil. The cab has been designed with more space between pedals, and a foot well that’s easier to clean. It also features new air vents and an upgraded display panel and vehicle control unit. The truck runs on a 370-horsepower Scania diesel engine and comes standard with a new telematics system.
Load and unload at ground level
Felling Trailers has launched its FT-12 EZ-T tilt trailer that allows operators to drive equipment on and off the trailer at ground level. The company says the new trailer comes in handy for loading, unloading and transporting equipment with low ground clearance. The trailer is raised and lowered by a corded remote control. When lowered, the equipment being hauled can simply be driven onto the trailer. The operator then raises the trailer into hauling position by remote operation of the electric/ hydraulic lift system. 16 July 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com
Hamm’s new GRW 2801 is the company’s first pneumatic tire roller to feature the Easy Drive operation system. Easy Drive is designed with fewer switches and an uncluttered operator’s platform. Operation is controlled by a steering wheel and a joystick with push-button switches ergonomically designed. Hamm also gave the ballast space an upgrade to make it easier to add and remove weight, and that weight is evenly distributed over both sides. The intelligent control includes automatic soft raps for even, gentle braking and acceleration to help prevent uneven compaction.
Largest tiltrotator in the world
Rototilt proclaims its R9 tiltrotator for excavators in the 33- to 44-ton range to be the largest in the world. It is designed to convert excavators into toolcarriers by being able to rotate attachments 360 degrees and tilt them 40 degrees right or left. It features max breakout torque of 368,780 pound-feet, high-flow hydraulics and a worm gear with dual hydraulics. Its SecureLock safety lock ensures it is safely attached to the excavator. It also features a central lubrication system and an intelligent control system with in-cab display that allows the operator to adjust the tiltrotator’s settings.
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machine matters
| by Richard Ries
COMPACT TRACK LOADERS GROW UP As CTL market matures, OEMs boost warranties, power, features to compete The vertical-lift Case TV370 is driven by an FPT engine rated at 74 gross horsepower and 32 pound-feet of peak torque. Rated operating capacity is 2,590 pounds at 35 percent of tipping load.
F
or years, CTLs grabbed market share by being the new kids on the block and offering lots of wow factor. But as their newcomer status fades, OEMs are shifting strategies to maintain growth in a maturing market. For starters, they’re offering better warranties to stay competitive, which can sometimes lead to warranty wars. “A big part of the move to longer warranties is to match or exceed what other OEMs are offering,” says Lee Padgett, product manager, Takeuchi-US. “In order to compete in this competitive market, manufacturers have to provide incentives, including longer warranties.”
18 July 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com
What compelled expanded coverage initially? Primarily two factors. One was the improved quality of components. “Our track warranty on compact track loaders was two years, 1,000 hours,” says Buck Storlie, ASV testing and reliability leader. “It is now two years, 1,500 hours. We were getting no claims at 1,000 hours.” The second driver was customer demand. “Customers accept that they have to pay more for Tier 4 Final machines,” says Gregg Zupancic, product marketing manager, John Deere Construction and Forestry. “They understand those machines come with inherent advantages compared to older models. But they also want assurance their higher investment will have bet-
Although designed for forestry applications, the ASV RT120F is suitable for other demanding tasks. The RT120F has a 3.8-liter turbocharged Cummins engine producing 120 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque. ter protection.” Zupancic says customers also like the more stable O&O costs afforded by longer warranties. Brent Coffey, loader product manager, Wacker Neuson, says the company also touts the higher residual values of longer warranties, which provide coverage into the second life of the machine. The company now offers a 3/4/5 warranty: three years, 3,000 hours bumper-tobumper; four years, 4,000 hours on the drivetrain and hydraulics; and five years, 5,000 hours on the electrical system. With typical yearly use of 600 to 1,000 hours, at least some of the warranty coverage can remain in place for the second owner depending on when the original purchaser sells the loader. But the Wacker Neuson warranty showcases the need to understand the terms of these longer warranties. OEMs didn’t start with one year, 1,000 hours full-machine coverage and then
Volvo made a number of improvements to its D Series CTLs, including the MCT135D. The next-generation, curved single loader arm has 20 percent more steel. The ROPS/FOPS cab is 30 percent larger than industry averages. Visibility spans 270 degrees, up to 60 percent more than conventional models with a two-arm design.
simply multiply everything by two or three or more. Warranties are better overall, but most are better in some areas than others. Manufacturers aren’t being deceptive; each is leveraging unique strengths to offer a better warranty while minimizing the risk of higher warranty claims and costs. For example, ASV expanded its track warranty, while its full-machine warranty remains one year, unlimited hours. Deere went from one year, unlimited hours (with occasional promotional offers for enhanced coverage) to two years, 2,000 hours. Warranty refinement is ongoing. Bobcat is on the verge of announcing a new warranty program to replace the current terms of one year, unlimited hours standard coverage and optional extended coverage up to three years and 3,000 hours.
Boosting power There’s been a steady escalation of horsepower with sever-
al manufacturers now offering 100 horsepower and up. This is true of most compact equipment where “customers always want more performance from the same size package,” says Mike Fitzgerald, loader product specialist, Bobcat. Their newest CTL is the 100-horsepower T870. “They want to get more done with the same size machine. They understand the relationship between power and fuel usage, but they know their increased fuel costs will be more than offset with increased production.” In some cases, customers are replacing other equipment, notably small dozers and compact wheel loaders, with high-horsepower compact track loaders, says Jorge De Hoyos, product manager, compact track and skid steer loaders, Kubota. “Higher horsepower, higher lift capacities and improved undercarriage design combine to make this possible.” EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 19
SM
WE ARE DEDICATED TO YOUR SUCCESS IN EVERYTHING WE DO. IT’S WHO WE ARE. We know that getting the job done safely, correctly, and profitably is a priority. That is why we offer unrivaled service, technology, and knowledge to drive your success. It is why Roadtec provides you with a level of expertise and training not found anywhere else because that is what you need.
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machine matters Tips for replacing tracks he replacement cycle Tdependent for tracks is heavily on applica-
tion, conditions and operator habits. But at some point, replacement becomes necessary. Eric Hartzler, MWE wholesale manager, offers these considerations. MWE provides tracks, tires and undercarriage components. Brand name tracks are better for high hours because they just have better overall quality. “It’s a classic case of ‘you get what you pay for,’” says Hartzler. Service life range for aftermarket tracks would be 700 to 1,000 hours, and for name-brand tracks (Bridgestone and Camso are the two largest volume sellers), it could be 1,700 hours or more. Track materials include synthetics, but the rubber portion should be virgin, not recycled. Cables should be continuous and machine-laid. Generally, you want to stay with the OE track width, but you may want to look at other tread patterns. MWE offers eight patterns in its TNT line of tracks. Hooked or pointed sprocket teeth will chew up new tracks in short order. You can do a visual inspection of sprockets or use a gauge such as the one MWE offers. Sprocket replacement with every second set of tracks is common, but here again conditions greatly affect service life.
| continued
The radial-lift Cat 239D is powered by a Cat C2.2 CRDI engine rated at 67.1 gross horsepower and 153 pound-feet of torque. Rated operating capacity at 50 percent of tipping load is 2,050 pounds.
Powered by a Kubota 2.4-liter engine rated at 65.2 horsepower, the radial-lift TL6R is the smallest Takeuchi CTL. With a height of 6 feet, 5.8 inches and a width of 5 feet, the TL6R allows access and work efficiency in areas with limited space. Many customers want more power to make use of new, larger attachments. As the catalog of attachments grows, much of that growth is in tools with high hydraulic demands such as mulchers, planers, rock saws and brush cutters. Recent advances in hydraulic design are not enough in themselves to power these attachments; increased horsepower has been required, as well. “The relationship between engine horsepower and engine speeds and hydraulic horsepower cannot be overlooked,” says De
Hoyos. “More engine horsepower leads to more hydraulic horsepower as long as the hydraulic components are properly matched.” Kevin Coleman, product expert, Caterpillar, says horsepower and hydraulic system performance are just two parts of a three-part equation. The other is attachment design. “You’re going to get the greatest productivity when the performance characteristics of the host machine and the work tool attachment are matched. This match is best achieved when the loader and the attachment are engineered by the same manufacturer.” Storlie points to flow sharing on ASV models as a key feature in their performance. The pump puts out 53 gallons per minute, but the system uses only 45 of that, so 8 gpm can be redirected to other loader functions with no loss of attachment speed. Horsepower is a key spec for customers, says Zupancic. “Different customers focus on different specs, but they all focus on horsepower, and it typically takes prominence in their selection process.” Given that, will the horsepower race continue indefinitely? Probably not. “We’re still ‘compact equipment,’” says Fitzgerald, “and there are limits to the size of the machines.” EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 21
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machine matters
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With standard two-speed travel, the Wacker Neuson ST31 has a top speed of nearly 10 mph. Power comes from a Kohler engine rated at 74 horsepower.
The FPT engine on the New Holland C234 is rated at 90 gross horsepower and 282 pound-feet of peak torque. Relief pressure is set at 3,046 psi. Standard flow is 24.2 gpm; optional high-flow provides 37.6 gpm. Tier 4 Final machines of 75 horsepower and greater are already pushing the boundaries. Because they have more stringent emissions requirements than do machines of less than 75 horsepower, these bigger models require bulky aftertreatment systems and proportionately larger cooling packages. If there’s an upper limit, what will it be? Zupancic says around 120 horsepower will be the cap. “That’s
the most you can get from the 3.3to 3.5-liter engines that fit this platform.” To hit, say, 150 horsepower would require significantly more displacement, something in the 4.5-liter size. The size of the engine plus its required cooling package would simply not fit in a compact footprint. Lars Arnold, global product manager, Volvo Construction Equipment, says there’s an upper limit
imposed by efficiency and productivity. “Once you get above 100 horsepower, you’re probably better off with a dedicated machine rather than trying to force a CTL into that application.” George MacIntyre, Case product director of landscaping and agriculture and product manager for CTLs and SSLs, says, “While customers are demanding more power, it may not actually be what they want. What they really want is productivity, which relies most on hydraulic horsepower.” MacIntyre points out that the formula for hydraulic horsepower makes no mention of engine input horsepower. (The formula is power = psi x gpm / 1,714.) MacIntyre says Case has two high-flow options. The standard high flow uses a gear pump, and the enhanced high-flow uses a piston pump. While sales of the largest Case CTL, the 90-horsepower TV380, have been solid, MacIntyre says there’s a lot of interest in models below 75 horsepower. “Customers don’t want to deal with the demands of DEF and higher heat rejection if they don’t have to use a larger machine in their applicaEquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 23
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tions.” He says that in many cases there’s a minimal return in going to a higher horsepower machine, whether that’s from 74 to 90 horsepower or 90 to 110 horsepower. Randy Tinley, SSL/CTL product manager at JCB, says it’s better to focus on rated operating capacity. “Our large-frame compact track loaders offer ROCs from 2,500 pounds all the way up to 3,695 pounds for the Teleskid model with the telescopic boom. That’s plenty for most applications, and all those machines have JCB EcoMax engines rated at 74 horsepower.”
Telematics and other features While telematics have become standardized in larger equipment, in compact equipment there’s quite a variety of offerings. Basic telematics are standard equipment on Bobcat CTLs, but the information is available only to the dealer and is used mainly for PM and repair; there is no upgrade option for customers at this time. Cat machines come with telematics that provide machine hours and location. “A more comprehensive solution is available with additional functionality to help customers better manage their assets,” says Coleman. Wacker Neuson provides no telematics as standard; they offer one optional telematics system that is their most advanced, “and because it’s open architecture with no proprietary coding, it integrates easily with rental houses’ and contractors’ fleet management systems,” says Coffey. Ryan Anderson, SSL/CTL product specialist at New Holland Construction, says contractors show the least interest in telematics. “Right now, telematics on CTLs seem to be used mainly by rental houses for maintaining and locating large rental fleets and by equipment dealers servicing recreational customers,” Anderson says. JCB builds eight models of traditional CTLs plus the 3TS8T Teleskid tracked loader with
The larger of the two models in the Kubota SVL line, the SVL95-2s has 96.4 gross horsepower and an operating weight of 11,299 pounds. Rated operating capacity is 3,200 pounds at 35 percent of tipping load.
The T870 is the biggest Bobcat CTL. Selectable Joystick Control allows easy customization of controls to match operator preference. Automatic ride control reduces spillage and improves operator comfort, allowing faster travel across rough terrain. telescopic boom. Customers can spec LiveLink Lite or LiveLink Full as an option when ordering any of the models. In addition, JCB offers its Yellow Series on five of those models, including the Teleskid. The package of features includes LiveLink Lite, in the same way auto manufactures offer trim packages that combine popular features. The Yellow Series is the most popular
configuration for these five models. Coleman says that historically telematics have been used to transmit information from the field to an office. “In the future, telematics will enable communication from the office to the machine, to update software, for example.” Manufacturers are adding features that enhance productivity and comfort in the many applications and EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 25
machine matters
| by Richard Ries The 210T and 215T are the small-platform models of JCB compact track loaders. The 210T is a radial lift machine and the 215T a vertical lift. Both feature 74-horsepower JCB by Kohler engines.
with the many work tools typically associated with CTLs. Deere CTLs come standard with EH Joystick controls. This basic setup is left stick drive, right stick boom, ISO pattern only. Above that is the EH
Joystick Performance package with selectable control patterns, creep mode, control of system response characteristics and more. The toplevel EH Boom Performance package includes all the other features
and adds return-to-dig, return-tocarry, and boom height kickout, each of which is programmable. Deere also offers onboard grade indication, “like an electronic bubble level,” says Zupancic. Arnold says Volvo has made changes throughout its CTLs. Some are big. The single-sided boom is stronger and more rigid. The cab can now be tilted forward without first raising the arm, and the new tilt cylinder location provides best-inclass cylinder protection. The cab door has a wider opening angle for easier access. The attachment plate has replacement wear plates, and the cycle time to change attachments has been reduced. Some changes are more subtle. The wiper motor has been repositioned to the side for better visibility. A cab air vent (“burp valve”) makes it easier to close the door on the tightly sealed cab. Padgett points to the 5.7-inch color monitor in Takeuchi CTLs.
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In addition to displaying machine vitals, the monitor provides access for adjusting auxiliary hydraulic flow and selecting attachment presets, and it shows the view from the rearview camera that is standard on most models.
Market stabilizes Upheaval in the market is fading. There will continue to be a rebalancing of CTLs, and skid steers and other machines will get drawn into the mix. But the market is trending toward stability with sales of all categories of equipment rising. De Hoyos says the big determinants – underfoot conditions and initial investment level – are now well understood by customers when they’re choosing between tracks and tires. “Kubota makes two models in each product line, covering the largest portion of each market,” he says. One wrinkle has been the increasing power available in stand-on and walk-behind utility loaders. Will they pose a threat to CTL mar-
The John Deere vertical-lift 333G has a 3,700-pound rated operating capacity at 35 percent of tipping load. A turbocharged, intercooled Yanmar engine is rated at 100 gross horsepower and 291.3 pound-feet of torque. ket share? “Utility loaders are very capable machines,” says Coleman, “and provide a unique solution for customers requiring smaller equipment in tight spaces. But they come with limitations, such as the size of the load they can handle, the num-
ber of attachments they can use and the lack of a quiet operator station with heat and air conditioning.” He says that while such machines have a secure place in the market, “they won’t likely displace larger ‘sit-down’ loaders.”
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rental strategies | staff report
Real-time inventory, dynamic rental rates debut on Cat’s Fast Rent pilot program
F
ast Rent, a Caterpillar corporate rental initiative, may be piloted by three or more North American Cat dealers in the coming months. Initially developed by Cat’s Swiss dealer, Avesco, the Fast Rent platform has been tested in three European markets since 2014. “It was created to address the needs of small businesses,” says Andy Grover, global rental and used digital products manager. Using either a website or the Fast Rent mobile app, customers can access real-time inventory along with dynamic pricing. “There’s no need to request a quote,” Grover says. “Customers can complete the transaction, including using credit card or another online payment option, and schedule transport. In a matter of minutes, they can complete the entire transaction, which might have taken them 30 minutes to an hour before. Everything’s electronic: signatures, payments, inspection process and equipment condition documentation.” And for the first time, dynamic rental rates are published online. “Just as you do when you buy an airline ticket, the rates change according to time, weather and demand,” explains Pierre-Alain Masson, global rental and used marketing development department head. “That means that a contractor who wants a mini-excavator on Monday can order it on Friday night and know exactly what it’s going to cost him.” Along with the mobile app experience, Fast Rent pilot Cat dealers will use lean operation, gated facilities, and a condensed range of products versus the typical Cat Rental Store, according to Grover. These facilities, with standard hours of operations, will be supported by an operation manager, salesman and mechanic/ transport driver. “We’re quite confident that the
by Marcia Gruver Doyle
Fast Rent pilot Cat dealers will use lean operation, gated facilities and a condensed range of products versus the typical Cat Rental Store, the company says. price-value proposition and service offering will be attractive to customers,” Masson says. Masson sees it as a complementary offering to established rental store relationships. “There’s a segment of the industry that knows exactly the configuration and products they want, and they want a simple, fast, friction-less experience, and that’s what they are getting with Fast Rent.”
Expanded digital offerings Fast Rent is part of an overall Cat Rental Store digital initiative, which has included a revised platform for catrentalstore.com and the introduction of a mobile app in the past year. “Along with simplicity, customers want more access to data, and they want to understand how they are managing their entire fleet, whether rental machines or their own assets,” Masson says. A segment of the Cat dealer network is using a log-in function in which customers can access their accounts through the website or by mobile app and view invoices, equipment on rent, and perform such tasks as taking equipment off rent. The Cat Rental Store mobile app,
available for download for Apple and Android phones, allows users to identify available rental equipment, view current equipment on rent, browse pricing information and review active and past rental details. Users can also set preferences on how they want to be notified about equipment rental status changes, including by email, text and push notifications. In addition, they can review and accept quotes in real time. These initiatives are intended to address the various ways contractors prefer to rent, whether it’s an owneroperator, jobsite superintendent, equipment manager or an in-office procurement manager, Grover says. A rental decision may involve one person or several people in a transactional chain. “Our dealers have led the way on these initiatives and are sharing best practices in an ongoing process,” says Steve Brown, global rental marketing and operations manager. “There’s no one that knows the customer better, and they understand the market. Our role is to consolidate and communicate these efforts. When we do that, we find our dealer entrepreneurs deploy them effectively and quickly.” EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 29
rental strategies | continued
Independent rental dealers take on the big boys with customer service initiatives by Marcia Gruver Doyle
D
on’t discount the small independent rental dealers, even in this age of multinational players in the rental space. These dealers have a deep knowledge of their customer base that allows them to initiate customer service innovations – directed at both professionals and weekend warriors – that can take on the big boys. Take Doug Haas, president and CEO of Crown Rental, a threelocation general rental dealer in the Minneapolis area. Haas is implementing a kiosk-based system that would allow customers 24/7 access to such tools as chain saws and sewer augers. Customers would rent the equipment online, review an online operational safety video, then get a code to unlock the kiosk, which activates the rental charge. When customers return an item, they put it back in the kiosk, key in a code, and the item is off rent. “We’ll probably be able to get something going next year,” Haas says. He’s working with his software vendor Point of Rental and a locker provider to implement it. There are still onsite and online credit card security issues to work through, but “it’s going to happen,” he says. These kiosks would first be positioned at Crown Rental’s facilities. But he also realizes a bank of kiosks could be placed at any location convenient to his customers. Eventually, this concept might expand to include compact equipment, although it would involve more coordination. “But with today’s touchpad codes to start a machine, it could happen,” Haas says.
30 July 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com
The quest for a customer-centric facility Two hours north of Minneapolis, Brainerd General Rental is located in a summer destination area with most rental activity occurring April through October, says President Steve Mau. Mau’s company serves a 60/40 mix of small-to-medium contractors and residential do-ityourselfers. With the explosion of high-tech customer-touch possibilities, Mau has an interesting challenge as he plans a new facility: how best to design a building that reflects how today’s customers want to do business? “Many customers don’t want to spend time at a rental store, so we’re looking at what’s the best way to design things so that after they reserve it online, they pull up and the equipment is ready for them,” Mau says. This doesn’t discount the need for the expertise behind the rental counter, however. “Customers may think they know what they want, they’ve watched a YouTube video, but if they talk to the counter person, they find they might actually need a different piece of equipment with all the sand we’ve got around here. So we still need to connect with the customer and yet move them efficiently through the rental process.” So Mau is homing in on the customer pick-up and drop-off experience with the new building. Right now, working in an older building that was adapted from a restaurant supply store, Brainerd General
Rental’s customers return items by hauling in dirty tools to the rental counter, where they are then transferred back to the service area. Since a retail showroom is in the plans, “We don’t want dirty equipment in the showroom,” Mau says. So equipment flow – pick-up, return, service and storage – is under consideration, as is customer flow. “Where do we want our customers to go?” Mau says. “What is the most efficient way for them to pick up and return equipment? “Our job is to get customers in and out as quickly as they want to be. If folks want to visit, we want to make that connection.”
Eliminating a payment hassle All Star Rents, with 13 locations in California and Nevada, is currently rolling out an online payment process designed to make things easier for its mix of contractor and DIY clients. “Many times, our clients are running their businesses out of their pickups, and keeping up with bills can be a challenge,” explains John Wooten, All Star Rents CEO. “They also want to have the ability to send a crew member into a store and have the payment already be handled.” Traditionally, to authorize a credit charge, customers have had to receive a form, fill it out and fax or scan it back. “This means that they have to be near where they can print a doc and copy and scan it back to us, which can be difficult on the jobsite,” Wooten says. All Star Rents is now instituting
Part of the team at RentalMax. a system where customers can reserve equipment and pay for their rental on their phone. “We’re rewriting our whole payment policy around this feature,” Wooten says.
Employee support undergirded by customer surveys With eight locations in the Chicagoland area, RentalMax has about 90 employees serving its mix of contractor and homeowner customers. “This is an immediate business,” says Terry Hagy, RentalMax president. “Our customers need it now.” In this turn-on-a-dime environment, Hagy is emphatic: “Customer service starts with your employees. When I treat them with dignity and respect, that will transfer down to the customer.” There’s also a recognition that in construction, things don’t always
Steve Mau
John Wooten
go smoothly. So he tests how well his team is doing with a tried-andtrue customer survey, asking specifics about delivery, the courtesy and knowledge of his counter staff and equipment condition. These surveys get close to a double-digit response rate. “We go the oldfashioned route, mailing it with a return envelope. It’s now unique enough that people respond.”
Terry Hagy
He then reads the responses – good and bad – to his employees and ties it to incentives. Since the surveys are dated and identified by location, it helps RentalMax isolate and deal with any challenges. “Every position here is mission critical,” Hagy says. “Airline pilots earn their pay when the red light goes on in the cockpit; we earn it on how well we react to problems.” EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 31
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rental strategies | continued
BigRentz speeds renting for contractors, boosts profits for rental houses by Wayne Grayson
BigRentz team members at work.
I
n the short time since the company’s founding in 2012, BigRentz has grown up fast. The company’s site lists locations in all 50 states, offers a wide selection of heavy equipment in eight categories and boasts of what it calls the “largest equipment rental network for construction equipment” in the United States. But here’s the twist: BigRentz doesn’t own a single piece of equipment. So how did the Irvine, California-
based company manage all of this in just six years? The internet, of course. At its core, BigRentz is akin to being the Google of heavy equipment rental. It’s designed to be a one-stop shop where anybody, anywhere in the United States can find the machine they need and rent it. But, unlike Google, BigRentz does all the calling and procuring for you. You won’t even find a search bar on the BigRentz website. Instead, it
uses large, easy to understand images showing the equipment available for rent. Select what you want to rent and in most caess, you’re done. Soon after, the machine shows up at the designated location ready for work. And when you’re done, it’s taken away. At a recent trip to their offices, BigRentz took Equipment World though each step of a finely tuned process that allows the company to facilitate rentals at more than 8,000 locations across the United States EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 33
rental strategies | continued through a network of more than 1,650 suppliers. Here’s how it all comes together.
Though the company offers the Google-like ease of finding just about any piece of construction equipment for rent, anywhere in the country, you won’t find a search bar on the BigRentz homepage. Just easy-to-navigate images gradually guiding you to the right machine.
BigRentz displays most of its machine rates within a few clicks of your rental search. 34 July 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com
The Tech Whether you’re a contractor who rents equipment or a dealer/rental house that rents equipment to those contractors, BigRentz has a message for you: “We feel your pain.” “All of the challenges inherent to the rental industry, we feel dramatically,” Chief Technology Officer Liam Stannard says. “Before we had built out any real technology, we were operating on pad and paper. The phones would be ringing off the hook for rentals, and folks here were shouting out, ‘Who’s got a telehandler in Kansas?’ while everyone flipped through a huge sheaf of paper to find people and, oh yeah, ‘What should we pay for a telehandler in Kansas?’” Stannard says the company’s website, customer dashboard and fulfillment back-end (dubbed QuickRentz) are designed with one purpose in mind. “We want to provide the tools and visibility to make your job simple,” he says. “For contractors, your job is not to become a procurement and logistics expert and go find 14 different rental companies and call them up, get credit applications with them and get the equipment delivered and make sure it’s terminated and off the site when the time comes, and so on.” Customer portal tracks each step of the rental As soon as customers place an order, they receive a text message and an email containing a link to BigRentz’s customer portal. This makes it easy to track the progress of an order, extend a rental once it’s in progress, and terminate a rental. But not every rental scenario is appropriate for the website. “This has been a person-to-person, supplier-to-customer relationship business. Like all business, that’s changing because of digital technology,” he
says. “But there are still plenty of folks and applications where you really need to have a phone call. If you go to our site, you can easily rent a 19-foot scissor. Put in your cart, check out, put in your credit card, it will show up whenever you ask for it. But if you need a 180-foot boom, we need to have a conversation about that.” Rental dealers have also benefitted, Stannard says, as BigRentz has exposed many of them to a larger customer base. “Beyond that, we’re aggregating that customer demand in a way that is consumable and doesn’t drown a supplier,” he says. As a middle man between supply and demand, BigRentz depends heavily on both sides being successful so it can be successful. Stannard says the company’s core service is doing the heavy lifting when it comes to the logistics of bringing both sides together. “All of this is just sort of an ugly necessity of doing your job and it isn’t your core competency,” he says. “But it is our core competency.”
QuickRentz fulfills orders quickly So how does the company bring both sides together so quickly? That’s done via the company’s QuickRentz fulfillment platform. When an order comes into BigRentz it’s sent to a queue of tasks within the QuickRentz system. Among those tasks are orders to source and calls that need to be made to customers or rental suppliers. When a member of the BigRentz team finishes one task, they’re immediately sent another that has been deemed the most pressing. When that task is an order, a sourcing team member pushes that out to suppliers near the customer. The suppliers then get a text message and an email with a link to the order. The link provides the supplier with all the details: what machine is needed, where and when
BigRentz has nearly 1,700 rental partners in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, amounting to more than 8,000 U.S. rental locations.
it’s needed, and the rate BigRentz is offering to pay the rental house for it. From there, a supplier can accept the order or decline it. And if no supplier claims an order, the BigRentz sourcing team starts making phone calls to suppliers.
Sharing data with suppliers Beyond organizing what used to be a spreadsheet-based, highly chaotic process for BigRentz, the system mines valuable data on the equipment rental business across the United States. And BigRentz shares almost everything it learns about the industry with its suppliers. “The data that we provide to our suppliers is crucial,” Stannard says. In addition to identifying what machines are renting well in various parts of the country, BigRentz can see what machines are most needed, by aggregating the reasons why suppliers can’t accept a rental, whether it be rate or supply. “From that data, we can see areas where there is lack of supply, and we can go back to our suppliers and say, ‘You know, we had a really hard time finding warehouse forklifts in this area, maybe you should consider that data point when you’re doing your fleet planning.’”
The company also gathers data on rental experience from its customers and shares that information with rental suppliers. “At the end of a rental, we ask how it went. And if any issues are raised, those are reported and all of that data goes back into our system against the rental and for our use internally for supplier rankings and for supplier relationship management. But we also provide that data to the supplier. “We really want to support the industry, support the suppliers. A big part of that on our side, in addition to giving them more business, is to help them do business better by giving them insight.”
Supply-side relationships Just as BigRentz customers can speak to a person when they need to, BigRentz has a team dedicated solely to cultivating and supporting supplier relationships. That team is run by Director of Supply Keith Holmes who has seen the company’s number of supply partners grow from 50 in 2014 to nearly 1,700 today. “The relationship piece is the biggest part,” Holmes says. “We’re a digital business coming into an oldschool industry, and many of the EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 35
rental strategies | continued suppliers are right to ask, ‘Who are you guys?’” Holmes says his team’s primary purpose is to give a face to what could be perceived as a digital monolith casting a shadow over the momand-pop rental industry. A big part of the supply team’s first encounter with suppliers is shaking hands and demystifying the company’s goal. “We want to partner with them. We’re not competitors and here’s why we’re not competitors. Here’s why we can add value to you,” he CEO Scott Cannon forecasts strong explains. growth not only for “”We want his company, but the to build a equipment rental long-term industry as a whole. relationship.
We want to keep getting more data, and supply that to suppliers to keep sending them revenue.” In many instances, Holmes says, their data holds surprising revelations for rental houses. One client, for example, had a territory in New Jersey, New York and part of Connecticut. BigRentz found him more than 20,000 rental opportunities in this area, according to Holmes. This data can also be useful for rental fleets already operating at 90 percent utilization, Holmes adds. BigRentz can identify machine types in high enough demand to influence future fleet purchases for its suppliers. All of this adds to the long-term picture: “We can add the value of forecasting future demand to where a supplier feels comfortable purchasing more machines because they can feel confident in the demand they’ll see from BigRentz orders.” Apart from the data and revenue, BigRentz says it can give suppliers more exposure. A
supplier told Holmes about an order his rental house fulfilled for an Amazon fulfillment center. Although the supplier had been to the fulfillment center multiple times, the purchasing people weren’t located there. “But with one click of a ‘Yes’ with BigRentz, they were able to get into that fulfillment center,” Holmes said. “He told me, ‘I would never had a shot with Amazon before you guys.’”
“A sales and marketing arm for our suppliers” BigRentz CEO Scott Cannon joined the company in January 2017, first as its chief operating officer. “I saw an opportunity to scale a business in an industry that is disruptable and the benefits of that disruption go right to the consumer,” Cannon says. “And I thought we could scale this business pretty quickly.” The ability to grow BigRentz’s presence in the market comes at a
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good time, Cannon says. “For the next two to three years, we’ll see rapid growth within the industry,” he says. “The new tax law is going to be beneficial to our industry. Demand at the current point actually exceeds supply, which is good; it’s healthy for the industry as well. “Construction itself is cyclical, but the current cycle should continue for the next couple of years unabated.” Plus, the Great Recession made contractors hesitant about big equipment buys. “It just makes financial sense to only own vital equipment and to outsource what you can,” Cannon says. Cannon says he doesn’t see this “own only what you need trend” ever reversing, especially with the ease of rental. Companies such as BigRentz make the process faster and offer a selection of machines that differs in an important way VMAC EquipWorld_JULY18_G30.pdf 1 6/14/2018 from the selection offered by a
traditional rental house, he says. “In the traditional model, a contractor would have a relationship with a local rental yard. And most smaller rental yards typically concentrate on certain equipment,” Cannon says. “So you’ll see an independent dealer who might have aerial equipment or telehandlers, but maybe doesn’t offer earthmoving equipment, or vice versa.” BigRentz, on the other hand, offers all types of equipment. So the decision of what to own and what not to own gets easier, Cannon says. Cannon says the company sees all of its suppliers as partners, not competition. “We act as a sales and marketing arm for the small, independent rental companies who may not feel they can compete with the larger companies online,” he says. On the contractor side, the firm offers a one-stop rental resource. InAMthe next year or two, Big9:29:11 Rentz plans to make its wealth
of data even more accessible to suppliers. “We’ll have a robust portal where suppliers can go in and look at their own lost rental data. That’s incredibly valuable information,” he says. Cannon adds that the company plans to offer, for a fee, more advanced market insights gained from what it knows about who’s searching for and renting equipment, what equipment they’re renting and where. Cannon says that as the company grows, its data will become even more powerful and reliable. “We have a robust growth plan which is going to require a significant spend in sales and marketing,” he says. “As we do that, we’re going to continue to gather data. We have a big enough sample size today to provide really good information in most markets. But obviously, the bigger sample size you have, the more concrete that data becomes.”
®
AIR INNOVATED
TM
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6/18/18 9:142018 AM 37 EquipmentWorld.com | July
quick data
| by Marcia Gruver Doyle |
Articulated trucks
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 6%
Auctions
USED: DOWN 4%
Articulated truck auction prices, May 2017-May 2018 $120,000
*Comparison of number of articulated trucks financed May 1, 2017 to Apr. 30, 2018, and May 1, 2016 to Apr. 30, 2017. Source: EDA, edadata.com
$115,500 $110,000 $105,000 $100,000 $95,000
Top three states for articulated truck buyers*
$90,000 $85,000 $80,000 $75,000
High: $106,153, May 2017
1-year average: $
97,770
Low: $91,972, Jan. 2018
$70,000 $65,000
Current: $95,616 May 2018
$60,000 $55,000 $50,000 $45,000 $40,000 $35,000
In May, the average price for the top 10 models of articulated trucks sold at auction was 10 percent below the average price for these machines sold in May 2017, and 2 percent below the one-year average of $97,770. May
Jun.
Jul.
Aug.
Sep.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
2
Florida: 92 buyers
3
North Carolina: 88 buyers
Top financed new articulated truck*
2017 2018 Trend prices for the top 10 models of articulated trucks sold at auction, not seasonally adjusted.
470,000 OTHER $320,000 TOP BID:
Texas: 161 buyers
May
PRICE
$
1
Top auction price, paid for a 2017 Caterpillar 745C with 1,061 hours at a Ritchie Bros. sale in Orlando on Feb. 20, 2018.
2015 Deere 460E, 2,221 hours, Ritchie Bros., Feb. 20, 2018, in Orlando.
,57 $ 198
1
HIGH
0 0 0 , $ 62
AVERAGE
June 1, 2017 – May 31, 2018; prices for articulated trucks 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: 155
New
Articulated truck new, used financed sales trends, 2008-2017* 2,000
,00 $470
0
Other top selling new machine: Used
Used low: 2009, 1,146 units
1,800 1,600
Cat 740B, 163 units
1,200
New low: 2010, 168 units
800 600
New high: 2015, 1,359 units
400 200
Used high: 2016, 1,856 units
0
UNITS
2008
2009
2010
2011
Cat 745D, 119 units
Top financed used articulated truck*
1,400 1,000
Volvo A40G, 174 units
2012
2013
2014
*Financed equipment, 2008 - 2017, number of units sold by sale or lease. Source: EDA, edadata.com
2015
2016
2017
*In terms of number of new and used financed units sold May 1, 2017 to Apr. 30, 2018. Source: EDA, edadata.com (Note: EDA reports are continually updated.) EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 38
maintenance management
| by Tom Jackson |
TJackson@randallreilly.com
Everything you want – and need – to know about API CK-4 diesel engine lube oils
F
or the past century and a half, the entire industrial world moved forward on a micronsthin coating of lube oil. Nowhere is that more important than in the diesel engines that power most of our construction, trucking and agricultural equipment. Yet aside from some basic understanding of lubricity and viscosity, few users of these lubricating oils know much about this golden liquid and how it does what it does. If you depend on a diesel engine to power your work or your business, if good oil maintenance is critical to the health and longevity of your equipment, it behooves you to understand how diesel lube oil works, and why there’s a new diesel-engine oil standard.
The backstory In December 2016, the oil compa-
nies started selling a new diesel lube oil formulation, called API CK-4. The standard is defined by a set of test criteria from the American Petroleum Institute. Only lube oils that pass these tests can display the CK-4 “donut” symbol on their containers. The CK-4 oils have largely replaced the older CJ-4, CH-4 and CI-4 oils, but CK-4 is backward compatible with most older trucks and off-road equipment. (See “Ford and Cummins exceptions” on page 40.) The new CK-4 certified oils are the predominant diesel lube oils in the market today, but there is also a new API FA-4 category for ultra-low viscosity formulas for on-highway trucks seeking improved fuel economy. The main drivers behind these changes to oil standards were the diesel exhaust emissions reductions mandated by the Environmental Pro-
tection Agency. From Tier 1 in 1994 to Tier 4 Interim and Tier 4 Final in this decade, these emissions reductions required extensive changes to the design of diesel engines. “Starting about 20 years ago, the first wave of emissions controls drove up elevated oil soot levels when oils weren’t formulated to handle as much,” says Shawn Whitacre, senior staff engineer at Chevron. The lube oils held soot in suspension to protect the engine, but eventually the oil would become saturated to the point where it was too thick to be pumped efficiently. As a result, the soot oil level became the first “condemning factor,” meaning once the soot levels reached a certain point, as detected in oil analysis, you had to change the oil, even when all the other attributes of the oil were still healthy. The earlier CH-4 and CJ-4 stanEquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 39
maintenance management Ford and Cummins exceptions
W
hile most OEMs have approved CK-4 for their engines, Ford and Cummins have their own specs. Ford thought the new standard might not offer enough wear protection for its Powerstroke pickup truck engines and, instead of approving CJ-4 certified oils, said 6.7L Powerstroke owners should only use its Motorcraft brand oil. They also put out a list of Ford approved CK-4 oils with more than 200 brands on it. The oils on this list meet the company’s WSS-M2C171-F1 spec. A link to the list is provided below. There is some confusion in the industry on whether Ford really meant CK-4/SN oils (which is the dual certification for diesel/gas engine applications) or all CK-4s. Ford is wary of oils with low phosphorous concentrations (less than 1,000 parts per million), and SN oils in the 10W-30 or 5W-30 viscosity grades cannot have more than 800 ppm phosphorous. But the feeling in the industry is that if CK-4 had issues, they would have shown up by now, especially as CK-4 oils are running in many large displacement, heavy-duty engines in off-road equipment and long-haul trucks from the likes of Mack, Paccar, Volvo, Navistar, Caterpillar, Komatsu and Deere. But until Ford clarifies its position, the safe bet is to go with its brand or any oil on its list for your Ford Powerstroke diesel. Cummins also has its CES 20086 list of approved CK-4 oils and a CES 20087 list for FA-4 oils, which you can also find in the links below. Ford approved CK-4 oils: https://bit.ly/2JDjCsu Cummins CES 20086 list of approved CK-4 oils https://bit.ly/2JoGV6d Cummins CES 20087 list of approved FA-4 oils https://bit.ly/2HpWJnl 40 July 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com
| continued
dards helped manage the soot, but about 10 years ago, engine technology changed again. Those improvements included diesel particulate filters (DPFs), diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs), better fuel management, high pressure common rail fuel systems, and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) for Tier 4 Final. Electronic engine management also enabled manufacturers to precisely control fuel burn and to clean up combustion by products in cylinder. And while the first few years of Tier 4 Final engines ran fine on CJ-4 oils, the engine manufacturers asked for a more robust lube oil standard to go along with their new, ultra-low emissions engines – hence CK-4, a standard that was 10 years in the making. So, for today’s combustion-tuned Tier 4 Final engines, soot is no longer the first condemning factor. It still exists but it’s not often what triggers an oil change. So, what are the most important conditions the new CK-4 oils address in diesel engines? They are oxidation, shearing and aeration.
Oxidation Simply put, oxidation is a reaction between oxygen in the air and the oil. Oxidation accelerates in the presence of heat, which is important because modern engines run hotter, says Whitacre. When the oil contacts a very hot surface – for example, the bottom side of a piston or the turbocharger – it mixes in with the rest of the oil and elevates the overall oil temperatures in the engine. Heat and oxidation lengthen the oil molecules and cause the viscosity to increase. The acidity of the oil also increases, causing it to be more corrosive, he says. “The oil has to resist that oxidation, neutralize those acids and maintain its viscosity range,” says Dan Arcy, global OEM technical manager at Shell Lubricants. To do that, oil companies put in additives that act much like antacids. These
maintain a balance between the oil’s total acid number (TAN) and total base number (TBN) as measured in a typical oil analysis. “The best way to determine how much acid is being formed is to look at the delta between the new oil TAN and used oil TBN,” he says. “Where did they start and where did they end? It can vary from oil to oil, based on the formulation.” Once an oil becomes too acidic, you’ll start to see metal contamination in the oil analysis results, especially soft metals like lead. But the viscosity increases are the primary concern for equipment owners and fleet managers, says Arcy. To meet this heat and oxidation challenge in the Tier 4 Final era, diesel engine manufacturers asked for more robust antioxidant protections in CK-4 and FA-4 standards and a new test for that, what’s known as the Volvo T-13 test. “It is a significant step change in antioxidant ability,” says Arcy. “Previous tests look at bearing corrosion and ring wear, but the Volvo T-13 test added in a test for oxidation-related viscosity increases,” he says. Owners and managers of diesel trucks and equipment should know that excessive oxidation is often the first condemning factor in new CK-4 oils. Oil analysis will tell you when it’s time to change, but the good news is the CK-4 standard is so robust you’re likely to get more hours or mileage out of the new oils than the previous generation. Whitacre says it’s hard to put a number on just how much better CK-4 oils are in terms of oxidation resistance, but he estimates it’s more than 20 percent. “We went from a situation where there was no test parameter to where there was a stringent parameter. But I would say it has been a contributing factor to the extended oil drain interval recommendations, which have been on the order of about 20-plus percent better.”
Shear stability One of the key performance attributes of diesel engine oil – one that was important 20 years ago and even more important today in the CK-4 standard – is shear stability. To understand oil shearing you first need to know how multigrade oils work. If you’ve ever wondered how a 15W40 oil can change from thin 15-weight in cold weather to thick 40-weight in hot conditions, the secret is in polymer additives called viscosity modifiers. These additives are long chain molecules that expand or stretch – much like a Slinky toy – when the engine gets hot. This thickens the oil and ensures the protective oil film doesn’t get too thin in the heat. In cold conditions, the molecules contract, making the oil thinner, thus improving pumpability and circulation. Over time, as the reciprocating parts of the engine repeatedly churn the oil, some of these viscosity modifying polymers break apart. Eventu-
ally, your 15W40 oil could “shear down” to a viscosity of 15W30. At that point, you’re not getting all the high-temperature protection or the same oil pressure, so the oil should be replaced. The new CK-4 requirements forced all oils to be more shear stable and resilient to that breakdown, says Whitacre. The API still requires the same test for shearing as before but modified the limits.
Aeration control With pistons, cranks and cams churning inside the engine, air bubbles inevitably form in the oil. This is known as aeration, and while it’s not a big problem, it was enough of a concern to motivate engine manufacturers to ask for better aeration control in the CK-4 and FA-4. “Air is not a good lubricant,” says Arcy. “You want those bubbles to readily come to the surface and dissipate. It’s a bigger concern off highway, rather than on highway,
The API CK-4 “donut” on your diesel lube oil container tells you that you have the most advanced and robust lube oil formula – and it’s backward compatible with most diesel engines.
The new API FA-4 lube formulations are designed to be low-viscosity oils to improve fuel economy in highway trucks.
EquifyAuctions.com (844) 334-0050
EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 41
maintenance management
because the off-highway equipment runs up and down steep grades and on slopes, so there is more potential for introducing air into the oil.” Perhaps the biggest concern regarding aeration was in engines that use the oil as a hydraulic fluid to drive elements in the fuel injection system. “Hydraulically operated fuel systems like HEUI (hydraulicelectronic injector unit) systems need oil pressure to operate,” says Arcy. “If there is air in the oil, the air will compress and you get a loss of pressure. It can cause drivability or power loss issues.” Additives in the oil act as surfactants and help those bubbles release earlier. Unlike some of the other additives, these surfactants will not break down over time and are not monitored in oil analysis, but rather continue to perform for the life of the oil.
Elements of a quality oil Additives play a crucial role in oxidation control, shear stability and ultimately the quality and longevity of CK-4 and FA-4 oils. Each oil manufacturer has its own secret formulas, so the proof of an oil’s longevity is in your oil analysis results. Another factor that impacts the 42 July 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com
| continued
API member companies spent almost a decade testing the new oils and tearing down engines to see how well they could protect components in severe applications. longevity and performance of your diesel engine oils is the use base stocks. Mineral oil base stocks are the least expensive. Synthetic and semisynthetic (a blend of mineral and synthetic) base stocks offer better performance. “A mineral oil will change more from cold to hot than a synthetic oil,” says Arcy. “Synthetics are more thermally stable. They don’t change nearly as much, and we don’t need to put in as much polymer.” “There are still high-quality products formulated using conventional base oils, but synthetics have become more important in the migration to thinner viscosity grades,” says Whitacre. “When you are formulating an oil to have a robust performance across a broad temperature range, like a 5W40, those require a high viscosity index and a synthetic or semisynthetic blend.”
The future of lube oil While CK-4 and FA-4 oil formulas are engineered to meet the needs of diesel engines for years to come, environmental regulations could
drive the next big change in formulas and standards. “From the mid-90s up through 2010, oils kept changing because of engine emission changes, says Whitacre. But now that the emissions challenges have been met, the next goal is to create engines and lube oils that improve fuel economy and, hence, reduce greenhouse gasses. “Lube oil plays a big role in that in part because reduced viscosity drives more efficient engines,” Whitacre says. “I see a continuation of that trend for the next 10 years or so because the greenhouse gas emissions are going to get more stringent as they phase in through 2027. We’ll continue to evaluate the potential to go with thinner viscosity grades, but it’s always a balancing act to provide the efficiency gain without sacrificing durability. You might see things like different oil pumps, different bearings and coatings, and waste heat recovery to allow the engine to be more robust to a thinner oil.”
technology
| by Tom Jackson and Marcia Gruver Doyle
Goodyear’s EMTrack uploads tire data to the cloud for customized cost reports
M
anaging tires on an equipment fleet is a tough task, but these round rubber assets will cost you big bucks without good recordkeeping. Most tire manufacturers have tire management software for recordkeeping, but Goodyear has gone one step further with an enhanced version of its EMTrack OTR monitoring system. “EMTrack helps our end users track tire performance and gain all the benefits,” says Eric Matson, global field engineering manager. It will enable faster and more accurate collection of tire data such as tread depth, inflation levels and other indicators of tire health, he says. The new EMTrack system has two parts: a scanning tool and an app. The tool is a handheld device that captures inflation pressures and measures tread depth and other tire parameters in the field. Whip out the tool, take the measurements, push a button and – bingo – the tool automatically uploads those measurements to your mobile device via Bluetooth. The app enables this data to be uploaded to the cloud and shared with crews and maintenance managers. Tire inspectors can also attach up to five photos of the tire in question and upload those to the report, Matson says. The app organizes the data so you can tell at a glance the age and condition and other tire criteria. With customizable reports you can also identify maintenance issues to help schedule tire repair and replacement opportunities before they cause downtime. Push the data to the next level and you can analyze which tires give you the best bang for the buck, forecast tire requirements and calculate tire cost per hour and per ton.
Measure once, push the button. Goodyear’s EMTrack uploads tire condition and performance instantly to the cloud. “Customizable reports, that’s really the power of EMTrack,” Matson says. “You can collect data all day, but with customizable reports you translate that data into beneficial information to make decisions in your business. It helps you understand when tires are due to be removed, retreaded or scrapped.” With the system’s predictive analytics you can also minimize unplanned downtime and forecast tire needs, he says. “One of the biggest benefits is that you’re not writing all that down on a clipboard and going back to the office to transcribe that off paper onto your computer,” says Matson. “Now you bring your device within cell range and hit sync and that data automatically syncs up to the web version of EMTrack.” The new EMTrack will eventually replace the old version, and Goodyear is working to migrate current customers to the new version and
move all their data onto the cloud. EMTrack can be used to monitor any brand of OTR tire. As a service, Goodyear is not charging its customers for EMTrack. “The way we capture the value is that we sell them the tires,” Matson says. But larger companies that want to do their own data collection can buy a license to use EMTrack and a pay a $500 maintenance fee, he says. Some may think that tire tracking is something only the big fleets need, but Matson says you would be surprised at how valuable it can be even for small operations – say a quarry with three to five trucks and a handful of loaders. When you study the analytics it’s not uncommon to find one brand of tire costing $1 more or $1.25 an hour more to run than a competitor, so that’s where even the smaller fleets will find value. “But you don’t know that if you’re not tracking the tire,” Matson says. EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 43
road technology
| by Joy Powell |
JoyPowell@randallreilly.com
Trimble: Milling begins to automate with AGS – and more technology is coming
B
y embracing advanced machine technology in asphalt milling, contractors can maximize quality and smoothness, minimize construction costs and complete projects faster, says Kevin Garcia, business area manager for Trimble Pavement Solutions. Using best available technology can make good work practices better and make you competitive, all while helping you to build longer lasting roads, he says. Automation is already transforming the milling and paving industry, thanks to the growing use of automatic grade and Garcia slope systems 44 July 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com
Trimble’s PCS900 for Milling Machines uses a 3D design model, the SPS930 Universal Total Station, and on-machine sensors to remove undulations and prepare a smooth substrate.
(AGS). They involve setting the depth of the mill and the slope at which you’re cutting to maintain a 2D or 3D design. All the operator has to do is propel the mill forward. “We know where we are on the design, based on the 3D model that’s been loaded onto the control box,” Garcia says. “The mill will cut accordingly.” Milling control technology comes in varying formats. Your needs and the project specifications will determine which solution you choose. Two-dimensional (2D) control systems incorporate grade and slope and use any number of sensors, including angle sensors, sonic sensors and lasers. They work from the ground up. Three-dimensional (3D) machine
control solutions use Global Positioning System or total stations to control the machine to a 3D model and offer the highest possible accuracy, as well as the ability to do more complex designs. These work from “the top down,” Garcia says. This technology can be used in any project where a contractor would otherwise use string line, wire or grade marks for elevation grade. It can be used, too, in variable depth and slope paving applications, such as roadways, airports and commercial surfaces. For Trimble, Garcia serves on a technology leadership group that’s exploring milling automation, fleet management and machine-to-machine information. “We’ve seen automation and
The Trimble PCS900 Paving Control System for Milling Machines helps mill a smoother, higher quality surface, reduce machine stoppage and minimize costly reworking, says the company.
technology assist the manufacturing world immensely,” he says. “There’s no reason why that won’t apply to construction sites as well.” Automation is not just about the quality of the final product. It’s also about updating equipment and making life easier for operators, Garcia explains. “The operators of those machines have a lot of things going on that they’re responsible for, and taking away even one of those things, and certainly even two or three at a time, and allowing them to focus on the rest of the list, makes a more efficient, safer and smoother-running operation,” he says. Garcia predicts contractors will see milling machines with automatic steering in the near future, as is now available in concrete pavers and curb-and-gutter machines. “If the operator sitting on top an asphalt paver didn’t have to worry about steering at all, the machine would just go where it needs to go, so that he could focus on materials management,” he says. More “task assistance” could in-
volve conveyor belts for mills, Garcia says. Sensors on the belts, and the trucks, will communicate so that instead of the operator needing to steer the conveyor belt, the sensors will automatically move and operate it. In the early days of machine control, indications would mean that lights would come on, saying you need to come up or down, he says.
A roadway as it appears after milling, when a layer of laid asphalt is removed. Photo: Minnesota Department of Transportation. The operator had to find that sweet spot between up and down and keep his implement there. “Now, as the industry progresses, we can keep that implement there for him automatically,” says Garcia. EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 45
AS CLOSE TO INVINCIBLE AS MERE MORTALS GET.
The proven 96.4 HP Kubota engine powers the beast with 7,961 pounds of breakout force. A wider cab entrance, optimized AC and fullsuspension seat provide all-day comfort. And an integrated mainframe and undercarriage handles any terrain, making the Kubota SVL95-2s seem almost unstoppable. Locate your dealer at KubotaUSA.com. Š Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2017.
road technology Manufacturers are also developing automated solutions to enhance worker safety and responding, for example, to DOT requests for technology that will help keep people out of harm’s way. A common industry question, Garcia says, is this: “Could I prevent an accident in the field by not allowing an operator to put a machine somewhere where there would be an accident?” Take the scenario of a large milling machine going under power lines. The operator doesn’t notice them, raises his conveyor belt and hits a line. “We can’t do this yet today, but conceivably we could have some awareness of what’s above and stop that operator, saying, ‘I’m not going to let you do this because you’re going to put yourself in harm’s way,’” Garcia says. This might involve not just an alert but map-sharing, in which machines have moving geo-fences and communicate with one another. People also want safety shutdown devices and detection that go beyond cameras, he says. “Cameras still require a lot of human intervention, and if the person looking at the camera doesn’t do their job, then they’re not adding much value. How do we take that responsibility away from operators and do it automatically for them, so they can focus on other things?” Garcia expects to see more safety interlocks, so the machine can detect when people are not where they are supposed to be and tell the operator it’s shutting down until an unpermitted situation is rectified. That could help prevent fatalities. “What we want to see in the future, with automation pushing industry, is that it wouldn’t let you go into that work area. If you actually physically tried to and ignored the alarm, the machine would shut down. And it wouldn’t allow you to turn it back on until you left that area.” That could open the door to other technologies, including 3D scans of a jobsite’s environment. “Or let’s say a
municipality decides to do scans so it knows where every asset is, every power line, stop sign, school zone. That information could be put into a library and referenced for future projects, especially as-built information so contractors would know where everything was precisely, with metrics and data in a database,” he says.
Such technology is possible but still in the distant future, Garcia says. “It takes a lot of commitment from owners and agencies,” he says. “It’s going to take a long time to collect all the data. It’s going to take large servers to store all the data. People will learn how to use the data. This is still relatively new technology.”
LEFT IN THE DUST. THE YELLOW DRILL WILL
| continued
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highway contractor
| by Joy Powell |
JoyPowell@randallreilly.com
NIGHT VISION Intelligent compaction users report uniform asphalt results, enhanced visibility during night paving
Knik Construction uses intelligent compaction during the 2013 Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport Runway Overlay Project in Alaska, below and at right. Photo: Knik Construction
W
hen Ron Larson started nine years ago as a construction project manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation, intelligent compaction was an unknown concept. Then in 2016, his agency began some IC pilot projects. As with other states, Oregon discovered that intelligent compaction improves paving. The ODOT now requires IC on all its major highway paving projects. “We’ve come a long way quickly,” says Larson. 50 July 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com
More than 300 projects using intelligent compaction have been completed in the United States since 2000, says Pavana Vennapusa, the lead engineer at Ingios Geotechnics, which outfits vibratory rollers with IC technology. All major manufacturers of paving and milling machines make some version of the technology, which consists of an integrated measurement system, an onboard computer reporting system, Global Positioning System (GPS) mapping, and optional feedback control. The technology has not only improved results
during the day but makes night paving much easier. “Most of the paving, such as the overlays, happens at night,” says Vennapusa. “It’s one Ron Larson, of those growproject manager for Oregon DOT ing markets. And one of the cool things with using intelligent compaction is, because of the integrated GPS, you can visually ‘see’
where you’re at – with that screen in front of you.” Though IC is still not as widespread as he’d like, he believes in time it will be. “The intelligent compaction for paving, including night and day paving or road construction, is not going away. The frequency of its use on projects has gone up over the past decade, and it’s only going to go up. Many DOTs are moving toward writing intelligent compaction into specifications.” He says those competing for paving jobs will have to ask themselves, “So, do you want to be a contractor who wants to have an edge over others in bidding those projects, or not?” Contractors using IC first select the technology to gather the data, which is then processed and displayed on a screen. On a tablet-like device, compaction progress appears almost as painted swaths. “It’s like using an Etch A Sketch that has a wide crayon, if you will,” Vennapusa says. “First pass is one color. Second pass is another color; third pass is whatever color you want.”
With IC handling some of the operators’ tasks, “they can pay attention to the technical parts of what they’re doing. They control the frequency and the amplitude and the vibration, and they do that in part by a feel that they get from the asphalt,” he says. “In addition, they can look at the frequency and the amplitude and what’s the response in the stiffness of the mix.” Project managers, foremen, superintendents, engineers, contractors and others can monitor the operators’ roller work in real time from their smartphones. And once operators finish the quick learning process for IC, he says, they’re sold on it. “They’ve all told me, ‘I will never operate a roller again without IC. Give it to me. It helps me to do my job.’”
IC helps operators focus, gives edge The Oregon DOT joins Minnesota, California, Missouri and Texas transportation departments as national leaders in the use of intelligent compaction. “For all paving everywhere, not just for DOTs but for counties, mu-
nicipalities, even down to parking lots, it just makes sense to use technology to prove that we do have good, uniform quality,” Larson says. That same quality and uniformity can be achieved at night, where operators don’t have the same visual indicators they have during daylight. “We know we have to roll over the asphalt a certain number of times to achieve the target density. So at night, that’s even harder to do when you can barely tell between the dark asphalt and the night background, and try to tell where you’ve been,” says Kevin Garcia, business area manager for Trimble Paving Solutions. “To have an intelligent compaction system to tell the operator you rolled this area this many times and this was the target, and you saw it was X-number of passes, becomes hugely valuable to people.” The IC systems use vibration sensors, and the software systems display compaction values, GPS locations, pass count and thermal scanning results. The roller operator can look at average asphalt (mat) temperature that he or she is rolling, as well as pass count and speed. When simply relying on the operator’s vision, it can be difficult at night to spot markings spray-painted on the ground for asphalt depth and slope. That can lead to placing too much or too little asphalt in a location. But with 3D technology on the paving screed, the operator relies on the software system to automatically direct the depth and slope of the paving screed. Thermal imaging can then measure the temperature at laydown, the GPS location of the machine and the paver’s speed. “Knowing your temperature is critical because it allows us to ensure that we’re achieving compaction in the appropriate window,” says Garcia. “Rolling too hot isn’t effective. Rolling too cold isn’t effective. Both of them can be detrimental to the finished surface.” EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 51
highway contractor
| continued
The Missouri Department of Transportation completed a year-long project throughout 2017 to demonstrate the use of intelligent compaction (IC), infrared scanning (IR) and Veta software to improve pavement construction operations. Missouri will fully implement IC and IR in its DOT projects by 2021, the agency says.
Crews paving U.S. Route 36 in Macon County, Missouri, use intelligent compaction along with infrared scanning and Veta software to get optimum coverage.
Capital Paving and Construction of Missouri uses intelligent compaction and infrared scanning technology on U.S. Route 24 in Chariton County, Missouri. “The IC-IR information allowed us to make changes to our operation faster and in return produced a better product sooner,” says Marli Hayes, the contractor’s assistant project manager. All photos this page: Transtec Group 52 July 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com
At the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) last year, IC was tested for roller coverage along with infrared scanning (IR) for temperatures and Veta software. The demonstrations were at 13 field sites in a year-long pilot. The results were so successful that MoDOT says it will fully implement IC in its highway projects by 2021. “We believe that by using IC for projects, we’ll have a better way to work with contractors on getting appropriate coverage,” says MoDOT research administrator Bill Stone. Assisting MoDOT were paving engineering specialists with The Transtec Group, based in Austin, Texas. IC and IR work independently of each other – so other DOTs and contractors interested in using the technology don’t need to invest in both. “Our recommendation is to use both IC and IR,” says Dr. George Chang, Transtec’s director of research and leader of support for the IC-IR demonstration project. “Leveraging both technologies on the same project can really enhance the quality. The technologies complement each other.” Capital Paving and Construction in Columbia, Missouri, was the contractor on four of the field projects. “It is one thing to learn about how to do something in a classroom setting, but until you actually get everything set up and going down the road, it’s hard to really understand and get things to work correctly,” says Marli Hayes, assistant project manager for Capital Paving and Construction. “Transtec bridged the gap from taking the information in the classroom to applying it to the field and really understanding the IC-IR programs in a useful way.” Whether paving at night or in the day, IC can also help your bottom line by getting work and repairs done quickly and correctly. “If intelligent compaction data is properly validated, you actually can identify whether your design assumptions are being met in the field or not,” says Vennapusa. “This technology gives you an opportunity to see defects in real time, and you can fix them,” Vennapusa adds. “You have a much more uniform foundation. And then when you put concrete or asphalt on top, it will perform much better than if you would still have defects.” Vennapusa, a former assistant director at Iowa State University’s Center for Earthworks Engineering Research, has written more than 50 articles and papers on topics ranging from earthwork construction to machine-integrated monitoring systems, including intelligent compaction. His company, Ingios Geotechnics, outfits rollers and created an online dashboard system in which the owner or quality control engineer, for example, can log in and see what the operator is
seeing live. The company anticipates soon providing a compaction information database and more services. Ingios provides clients with a cloud-based data management dashboard tool to allow live-streaming of field compaction that simplifies the IC monitoring, tracking and data management. The tool includes features like real-time compaction monitoring (mapping) results, live-feed site camera views, asset mapping and activity, calibration status tracking, automated material sensing technology and advanced data analytics and plotting to manage incoming data. “We’re working with several departments of transportation to assist in developing specifications. We also have written guide specifications for Illinois Tollway,” Vennapusa says. In addition, the company has been working with manufacturers, including Caterpillar. Vennapusa says he analyzed three paving projects in Iowa that included IC specifications and found that implementing intelligent compaction to meet a project specification on average amounted to only 1 percent of the project cost. Now, the majority of DOTs are documenting what they’re doing with IC, which can be invaluable if the data is examined in the future in relation to road performance, Vennapusa says. He and others hope they will archive the data and use it to expand IC’s use.
DOTs changing with the times Historically, contractors have put out a roller and told the operator, “I need you to make three passes with this roller over the whole area,” ODOT’s Larson says. The compactor operator starts, but his roller is not wide enough to cover the paving lane. So he makes multiple passes on the right edge, the center and the left edge. He mentally keeps track of where he’s been, how many times he’s been over it. He can tell where he’s been on the first pass,
The colorcoded display screen inside the roller cab gives operators easy-tosee data in nighttime operations. Photo: ODOT.
but not so on the second and third as it’s being compacted. “It’s very problematic,” Larson explains. “I’ve been an inspector, and I have inspectors who work for me, and it’s extremely hard to know that all areas have been covered. I can tell an inspector, ‘Stand here. Count the number of passes at that one location.’ But how do we know that it’s uniform throughout the whole area? We don’t.” That all changes with intelligent compaction, which paints a picture of where the roller has been. “The touchscreen display is right in front of the operator,” Larson says. “He can see where he has already hit the number of passes and where he has yet to do that. He can also get a readout on his temperature, because if he’s too late in getting those experimental three passes, then too late means the mat has already cooled. You start beating on cold asphalt, and it just breaks apart.” Even veteran operators love the technology, he says. “I talked with a number of highly experienced roller operators – 20, 30 years of experience – and once they learned intelligent compaction, they didn’t want to stop using the technology,” Larson says. “It’s color-coded on temperature, color-coded on spec, color-coded on the pass count and the coverage.” The inspectors also appreciate that all the paving data is recorded instantly and can be downloaded at
the end of each night. “Our specs require that that information be provided by the next business day, so typically we’re paving from say 10 p.m. until about 5 a.m.,” Larson explains. “At 5 a.m., they finish up. That information gets downloaded.” The information is analyzed to determine whether any corrections need to be made. “And we’re ready to go the next night with brand new data, quality control that tells you where you’ve got it done correctly and it tells you where there needs to be improvements,” he says. That all ensures the road is being built to proper compaction levels – across the full length and width of the paving. “We know from experience that the higher the percent of compaction, the better quality we have and the longer it will last,” Larson says. “If we don’t get good compaction, then it’s going to fall apart quicker. The asphalt won’t last.” ODOT shoots for a 10-year life on the wearing course. Due to good upkeep and initial construction methods, the agency often adds another year of wear, achieving a 10-percent increase in life. “There’s not too many technologies that I’m aware of where you could do a 10-percent increase just by using technology,” says Larson. “But that’s exactly what we do with intelligent compaction.” EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 53
Solid Earth Civil Constructors, our 2018 Contractor of the Year, has a great story. So do you. One way to make sure it gets told is to become one of our 2019 Contractor of the Year finalists. equipmentworld.com | May 2018
ÂŽ
2018 CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR
Solid Earth Civil Constructors
Don and Rae Peters are leveraging technology and the next generation to propel their company into the future
P.
24
Our Contractor of the Year program honors the forward thinkers, high achievers and just plain good people in construction. These are the construction companies that get the job done right, on time and within budget. Their clients sing their praises, their vendors wish all clients were like them, and their workforce is dedicated and loyal. Sound like your company? Then it’s the perfect candidate to become one of our 12 Contractor of the Year finalist firms in 2019. Our finalist will be invited to an expenses-paid Contractor of the Year celebration at the Encore/ Wynn Resort Las Vegas in March.
Interested? To get started, visit EWcontractoroftheyear.com.
Sponsored by:
contractor of the year finalist
| by Don McLoud |
DonMcLoud@randallreilly.com
Russ Kibler, left, and Steve Bielecki, right, started R&S General Contractors 30 years ago. Michael Bielecki, center, is next in line to run the company.
Do-whatever-it-takes attitude drives partner contractors’ success Steve Bielecki and Russ Kibler, R&S General Contractors City, State: Bristol, Pennsylvania Year 1985 incorporated: Number of 35 employees: Annual revenue: $5 million to $7 million Markets served: Concrete, paving and site work, site development, demolition, poured walls, plant maintenance, commercial and industrial
T
om Calkins watched in shock as the roof collapsed March 26, 2017, on his family’s 102-year-old factory. A firefighter told him to get an excavator to help firefighters put out the flames. A friend soon called after seeing the fire on local TV. A distraught Calkins said he needed an excavator. “Call R&S,” his friend replied. Within an hour, Steve Bielecki and his son Michael of R&S General Contractors arrived with an excavator. R&S didn’t just stop there. Starting with a painstaking demolition and salvage operation, Steve and the
R&S team were beside Calkins each step of rebuilding Railway Specialties Corporation, which makes watertight doors for U.S. Navy aircraft carriers. “He wanted to make sure we stayed in business, that we could still keep 20 people employed,” Calkins says, adding that Steve told him, “We’re going to do whatever we need to do.” That do-whatever-it-takes attitude is the hallmark of R&S, which started in 1985 with two friends performing residential paving and concrete jobs after work and on weekends. A few years out of high school, EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 55
contractor of the year finalist
| continued
Within an hour of getting the call for help, Steve and Michael Bielecki arrived with an excavator March 26, 2017, to help fight a fire at Railway Specialties Corporation. ing their three sons. be watching us, feeding us and trying Steve Bielecki was working as a “She’d watch us down there, tryto do all the billing, making calls.” land surveyor in his hometown of ing to train us to behave because Though they were working long Bensalem, Pennsylvania, and Russ she couldn’t run around the house,” hours, they weren’t making much Kibler was working in an auto body recalls son Michael Bielecki, who’s financial headway. In 1997, they shop when they decided to team now part of the R&S team and in line realized they were actually losing up. They started with an old backto take over the reins one day. “She’d money on the housing work. hoe, dump truck and trailer owned “That’s when we had by Russ’ father. to go to the next step,” Steve and Russ say Russ says. “We hired good they were clueless about estimators that took us up starting a business. They to that next level.” picked the name “R&S” by They shifted focus to simply choosing the first more lucrative commerletters of each partner’s cial and industrial projects name. Russ was named and moved into site prep. president, since his initial They built a reputation for comes alphabetically quality work. before “S.” Steve is vice “Our biggest thing president. is quality,” says Steve. “That was our business “We’re not going to be the plan,” Steve says. cheapest.” Their first office was Their clients have been in Steve’s basement and R&S leaders meet with Tom Calkins, owner of Railway willing to pay for that consisted of a drafting Specialties Corporation, in his company’s new building quality, many of whom table and a typewriter. that replaces the one destroyed by fire. From left are Steve have been loyal to them Steve’s wife, Jody, kept Bielecki, Calkins, Russ Kibler and Michael Bielecki. for years. the books while also rais56 July 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com
“If we had a choice, we would prefer to use R&S before we would use anybody else,” says John Costello, owner of John P. Costello Construction, who’s been hiring R&S for 15 years for subcontract work. “We absolutely never have a problem with their work.” Ron Lalulis of Commercial Coring & Sawing has been working with R&S for about 30 years. “I work for some of the same customers they work for,” he says, “and I know they always go to them first when they need concrete work, curbing or utility work.” They have landed jobs with such large corporations as Merck pharmaceuticals, Fairless Energy and Dow Chemical and have become ISNetworld safety certified. They now operate out of a complex with an office building, maintenance shop and a recently added warehouse. They have 35 employees they keep busy full-time year-round and 22 pieces of equipment, including backhoes, dozers, excavators, pavers and rollers. They operate their own fleet of 13 dump trucks. They perform all their equipment and truck maintenance in-house and primarily buy only new equipment. “Our equipment lasts at least 10 or 15 years,” Steve says. “We spend a lot of money doing PMs, winter maintenance from teeth to hoses to all the way through the machine, on every single machine from a generator to the biggest excavator.” Their conscientious approach to their equipment helped them weather the Great Recession with no layoffs. When 2009 came, the company had only two loans. The buildings and property were paid off. Their equipment was in top condition, unlike many competitors who couldn’t afford to maintain their equipment. They kept employees on, even through the winter, by assigning them cleanup and maintenance work, even regularly waxing all the equipment. They also have kept
Jody Bielecki serves as the company’s controller and safety committee co-chair.
their snowplowing business going. Still, the recession wasn’t an easy time. Steve was worried he would have to pull Michael out of Kings College, where he was studying business. Michael says he would have come home in an instant to help the company, but Steve begged him to stay and earn a degree. “I can teach you what I know, but I can’t teach you business,” Steve says. “I didn’t have that education.” Michael started working on jobs at age 12, shoveling on the paving crew, washing trucks, anything his father told him to do. Since joining the company full time after graduation in 2011, he’s done most types of work R&S does, including residential, commercial and industrial projects and bidding on jobs. “He’s so advanced already,” says Steve. “He can handle this.” “He’s like his father,” says Jody. “He eats, breathes and sleeps R&S and construction.” For Jody, being able to work each day with her son and husband has been a blessing, but one that also requires a firm rule. “Zero talk about business in the
home,” she says. “We keep each other in check.” She also separates family life from work, something she’s been doing for 33 years as she helps to keep the company running as its controller and safety committee co-chair. “She’s the unsung hero around here,” Michael says. “She’s very underrated.” Russ, too, has had some family join the company. His brother, Cliff, has worked with R&S for 31 years and is a foreman. Russ and Steve both credit their employees, many of whom have been loyal for years, with making the company a success. “We owe our employees and their families a paycheck, whether we have work or we don’t have work,” Steve says. “And that’s how we really keep our people. It’s not R&S giving; they give back 100 percent.” Along with keeping employees long-term, Russell and Steve have managed to keep their partnership and friendship going for 32 years. “We’re two different people,” says Steve. “We’re like night and day, but that’s why it works.” EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 57
safety watch
| by Tom Jackson |
TJackson@randallreilly.com
I
Illustration by Don Lomax
Brake fail
n the steep mountains of West Virginia where much of our natural gas comes from today, a dozer is often required to pull trucks uphill to the well sites. Dozens of trucks are needed on a regular basis to build and maintain all the infrastructure for these fracking sites. On the day of this accident the 24-year-old driver of a semi-truck carrying concrete had stopped at the bottom of a gravel road with a 10 percent grade. The dozer operator backed down the hill and halted within 3 feet of the front of the truck, even though the safety protocol required the dozer to maintain 6 feet of separation from trucks. It is thought that the dozer operator chose the 3-foot distance because the truck drivers were having difficulty dragging the tow chains (about 50 pounds) over the longer distance. The dozer operator lowered the blade to within 6 inches off the ground, but not on the ground as recommended by his employer for this type of procedure. The truck driver set the parking brake and exited his truck to Date of safety talk: Attending: 58 July 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com
hook it up to the dozer tow point. When he realized he needed a large D-ring to make the connection, he called out to the dozer operator. Again, although safety protocols required that the dozer operator stay in the cab of his machine, the operator was exiting the cab with a spare D-ring in hand when he accidently hit the parking brake lever with his foot. The dozer rolled backward trapping the semi-truck driver between the truck’s front bumper and the rear of the dozer. Emergency personnel were called but the semitruck driver was pronounced dead on the scene. The employers of both the truck driver and the dozer operator conducted regular safety training specific to these applications and jobsites. Failure to follow these recommendations likely contributed to the fatality.
How this accident could have been prevented • When preparing to tow a vehicle or piece of equipment, do the hookup on flat ground with both
Leader:
machines turned off and parking brakes on. • If level ground isn’t available, offset or stagger the machine from the unit being pulled so that even if the machine rolls, it will not roll into the trailing unit. • Identify hazardous zones and functions between or near vehicles that could result in crushing injuries during the connection process. • During the connection process, the dozer operator should remain in the cab. • Ensure vehicles are properly equipped for towing before initiating the towing connection procedures (either have a D-ring pre-mounted on the truck’s hitch pin or have a D-ring in the truck). • Before standing up from the operator’s seat (such as when adjusting the operator’s seat), lower the blade or work tool completely to the ground, set the safety lock lever and parking lever securely to the lock position, then stop the engine. For more information on this accident and ways to prevent similar accidents, go to: www.cdc.gov/ niosh/face/pdfs/full201501.pdf
_____________________
alerta de seguridad
| por Tom Jackson |
TJackson@randallreilly.com
Frenos e infortunio
Fecha de la charla de seguridad: Asistentes:
Illustration por Don Lomax
E
n las empinadas montañas de West Virginia, de donde hoy en día procede buena parte de nuestro gas natural, con frecuencia se requiere de un tractor para jalar los camiones cuesta arriba hasta los sitios donde tiene lugar la fracturación hidráulica (fracking). El día en que ocurrió este accidente, el conductor de 24 años de un semi-tráiler que cargaba concreto se había detenido al fondo de un camino de grava con una inclinación de 10 por ciento. El operador de una motoniveladora retrocedió en la colina y se detuvo a unos tres pies en frente del camión pese a que los procedimientos de seguridad ordenaban que la motoniveladora se mantuviera a seis pies de los camiones. Se cree que el operador de la motoniveladora eligió quedarse a tres pies de distancia debido a que los conductores de los camiones tenían problemas para arrastrar las cadenas de remolcar (que pesaban unas 50 libras) en una distancia más larga. El operador de la motoniveladora bajó las cuchillas a unas seis pulgadas del suelo, pero no las colocó sobre el suelo como lo recomendaba su empleador en este tipo de procedimiento. El conductor del camión colocó el freno de estacionamiento y salió del camión para engancharlo al punto de remolque de la motoniveladora. Cuando se dio cuenta de que necesitaba un anillo de enganche (D-ring) grande para hacer la conexión, llamó al operador de la motoniveladora. Nuevamente, pese a que los procedimientos de seguridad ordenaban que el operador de la motoniveladora permaneciera en la cabina de su máquina, el operador estaba saliendo de la cabina con un D-ring de repuesto en la mano cuando accidentalmente golpeó la palanca del freno de estacionamiento con el pie. La motoniveladora rodó hacia atrás, atrapando al conductor del semi-tráiler entre la defensa del camión y la parte trasera de la motoniveladora. Se llamó al personal de emergencia pero el conductor fue pronunciado muerto en el lugar. Los empleadores de ambos, el conductor del camión y el operador de la motoniveladora, impartían regularmente capacitación de seguridad específica para estas aplicaciones y sitios de trabajo. No seguir sus recomendaciones probablemente contribuyó a esta desgracia.
Cómo pudo haberse prevenido este accidente • Al prepararse para remolcar otro vehículo o maquinaria, haga el enganche sobre terreno plano con las dos máquinas apagadas y con los frenos de estacionamiento activados. • Si no es posible utilizar un suelo plano, compense o desvíe la máquina de la unidad siendo remolcada para que, incluso si la máquina rueda, no ruede hacia la unidad de remolque. • Identifique las zonas y funciones de riesgo entre los vehículos o cerca de ellos que puedan causar en lesiones durante el proceso de conexión. • Durante el proceso de conexión, el operador de la motoniveladora debería haber permanecido en la cabina. • Asegúrese de que los vehículos están apropiadamente equipados para ser remolcados antes de iniciar los procedimientos de conexión (tenga un D-ring ya montado en el gancho de remolque del camión o lleve un D-ring en el camión). • Antes de levantarse de la silla del operador (como cuando está ajustando la silla del operador), baje toda la cuchilla o la herramienta de trabajo totalmente al suelo, coloque el seguro de la palanca de seguridad y la palanca de estacionamiento en la posición de traba para su seguridad, y luego apague la máquina. Para más información sobre este accidente y las formas de prevenir accidentes similares, visite: www.cdc.gov/niosh/face/pdfs/full201501.pdf
Líder: EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 59
backhoe attachments
| by Don McLoud |
DonMcLoud@randallreilly.com
Converting recoil to reusable energy
Epiroc designed its RX hydraulic breakers to convert recoil energy to reusable energy to deliver more power with the same amount of hydraulic input. The breakers’ box guiding system also minimizes recoil forces to put less strain on the carrier, operator and breaker. The RX line consists of 14 models for carriers ranging from 2,900 to 155,000 pounds. They are compatible not only with backhoes but with skid steers and excavators and can be used for demolition, landscaping, building renovation, road construction, rock excavation and quarrying.
Grease continuously, automatically applied
Okada offers the 13-model OVR Series of hydraulic breakers, ranging from 150 to 12,000 foot-pounds of force. The breakers feature variable speed control, and a large capacity accumulator to reduce shock load. A carrier-mounted auto-grease system continuously applies grease to the breaker tool and bushings, and the central grease port adapts to most auto-lube systems. A large nitrogen-gas chamber allows for high impact power. Along with backhoes, the breakers are compatible with skid steers, excavators and track loaders.
Thumb kit made for Extendahoe
TRK Attachments designed a thumb kit specifically for Caterpillar’s 416, 420 and 430 E/F Extendahoe backhoe loaders. They are available for backhoes with or without a quick coupler. Customers can choose between manual or hydraulic versions. They are made of T1 and AR400 steel, have a new main long pin for mounting and see-through plating between the tines. They come with the jump hoses needed for the stick’s hydraulic fittings. They are designed to clear the boom and stick at all points and mesh with the teeth on a stock Cat 24-inch bucket. 60 July 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com
Quickly switch buckets
Kubota’s K7543 Quick Coupler is designed for fast bucket changes for the company’s tractor-loaderbackhoe (TLB) series. It is compatible with the L47 and M62 TLB models. The coupler is also compatible with select Kubota compact excavator buckets, tilt buckets, grading buckets, trenching buckets, grading blades, cemetery buckets, frost rippers and excavating rakes.
Compaction while backfilling trenches
Cat Compaction Wheels are designed to compact the soil when backfilling trenches. They come in a variety of widths and feature tapered roller bearings. A tampered-foot design with static pad rollers provides smooth operation and a high degree of compaction. The open rim allows the wheel to penetrate the trench fill and compact the soil from the bottom up. The compaction wheels are available for all Cat backhoe loaders, as well as all Cat compact excavators.
Low recoil, few moving parts
Case Construction Equipment’s hydraulic hammers have only two moving parts and isolate every blow from the operator and carrier. The hammers are pre-assembled and made for Case backhoes, excavators, compact tractor loaders and skid steers. The blows are isolated in the cushion chamber, and recoil energy is recycled and used for the next blow. The long-stoke piston facilitates energy transfer and recoil reduction. Case hydraulic hammers come with a gas recharge kit and a three-year warranty. EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 61
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Dominion
depparts.com
63
E-Z Drill
ezdrill.com
47
Equify
EquifyAuctions.com
41
Great American Trucking Show
Truckshow.com/GATS
H & L Tooth
hltooth.com
62
JCB
jcb.com/teleskid
10
Kenworth
Kenworth.com
13
Kubota
KubotaUSA.com
46
Kubota Tractor Corp
KubotaUSA.com
8-9
Liebherr Construction Equipment Co.
liebherr.us
IFC/2
Link-Belt Excavators
lbxco.com
IBC/67
Mattracks
mattracks.com
64
Morooka
morookacarriers.com
22
Motion Industries
MotionIndustries.com
24
Pengo
pengoattachments.com
64
Progressive Commercial
progressive.com
14
ROADTEC
roadtec.com
20
Stellar
americaneagleacc.com/fp
26
Texas Truck Tuning
texastrucktuning.com
36
Top Bid
topbid.com
64
Trail King
TrailKing.com
5
Verizon Connect
verizonconnect.com
6
VMAC
vmacair.com/G30
48-49
37
EquipmentWorld.com | July 2018 65
final word | by Tom Jackson
TJackson@randallreilly.com
Thinking big I
n June, the Wall Street Journal reported that citizens of Nashville were worried that their city was growing too fast, that it was in danger of becoming the next Atlanta. Accordingly, they voted down a mass-transit bill. This may be news to the people of Nashville, but the fastest way to ruin a city is to stop it from growing. Austin tried it 40 years ago and turned that once sylvan city into Houston with hills. At Austin’s last SXSW music festival, a small plane flew over the city for days trailing a banner that advised the visitors to: “GO HOME.” Or take California, which pioneered the NIMBY (not in my backyard) movement and now suffers from the worst traffic and highest real estate prices in the country. For a good example of how to scale infrastructure, take a look at the Denver International Airport, which opened in 1995. With 25 miles of open country around it, Denver’s airport offered designers a clean sheet of paper to work from. Their 16,000-foot runway accurately anticipated the age of jumbo jets years before 787-size planes were a twinkle in Boeing’s eye. The highway routes to and from are straight and uncrowded. Parking and rental car returns are easy to navigate. And there are plenty of nearby airport hotels, with room for many more. The airport gets much of its electricity from four solar panel farms generating 16.1 million kilowatt-hours of power. It also has commuter rail service to Denver’s downtown. There’s even talk of breeding a herd of bison to roam the thousands of undeveloped acres surrounding it. Wouldn’t that be a sight as your plane turns into its final approach? Denver International took 12 years to build,
66 July 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com
and naysayers carped about it all the way. But a funny thing happened in the next two decades. Denver International turned out to be the best airport in the country and a boon to the city and state. Business Traveler magazine readers voted it the best airport in the country six times. And for my money, Denver’s striking architecture makes it the most beautiful of all our nation’s airports. Just prior to the airport’s opening, Federico Peña, Denver’s mayor from 1983 to 1991, told The New York Times: “This was a visionary project that was preparing the city’s and state’s role for the next century.” The Times article was critical, but Peña was right. Two decades later, Forbes lists Denver as the fourth best city for business and careers. Denver also rates as the top city in the country for small-business growth. I think a lot of politicians would love to put their names behind a big project like this. But President Reagan’s quote that “government isn’t the solution to our problems, government is the problem” birthed a new philosophy that has in the intervening years created a country that plays nothing but small ball. Reagan was criticizing the federal bureaucracy. But the bureaucracy is still there, and our infrastructure has been crumbling ever since. The Erie Canal, the Louisiana Purchase, the Transcontinental Railroad, the Hoover Dam, the Interstate highway program, the Apollo Program: Americans were once renowned for thinking big. If we don’t reclaim some of that legacy, our urban areas will only become more crowded, expensive and undesirable – more like Tijuana and less like a shining city on a hill.
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