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PUBLISHER: Kerry Hoover khoover@calcontractor.com
EDITOR: Brian Hoover, Senior Editor
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Roben Engineering Corp Installs
3,300 Feet of Storm Drain on Yards at the Bay at Chula Vista Bayfront
By Brian Hoover
Yards At the Bay is a groundbreaking development that blends history, innovation, and community to forge a vibrant future. Located at the foot of H Street, right off Interstate 5, Yards at the Bay redefines and revitalizes the former home of Rohr Industries. Renowned for its pioneering contributions to the aerospace industry, this historic site now embarks on a new chapter.
The site encompasses 44.78 acres of land in the Chula Vista Bayfront, located east and south
of the Collins Aerospace Campus, with the City of Chula Vista at the eastern boundary, adjacent to the I-5 freeway and the southwestern area abutting the approved Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan area. This strategic location positions The Bay as a vital gateway to the region, ensuring it integrates seamlessly with the broader Bayfront vision while creating long-term opportunities for growth, connectivity, and innovation.
The Chula Vista Bayfront redevelopment envisions a worldclass destination in the South
Bay, a unique place for people to live, work, and play. Construction has completed on the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center (located directly to the west of The Bay), with a ribbon cutting ceremony held on May 15.
A partnership between the Port of San Diego and City of Chula Vista, the 535-acre Chula Vista Bayfront redevelopment will transform Chula Vista’s underused industrial bayfront into a waterfront resort destination. It is designed to create new public parks and recreational adventures, improve
James Billburg (left), SoCal Shield, with Roben Engineering Corp. co-owners Rob Astephen and Ben Carroll.
/ Photos provided by Construction Marketing Services
the natural habitat, offer new dining and shopping options, provide a world-class hotel and convention center, and more, all for residents and coastal visitors to enjoy.
ROBEN ENGINEERING CORP. - UNDERGROUND UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES IN SAN DIEGO
In an industry often defined by tight deadlines, shifting conditions and the unforgiving realities of underground construction, Roben Engineering Corp has carved out a reputation for adaptability, precision and exceptional customer service.
Founded in 2022 by Ben Carroll and Rob Astephen, the young San Diego County firm has quickly established itself as a go-to partner for both private developers and general contractors. Carroll serves as president overseeing all aspects of the business, while Astephen, vice president, oversees estimating,
Above: Located adjacent to the Gaylord Pacific Resort in Chula Vista, Roben Engineering Corp is working under general contractor, Hazard Construction, installing approximately 3,300 linear feet of storm drain.
Above: The "Bay at Chula Vista" site encompasses 44.78 acres within the Chula Vista Bayfront.
project management and daily operations. Together, they have assembled a company culture centered on teamwork and proactive service, qualities that recently earned them Top Land Development Trade Partner of the Year.
ORIGINS AND VISION
Astephen has been working in San Diego County’s underground utilities and grading sector since 1998. His decades in the field gave him a front-row seat to the shifting challenges of the industry.
Carroll, who previously worked for another construction firm out of Santee, joined forces with Astephen in the aftermath of the pandemic. Both recognized that builders were looking for more integrated partnerships and streamlined solutions.
“We knew times were changing in this industry,” Astephen said. “We thought we could do a better job at it, especially on the customer service side. Our goal was to build more of a team concept with our clients rather than the old contractor-versussubcontractor mentality.”
That philosophy resonated. Within just a few years, Roben Engineering had secured major clients, delivering projects on time and often ahead of schedule. The recognition from Top Land Development Trade Partner of the Year validated their approach, particularly in an environment where they were competing against much larger, more established firms.
A TURNKEY APPROACH
While Roben Engineering specializes in wet and dry utilities, sewer, water, storm drain, gas and
electric, the company has also embraced a turnkey model.
“Land is changing, and projects are getting smaller,” Astephen explained. “We try to take on more scopes of work so we can deliver a complete package, instead of using multiple subcontractors. Developers really value that.”
The company primarily serves San Diego County but straddles both private and public-sector projects. With a Class A license, Roben Engineering often builds systems that are ultimately taken over by municipalities.
YARDS AT THE BAY: A CASE STUDY IN COLLABORATION
One of the company’s current showcase projects is the Yards at the Bay development in Chula Vista, a stone’s throw from the newly opened Gaylord Pacific resort. Working under general contractor Hazard Construction, Roben Engineering is tasked with installing roughly 3,300 feet of storm drain pipe ranging from 18 inches to 54 inches in diameter, along with 26 manholes and multiple tie-ins to existing systems.
[ Continued on page 10 ]
Above: Roben Engineering’s John Deere and Hitachi excavators hard at work cutting slope and placing storm drainpipe.
Right: John Deere wheel loader delivering 54” reinforced concrete pipe for placement within SoCal Shield shoring.
{ Continued from page 8 }
The project footprint is complex: storm drain runs extend hundreds of feet, ranging in variable depths. Adding to the difficulty, the site sits at or below sea level, directly adjacent to the bay. Groundwater infiltration and tidal influence have required constant adaptation.
“We’re pumping over 600 gallons per minute at times,” Astephen said. “That means we’ve had to create lined holding ponds on site, filter the water through tanks and discharge at no more than 100 gallons per minute to meet city standards. It’s a huge operation.”
Soil conditions further complicate matters. Excavation frequently extends two to three feet deeper than design grade to achieve a stable base. Crews then import large aggregate for stabilization, followed by bedding rock and daily slurry encasement.
Each joint of 54-inch reinforced concrete pipe weighs up to 10,000 pounds and must be laid at a grade of less than one percent, requiring laser precision and quality control to prevent future settlement.
PARTNERING WITH SOCAL SHIELD
For shoring and trench safety, Roben Engineering has relied
heavily on SoCal Shield, a relatively new player in the Southern California construction market. The relationship, however, is rooted in long-standing trust. Astephen and Carrol had worked with both owners when they worked for previous companies, and followed them when they launched their own venture earlier this year.
“What sets them apart is customer service,” Astephen said. “If we call James Billburg (SoCal Shield rep) at midnight because conditions changed, he gets us the right equipment by morning. That kind of responsiveness saves us thousands of dollars and keeps the project moving.”
Above: Roben Engineering utilizes John Deere excavator to place base rock for installation of 54” storm drain.
Above: SoCal Shield providing trench boxes and trench shield for underground construction work on Bay at Chula Vista job site.
Above: Hitachi Zaxis 350 LC excavator hard at work in Chula Vista.
Above: Roben’s Hitachi excavator cutting slope and making room for placement of reinforced concrete drain pipe.
For the Yards at the Bay project, Roben Engineering is renting trench shields, steel plates, plugs and sheet piles from SoCal Shield. Their crews are currently using 10-foot-tall by 20-foot-long trench shields with spreaders measuring 7.5 feet, in addition to a variety of plates to stabilize excavation zones.
“Astephen described the relationship as a true partnership: “We may not be the biggest contractor in town, but with SoCal Shield, our company is treated with the utmost respect and professionalism, as if we were one of their most important clients. That means a lot to us.”
EQUIPMENT AND WORKFORCE
Roben Engineering is selfperforming the storm drain installation with a crew of eight, led by foreman James Kelly.
Key equipment on site includes:
• Two 80,000-pound excavators (Hitachi and John Deere) handling excavation and pipe placement.
• A John Deere wheel loader supporting material handling.
• On-site water trucks and dump trucks for soil movement and dust control.
Astephen and Carroll remain hands-on, visiting the project daily to monitor progress.
SCHEDULING AND COORDINATION
The storm drain installation began in late August with earlier phases completed on the north side of the project. The current 54-inch line should be finished by the end of September.
While the work is challenging, Roben Engineering credits Hazard Construction for its collaborative approach. “We all knew going in that groundwater would be an issue,” Astephen said. “The owners are well aware, and we’ve been transparent with weekly meetings.”
Coordination with other trades is constant. FJ Willert, a leading local grading contractor, is performing the grading work, and importing fill, while Roben Engineering performs the excavation and installs the storm drain. Future tie-ins to public streets will require traffic control, but for now, activity is contained within the site.
MARKET OUTLOOK
Asked about the broader construction market picture, Astephen described it as uneven but stable.
“For us, diversification has been key. We don’t put all our eggs in one basket,” he said. “We’re fortunate to be busy. We’re not laying anyone off, and we continue to hire. I feel blessed to be in this position.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Roben Engineering is positioning itself for growth while staying true to its founding values: teamwork, customer service and adaptability. The firm has upcoming work in San Marcos, where the developer is redeveloping a former “Restaurant Row” property into a mixed-use project.
As Astephen sees it, the company’s success comes from the same philosophy that inspired its creation: “We believed we could do better, by focusing on service, teamwork and delivering projects that exceed expectations. That’s what continues to drive us.”
For more information on Roben Engineering Corp, please visit www.robencorp.com or call their Santee headquarters at (619) 653-1813. Cc
Above: A John Deere 544L wheel loader transfers base material into a rock box, staging aggregate for excavator placement during site preparation.
Above: James Billburg of SoCal Shield observes progress on the Bay of Chula Vista storm drain installation alongside Rob Astephen, co-owner of Roben Engineering Corp.
Grows Steadily with Major Sewer Projects in Stockton and Sacramento
By
Northern California contractor, Soracco Inc., makes its name in the infrastructure work that keeps cities running: deep trenches, aging mains, utilities, detours through quiet residential blocks, and the meticulous planning that allows crews to put new sewer lines and other infrastructure into service without shutting communities down. On two current projects in Stockton and Sacramento, President Richard Soracco Jr. says the company is applying the same disciplined playbook, careful preconstruction, tight logistics and field-first problem-solving, on two very different challenges.
Soracco founded the business as a sole proprietorship in 2011 and incorporated it in 2018. Today, the firm focuses on heavy civil infrastructure, sewer, water, underground utilities, grading, paving and concrete, across Northern California, from the East Bay to the Sierra foothills and as far south as Merced. The company employs roughly 40 to 45 people and operates a fleet of about 35 pieces of Caterpillar equipment supported by Holt of California.
Brian Hoover / Photos provided by Soracco Inc.
Sorraco team members, James and Andrew, carefully dig around existing utilities with a Cat 315 excavator preparing to install 15” sewer main for City of Sacramento.
Gustavo Soracco, Senior Project Manager (left), Richard Soracco Jr., President and Clint Aboussleman, Senior Project Manager, Soracco, Inc.
Gustavo Soracco using a Cat 335 excavator to load out Super 10 dump truck while excavating for a new 18” sewer main at Port of Stockton.
“Slow, steady and sustainably has always been our underlying theme,” Soracco said. “We’re growing our bonding capacity and taking on larger work, but we never want to outpace our foundation.”
PORT OF STOCKTON: EAST COMPLEX SEWER IMPROVEMENTS
At the Port of Stockton, Soracco is executing the East Complex Phase 1 Sewer Improvements project, a $1.1 million job launched Sept. 6 and scheduled for completion within 50 working days. The project carries an engineer’s estimate of $1,016,169 and addresses a problem that could paralyze port operations if handled the wrong way.
The work involves abandoning a compromised 12-inch trunk line that runs beneath a spur yard with about 10 sets of rails. Shutting down rail movements would be costly and disruptive; attempting a trenchless repair with no fallback could also invite high risk if excavation were required later. Instead, Soracco’s team is constructing four new
manholes, tying into existing mains on the accessible side of the rail yard and diverting flow to a parallel alignment so the suspect segment under the tracks can be permanently abandoned.
In total, the project will install 1,448 feet of new sewer pipe, rehabilitate 489 feet of existing line using cured-in-place pipe (CIPP), and replace 12 feet of deteriorated 18-inch pipe.
“You look out there and its tracks forever,” Soracco said. “No rail operation is going to shut that down, and a trenchlessonly attempt was not worth the complications and risk. The reroute keeps freight moving and reduces project risk.”
Before breaking ground, Gustavo Soracco convened a preconstruction meeting with the port and the consulting engineer to align on schedule, submittals, shoring and dewatering. Surveyors established control, and the field team pothole-verified elevations and offsets for each tie-in. Typical trench depth on the job ranges from 13 to 15 feet, with the new alignment served by 18-inch and
15-inch SDR 26 pipe. Soracco is self-performing excavation, pipe installation and surface restoration using a Cat 335 excavator, a Cat 314 excavator, Cat backhoes and a Cat skid steer.
Groundwater, ever-present at the port, is more nuisance than crisis. To manage seeps and provide a stable work platform, the crew runs a dewatering operation while over-excavating the pipe zone, followed by placing about two feet of 3/4-inch crushed rock in the bottom of the trench. The rock acts as both a sump and a firm walking surface, keeping installers out of mud and allowing water to collect below the invert during installation.
Spoils move to a stockpile location within port property, and aggregate comes from Clean
Planet, a recycling plant located just minutes away from the site. Soracco estimates the project will export four to five thousand cubic yards of material over its 1,500 to 2,000 linear feet of trench. With less traffic control than a downtown setting, the team is targeting production of 150 to 200 feet of pipe per day.
Upstream of the open-cut work, Nor-Cal Pipe will repair segments that pass beneath buildings using CIPP. The combination of targeted trenchless rehabilitation and opencut construction removes a chronic vulnerability in the system while keeping rail operations intact.
SACRAMENTO: DEL PASO BOULEVARD INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS
In early August, Soracco mobilized on the Del Paso Boulevard Infrastructure Needs project for the City of Sacramento, a roughly $3.5 million package to upsize mains, redirect flow to a different lift station and abandon thousands of feet of obsolete line. Substantial completion is targeted for March.
The work will install about 4,000 feet of new sewer, primarily 24-inch and 15-inch trunk segments with some 6-inch and 8-inch runs, set more than 20 manholes, reconnect laterals, complete a jack-and-bore crossing under Del Paso Boulevard and restore pavement, curb, gutter and sidewalk.
The city required thorough photo and video documentation ahead of construction, a step Soracco satisfied with drone flights to capture block-by-block conditions. “We typically do preconstruction photos in house,” Soracco said. “For this scale, drone imagery gave us clarity and speed.”
A specification for precast manhole bases forced a rethink in sequencing. Soracco prefers to cast bases in place to control schedule. While shop drawings were reviewed and approved, the
company tackled smaller-diameter segments and early structure work to build momentum. Where necessary, the city approved castin-place substitutions to keep the schedule on track.
The trenchless component falls to Pacific Boring, which will jack and bore approximately 100 feet under Del Paso Boulevard. Launch and receive pits are expected to be about 18 feet deep, excavated and shored by Soracco.
Average trench depth for the 24-inch trunk runs about 15 to 16 feet, stepping shallower for smaller mains. The principal challenge in the early going has not been groundwater but other surprises underfoot. Despite extensive
potholing, crews encountered several unmarked utilities, including storm drains and, in one instance, a water line.
“Potholing and flexibility in the field are essential,” Soracco said. “You set a production target, but you also build in the ability to pivot.”
Traffic control is a constant, given that much of the alignment lies within two-lane residential streets. Rather than maintaining a live lane next to deep excavation, Soracco often closes short blocks completely and detours traffic to parallel streets. The approach increases room for equipment and removes the squeeze that can slow production and complicate safety.
[ Continued on page 18 ]
Soracco team members, Danny and Anthony, installing another stick of 15” sewer main at Port of Stockton.
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The company is also selfperforming trench paving and concrete restoration. Because trench widths vary, Soracco rents pavers from Holt of California to match each patch’s geometry, swapping between compact and mid-size models as needed and supplementing with a box paver on a loader or a road widener mounted to a skid steer.
Clint Aboussleman serves as project manager on the Sacramento job, with project manager/ superintendent James Brehm and foreman Andrew Craigo leading field operations. The trenching fleet includes Cat 315 and 335 excavators, a Cat 950 loader, two Cat 420 backhoes and Cat skid steers. Spoils are handled in a laydown yard; reusable native is returned where suitable and capped with Class 2 aggregate base.
One advantage of the Sacramento plan is a sequencing nuance that reduces reliance on large, continuous bypasses. Because the new trunk
will run deeper and ultimately pull flow north to a lift station, whereas the existing main flows south, crews can begin at the lift station, connect the first reach and then work southward. At the end of each shift, laterals encountered that day are tied into the new line, which flows to the lift station, while customers downstream remain connected to the existing main until their block is rebuilt.
“Our plan lets us put new pipe in service incrementally,” Soracco said. “And it limits how many people we affect at once.”
A CAREFUL PATH FORWARD
Both jobs reflect the company’s emphasis on planning, crew continuity and practical equipment choices. For Soracco, revenue has continued to climb to roughly five times what it was in 2018. To support the fleet as workload has expanded, Soracco recently hired a full-time mechanic, Ryan Baker, a seasoned local 3 HDR with years of experience.
Soracco credits a tight field culture and calculated decision making for steady growth. On subcontracts, the company prefers to partner with specialists rather than force niche expertise in house. Nor-Cal Pipe is handling curedin-place repairs on the Stockton project, and Pacific Boring is responsible for the jack-and-bore in Sacramento.
“We don’t always do the glamorous stuff,” Soracco said. “It’s vital work. When the layout, the trench, the set and the tie-in all come together, it’s incredibly satisfying.”
He added, “We’re scaling up our operations and taking on bigger work, but we’re careful. We’re trying to do the most with a sustainable amount of team members, build a company that lasts, and keep the promises we make to owners and to our crews.”
For more information on Soracco, Inc., please visit www.soraccoinc.com or call their Lodi headquarters at (209) 267-4030. Cc
CAT 335 offloading trench boxes in preparation for sewer main installation.
CAT 335 excavators placing trench box for placement of 24-inch sewer main for City of Sacramento.
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Advantage Backhoes - Trenching Dry Utilities for Southern California’s Largest Sports Complex
When Travis Snyder talks about his work today, it’s with the confidence of a seasoned contractor who has carved out a reputation in California’s civil construction market. But his path began humbly, with a shovel in hand.
FROM APPRENTICE TO ENTREPRENEUR
Snyder’s career started right out of high school when he joined the carpenter’s union and apprenticed with a Riverside concrete contractor. At just 19, he was handed the keys to a backhoe, launching him into the world of operating engineers. “One day I was shoveling, the next I was running heavy iron,” Snyder recalls. Among the many machines he operated, the John Deere 310 stood out, a machine he vowed to own someday.
That dream became reality in 2007, when Snyder took a leap of faith and launched Advantage Backhoes, LLC. To start his company, Snyder turned to his home equity, pulling out $45,000 to buy a used John Deere 310 and a truck, staking everything on his dreams and vision. He often worked 20-hour days to keep the fledgling business afloat. His wife, Krystin, joined in 2009, taking over office operations so he could stay focused in the field.
The early years were lean, with Snyder chasing prevailing wage school and military projects. A turning point came in 2010 at the Marine Corps base in 29 Palms, where Advantage Backhoes supported nearly every trade on a $200 million BEQ project. This one-machine business quickly grew into a full fleet with operators and laborers. From there, services expanded from MEP trenching to full-scale civil contracting, including saw cutting, demo, and paving. Today, Snyder runs multi-milliondollar projects with a wide fleet of
John Deere backhoes, excavators, dozers, loaders, trucks, and more. As he puts it: “If it’s dirt work, we like to keep it all in house.”
ONTARIO’S SPORTS EMPIRE VISION
Advantage Backhoes capabilities are currently on full display in Ontario, where Snyder’s crews are helping power one of Southern California’s largest new sports and entertainment districts. The City of Ontario is developing the Ontario Sports Empire, a 200-acre complex blending professional sports,
Above: Advantage Backhoes using their John Deere 35G compact excavator to dig trench for dry utilities at Ontario Sports Empire Complex.
community recreation, and yearround events.
Anchoring the development is a new 6,500-capacity Minor League Baseball stadium, future home of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Single-A affiliate, set to open in April 2026. At build-out, the district will feature youth baseball and soccer fields, public athletic amenities, and a sixlevel parking structure with 1,300 spaces and a massive 152-by-51foot jumbotron.
For Snyder and his team, the assignment has been clear: trench for the underground infrastructure that will power the entire development.
REBUILDING A LANDMARK
Tilton-Coil Constructors, Inc. is the prime general contractor responsible for aspects of construction on the Ontario Sports Empire Complex. The initial work began with the demolition of the old Quakes Stadium and surrounding asphalt lots, clearing the way for the new stadium, youth fields, and parking structures.
Advantage Backhoes was hired as a subcontractor to Rancho Pacific Electric to complete all underground trenching for dry utilities. “We started around four months ago, overlapping with the demo phase,” Snyder explained.
“We began with the main backbone feeds to the stadium and then branched out to feed the lights, transformers, and parking lot systems.”
THE SCOPE OF THE TRENCHING
By completion, Snyder’s crews will have performed approximately 14,000 feet of trench. The backbone alone accounted for 4,000 to 5,000 feet, while trenching another 9,000 to 10,000 feet to feed field lighting. Depths varied from 2.5 feet to as much as 5 feet, with widths ranging from four feet near transformer sources to one foot at the light poles.
Left: Brett Reynolds (left), Electrician, Rancho Pacific Electric and James Cirivello, Operating Engineer, Advantage Backhoes.
Above: Jacob Barbour, Operating Engineer, Advantage Backhoes.
Right: John Deere 310SL backfilling trench line at Ontario Sports Empire project.
Crews also handled conduits for card readers, parking lot lighting, and security gates.
“Pretty much everything electrical underground on that job was performed by our client, Rancho Pacific Electric, and we handled the excavation,” Snyder said.
COORDINATING ON A BUSY SITE
The technical digging was straightforward; the real challenge was coordination. With demo, concrete, and utility contractors all jockeying for space, scheduling required exact precision. “The GC wanted concrete going vertical right away,” Snyder said. “We’d trench one section while demo continued in another, then move from lot to lot as areas opened up.”
Depending on demand, Snyder’s team scaled between one and four operators on site. Equipment included John Deere 310 backhoes and 35 mini excavators, machines sourced and serviced by their local John Deere dealer.
HANDLING SPOILS AND STANDARDS
Spoils were stockpiled adjacent to the trenches for backfill or moved to a central location designated by the general contractor. Roadway crossings required Greenbookstandard base replacement and asphalt restoration, though these instances were limited to a half-dozen
Left: Advantage
Backhoes John Deere
35G compact excavator lowered into shored trench for selective excavation at Rady Children's Hospital.
Right: John Deere carefully excavating near vault at Sharp Memorial Hospital.
Below: John Deere
310SL trenching for dry utilities at Ontario Sports Empire Complex.
locations. The majority of the work focused on trenching, handholes, and vaults, up to 10 feet deep.
CLOSE TO HOME
Unlike many of Snyder’s jobs, the Ontario site is relatively close to his Lake Arrowhead base. “Ontario is about half the distance most of our projects usually are,” he said, a welcome change for crews used to long commutes across Southern California.
BEYOND THE STADIUM
The Ontario Sports Empire is just one of several major trenching projects on Snyder’s roster. Current and recent work includes:
• Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego – 3,000 feet of trenching for new 12kV service lines and utility relocations, with a storage tank of 24’wide 72’long and 28’in depth.
[ Continued on page 26 ]
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• Solar & Battery Storage, Arvin – Thousands of feet of trenching plus concrete pads for renewable energy infrastructure.
• Norco and Moreno Valley Colleges – Trenching, grading, slope cuts, and retention features for solar and battery projects.
• Military Contracts – Ongoing backbone and trenching work at confidential locations across the southwest military bases.
• CSUSC – New student housing – all electrical feeds from backbone to site power and lighting.
• Saugus Waste Water Treatment Plant – all electrical infrastructure from demo to new installation.
• Mira Costa College (all 3 locations) new electrical feeds for future buildings.
MARKET CONDITIONS: A MIXED BAG
Despite reports of slowing backlogs elsewhere, Snyder’s company has avoided layoffs or cutbacks.
“We’ve seen a surprising number of resumes in the past six weeks, probably the most in the last ten years,” he said. “It’s a mixed bag. Some clients say things are slowing, others say the infrastructure funding is finally hitting the ground.”
Through past downturns, Snyder has relied on diversification, finding work in solar, EV charging, or military projects when private development slowed. “We’ve never had a year where we went backward in 17 years,” he said.
E XPANDING THE FLEET
That confidence shows in continued investment. Advantage Backhoes recently added new foreman trucks, three new John Deere skid steers, and new Deere 60
and 85 excavators. Snyder now sources exclusively from his local John Deere dealers, Coastline Equipment and RDO Equipment, depending on his project location. Today, Advantage Backhoes proudly employs 43 individuals, with about half working as full-time operators.
LOOKING AHEAD
For Snyder, the Ontario project is both a showcase of his company’s trenching expertise and a reminder of how far he’s come since staking everything on a used Deere 310. “We’re usually the first boots on the ground and the last ones out,” he said. “As long as there’s demand for infrastructure, housing, water treatment, energy, or defense—we’ll be there, trenching the backbone that makes it all possible.” Cc
Above & Right: Artist rendering of the Ontario Sports Empire Complex in Ontario.
Equipment COASTLINE
Coastline Equipment announces exciting news that marks a significant step forward for the company and its Precision Solutions offering.
Coastline Equipment is officially recognized as a Trimble Technology Outlet. This designation allows the company to sell and support Trimble grade control, site positioning systems, and correction services technology directly to its customers. Trimble technology will now be available for:
• John Deere and Hamm earthmoving equipment (dozers, excavators, motor graders, soil compactors, miniexcavators, and compact track loaders)
• LevelBest/ATI and HitchDoc attachments
What This Means for Coastline
• Coastline Equipment now has the ability to offer and support both Trimble and Topcon solutions, providing the flexibility to meet a wider range of customer needs.
• This positions the company as a leader in construction technology across all the regions it serves.
Outlet
• The new designation expands Coastline’s precision technology footprint, opening doors to additional opportunities for its sales, service, and support teams.
• Customers will also benefit from expanded rental opportunities, giving them the option to try technology solutions without an upfront purchase while creating another revenue stream for the company.
This milestone demonstrates Coastline Equipment’s strong
commitment to delivering the best technology solutions available. In the coming weeks, Coastline will share more information and resources to ensure employees are fully prepared to assist customers and provide the highest level of support.
Coastline Equipment expressed gratitude to its team for helping the company reach this exciting point. The company emphasized that this is just the beginning of an even brighter future in technology for both its team and its customers. Cc
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Fayat Group Completes Its Acquisition Of Leeboy, Effective On September 4, 2025
By Brian Hoover / Photos provided by Fayat Group
FAYAT Group, a global leader in the construction industry, announces the completion of its 100% stake in LeeBoy, based in Lincolnton, North Carolina, USA, and renowned for its line of asphalt paving and maintenance equipment. For more than 60 years, LeeBoy has powered the world of asphalt with its top-of-the-line asphalt pavers, distributors, brooms, chip spreaders and related equipment.
LeeBoy is now part of the FAYAT Road Equipment Division, a world leader in road-building equipment, bringing the FAYAT Group Division’s total production facilities to 30 sites across Europe, Asia and the Americas. The LeeBoy acquisition will significantly expand and strengthen the Road Equipment Division’s asphalt and road building equipment offerings, especially in the commercial and municipal paving and road maintenance market segments.
The North American market is a strategic priority for the FAYAT Group, and this tactical acquisition broadens the company’s product offering in the United States and Canada. LeeBoy enables FAYAT to reinforce its leading position in North America through leveraging synergies of asphalt brands currently a part of the Road Equipment Division, including BOMAG, Dynapac, Asphalt Drum Mixers (ADM), Ravo, Scarab, Dulevo, Charlatte and, most recently, Mecalac.
LeeBoy headquarters in Lincolnton, North Carolina, home to the company’s renowned line of asphalt paving equipment.
Enjoying a long and rich history as one of the most iconic names in the North American asphalt commercial paving industry, LeeBoy will maintain its brand identity and operational autonomy, so it can continue delivering the products and services customers trust.
FAYAT – a family business with decades-long experience in the civil works construction equipment sector – plans to support LeeBoy’s management team with both shortand long-term investments to further strengthen its market position and reinforce its commitment to outstanding customer support.
Speaking on completing the acquisition, FAYAT Group President, Jean-Claude Fayat
said: “Adding LeeBoy’s highly respected equipment offering will enable FAYAT to better serve roadbuilding customers with a more comprehensive range of solutions. The acquisition presents many opportunities for collaboration with other brands within our Road Equipment Division in the areas of research and development, manufacturing, technology, purchasing, sales and exploring select international markets. We are dedicated to investing in the LeeBoy team and the local workforce, and to building on LeeBoy’s strong culture to deliver even greater value and innovation in the years ahead for LeeBoy customers.”
ABOUT FAYAT
Present in 170 countries and thanks to the commitment of more than 23,000 employees, FAYAT Group services its clients all over the world with innovative and sustainable solutions for the construction industry and the seven major business lines in which it has developed: Civil Works, Foundations, Building, Energy Services, Metal, Pressure Vessels and Road Equipment.
The Group’s turnover for 2024 reached €5.7 billion.
For more information, visit www.fayat.com.
ABOUT LEEBOY
Made in the USA, LeeBoy’s ISO-certified manufacturing is solutions. LeeBoy customers are accustomed to receiving the our people and our customers to build America one road at a time.
REDEFINING HEAVY HAUL EXCELLENCE
Contractors across the country rely on LeeBoy pavers for durability, efficiency, and productivity.
Industry News
Warrior Machinery Welcomes New Director of Sales, SHAD KIRVIN
Warrior Machinery (Warrior) is pleased to announce that Shad Kirvin has joined the company as its new Director of Sales. In his role, Shad will work closely with President and CEO, Steve Nadelman, overseeing sales operations, rental services, machine sales, and the sales team. Shad brings more than two decades of industry experience to Warrior. Before joining the company, he spent eight years as a Strategic Account Manager with Sunbelt Rentals, where he managed key accounts and built
strong client relationships. His career path also includes serving as a sales manager at RSC Equipment Rental, and beginning his industry journey at Hertz Equipment Rental, first at the counter before moving into sales in San Diego. In addition, Shad successfully owned and operated three businesses that employed more than 100 people, giving him a unique perspective on leadership and operations.
A graduate of San Diego State University, Shad has been part of the equipment rental and sales industry since college.
He is enthusiastic about the opportunities ahead at Warrior Machinery. “I came here to make an impact,” Shad said. “We’re going to elevate the staff, the sales reps, and the business. By this time next year, we’ll be talking about the other locations we’ve opened and how much fun we had doing it!” With his extensive background and forward-looking vision, Shad is poised to help drive Warrior Machinery’s continued growth and success.
Warrior Machinery, LLC, is the exclusive LiuGong and Dressta dealer for Southern California. Headquartered in Rialto, with an additional branch in Bakersfield, the company is part of the LiuGong North America dealer network and serves the construction, agriculture, municipal, and material handling industries across the region. Offering a full line of LiuGong and Dressta equipment for sale or rental, Warrior Machinery is supported by experienced service and parts departments dedicated to ensuring an exceptional customer experience. The company values the opportunity to build lasting relationships and is committed to delivering the highest level of customer support. Cc
Warrior Machinery headquarters in Rialto, CA.
Laying the Groundwork for Solid Support
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MASTER TECHNICIANS QUALITY PARTS
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SUPER 700
Great things come in small packages
Thanks to its compact design, variable pave width and high performance, the SUPER 700 is the ideal mini paver for surfacing footpaths and cycle paths, as well as for minor paving jobs and pavement repairs. Its excellent value for money and particularly simple operating concept make the SUPER 700 an ideal partner for garden and landscaping contractors, as well as for municipal authorities.
