CalContractor Compact Equipment Issue 2011

john Deere, Coastline Equipment & Asplundh Construction Corporation

(Left) Asplundh Construction Corp.’s new John Deere 710J Backhoe.

(Above) Adolfo Lambaren, Supervisor, Civil Division, Asplundh Construction Corp. and Jeff Hendershott, Coastline Equipment Sales Representative.

Asplundh Tree Expert Co. is a utility contractor specializing in tree trimming, while also performing billboard maintenance, traffic signal and highway lighting construction, as well as vegetation control for railroads and pipelines. Asplundh Construction Corporation (ACC) is a separate division of the company and was created to provide boring services to utility and private power system owners.

ACC’s expertise is working in high density, high traffic and utility congested metropolitan areas, and specializes in the design and planning of utilities for public works throughout California. In such a demanding environment, ACC’s choice of equipment is an important factor to their success and they chose John Deere.

In the last six months, ACC has purchased (3) John Deere backhoes; two 410J’s and a 710J from Coastline Equipment. Adolfo Lambaren, Supervisor, Civil Division said, "I believe John Deere manufactures the best backhoes in the industry. My staff and I rely on them exclusively. My operators tell me they are the most stable, powerful and productive machines available. I value our John Deere machines because of their ease of operation and cost-effective maintenance."

Adolfo adds, "Over the years I have come to value my relationship with Coastline because they have superior customer service, convenient locations, are responsive to my needs and their parts availability is always excellent. Jeff Hendershott is a pleasure to work with due to his extensive knowledge about the equipment and availability long after the sale has been made. As ACC grows and expands we look forward to working with Jeff and Coastline; in fact, we plan to purchase (2) more backhoes in the near future.”

Long Beach (562) 272-7400 (714) 973-9220

www.coastlineequipment.com

Santa Ana (714) 265-5500 Santa Maria (805) 922-8329

Sylmar (818) 890-3353 Bakersfield (661) 399-3600

Oxnard (805) 485-2106 Lancaster (661) 948-9993

Compact Equipment Issue

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18

Features 06 Steve Hanson Landscaping Progress & Perfection

12 Hardaker Grinding & Concrete Demolition The Right Compact Equipment Keeps Them at the Top of Their Game

06

18 Aztec Rentals, Inc. An Emphasis on Quality Equipment & Exemplary Service Makes Aztec a Preferred Choice for Contractors in San Diego County

23 Dustin Smith Equipment -

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Where Compact Equipment & Local Dealer Support Make The Difference

26 Industry News 30 Index

23 CalContractor Magazine www.calcontractor.com Publisher:

Kerry Hoover (909) 772-3121 khoover@calcontractor.com Contributing Editors:

Brian Hoover

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION PLEASE CALL:

Southern California: Call Kerry Hoover (909) 772-3121 Northern California: Call Dutch Meads (209) 679-1278

Graphic Designer:

Aldo Myftari, Misty Swartz CalContractor is published twelve times each year by Construction Marketing Services, LLC. PO Box 892977, Temecula, CA 92589 / Phone: 909-772-3121 / Fax: 951-225-9659 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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2011 Compact equipment issue CalContractor

5

(Above) Steve Hanson Landscaping utilizes a Hitachi Z50U compact excavator to place small boulders.

(Left, L-R) Serena Earle, Bookkeeper, Stephanie Sneddon, Owner, Steve Hanson, Owner, KC Kemp, Office Mgr., Mike McDonnell, Estimator/Landscape Architect.

Peacefully situated below the Santa Ynez Mountains and along the beautiful beaches of the Pacific Ocean, lies a California jewel known as Santa Barbara. Referred to by many as the “American Rivera,� this unique town features stylish homes with complex and innovative architecture. Creating and maintaining the landscapes and hardscapes for these homes is entrusted to only the best contractors and designers. Steve Hanson Landscaping is one of those few and has officially been serving Santa Barbara and the surrounding community since 2000.

Steve Hanson had his career path pretty well thought out when he entered UCSB back in 1993. He pursued and received his masters degree in fine art, in preparation for a future as an artist and art teacher.

While attending UCSB, he met his wife, Stephanie and married her in 1994. Steve realized that he needed a reliable income for his new family, which would soon include three children. He chose landscaping for its athletic and artistic aspects, knowing that it would allow him to make a decent living and express his creative side.

4701-B Little John St. • Baldwin Park, CA 91706Phone: 800-813-8232 • Fax: 626-813-1594

www.ubequipment.com Email: cminub@aol.com

THIRD MEMBER SHEAR TO CUT TANK OR METAL BUILDING.

(UFC-140) on VOLVO EXCAVATOR

(UB-316) on CAT EXCAVATOR

(UB-319) on DEERE EXCAVATOR

(UFC-130) on HITACHI EXCAVATOR

SILENT BREAKER

HYDRAULIC AUGERS & BITS

COMPACTION WHEELS

New Reverse Cylinder

VIBRATORY COMPACTOR

Reconditioned Crushers Available!

• Rod inside of the frame no need guard plate to protect.

• Speed vavle as standard on 120, 130 140 model.

Mini Shear

• No high oil flow required.

• No need additional hydraulic Hydraulic Breaker rotating circuit to rotate.

• New and improved 8,000, • Can be mounted on either Skid steer loader and mini-ex. 11,000, 13,500 ft. pound breakers.

• Has two models to choose from!

(Above) Steve Hanson Landscaping uses their John Deere 333D compact track loader for a variety of applications on the project.

From 1993 through 2000, Steve stayed busy working for homeowners on small landscape jobs. Then in 2000, he was approached by a local developer requesting a bid to install the landscape and hardscape on a five-acre new home project. The developer told Steve that he would need to see his contractor's license and proof of insurance. Not wanting to lose this opportunity, Steve crammed for and passed the contractor's test. The job was his. One big job led to another one and before long, Steve Hanson Landscaping was doubling growth each year. In the immortal words of Forest Gump's mother, “Life is like a box of chocolates….you never know what you're going to get.” What started out as a way to get through graduate school and put food on the table was now Steve Hanson's full time career. And he was loving it.

Steve Hanson comments, “I never worked for any large landscape companies, just funky old school guys that did it the old fashioned way. I owe a lot to guys like, Don and Dave Harris and Ray Sodomka of Turk

Hessellund Nursery. They were passionate and fastidious garden designers and builders and they taught me how to do it right. As things began to really grow with my own company however, I recognized that I was not going to be able to continue doing things with hand tools, wheelbarrows and manpower. It was time to purchase some reliable equipment in order to keep up with demand. Don't ask me how we were able to properly function without any machinery for so long. With each piece of John Deere equipment we added, I wondered how we ever got along without them. Our equipment inventory has since grown right along with our company. Today we own one John Deere 35D compact excavator, one Hitachi Z50U compact excavator, as well as JD CT332 and JD 333D compact track loaders. It was the dependability, quality of design and history of John Deere and Coastline Equipment that sold me. I asked

(Left) The Hitachi Z50U compact excavator with thumb attachment picks up boulders with ease.

(Above and Right) Compact Equipment is a necessity for landscape applications.

other contractors and landscapers and most recommended Coastline and John Deere. Julio Gomez is our John Deere compact machine specialist and he is never pushy, but always there for us when we need Coastline's services.”

The addition of compact equipment certainly seemed to make sense, as Steve Hanson Landscaping grew from a $200,000-a-year company in 2000 to $5 million by 2011. From just a handful of workers to seventy employees today, Steve Hanson's company has done more and gone further than he ever imagined. His wife, Stephanie oversees the office administration of the business while Steve runs the field operations. It is very much a hands-on, family-run business, but Steve also relies on superintendents like Sergio Cardenas, Matt Cota and Eduardo Torres, who keep the jobs running smoothly and brothers Rafael and Francisco Alvarez who operate the equipment. Steve continues, “We are

not about mass production, we are about custom quality landscape, hardscape and garden design. We encourage our employees to appreciate high quality and always maintain the highest standard of craftsmanship. Some may feel that my perfectionist mentality and expectations are too high, but we are building a company in a small town, where your professional reputation is everything.”

Steve Hanson Landscaping works almost entirely on residential projects, many are beautiful Mediterranean or contemporary style homes surrounded by gorgeous natural environments which inform the design process.

“Each client has their own ideas about what they want.

So we usually collaborate with the homeowners, as well as other designers and contractors to the benefit of our client. Near the home we respond to the architecture, but away from the house the landscape blends with the natural environment, which is usually oak woodlands.

Exciting things can happen in the transition area Cc where the two blend.”

(Left, Right & Below) Samples of work by Steve Hanson Lanscaping.

2008 CLCA Award Winner.

Cima del Mundo Estate in Santa Barbara, CA.

Hardscape meets landscape on Sana Barbara Estate.

Custom Quality Landscape, Hardscape and Garden Design.

Landscaping Luxury Estates to perfection.

“I am driven by a desire to bring out what is unique or best about a place and build timeless gardens down to the finest details.”

Steve Hanson Landscaping's largest job to date was designed by Jean Mus, an internationally known and respected French landscape designer. Jean Mus has projects around the world and Steve Hanson Landscaping was selected to install his first design in Southern California. Steve Hanson explains the selection process: “I was interviewed first by the general contractor, Trillium Enterprises, and then by the clients.

Lastly I was interviewed by Jean Mus himself. I took him around to our other projects so he could see our quality first hand. It really meant a lot to the entire SHL team to be selected over some other very fine local contractors.

The project has been going on for two-and-a-half years now on a thirty-three-acre property. It has included the installation of a four-acre natural meadow, two acres of lavender fields and fifty-eight imported one-hundredand-fifty-year-old olive trees from Northern California and several forty-foot Quercus Agrifolia oak trees. This is a very private project but if it were made public, it would win a slew of awards and recognition.”

Steve Hanson Landscaping works for several local designers and contractors including: Arcadia Studios,

Steve Hanson, Owner, Steve Hanson Landscaping

David Black, Isabelle Green, Sydney Baumgartner, Stacy Faussett, DD Ford, Giffin & Crane and Trillium Enterprises. For the second year in a row the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) has recognized Steve Hanson Landscaping in the Trophy Awards competition with a first place in Large Residential Properties (Bella Vista Drive Project) and the Achievement Award for Small Residential Properties (Winding Creek Lane Project), as well as a first place award in 2008 in the Residential Estate Category for their Picacho Lane Project.

Steve Hanson concludes, "I'm driven by a desire to bring out what is unique or best about a place and build timeless gardens down to the finest details. We are only limited by our own imaginations. Actualizing imagination keeps me interested and striving for perfection on every project.”

For more information on Steve Hanson Landscaping, please call 805-563-3429 or visit them online at www.stevehansonlandscaping.com. Cc

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2011 compact equipment issue CalContractor

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(Above) Hardaker Grinding & Concrete Demolition is currently working out at Lake Silverwood.

(Photo Right) Dave Foster, Jim Hardaker and Carlos Sanchez of Hardaker Grinding & Concrete Demolition, Inc. (Below) Hardaker Grinding & Concrete Demolition purchases all of their equipment from RDO Equipment Co. in Riverside, California.

Jim and Danielle Hardaker are both fulltime police officers for a Southern California City and with the recent overtime cutbacks they decided to manufacture their own overtime pay by starting their own construction company. Jim Hardaker is no stranger to the construction industry. He grew up in the business, running crews for his father back on the east coast until the age of 20. It was at this time that Jim decided to join the Marine Corp, where he served two tours of duty. It was a natural transition for Jim to go into law enforcement and so after leaving the service, he remained in California to become a police officer. Serving the past nine years as a police officer has been very rewarding for both Jim and Danielle and they plan on remaining on the force. However, getting back to his roots and utilizing the knowledge passed down by his father and grandfather, who was also a contractor, has been both a rewarding and cathartic experience for Jim Hardaker. Jim explains, “Our startup since 2010 has gone much better than we originally expected, considering current economic conditions. Before officially starting this venture, I did research to see who was staying busy and it was the smaller equipment owners that were still prospering, due to the lower equipment overhead. We started out with one Bobcat skid steer and within a month and a half realized that we needed something more versatile. After researching all of the brands, we were most impressed with John Deere. I looked carefully at the weight distribution and the way the frame was set up and realized that John Deere was a better choice.

The JD loader arm allows the machine to remain stable and puts the

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2011 compact equipment issue CalContractor

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((Left) Hardaker’s John Deere 27D compact excavator being loaded onto the barge for transport out to the Silverwood Lake peninsula.

(Below) JD 27D compact excavator knocking down the old shelters out at Lake Silverwood.

weight over the top of the top of the wheels, which allows the machine to avoid hazardous leverage points. This is what sold me, but after actually operating the equipment and working with RDO Equipment, I knew that I had made the right choice. Our sales

(Above) Grabbing old roofing material with a thumb attachment and loading onto the barge.

representative Josh McCluer has bent over backwards for us, and even spent 2-hours on the phone with me on Thanksgiving to explain

the benefits. We now buy all of our equipment from RDO Equipment Co. We purchased our first brand new John Deere 325 skid steer in December 2010 and then a JD 317 skid steer in March of 2011. Within a month, we made the decision to add a new JD 27D compact excavator to the mix. Along with this new compact John Deere equipment and the versatility that all of the added attachments offered, enabled us to become a

(Above) Jim Harkaker rounding up debris to load onto the barge for transport over to the mainland area.

sort of jack-of-all-trades. Our larger skid steer is a high flow machine and I purchased an asphalt grinder, sweeper and 4-n-1 bucket attachment for the grinding work we do for several of the big pipeline companies. We have also been kept busy with a fair amount of grading and pool excavation and general backyard remodel work.

For instance, the real estate industry, where individuals are buying up investment homes that have been basically trashed, has provided us with work replacing driveways and distressed patios.

We will do anything from small backyard remodels to large public works projects and I think this attitude has kept our business busy and almost explosive at times.”

Currently, Hardaker Grinding & Concrete Demolition is performing a state contract enhancement project up at Lake Silverwood. At 3,350 feet, it is the highest reservoir in the State Water Project.

The park features hiking trails,

swimming beaches and designated areas for boating, water-skiing and fishing. Out on the peninsula, visitors are kept out of the sun by wood awnings built upon concrete pads. These structures have decayed and become termite infested since being built in the 70’s and were in desperate need of replacement. Jim Hardaker learned of the job from a neighbor friend and so after looking at the blueprints, he decided to bid on the project. Hardaker won the bid at a total cost of approximately $141,000 and began the administration phase in July, 2011.

Actual construction began in midAugust and is scheduled for completion by September 28, 2011. In essence, the job called for the replacement of the wood awnings with new steel structures.

Hardaker began by demolishing five of the wood awnings and the concrete pads underneath. As part of the new construction process, Hardaker was called on to repair

the washed out land areas and leveling the pad areas. It was also imperative that Harkaker respect the natural surroundings, and not disturb any of the plant life or trail systems during construction. Along with this challenge came the ultimate task of transporting machinery and material, as well as removing debris over the 2 and 1/2 mile stretch of water and out to the peninsula. This would require the use of a barge and it was this part of the job that could make it or break it during the bidding and construction process.

Jim Hardaker explains, “We researched pontoons and did the necessary mathematical equations on what the vessel would float and legal weight limits. We learned that we would need at least 100 feet of 22-inch pontoon, so the decision was made to go with two 24’ pontoon boats. We removed the pontoons from one of the boats and then mounted those to the outside of the other boat frame.

We then replaced the existing deck with reinforced aluminum decking.

When completed, the barge deck was 8’ wide by 22” long and 12’ 1” wide with the (4) pontoons. The Coast Guard safe weight limit came in at approximately 7,500 pounds, although we know the pontoon would handle as much as 60 percent more weight. In the end it was more than enough to transport our new John Deere 6,500 pound compact excavator, material and debris to and from the peninsula. I really feel that it was our ingenuity in building the barge and our exclusive use of compact machinery that won us this project.

The versatility of owning and operating compact equipment once again gave us the edge and reduced the barge price to the point where we were much more competitive.”

In addition to the compact equipment, Hardaker has also had to transport crushed stone, 30 yards of concrete and a 1/3-yard concrete mixer, in addition to generators, water pumps, forms, steel beams and a variety of other materials. Debris coming off of the peninsula will be transported to local recycling centers and landfills.

This will include everything from

the old 8”x8” wood beams and roofing material to old concrete, picnic tables and trash cans. In all, approximately 7-tons of debris has been removed from the peninsula, all without any complications or incidents. Jim comments, “This job has gone very smoothly and we are actually well ahead of schedule.

Our compact equipment and attachments have allowed us to alleviate most of the manual labor, and the loading process has been almost effortless with the John Deere excavator and thumb attachment.”

Hardaker Grinding & Concrete Demolition, Inc. primarily works from North San Diego County to Santa Clarita and over to Barstow.

They did however just land a very interesting job in Las Vegas. Jim explains, “Beginning this December, we will be building a launching ramp and landing ramp for TJ Austin, who will attempt to set a new Guiness Book World Record motorcycle jump by clearing 197 feet over a 747 aircraft, nose to tail. My good friend Ty Davis, who is a worldwiderecognized pro rider, turned me on to this job, which we are of course thrilled to be part of and can’t wait for the event on New Years Eve.”

Hardaker also has many other jobs lined up, including bids on a 55,000 sq. ft. parking lot job and an estimated $900,000 dog park job. In addition, they are currently backlogged on numerous residential jobs that will take them through the first of the year. Jim Hardaker concludes, “Our goal is to level out at around a 5 to 6-man crew. I would like to add an additional skid steer, dedicated to just grinding and possibly a larger excavator in the future. I learned a long time ago from my father that if you put all of your eggs in one basket and specialize in only one thing, you remain vulnerable and risk extinction. We intend to remain versatile with our compact equipment and remember to heed my dad’s warnings to not grow too fast and always control our costs. I think with people like my dad and RDO Equipment Co. around to help us, we will continue to prosper far into the future.”

Hardaker Grinding & Concrete Demolition, Inc. is headquartered in Chino, California and can be reached by phone at 760-694-0818. Cc

(Left) Towing their John Deere 27D compact excavator out to the peninsula in the comfort of a ski boat.

(Below) Gathering demo material.

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2011 compact equipment issue CalContractor

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(Above L to R) Scott Nadell, Sales Representative, Volvo Construction Equipment & Services and Roger Rotter, Owner, Aztec Rentals, Inc.

When Roger Rotter got out of the Navy in 1970, he was looking for a job that would pay the bills while he decided what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. He soon landed a job, not far from the San Diego Naval Base, working for Atlas Rents as a yardman and mechanic. His years in the Navy had afforded Roger the opportunity to become proficient at heavy mechanical skills that he would now put to use to earn a daily wage. Before long, Roger was promoted to manager of his store and later he became the general manager of all three locations. Pretty good for a guy who was just looking for a transitional job opportunity. Well as fate would have it, in 1977 the owner of Atlas Rents decided that it was time to sell his company and so Roger jumped on the opportunity to purchase one of the stores. Never one to let grass grow under his feet, Roger began to implement changes that would transform this once small homeowner driven rental company into more of a contractor based enterprise. He changed the name to Aztec Rentals, Inc. and immediately made a point of calling on the local contractors, introducing them to his company and new lineup of larger late model machinery. Soon an entirely new base of business emerged as customers showed great interest in Roger’s new air compressors, skid steers and trenching machines. As the San Diego housing market grew more and more, so did Aztec Rentals and before long 70 percent of their business was coming from local contractors.

In the early 80’s, Roger noticed that some of his customers, that were renting the excavators, skid steers and other heavier machines, were bringing the equipment back damaged. They also seemed to be damaging the property they were working on, so Roger decided to offer an operated equipment option with rates that made sense and made life easier on the customer. This proved to be a wise move for both Aztec Rentals and the contractors that did not have the resources to hire a fulltime operator or afford a new piece of equipment.

(Below & Right) Aztec Rentals, Inc. is located at 6602 University Avenue in San Diego, California. For more information, visit them online at www.aztecequipmentrentals.com.

Today, Aztec Rentals offers operated equipment rental for skid steers, backhoes, excavators, compaction equipment and laser levels are also available to verify new and existing grades. They can also provide operators to assist in cutting grades, performing concrete and asphalt breaking and removal, as well as trucking and trenching services. Their operators have years of experience and are qualified to perform most all of your construction needs. Aztec also carries full liability insurance and workman compensation insurance for all operated rentals. Their operators have years of experience and are qualified to perform any and all construction needs.

Aztec Rentals fleet of equipment is maintained before and after every rental and after a certain amount of hours the machine is sold to the public, who can buy a well maintained piece of machinery at a price that won’t break the bank. Only the very best used equipment is sold to Aztec customers and others deemed less reliable are either traded in on a new machine or shipped off to auction. Roger Rotter, President & Owner, Aztec Rentals, Inc. comments, “It is our primary goal here at Aztec Rentals to make sure that each and every one of our customers is presented with a clean and well maintained machine. We know that we are succeeding at this quest, because our customers keep coming back for more. We only stock the leading construction equipment brands, making sure that we deal with a local equipment dealership that adequately stocks parts to avoid costly downtime. We routinely demo all of the brands to make sure that we are buying the best and we compare one manufacturer to another to insure that our customers end up with the best rental options. For instance, we recently were in the market for a new compact excavator. Our current unit had served its purpose and was ready to be rotated out and so I began to look at the various possibilities. Scott Nadell, the local Volvo representative happened to call on us and I let him know my intentions. I also told him that we had hooked up with a local dealer many years ago and

purchased most of our skid steers and compact excavators from them, but I would be happy to demo his excavator and give him a chance. As an operator myself, I took the Volvo excavator through its phases and I liked the way it operated. It seemed more powerful and offered more breakout force and better stability than our other machines. The cab was also extremely comfortable and the pilot controls were a welcome feature as well. Based on the demo, I purchased a new Volvo EL 35 compact excavator from Volvo (Construction Equipment & Services) and so far we have put 1,000 hours on the machine without a single mechanical problem. If the Volvo continues to perform like it has been, I think it is safe to say that we will be looking at adding more Volvos to our fleet in the future. I like their equipment, their service and our sales rep Scott Nadell has been there for us all the way.”

Aztec Rental offers a wide range of equipment for rent and sale, including most types of equipment used by construction contractors, industrial and commercial companies, manufacturers and municipalities, as well as homeowners. They can provide most anything a contractor may need, from compressors and generators to skid steers, backhoes, dump trucks, trailers, concrete mixers and concrete finishing tools, plus a wide variety of smaller tools, both hand and power. They will deliver to all of San Diego County including La Mesa and South County down into Chula Vista, over to East Lake and to the San Diego Metro area. For a full list of available rental equipment and operated rental equipment, please visit them online at www.aztecequipmentrentals.com or call 619-582-2245. Cc

(Left & Right) Aztec Equipment Rentals has an entire fleet of construction equipment at your disposal, including this Volvo EL 35 Compact Excavator, available for bare or operated rental.

When a contractor finds himself in a tight spot, it is many times the equipment he uses that makes the difference. Not only literally by enabling the operator to get in and out of confined spaces quickly and easily, but also symbolically, by allowing the contractor to better manage his equipment overhead and remain as competitive as possible. Dustin Smith Equipment has followed this logic since his company’s inception back in 2005. Dustin and his brother Tommy Smith began operating equipment for a living back around 12 years ago, but they learned the trade from their father, Darrell, who has been in the business for over 30 years. In reality Dustin and Tommy are 4th generation contractors as the trade goes all the way back to their great grandfather. You might say it is in their blood, as Tommy Smith contends, “I just love the freedom this type of work provides. Every job is different and you are always meeting new and interesting people out in the field. We started out working for my father, who owns Precision Grading, several years ago, but we have been on and around machinery our entire lives.

(Left) Tommy and Dustin Smith of Dustin Smith Equipment.

(Above) Dustin Smith Equipment using their John Deere 320 skid steer from RDO Equipment Co. to break concrete.

(Right) Dustin Smith Equipment moving dirt in a hurry with their JD 328 skid steer.

Today, we stick with small to medium sized grading and demolition jobs and work primarily on public works projects. This includes quite a bit of public school site work that usually involves bringing things up to ADA requirements. But we also do street improvement type work and just finished a job for a fire station in Chino. In addition, bonding companies have been sending work our way lately; as contractors continue to go bankrupt and they look to us to finish the job. This is not to say that we don’t do private work as well. We get private work now and then for everything from shopping center remodels to jobs like we are on right now, where we are demoing portable buildings for a church in Mission Viejo and then over-excavated the pad down to 10 feet to make room for a brand new stick frame structure.”

Dustin Smith Equipment works primarily throughout Riverside, San Bernardino, LA and Orange Counties, but have also taken jobs in San Diego County and even up into Vista. They go where the work is and what started

out as more of an owner operator situation, has turned into a full-time general engineering contracting business. With a total of (11) employees and (6) fulltime operators, Dustin Smith’s company is at a very manageable size right now. Dustin’s fiancé, Jasmine Dodaro and friend, Mark Koppenhaver take care of all the inside operations, and according to Tommy Smith, they are an invaluable asset to the company.

Family and friends are one of the main factors that make Dustin Smith Equipment such an efficient operation, where everyone takes tremendous pride in their work. A close second has got to be the equipment they rely on day-in and day-out. Owner, Dustin Smith comments, “We are a compact equipment niche contractor and I believe this is what helps us remain cost effective and able to beat out many of the larger firms. It is the small efficiencies like running GPS on most of our jobs that also gives us the edge. I am the owner; truck driver, operator, laborer and my brother Tommy can say the same. We don’t ask anyone to do

(Above) Dustin and Tommy Smith come from a long line of contractors and today proudly represent the 4th Generation.

anything we wouldn’t do ourselves. We work as a team and do whatever it takes to get the job done safely, on time and on budget. A big part of being so efficient has to be credited to RDO Equipment Co. and their John Deere equipment. Doing business with them is like dealing with an old trusted friend. In 2005 we purchased a new JD 320 skid steer and then a new JD 328 skid steer just recently. We also own and operate a 210LE skip loader and a variety of other equipment including compact excavators, wheel loaders and rollers of various brands. It is our relationship with RDO Equipment Co. and our representatives, Jim Koker and Josh McCluer that keeps us coming back. You know my dad has always bought his equipment from RDO and we all agree that they offer the best customer service.

For instance, I had a small issue with one of our machines and when I called Josh at RDO Equipment Co., he did not question who did it or how it happened.

He just told me to bring in the machine and he would have a replacement unit waiting for me. It is my opinion

that they all push the same amount of dirt and make you the same money. It is the service that makes the difference and at RDO Equipment Co. they know me by name and I am not just another number. That is how we treat our customers and I appreciate being treated the same by those I do business with as well.�

The past few years have been slower than usual, but according to Tommy Smith, business is quite brisk this year. They just started a job demoing asphalt at a school in Chino and are also working on grading a pad at a temple in Rubidoux. They still offer work and an owner operator basis if needed, but most of their work these days is contract work. So whether you need a driveway demoed or an entire worksite cleared, graded and made ready for utilities, Dustin Smith Equipment has the people and compact equipment to get it done right.

For more information on Dustin Smith Equipment, please call 909-234-7572. Cc

Case Power and Equipment Expands into Southern California El Cajon, CA - Case Power and Equipment announces that the company has added three branches in Southern California. All three locations had been owned by D3 Equipment and the D3 staff will continue to manage the locations and support customers in the areas.

"It's really just our name that’s changing," says Chris DeNardi, vice president/general manager at Case Power and Equipment. "The same friendly faces will be at each location, and all the same services will be available, including new equipment, quick turnaround on parts and equipment repair and maintenance."

The new branches are located in El Cajon, Fontana, and Santa Fe Springs. The entire line of Case

Construction equipment is available at all three branches, which includes excavators, compact track loaders, crawler dozers, loader-backhoes, motor graders, compaction equipment, rough-terrain forklifts,

skid steers, articulated trucks and wheel loaders.

Customers will notice the new signage announcing Case Power and Equipment as the company progresses through its transition to the new name.

About Case Power and Equipment Case Power and Equipment has been selling, servicing and renting heavy machinery for over 30 years.

The company has 11 locations throughout California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada. The company represents the full line of Case Construction equipment. For more information, visit their website at www.casepower.com Cc

Nixon-Egli Equipment Co. Welcomes The Return of Sales Veteran Steve Kekich Nixon-Egli Equipment Company is pleased to announce the return of Steve Kekich to Area Manager of Orange County and part of Los Angeles County. Steve will be responsible for new machine sales, equipment rental and overall customer service. This appointment is an easy transition for Steve, as he was employed by Nixon-Egli 5-years ago in the same position. During his 5-year leave from Nixon-Egli Steve worked for American Cooling Towers as a sales representative. He was also the overseer for his family’s property in New Mexico managing construction improvements.

Steve is really excited to be back at Nixon-Egli Equipment Co. and the construction equipment sales industry. Steve comments, “Its great to be back and see all of my old 26

customers again. I am especially happy that most of my clients have survived these difficult economic times. It hardly feels like 5-years have passed since I was last calling on them, but I am certainly enjoying seeing their familiar faces once again. Its much the same at Nixon-Egli, where many of the same faces also remain. Making my way back to Nixon-Egli Equipment Co. has been an easy transition and every

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day I look forward to getting out into my territory and calling on old friends and meeting new ones.”

For the last 46 years, Nixon-Egli Equipment Company has been working hard to supply their customers with the very best product line. Their offerings are extensive, as they specialize in road construction, cranes and municipal equipment.

Names like Wirtgen America, Leeboy, Link-belt, Vogele, Johnston, CEC, Hamm, Rosco, PB Loader, Midland Machinery, Arrow-Master, CMI Terex, Gradall, Hi-Way, EAST, SCAT, Ferguson, QMC, Zieman, ShredVac, American Road Machinery, Peterson Industries, HTC, Miller Spreader Co., Beuthling Manufacturing, Trinity Trailers and more. Cc

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Caterpillar D Series Mini Excavators Deliver Stability and High Digging Forces with a Compact Radius Design Caterpillar D Series Mini Excavators deliver outstanding power and performance, along with high digging forces, fast cycle times and increased stability. All of this, along with load sensing hydraulics boost your productivity and provide smooth, powerful performance. In addition, automatic two-speed improves maneuverability around the jobsite. Over 200 degrees of bucket rotation provides greater material retention during truck loading, as well as easier vertical wall digging without having to reposition the machine.

All four D Series models feature increased stability over the previous series, while maintaining the compact radius design. This increased stability leads to more productivity and versatility through

the use of heavier work tools and the optional long stick.

The compact radius design of the D Series Mini Excavators lets you work within confined areas without having to worry about the back of the machine. The 303.5D CR and the 304D CR feature a zero tail swing design that keeps the radius of the upper body within the width of the undercarriage. On the 305D CR and

the 305.5D CR, the upper body stays within 115 mm (4.5 in) of the undercarriage.

The D Series couplers have a new design with a choice of either a mechanical pin-grabber or the new hydraulic pin-grabber quick coupler option. The new design uses a wedge to keep the tool secure to the coupler, reducing wear and maintaining a tight fit through the life of the coupler. The new hydraulic coupler option allows the operator to change tools without leaving the comfort of the cab. Hydraulic quick coupler lines are now available from the factory as an option.

For more information, contact your local Caterpillare dealer or vistit www.cat.com. Cc

Backhoe Loaders from Volvo Construction Equipment Provide End-to-End Performance Redesigned backhoe loaders from Volvo Construction Equipment combine two machines in one perfectly formed unit. With new looks, improved comfort and using higher quality materials — the new B-Series unites a loader and backhoe in a marriage of equals.

The launch of its new BL60B and BL70B sees Volvo Construction Equipment thoroughly redesign its backhoe loader range — offering improved performance, usability and a modern appearance. Employing high quality materials throughout, the machine combines in a single, stable platform the strength and simplicity of a Volvo wheel loader with the power www.calcontractor.com

and performance of a Volvo excavator.

With an average operating weight that ranges from 17,500 pounds to 19,500 pounds, and gross power of 83 horsepower to 98 horsepower, the BL60B and BL70B were designed and built with power, strength, long life and cost saving efficiency in mind.

The BL60B and BL70B both the latest D5D four cylinder 4.8 liter Volvo engines, with direct injection and turbo charging. These high torque, fuel efficient engines meet the requirements of the Tier 3 emissions legislation. The torque converter on these machines is one of the largest in the industry and has excellent peak torque and torque rise.

Both models have gone through rigorous testing to ensure they measure up to the daily challenges of a variety of jobs, including deep trenching, heavy lifting, loading, craning and roading. Cc

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Quality you can rely on

For details, contact your local Komatsu distributor.

www.clairemontequipment.com

7651 Ronson Rd. San Diego, CA 92111 Office: 858-278-8351 Fax: 858-492-9959 San Diego 4726 Convoy St. Office: 858-278-8338 Fax: 858-278-4845 Escondido 1330 Mission Rd. Office: 760-739-9100 Fax: 760-739-8888 Fontana 8520 Cherry Ave. Office: 909-429-9100 Fax: 909-429-9397 Imperial 440 West Aten Rd. Office: 760-355-7700 Fax: 760-355-7704 Indio 81-501 Industrial Place Office: 760-863-5558 Fax: 760-863-0959

Paschal Honored With Ditch Witch� Lowell Highfill Award PERRY, Oklahoma — Garry Paschal of Ditch Witch Equipment Company, Inc., in West Sacramento, California, was honored with the Ditch Witch Lowell Highfill Award for 2010. This prestigious award is given to the most outstanding performance by a Ditch Witch� salesperson for promoting and marketing Ditch Witch products with professionalism, knowledge, integrity and service to our industry.

Paschal has been a salesman for Ditch Witch Equipment Company for 18 years and a winner of the Top Tier of Ditch Witch sales force 14 times. He is a relentlessly hard worker and an extremely effective person. He remembers everyone and they remember him. He strikes solid and long-lasting relationships with all of his customers and their employees. “Nobody is more deserving of this award,” commented one of his customers.

“His passion, dedication and enthusiasm for work make him a great salesman as well as a friend.”

The Ditch Witch organization specializes in the design and manufacture of high-quality underground construction equipment. The company is a one-stop source for trenchers, vibratory plows, backhoes, electronic guidance and locating tools, horizontal directional drilling systems, drill pipe, downhole tools, vacuum excavation systems, excavator-tool carriers, compact utility loaders, and the Zahn� family of power utility equipment.

All of these products are recognized around the world for their advanced design, rugged construction, long-term durability,

ease of use, and reliability. This product line represents the most complete range of equipment for installing utilities underground.

The Ditch Witch name is one you can trust for your equipment and financial needs. Ditch Witch Financial Services (DWFS) is a full-service provider, offering a wide variety of finance and lease options to meet your individual requirements.

Construction professionals can find more details about products, event updates, special financing offers, videos and other informative special features on the Ditch Witch organization's Facebook [www.facebook.com/DitchWitch] and Twitter [http://twitter.com/ditchwitch] pages, and the company’s YouTube [www.youtube.com/user/CMWork s] channel.

For more information about Ditch Witch products, please call 800-654-6481 or visit ditchwitch.com. Cc

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ADVERTISERSINDEX Art’s Trench Plate & K-Rail ....30

Heavy Equipment Rentals ......12

Asphalt Pavement Association

Nixon-Egli Equipment Co. ......32

of California................................19

Quinn Company ..........................2

Clairemont Equipment ....28, 29

RDO Equipment Co. ....................5

Coastline Equipment ..........3, 22

Trench Shoring Co. ..................11

Coastline Equipment Crane

UB Equipment Corp. ..................7

Division........................................11

Vermeer Corporation..................5

Ditch Witch of California ........31

Volvo Construction Equipment &

Hawthorne CAT ........................17

Services ......................................12

Contact Kerry Hoover at Construction Marketing Services, LLC for advertising rates and information, or if you would like to be featured in an upcoming issue of CalContractor Magazine.

909-772-3121

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(Left) United Paving’s new LeeBoy 8510B paving machine purchased from Nixon-Egli Equipment Co. (Above) Al Rodriguez, President, United Paving.

Since 1930, United Paving has been providing California and Nevada with expert paving solutions. They specialize in the following asphalt services: repairs, new construction, resurfacing, crack-filling, and seal coating. They have two facilities: a Santa Barbara location with 40 employees and their Las Vegas operation, which has over 300 employees. They recently took delivery of a brand new LeeBoy 8510B track-paving machine from Nixon-Egli Equipment Co. Al Rodriguez, President, United Paving comments, “We’ve been using LeeBoy paving machines for a long time because we have found them to be extremely dependable. This is our third LeeBoy and we couldn’t be more pleased with its performance. These machines are built tough and to last. Our operators prefer LeeBoy paving machines; they especially like the operator control station with its dual lever joystick steering controls and the fact that it’s the most ergonomically comfortable machine in its class. All of us like that the LeeBoy 8510B can handle a lot of stress and always lays down a nice mat.”

Al adds, “Nixon-Egli Equipment has been wonderful to work with. We’ve always received excellent service from their parts and service departments. Their sales representative Chris Doring has been easy to work with and he has great follow-up. We know we can rely on Nixon-Egli Equipment for our equipment needs.” For more information on LeeBoy asphalt equipment please contact Nixon-Egli Equipment Co. at either their Ontario or Tracy branch.

California’s Largest General Line Construction and Municipal Equipment Dealer.

So. California: 2044 S. Vineyard Ave., Ontario, CA 91761 • (909) 930-1822 No. California: 800 E. Grant Line Rd., Tracy, CA 95304 • (209) 830-8600 www.nixon-egli.com