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Midwest Edition
July 13 2019 Vol. XX • No. 14
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“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded 1957.” 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215-885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com
Inside
Work Resumes on Red Wing, Minn., Bridge Project By Richard Rohland
Rains through May kept river levels high. As June approached, iron workers Finally, after a two month could not yet get back to work. lay-off caused by high river The Minnesota Department levels, iron workers recently of Transportation, (MnDOT) returned to work raising a is partnering with the new bridge crossing the Wisconsin Department of Mississippi River between Transportation (WisDOT) to the city of Red Wing, Minn., build the bridge with local and the western shoreline of funding from the city of Red Wisconsin. Wing. Rising river levels from MnDOT awarded the $63 early spring melting tempermillion contract to Zenith atures forced iron workers Tech, one branch of the off the bridge site on March Walbec Group. Based in 18 after working a 24-hour Waukesha and Rothschild, schedule the previous week. Wis., the company specializes They went to this schedin heavy highway and indusule to stay on top of the girdtrial construction. er work as much as possible Both agencies flirted with spite of some minor flooding and rain late last spring, bridge crews made after the National Weather In similar, but much less benign good progress on the pier construction on the Wisconsin side of the bridge Service released a record where five of the seven piers are located. conditions last spring and breaking flood forecast for summer that brought on highthe Mississippi River and its tributaries in late snow storms that continued into March, iron er river levels and put a kink in the early spring workers made good progress. After hoisting 2018 project schedule. February. The accelerated schedule helped. Despite los- girders since early January, just the span over the “The high water last year prevented the coning work days earlier in the year from fighting main river channel remained to be connected. tractor from working on the drilled shafts for There was no break in the moisture, though. bitter cold temperatures and waves of heavy see BRIDGE page 62
CEG CORRESPONDENT
Franklin Holds Skid Steer Rodeo...16
Southeastern Aids Team Rubicon...58
Yanmar Set to Acquire ASV...66
Table of Contents ..........4 Paving Section ........37-51
Richard Rohland Photo
Emery Sapp & Sons Continues to Grow By Irwin Rapoport
Wheel Loaders, Tool Carriers & Attachments Section ....................71-91 Business Calendar ........94 Auction Section ....96-101 Advertisers Index ......102
CEG CORRESPONDENT
Billy Sapp, 24 at the time, started Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. (ESS) in Columbia, Mo., in 1972 with his brother Elvin, 34, and his father Emery. The construction company for which department of transportation work accounts for about 50 percent of annual revenues, started with one piece of equipment and one employee
with a focus on water and sewer installation to one that has over 650 employee-owners. Today it operates in five states — Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas, and regularly secures contracts to do site work for hospitals and other developments; major earth work, excavation and grading operations; underground utilities; and asphalt and concrete see SAPP page 70
Emery Sapp & Sons Photo
“We operate as a team and work really well with each other and for our people in the field,” Jones said. “We come up with some creative ideas and we lean on our field staff to pull off whatever we think they can do. It’s important that everyone understands their challenges and be open to new ideas.”