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SOOSAN AMERICA’S ROCK COMMANDER GIVES FLYNN BROTHERS CONFIDENCE
Soosan America’s Rock Commander Gives Flynn Brothers Inc. Confidence
To supplement their teacher incomes, brothers John and Jesse Flynn started an asphalt patching and driveway paving business in the Louisville, Ky., area in 1973, working from the back of their pickup truck. Flynn Brothers Inc. took off and younger brother, Ed, joined the company in 1980. In 1982, Jim Rice came on board to serve as a partner in the business. Under this management team, the company grew, with operations expanding to take on paving, sitework and utility projects.
Flynn Brothers Inc. became an employee-owned company in 2004 and its operations have continued to grow. Major projects include a total pavement replacement on a heavily trafficked stretch of Interstate 65 in Louisville; excavation, clearing and sanitary line installation for the 40-acre Buechel Basin Wastewater Storage Facility; and site work, underground utilities and asphalt paving for the Paddock Shops, one of Louisville’s largest shopping centers.
Noted for its experience and expertise with projects involving the area’s uniquely hard limestone, Flynn Brothers was awarded the contract to conduct site work and excavation for Republic National Distributing Company’s new facility. Republic markets and distributes wine and spirit products to bars, restaurants, hotels and liquor stores throughout Kentucky. The company has more than 300 employees and handles more than 50 percent of wine and almost half of the bourbon sold in Kentucky. The new complex, located on Blankenbaker Parkway in Louisville, will include a 326,000-ft. warehouse and office complex.
Jim Slinker, head of Flynn Brothers’ drilling and blasting division, was on site in October to begin the project. Slinker estimates that there are 80,000 yds. of mass rock along with storm sewer, sanitary sewers and water supply line access that requires drilling and blasting. Drilling depths for the project will range from 10 to 21 ft., based on the current plans.
While Republic National Distributing Company relies on Flynn Brothers to get the work done, Flynn Brothers relies on employees equipped with reliable and highly productive equipment to accomplish the task on time. For drilling rock, the company turns to Rock Commander rock drills.
Flynn Brothers has used Soosan America’s Rock Commander rock drills for the majority of its drilling needs since 2018. The company currently has three Rock Commander drills in its fleet: a JD1400E-II and two JD800E-II drills.
Rock Commander JD1400E-II
Designed to be economical yet dependable, the JD1400E-II is powered by the Cummins QSL9 engine, with a GHH Rand compressor and the YH135 drifter. The JD1400E-II can drill deep holes from 3.5 to 5 in. in diameter, with fast drilling rates and low maintenance cost, according to the company.
To improve overall productivity and
Flynn Brothers was awarded the contract to conduct site work and excavation for Republic National Distributing Company’s new facility.
reduce operator fatigue, the unit features a large cab design and tilt console for greater comfort. Available options include an extendable boom, water suppression, angle system and longer mast.
Rock Commander JD800E-II
The newest addition to the Rock Commander lineup — the JD800-II — is smaller than the JD-1400E-II but shares a majority of the large machine’s components. The JD800E-II features a large cab design and tilt console and can operate with T45 or T51 drill steel and can handle hole diameters ranging from 2.75 to 4 in. The JD800-II is powered by a Cummins QSB6.7, providing power for operating the hydraulics, compressor and the YH80A drifter. The JD-800E-II is used by construction and develop-Flynn Brothers currently has three Rock Commander drills in its fleet: a JD1400E-II and two JD800E-II drills. ment contractors that need to drill a mid-size hole without breaking the bank. With more than a year’s worth of work complete on this project, downtime has been kept to a minimum due to Soosan’s simple to maintain systems. Rock Commander drills are front and center on Flynn Brothers’ latest project, as well as hundreds of other projects currently under way throughout the United States and Canada. For more information, visit rockdrills.net. CEG Alta Equipment Company
www.altaequipment.com 844-GO2-ALTA
18405 115th Avenue Orland Park, IL 60467 1035 Wylie Drive Bloomington, IL 61705 420 Nolen Drive South Elgin, IL 60177 2500 Westward Drive Spring Grove, IL 60081 613 E Stevenson Road Ottawa, IL 61350 26354 N US Hwy 12 Wauconda, IL 60084
Midland Engine
www.midlandengine.com 622 Jefferson Ave. Midland, MI 48640 989-631-4608
CSTK
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401 Shawnee Avenue Kansas City, KS 66105 913-371-0868
Hardings Heavy Equipment
www.hardingsinc.com 109 W. Commercial Ave. Lowell, IN 46356 219-696-8911
Yes Equipment & Services
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Madison, WI
608-243-9253
Reco Equipment, Inc.
www.recoequip.com 4250 Perimeter Dr. Columbus, OH 43228 614-276-0001
Monroe (Dayton Area), OH 513-539-5255
Perrysburg (Toledo Area), OH 419-874-6001
Florence, KY 859-727-7970
Indianapolis, IN 317-781-8100
Buck & Knobby Equipment Co.
www.buckandknobby.com 6220 Sterns Rd. Ottawa Lake, MI 49267 MI 734-856-2811 OH 419-476-5293
Diamond Equipment
www.diamondequipment.com 17035 N. Illinois Hwy. 37 Mt. Vernon, IL 62864 618-242-2273 • 800-388-6396
Evansville, IN 812-425-4428
Terre Haute, IN 812-299-4747
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Team Boone
www.teamboone.net
150 Schuler Dr. Bardstown, KY 40004 502-369-2475
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altaequipment.com Byron Center, MI 616.878.7450 New Hudson, MI 248.356.5200 Traverse City, MI 231.943.3700 Detroit, MI 313.394.1811 Flint (Burton), MI 810.744.4840 Gaylord, MI 989.731.9988 Sterling Heights, MI 586.474.5063 Bloomington, IL 309.585.3800 Orland Park, IL 708.349.8430 Ottawa, IL 815.313.2070 South Elgin, IL 630.883.3320 Spring Grove, IL 815.581.0071 Gary, IN 219.977.4210
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Wisconsin’s Berlon Industries Announces Its Acquisition of Lowe Manufacturing
Berlon Industries, of Hustisford, Wis., has agreed to acquire Lowe Manufacturing, a Viola, Wis.-based supplier of auger, trenching and grapple attachments that complement Berlon’s line of buckets and attachments for skid steers and other machines. The deal is expected to close the first week of January 2022.
“Lowe Manufacturing is highly respected for the quality of its attachments used in fencing, construction, landscaping, rental, contracting, utility, and agricultural applications,” said Randy Schickert, president and CEO of Berlon Industries. “Richard and Mary Lowe have done an outstanding job growing the company and enhancing the Lowe products and brand. We are excited about maintaining the Lowe brand, the company’s people and its facilities in western Wisconsin.”
The combination of these two financially healthy organizations will continue to partner with equipment dealers throughout the United States for sales of their attachments. Those dealers will have a broader selection of buckets and attachments available from the combined business.
Richard Lowe will retire from Lowe Manufacturing, which was founded in 1971, while Mary Lowe will remain with the business.
Richard Lowe added that Berlon’s commitment to maintain the Lowe brand, people and facilities was an important factor in the acquisition agreement. All staff at both Lowe Manufacturing and Berlon Industries will be retained.
The acquisition includes the Spiral Metals LLC, division of Lowe Manufacturing, which specializes in non-standard helicoid flighting, sectional flighting and conveyor screws. The spiral products are used within Lowe’s attachments and sold to outside customers.
Innovation, product quality and extensive knowledge of the use of buckets and attachments have been key aspects of the success and growth of both Berlon Industries and Lowe Manufacturing. That innovation includes Berlon’s “Snowgrr” which adds tremendous efficiency in snow removal at distribution centers, its Material Long Bucket for removing material underneath conveyors and other equipment, and Lowe’s XR Series of trenchers.
Terms of the acquisition transaction were not released.
For more information, visit berlon.com and loweman.com. BRANDEIS MACHINERY & SUPPLY COMPANY
www.brandeismachinery.com 1801 Watterson Tr. Louisville, KY 40299 502/491-4000 Evansville, IN 812/425-4491 Corbin, KY 606/528-3700 Lexington, KY 859/259-3456 Stanville, KY 606/478-9201 Paducah, KY 270/444-8390 Indianapolis, IN 317/872-8410 Ft.Wayne, IN 260/489-4551
DIESEL MACHINERY, INC.
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GENERAL EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES, INC.
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CONTINENTAL EQUIPMENT CORP.
www.ceceq.com 3600 N. Grand River Ave. Lansing, MI 48906 517/321-8000
Tad Agoglia photo Tad Agoglia photo
Much of First Response Team’s work was around Campbellsville, Ky., in Taylor County, about 85 mi. south of Louisville.
TORNADO from page 1
Excavators, large and compact loaders and haul trucks, as well as generators and light towers, have been just a few of the pieces brought to communities in the eight states unfortunate enough to be in the path of the unprecedented December twisters.
Dozens of tornadoes are confirmed to have touched down in many towns and rural areas of Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Mississippi, Tennessee, Ohio and Georgia.
When daylight broke on Dec. 11, officials in the affected areas were stunned to see the level of ruin and death left behind by the violent storms.
One week later, officials announced that 93 people had lost their lives from the weather system, 78 of them in Kentucky, a state that saw multiple tornadoes and suffered billions of dollars in damage.
A mixture of federal response teams, led by the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), along with state agencies, national guard battalions and municipalities, were quickly dispatched to the affected areas. In addition, long-established charitable organizations like the American Red Cross, which specialize in tending to victims of natural disasters, also reacted promptly.
Not to be overlooked, though is that events like these also draw the attention of smaller volunteer groups that have built trusted reputations in lending an expert hand in recovery and cleanup efforts. They often play a pivotal role on the micro level in helping families and individuals more quickly than larger organizations.
Tad Agoglia, founder of First Response Team, said his organization and Cat dealers enjoy a “special relationship,” where, if his crew requires more equipment, the manufacturer’s local distributors make sure they are lent what they need free of charge.
Nonprofit Noted for
Recovery Expertise
One of the more recognized and highly praised is First Response Team of America, a nonprofit storm recovery operation located in Lancaster, Pa. It is known for effectively responding to the scene of many catastrophes across the United States, including hurricanes, floods, ice storms, wildfires and earthquakes.
Tad Agoglia founded the company in 2007 after previously owning a construction company that used excavators, compact track loaders, haul trucks and crane trucks.
Although quite modest in comparison to groups like the Red Cross, First Response Team is both mighty and well known, due to its personable leader. Agoglia and his crew have been profiled by news networks and national publications, and over the last 14 years has established solid, working relationships with large and small equipment manufacturers to obtain the machines, trucks, trailers and tools First Response Team has needed to help victims of tragedies. Often, the team works at disaster scenes with just a few people making up a crew, but Agoglia noted he has had as many as 60 to 70 folks volunteer with First Response Team in one day. Major manufacturers like Caterpillar, Peterbilt, Prentice, Allmand, Ledwell and Lincoln Electric, among others, have come to understand the value of Agoglia’s volunteer efforts and either donated or lent him, through their dealer networks, the equipment he requires to clear storm debris from roads and properties.
First Response Team, in turn, uses the machinery to assist victims that often lack the resources to pay for the service.
But Agoglia finds it more important that he and his team of experts can go where they determine their assistance is most needed and perform heavy work that often lasts many long and laborious hours.
“So long as the people are there and at their homesites, we want to be able to help them,” he said.
Choosing the Right
Equipment Is Critical
After hearing reports of the tornado outbreak, Agoglia and his small team immedi-
ately began packing to make the long drive to Kentucky to find places to lend a hand. The key to working in catastrophic situations, he explained, is being experienced enough to match the proper equipment with the anticipated disaster scene. For instance, they brought along a Peterbilt truck equipped with a Prenticemade grapple loader designed to hold 120cu.-yds. of debris, he explained. “We also have another Peterbilt sleeper cab that is hauling a Ledwell trailer carrying a Cat excavator and a 299 compact track Tad Agoglia photo First Response Team of America is a nonprofit storm recovery operation located in Lancaster, Pa. It is known for effectively responding to loader, plus a mechanic truck for fuel,” he said. “We also have Cat generators, a Lincoln Electric welding generator, Allmand light towers and water pumps. It is quite a the scene of many catastrophes across the lineup of equipment and tools because you United States, including hurricanes, floods, never know what you are going to need.” ice storms, wildfires and earthquakes. Chain saws and plasma cutters, Agoglia added, are also found in First Response’s toolbox. “I have been doing this since 2007 and I will tell you that sometimes people are not good at understanding what these machines can do,” he said. “Residents often think we are part of a municipality with a backhoe, but they don’t realize how specialized this equipment is for clearing disaster debris. This Peterbilt truck I use holds the equivalent of six full tandem-axle dump trucks in one, and it also loads itself. If you don’t have equipment with the right attachments, like hydraulic grapples, this material is very difficult to handle because it is the opposite of dirt, which fills every crevice of a bucket. With just a backhoe, the debris will not conform to that bucket and the machine is hard
