Page 14 • May 12, 2010 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT GUIDE
Mana Construction Helps NYC Reach 1M Tree Goal Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York City, has set out an initiative to plant one million trees in New York City over the next 10 years and Mana Construction won the bid to plant 5,600 of them. To complete the job, Mana expanded its fleet of equipment with some purchases from All Island Equipment. The purchases included two Gehl 7810 skid steers, two Gehl 6640 skid steers, one Gehl V270 skid steer and one Gehl 7600 skid steer. Mana also bought four Hudson and four Interstate trailers and two Sullivan-Palatek compressors. “We specifically purchased the Gehl model 7810 because it has the highest boom reach in its class and allows us to load our dumps from the skid steers,” said Natale Cardino, Mana Construction Group vice president. “It has a one-foot higher reach than any other skid steer in its class. We purchased the Gehl model V270 because it works primarily with a vertical lift instead of a radial lift. It basically allows us to pull up directly next to the truck, lift the load, and dump it in rather than starting out away from the truck, lifting the load, then pulling the machine over to drop the load. This saves us a lot of time, particularly when working in tight places.” “The machines are basically brand new, and thus far they have operated virtually trouble free,” Cardino continued. “Our laborers on the job site are from Local Union 175 and these operators are very After cutting a hole in the sidewalk and excavating impressed with the materials, the balled trees machines. All of the are placed into position machines are equipped with by Mana Construction’s hydraulic pilot controls and Gehl skid steers. have cabs equipped with air and heating. From an operators standpoint we have been very pleased with the responsiveness of the dent, handles the company’s machines and the creature business and personnel comforts they provide. We affairs. checked out most of the Cardino has more than a other machines on the mardecade of experience as a ket and Gehl seemed to be site supervisor. Much of his the only company that could experience has been in govgive us the reach height that ernment construction work we were looking for. All such as state projects, park Island Equipment is our authority projects and local Gehl dealer and Gary municipal construction. Wade, the owner, and his Feldman’s background came brother Daryl, the service (L-R) are Danny Diieso supervisor of Mana Construction; Mark Feldman, president of Mana Construction; from running the financials manager, have done a great Natale Cardino, vice president of Mana Construction; and Gary Wade, president of All Island Equipment. of a large pre-paid cellular job leading us through the phone company; he also process of purchasing the owned the company. machines and then training us in the operations of the gers couldn’t handle,” Cardino said. In 2009, the two decided to combine their diverse backThe tree planting program is a part of a Green effort, grounds and form Mana Construction Group Ltd., which machines.” This project, which started in early February, focuses which also includes the expansion and beautification of will focus solely on government construction work for agenMana’s attention on tree planting primarily in Queens and existing New York City parks and the creation of additional cies like New York State DOT and the Parks Department. the Bronx. This phase of the project is estimated to be com- interior parks. The authority for the project is the New York In addition to the equipment purchased from All Island pleted in late May. The nearly 6,000 trees range in height City Parks Department. This is Mana Construction’s first Equipment, Mana Construction also owns two Volvo roll-off from 15 to 20 ft. and represent a large variety of trees from project with the New York City Parks Department. trucks, four dump trucks, five pickup trucks, and has approxcherry to oak. imately 30 employees. Mana Construction Group Mana’s job involves excavating a hole in the sidewalk, For more information, visit www.allislandequipment.com Mana Construction Group was founded by Natale or www.manaconstruction.com. planting the tree and finishing the area with topsoil. “This really is a pretty straightforward job that has not pre- Cardino and Mark Feldman in April 2009. Cardino oversees (This story also can be found on Construction sented a lot of curve balls. Certainly in Queens there has the equipment and construction aspects of the company’s Equipment Guide’s Web site at www.constructionequipbeen a fair share of traffic issues, but nothing that our flag- day to day operation, while Feldman, the company’s presi- mentguide.com.) CEG