INSIDE: RENT IT. LIKE IT. BUY IT. EVERYTHING WE RENT, WE SELL!
NEW CAT 299D2 GXEMHENPT ®
LAND MANA CK LOADER COMPACT TRA
FLIPPING THE SCRIPT CONTRACTOR SEIZES OPPORTUNITY IN WAKE OF HURRICANE KATRINA
FALL 2019
RENT IT. LIKE IT. BUY IT. EVERYTHING WE RENT, WE SELL.
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CONTENTS FALL 2019
12 9
Minnesota all-season contractor does it all with versatile Cat® machines.
16
4
LAND OF OPPORTUNITY
7
NEW CAT® 299D2 XHP
9
TAKIN’ CARE OF BUSINESS
11
Brazilian comes to America, grows family business.
Purpose-built to handle difficult landclearing applications
Contractor excels in niche work
CAT® NEXT GEN MINI EXCAVATORS Real updates, inspired by you
On the Job™ is published by High Velocity Communications Inc. on behalf of your Cat Dealer. Publisher, Mark Sell • Editor, John Rondy • Associate Creative Director, Jay Blazek • Director of Client Services, Kelly Pemper. Every attempt has been made to ensure specifications are accurate. Because specifications are subject to change without notice, check with us, your Cat Dealer, for the latest information. Some photography provided courtesy of Caterpillar Inc. High Velocity Communications Inc., 1720 Dolphin Dr., Suite D, Waukesha, WI 53186-1489. On the Job is a trademark of High Velocity Communications Inc. Phone 262.544.6600. Submit address corrections and changes via email to: Kelly@HighVelocityCommunications.com. ©2019 High Velocity Communications Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Volume 10 Number 3. © 2019 Caterpillar, All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILL AR, LET’S DO THE WORK, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow”, the “Power Edge” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission. VisionLink ® is a trademark of Trimble Navigation Limited, registered in the United States and in other countries.
12
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
16
FLIPPING THE SCRIPT
Landscaper starts business while still in high school
Contractor seizes opportunity in wake of Hurricane Katrina
ON THE JOB 2019 3
LAND OF
OPPORTUNITY
D
BRAZILIAN COMES TO AMERICA, GROWS FAMILY BUSINESS
During the mid-1980s, an economic crisis struck Brazil. As a result, between 1986 and 1990 approximately 1.4 million Brazilians emigrated to other parts of the world. In 1988, Sebastian Damasceno and his wife left their native Brazil and migrated to the U.S. to seek a better way of life, leaving their children to be raised by grandparents as they established citizenship and a residential landscaping business in Connecticut. One of the Damascenos’ children, Eddie, would ultimately join them upon his graduation from middle school. As a boy growing up on the family farm in Brazil, young Ed developed a passion for operating tractors, and the idea of moving to a country with more opportunity and working in the family business appealed to him. In 1997, at age 13, he came to Shelton, Conn. and started working in the family business, cutting lawns and maintaining residential landscapes. “When I finished high school, I knew I wanted something different other than just going to college, so I went to
4 ON THE JOB 2019
work full-time for my Dad,” Eddie recalls. Sebastian Damasceno elected to retire in 2008 when business slowed during the recession. He sold a piece of the business to his son, who was able to repay the loan in half the time they had agreed upon. Acting on the advice of a friend, in 2010 Eddie shifted the focus from residential to commercial landscaping and maintenance, and the business went to the next level. It was during that same year that he formally established Damasceno’s Landscape & Construction. “It was tough in the beginning, especially when I was doing residential because the recession affected everybody,” Eddie recalls. “But once the recession ended and we started doing commercial properties, the business just took off.”
All-purpose contractor
Since that time, Damasceno’s has been on a steady growth curve. Today, the Shelton, Conn.-based
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“
It’s incredible how much faster you can get a job done with Cat machines.”
– EDDIE DAMASCENO
OWNER DAMASCENO’S LANDSCAPES & CONSTRUCTION
business maintains approximately 200 commercial properties. Working in a 150-mile radius that includes Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Damasceno’s also has its own hauling division, and performs a full range of site preparation work including excavating, grading, underground utilities and concrete. “You can’t have four, five guys sitting on a jobsite waiting for a load of stone,” Eddie says. “So when you own your own truck, you go get whatever you want on time and you can control the scheduling, which helps with maintaining due dates on our jobs.” That same philosophy is at work in the contractor’s ability to perform all aspects of site preparation, including concrete, which is a new capability added within the last year. “Usually when we do site work, we do the whole nine yards,” Eddie says. “We get the trees cut, remove the stumps and
strip and screen the topsoil. Now that we do our own concrete, it helps us so we don’t have any slow time.” Damasceno’s has 12 haul truck drivers and two crews that do all the sitework, including excavation and pouring foundations. “Now we can self-perform it, and we just dig and form, and we pour,” Eddie says. “This helps me control the scheduling. As the other crew is doing the site utilities and completing all the underground work, we backfill the foundation and it’s ready for concrete sidewalks, curbs and asphalt.”
Increased efficiency
As Damasceno’s continues to diversify and expand, Caterpillar is the equipment supplier of choice to help perform jobs more efficiently. Currently, about 70 percent of Damasceno’s fleet is comprised of Cat® machines. “It’s incredible how much faster you can complete a job with Cat machines,”
(L-R) Sebastian and Romyson Damasceno cat.com
Eddie says. “It’s the power when we’re digging with the excavators, and the same goes for the wheel loader when we’re transporting material from one end of the jobsite to the other. “I actually have the guys fighting over the Cat machines whenever we start a new job,” he says. “If we don’t have a Cat excavator on the job, the guys ask, ‘How come we can’t have the 330 or the 315 here?’” Damasceno likes the ease of transporting the 315F Excavator for small to mid-size jobs. “It works very well to move it around on our triaxle trailer,” he says. “You don’t need a permit to transport it. It’s a very unique machine, and it fits perfectly on the trailer. And the lifting capacity of the 315F is very good—you can do medium to good-sized jobs with that machine.” “Cat machines are very popular in Brazil, and that’s what we used there on the (Continued on page 6)
WHAT HE LIKES ABOUT HIS CAT DEALER “When we’re on the job and we discover that we need to rent another machine as soon as possible, it’s reassuring to be able to text our H.O. Penn sales rep and be told that the machine will be delivered to the jobsite the next morning,” says Eddie Damasceno, owner of Damasceno’s Landscapes & Construction. “The service we receive from out Cat dealer is incredible,” he adds. “We work to provide a high level of service to our clients, so when you get the same level of service in return, it’s a very good feeling— it gives us peace of mind.” ON THE JOB 2019 5
farm,” Eddie says. “Let’s say you buy a machine and you use it for four or five years, the value stays pretty solid on your trade in. So that helps a lot versus other brands of equipment that lose their value fairly quickly. “I started with one piece of Cat equipment, and every year we’re switching more of our fleet to Cat units because of the service behind them,” Damasceno says. “At the end of the day, a new machine is always nice but the service behind it is going to determine how much better the machine performs compared to other brands. And with the service we receive from our Cat dealer, H.O. Penn, it’s a night and day difference.” For snow removal at the I-95 rest stops, Damasceno’s utilizes Cat 262 Skid Steer Loaders equipped with sectional snow plow attachments in combination with a 924K Wheel Loader.
A family affair
Even as the company continues to grow, Damasceno’s remains a family business. Sebastian came out of retirement and drives one of the company’s distinctive black and green haul trucks. Ed’s uncle, Romyson, serves as an equipment operator. In 2007, Eddie married Ana who also came from Brazil. Ana went to work for the business in 2009, where she currently serves as vice president, working both in the office and the field when needed. She is also attending community college, studying business management and landscape architecture. “When you live in Brazil, it’s not that easy to build your own life unless you have a lot of money and you have your family to help you,” Ana says. “I came here so I could join the business and learn new things to make my own life.”
“The comfort level for our operators in the skid steers is great,” Eddie says. “The guys love the heated seats and the backup cameras. There’s no fatigue, and they just plow multiple hours with no complaints. There’s no stopping to rest—they just keep going.
Eddie and Ana’s goal is to grow the business further and eventually pass it on to their children, who will be entrusted with carrying on the family legacy of hard work and dependability.
“And the fuel efficiency is unbelievable,” he adds. “We can plow all day, all night with just one full tank. Back in the day, we used to burn probably twice as much as fuel as the new machines do now.”
“When our customers call, they want a fast response; they want us to solve their issues,” Eddie says. “They don’t want us to add to the problem. That’s the reason why they hire you. And we’re very good at that.” OTJ
DAMASCENO’S LANDSCAPES & CONSTRUCTION Employees: 40 Location: Shelton, Conn. Cat® equipment: 262D Skid Steer Loaders (4), 289D Compact Track Loader, 305.5E2 CR Mini Excavator, 308E2 CR Mini Excavator, 315F L Hydraulic Excavator, 330 Hydraulic Excavator, 924K Small Wheel Loader, 930M Small Wheel Loader (2)
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Ana & Eddie Damasceno cat.com
NEW CAT 299D2 XHP ®
LAND MANAGEMENT COMPACT TRACK LOADER PURPOSE-BUILT TO HANDLE DIFFICULT LANDCLEARING APPLICATIONS management for fire prevention, railroad maintenance-of-way, agriculture, and forestry.
The Cat® 299D2 XHP Land Management Compact Track Loader is a superior, purpose-built machine solution for customers working in demanding vegetation-management applications, ranging from mulching and brush cutting to vegetation control and mowing. This segment-focused machine delivers efficiency and economy in specific applications including site preparation, utility right-of-way clearing, vegetation cat.com
The 299D2 XHP’s powerful Cat C3.8 engine, rated at 110 gross horsepower (82 kW), combines with its high-flow/ high-pressure auxiliary hydraulic system—40 gpm @ 4,061 psi for a calculated hydraulic-horsepower rating of 94 to ensure optimum performance when powering high-production, hydro-mechanical attachments, such as mulching heads and industrial brushcutters. DESIGN DETAILS To deliver longer intervals of uninterrupted work, the 299D2 XHP Land Management Compact Track Loader has a 58.1-gallon fuel tank, which is 80 percent larger than the tank on standard 299D2 XHP models and sized to provide an estimated run time of 11 to 12 hours.
This machine is also factory equipped with seal and cover components designed to restrict debris and other material from entering the engine compartment and lower frame. A debris deflector channels any material created by rotating attachments away from the front of the cab for added safety. In addition, certain engine and emissions components incorporate special parts and covers, designed to deter debris from collecting on the components, and large frame-access panels provide easy access to aid in routine cleaning. A turbine-type pre-cleaner ejects dust, dirt, and debris from engine-intake airflow before it reaches the filter, thus extending airfilter service life. The 299D2 XHP comes factory equipped with component guarding to protect front and rear LED work lights, work tool (Continued on page 8)
ON THE JOB 2019 7
coupler area, work tool electrical harness connections, and auxiliary hydraulic quickdisconnect fittings from impact and debris that are common hazards in landclearing applications. OPERATOR STATION The 299D2 XHP also features a one-piece, sealed, pressurized cab design to keep the operator’s environment clean and quiet. Operator comfort/convenience features include a premium, heated, air-suspension seat with independently adjustable armrest/ joystick-control positions, integrated full-color display for machine operating information and performance adjustments, rearview camera, and integrated Bluetooth radio with microphone. A bracket in the cab accommodates a five-pound fire extinguisher bottle. The 299D2 XHP Land Management model includes a full-color, 5-inch, LCD Advanced Display monitor that enables on-screen adjustment of implement response, hydrostatic-drive response, creep-control speed, ride-control-activation speed, language preference, and gauge layout. The electronic instrumentation includes fuel level, DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) level, hydraulic and engine coolant temperatures and tachometer. For added operating safety and security, the rearview camera provides high-resolution images of difficult-to-see areas behind the machine, thus expanding the operator’s field of vision for enhanced jobsite awareness. The Advanced Display also provides a coded theft-deterrent system. ADDITIONAL FEATURES The cooling system’s hydraulically driven fan operates on demand only when required, saving fuel and reducing sound levels. The
reversing fan clears intake screens and can operate in both automatic- and momentarypurge modes. A battery disconnect adds to machine security and allows isolating the battery when servicing the machine or when storing the machine to minimize battery drain. The 299D2 XHP Land Management Compact Track Loader uses a torsion-axle-type undercarriage-suspension system that enables independent vertical movement between the frame and undercarriage. The system distributes loads and absorbs shocks and vibrations that can occur when operating in uneven underfoot conditions, thus isolating the frame and providing a smoother ride for operators while protecting the machine from unnecessary stress loads.
Standard two-speed travel and an electronic hand/foot throttle system (with decelerator pedal) further increase operator control, especially when using hydro-mechanical attachments. The 299D2 XHP Land Management machine provides safe, convenient ground-level access to all daily and routine service points, including engine air cleaner, fuel filter/water separator, engine oil check, engine oil fill, hydraulic oil fill and hydraulic filter. OTJ
299D2 XHP LAND MANAGEMENT MODEL SPECIFICATIONS Operating weight, approximate
12,752 lb
Tipping load
12,429 lb
Rated operating capacity: 35% of tipping load
4,350 lb
Rated operating capacity: 50% of tipping load
6,214 lb
Ground pressure
5.9 psi
Travel speed, max.
8.3 mph
8 ON THE JOB 2019
cat.com
TAKIN’ CARE OF
BUSINESS CONTRACTOR EXCELS IN NICHE WORK
F
Four decades ago, Dave Ludtke was working for another contractor when that company went bankrupt. At that critical juncture, the 23-year-old decided to start out on his own in October 1980—and he’s never looked back. Fast forward to the present, where Ludtke Contracting, Inc. specializes in petroleum sales facilities, demolition and concrete work throughout Arizona. Having begun as an owner/operator, in addition to running the business today as owner and president, Ludtke is still the primary machine operator on all jobs. The contractor’s niche work consists of replacing wornout parking lots and their surrounding entry sidewalks at convenience stores and gas stations. The work has also involved demolition of the old gas stations, removing and replacing older in-ground gas tanks, remediating the contaminated soil, then installing new tanks, replacing the fuel pumps, grading the site and resurfacing the area with new concrete or asphalt. The company became extremely proficient at this type of work, completing 425 stations in one four-year stretch. This work comprises more than 90 percent of Ludtke Contracting’s activity.
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At the start, Ludtke used a different brand of machines. But with experience came the knowledge that certain machines are better suited for the type of work he was doing; and product support became even more critical to keep his machines running in order to complete the work on schedule. So, using Cat Financial, he invested in a Cat 246B skid steer loader. To handle his specific task, Ludtke then added compact track loaders for one specific reason—their greater power. After excavating 14-foot-deep holes to remove the old fuel tanks then lining the holes with pea gravel, wheel machines simply could not gain the traction to get out of those holes. Conversely, a compact track loader such as Ludtke’s 299D High Flow XPS has both the traction and the power necessary to drive straight into the hole, efficiently spread the pea gravel, then quickly and easily climb back out of the slippery, gravel-lined holes. The powerful 299D also easily handles the backfilling chores that can amount to as much as 400-plus tons at a time. Ludtke says the 299D delivers the 110 hp necessary for his application. (Continued on page 10)
ON THE JOB 2019 9
LUDTKE CONTRACTING, INC. Employees: 10 Location: Glendale, Ariz. Cat® equipment: 246B Skid Steer Loader, 299D XHP Compact Track Loader, 302.5 Mini Excavator, H63 Hammer
“It has a huge amount of power,” Ludtke says. “It’s like a dune buggy coming out of the hole. That 110 horsepower is incredible.”
Ludtke also credits his CPA with providing valuable business guidance that helps him time his machine purchases to maximize tax advantages.
Adding versatility to perform all of his various tasks, Ludtke equips his compact track loader with a 750-pound hammer, grapple bucket and forks as the standard package he uses at most jobsites.
“I don’t know that I’ve become very good at what I do but I work at it every day,” he says. “I think the most important thing is taking care of business as far as your paperwork and your taxes. And if you find yourself getting in trouble with those, stop what you’re doing, figure all that out, and then if you can, go back at it.
After the hammer breaks up the old concrete, sometimes as deep as three feet thick, the grapple bucket is perfect for picking up and loading the larger slabs of broken concrete into his truck. The forks come in handy for moving larger objects such as vending machines and/or ice machines out of the work areas around the convenience stores. As an owner/operator, Ludtke appreciates the comfort inside the 299D’s enclosed operator compartment. “That machine is very comfortable, I love it,” he says. “I’ve got a rear-view camera for good visibility. It has an air-ride seat and heater and I can turn on the AC on the hot days so it’s a real comfortable position for me at the age of 62. I’m out here running it every day.” For larger worksites, Ludtke owns other Cat machines and attachments including a 302.5 C Hydraulic Excavator, a 246B Skid Steer Loader, three sets of forks, a sweeper, trenchers, augers and six specialized buckets for different applications. Plus, another H63 Hammer that he runs on the smaller machine.
Company hallmarks
Ludtke is humble man who has worked hard to earn what he owns. “Honesty and integrity are what we stand for,” he says. “I would say those two aspects because my customers know if I tell them I’m going do something, I’m going do it and if I tell them this is what happened, they believe me. They trust me.” 10 ON THE JOB 2019
“So that’s the most important thing—living within your means, saving, and making sure you take care of your taxes and your obligations when you need to,” Ludtke says. “Don’t put it off because those things will bury you in the long run.”
Dealer support
Ludtke says his Empire Southwest account rep has become a valued asset. “Mark Snow has been my account rep for probably 10 years and in that time, I know him well enough now, he’ll deliver a machine without even signing the paperwork, and then I’ll catch up with him,” Ludtke says. His Cat dealer is one of the biggest reasons why Ludtke doesn’t even shop around anymore for machines and attachments. “If I need a part, I’m not going to an off-brand and then have a seal or a pin break and have it down for two weeks waiting for a part,” he says. “With Empire, you can call them up and they already know what the machine is by the serial number so there is no doubt that you’re going to receive a part within a day or two—a lot of times my parts will be here the next morning. “They go the extra mile to make sure that we’re taken care of with parts. I can say that without a doubt.” OTJ cat.com
NEXT GEN
CAT MINI EXCAVATORS ®
REAL UPDATES, INSPIRED BY YOU
To develop the Next Generation of Cat® Mini Excavators, we focused on the most important component—you. You are the one who digs the ditches, lays utilities, dredges ponds and shapes the land. So when you told us what you needed in a mini excavator, we listened. Real insights from real customers led to real features. That’s how our design was inspired by you. IT INCLUDES MULTIPLE INDUSTRY-FIRST FEATURES: • Stick steer travel control • Cruise control • Full-color LCD monitor with Bluetooth • High-flow hydraulics on the 309 model • First 1- to 2-ton excavators with sealed and pressurized cab to offer air conditioning option cat.com
A BIG EXPERIENCE IN OUR SMALLEST EXCAVATORS The versatile new 1- to 2-ton Cat mini excavators adapt to various applications and industries with ease. Plus, the newest features provide best-in-class serviceability and the ultimate operator experience. YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL IN A MINI EXCAVATOR The new 7- to 10-ton Cat Mini Excavators deliver class-leading performance in various applications. Because you need a machine that can do it all, with industry-first features to back it up. OTJ ON THE JOB 2019 11
HIT THE
GROUND
RUNNING
LANDSCAPER STARTS BUSINESS WHILE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL
I
If not for the fact that he’s in charge, it would be easy to mistake fresh-faced Mitchell Mulert for one of the crew members of his expanding landscape business.
local community college. He went all in and formally launched From the Ground Up Lawn Care and Cleanup five years ago.
Mulert started From the Ground Up in 2014 when he was still a senior in high school in Owatonna, Minn.
Now 24, Mulert directs a 17-employee company that does commercial lawn care, landscape design and installation, hardscapes and snow removal. Outside of regular lawn care, the company has four to five jobs working at any given time and works within a 60-mile radius of its home base. From the Ground Up occupies part of a large facility that previously housed the former Caterpillar Forest Products division on the south side of Owatonna.
“I realized that I could probably mow four or five lawns on my own time instead of working for somebody else and make about the same money and work half the hours,” Mulert says. “So I started doing a couple of lawns on the side, I would mow until it got dark. I didn’t really have a business name. I was doing everything on the side to build the customer base.” Eventually, some of his lawn cutting jobs evolved into remedial landscape work. By the time Mulert graduated from high school a semester early, things had progressed to the point where he decided against enrolling at the
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Mulert represents a new generation of entrepreneurs that is less interested in paying their dues and more interested in mastering skills and getting ahead. Instead of going the apprentice route and working for someone else to learn the trade, he attends seminars and conventions and watches YouTube videos. He cat.com
studies best practices and then applies them to his business. “The biggest thing with landscaping that we run into is drainage issues, with terrain leaning toward the house and water going into basements,” he says. “To me, that stuff is pretty easy to fix, we just slope things away from the house. For other things I have learned from watching YouTube videos. When it gets to be more complicated stuff, it’s a matter of watching other people do it.” Two years ago, the company started providing hardscapes and retaining walls after Mulert obtained his paver certification. He also sent part of his crew to the Twin Cities for training in retaining wall construction and hired someone with 15 years of experience to direct the hardscape work.
(LMN) provides business software for the landscape industry, which helps contractors budget, manage customers, estimate, invoice, schedule, and more.
and you punch in all your numbers for what guys cost per hour, what your materials cost, and you can determine your profits and everything.
Mulert discovered the app at a trade show and liked it better than three others he explored.
“Our volume last year with nine guys was about $1 million in revenue and we’re shooting for double that this year with twice the crew.”
“LMN has an app that all the guys have on their phones,” Mulert says. “It does all of our time tracking—all the guys clock into an app, so we’re 100 percent paperless now. We don’t use any paper for timesheets or anything. And we estimate with it too. You start with a budget and you work your way through
Mulert says LMN gives him a strategic advantage when it comes to estimating. “As we set up our budget and what materials cost us and then import that into our estimating, it allows us to know (Continued on page 14)
“Now we do everything from a smallcircle fire pit to a 150-foot-long retaining wall to a full outdoor kitchen,” he says. In recent months, From the Ground Up has expanded its capabilities to provide excavation for underground utilities, as it digs trenches and runs the cable for CenturyLink, the local TV/Internet provider. Crews utilize a Cat® 304E2 CR Mini Excavator to help perform the digs, and then lay the cable before backfilling the trench.
Working smarter
Mulert uses job-costing software to help budget and for the crew to work more efficiently. As a Caterpillar partner, Landscape Management Network
“
Good workers are really hard to find right now, and we see investing in equipment like these mini excavators will make us more efficient.”
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– MITCHELL MULERT
ON THE JOB 2019 13
exactly what we need to charge,” he says. A lot of these guys start mowing lawns and they think that they have all their costs covered and they really don’t. What happens to that $10,000 if your mower breaks down? “LMN factors all of that into our hourly price. That includes how we’re covering my salary and how we’re recovering the replacement cost of the equipment and everything like that. So that’s our advantage with estimating. We know exactly where we need to be at. We’re
not just throwing out a guess number. When we give somebody an estimate, it positions us to make money. “We do a lot of contract work, so we set up a 12-month schedule for our customers’ snow, lawn care, landscape maintenance, fertilizing and everything else, he says.” So that’s something that helps set us apart—we can come in and give you just a per time or an hourly rate—we’re telling you exactly what it’s going to cost you to maintain your property for a whole year.”
Greater efficiency
From the Ground Up currently has four Cat machines in its equipment fleet, including a new 304E2 CR Mini Excavator. It’s the biggest machine a contractor can haul on a 14,000-pound trailer without having to have a CDL license, Mulert says. “In the future as our guys get CDL and Class A licenses, we would like to get bigger machines,” he says. “But right now, the 304 is the perfect size for us. It has zero tail swing. We can get in tight areas with it—it’s just a perfect landscape machine for our needs. So we’re finding ways to use it that we never even considered, such as being able to do tile work more efficiently.” Three different buckets are used on its mini excavator, including a small bucket that’s used for tiling, a normal bucket for general excavation, and a wider bucket that’s used for grading and trenching. The setup also includes a thumb and a Quick Coupler for fast bucket changes without the operator having to leave the cab. “That’s huge for efficiency—we’re looking at all the ways we can be more efficient,” Mulert says. “That’s something I definitely see in the future is having more machinery that will increase our productivity. Good workers are really hard to find right now, and we see investing in equipment like these mini excavators that will make us more efficient.” The 906H Compact Wheeler Loader excels at snow removal. “It can drive down the road at 22 mph,” Mulert says. “Everybody who works here fights to drive that machine. We put more hours on it last winter than I could ever imagine. It was pushing snow for 14 hours straight, and then immediately when a guy would get out of it to go home and go to bed, there’d be somebody jumping in to do cleanup and right when cleanup was done, somebody was jumping in to load snow.
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FROM THE GROUND UP Employees: 17 Location: Owatonna, Minn. Cat® equipment: 242D Skid Steer Loader (2), 304E2 CR Mini Excavator, 906H Compact Wheel Loader
“That machine would often run for 35 to 40 hours at a time and the biggest breakdown we had was a busted headlight.” Mulert is leasing three of his four Cat machines through Cat Financial. Leasing permits him to lower his monthly payments and turn the machines in after two years in favor of newer models. “We’re all about efficiency and not having equipment break down,” he says. “With the lease program, every two years we’re able to flip machines or buy them out if we feel they’re still reliable enough. So the lease program has been awesome. Nobody’s been able to compete with it, and it gets us into new machines for a good price.” For times when From the Ground Up requires additional equipment or more specialized machines, he calls on his Cat dealer, Ziegler, to deliver rental equipment to the jobsite. “I’ll call my Ziegler rep, Jake, and say ‘I need a mini excavator here on this day or a skid steer loader at another location,’” Mulert says. “I don’t go anywhere else. I just call Ziegler Cat and tell them when and where I need it and it’s there—that’s been extremely nice. We don’t have to worry about hauling it. It’s just there when the job needs to start and they pick it up after we’re done with it.” As he manages the growth of his company, Mulert says he is focusing on customer service. “When somebody hires us, the job is going to get done right—whether it takes us cat.com
five hours or 50 hours,” he says. “It starts with the planning we do in the office to make sure that the job is scheduled right. People know exactly when we’re going be there, and then we take it a step further to ensure that everything we’re doing is done right and follow up with them regarding future jobs. “I think people see the value in customer service,” he says. “When the customer feel like they’re receiving outstanding customer service, that’s when our growth will really start to accelerate.” OTJ
WHAT HE LIKES ABOUT HIS CAT DEALER “What I’ve learned is that while you can be loyal to a particular brand, what it really comes down to is dealer support,” says Mitch Mulert, owner of From the Ground Up, a lawn care and landscape contractor. “And what I’ve found with Ziegler Cat and why we switched to them is their salesmen are especially good about getting back to us fast. “A lot of these other places give their salesmen way too many customers to manage, and they’re slow at getting back to you. When I call my Ziegler salesman to get a price on something, it’s there in a day. If I need to make something work right away, it’s there. “He handles my rental needs, everything,” Mulert says. “When I need something they answer right away, or they get back to me the same day. And if something breaks, you take it there, they fix it and give you a loaner machine. So the dealer support is really what it comes down to.” ON THE JOB 2019 15
FLIPPING P THE SCRIPT
Prior to 2005 when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Brenda Pertuit worked in real estate buying houses and rehabbing them before selling at a profit. But when Katrina wreaked havoc on the region, it was time for the entrepreneur to adapt and go in a different direction. At the suggestion of a general contractor friend, Pertuit decided to follow the money and go to work as a construction subcontractor. “So we started doing crazy things,” Pertuit recalls. “Anything that needed to be done in the aftermath of Katrina, we did it—cleaning out catch basins, repairing roofs. “And then we started repairing sidewalks and streets and everything related to that.
CONTRACTOR SEIZES OPPORTUNITY IN WAKE OF HURRICANE KATRINA
16 ON THE JOB 2019
“I never started out wanting to do concrete,” she says. “I was flipping houses, and then after Katrina happened, we had an opportunity, so we took it. At that point, they were just happy to have anybody who wanted to be here to help.” As a woman-owned and disadvantaged business entity, Gretnabased BEF Construction works as a subcontractor performing concrete work for streets and other municipal projects including drainage, sewage and pumping stations. With most contracts requiring 30 and 35 percent participation from women-owned and disadvantaged businesses, the 25-employee company stays busy, generating $3.0 to $3.5 million in annual revenues.
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“I’m always a subcontractor, and it’s all government work—either city, state or federal,” Pertuit says. “We’re doing street panels, full streets, sidewalks and driveway aprons. The contracts we’re doing right now are all Katrina money.” BEF has eight pieces of Cat® equipment, including two compact track loaders, two 307E2 Mini Excavators, a 314E L CR Hydraulic Excavator, two 420F2 Backhoe Loaders and a compactor.
Bourbon Street work
Currently, BEF is replacing sidewalks on Bourbon Street in the historic French Quarter of New Orleans. Utilizing the Cat 307E2 Mini Excavator equipped with a hammer attachment, crews break up the old concrete sidewalks and
remove them before going back and preparing the base with sand and rock. “Bourbon Street is crazy, it can get pretty rowdy,” Pertuit says. “So we try to get there early around 6:30 a.m. before it starts to get too busy. Before the crew starts, they conduct a daily safety meeting and discuss the job and any potential hazards they might encounter. “We’re taking up the sidewalks and doing some drainage, and everything underneath is horrible—it’s in bad shape,” Pertuit continues. “And then of course we have to be careful because it’s all historical stuff. You know, you’re trying to take out a sidewalk and you have poles that are holding up balconies, so that’s been a real challenge. But it’s
nothing new because we have done quite a few streets in the French Quarter, and the precision of our Cat machines helps in this regard.” BEF project manager Carlos Loyola says the Cat Mini Excavator replaced a machine from a competing brand that was prone to breakdowns, and has proven to be especially reliable. “The Cat 307E2 is a strong machine and is able to pick up any piece of concrete,” Loyola says. After starting out with a small piece of equipment, Pertuit followed the lead of general contractor, Hard Rock, and acquired two pieces of Cat equipment on a lease-purchase agreement. “Everyone on our crew likes Cat equipment,” she says. “They like the way it handles—they like everything about it. And my operators can service it to a certain degree. Previously, we were using a different brand, and they didn’t like it. All the general contractors that I deal with have Cat machines, and we do too.” BEF purchases its machines outright through Cat Financial. Pertuit likes the ease of the transaction, as well as having the ability to replace older machines with newer models when the time comes. (Continued on page 18)
BEF CONSTRUCTION Employees: 17 Location: Gretna, La. Cat® equipment: 289D Compact Track Loader, 299D Compact Track Loader, 307E2 Mini Excavator (2), 420F2 Backhoe Loader (2), 314E L CR Hydraulic Excavator, CB24B Utility Compactor
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ON THE JOB 2019 17
GOT QUESTIONS? THE NEW VISIONLINK® HAS ANSWERS Where are my machines? When are they running? How can they be more productive? Get the answers to these—and countless other questions about your assets and operations— with the latest version of VisionLink, the award-winning fleet management software from Caterpillar. VisionLink gathers accurate, up-to-the minute data generated by your assets and serves it up to you in easy-to-digest bites. You have a full picture of your fleet, including location, health and productivity insights that will help you make more informed decisions about your operation.
Keeping tabs
BEF is accustomed to working in rough neighborhoods, such as the Ninth Ward, where crew members have been robbed and a machine was stolen. “Two days after I bought my compact track loader from Louisiana Cat, it was gone,” Pertuit says. “Thank God we had Cat Product Link™ on it, which helped us pinpoint the location of the machine eight blocks away where it was hidden in high weeds.” A representative from Louisiana Cat met with Loyola and reviewed all the capabilities of the VisionLink® interface, such as monitoring fuel consumption, idle time and machine hours. “He sat with us and went through everything, so Carlos knows when the service needs to be done,” Pertuit says. “Also, when a machine starts, he receives a text so he knows both the status and the location at all times. It’s nice, too, because it’ll tell us how long the machine is idling. It helps us ensure we’re keeping the equipment serviced at the proper intervals, and tells us what’s going on with a given machine.” 18 ON THE JOB 2019
TASK-FOCUSED APPLICATIONS HELP YOU TURN CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES She counts on her Cat dealer to perform regular maintenance. “They will go to my jobsite and change the filters, take oil samples and change the oil,” she says. “They just call me and tell me it’s time for service, and they know where to find the machine thanks to Product Link.” The warranty service provided by Louisiana Cat also helps avoid costly downtime. “When any of our machines are down, I’m not making money,” Pertuit says. “My sales rep, Shawn Suggs, is great. When I call, he handles everything for me. If one of my machines is down for any reason, he gets me another one right away so we can keep working.” Taking care of the little things is a hallmark of BEF Construction, That includes leaving clean jobsites at the end of the day. “My crews do great work and we care,” Pertuit says. “We pick up after ourselves. Things that people don’t think matter, matter to us. And, backed by dependable equipment and the support of Louisiana Cat, we do great work.” OTJ
The newest version of VisionLink gives you access to four task-focused applications, designed to help you increase production, control costs, improve operator performance and run a safer operation. UNIFIED FLEET delivers fleet management data: location, hours, idle time, fuel use, asset status and operation. Knowing if, when, where and how every asset is being used can help you improve utilization, reduce idle time and fuel burn, bid and schedule projects more accurately and even eliminate assets that aren’t earning their keep. UNIFIED SERVICE provides maintenance data: fault codes, fluid analysis, inspections and more. With that information, you can monitor equipment health and manage service to avoid downtime. You’ll also know when unsafe actions occur, so you can act quickly to prevent accidents. UNIFIED PRODUCTIVITY lets you track machine use, payload, volume, cycles and even project productivity. That’s data you can use to make sure you’re operating at optimum efficiency. You can identify operator training opportunities and even compare individuals’ numbers to motivate improvements. ADMINISTRATOR offers enhanced administration capabilities, making it easy to manage asset settings, users, reports, notifications, groups and projects. cat.com
ADVANCING YOUR BUSINESS BRINGS EVEN MORE SAVINGS. Louisiana Cat is a proud member of the Louisiana Nursery & Landscape Association, Farm Bureau and the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association. If you are a member, you can take advantage of great discounts. Choose from a variety of Cat® machine models and attachments for your landscape or farm operations. Our multi purpose equipment gives you the means to get through your daily work more quickly. That means more work and bigger profits for your business. Visit us online at www.LouisianaCat.com/Deals to find the best offer for you!
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