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PROVIDED BY SCHMIDT EQUIPMENT, INC.AND JOHN DEERE

2 THE DIRT

Everyone knows that success is dependent on the ability to

outwork the competition. That’s easier said than done, of course.

Especially when adding equipment and manpower isn’t an

option. And that’s why we’re always looking for ways to help

operations like yours accomplish more with what they have.

Take, for example, John Deere WorkSight™. Most have heard

of it, but not everyone understands how it can help them. Some

don’t see how technology relates to earthwork. Others dismiss

it as another thing to maintain. Still others assume that if the

technology is that useful, it must be hard to use. But none of

these things could be further from the truth.

John Deere WorkSight connects machines, dealers, and

technology together to help you achieve levels of accuracy,

efciency, and productivity that weren’t possible until now.

It also illustrates our ongoing commitment to the people who

own and use Deere equipment.

Recently, we extended the in-base JDLink™ Ultimate service

subscription from three to fve years for our high-hour, high

production machines. Why? To improve productivity, uptime,

and operating costs in the operations using them. And to thank

them for letting Deere be part of their success.

Domenic G. Ruccolo

Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing

Worldwide Construction & Forestry Division

Helping you do more with less

F A L L 2 0 1 5

“ John Deere WorkSight connects machines, dealers, and technology together to help you achieve levels of accuracy, effciency, and productivity that weren’t possible until now.”

INSIDE TRACK

The JDLink telematic solution is at

the heart of John Deere WorkSight.

It not only delivers machine-location

and -utilization data, it enables

your dealer to perform remote

diagnostics and programming,

feeds our prognostics system that

delivers proactive machine-health

recommendations, monitors

grade-control system utilization,

and displays production data for

loaders and articulated dump trucks

equipped with payload scales.

Contact your local dealer for additional details.

THE EASY AND

AFFORDABLE MACHINE-

MONITORING SOLUTION

JDLINK™

ANYONE CAN OFFER LOW-RATE FINANCING. But to really grow your business, you need solutions that last longer than 36 to 60 months. John Deere Financial tops off our low rates with expert knowledge of your business, fexible payments, cost-effective maintenance packages, and the best fnancial mix for your operation’s success.

Talk to your dealer today about how John Deere Financial

can help you grow your business.

CR2211177


3

C O V E R S T O R Y

BIG IRON

PAGE 4 On the westernmost edge of the

Mesabi Iron Range, new technology

is helping keep a way of life alive.

3

CONTENTS

POSTER

SPECIAL

Photo credit: Georgia Read

INTRODUCING THE L-SERIES BACKHOES

PAGE 8 Looking for a backhoe that goes

above and beyond? Take a look here.

MAKING WAVES

PAGE 12 Downey Contracting’s new project is

creating a big splash in what was once

our nation’s Dust Bowl.

GROWTH

PAGE 16 Holtmeier Construction has this

characteristic as its core, and

in more ways than one.

WITH JOHN DEERE?ARE YOU BUILDING. TOGETHER.Share your story for the chance to be featured.

John Deere is committed to building the machines and technologies that rise to your

challenges. And we’re dedicated to building the relationships that make these ground-

breaking improvements possible. The stories are everywhere — and we’d love to hear yours.

* No purchase necessary. Customer must sign a John Deere promotional release.

Submit your BUILDING. TOGETHER. story to [email protected],

and we’ll send you a free pocketknife or gloves* to show our appreciation!

CHOICE OFFREE GIFTS*


COVER STORY

MINING HAS MADE ITS COMEBACK IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA

Grand Rapids, MN

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37358_JDI_47858_Fall_Dirt_FNL.indd 4 8/18/15 1:11 PM

35

The productivity of the Deere equipment helps us meet and exceed the

goals expected of us from our customers. And with the tight schedule of

the project, we greatly depend on their reliability, durability, and longevity.”

— Jody Neary

Site Superintendent, Hammerlund Construction

Nestled on the westernmost edge of the Mesabi Iron Range

sits Grand Rapids, Minnesota. A town of over 10,000

founded on timber harvesting and iron-ore mining, Grand

Rapids maintains its frontier feel regardless of the growing

amount of tourism. It’s here that the Mississippi River is

narrow enough to throw a stone across, the wilderness

feels as expansive as in a Jack London novel, and there’s

an unmistakable sense of self-reliance among the locals.

One such resident is the industrious Tom Hammerlund Sr., founder

and owner of Hammerlund Construction, a general contractor that

runs up to 544 employees strong. Respectfully referred to as Senior,

he got his start in construction at the age of 18 in Santa Barbara,

California. It was only three years before Senior was head of his own

pipe crew, and within a decade he decided to bring his talents back

to Minnesota. After running a dairy operation for 10 years Senior got

back to playing in the dirt, and he’s been at it for the last 30.


THE MAGIC OF

MAGNETATION

From the late 1800s up through the 1970s,

iron-ore mining relied heavily on blasting and

drilling to attain high-grade, useable material.

This process created a considerable amount

of what was considered waste product — red

rocks, called jig, and a powdery mix of dirt

and hematite, referred to as tailings. The jig

can be seen scattered across the landscape

in massive piles, while the tailings were

mixed into slurry and pumped into pits.

“Hammerlund does large dirt projects,

municipal sewer and water, and large and

small concrete projects, and we’re heavily into

mining for a Grand Rapids company called

Magnetation,” says Senior. “They reclaim

the low-grade iron ore — called hematite —

that was a byproduct of the original mining

process, and they recycle it.” It’s an operation

called “smart mineral recovery,” and given

the amount of material at hand, “smart” is

an understatement.

With so much of the hard work out of the

way, now it’s just a matter of collecting

the material that’s already been mined

and processing it for quality. Featuring

proprietary technology, processes, and work

ethic, Magnetation has developed a means

of separating the hematite from the tailings,

which eventually goes on to be used in

everyday products.

MOVING AT MAG-SPEED,

WITH DEERE EQUIPMENT

Perhaps most impressive is the pace of

the project. “The site and entrance-road

earthwork started in December of 2013, we

began pouring concrete for the building at the

end of March, and the plant should be running

by this December,” says Senior. “It’s quite

the fast turnaround, but they have a phrase

at Magnetation — they call it ‘Mag Speed.’

They’re very quick to build and get production

going.” And who better to keep pace with the

heavy lifting than Hammerlund Construction.

While its sister company, Champion Steel,

erects the building and installs equipment,

Hammerlund Construction is hard at work

creating a stockpile for the plant’s winter

feed — 3.5-million yards of tailings to

be processed while the snow falls. And

overseeing this 6,000-plus-acre expanse of a

project is Hammerlund’s Site Superintendent

Jody Neary. Starting of at Hammerlund

as an operator, he’s now responsible for

cracking the whip to keep projects on track.

“We were working 12-hour days, six days a

week for awhile before Magnetation told us

to slow down. In just four short months these

workhorses moved over 1.8-million yards

of tailings.

“If the job requires, we can run John Deere

articulated dump trucks and excavators

double shifts, usually without any trouble —

they’re pretty maintenance free. The

productivity of the Deere equipment helps

us meet and exceed the goals expected of

us from our customers. And with the tight

schedule of this project, we greatly depend

on their reliability, durability, and longevity.”

These are crucial characteristics for a plant

projected to run 24 hours a day, seven days a

week — with enough material on-site to stay

busy for the next 80 years.

TEAM CHEMISTRY

Moving 3.5-million yards of material —

at Mag Speed, no less — requires some

coordination, and there’s no doubt Neary

has ironed out the details.

“Our 400D Articulated Dump Trucks paired

up with our 850D LC Excavators ofer

tremendous cycle times. The 850D LC is

capable of loading one of these trucks in just

over a minute, and in good conditions these

ADTs can move up to 1,200 yards an hour.”

So after being flled with two quick scoops of

the excavators’ 8.5-yard buckets, the ADTs

run 1.7 miles one way, drop their load, and

are back, ready for more in about 11 minutes.

IN JUST FOUR SHORT MONTHS THESE WORKHORSES MOVED OVER 1.8-MILLION YARDS OF TAILINGS.

With proprietary technology and

tireless work ethic, this factory-in-the-

making will help turn what was once

waste into high-grade steel products.

Site Superintendent Jody

Neary (above) of Hammerlund

Construction relies on

John Deere equipment

to keep his team working.

— Jody Neary

Site Superintendent

Tom Hammerlund Sr.

Owner

6 THE DIRT


7

Dusty, low-grade

iron ore — once

considered waste —

is mined from the pits.

It enters the plant where

the hematite is extracted

from the tailings.

The hematite is loaded

into railcars and shipped

to Indiana to be processed

into high-grade pellets.

Once they’re shipped to blast

furnaces, the pellets are processed

into steel for appliances, buildings,

and even the heavy equipment that

was used to mine the iron ore.

And traversing this jobsite is a joyride

thanks to the 400D’s efciency-

enhancing features. Rain or shine,

its controlled-traction diferentials

and transfer case dif lock provide a

traction boost for climbing the steep

hills in and out of the pits. Its excellent

payload-to-weight ratio means more

fuel dollars are spent moving material,

not the machine. And with its central

oscillation joint, high-suspension

travel on all axles, and balanced weight

distribution, it has the agility and ability

to navigate the toughest terrain.

THE CANARY OF

THE IRON MINE

While dangerous gases aren’t much

of a concern with an open pit, there

are plenty of other potential problems

that can bring productivity to a halt.

Luckily, with JDLink™, your dealer

has access to the detailed performance

data of your machines, allowing you

to avoid costly maintenance issues and

providing the ability to handle them

swiftly should they occur.

“JDLink is really nice for maintenance

purposes or troubleshooting,” says

Neary. “Our local Nortrax dealer

already knows of our problem before

we can call them, and they’re on it

trying to get it resolved. One time

they called to let us know about an

operator over-revving a machine —

that’s something I’d never be able

to know, but they saw the problem

and we were able to fx it. It helps

us be more productive and have

less downtime on the machines

by addressing problems faster.”

PARTS AND

EXPERTISE ALWAYS

WITHIN REACH

Just like the John Deere equipment

you purchase, our relationship with

you is built to last. And it all starts

with your local dealer. “I’ve been

with John Deere since I started the

company,” says Senior. “What I

like about Deere equipment is the

reliability — they continue to run well,

and I like the service my Nortrax dealer

gives me — our sales rep, Bob Cook,

keeps us up and running all the time.”

Neary agrees: “Our local Nortrax

dealer is excellent at getting us

the parts we need. Whether it’s an

overnight shipment or readily available

on the shelf, their feld technicians

are Johnny-on-the-spot when we call.

Or if they can’t get here, they’re quick

to give us the information we need to

address the problem ourselves.” From

getting you the right machines for the

job, to keeping you productive and

proftable, Deere is here to help you

go big with your big iron.

Hammerlund Construction, Inc. is serviced by Nortrax Inc., Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

FROM DUST TO DOLLARS

Check out the video at:

JohnDeere.com/hammerlund


310L EP / 310L / 310SL / 310SL HL / 315SL / 410L

MULTIFUNCTION HYDRAULICS

The 310SL HL and 410L deliver all the advantages

of pressure-compensated load-sensing (PCLS)

hydraulics in the 4.27–4.57-m (14–15 ft.) digging-

depth category, enabling operator efciency and

productivity through improved multifunction control.

BECOME A MULTITASK MASTER

Be more productive in

more applications with

our new standard

multipurpose bucket.

WE’VE GOT YOUR BACKHOE. AND YOUR BACK

Advanced onboard-diagnostics

technology in the industry is standard

on all L-Series Backhoes. The exclusive

John Deere WorkSight™ suite of telematic

solutions includes JDLink™ Ultimate with

real-time machine monitoring and remote

diagnostics to help increase uptime while

lowering operating costs.

NEED A LIFT?

Managing an expanding workload

and multiple tasks doesn’t have

to mean moving up to a larger

backhoe. Under normal operating

conditions, the 310SL HL and 410L

can deliver up to 25-percent more

backhoe-lift capacity than their

comparable K-Series models.

GET MORE DONE WITH ONE

To build a better backhoe, we went to you, our customer. The result: our most versatile backhoes ever.

With invaluable input from our customers and building upon our highly productive K-Series Backhoes,

the L-Series features additional backhoe lift capability and PCLS hydraulics (on the 310SL HL and

410L), for superb multifunction performance, along with unsurpassed pilot controls and a John Deere

PowerShift™ transmission. We’ve expanded our product line with the introduction of the new heavy-

lift 310SL HL and the side-shift 315SL. Plus we’re continuing our popular and competitively priced

310L EP. So whether you’re loading trucks, busting up blacktop, placing pipe, digging trenches,

or moving materials, an L-Series Backhoe is more than up to the task.

STANDS OUT IN A CROWD

Our standard-equipped side-shift

315SL Backhoe can be ofset up

to 542 mm (21 in.) right or left of

center, making it perfect for work

in crowded urban areas and around

obstacles.

8 THE DIRT


9

MORE TRACTION TO TAKE ACTION

Standard limited-slip MFWD (optional on the 310L EP and 310L)

delivers superior traction in any ground condition. Engage

momentary MFWD “on the fy” with the touch of a button

on the new loader control.

SHIFT PRODUCTIVITY

INTO HIGH GEAR

Responsive and productive standard fve-

speed transmission on the 310SL, 310SL HL,

315SL, and 410L provides transport speeds

up to 40 km/h (24.9 mph). Add the AutoShift

option and increase versatility in any

application. This smooth-shifting automatic

transmission improves operator comfort

by reducing the number of times the

transmission-control lever needs to be

actuated during operation.

MAXIMUM PRODUCTIVITY IS CLOSE AT HAND

Control of clutch disconnect, transmission Quick-Shift, auxiliary proportional roller, and

momentary mechanical-front-wheel drive (MFWD) is at your fngertips. Electrohydraulic

(EH) control of redesigned pilot levers provides easy, fngertip operation of backhoe

functions, including selective fow and the horn. Exterior lights, wipers, and turn signals

are now more conveniently located on the multifunction lever on the steering column —

just like a regular vehicle — helping operators keep their eyes on the job at hand.


FASTER FILLS. FEWER SPILLS

Beat operator fatigue and work faster

across large jobsites with optional

ride control and exclusive PowerShift

transmission. With ride control

activated, front loader hydraulic

cylinders act as shock absorbers,

smoothing travel over rough

terrain, helping full loads reach their

destination and reducing operator

fatigue. PowerShift transmission

provides on-the-go clutchless gear

changes for the operator, for smooth

shifting and reliable performance

under all load sizes and operating

conditions.

UP TO 15-PERCENT *

MORE CRANING POWER

New lift mode on the 310SL HL

and 410L provides an additional

boost of 10 to 15 percent.*

Simply pushing a button on

the SSM sets engine rpm at

1,400 and maximizes hydraulic

pressure, for increased craning

capability.

*Under normal operating conditions.

MORE CONTROL AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Increased productivity and fuel economy is within easy reach in an L-Series Backhoe.

The sealed-switch module (SSM) provides easy, push-button control of machine functions

including economy mode, auto-idle, auto shutdown, lift control, and ride control.

For more information about the new L-Series Backhoe lineup,

visit JohnDeere.com/backhoe or see your nearest Deere dealer.

SAVE PRECIOUS DROPS OF FUEL

Standard economy mode helps maximize

fuel usage in lighter-work applications with

minimal efect on machine performance.

Auto-idle* decreases engine speed when

hydraulics aren’t in use, to help maintain

quiet working conditions and conserve

precious fuel. Auto shutdown* turns of the

engine after an operator-selected period

of inactivity, further keeping noise and fuel

consumption down.

*Not available on 310L EP and 310L.

10 THE DIRT


We run a lot of equipment with GPS integration, and there have

been leaps and bounds in that technology in the last 10 years. So

I’m wondering what you see coming in the next 10, just so I can

position myself with purchases and where I need to be looking.

BEING AT THE FOREFRONT OF GPS AND CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY IS A PRIORITY FOR JOHN DEERE. As technology evolves, it becomes faster and more accurate,

and we use those improvements to enhance the way it integrates

with Deere machines. Over the next 10 years, you’ll see the

technology improve communication between the ofce and

the jobsite, and from machine-to-machine.

Project and feet managers will be able to remotely adjust

machine settings — such as increasing accuracy of slope or

reducing speed — to enhance jobsite safety. They’ll also fnd

more opportunities for optimizing logistics, reducing unnecessary

trafc patterns and fuel usage, and protecting the value of assets.

At the same time, by enabling better collaboration with their local

dealers, the technology will help customers eliminate downtime

through intuitive prognostics and operational alerts, and save

money by detecting and addressing operator-training needs.

WHAT KIND OF HEADS-UP CAN JOHN DEERE PROVIDE REGARDING WHERE GPS IS GOING?

— Joe Holtmeier

Holtmeier Equipment

Mankato, Minnesota

— Jena Holtberg-Benge

Director

John Deere WorkSight™

We want to hear from you — the experts out in the field.

Have a question about John Deere construction equipment or the industry in general? We’ll give you an answer and publish it in an upcoming issue.

[email protected]

11

ASKEXPERTS

Q

A

QUESTIONS?


PUSHING THINGS ALONG

K-Series Dozers

push around

the hundreds of

loads of backfll

that are brought

in every day for

construction of

Oklahoma City’s

RIVERSPORT

Rapids center.

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13

WITH THE HELP OF DEERE MACHINES, OKLAHOMA CITY’S DOWNEY CONTRACTING IS BUILDING A STATE-OF-THE-ART WHITEWATER RAFTING AND KAYAKING CENTER

SScheduled to open in Spring 2016,

Oklahoma City’s state-of-the-art

RIVERSPORT Rapids center will

be only one of a few such facilities

in the world. The $45.2-million

center will ofer whitewater rafting

and kayaking for both novices and

experienced paddlers alike. It will

feature two recirculating channels —

one recreational and one expert —

to accommodate everyone from

frst-time kayakers to elite athletes.

Olympic Trials for kayaking will be

held at the facility in May 2016.

The 11-acre site requires a lot of dirt

moving — about 115,000 cubic yards

are being brought in for the project.

Downey Contracting in Oklahoma

City is doing the dirt work, as well as

the utilities and most of the concrete

structures. After cutting out the

channels for the two courses and the

large reservoir, the company is now

importing the massive amounts of fll

that are needed.

“We’re hauling dirt from another

site two miles away,” explains Jack

Knox, dirt superintendent, Downey

Contracting. “We’re typically running

eight to 12 trucks, hauling in as many

as 220 loads a day.”

RIDING THE WAVETo get it all done, Downey is running

an armada of John Deere equipment,

including a 350G LC Excavator, a 650K

Dozer, and a 700K Dozer, as well as

Deere backhoes, wheel loaders, and

compact machines. The company has

been using Deere equipment since

Larry Downey founded it in 1980. “It’s

a great product — the best out there,”

says Downey. “We’ve always had

great luck with it.”


RIVERSPORT RAPIDS CENTER PROJECT BY THE NUMBERS

The company has grown from

Downey and a couple employees

to one of the top companies in

Oklahoma City. Downey graduated

from the University of Oklahoma

with a degree in architecture. “They

didn’t have a degree in construction

management. After graduating,

I began working for a general

contractor and doing bids, and

soon formed my own company.”

The company got its start doing

small jobs at Tinker Air Force Base.

Today the company employs over

100 people, with annual earnings

of approximately $40 million.

“We’ve grown consistently since the

beginning. It’s all about having a great

staf. I’m very proud of our people.”

In addition to its work on RIVER-

SPORT Rapids, the company’s

other signature projects include the

Children’s Zoo at the Oklahoma City

Zoo and the tropical conservatory

at Myriad Botanical Gardens. “No

matter what project we’re on, our

John Deere dealer fnds the right piece

of equipment for our specifc needs,”

says Downey. “Their sales staf is very

knowledgeable and helpful.”

WATERLOGGEDThe company is used to working

in extreme conditions. To build the

tropical conservatory at Myriad

Botanical Gardens, workers had to

deal with temperatures up to 120 deg.

“They wore ventilated, air-conditioned

suits,” says Downey. “That was a

tougher job than we imagined.”

The major challenge on the

RIVERSPORT Rapids project was

dewatering all of the dirt that needed

to be removed. The new facility is

located right alongside a river. “It

apparently was a good place for a

landfll, as we uncovered hundreds

of truckloads of trash.”

Construction equipment and

operators on the RIVERSPORT

Rapids site must endure Oklahoma

City’s extremes of heat and cold.

“Our operators love the cabs in our

Deere machines,” says Knox. “There’s

a warmer with the air-suspension

seat for use in the winter when it’s

cold. The air conditioner works great

during the hot summer. There’s plenty

of space — it’s like a mini-ofce in

$45.211

CUBIC YARDS OF DIRT

COST OF PROJECT

ACRE SITE

115K

RUNNING THE LINE

From skid steers to production-class excavators, Downey Contracting relies

on a solid lineup for Deere equipment to tackle its unique range of projects.

14 THE DIRT


15

there. When guys are working 10- or

12-hour days, you want them to be

comfortable, so they stay productive.”

The 350G LC Excavator is used for

mass excavation. “We’ll have fve

or six trucks out there, and it always

keeps up. It’s pretty quick, just a great-

performing machine.”

The 350G LC is also used for most of

the fnish grading. “It’s a big machine,

so you’d assume you can’t be very

accurate with it. But we’re getting

everything right on grade. It’s got

smooth controls and superb visibility.

You can’t go wrong with it — an

inexperienced operator is going to

perform better on one. Everything

just goes a lot faster.”

The 650K and 700K Dozers are used to

push around the hundreds of loads that

are hauled in every day. “They never

run out of power,” says Knox. “They’re

just really efcient. The cab is amazing.

You have so much visibility in the front.

You can see everything including the

bottom of your blade, which makes it

easier to fow in and grade the dirt.”

Total Machine Control allows

operators to customize decelerator

mode and response, forward/reverse

ground speed, steering modulation,

and forward/reverse speed ratios.

Check out the video at: JohnDeere.com/downeycontracting

The freestyle channel will be the highest-volume pumped whitewater channel in the world

12K LB. The facility is powered by six pumps that weigh over

12,000 lb. each

80 SEC.Each pump circulates 82,000 gpm — a total of 492,000 gpm. It would take 80 sec. to fll an Olympic-size swimming pool

2K PEOPLEApproximately 2,000 people will be able to raft in a single day, making it one of the biggest whitewater rafting facilities in the world

170 FT.The conveyor that pulls rafts to the top of the run is approximately 170-ft. long with a 21-ft. elevation change

Source: www.boathousedistrict.org

MORE FACTSABOUT RIVERSPORT

RAPIDS IN OKC:

“Every operator is diferent, so it’s

great they can adjust the machine

to their individual operating style.”

GOING WITH THE (WORK)FLOWThe company uses JDLink™ machine

monitoring to optimize the uptime

of its John Deere equipment. Alerts

let them know immediately if there

are machine issues so they can be

addressed before causing costly

repairs and downtime. “Our dealer

has access to diagnostic codes, so

they can bring the right part out the

frst time without having to make a

second trip. It’s quick and easy.”

Service and support from their local

John Deere dealer have been excellent.

“Our dealer is always right on top of

everything,” adds Knox. “If there’s a

problem, service staf is out there that

day checking it. We always get the

part we need by the next day if it is

not already in stock. They’re just on it.”

Downey Contracting is serviced by

CL Boyd, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

“IT’S A GREAT PRODUCT —– THE BEST OUT THERE.

– Larry Downey, Owner, Downey Contracting

”


Joe Holtmeier, owner of Holtmeier

Construction, understands the

importance of strong employees,

and works to grow them as his

company takes on new projects.

16 THE DIRT


17

It’s at this company’s core, and five 844K-II Loaders are helping keep it that way Personal, career, and company

growth are no strangers to

Joe Holtmeier. He got his start

washing equipment back in

high school. Upon turning 18

he was in the operator’s seat,

and not much later in 1998 Joe

and his wife, Bethany, founded

Holtmeier Construction in

Mankato, Minnesota.

“We started out more focused on

underground and utility work —

sewer and water projects,” says

Holtmeier. “We’re doing that now in

a larger fashion, and are also heavily

involved in aggregate production

and mining. The frst year in business

we had three employees, and this

year we have about 70.”

EMPLOYEES AND FAMILY FIRST

Holtmeier understands that a

company is only as good as its

people. The more opportunities he

provides them to improve, the more

ways for the organization to increase

its own potential. “I’m thankful for

the opportunities my employer gave

me, and I try to remember that when

new faces come into my life. I’ve seen

a lot of young guys move right along,

and that’s a joy to me — to feel like

I’ve helped them grow as people in

their workplace.”

This respect for his employees

also takes the form of a unique

commitment. Holtmeier

Construction only works within

a 60-mile radius of headquarters.

“An important part of our company

is getting employees home every

night. To provide them jobs, but

ones that allow them to see their

families.”

SCALABLE WORK ETHIC

By providing his workforce the

chance to have healthy home

lives and stable career paths,

Holtmeier Construction is able to

take on bigger, more intensive jobs.

When they’re not removing street

surfacing, grading streets, and

installing new water and sewer lines,

they’re mining limestone, sand,

and gravel. A new and large part

of the business involves mining and


processing silica sand, which has called

for a bigger feet and the addition of

fve John Deere 844K-II Loaders. “The

demands of our customers are intense,

and we needed equipment that could

help us honor those commitments.

“The shifts are sometimes 12 hours,

and it’s go-go-go. When you’re feeding

crushers the last thing you want is that

feeder empty, so there’s no time for

breaks or downtime.” Luckily, the 844K-IIs

are up to the task. “The durability and

uptime have been really great. Some of

the loaders are doing 2,000 hours a year,

and another I’m anticipating 5–6,000

hours.” An additional beneft is that the

quantity of work completed hasn’t afected

the quality of work produced. “They’re

doing a good job for us; we don’t have

downtime. I would say the 844K-IIs have

been all they were promised to be.”

STARTING — AND STAYING — STRONG

Like many business relationships,

Holtmeier’s partnership with John Deere

started with a need. “When we knew

we’d need production-class machines

we talked to the diferent dealerships,

and hands down John Deere had the

best price and best warranty — we just

felt really comfortable going with them.

After about a year, we still feel very

comfortable and are glad we went

with Deere 844K-II Wheel Loaders.

“In terms of maintenance costs and

serviceability, John Deere does an

excellent job. The service from our RDO

dealer has been second to none. They

always have replacement parts on hand

for wear parts, quickly getting us the part

we need if there’s a breakdown, helping

the mechanics with any troubleshooting

questions — anything to keep us rolling.

We need equipment running all the time,

all day long, to get our work done, and

Deere provides us that.”

Holtmeier Construction, Inc. is serviced by

RDO Equipment Co., Mankato, Minnesota.

“ We need equipment running all the time, all day long, to get our work done, and Deere provides us that.”– JOE HOLTMEIER, OWNER, HOLTMEIER CONSTRUCTION

MEASURABLE SUCCESS, WITH JOHN DEERE WORKSIGHT™

Joe Holtmeier of Holtmeier Construction likes to be on top of things, and John Deere’s ultimate suite of telematic solutions, John Deere WorkSight, gives him the power to do just that. He’s able to monitor machine data directly on his cell phone, providing a variety of operational benefts.

Meeting lease requirements

“We purchased some of our 844K-II Loaders on a John Deere Aggregate Lease, giving us 2,000 hours on each machine per year. Using John Deere WorkSight, we can track hours on the machines and come in as close as possible to our available hours.”

Submitting accurate bids

“Some of the jobs we’re doing have a contract, and in a few years we’ll have to rebid. Because we have this technology, we’ll be able to know exactly how many gallons of fuel the loaders take to perform those tasks, which will allow us more concrete pricing.”

Improving operator efciency

“We’re also able to monitor how individual operators are running the machines, and if they’re not performing in a way that’s at maximum efciency, we can talk to them about it, provide training, and get them up to speed.”

Check out the video at: JohnDeere.com/holtmeier

18 THE DIRT


JohnDeere.com/PushBack

With the all-new 1050K, you’re not just getting a long-overdue choice in dozers this size. You’re getting the incredible pushing power of a proven hydrostatic drive. And Eco mode to reduce fuel consumption by up to 25% without limiting productivity. Deere designed. Deere manufactured. And backed by a robust service and parts program dedicated exclusively to the production-class market. The choice is yours. Bet you haven’t heard that in a while. For details, visit your local dealer or our website.

THEY SAY TO LET

SLEEPING DOGS LIE.

NO MENTION OF CATS THOUGH. PRESENTING THE 1050K. A WAKE-UP CALL FOR THOSE

WHO’VE RESTED ON THEIR LAURELS LONG ENOUGH.


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