We’ve kinda already touched on the best mass grading contractors who work in the dirt. Some of the California contractors, and a few others that have been through the dirt wars and shown their abilities. But who are the best mass grading contractors that specializes in rock? When it comes to big rock jobs involving large amounts of material movement/grading, difficult changing conditions that often require innovative methods of handling the material to maintain profitability, who are the guys at the top of the game? Who’s set up with the equipment, the personnel and knowledge base, and the tools/subcontractors to handle the variables involved with mass grading rock to consistently turn a profit on these jobs? Who’s got the Vermeer T1255 Terrain Levelers, Iron Wolf’s, has their own air-track drills and certified blaster? Who has the maintenance department that’s set-up and trained to perform the vital preventive maintenance to dozers, excavators, grinders and crushers to keep them running while working in hard rock materials job after job? Anyone can do a single rock job with their iron and often do alright. But to be able to do successive jobs in the rock requires a very well managed fleet of equipment to maintain profitability. I’ve seen a few different contractors get rock jobs, sub out large portions of them to different contractors that offer rock solutions (like those who own grinders, crushers or blast) and lease/rent the proper equipment to deal with the material and do it right; then go back to more typical dirt work on the next job. But whose set up for rock, and job after job, can consistently handle rock successfully? Thinking of all the different contractors I’ve been around and seen work in hard rock materials, American Asphalt & Grading Inc. of Las Vegas ( www.aaandg.com ) get my vote as the top mass rock grading contractor that I know of. My reasoning: they own Vermeer T1255 Terrain Levelers that allow them to use scrapers in hard rock applications as well as Vermeer trenchers for utilities. They have loaders with Iron Wolf grinders mounted on them for varying rock solutions, from processing material for scrapers to sizing material for crushing, etc. They’ve got a fleet of 777’s and two 200 ton excavators as well as several 992’s, and a D575. They have their own blasting crew and a crushing/material processing division. Simply put, I haven’t seen many other contractors handle rock as successfully and profitably as American Asphalt & Grading does, job after job. But who else is there? Who specializes in rock and rock grading work? Who’s got the fleet of 40 ton ADT’s and 385’s, specialty rock tools such as grinders and air-tracks, small hydraulic shovels and big loaders to couple with their 100 ton rigid-frames? As well as the operators and supervisory staff with the knowledge and experience to handle rock correctly and profitably? Who are the top contractors when it comes to mass grading rock?
Is Blattner Around, they were mining and Earthwork out of Minn. Also Ames is pretty well equiped to do just about anything. G
Hey MASSX have you moved to another job yet.... How did the one go in North Dakota??
Don't forget that AA&G has TR100's too...they were in Pit & Quarry magazine a while back. Here in the Northeast, I think that Manafort Brothers would probably be one of the top rock contractors because they have long reach excavators with hammers for rock/demolition, lot of ADT's and big Hitachi excavators, and I think they do their own drilling. They can do pretty much anything in construction. Cardi Corp. had a nice rock job right in front of Foxwoods last year complete with 365's (or bigger) and Cat rigid trucks. L.G. Defelice also had some nice rock equipment (EX1100 and lot of ADT's on the botched I-84 project in Cheshire), but they went out of business a couple of years ago. I think that John J. Brennan Construction may be on the list since they have their own crushers and some good-sized Volvo excavators. Just my 2 cents for New England. Blattner is still around, can't say I know of any of their big projects though, only heard of them.
Blattner and Ames are well-respected railroad grading contractors. I don't know if they do much rock work, however. RWM
Here are a couple of shots from the last job I saw Blattner on. They were in Central City, grading, (removing) a good portion of a mountian for a casino. They had someting like a 2 mile haul up hill to get to the disposal area, it is pretty visible if you get to the parking lots on the south side of town, just look north. Not much of a gambler but the site is the BIG casino on the north side of 119 when you come into town. They seemed pretty well equiped to do the big rock project, their own drills, 992C and the wear parts were pretty worn on the machines. It was a pretty neat project, they were in and out real quick. G
Thanks for all the replies, and the pics gd10r. I didn't know Blattner branched out of the rail industry a whole lot. I see them bid against Ragnar Benson and Herzog occassionally, but didn't know they did much mining or site work. Thanks again. Hey 9420, I'm still on the same job, but currently wrapping up all the mass grading phases. It looks like I'll be heading south for another good sized mass grading project here shortly; so I'll make sure to take pictures and get them posted.
Wind Towers Blattner is doing wind farm sites also. They also do a little mine work in Texas and not sure where else. Just FYI. Have a good friend of mine that works for them so get alot of the work and info on them.
Blattner did a few jobs here in AZ some years ago. The did some hill top removal for a mall which they had 777s and a 5130 and I believe a 992. I guess their biggest focus is on windfarm construction these days . Ames does alot of rock work, they have there own blasting crews and alot of large rock trucks and loaders. Not alot of big jobs going on right now due to the economy.
Signs and Pinnick moves a lot of rock I think they have 2 5130's they have a fleet of Cat 777's lots of big dozers D10's D9's Sukut also has 1 or 2 5130's a fleet of Cat 777's lots of big dozers. Both of these companies in So Cal have successfully moved mass amounts of rock.
In Wisconsin, H James and Son's are considered one of the best rock movers in the state. Back in the early half of the decade the state finally was able to complete the Highway 151 four lane expansion(making it full four lanes from Madison to Dubuque). James won 3 of the 4 sections, including the largest rock cut in the state(near Dickeyville). They have the equipment and knowledge to handle it the most efficient. Thats whom I know of top rock companines in my area. Trbo
Blattner used to do a lot of the striping for the Gold Mines in the Black Hills. A good rock contractor is Oftedal Construction, out of Montana. http://www.oftedalconstruction.com/ They are building a highway in the rocks south of Yellowstone in Wyoming. They run several crews at a time accross the Midwest.
I like your grader, Pullpan! Nice Grader Pullpan! Looks a lot like mine!
Blattner is almost all wind farm construction now. There rail road division people all moved to wind farm construction. They have projects going in TX. CO. N. Dakota and Iowa. Theres big money in wind farms.
blattner rail road days I used to work for Blattner on their rail roads and one road job. I was on there last road job in montana. I have been on a few of there wind farm jobs. I sure miss the rail road jobs they were lots of fun and lots of hours. I still have a few friends that work there and are staying busy and still getting treated well. Blattner was always good to work for.
rock blasting? one word: KIEWIT They've got a TON of rock drills, excavator mounted drills, big hoes, rock trucks, blasting crews, drill operators, everything. those boys can move rock
Kiewit just bought a company thats big in the power plant business. http://www.allbusiness.com/company-.../company-structures-ownership/11734603-1.html
Lots of dirt and rock Does MaAninch Corportaion quailfy? The move a lot of dirt but have been working in the Ozarks, dirt does not exist there. Check out their equipment list at www.mcaninchcorp.com . 5 D11 with 641 scapers, 10 D10's wioth scapers, 41 D9's with scapers? My 2 cents. Thanks
I can spell scraper! scraper scraper scraper scraper!:Banghead
LOL At 18 My first cat I broke in on was a 627. Over the years I have operate just about every type from paddle wheels/self loaders, twins, singles in everything from mud to rock. I don't miss them one bit. I rather enjoy my seat in a crane, less dust, smoother ride
Nothing wrong with moving rock with cans. Can be quite effective, like moving shale. You cant load without a push tractor, youll kill the tires. But you can spread it nicely in a fill.
mass rock grading Bot Construction is about the most efficient for large projects around here.No shale or sandstone up this way either-just the Canadian shield with it's hard/abrasive granite.
it's good t oknow that someone got the best of a scraper i to started at 18 and have been tryin every since i have to say a 631c rides good but after some time they win the rodeo as for moving rock around here it has to be wright bros. from charleston, tn. they were workin on the new vw plant in chattanooga,tn.
around here western construction is the company to go to for anything, they have everything from profilers ( i think they have 4) they have to 988 sized loaders ( B and H) as well as about 12 other loaders nothing smaller than a 966g. they have about probly 17ish dozers. and drills, quite a fleet of trucks, excavators, scrapers, graders, paving equipment, rollers/compactors, loaders, dozers. pretty much everything. they dont have a website not sure why. but there huge. debco construction- http://www.debcousa.com/ and idaho sand and gravel are good sized to-http://www.jbparson.com/companies/index.cfm?id=5
In Wisconsin Mashuda Contractors does a lot of the rock jobs. They are very well set up for it with double pan scrapers, D10's and D9's with rippers, 385's and a lot of 740's. They are the only company in Wisconsin with rigid frame trucks (773's) and they had a cat 992 loader when they did most of the 151 four lane from Mineral Point to Iowa. They know how to move rock fast.