Earth movement is essential to many types of operations. Whether you’re in mining, aggregates, construction, or other industries, finding the right earth moving equipment for your operations will dramatically affect the types of jobs you can take, how efficiently you will operate, and, ultimately, how profitable you can be.
Here are some questions to ask to help your company focus on the best earth moving equipment for your operations.
How Much Earth Do You Need to Move?
One of the first questions you need to ask is how much earth you need to move. If you need to move a lot of earth, you will likely want larger equipment that can move larger quantities faster. The greater speed of movement will justify spending more on larger equipment.
If you don’t have to move a lot of earth, you can invest in smaller equipment without worrying that your operation will be tied up waiting for your earth movers.
One way to gauge the right size of earth mover is to look at the equipment you have downstream of the earth mover. If you will be moving the earth to screening equipment or trucks, you want to make sure that your earthmover can keep this equipment supplied with minimum downtime.
What Type of Earth Are You Moving?
If you are moving mostly loose soil or free-flowing gravel, your earth mover doesn’t need to be especially robust or versatile. Light-duty earth movers can easily do these jobs. However, packed soil, rocks, and variable composition will demand either a burlier machine, a more extensive toolkit, or both.
When you are choosing an earth mover, it often makes sense to look beyond the specific job you’re first using it for. This can mean choosing an earth mover that has the option of an extensive toolkit, even if you don’t need it right now.
Where Are You Moving Earth from?
You need to assess your current and potentially future work sites when choosing your earth mover. If you are working in a relatively flat area and moving earth mostly in that environment, bulldozers and loaders can be very successful. They are efficient and effective.
However, if you must move earth either significantly above or below the grade, the versatile arm of an excavator can be very useful.
Where Are You Moving It to?
Where you need to deposit the earth also makes a difference for your choice of earth mover. If you just need to push the earth off to the side, a bulldozer will work wonderfully. However, if you need to move earth into trucks or screens, you will want a loader or excavator instead of or in addition to your bulldozer.
Also, factor in the distance you must move the earth. If the dump area is right by where you will be moving the earth, wheeled and crawler loaders are equivalent. However, if you must move earth a long way from its origin to the dump area, the greater speed of wheeled loaders might give them the advantage.
What Is the Substrate Like?
The substrate where you’re working will also influence the type of earth moving equipment you choose. If you are working on difficult terrain, tracked earth movers make the most sense. However, if you are often working on pavement or otherwise easy-to-navigate substrates, wheeled earth movers have an advantage thanks to their speed, relatively low cost, and relative ease of maintenance.
Is This a One-Time Need or an Everyday Occurrence?
When choosing earth moving equipment, take the time to consider whether your current job is likely to be a one-off, or if you are likely to get more jobs like this one in the future. If the current job is unusual, it might make sense to select something that is workable but not ideal for this job if it is a better fit for most of the jobs you land.
If this is truly a one-time need, perhaps you don’t need to buy an earth mover. It might make more sense to rent one for the current job, then consider buying if it seems as though you are likely to need it more in the future. Renting can also help you fit the cost of an earth mover in your tight budget. Buying used earth moving equipment is also a good way to get the tools you need at a price you can afford.
We Can Help You Find the Right Earth Moving Equipment
If you are looking for earth moving equipment in Colorado, New Mexico, or Utah, Power Screening’s experts can help you identify the right equipment for your specific needs. Tell us about the current job or what types of contracts you are hoping to win, and we can guide you to the optimal equipment for your operations. Since 1984, we’ve been helping customers in our region find equipment that helps them succeed. We know the equipment backwards and forwards, and if you tell us where you’re working, the odds are good that we know the terrain, too.
We work hard to develop and maintain long-term relationships with our customers. When you buy heavy equipment, you want it to last, and we want that, too. We offer heavy equipment with high initial quality. When you need service, we’re available with factory-trained technicians who can get your equipment back to optimal working order so you can enjoy years upon years of hard work from your earth movers.
To learn more about how Power Screening can help you get the right earth moving equipment, please contact us today.