The Contractor's Best Friend

In this episode of The Contractor's Best Friend Podcast, longtime construction expert Brad Humphrey sits down with Jason Hurdis, Caterpillar's global market professional for quarry and aggregates, to discuss a workforce issue in the industry: workers who are talented but show a lack of consistency, absenteeism, motivation or other issues. 

In the latest episode of The Contractor's Best Friend Podcast, longtime construction expert Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, Caterpillar's global market professional for quarry and aggregates and Lonnie Fritz, Caterpillar's senior market professional construction industry expert with a focus on heavy construction and roadbuilding, about the challenges of hiring workers. Many contractors are giving former employees a second chance on the jobsite to help fill workforce gaps. 

In this episode of The Contractor's Best Friend, construction expert Brad Humphrey sits down with Jason Hurdis, Caterpillar's global market professional for quarry and aggregates and Sam Meeker, Caterpillar's dozer and compact track loader specialist. The three discuss how to get the maximum value for heavy equipment when doing a trade-in. One way to do this is with telematics, which can track and record maintenance and related records for machinery. The process involves more than looking up the trade-in value, they said. 

One of the hottest topics in the construction industry today is finding workers and training. In this episode, construction expert Brad Humphrey talks about finding the time to train employees. He is joined by Jason Hurdis, Caterpillar's global market professional for quarry and aggregates and Lonnie Fritz, Caterpillar's senior market professional construction industry expert with a focus on heavy construction and roadbuilding. When adverse weather strikes, slowing work productivity on the jobsite, it's the perfect time to train employees, they said. 

In the latest episode, longtime construction expert Brad Humphrey is once again joined by Caterpillar Safety Expert Morgan Grigsby, as well as Lonnie Fritz, Caterpillar's senior market professional construction industry expert with a focus on heavy construction and roadbuilding, to talk about jobsite safety. The use of smart cameras is improving safety on jobsites by increasing visibility around heavy equipment. Equipment operators are given the right information at the right time to make decisions to improve the safety around them. 

Construction expert Brad Humphrey sits down with Lonnie Fritz, Caterpillar's senior market professional construction industry expert with a focus on heavy construction and roadbuilding, to discuss the importance of implementing intelligent compaction technology on the jobsite. Compaction technology benefits contractors who move, grade and compact materials to specified moisture and density levels. 

Ever wondered how to create preventative maintenance plans for your jobsite heavy equipment? Construction expert Brad Humphrey sits down with Jason Hurdis, Caterpillar's global market professional for quarry and aggregates and Lonnie Fritz, Caterpillar's senior market professional construction industry expert with a focus on heavy construction and roadbuilding, to talk about how proper maintenance plans can save money and remain competitive. 

In Part 2 of this podcast series on jobsite safety, construction expert Brad Humphrey sits down with Jason Hurdis, Caterpillar's global market professional for quarry and aggregates and Lonnie Fritz, Caterpillar's senior market professional construction industry expert with a focus on heavy construction and roadbuilding, to talk about how technology and equipment can improve security. As construction industry equipment theft continues to be a problem, the latest technology can help prevent such theft and keep crews safe. 

In the latest episode of The Contractor's Best Friend Podcast, longtime construction expert Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, Caterpillar's global market professional for quarry and aggregates and Lonnie Fritz, Caterpillar's senior market professional construction industry expert with a focus on heavy construction and roadbuilding, about keeping construction jobsites safe from equipment theft and other issues. More than ever, construction contractors are concerned about jobsite access and crew safety through the use of cameras, radar and other technologies. 

In this episode of The Contractor's Best Friend Podcast, construction expert Brad Humphrey talks about the effort to lower the impact of CO2 emissions on the environment through the reduction of fuel use. He speaks with Jason Hurdis, Caterpillar's global market professional for quarry and aggregates, about how minimizing the use of diesel fuel on the jobsite directly lowers the amount of carbon dioxide produced. Construction bids more frequently require an estimate of CO2 produced, which is produced based on fuel use on the site. Hurdis describes the phase-in of alternative power on the jobsite to reduce emissions. 

In the latest episode of The Contractor's Best Friend podcast, longtime construction expert Brad Humphrey talks about proactive safety with Morgan Grigsby, Caterpillar's safety expert, and Jason Hurdis, Caterpillar's global market professional for quarry and aggregates. According to Grigsby, the construction safety talk on jobsites is shifting away from what was done incorrectly, to what's going well and where there is room for improvement. A proactive discussion about safety can be profoundly more effective than a reactive one, and Grigsby explains why.

In this episode of The Contractor's Best Friend, construction expert Brad Humphrey sits down with Sam Meeker, Caterpillar's dozer and compact track loader specialist, to talk about what construction contractors should consider when buying or leasing heavy equipment. Sizing and intended applications are a good start, but there are other considerations, as well. The pair delves into more of the complex intricacies of what to consider in this episode. 

As the use of cameras in work vehicles, including heavy equipment, continues to increase, their use brings up a host of issues, from improved safety to questions about how operators are impacted on the job. It's what host Brad Humphrey calls "the good, bad and the ugly of cameras in vehicles." Humphrey is joined for this episdoe by Caterpillar safety expert Morgan Grigsby and Lonnie Fritz, Caterpillar senior market professional for construction industries, specializing in heavy equipment and road building. While employers and contractors want to have a video record of what's happening on the jobsite, there is sometimes resistance from the operator perspective that the recording could be used punitively. The three talk about the realities, including the positives, to using cameras in work vehicles.

Whether moving rock, gravel or other heavy loads on the jobsite, each payload cycle is an opportunity to increase profits and decrease costs. In this episode of The Contractor's Best Friend Podcast, longtime construction expert Brad Humphrey sits down with Jason Hurdis, Caterpillar's global market professional for quarry and aggregates and Lonnie Fritz, Caterpillar's senior market professional construction industry expert with a focus on heavy construction and roadbuilding, to chat about how the latest heavy equipment technology can improve payload profitability. 

In the latest episode of The Contractor's Best Friend Podcast, longtime construction expert Brad Humphrey talks about 3D Factory Grade Solutions with two heavy construction specialists from Caterpillar. He is joined by Lonnie Fritz, Caterpillar's senior market professional construction industry expert with a focus on heavy construction and roadbuilding and Sam Meeker, Caterpillar's dozer and track loader specialist. The three discuss advances in grade control, such as factory integration, and how it can bring the operator up to speed as fast as possible on the job site. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, quarry and aggregate expert and Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building expert for Caterpillar. Every piece of equipment eventually slows down and becomes no longer viable for the jobsite. Contractors should keep track of a machine's number of hours to get a better idea of when it might need to be replaced. There's also lots of new technology -- both software and hardware -- on the market that increase a number of efficiencies, which may persuade a contractor to replace equipment sooner than planned. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, quarry and aggregate expert and Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building expert for Caterpillar. They discuss the importance of capturing the true operating cost of each machine on the construction jobsite. Construction companies, no matter the size, need to establish a budget for equipment maintenance throughout the year to remain profitable. Talking to the equipment dealer is key to knowing maintenance and extended oil intervals.

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, quarry and aggregate expert and Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building expert for Caterpillar. The three discuss fuel efficiency and how contractors can be more fuel efficient on the jobsite through the use of data. It's important to measure fuel usage, determine where fuel is being used and create a plan of action for the future. Contractors need to be aware of their equipment's true idle and warm-up time needs. Knowing those times may help improve fuel efficiencies. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, quarry and aggregate expert and Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building expert for Caterpillar. Fewer people are growing up with a farming, mechanical or construction background like in years past. It's no small hurdle, but most contractors are dealing with it today: teaching construction skills to young and new workers without construction experience. Pro tip: It's going to take a tailored approach to education and mentorship to bring the new hires up to speed. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, quarry and aggregate expert and Morgan Grigsby, safety expert for Caterpillar. There are several aftermarket safety devices and techniques that can be applied to construction equipment that can greatly enhance the overall safety of the construction jobsite. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, quarry and aggregate expert and Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building expert for Caterpillar. It's a no brainer -- you want your most experienced equipment operators performing the most complex tasks on the jobsite. What about new workers, though? To help develop and promote newer workers, it's important to introduce them to a number of different machines to see where they might match best. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with  Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building expert and Scott Hagemann, grade control, technology and connectivity expert for Caterpillar. Long past are the traditional grade stakes that once dotted a construction jobsite. Now, lasers and other technologies can do that job. That's one of many examples of technology changing the landscape of the modern jobsite. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, quarry and aggregate expert and Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building expert for Caterpillar. The top four causes of injury on a construction jobsite have remained the same for many years: falls, struck by an object, electrocution and being caught between equipment. Listen for best practices to stay safe on the jobsite. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, quarry and aggregate expert and Morgan Grigsby, safety expert for Caterpillar. There are many equipment upgrades available today that can help enhance the safety of construction workers and operators on the jobsite today. Communication, visibility and planning also come into play to keep everyone on the jobsite safe. 

With the ongoing construction workforce labor shortage, it's difficult to find equipment operators. One technique many contractors are using to combat that challenge is by using equipment with improved operator comfort. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, quarry and aggregate expert and Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building expert for Caterpillar. Contractors need to have full visibility into the use and availability of heavy equipment on the construction jobsite. Tracking that equipment utilization comes down to telematics and connectivity.

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building expert and Morgan Grigsby, safety expert for Caterpillar. There are a number of ways construction contractors can upgrade the safety of their existing fleets. One simple safety upgrade would be adding a seatbelt reminder kit to construction equipment to encourage operators to buckle up on the jobsite. Another important safety step is to increase visibility around the cab, which can be done a number of ways, including by installing cameras. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, quarry and aggregate expert and Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building expert for Caterpillar. There are a handful of dealer resources that most construction contractors are not using, they said, including certified dealer operators, who are trained in how to use the equipment and will travel to jobsites to train workers on equipment best practices.  

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Scott Hagemann, grade control technology and jobsite connectivity expert, and Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building expert for Caterpillar. After purchasing a new piece of construction equipment, there are some basic steps contractors should follow. For example, contractors should learn how to use the new technology features and know how to use the machine for its intended applications. They also discuss the importance of training operators on how to use the new machines. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with construction experts from Caterpillar about the latest construction technologies and how tech can improve grading, loading and other operations.

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Lonnie Fritz, senior market professional – construction industries and Jason Hurdis, global market professional – quarry & aggregates for Caterpillar. The three discuss 6 keys areas to reduce downtime and mitigate “unplanned” downtime. Learn how to better plan and use preventive measures to take care of the equipment and the equipment will take care of you.  

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, construction materials, quarry and aggregates specialist and Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building specialist for Caterpillar. They discuss how much of a construction contractor's budget should be allocated to equipment maintenance. Several factors go into this calculation, such as hours of runtime, application, seasonal climate, geography, soil density and more. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, construction materials, quarry and aggregates specialist and Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building specialist for Caterpillar. They talk about the size of equipment, features and technology contractors should consider before buying or renting a machine. Application and future uses are two important components of that decision. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, construction materials, quarry and aggregates specialist and Alan Pumklin, specialist with Command Remote Console and Station for Caterpillar. They discuss the time and investment required to add Cat Command technology to a construction fleet, including the change management needed within a team. They outline specifics of how using remote control equipment changes workforce, operations and maintenance needs. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, construction materials, quarry and aggregates specialist and Alan Pumklin, specialist with Command Remote Console and Station for Caterpillar. Cat Command is a group of technologies including remote control, semiautonomous and autonomous machines, which are used in a variety of construction settings today, including mining applications. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, construction materials, quarry and aggregates specialist; Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building specialist and Scott Hagemann, grade technology and fleet compatibility specialist for Caterpillar. They discuss how a second set of eyes can help construction jobsites be more productive and cost efficient. Every jobsite can be more efficient and a judgement-free consult can help save money in many different ways. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, construction materials, quarry and aggregates specialist and Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building specialist for Caterpillar. They discuss the best ways to select equipment for a job, based on application, or use. Selecting the right equipment for the application can help reduce costs, improve productivity and maximize efficiency.

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building specialist and Sam Meeker, dozer and track loader specialist for Caterpillar. The three discuss the factors that go into buying a new dozer, including machine use, such as finish grading work. The three discuss productivity estimates and other information that is available to help contractors select the correct machine, including the models for the most versatile uses.

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, construction materials, quarry and aggregates specialist; Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building specialist and Sam Meeker, dozer and track loader specialist for Caterpillar about managing equipment efficiency. As construction contractors take on more work than they've ever had, it's important to use technology to track machines, idle time, maintenance and other factors to improve uptime. Find out how to create a plan to manage your equipment. 

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Jason Hurdis, construction materials, quarry and aggregates specialist; Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building specialist and Sam Meeker, dozer and track loader specialist for Caterpillar. The four discuss total cost of ownership from a strategic perspective, including fixed and variable costs such as operating, fuel, attachments, tires and maintenance and repair costs. Some contractors view it as cost per hour or cost per ton of material moved. The goal, they say, is to achieve the greatest revenue return per machine lifecycle.

In this episode, construction guru Brad Humphrey talks with Lonnie Fritz, heavy construction and road building specialist and Scott Hagemann, grade technology and fleet compatibility specialist for Caterpillar. The three discuss ways grade technology can save construction contractors money, through fuel savings, machine utilization, scalability, productivity and other means.

In this episode of The Contractor's Best Friend, the Caterpillar experts talk about the habits of successful contractors, such as keeping workers' training up to date and staying current with the latest construction technologies.

Brad Humphrey and the Caterpillar experts are back, talking again to Chris Seger, fleet manager for Pavecon, a paving and maintenance company in Texas, this time about what technological upgrades to look for in motor graders, such as intelligent compaction.

Brad Humphrey and the Caterpillar experts talk to Chris Seger, fleet manager for a couple hundred vehicles for Pavecon, a paving and maintenance company with several locations in Texas, about how the latest technology in excavators, dozers and wheel loaders can help his bottom line.

When deciding whether to purchase or lease construction equipment, these are many equipment features to consider. Brad Humphrey and the Caterpillar experts review technology features on excavators, dozers, wheel loaders and motor graders, including grade control, payload, safety features and voice commands. They discuss the newest technological details of those features and how they can improve construction equipment performance.

Although it may seem complicated at first, employee development can be a valuable tool to add to any construction company. Brad Humphrey and the Caterpillar experts share how putting together professional development plans for contractors and other employees can boost productivity, improve skills training and bring new ideas and methods to a construction company.

Brad Humphrey and the Caterpillar experts review the importance of participation and engagement with workers as a method of employee retention. Try to get everyone off the bench and into the game, the experts say. Additionally, many times, employees are doing their jobs the way they always have, when there are better methods available. Coaching and mentoring can increase performance and productivity, while helping to keep employees.

Brad Humphrey and three construction equipment experts at Caterpillar discuss the employee retention trends they're seeing in the industry. While it seems like many contractors are leaving jobs for a dollar or two more an hour elsewhere, Humphrey and the experts talk about the real reasons behind the departures, and what can be done to help keep employees on the job, including proper onboarding and skills training.

Brad Humphrey and the Caterpillar experts tackle attachments on construction equipment, talking about how attachments can help jobs go faster. Caterpillar is constantly working to improve attachments, improving the time it takes to attach and detach them. The group also discusses how to choose the right attachment for the job. 

Brad Humphrey and the Caterpillar experts talk about where construction contractors are going to find workers. Contractors have been forced to get creative in their hunt for new employees, using social media, talking to high schools and other means. Trade shows, industry organizations and events are also becoming more popular. 

Brad Humphrey and the Caterpillar experts discuss how using data on the construction site is saving contractors money by allowing workers to be more efficient, and through improved equipment maintenance. Data can also help save money on the job by measuring and analyzing costs, including the cost of equipment idle time.