Success Oriented with SharpGrade G109

Saving time and reducing costs are two of the biggest challenges that face contractors every day of the week, and it was the motivation for SB Civil Ltd to invest in a triple dip of equipment that is enabling them to reduce build times on carpark construction, roading, commercial building pads, and rural projects.

The Auckland-based civil construction business may be familiar with Deals on Wheels readers, having featured a number of times in various articles over the years.

Owned by Josh Simpson and Alistair McCourtie, supported by more than 60 staff, the company isn’t afraid to upend traditional methods to help drive onsite efficiency. It’s here that the business has recently put to work a Bobcat T76 compact track loader, fitted with a SharpGrade G-109 grader blade, and Topcon MC-Mobile machine control system.

While none of the gear will be breaking news other than being well-known from respected suppliers and the Topcon MC-Mobile system has been available in New Zealand since 2023, SB Civil’s commissioning of the new work tool would probably put them in the leading group of businesses that have put such equipment on job sites.

“We needed a machine that could work on those small to medium-sized jobs and do it in such a way that we could leave the operator alone and have the confidence that the levels would be correct, and nothing would have to be re-worked,” says company director Josh Simpson.

Right Size Fits Almost All

It’s here that the 5.2-tonne, 74-horsepower (55kW) Bobcat T76 is proving to be a tight pairing with the SharpGrade grader blade.

“We used to have a larger tracked loader, but it was too big for some jobs. Experience told us that the T76 was suited to maybe 95% of the work we carry out. We wanted a machine that would be something of an all-rounder for us and the Bobcat fitted that spec criteria,” says Josh. “Clark Equipment were good to deal with and they had the machine ready for us within a week of us placing the order. It’s been working well.”

G-109 Grader Choice

Most companies use a traditional grader for preparation work, so it is interesting hearing Josh’s comments on why they decided to go with a different type of machine.

“Originally, we were looking at the same type of grader that a lot of businesses use but from experience with the kind of jobs we do, those machines often leave a lot of
tidying up in the corners and edges,” says Josh. “With the machine we have put to work almost all of that has been eliminated.”

“The [SharpGrade G109] grader blade has retractable front wheels, so they can be lifted when working in corners and hydraulically controlled side wings on the blade,” says Josh. “The Bobcat has good power to push the whole unit along and sits behind the SharpGrade well. A parabolic mirror on each side to allows the operator to see the blade when working.”

Layer Of Confidence

The Aptella-supplied Topcon MC-Mobile system has added a layer of confidence that Josh and Alistair were looking for to take pressure off their onsite staff. Essentially, the MC-Mobile system turns the machine’s GNSS (Global Satellite Navigation System) receiver into a field rover, guiding the operator in 3D to ensure precision and control. Gone are the days of someone traipsing around a worksite obtaining levels to guide the work being carried out – or worse yet, the operator stopping frequently to check the levels.

“The Topcon MC-Mobile system is great and has everything a contractor needs. It’s kind of a simplified version of the Topcon Total Station equipment we run and doesn’t
contain some of the complicated stuff that we don’t need,” says Josh. “Our operator who had experience on our other Topcon gear transitioned across to the MC-Mobile
in probably less than an hour. He said it was straightforward and rates it highly.

“On a rural roading job we did, the operator put together a model in about 30 minutes on the MC-Mobile and then prepped the whole area from start to finish without having to stop and check levels, so you can see what kind of efficiency the system is providing.”

Three Suppliers

While the three pieces of kit from three different suppliers fit together well, Josh says it wasn’t without some teething problems.

“Most of the issues were software related,” says Josh. “It’s like anything new that’s technically advanced, we all realise that there will be a couple of hurdles before we get everything perfect. The suppliers all worked in together, especially the Aptella techs who often took the lead to ensure we had a machine that was fit for purpose.”

Successful Outcome

As for the project, Josh sees it as a success and cites a recent car park build as an example.

“For a job that would have taken a week to complete with a couple of diggers and a couple of rollers, along with someone keeping an eye on the levels, we are now completing those in two or three days with two less staff – that is the Bobcat operator and two people on rollers,” says Josh. “Not only does it save us money by deploying less staff, but it also reduces the timeline on the build for the client, saves our project manager time, and allows us to utilise people on other work. Yes, one hundred percent, I see it as being successful.”

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