As pavement maintenance and preservation contractors dive into spring and summer work, a spattering of news items can help with decision-making in the field. We present a handful of updates you might have missed going into the hectic season.

LTAP Preservation Training

In partnership with the Florida Pavement Preservation Council, the Florida LTAP Center is hosting a five-part series to take attendees from the basics of asset management to advanced roadway reclamation. By the time this issue hits the streets, two sessions remain:

• Thin Overlay, In-Place Recycling, and Reclamation, to be held May 13
• Interactive Q&A Panel Discussion, to be held June 3

Visit here for information and free registration.

Commercial Capacity

The SUPER 800-5 P-tier paver from Vögele features a wide hopper for commercial contractors. During CONEXPO-CON/AGG, Vögele product experts explained their mini sized pavers are ideal for narrow jobs, but customers had requested a more versatile hopper. The wide, foldable wings accommodate loading from haul trucks as well as skid steers.

The SUPER 800-5 P-tier tracked paver is the first Mini Class representative of the Dash 5 generation. Vögele equipped the small paver with the ErgoBasic 5 operating concept. Users have an unrestricted view to the front thanks to the new, double-folding material hopper.

The tracked paver features a 74-horsepower engine, paving widths from 4 feet, 7 inches up to 11 feet, 6 inches, and depths up to 8 inches with a laydown rate of up to 330 tons per hour.

For more information, visit here.

The Vogele Super 800-5 P on display at CONEXPO-CON/AGG features a widened hopper to accommodate loading from haul trucks.

Rental Refresh from Cat

Cat Rentals℠ launched a brand refresh and updated digital tools during CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 for a more seamless experience for rental customers across the Cat® dealer network. The digital enhancements are designed to offer more streamlined communication with a dealer, and integration of telematics information to provide better visibility into machine data for enhanced rental fleet management.

Cat Rentals is now part of a connected experience ecosystem that integrates with cat.com and VisionLink™. The redesigned rental management experience will also integrate the new Cat AI Assistant later this year to further help customers easily navigate the rental process. Ultimately, Cat Rentals will help enable more rental opportunities and insights for customers, providing a smarter, consistent rental digital experience.

For more information, visit catrentals.com.

Making Tracks

CAMSO Construction launched an all-new line of turf-friendly compact track loader tracks plus a new excavator chain-on rubber pad line-up for mini-excavators from 3T-15T during CONEXPO-CON/AGG. For compact track loaders, CAMSO Construction has announced an all-new Superior Durability (SD) track. Touting in-built forged metal bars and endless joint technology, the new SD tracks also sport a double-sided self-cleaning stepped lug design.

For more information, visit parent company, RPG Group www.rpggroup.com

Both the brand new compact track loader rubber track plus the new excavator chain-on rubber pad line-up for mini-excavators, were displayed at the CAMSO Construction booth at CONEXPO-CON/AGG.

Penetrating Rejuvenation

Nature Coatings, Las Vegas, announced in March the launch of BioBlack AR™, an asphalt rejuvenator engineered to extend the duty cycle of pavement infrastructure. Designed for high-traffic environments—from municipal roadways to industrial logistics centers—BioBlack AR™ utilizes a proprietary penetrating formula that restores the flexibility of the asphalt binder. This performance-driven approach is proven to extend the service life of pavement by 30% and reduce aggregate raveling by over 50%, according to the manufacturer.

“Our focus with BioBlack AR™ was to solve the biggest headache in pavement management: the high cost of frequent repairs,” said Jane Palmer, CEO of Nature Coatings. “By meeting the rigorous FAA P-632 standards, we are providing a product that performs under the most demanding conditions, ensuring safety through high skid resistance and durability that slashes long-term maintenance costs by up to 85%.”

For more information, visit https://www.naturecoatingsinc.com/asphalt

A Sweeping Partnership

Holms Attachments, Hickory, North Carolina, and Energreen America, Aiken, South Carolina, announced in February a cooperation to provide U.S. dealers and end users with sweepers for the Energreen ILF self-propelled hydrostatic machines. The range of Energreen ILF self-propelled hydrostatic machines has been designed primarily for the

professional care of large outdoor spaces—such as cleaning roadsides. The Holms angle sweepers follow surface slopes and irregularities in every position thanks to their

unique, spring-loaded Self Adjusting Suspension system.

Alessandro Cazzin, CEO of Energreen America said, “We are happy to add the Holms product to our offering. The partnership supports our goal to be a complete supplier for the roadside maintenance customer.”

The Energreen ILF self-propelled hydrostatic machines now feature the Holms brush, which is supported by heavy-duty, long-travel springs.

Cracksealing Anniversary

Crafco, which produces, promotes and supplies specialized preservation products to the pavement, roofing, waterproofing and athletic surfacing industries, is celebrating a 50th anniversary this year. According to the company’s website, “Crafco delivers confidence through innovation, quality, and value since 1976.”

Throughout those 50 years, the company has taken on other entities as part of its growth. For example, in late 2010, Crafco purchased the then-second largest sealant and mastic material manufacturer in the United States, Deery American Corporation. In 2003, Crafco opened an equipment assembly and sealant distribution warehouse in Breclav, Czech Republic, which operates under the name Crafco OS in Europe. On Oct. 19, 2020, Crafco purchased the assets of Right/Pointe, LLC, located in DeKalb, Illinois, to enhance Crafco’s ability to better serve existing customers in the Midwestern United States.

5 ways to use street sweeping during spring road construction

Street sweeping involves more than aesthetics. For contractors, spring is a busy start time for projects, but salt, debris and dust are stirred up from construction work. That makes street sweeping critical for maintaining a safe job site, and it also helps prevent tracking any debris out from work zones.

With an extensive dealer network, Elgin Sweeper is able to support contractors in keeping job sites clean and efficient. The team shared five ways street sweeping is vital in spring road construction cleanup.

The Elgin Broom Bear tackles cleanup with a water spray ahead of the side sweeper.

Control dust. Not only is dust from worksites a nuisance, but it also pollutes the air. Street sweeping can help limit that using water spraying mechanisms that help minimize the dust.

Clear accumulated debris. By sweeping streets, particularly in the spring, it helps remove any buildup left over like snow melt and sand from the winter.

Beyond the seasonal needs, construction sites regularly have debris such as dirt, gravel, rocks, and other building materials. These materials can get tracked (or spilled) onto surrounding roadways. This not only hinders daily operations but also poses safety hazards for workers, residents and commuters. Regular sweeping prevents the accumulation of debris, ensuring a clean and safe working environment.

Help prevent flooding. If streets aren’t swept during peak rain season, flooding is significantly more likely to occur as sewers and drains clog with debris. This not only impacts homes and businesses, but construction sites and wildlife. Spring is a busy time for road construction, and that mixed with the amount of rain that accumulates, makes sweeping crucial to help prevent flooding.

This Elgin Broom Bear sweeps a city street in the desert, using water for dust suppression.

Comply with regulations. There are both environmental and safety regulations that street sweeping can help accommodate. Sweeping the streets regularly can help prevent pollutants from exiting the construction site and therefore prevent fines from local authorities.

Save costs. Investing in street sweeping may seem like an additional expense, but in the long-term, it helps save money. A regular street sweeping schedule prevents debris and dust buildup in construction sites, which might otherwise cause wear and tear on heavy equipment and machinery at the site.

With an array of sweepers suited for construction sites and industrial applications from the Elgin Waterless Pelican for dust suppression to the Elgin Broom Bear, Elgin Sweeper supports contractors for the life of the sweeper.

For more information, visit ElginSweeper.com.

Maplewood, Minnesota, is a suburb of St. Paul. With harsh winters and bustling changes among the seasons, street cleaning is a priority part of pavement maintenance to keep the town of about 40,000 residents looking idyllic and improve stormwater quality.

The municipality’s street cleaning program includes two rounds in the spring, cleaning after major storms in the summer, prepping for patching, cleaning up from milling prior to spot paving and cleaning through the fall beginning in mid-October and lasting as long as the weather permits.

Troy Brink is the streets and storm superintendent for Maplewood Public Works. He has been with the city for 24 years. Joe Sheeran is the communications manager for Maplewood.

The pair noted the necessity of street cleanings throughout the year with spring and fall being key timeframes.

“Sand and sediment build over the course of the winter,” Sheeran said. “Spring and early summer are key times to get that cleared before that material reaches storm sewers and goes to waterways. We’re proactive.”

How Hopper Size Impacts Street Sweeping Productivity

To keep Maplewood’s streets clean, the city employs 10 people including eight maintenance workers and two crew chiefs. They use the Elgin Pelican, which is a three-wheel mechanical sweeper designed to provide high maneuverability and visibility.

One of Maplewood’s sweeper operators has been sweeping for more than 40 years. Doug Edge swept the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, which consistently ranks among the top in attendance, when he was a kid, and now he works for Maplewood. Edge’s grandfather is believed to have received the very first Elgin sweeper in Minnesota. Since selecting Elgin, Maplewood hasn’t ventured away in sweeper choice.

Mike McPhillips Sweeping Inc. is a family business that’s been serving contractors and municipalities in Minnesota and Wisconsin for 80 years.

“The sweepers have come a long way as far as comfort for operators,” Brink said. “The one button that drops all the brooms is nice. The guys like the greaseless pins and the remote hoses for grease points. It makes it easier to grease.”

Now Edge’s nephews, who work at Mike McPhillips Sweeping Inc., are also helping on Maplewood’s sweepers for upkeep. As a family business serving contractors and municipalities in Minnesota and Wisconsin, Mike McPhillips Sweeping Inc. has been in the sweeping industry for 80 years. Edge’s uncle runs the business.

Despite the history and operator family connections, Brink noted that the reliability of the Elgin is what keeps them coming back.

“I would say it’s reliable,” said Brink. “I don’t see us going away from the Pelican. I don’t think there is one that compares to cleaning leaves off streets.”

How to Maintain and Use Sweeper Right

Brink noted that the fall season is the busiest.

“We try to keep up with the leaves. Late leaf drops are tough because we’re not able to get as many up,” said Brink. “We use two Elgin Pelicans and have them leapfrog one another. We do a curb line pass with each sweeper, and once one is full, the other is ready.”

With more than 150 miles of streets to clean, Sheeran and Brink pointed out that street cleaning is far more than looks.

“It helps us improve stormwater quality by getting the sediment and leaves cleaned up before it can reach lakes and streams,” said Brink. “We used to use sand in the winter time and now we use straight salt, so there is not as much sediment as when sand was used.”

Elgin Sweeper partners with NASCAR for another race season

When the NASCAR season kicked off on Feb. 2 with the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray followed by the DAYTONA 500 on Feb. 16 just a couple weeks later, you might have noticed both races had something in common. It’s something they’ll have in common with all the other races this NASCAR season.

Their sweepers.

How to Maintain and Use Sweeper Right

More than 10 years ago, Elgin Sweeper, a subsidiary of Federal Signal Corporation’s Environmental Solutions Group, became an official partner of NASCAR. Since then, NASCAR has relied on Elgin sweepers to keep race tracks cleaner, safer, dryer and more eco-friendly.

“As the official sweeper of NASCAR, we’ve been proud to showcase our sweepers in action to keep tracks clean and races moving,” said Chad Schiele, product manager, Elgin Sweeper. “With reliable, durable sweepers for everything from routine maintenance in cities and towns to emergency response cleanup and sweeping airport runways, Elgin Sweeper has a longstanding history of innovating sweepers that help our customers keep streets, runways and, in this case, racetracks clean.”

Broce Manufacturing Leads the Way in Silica Dust Control for Sweepers

At each NASCAR race, Elgin sweepers remove debris and clean the surface of the racetrack. As the premier sweeper of NASCAR, the Elgin Crosswind Specialty Track Sweeper can be seen on the track in its special NASCAR wrap.

Elgin Sweeper has demonstrated experience by innovating and manufacturing street sweepers for more than 100 years. NASCAR and Elgin Sweeper first partnered in 2001. That relationship blossomed over time with Elgin serving as the first Official Partner of NASCAR’s Green initiatives.

“Working with NASCAR is great,” Schiele said. “Elgin’s level of commitment and dedication once again resulted in a partnership built on trust. NASCAR trusts Elgin to get the job done, and our sweepers do exactly that at each race.”

In races, drivers reach speeds of 200 mph, which means they need a clean, safe track to drive on.

Along with helping dry racetracks whenever rain rolls in, Elgin’s highly sophisticated track-sweeping technology plays a key role in ensuring that the racing surface is safe and 100% race-ready when the green flag waves following a weather delay.

The process includes removing debris and oil-absorbent material from the racing surface. The Elgin Sweeper technology also helps safety crews absorb no less than 50 gallons of water per minute, rather than just pushing the water out of the racing groove. As a result, NASCAR drivers are able to return to racing significantly faster than they once did—without fear of the track being ill-prepared.

Performance Paving Paves Phoenix Raceway

“Elgin sweepers are highly efficient while also effectively handling whatever surface they’re intended for, which includes a multitude of options of our customers,” Schiele said. “Dependability also means we have a wide dealer network for parts and service. For NASCAR, that means we ensure each race has Elgin sweepers ready to go.”

In races, drivers go up to 200 mph. For Elgin sweeper operators, efficient sweeping means ensuring the racetrack is safe for drivers.

“NASCAR is an enormous brand, and we’re very proud of the collaboration we’ve had with them for more than 10 years. It has been a really productive partnership built on trust, and we’re always glad to see the Elgin sweeper on the track getting it ready for the drivers, crews and spectators,” Schiele said.

Incorporating family and career offers a satisfying work-life balance for this paving contractor woman of asphalt.

What do you do when you’re juggling a full-time job with raising a family and expanding an asphalt business? If you’re a woman of asphalt, you go all in! For Alisha Hatch, she’d been working at the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) when she and her husband, Tyson Hatch, purchased Pocatello Sweeping in 2009. She left the office job to join the asphalt industry full-time in May 2017.

“We had three children at the time,” Hatch said. “The next year we had our twins, making five. Their ages now: Rex 11, Willow 9, Wynn 7, Otto 5, Wilder 5.”

When it became obvious the company was ready to expand into paving, she became majority owner of Iron Horse Asphalt. On the day we spoke, she shared that she’s technically the owner and office manager, but the day prior, she was a full-time estimator. We’re fortunate she could take some time to share her story and show how a woman of asphalt gets the job done.

AsphaltPro: You shared that you worked full-time at the FBI prior to deciding to become a majority owner in the asphalt business. Could you share with the readers what the deciding factor was to jump in with both feet?

Alisha Hatch: We wanted to take our business to the next level, and we knew we couldn’t do that juggling children between us and me not able to help fill time. The year I joined Tyson we increased sales by 33% and the following year we increased by almost 60%.

AsphaltPro: What appealed most to you about the construction business and asphalt in particular?

Alisha Hatch: Our business was already going towards asphalt and working with Tyson was where I wanted to be. Asphalt and construction is not a woman’s world and the challenge was appealing. Learning more about asphalt and being able to help our company move forward is exciting.

AsphaltPro: It’s no secret many women take on the caregiver role in families and our industry has been working to find ways to provide childcare options and family-leave options for family members who need flexible schedules or time off to care for aging parents, etc. What solution did Iron Horse Asphalt find for your schedule (or for the schedule of other women you have in your employ)?

Alisha Hatch: As business owners we work around the clock it seems. Our children are very involved and usually come with me to do estimates. We arranged the on-site estimating to once or twice a week so we’re not driving around all the time. I use lunch time and afternoon to write up the estimates and the kids help take care of each other. There are usually TV shows involved at that point, too!

AsphaltPro: You mentioned that the business is allowing you and your husband to work together toward a common goal. Could you share with the readers your philosophy on how the Iron Horse Asphalt business is allowing you to build this enterprise together?

Alisha Hatch: Tyson and I work very closely. I do the office work and estimating, and he does the groundwork. Working together has its ups and downs. We have to listen and respect each other’s needs and trust the work we are each contributing.

AsphaltPro: When do you find time for yourself and how have you found a work/life balance amid building a business you’re both a part of? (Are there any tips you’d offer to another woman of asphalt considering partnering in business with her spouse?)

Alisha Hatch: The balance is a work in progress. As our kids are getting older, we have been able to set aside time for date nights but that didn’t happen in the earlier years. Finding a babysitter was hard for five kids (two being infant twins). Vacations turn into taking work calls and kids’ school activities are sometimes missed by one of us. We know that what we have is made possible by God and our hard work and we’re grateful for it. We love having our kids involved and taking claim to building and working towards this with us. Our kids helped do some asphalt work at their school and thought it was pretty awesome. It gave them a sense of pride.

My tips for others working with their spouses is patience, look forward to set goals and look back at goals accomplished. We set a few five-year goals when we started and met all of them except one: me being able to quit my full-time job. We added it again to our next five-year goals and we were able to make it happen. Sometimes when we’re down or frustrated with each other or the business it helps to reminisce how far we’ve come and what major milestones we have made together.

AsphaltPro: Iron Horse Asphalt isn’t a large corporate paving company. Could you describe the atmosphere you’ve built and what about the structure is most comfortable/pleasing to you?

Alisha Hatch: We have a family-oriented approach to our company. All that are working with us, we feel are family and take that to heart when making any company decisions.

Through the busy season we’re usually 8-10 people. The atmosphere is casual and joking. Everyone gets along and no one is lost. Everyone is crucial to our success and our employees take pride in the work and care about the outcome and quality of the job.

AsphaltPro: Besides the sweeper, are there other pieces of equipment you’ve operated in the field? Which is your favorite?

Alisha Hatch: I operated the paver when someone needed the day off and I’ve operated the skid-steers. Up until two years ago we also offered snow removal; I drove plow trucks quite a bit. One particular storm was very intense and my job called off work for the day. I went straight to work in a plow still wearing my skirt, blouse and high heels!

Operating the paver is stressful and hard. I made a few mistakes, and I am very grateful we have qualified people to do that and not me. I enjoy the sweeper, probably because I did it the most in earlier years.

AsphaltPro: Which of your roles in the company is the most rewarding to you and what is it about the role that you find most appealing or satisfying?

Alisha Hatch: One of the most rewarding roles is following an estimate all the way through a job. I like meeting customers and when our crew provides a great end product, it’s very fulling.

AsphaltPro: As a contractor that performs commercial and residential installs, Iron Horse Asphalt must get to work with a variety of project owners/property managers. What is your favorite type of project to work on and what makes that intriguing to you?

Alisha Hatch: I like working with and developing relationships with long term customers the best. Homeowners are good to work with and the plus side to that is we get to meet a lot in our community.

AsphaltPro: Could you share with the readers what your role as the office manager of an asphalt company, specifically, requires of you, in general and day-to-day? What are some “soft skills” you would recommend other women in the industry hone if they wished to step into an office manager role?

Alisha Hatch: Multi-tasking! I take calls from the customers, write up estimates and follow up on their needs. I manage the schedule and coordinate with Tyson and the crew to make sure I’ve provided enough time for work. And when a job changes and all the work needs to be juggled around, I make a new schedule. Once the work is completed, I send out the invoices and also follow up on accounts receivable. Each day has a bit of everything mixed in.

But on a regular day, we get the younger kids to school. I home school our oldest son, so I spend time between him and office work until we pick up our youngest twins. I finish up as much as I can before the rest of the kids get home.

I recommend honing in on customer service, project prioritization and allowing yourself grace when things get busy.

AsphaltPro: I don’t want us to ignore your early career in the FBI. Could you tell the readers what you found most valuable about that job and what skills you see yourself transferring from that career to your current career?

Alisha Hatch: I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without my experiences and growth at my previous job. I worked at the FBI for 10 years. I had many opportunities to work with a variety of people and learn quality control techniques and presentation skills. I managed several different teams and learned from others on how to and how not to manage people.

AsphaltPro: What do you think is the most important skill you’ve brought to your position as first a sweeper operator and then as a company owner and project estimator in the asphalt industry? (And how would you encourage other women entering the industry to hone a similar skill to be any kind of construction professional they want to become?)

Alisha Hatch: Being part of all different aspects of the business has allowed Tyson and I to understand the demands of each position. This gives us the opportunity to know what each employee can and should be able to handle and also the limits of each position. Empathy is something women can bring to the construction industry. Construction can be rough around the edges and women can bring a lighter, more organized approach to employees and scheduling.

AsphaltPro: What would you say has been the most challenging “obstacle” you, as a female in the construction industry, had to overcome in the past 15 years, and how DID you overcome that obstacle?

Alisha Hatch: One of the biggest challenges is customers not accepting me as a knowledgeable professional that can give educated answers to their questions and provide an accurate, quality estimate.

AsphaltPro: How do you think other women in the industry can incorporate that skill or habit into their workdays?

Alisha Hatch: I want to be a resource for our company and help where it’s needed. In order to do this, I ask a lot of questions, help fix the equipment on nights and weekends, and visit the job sites. I also travel to trade shows with Tyson to see what is going on in the industry and bring the knowledge back to our market.

AsphaltPro: Let’s talk about Teamwork. What is the most challenging project Iron Horse Asphalt has been a part of and how did you and your crew overcome the challenge?

Alisha Hatch: Our crew pulled off a big job without a full crew. We had a deadline for an install on campground. The job needed to get done so the area could be reopened for the weekend. On the morning of the project everyone was given their responsibilities knowing they’d have to pull extra weight and extra tasks to make it happen on time and be done well. Trucks started running behind and one truck blew a tire. Despite being shorthanded and having slow trucks, they were able to put down all the asphalt and have a high-quality product for the customer. While loading up the equipment, everyone was able to take a breath and really admire what they accomplished. Each member of the crew felt a sense of pride knowing what they had overcome.

AsphaltPro: Let’s talk about Perceptions. It’s a fact that asphalt paving can be hot and dusty. How do you respond to people who say it’s a “dirty job?” And how can we re-educate young people about to encourage more women to consider a career in the asphalt business?

Alisha Hatch: It is a dirty job! It’s real, honest work. Sometimes dirty jobs and asphalt work is looked down upon as a lower-class career.

There’s so much behind the scenes and on the job site that women can help with. We’ve had great women sweeper operators, because they have more of an eye for cleanliness. We’ve had women roller operators; they do great in that capacity because of attention to detail. Something I would tell a young lady to encourage her in this industry? There’s a lot of manly men in the world of construction! There are so many opportunities for growth and development that haven’t been tapped into yet for women. A new perspective on a mostly male run industry can use a feminine touch.

AsphaltPro: What is the most rewarding aspect for you of being in the asphalt business?

Alisha Hatch: The most rewarding has been bringing a fresh outlook to asphalt to our community. Sometimes dirty jobs and asphalt work is looked down upon as a lower class or low caliber career. We are trying to change that perception. We hire men and women who are respectable and hard working with a quality mind set. It is so rewarding to watch a customer be pleasantly surprised when we show up on a job site clean cut, respectful and with a desire to give the best product. When the job is complete, we have made one more person in our community think differently about the dirty work of asphalt.

AsphaltPro: Will you tell us about a person who served as a mentor for you and how this person encouraged you? Is there a piece of advice from this person that you would share with other women in the industry/other operators?

Alisha Hatch: My husband Tyson is my biggest mentor and cheerleader. When I get discouraged about people in the industry thinking less of me as underrated woman of asphalt, he always jokes that if they only knew who ran this company! He teaches and pushes me to overcome these stigmatisms and show our community how a woman can do this too. You CAN be a big part of the industry, you can get your hands a little dirty and we can become more well-rounded women because of it.

Innovations in snow removal equipment is enabling a leading New England company to clear more snow with less equipment, labor, maintenance and repair

Many snow removal businesses base their decision on acquiring snow plow or pusher attachments on the initial cost, overlooking long-term expenses, improved efficiency, quality of clearing, and the potential to secure additional projects. When considering these factors for the upcoming winter down season, the optimal return on investment is achieved through adaptable and agile attachments, even if the upfront expenditure is a little higher.

According to Degen Kelly, director of operations at Outdoor Pride, Manchester, New Hampshire, a company that generates approximately $13 million in annual revenue from snow removal services, it is tempting to focus on the lower initial purchase cost or to simply order the same attachments other companies use. This leads many to just “rinse and repeat,” he says.

However, for the greatest overall returns, more attention should be given to the ROI that higher quality attachments provide. These attachments offer more flexible choices that allow a variety of movements in tight spaces, while adding to the value of skid steers, which are specifically designed to be nimble. Unfortunately, many standard snow plows and pushers have limited functionality, and if big and bulky, turn a nimble skid steer or wheel loader into a large, clumsy piece of equipment with limited maneuverability.

Of course, given the harsh environments where snow removal is required, these attachments must not only perform efficiently but also must last over time.

“Once you crunch the numbers, you see how much time [high quality attachments] can save, how much onsite equipment you can eliminate, how much quicker your operators can work, and how much longer the equipment lasts,” Kelly said. Earlier in his career, he was responsible for operating snow clearing machinery with a range of attachments from different manufacturers.

“Once you start to think about the ROI with the goal of doing more with less equipment, using a more flexible, quality attachment is a no-brainer,” Kelly said.

Given the harsh environments where snow removal is required, these attachments must not only perform efficiently but also must last over time. Photos courtesy of SnowWolf Plows

Removing New England’s Heaviest Snow Loads

Founded in 1988, Outdoor Pride has become one of the largest landscape and snow management providers in New England. Like many landscape contractors, the company offers year-round service that includes snow removal in the winter for large commercial and government-owned properties.

“All the facilities we maintain are zero tolerance, which means that if they ever had to shut down, they could lose a lot of revenue every hour,” Kelly said. “So, the ability to quickly and safely clear snow from a site is essential. We need our entire fleet of equipment effectively performing every day during snow events.”

According to Kelly, the average annual snowfall in New Hampshire amounts to approximately 60 inches. However, as recently as 2020, the state experienced winters with snowfall exceeding 100 inches. To keep up with the high demand for snow removal services, Outdoor Pride maintains a large fleet of more than 300 machines, ranging from trucks and full-size loaders to skid steers and walkway equipment.

For snow removal, the company has 85 Bobcat skid steers and mini loaders, each equipped with a unique AutoWing attachment from SnowWolf Plows, xxx, Minnesota.

Founded in Minnesota in the 1970s as a family run snow removal and landscaping contract business, SnowWolf transitioned into the role of equipment manufacturer in 1990. Today, the OEM offers a variety of models and sizes of snow plows, pushers, blowers and other snow removal accessories that are compatible with skid steers, wheel loaders, front-end loaders, tractors and other machinery.

Among the OEM’s offerings is its patented AutoWing QuattroPlows, available in four models and machine operating weights, which are specialized attachments that allow operators to switch between angle plowing, wide-angle plowing, pushing and back dragging on the fly.

According to Kelly, Outdoor Pride discovered the QuattroPlow seven years ago, at a time when they were looking for an alternative to the attachments they were using.

“Most of the other options were flimsy, fixed box [snow pushers]. You really didn’t have the flexibility to drag or angle. The attachments where backdragging and angling was an option were bulky and limited the ability to easily maneuver the skid steer.”

In contrast, a key feature of the AutoWing design is the ability to extend and retract its side wings independently, depending on the width of the road or the amount of snow cleared. This allows operators to clear wider swaths of snow without manually adjusting the plow’s position, increasing productivity and reducing the need for additional passes.

The AutoWing is also unique because it only requires one hydraulic circuit for operation. No additional wiring is necessary and there are no specialized controls. The attachment can be angled left or right with a standard control feature on the joystick. The user-friendly design simplifies operator training.

“[The QuattroPlow] has all the great aspects of a fixed box, along with the ability to easily angle and back drag,” Kelly said. “It has a very simple setup with just two hydraulic lines.”

Outdoor Pride also elected to use SnowWolf’s ActivEdge, a unique design involving multiple cutting-edge sections with individual adjustability and adaptability. The floating cutting edges allow for more precise snow removal even on varied surfaces and minimizes the need for excessive salt or deicing agents.

“We have seen a benefit from utilizing the [ActivEdge]. Our plow edges are now following the contours of the pavement a lot easier.”

The increased efficiency of Outdoor Pride’s snow removal equipment has substantially improved its operations. Kelly estimates the amount of time to clear a complex area has been reduced by one-third, which often means an additional machine is not required. Due to its ability to conform to surface contours, the ActivEdge more effectively clears the area, reducing the necessity for additional passes or excessive salt applied post scrape.

Although decreasing operator time is important to Outdoor Pride, Kelly says there are other ancillary factors that contribute to the ROI. One of those factors is the ability of the equipment to withstand the rigors of annual snow clearing.

According to Kelly, some of the accessories on the market, “seem to get banged up a lot easier and require some serious attention to maintenance. With some of the competitors [that we were utilizing at the time], the implement was unusable after just a few years and the repair cost would’ve been too much,” he said, adding that the QuattroPlows the company purchased seven years ago are still in service and other than new edges from time to time have required very little maintenance.

“The [attachment] is an investment, but from what we have found, it is an investment that gives us results and lasts,” Kelly said. “We are experiencing significant ROI in decreased operator time to get through an entire property. We also see it in the longevity of the product.”

While the initial cost of equipment like snow plows or pushers can be significant, it is essential to evaluate their long-term benefits, including increased efficiency, better quality of clearing and the ability to handle more jobs.

By opting for more flexible and nimble attachments, snow removal services can enhance their operational efficiency and effectiveness. When the ROI is carefully analyzed, it becomes evident that the initial higher investment in advanced attachments pays off, making them an indispensable component of modern snow removal strategies.

For more information, contact SnowWolf at (800) 905-2265 or email info@snowwolfplows.com.