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Customer Connection 24 | www.cedmag.com | Construction Equipment Distribution | March 2014 use on state-funded projects. The state is currently deciding whether or not it could be accepted into the system as an approved protocol. Technology is also working to improve efficiency and safety at Luck Stone. As the company examined how it would mine its quarry in Fairfax, Va., through its last decade, the question of safety came up. One employee asked, "What if nobody was in the loader?" That question resulted in months of investigation and ultimately a remote control (RC) loader that Luck Stone developed. Installed on a Cat 988G wheel loader, the innovation allows the company to more safely access material within the smaller footprint of the older, deeper quarry. The machine can be operated both manually and remotely. In a typical quarry, the company estimates it will be able to access an additional 1 to 2 tons of reserves using the technology. According to Grauer, remote control is very new to the aggre- gates industry. "It is a game changer for us. It is very unique to see a remote control machine in a production role," he said. "We have people who can challenge assumptions." In this case, the company leveraged the knowledge of an employee with experience in underground mining operations to develop a solution. They worked with Anchises Equipment Cana- da, Inc. to obtain the remote control capabilities. "We had to find someone who could provide the technology support on a small scale for what we were trying to accomplish," said Grauer. Standardization and Support Drives Fleet Management Decisions When it comes to everyday product, inventory and technical support, Luck Stone is reliant on its dealers and manufacturers. When it comes to purchasing, their vendor partners are "as important as the piece of iron itself," said Grauer. Luck Stone's fleet is primarily comprised of large wheel loaders (8 to 12 yard) and large rigid-frame trucks (35-100 tons). A supporting fleet of equipment includes small wheel loaders, excavators, cranes, clean up loaders, and graders. While Luck Stone's fleet is largely Caterpillar, the company also runs John Deere equipment and has used Volvo and other brands at various times. Except for a contractor subsidiary (Chesapeake Materials), most equip- ment doesn't leave the site where it is designated for use. Luck Stone purchases the vast majority of equip- ment new, runs it approximately 2,000 hours per year, and with a complete machine rebuild they are able to extend the life of the machine to 20,000-30,000 hours. Rebuilds are primarily done in-house, with deal- ers responsible for rebuilding major components. Currently, Luck Stone completes approximately nine or 10 rebuilds annually. Luck Stone drives efficiency though standardization – which for them means sticking to fewer brands in order to achieve mechanic expertise and simplified parts stocking. "When [our] rebuild mechanic knows ("Luck Stone Adds Value With Innovation" continued from page 22) Visit www.ajaxtools.com to see our Post Drivers, Deck Busters, Frost Wedges, Tamping Pads & More! New From... HYDRAULIC MOUNTED BREAKER ASPHALT CUTTER s &ORGED BLADE s (IGH IMPACT ALLOY STEEL s 2EINFORCING RIB ADDS STRENGTH AND STIFFNESS TO MINIMIZE TWISTING AND DEmECTION LOADS We Make Pounding the Pavement Profitable! 30%#)!, ,%.'4(3 !6!),!",% 50 4/ &4 ,/.' info@ajaxtools.com MADE IN THE USA A Cat 988 G loader operates remotely within the pit area. The machine can be controlled from an operator house or pickup truck where the operator can see the site. It can also be operated manually.