The TB20e is 100% battery-powered with zero exhaust emissions and reduced noise/vibration levels.

The first 100 units of the TB20e, Takeuchi’s new electric compact excavator, are being shipped to select United Rentals locations in North America. The TB20e is the first Takeuchi designed-and-built, battery-powered machine in what will be a full line of electric products developed.

“The product and market development for the TB20e took place in North America, so it made sense to debut the machine here as well,” said Clay Eubanks, director of global sales for Takeuchi. “We’ve partnered with United Rentals to introduce our first 100 units because of our long-standing relationship and our work together on current and future product needs. We’re excited to see how their customers react to this new environmentally friendly excavator with all the power and performance they’ve come to expect from Takeuchi.”

 Similar in performance to Takeuchi’s diesel-powered TB216 compact excavator, the TB20e is 100% battery-powered with zero exhaust emissions and reduced noise/vibration levels.

 When fully charged, the TB20e offers a continuous working time ranging from four hours to eight hours, depending on the application and environment. The excavator has an operating weight of 4,255 lbs., a bucket capacity of 1.34 cubic feet and a primary auxiliary flow of 9.0 gpm. Maximum reach is 13 ft. 4 in. and maximum digging depth is 7 ft. 10.1 in. The TB20e also features a spacious and comfortable operator’s station with a completely new high-definition, multi-informational color display.

 “United Rentals and Takeuchi have a long history together, and we’re pleased to be the first to offer the new, environmentally friendly TB20e excavator,” said TJ Mahoney, vice president, supply chain for United Rentals. “Not only does this machine provide our customers with a more sustainable equipment option, it’s also more cost efficient to operate. We look forward to working with Takeuchi on additional electric-powered equipment innovations in the future.”

For more information on Takeuchi track loaders, excavators and wheel loaders, visit www.takeuchi-us.com.

Landscapers show Dexter what to do one time, and the robot then autonomously repeats those actions.

SAN FRANCISCO — Electric Sheep Robotics announced the formal general availability of its Dexter robot. Dexter takes existing commercial lawn mowers, both gas and electric, and turns them into autonomous vehicles. Dexter is designed to address critical labor shortages in the landscaping, facilities and property management industries.

Nationally, a record 4.5 million U.S. workers quit their jobs in November. There are more job openings than there are workers. The labor market in landscaping is particularly dire. Tens of thousands of full-time positions are going unfilled, according to the National Association of Landscape Professionals, who also call 2021 “the worst labor market in recent history.”

The company also today announced Series A financing in the amount of $21.5 million, led by Tiger Global. To date, the company has raised $25.7 million and is currently the best-capitalized autonomous mowing start-up with the largest number of commercial customer deployments.

Other investors include Foundation Capital, who led the $4 million Seed round, grep -vc, Signia Venture Partners, as well as individual pre-Seed investors Ariel Cohen (TripActions), Travis Deyle (Cobalt Robotics), Sahil Lavingia (Gumroad), and Reinforced Ventures.

Electric Sheep will use the funds to fuel expansion across all departments in order to meet growing customer demand. The company currently has contracts with 30 customers across the U.S. and interest is high.

Dexter attaches to new or existing lawn mowers and requires minimal training in order to autonomously mow any type of grass. Landscapers show Dexter what to do one time, and the robot then autonomously repeats those actions. Dexter utilizes cutting-edge technology, including LiDAR, cameras, GPS, ultrasonic sensors for precise maneuvering across diverse terrain and OTA firmware updates. All robots are monitored while in use and incorporate a safety-rated system capable of detecting perimeter breaches in even the most adverse conditions. Dexter is being designed to the evolving R15.08 standard for self-driving robots and is available with no upfront costs through a Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model.

For more information, click here.

Snowplow operators must weigh safety issues before a winter event.

Even with all the advances in technology that have enhanced the snow-removal industry, safety protocols are as important as ever. Plow operators should be cognizant of safety issues well before a snow event and well before they operate a piece of equipment.

Zach Kelley is the director of operations for Sauers Snow and Ice Management in Warminster, Pa.

The company serves the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Kelley stresses the importance of plow operators familiarizing themselves with their equipment and with safety standards. His employees and service providers receive safety training at the start of each snow season.

“The first time you operate a piece of equipment should not be in the middle of a snowstorm,” Kelley says. “We take time in the months leading up to snow season to train our crew members on the equipment they will be operating. Our goal is that they can safely operate that piece of equipment in all weather conditions. The operators should walk around equipment before using it to visually inspect it.”

Prior to a snow event, plow operators should have a working knowledge of the site they’ll be servicing.

Prior to the start of the snow season, Attilio DiLoreto tells his plow operators to visit the sites where they’ll be working to familiarize with its unique features and any potential problem areas.

“The more times you visit the site before it snows, the better you’re going to be on it when it snows,” says DiLoreto, the director of operations for Case Snow Management in North Attleborough, Mass. He emphasizes that plow operators and their managers should have a plan of action in place and be intimately familiar with that plan before a storm hits.

“You review a plan in the office,” DiLoreto says. “You review a plan in the field. You review every area with your site manager. You review any problem areas that are going to be there so when it does snow (plow operators) know everything that’s there.

“The operators know which area they’re plowing,” he adds. “They know any dangers in that area. If there are emergency exits, the manager knows where they are.”

DiLoreto says its best to have as many people become familiar with a plan as possible. “The more people look at the plan the more chance you’re going to have of picking up a mistake or a problem,” he says. “The more guys that are out in the field looking at the site, the less problems you’re going to have in the future.”

When a storm is imminent, operators need to prepare themselves for the conditions they are likely to face, which of course will vary. based on changing conditions.

“We have developed a snow response plan that dictates what preparations we make,” Kelley says, “and how we communicate with our team. Our snow response plan is specific to what type and size snow event we are having. We prepare very differently for flurries than we do for blizzards and ice events.”

It’s essential that plow operators prepare themselves for a storm physically as well. That includes getting sufficient rest, eating properly and staying hydrated.

Consuming water or a sports drink before going to work in the snow helps guard against dehydration. Replenishing fluids during the snow event itself is also important.

Once the plowing operation begins, DiLoreto stresses the importance of operators maintaining a safe plowing speed.

“There is no reason why I need to plow at faster than 15 miles an hour,” he says. “None. Anything that happens after that speed is only going to be an accident. Or something bad. Or, you’ll break something. That’s in equipment, that’s in trucks, that’s in everything.

“You should always take a look at what the site looks like and understand what you’re driving on. If you come into an area that’s slippery and you’re driving fast, you’re going to have an accident. So, know the ground you’re driving on.”

Kelley instructs his crews to take nothing for granted in terms of their surroundings. “It doesn’t matter how comfortable you are with a piece of equipment on a site. Always take the time to look before making a turn or reversing.”

Kelley makes a point to emphasize safety concerns to his team and his clients.

“There is absolutely nothing that is worth taking that shortcut and adding an unnecessary risk to our team and equipment,” he says.

“When clients ask us to cut corners … we use that time to educate others. The ASCA Industry Standards have been a great resource for our company. We love to share these standards with our clients to educate them on the snow and ice industry.”

Snow companies can employ additional technology in order to boost performance.

Snow season can be tough enough for companies, but by making the most of the latest products out on the market and implementing technology, Ohio-based H&M Landscaping is able to improve efficiency when it comes to snow removal.

The 35-year-old company has nearly 200 employees, and snow removal consists of about 25% of its annual revenue.

During a major snow event, H&M President Mark Mazzurco says it’s all hands on deck, and there are a lot of moving parts to keep track of when it comes to crews and equipment.

“We can run anywhere up to 300 units,” he says. “That’s trucks, loaders, backhoes, Bobcats, etc.”

With such a big snow operation, Mazzurco says technology has become key to the business’s success.

“We really utilize technology,” he says.

A major gamechanger for H&M has been getting in on the ground floor of some of the newest equipment and technology hitting the marketplace.

“We try to utilize technology by testing the newest products out on the market,” Mazzurco says.

Over the years, H&M has done research and development testing on a handful of products for big-name companies.

“We’ve done some R&D on the front end of things,” he says. “They let us use the equipment for free…and report back. We usually say, ‘Hey! This is something that’s good about it,’ and then maybe some improvements.”

While getting the prototypes out in the field, Mazzurco says his crews put it through the ringer to really test its strength. And most of the time, it helps turn the product into something that becomes a vital part of the company’s snow removal routine.

“When it first came out there was a few hiccups, but otherwise it’s been amazing,” Mazzurco says of one new product. “I think we bought another 10 of them for this year. It takes the place of about five to seven walkway guys, and with labor being what it is, that’s huge.”

Mazzurco says the new product is especially nice for clearing walkways, which can be a tough task when labor restraints are plaguing everyone.

“Walkways are the toughest part of the business,” he says. “Sleep deprivation and being in a nice, warm truck is one thing. But sleep deprivation and being out in the elements is a whole other conversation. The walkway guys are the hardest roles to fill.”

In addition to solving labor issues, Mazzurco says he also likes testing out new products to combat other challenges like maintenance costs.

“When you’re working with equipment, the biggest issue you have is breakdowns,” he says. “Trucks can get beaten up pretty bad. Transmissions get broken. From springs to lug nuts to axles — you name it, and it can go bad.”

Something as simple as a pusher box can make a big difference, according to Mazzurco.

“We own about 40 mid-size loaders and we put a pusher box in front of it, and those machines don’t even know they’re working,” he says. “It’s part-time for them. We try to utilize that as much as possible. Not only does it make us more efficient, but it keeps repairs and maintenance costs down as low as we can.”

And even if a product appears to have worked during the testing, Mazzurco says that doesn’t necessarily mean crews will be on board to use it long term.

“If it’s not easy to use, the guys don’t like it,” he says. “You’ve got to use equipment people want to use. I’ve bought things and thought they were great, but no one wanted to use them.”

H&M is a big enough player in the industry that Mazzurco says most companies reach out to them for R&D opportunities, but he adds that getting involved in industry associations is another way to stay up to date on the latest products out there.

Having the right equipment is one thing, but Mazzurco says utilizing GPS that integrates with the company’s business management system kicks things up a notch.

His business just switched operating systems this year, and Mazzurco says he’s excited about the change.

“It’s pretty slick,” he says. “Because that GPS is tied to everything internally. We used to have to have a supervisor take down all of the hours and approve them and everything. Now the system does that and highlights any issues. So, if an account is supposed to take four hours but we had trucks on site for five hours, it’ll flag it.”

Improving accuracy is one of the biggest things that drew Mazzurco to this new system.

“It also helps us keep an eye on crooked numbers. If you’re not in 100 yards of a site, you can’t clock in,” he says. “We’re trying to utilize the technology to hold people accountable.”

Mazzurco says an added bonus to the new system is that it’s sparked his team to work harder and strive to match their peers.

“We’ve got a scoreboard where we put everything up on it,” he says. “Most of our people are competitive. We’ve got key performance indicators (KPIs) and each supervisor sees those on their dashboard on their computer. It shows them and where they are compared to the rest of the staff. From a competitive standpoint, it holds people accountable without really trying to hold people accountable. It’s been really good for us.”

And when things aren’t working, Mazzurco says the new system will allow him and his team to find the root of the problem faster as more data will be readily available.

“We like to do what we call autopsies,” he says, “where you go in and look at jobs that aren’t performing. Is it a bad bid? Did we put the wrong piece of equipment on it? Maybe it’s the supervisor.”

Having more information can only help them improve efficiency, Mazzurco says.

“The more we show them how to win, the more they win,” he adds.

One of the easiest ways H&M embraces technology is through texting.

It’s also about catering to your audience, or in Mazzurco’s case, his employee’s preference.

“We utilize a lot of mass texting,” he says. “I deal with a lot of young people who don’t like to pick the phone up. You text them and they respond but then you go to call, and they don’t pick up the phone. And you know they have it in their hand.”

And when things take a turn quickly, which is common during snow season, Mazzurco says texting is the fastest way to reach as many people as possible.

To do this, H&M has set up what they call a “Bat Phone.” Every supervisor mans the Bat Phone for a week-long period a few times in the season, and during that time, they are responsible for sending out text blasts and coordinating responses.

“Texting is just more efficient,” Mazzurco says. “If you call someone up, you start to chat and that takes a few minutes. Where with a text, you read it and do it.”

No two properties or winter events are the same. To improve your performance, consider these key factors when coordinating your deicing and anti-icing strategy.

When implementing a deicing and anti-icing program, there are many factors to consider. Snow and ice management professionals must assess what product is best for various pavement and weather conditions, as well as how much product should be used and the application method appropriate for the product.

When you are planning product application and applying product, there are a few important factors to keep in mind. Here are a few tips on the best practices, procedures and considerations when it comes to deicing and anti-icing.

Consider Current Conditions. It is essential that the pavement is clear of snow or loose ice before applying chemicals to reduce resulting product dilution. The road surface can refreeze if precipitation or moisture on the pavement dilutes the chemical, or if pavement temperatures drop below the effective temperature of the anti-icing chemicals.

Identify Critical Areas. Schedule anti-icing applications on bridge decks and other critical areas beforehand if temperature and conditions could produce frost or black ice. Consider spot applications on hills, curves, intersections and turn lanes if predicted conditions warrant.

Consider The Product. Make sure to utilize the appropriate application rate based on the chemical you are using and the current and projected pavement temperature. Liquid anti-icing chemicals are not recommended in use with freezing rain; instead use a granular product.

Weather Factors. Do not apply chemicals before predicted rain.

It’s important to know that pavement temperature, rather than ambient temperature, drives the application rate. However, it is also important to pay attention to air temperatures because they can indicate pavement temperature trends. Utilize accurate pavement temperature and other road weather information to decide when to begin applying chemicals.

Do not apply anti-icing chemicals under blowing snow conditions and in areas prone to drifting. Be aware of areas that are prone to wind issues.

First Application/Dry Spells. Apply liquids at approximately half the normal rate (not half the concentration) on dry roads because liquids tend to mix with petroleum products from vehicles and can potentially cause slippery conditions.

Method Of Application. When applying product with only streamer or pencil nozzles, maintain some bare pavement between sprayed lines to reduce slipperiness. Fan spray is not recommended.

Do Not Shoot And Run. The application of anti-icing chemicals requires constant monitoring of precipitation rate, temperature, traffic and dilution of the product. If the storm is severe, consider using only mechanical snow removal until the severity lessens, and then resume liquid treatments.

Less Is More. Only apply the minimum amount of chemical needed to meet the defined level of service. Do not apply too much chemical or the pavement may become slippery. Remember, it is always important to follow the product’s application recommendations.

Anti-icing is the snow and ice control practice of preventing the formation or development of bonded snow and ice by timely applications of a chemical freezing-point depressant. Anti-icing chemicals, if used as part of a proactive operations plan, can substantially reduce materials usage, wear and tear on maintenance equipment, and personnel time.