Roy Chipley, owner of Chipley Company in Florence, South Carolina, was recently named Equipment World Magazine’s 2017 Contractor of the Year. For three generations, Chipley Company has been providing exceptional asphalt paving and grading services in the northeastern region of South Carolina. Located in the city of Florence, the company began humbly with just 10 employees back in 1960. They quickly established an outstanding reputation and continue to carry out that strong work ethic today.

Together with his son Marshall, Roy manages the company his father started more than five decades ago. Over time, the family-run business has expanded their services to include site clearing, storm drainage and sanitary sewer system installation, material hauling and much more. The Chipleys are committed to maintaining lasting relationships with their customers. With a focus on dedication, resourcefulness and authenticity, the quality of the work they perform sets them apart.

As a turnkey contractor, the team at Chipley Company takes great pride in seeing a project through from the idea stage all the way to the finished product. Reliable equipment is a crucial part of helping them stay on schedule. They depend on local Cat® dealer Blanchard Machinery to ensure that they are always moving forward and following through.

“At the end of the day, my definition of success is – did we do what we promised for our customer? Or have we done more than that?” said the elder Chipley. “The versatility that Cat brings to the table covers every base I need. Combined with dealer support, it keeps me completely focused.”

Do More with Multi-Purpose Cat Machines and Attachments

The Chipleys utilize a Cat 420F IT Backhoe Loader to quickly move large quantities of material across long distances on vast jobsites. They also use this machine to dig trenches. The ability to quickly change attachments from inside the cab keeps their operators smoothly transitioning from one task to the next.

“We use buckets to move material, angle brooms for cleaning up the job site, forks for moving pallets and other structures,” he explained. “The Cat 420F IT Backhoe Loader has lifting capacity, pushing capacity and four-wheel drive capability to power through any site that we’re covering. Having that versatility is very important to us.”

On busy jobs with buildings positioned close together, utility poles and other tight quarters to get around, the Chipley Company crew uses a Cat DK52 Small Dozer to move dirt. These machines are easy to maneuver and also feature large windows with an unobstructed view for the operator inside the cab. 

“With people on the ground, the Cat DK52 makes it a lot easier for the operator to see what might be in their way,” said Roy Chipley. “Picking up something in their peripheral view might make the difference between a good day and a really bad day.”

“THE CAT 420F IT BACKHOE LOADER HAS LIFTING CAPACITY, PUSHING CAPACITY AND FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE CAPABILITY TO POWER THROUGH ANY SITE THAT WE’RE COVERING. HAVING THAT VERSATILITY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.”

In addition to clear visibility, other features inside the cab enhance comfort and safety for both the operator and those working outside the machine. Adjustable seats, armrest-supported controls, temperature control and a quiet environment all help to prevent operator fatigue.

Superior Controls Increase Efficiency

Besides offering a comfortable setting for operators to work in, Marshall Chipley finds that other machine systems can increase productivity even more. On the DK52, traction control helps to improve fuel economy and reduces track slippage with the push of a button. When an operator is moving a large amount of dirt and loses grip on a soft section of ground, traction control kicks in to manage the power to the tracks. This allows the machine’s cleats to dig down and regain stability.

“You don’t want to damage the undercarriage by letting the tracks spin,” stated Marshall Chipley. “You’re wasting diesel fuel, wasting time and wearing out the tracks.”

Stable blade control is another way that Chipley Company machine operators get the job done quickly and accurately, even for the newest members of the crew who are still learning the job. This feature complements the operator input to ensure smooth finish grading results. Especially for younger operators who grew up using joysticks on video games, the hand-to-eye contact with Cat machine configurations is an easy transition.

“As you’re pushing dirt, the machine is reading the ground. So you tend to get a much flatter grade,” the younger Chipley explained. “An operator who doesn’t have much experience can run the DK52 and they are much faster and more precise. Their work is a lot better because of the stable blade feature.”

“AN OPERATOR WHO DOESN’T HAVE MUCH EXPERIENCE CAN RUN THE DK52 AND THEY ARE MUCH FASTER AND MORE PRECISE. THEIR WORK IS A LOT BETTER BECAUSE OF THE STABLE BLADE FEATURE.”

Personal Relationships Built Over Time

As a Caterpillar customer for more than a decade with a business that has been serving the same region for 55 years and counting, Roy Chipley knows something about building relationships. Chipley Company has survived ups and downs, always coming out on top. A combination of their family work ethic and reliable dealer support from Blanchard Machinery keeps them running strong.

“We have a longstanding relationship with Caterpillar. It’s personal with our dealer and I don’t get that with anyone else,” said Roy Chipley. “They’ve built a relationship with me. That personal relationship allows us to do business and that’s the name of the game in today’s economy.”

The Chipleys don’t believe in brand loyalty for the sake of consistency. For them, it’s all about machine performance and getting the best return on their investment in the form of efficient, productive work.

“We choose the machine that’s going to do the job best. Consistently, Caterpillar keeps updating all of their equipment that meets our needs and they continue to blow us away with their improvements,” stated Marshall Chipley. “That’s why we continue to use Cat.”

Learn more about Roy Chipley winning 2017 Contractor of the Year from Equipment World Magazine.

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