With 70 pieces of Cat® equipment in its fleet, Eagle Excavation cites longevity, durability and dependability as key reasons for returning to Caterpillar. Now, you can add technology to the list as well.
“One thing that sets Eagle Excavation apart from our competitors in the area is that we utilize technologies and put them in the hands of people who want to learn,” says Superintendent Michael Terry.
That includes operators like Corey Mikell, who’s using the GPS technology on his Cat Dozer to get to grade in just two passes. “Production efficiency is way higher because you get the job done in half the time,” he says.
Company President Bill Dillan also appreciates what Caterpillar technologies bring to the table. “GPS keeps people off the ground and on tractors all day long,” he says. “There’s no one running around trying to put stakes in the ground. There’s nobody getting off to check grade. These guys know where they are at all times.”
That efficiency paid off big on a recent project where Eagle Excavation had to move 95,000 cubic yards of dirt on a 25-acre site. Terry estimates using a Cat dozer equipped with GPS technology shaved two weeks off the duration of the project—and saved the company in the range of $12,000 to $15,000.
“Caterpillar has been leading the way in integrated GPS systems,” Dillan says, “and that’s one of the main reasons I stick with Cat.”
Eagle Excavation also is taking advantage of Cat Product LinkTM and its web-based interface, VisionLink®, to monitor machine location, fuel use and running versus idle time. Equipment Manager Ray Hickman has set up the system to send email and text alerts when machines experience fault or error codes.
“I can get a text, troubleshoot it, and then be able to go out on the site with the proper tools and parts 98% of the time,” he says.
