When you run a family-owned business, there are two things you can do to boost the company’s productivity: Have more kids or buy machines that can do more than one job.

When Donald H. Stiriz, president of a small family-owned business, DHS Contracting Inc., went to ConExpo in Las Vegas last year, he saw a machine that he believed could significantly cut costs and boost his company’s productivity: a Kobelco ED180 Blade Runner, which is a combination of an excavator and a bulldozer.

Stiriz said he believed the machine would help DHS eliminate both an extra operator and an extra piece of equipment on site, since the Blade Runner could do the work of an excavator and a bulldozer. “All of that adds up to a big savings,” he told Construction Equipment Guide.

DHS of Patchogue, NY, purchased a Kobelco Blade Runner from All Island Equipment, West Babylon, NY.

“Since we purchased this machine, we have cleared sites, put in sanitation, backfilled and cleared, all with one machine,” Stiriz said.

Stiriz’s daughter, Michelle, is considered the company’s expert on the Blade Runner, since she is the primary operator of the machine.

“The machine works very well in tight areas,” Michelle Stiriz said. “It offers offers very good visibility over the blade, which helps a whole lot. The pushing power is excellent.

“Overall, it is a very easy and comfortable machine to operate.”

Donald Stiriz also commented that the unique undercarriage on the Blade Runner increased its stability, which comes in handy when moving around pre-cast concrete.

“The track has very large rollers and a concave track that also seems to add to the stability. Plus, when the machine turns on asphalt, it does not tear anything up,” he said.

The front blade folds down to 2.6 meters (8.5 ft.), making the machine road legal.

“All Island Equipment has treated us very well,” said Donald Stiriz. “They seem to cater to the smaller contractor, and have set us up with good financing. We feel very comfortable there.”

“We are family-owned, and that is very important to us,” continued Donald Stiriz. “Our family name goes on every job we do, and we take our reputation very seriously. That reputation has kept our customers coming back for a lot of years.”

“To do quality work, we need quality equipment,” Donald Stiriz said. “That’s why, for the last several years, we have purchased Kobelco excavators from All Island Equipment.”

Founded in 1968, DHS works primarily as a site developer.

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