Bianchi Industrial Services needed a new excavator. The company was performing demolition work at major commercial and industrial sites and its management knew that a large excavator would increase productivity and help to ensure a safe work environment.
“Bianchi has one of the best safety records in the industry,” said Bill Bianchi, managing partner of Bianchi Industrial Services. “The large excavator will help keep our employees safe, because the longer reach of a larger machine allows the operator to be further away from the building being demolished.”
Choosing a Machine
Now, Bianchi had to decide which large excavator to buy. It had purchased equipment from Tracey Road Equipment of East Syracuse, N.Y., and they had supported the equipment very well. This was important to Bianchi.
“We have owned many makes and models of excavators and we have never really had a strong preference for one brand over another. What it really comes down to is the dealer’s ability to service the product,” explained David Bianchi, managing partner of Bianchi Industrial Services.
Scott Collins, vice president of sales and marketing of Tracey Road Equipment, introduced Bianchi to the Kobelco SK850LC Super Acera excavator, a 178,531-lb. (80,980 kg) giant with a 27-ft. (8.7 m) boom and a 14-ft. (4.3 m) arm. The excavator had 50 ft. (15.2 m) of reach. With special boom extensions, it could have up to 150 ft. (46 m) of reach. Use of this massive excavator would make quick work of large projects that would otherwise require many more pieces of equipment or extensive staging of demolitions.
David and Bill Bianchi were impressed with a live demonstration arranged by Collins, where the excavator was working 20 hours a day six days a week. They were also were impressed with several of the machine’s features.
First, the engine was fuel-efficient.
“[The Cummins diesel engine] consumes about 20 percent less fuel than other comparable horsepower motors,” David Bianchi explained, “and at today’s fuel prices I don’t have to tell you how quickly those savings can add up.”
The hydraulic pressures the machine can deliver also impressed the company. The SK850LC offers 90,148 lbs. (40,890 kg) of breakout force.
“[The hydraulic pressures] are so strong that they allow you to actually use smaller attachments than would ordinarily be necessary. So, for instance, instead of needing a 120,000-pound hammer for a particular job, we will be able to get by with an 80,000- or 90,000-pound hammer, which makes this machine more cost effective.”
But Bianchi was concerned about getting parts if a breakdown occurred in another city, because the company performs demolitions all over the country.
“When you get involved in demolition jobs of the magnitude that we do, down time is absolutely critical,” Bill Bianchi explained. “You can’t just stop the demolition process for a few days while you get your machine running.”
With Kobelco’s support, Tracey Road Equipment arranged for Kobelco dealers to be equipped with SK850LC parts in any city Bianchi was working in.
Jerry Tracey, president of Tracey Road Equipment, who Bianchi had known for 30 years, also reassured Bianchi.
“Jerry has given me his personal guarantee that they will not let us down. We currently own a couple of other Kobelco excavators that we purchased from Tracey Road Equipment and [Tracey has] supported those machines very well,” David Bianchi said.
Eating ’Em Up
With a network of support from Kobelco and Tracey Road Equipment, Bianchi purchased the excavator and became the first company in the country to use the Kobelco SK850LC for demolition.
“We are currently using it in West Virginia for an FMC project,” David Bianchi said. “It is doing a super job.”
The massive excavator is equipped with a LaBounty UP90 universal processor, a powerful shear attachment that makes demolition much easier.
“It worked out great that Tracey Road Equipment is also a LaBounty dealer,” Bill Bianchi said. “The UP90 is capable of shearing a 12- to 14-inch steel beam. Before, laborers had to torch cut those beams, but now, this baby eats ’em up.”
Because of this, fewer workers are needed on the ground, reducing Bianchi’s costs and keeping its employees safe.
About Bianchi Industrial Services
Originally established in 1950 as a local demolition company, Bianchi Industrial services remains a family-owned business with national reach, providing a full range of environmental abatement and whole-building recycling services to clients in nearly 20 states. The company owns a large fleet of specialty demolition equipment, including ultra-high reach hydraulic excavators. Bianchi has worked on large projects for chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturers, power and cogeneration facilities, paper plants, aerospace facilities, warehouses, schools, retail locations, sporting arenas and hospitals.
With a full schedule of work ahead for its powerful new excavator, Bianchi looks forward to tackling its biggest demolition challenges yet in the days ahead.
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