Product Showcase

Cutting-edge Solutions that Increase Efficiency

Roland Machinery’s Technology Solutions Group is dedicated to helping customers adopt time - and cost-saving technology.

From GPS grading to stringless paving on the jobsite to software solutions that let project managers track production time and quantities as well as update plan files from practically anywhere, technology is making today’s construction industry more efficient than ever. With an ever-increasing number of technologies available, deciding which ones you should adopt to be most effective in your business can be difficult. Roland Machinery Company’s Technology Solutions Group can help you determine the best fits.

“Not using technology at all or utilizing the wrong tools for your operation can mean sacrificing production and efficiency gains,” said Kyle McDowell, Director of Technology Solutions, Roland Machinery. “The Technology Solutions Group is a team of experts dedicated to helping customers maximize the benefits of technology on their equipment and utilize solutions for jobsite management. Our goal is to partner with customers, understand their business and match them with the technology that maximizes profitability. We want to be their one-call solution for all things technology with simple answers to complex issues.”

McDowell leads the four-member Technology Solutions Group that includes Kyle Wiesmueller, Brian Ehlert and Quinten Henke. Wiesmueller covers Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Ehlert covers northern Illinois and Indiana, and Henke covers southern Illinois and Missouri. Each has a wealth of experience in the construction industry, including McDowell, who joined Roland Machinery 10 years ago as a technical support expert (TSE) to help customers who were incorporating Komatsu Intelligent Machine Control (IMC) equipment into their fleets understand the new dozers — and later excavators— with factory-integrated GPS machine control.

“Roland understood early on what a difference IMC was going to make and committed to investing in ways to support customers as they added those machines, as well as manufacturers such as the WIRTGEN GROUP that’s brought exciting tech to its mills and pavers,” said McDowell. “We are here to support both machinery and solutions on any brand of equipment Roland carries. We like to sit down with our customers on a one-on-one basis, see what their specific needs are and custom-tailor a package that best suits their needs and budget.”

Model building services

When mechanical contractor E.L. Pruitt Company decided to expand with a turnkey civil division in 2020, it worked with Roland Machinery and McDowell to find equipment and technical services such as model building.

“We request a CAD file from an engineer, which 90% of the time is 2D, and I send it to Kyle, who has a 3D model built to our specifications,” explained E.L. Pruitt Estimator James Montgomery. “For the most part, he emails that file to an operator who loads it into the machine. I’m confident in the accuracy. In addition, he will come out to the site and help us align the job and input software as needed into the data collector. If we need something, he’s there.”

E.L. Pruitt Project Manager Mike Sinclair added, “Kyle and the Roland team build into our team, which in turn helps our customers in the long run. With their help, we are producing a better end product and doing it faster and more efficiently. We believe that’s going to help us grow our civil side quicker.”

Stringless paving

McDowell is also working with companies embracing stringless paving such as Springfield, Ill., based Kinney Contractors, which recently added a WIRTGEN SP 15i offset slipform paver. The machine features WIRTGEN AutoPilot 2.0 that uses GPS technology to steer the machine and augments height with a Topcon total station without the need for pins or running string.

Kinney Contractors has used the SP 15i on several jobs, including a recent project in Decatur that involved slipping new curb to match existing pavement. Operator J.D. Moore said it would normally be very challenging.

“The existing pavement had a lot of patches; it’s not like new construction where you put the curb in and match everything else,” explained Moore. “The ability of the stringless system to adjust in an instant, on the fly, is a huge help in matching. Because we’re not running string on these projects, setup time has been cut way down.”

Moore added, “I believe Kyle McDowell and Roland’s help was a big factor in our ability to add the machine and have success with it. They came out when we first got it and showed us how to set it up the most efficient way. They have been great about giving us the support we need.”

Multiple options

Wiesmueller joined Roland Machinery as a TSE about the same time as McDowell after several years of working for a positioning solutions company. In his previous role, he helped install add-on GPS kits and trained customers on how to utilize GPS. Wiesmueller has continued to do those tasks at Roland Machinery, along with other services such as installing Komatsu Smart Construction 3D Machine Guidance on conventional excavators and helping customers with model building.

“The last decade has seen a huge increase in technology for the machine and jobsite such as Komatsu Smart Construction solutions that can be used in every phase of a project, from before you push dirt to the very end,” stated Wiesmueller. “As the number of solutions expanded, so did our training to keep up with the new innovations. In addition to showing customers how IMC machines work, we can help with drone mapping, utilizing base and rover technology, timecard management, as-built data collection and remote jobsite management.”

Several companies such as Racine, Wis., based A.W. Oakes & Son Inc. have adopted multiple Komatsu Smart Construction solutions with Roland Machinery’s help. A.W. Oakes & Son has been using IMC equipment for about a decade and has since added Smart Construction Remote and Smart Construction Base/Rover.

“We want to be on the cutting edge of technology because the time- and cost-saving advantages are so significant, and Smart Construction has made us a more efficient company all around,” said Matthew Krok, Project Manager of Survey/Staking, A.W. Oakes & Son. “For instance, Remote allows us to transfer files without having to drive to the site. We use it daily and have been for quite some time. Now, Kyle Wiesmueller is helping us swap out some of our old base and rover technology.”

Krok continued, “Kyle and Roland have played a great role in getting us up to speed on Smart Construction. They help with training. We have a great line of communication and partnership.”

Finding the right fit

Working for a small construction company that used Topcon solutions gave Henke a solid background in utilizing base and rover kits as well as machine control. He brought that experience to Roland Machinery when he joined the Technology Solutions Group a few months ago.

“I saw the way technology changed the way we did things; jobs that would take days before could be done in a day or less because you’re not waiting on grade checkers with string and sticks,” said Henke. “You know exactly where grade is from the seat of the machine, so the grade checkers can be freed up to do other tasks. It’s amazing to see what a machine can do on its own, but to be able to add in the as-built data and bring it back to the office and track progress at any time is a real game-changer that’s helping lower costs.”

Ehlert was touting the same benefits even before he became a TSE in February 2023. He moved into the role after joining Roland Machinery as a service administrator eight years ago after several years as an automotive technician.

“There are so many ways that current technology can benefit customers, from taking paper plans and turning them into 3D models to fully automatic grade control, and we can help them learn how to best use the machines, load job files, localize sites and a lot more,” said Ehlert. “I saw what the future held a long time ago and wanted to learn more, and that eventually led me into this role. There is so much available that it can be intimidating, but we’re here to help customers find the right options. Customers can often be hesitant at first, but as soon as we get on-site and show them the functionality, and they see the benefits themselves, they are excited about putting it to use.”

Ehlert works closely with several companies like heavy civil contractor Judlau Contracting Inc. (part of OHLA USA Inc.), which specializes in large public works projects. Judlau was an early adopter of IMC dozers and has recently added a Komatsu PC210LCi-11 IMC 2.0 excavator with a tilt bucket that it is utilizing on an $88 million water drainage project in the Chicago area. Judlau is using the PC210LCi-11 for creek excavation, stone placement and survey layout. In addition to machines, Judlau has purchased several bases and rovers from Roland Machinery.

“A lot of the material we’re excavating is underwater, and the excavator allows us to collect as-built data as we go, so we always know where we are at,” commented Technical Project Manager Christopher Dietz. “The plan is uploaded to the machine, and the operator always has that in front of them. The excavator knows where it is in relation to final elevation, and once it hits that, it will keep him from over-digging, which helps control our costs, and we don’t have a grade checker. That labor has shifted over to water control and allows us to move faster. If we did it traditionally, with stakes and more survey, our production costs would probably be 30% to 40% higher. I can’t imagine doing it differently at this point.”

Dietz added, “Brian and the Roland team have been a big help in finding us the equipment and supporting us with training, as needed. They are fair and honest with us.”

Investing in success

McDowell emphasized that Roland Machinery’s Technology Solutions Group can help anyone who wants to add technology solutions.

“Technology has been shown to be a great return on investment with time and cost savings,” stated McDowell. “It really benefits today’s contractors, no matter what size they are. We are here toplay a consultative role in helping them make educated decisions on what is and what is not an appropriate investment.”

McDowell concluded, “In addition, we’re making a firm commitment on our side to fully support customers’ technology needs by investing in training our sales, parts and service personnel on technology and investing in ensuring we have any necessary parts and service items available when needed.”