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Concrete paving opportunities are paying off in more ways than one for customers and dealers alike, as in the case of Topcon dealer Ozark Laser and Shoring, that embraces forward-thinking ways to help customers.
Ozark put Eddie Brown, a machine control specialist, in charge of the paving business — managing, selling, and supporting stringless concrete technology. According to Brown, the obvious benefits of stringless paving make it attractive to customers.
“No stringlines on the job enhances safety and access,” Brown said. “Also more accessibility to the job site for cement trucks and equipment; the safety of not getting caught up in stringlines; paving machine maneuverability — it can get around the site much easier — all make the system valuable to the customer.
“Topcon is the leader in the stringless curb and gutter,” he said. “There is another player but it is a different type of technology. Topcon has it all over them for running multiple machines off the same transmitters.”
Brown said, “As a dealership it is a great option to have and with our lineup of equipment, we can provide our customers with a real potential for growth and increased profitability.”
One way 3D concrete paving has increased growth for Ozark is by opening doors for other areas of business too.
“We took Kansas Paving from zero to hero,” said Brown. “They had almost no machine control systems for any of their equipment, but were interested in the Topcon stringless curb and gutter system. From that relationship Kansas Paving ended up investing in a full-blown Topcon automated suite with dozer and motor grader systems, as well as survey rovers.”
Brian Lingobardo, Topcon 3D road construction systems manager, said Brown’s experience had a very encouraging outcome, and is an example of why Topcon focused on the 3D concrete paving market.
“Eddie made a connection with a valuable customer that his dealership had never been able to do business with before on the 3D side — because either the customer just had no interest or no time. But because they bought this curb machine and wanted to go stringless, it opened up the door to other sales as well,” Lingobardo said.
According to Lingobardo, that’s not the only example of 3D paving stirring up more business.
“We just had another customer last week that bought a Topcon system on his curb machine,” said Lingobardo. “That customer has around 20-plus competitor’s systems, but because that competitor has no curb and gutter solution, we were able to get in with him and show what business opportunities he could gain through having a Topcon system in his lineup.”
Brown is confident business will continue to grow with word getting around about the added productivity.
“So far everyone we’ve worked with is really pleased with the outcome of using stringless technology, from the efficiency of the job, the ability to cut their labor needs by — in some cases — as much as 80 percent … No stringlines, just survey and go,” Brown said.
“It is a huge part of our business plan along with Sitelink3D and other Topcon solutions,” he said. “We are really looking forward to using those products to expand both our business and that of our customers. So far, so good.”
