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Home » Equipment Today » June 2007

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Cut Costs and Fill Profits

Pull Scraper Systems

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Pull scrapers also allow operation in adverse weather conditions. When ground conditions get soft, top-loading pull scrapers will keep things moving.

Use good judgment
League advises customers not to buy into hype that sounds too good to be true. "One mistake customers make is they buy the first thing that is being sold and it comes with a really big promise," he comments. There are some companies that promise unrealistic volumes of material moved per cycle. "The better it sounds, the more cautious you should be."

Bennington Equipment has bought into the hype of a new product in this market more than once, and it didn't meet the expectations. "We offered an unknown brand," says League. "It looked heavy, and at the time it was very inexpensive. I tried to rent the machines and they basically broke every other day. There were minor problems nagging constantly. You think you are saving money and it ends up costing a lot more in the long run."

Pull scrapers have the potential to save on earthmoving costs when used in the right applications. But do your homework and work with companies that have a proven record of success. 

Cost Conscious
Purchase price should not be the primary driver in equipment selection. However, if you can get the same or better efficiency out of a piece of equipment, and the operating cost is the same or lower, then the lower purchase price drops to the bottom line.