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Seven years ago, crews had finished hand rolling an all-concrete lot for a seven-plex movie theater. "We had probably 4,000 yds. of concrete in this parking lot," Johnson says.

When they returned to the shop that night, inspiration struck. "The skid loader was sitting in the shop when we got back, and everybody's back was sore," says Johnson. "We said, ‘We're going to build a curb machine for the front of that.' And away we went."

The result was the Curbcat concrete slipforming attachment, and formation of Creative Equipment Design, which Johnson and his wife Lynn head up. The Curbcat enables a standard-flow skid steer to lay curb and gutter up to 18 in. tall and 24 in. wide using 2-in. slump concrete. Various molds accommodate a range of curb shapes and sizes.

The attachment operates off of a stringline. "We run everything off of a stringline just like the larger concrete pavers," Johnson explains. "The steering and grade are automatically controlled within the attachment."

Two control arms extend into the skid steer's cab, where they hook onto the steering levers and are used to automatically steer the machine. A grade sensor automatically raises and lowers the hydraulic cylinder to maintain proper curb elevation.