Micro Construction gets Major Business with Palifts

Two years ago Rusty and Tony Mock had an idea. They were both concerned about the “feast or famine” nature of the construction business. Rusty was laid off at the time and had been looking for side jobs to subsidize his income. It’s difficult to find construction work during the off season. With all that in mind they saw an open niche in the construction industry. They were looking for a big truck to haul debris from construction jobsites. When searching through Contractor’s Hotline, they found an advertisement for Palfinger’s Palift, an innovative and versatile roll off truck, and gave them a call. Denny Roush, Sales Representative for Tiffin Loader Crane, did better than explain the benefits of the Palift; he brought a truck down to them and gave a demonstration. The brothers were so impressed by the many features that the Palift has to offer that they purchased it. Two years later, Micro Construction has found much success now owning over 120 containers. Located in the southern Ohio city of Baltimore, the business does ninety-five percent of their work through their box containers/dumpsters. Rusty and Tony drop off empty containers and pick up full ones enabling the truck to visit many sites during the day.

The brothers have found that the Palift is flexible, easy to use, and eliminates most safety concerns. It can be used for multiple applications; the box container alone can be used for hauling anything such as waste, gravel, or even mulch. It can also be used in the recycling industry. Micro Construction usually drops off an empty container and then picks up a container full of jobsite waste. The opposite is true for the landscaping industry in which full containers of mulch or stone are dropped off and emptied at the convenience of the contractors rather than having to schedule a specific delivery date and time. Tony and Rusty recently bought out a competitor in nearby Newark acquiring two trucks with roll-off cable hoists. This acquisition allowed them to compare both trucks and further appreciate the value of their Palift hook loader. Considering the operation of the Palift versus the cable trucks the brothers say there is "no comparison between the two, the Palift is better. "Rusty went on saying that “you have control over the dumpster the whole time” with regards to loading containers with the Palift. The Palfinger Palift is indeed an innovative piece of equipment compared to its ‘cable cousin.’ Not only does it have versatility of using several bed styles, but it is both a convenient and safer model. Rusty also likes that you can “run everything out of the cab” meaning that the driver/operator never has to leave the truck in order to drop off or pick up a container unlike cable roll-offs. This leads to another issue that the brothers have with their cable trucks. Hoist and cable roll-offs require the driver to not only leave the truck running but forces the operator to be positioned between the rear of the truck and the container while connecting the cable. There is also a potential danger if the cable should break. Tony stated that the “hooklift is much safer.” Aside from being a safety feature, driver/operators can enjoy the convenience of not having to endure the elements by remaining in the cab. The Palift eliminates the need to stand in the heat, wind, rain, or snow.

If you are unfamiliar with the Palift hooklift, the key to their operation is “simple.” Within a minute the operator backs the truck toward the container. With the in-cab controls the driver turns on the power take-off, lowers the hydraulic arm and engages the container with the hook. The two main cylinders are activated pulling the container onto the chassis and lock it into position. The power take-off is turned off and the driver/operator drives away. The Palift has many advantages that make it a versatile and efficient piece of equipment. More containers can be handled in a shorter amount of time since the driver/operator stays in the cab. A variety of truck beds including flat, liquid containers, cages, and box containers allow one truck to do the work of several. Palfinger Palifts also feature a “dump mode” which further increases its capabilities. Another advantage is that the Palift can be used for a multitude of applications. Many of the industries that incorporate the hooklift include municipalities, agriculture, landscaping, recycling, and waste removal; just to name a few. The success and rapid growth of Micro Construction can be attributed to good business decisions, partnership, and high quality equipment. Tony and Rusty contracted with Porta Kleen, another area business. Porta Kleen provides mobile restrooms and showers to construction sites as well as for special events. This is a good union for both businesses as they already have a strong customer base in the construction industry. Each company helps to promote the other’s services. Micro construction has found so much success with their Palift that they intend to replace their two cable roll offs with Palfinger Palifts within the next year.