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S2-89: Bob Marks, EMI Landscape, Macungi, PA
866 Plays1 month ago
The guys sit down with Bob Marks of EMI this week to and have a great conversation getting his take on snow, and positive company culture. EMI is extremely proactive on building a positive culture for their employees and treating them like family, and it was fantastic hearing the ways they do this.
Music Credits: Rev Theory
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Episode Kickoff
00:00:40
snowjobspodcast
All right, Snow Jobs Nation, we are back again, bringing you episode 89, even though Jeremy doesn't want me to number him anymore.
00:00:46
RICK JAMES
No.
00:00:47
snowjobspodcast
Episode 89 of the Snow Jobs podcast, powered by Top Gun Backblades. As always, I'm Steve. And you know who's with me, couldn't do the show without him.
00:00:58
snowjobspodcast
Snow Compadre, Snowby One Kenobi, Taylor Swift to Snow, he's got a lot of names, but there's only one Rick James.
00:01:05
RICK JAMES
no
00:01:11
snowjobspodcast
Jeremy, what's up, brother?
Night Shifts and Sugar Beet Harvest
00:01:13
RICK JAMES
Just another day out here in God's country, spraying the God's juice.
00:01:15
snowjobspodcast
Yeah. At night, right?
00:01:18
RICK JAMES
Night spraying this week. Yeah.
00:01:20
snowjobspodcast
Night ops.
00:01:20
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:01:22
snowjobspodcast
Nice.
00:01:22
RICK JAMES
24 hours a day. You got to get this stuff done before harvest.
00:01:24
snowjobspodcast
Got like night vision goggles on when you're doing it and stuff.
00:01:27
RICK JAMES
Nah, I just turn to turn it on and go and see.
00:01:27
snowjobspodcast
Got to keep it dark.
00:01:30
RICK JAMES
Hopefully it's coming out.
00:01:31
snowjobspodcast
Hopefully it's going where you want it to.
00:01:33
RICK JAMES
As long as I come back with an empty tanker, that's all I care about. So.
00:01:36
snowjobspodcast
There you go. Anything else going on?
00:01:39
RICK JAMES
Nah, honestly, just does busy week. ah The beet harvest starts, so we got to do all these pilot sites. So it's busy week doing that, doing some construction sugar beets.
00:01:46
snowjobspodcast
Sugar beets.
00:01:48
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:01:49
snowjobspodcast
Nice.
00:01:49
RICK JAMES
And then some construction jobs, you got to get wrapped up here before the end. And yeah, hopefully dust control will be done here in a couple of weeks. So we'll see.
00:01:56
snowjobspodcast
What do they use sugar beets for?
00:01:58
RICK JAMES
Sugar.
00:01:59
snowjobspodcast
Do they? Is that what they do?
00:02:00
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Yeah.
00:02:01
snowjobspodcast
All right. I don't know.
00:02:01
RICK JAMES
Like, yeah, it's sugar.
00:02:03
snowjobspodcast
Okay. But it's beets.
00:02:04
RICK JAMES
And they, there's a lot of, there's a lot of other byproducts on it, but yeah, for the main part, it's like crystal sugar is a big, I don't know if you have it out there or not, but it's crystal sugar. It's just pure white sugar.
00:02:13
snowjobspodcast
Oh, we got sugar. I don't know where.
00:02:15
RICK JAMES
so and So it's like, it's a good cash crop around here.
00:02:17
snowjobspodcast
ah but All right.
00:02:18
RICK JAMES
So there's
00:02:20
snowjobspodcast
I like it. Do they, uh, they have problems with the deer getting in there wanting to go crazy on it? Cause out here, sugar beats is a ah food plot crop.
00:02:27
RICK JAMES
like thousands and thousands of acres. ah There's not enough near to eat the sugar sugar beats.
00:02:29
snowjobspodcast
All right.
00:02:31
RICK JAMES
So.
00:02:32
snowjobspodcast
Oh, they don't put it. They don't put a dent in it. All right.
00:02:36
RICK JAMES
No, they put a dent in a lot of cars though.
00:02:36
snowjobspodcast
Good enough. One of you guys start. Yeah, I bet you guys started ah prepping for winter yet.
Weather Predictions and Equipment Transitions
00:02:43
RICK JAMES
Us? Oh yeah. Yeah.
00:02:44
snowjobspodcast
yeah You're always prepped.
00:02:44
RICK JAMES
We're always ready.
00:02:46
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
00:02:46
RICK JAMES
Yup.
00:02:47
snowjobspodcast
Well, I mean, you had the meeting with two weather guys last week.
00:02:47
RICK JAMES
Yup.
00:02:50
snowjobspodcast
What'd they, what'd they tell you?
00:02:51
RICK JAMES
So they were saying early snow.
00:02:52
snowjobspodcast
Early snow, right? Early snow.
00:02:54
RICK JAMES
I was like, ah, I love snow, but I don't need it yet.
00:02:58
snowjobspodcast
The only thing better than getting one weather guy on the record with a prediction that you can not later break his balls about is getting two of them.
00:03:01
RICK JAMES
It's two.
00:03:05
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:03:05
snowjobspodcast
the Awesome.
00:03:05
RICK JAMES
I'd be fine if they're wrong about the early start and you know, but whatever we'll take it. If it comes, we always do. Not a big deal.
00:03:12
snowjobspodcast
That's it.
00:03:13
RICK JAMES
So I'm not going to wish it away.
00:03:13
snowjobspodcast
All right, cool. All right, gang.
00:03:15
RICK JAMES
That's for sure.
00:03:15
snowjobspodcast
What do you got?
00:03:16
RICK JAMES
Not going to wish it away.
00:03:17
snowjobspodcast
No, and no. Take it when you can get it after the winter you had last year.
00:03:19
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Yeah.
00:03:21
snowjobspodcast
Take it whenever it wants to come.
00:03:22
RICK JAMES
How about you? What's new with you?
00:03:23
snowjobspodcast
Nothing. Nothing. Just, uh, we're supposed to get ah one of our last, uh, 3,400 vent tracks, uh, going down the road today to already outdoor going to find a new home in Maine because my guys just don't use them enough anymore. Now that they have the little hell's angels on the SSVs, they, uh, that machine sat on site and they never even used it last year. So Robert had a need for it. So that's it. End of an error last 3,400 going out the door.
00:03:52
RICK JAMES
Good deal.
00:03:53
snowjobspodcast
Yeah, except not for Robert. He's sitting at a DOT checkpoint doing him mandatory 10 hour rest.
00:03:58
RICK JAMES
Oh boy.
00:03:59
snowjobspodcast
It's horrible.
00:04:00
RICK JAMES
You love those DOT guys.
00:04:02
snowjobspodcast
Oh, Jesus.
00:04:02
RICK JAMES
I love you. I love the DOT guys. They're the best.
00:04:05
snowjobspodcast
They're the best. they' They're doing their job. All All right. So let's get this going, guys. Today we got a good one for you. All right. Bob Marks is joining
Guest Bob Marks: EMI's Approach to Snow Management
00:04:14
snowjobspodcast
us. Bob is the president of EMI out in Pennsylvania.
00:04:17
snowjobspodcast
EMI is a big company. They have a great culture. We are nothing but great things about them. So we're excited to have Bob with us today and hear all about how EMI does snow. But before we get into it, Bob, as always, let's hear from team Top Gun and we'll do our week in review back in 30.
00:05:02
snowjobspodcast
All right, guys, we're back. So a quick week in review. We got a couple of announcements here. We got to go over. Last week, we dropped our SNS Snow and Ice Solutions Field Day review. Sean, Nick and Brian helped us out. They helped break down the event, talk about all the cool things that we liked and you know how we like how we enjoyed the day. ah The networking, the super chill laid back vibe, it was really cool. ah The food was insane.
00:05:24
snowjobspodcast
As we said, speaking of the food, ah it is a week late, but we did get the name of the caterer who handled that event for Tony and Janet. We wanted to get them a shout out because they did such a phenomenal job. It was the Epicurean Delight Catering Company out of Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania.
00:05:38
snowjobspodcast
I don't know if I'm saying that right, but that's ah if you need to look it up, it's Yeah, absolutely.
00:05:42
RICK JAMES
You deserve a shuttle. It was good.
00:05:46
snowjobspodcast
Their food completely off the hook. They deserve, yeah, they deserve getting shout out. So if you guys are in Pennsylvania in that area and you need to cater for an event, they are most definitely snow jobs approved. Absolutely.
00:05:57
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:05:58
snowjobspodcast
Give me some more of them mushrooms.
00:05:58
RICK JAMES
Yeah, definitely.
00:06:00
snowjobspodcast
You can send me some more of those mushrooms if you want.
00:06:00
RICK JAMES
as I knew you were going there. I knew you were going there with the mushrooms. Yeah. Yeah.
00:06:05
snowjobspodcast
But thanks to the boys for coming on and talking about their experience for that day 15th to the 18th of October is equip Expo in Louisville All right, we're gonna be attending a few after-hours snow events both Tuesday and Wednesday nights guys So if you are a snow guy and you are heading to equip Make sure you let us know so we can let you know where we're gonna be All right, because we'd love to get together with as many snow guys down there as we can while we're there. Oh We got to make a big exciting announcement here Jay
00:06:32
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:06:33
snowjobspodcast
All right.
00:06:33
RICK JAMES
What's that? Do I know it?
00:06:34
snowjobspodcast
for ah Yeah, you know it. for all For all of you guys who keep wanting more and more and more content from us, as always, you guys ask, and we always try and deliver for you.
00:06:36
RICK JAMES
Okay.
00:06:45
snowjobspodcast
All right. We were lucky enough to have Randy and Lucas Strait of art it Arctic Snow and Ice Products ah give us the time. They came on. They each did an episode with us. you know Their listening numbers were off the charts, as we would expect.
00:06:57
snowjobspodcast
us So you guys obviously loved hearing what they had to say. Uh, we told them, you know, what their numbers were and that guys loved hearing what they had, you know, going on there. So we asked them, you know, maybe if they'd want to consider making it a regular thing for, uh, for snow jobs nation, try and help us all get better at, you know, what we do and Arctic, you know, being in the.
00:07:16
snowjobspodcast
the great people, you know, the good stewards of the industry that they are. ah They said, we're like, hell yeah, we're in. What do you want us to do? So ah Jeremy and I are extremely excited all right to announce starting next month, once a month, one of our Thursday episode drops will be the new Snow Jobs Arctic Army Roll Call.
00:07:35
snowjobspodcast
All right. That is right, guys.
00:07:36
RICK JAMES
nice
00:07:36
snowjobspodcast
You heard that right. Once a month, Arctic is going to be joining us to do an episode that's going to focus on like giving snow pros ah that are out there doing the work, those guys. um They're going to give them the benefit of Arctic Snow and Ice Controls decades of knowledge and experience in this industry.
00:07:51
snowjobspodcast
you know They are a top notch snow company, first and foremost. Forget about the products. They do snow on a big scale and they've been doing it a long time. They got a lot of knowledge.
00:08:00
RICK JAMES
yeah You don't have to have an Arctic to listen.
00:08:02
snowjobspodcast
You don't, no, no, you definitely don't.
00:08:03
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:08:04
snowjobspodcast
you know they They're gonna cover important topics for the industry. They're gonna bring a lot of education to all of us out there. on it Like Jeremy just said, it doesn't matter what pusher or products you use, you know whether you're a card carrying member of the Arctic Army or ah you know a member of the Metal Plus Mafia or anything in between.
00:08:14
RICK JAMES
so but
00:08:19
snowjobspodcast
all right These episodes are gonna help us all get better at what we do. All right, so stay tuned for the new Arctic Army Roll Call episodes, which are gonna start dropping in October there. And we wanna sincerely thank the Straits and Arctic for their continued support of Snow Jobs Nation and continuing to strive to move the ball forward.
00:08:36
RICK JAMES
So we're going to get those Arctic Army shirts out now, huh?
00:08:39
snowjobspodcast
Yeah, we gotta get those done.
00:08:41
RICK JAMES
I ah have that print or the ah one.
00:08:43
snowjobspodcast
Just make them, just make them, make them.
00:08:45
RICK JAMES
Yeah. I thought we were going to change something on them, but yeah, they turned out pretty good, but yeah.
00:08:49
snowjobspodcast
They did, they look good.
00:08:51
RICK JAMES
I have to talk to media shack.
00:08:51
snowjobspodcast
So that's exciting, right?
00:08:53
RICK JAMES
Yeah. We'll have to do that.
00:08:54
snowjobspodcast
More knowledge coming.
00:08:56
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Definitely. Artic's full of knowledge. Those guys are all good guys over there. I mean, they're a lot of knowledge just and a lot of great guys are fun and they'd like to have fun.
00:09:05
snowjobspodcast
They got a lot of people that have been with that company a long time too.
00:09:08
RICK JAMES
um Yeah.
00:09:08
snowjobspodcast
This is not like a high turnover, you know, high turnover company. They, they, they know what they're doing. Cause they've been doing it for what 30, what did Randy say? He got mad at me when I shorted him with 36 years.
00:09:19
RICK JAMES
Yeah, I'd have to listen. I don't remember. It's been a while. So it wasn't Wasn't it like 79 he started or something, but I don't know.
00:09:22
snowjobspodcast
yeah yeah he's ah Yeah, he's incredible. Lucas is incredible. i thought maybe ah Maybe I'm shorting him again.
00:09:30
RICK JAMES
I think you're shorting them, but yeah.
00:09:30
snowjobspodcast
maybe ah Maybe I'm going to owe him another apology. Sorry, Randy, if I got it wrong again.
00:09:32
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:09:36
snowjobspodcast
ah And he does listen. I've been told he does listen. so ah But yeah, we're excited about that. and keep to us Stay tuned for that, guys. It's it's going to be good. you know The more knowledge we can get everybody out there, including ourselves, the better.
00:09:49
snowjobspodcast
na you know Help us out by listening to it, I know you will. What else we got, Jay? Hit the store, visit Jeremy at snowjobsnationstore.com, all right? Get all your Snow Jobs Nation gear, including those baby onesies, and it's getting chilly, folks, so get your car hearts, all right?
00:10:04
snowjobspodcast
Snow Jobs Nation car hearts.
00:10:04
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm. Definitely.
00:10:06
snowjobspodcast
know
00:10:07
RICK JAMES
Subscribe and like.
00:10:07
snowjobspodcast
Uh, yeah, subscribe and like all that crap. There is a little thing that when you do order gear, snow jobs gear, there is a little bar in there that you can give special instruction. So if you would like Jeremy to autograph anything, you know, just put it in there in the, uh, in the special instruction bar.
00:10:18
RICK JAMES
Oh, God.
00:10:22
RICK JAMES
Yeah, yeah, I think that ball does it, honestly.
00:10:23
snowjobspodcast
You got anything else, bud?
00:10:26
snowjobspodcast
All right. All right. Cool. So let's hear from our partners real quick. We'll get back with you and we'll get into this with Bob back in a couple.
00:13:26
snowjobspodcast
All right, guys, we're back. So let's do this. All right. Let's welcome in Bob Marks of EMI to Snow Jobs. Bob, how are you, bud? What's up?
00:13:35
bob
I'm doing well, guys. I'm doing well. How are you guys doing?
00:13:37
snowjobspodcast
Very good.
00:13:37
RICK JAMES
Doing really well, doing good.
00:13:38
snowjobspodcast
Very good. Good to see you the other day at S and&S.
00:13:41
bob
Yeah, yeah, it was a good, good event. I heard you guys talk about it. And yeah, it was only about an hour and a half for me. So I'll be heading back up for some more food. So I'll be back up.
00:13:50
snowjobspodcast
ah It's great, right?
00:13:50
RICK JAMES
They've probably got leftovers.
00:13:52
bob
yeah
00:13:53
snowjobspodcast
They were trying to send it home with us, but we were going back to the hotels, so we couldn't take it. But yeah, that was that was incredible. They did a phenomenal job. It was good to finally be in an event. we've We've been to a couple of events before together, and we've never actually got the opportunity to talk. you know The day goes so fast and stuff. So this was nice. We actually got to talk for a while.
00:14:12
bob
ah Yeah, I think it was one of the best parts about that event. As you guys kind of said too, it it gave us the time to sit down, chat instead of one class to another and you know 5-600 people around. It was a smaller group and I mean you guys said it all, but the conversations that happened there don't happen many other places. those was It was great to catch up.
00:14:31
snowjobspodcast
Agreed. Absolutely.
00:14:32
RICK JAMES
definite
00:14:33
snowjobspodcast
All right, Jay. Want to take us away, bud?
00:14:35
RICK JAMES
You bet hey Bob, why don't we get into it once you tell everybody about EMI how you guys got started and where you're heading?
00:14:42
bob
yeah Yeah, so we've been around for 41 years, second generation. So we didn't always do snow.
00:14:47
snowjobspodcast
Wow.
00:14:49
bob
My stepdad started the company. He was in construction and got laid off right after he built his own house.
00:14:55
snowjobspodcast
and she
00:14:55
bob
So out of necessity, started a landscape company. um So we transitioned from you know from residential mowing into commercial, eventually into industrial, and that led us to snow.
00:15:07
snowjobspodcast
okay
00:15:08
bob
We were into snow in the 90s. Frankly got our butt kicked by a couple of storms. I was too young to be out there, but got out of snow in the 90s until we could jump back in and and we did it with some loaders and push boxes.
00:15:21
bob
We were one of the first in our areas to run some boxes on big loaders. and Yeah, so I came back to the business after working here in high school. I came back in 2009.
00:15:31
snowjobspodcast
Okay.
00:15:32
bob
We were seven people in the whole company. We were still we were a small small company and we've grown since then with some good clients and some good people.
00:15:36
snowjobspodcast
Wow.
00:15:40
bob
and Uh, yeah, it's all from there.
00:15:43
snowjobspodcast
That's awesome.
EMI's Evolution and Regional Challenges
00:15:44
RICK JAMES
Where exactly are you?
00:15:44
snowjobspodcast
That's great. And now, yeah, I was just going to ask that.
00:15:45
RICK JAMES
and Sorry, where exactly are you, MPA?
00:15:46
snowjobspodcast
Go ahead.
00:15:48
bob
Uh, we are, so we, we say we're East central. So, uh, about an hour north of Philly, hour and a half from New York city. Uh, we have some great, great neighbors in the area.
00:15:58
bob
Uh, East coast facilities headquarters is right down the street.
00:16:01
snowjobspodcast
So your Lehigh Valley.
00:16:01
RICK JAMES
Heard of them.
00:16:01
bob
Uh, yep. Lehigh Valley.
00:16:03
snowjobspodcast
That's perfect.
00:16:03
bob
So yeah, we tell people out in town, Lehigh Valley, our town is McCungee.
00:16:08
snowjobspodcast
OK.
00:16:08
bob
So I don't lead with that quite often because. Obviously, nobody's gonna know that. But yeah, Lehigh Valley, you know, this industrial corridor is really good to us.
00:16:16
snowjobspodcast
That's awesome. So what is EMI? You mentioned you got back in the snow. But what what do you guys specialize in? What services are you doing? You're doing hardscaping.
00:16:24
bob
So yeah, so we were first full service commercial landscape.
00:16:24
snowjobspodcast
You're doing, you know, what are you doing?
00:16:29
snowjobspodcast
OK.
00:16:29
bob
So that's, that's really what what the company's bread and butter was in the past. So it's anything you need on your commercial industrial property. We do it for landscaping. And and here in the Valley, it's changed a little, but they these property managers, if you got the landscape, they want you from snow for snow. So it was when we really pushed snow, when we invested in the heavy equipment, especially when I came back, we just leveraged those leverage those relationships. and But yeah, it's you know we're landscaping from March until up to Christmas.
00:17:02
bob
Overlap and snow in there. But yeah, not install, it's really maintenance.
00:17:04
snowjobspodcast
Isn't that the best? Isn't that the best though, when you're mowing lawns one day and then you got to plow an inch and a half of wet stuff the next?
00:17:06
bob
Let's just build up our staff.
00:17:14
snowjobspodcast
Isn't that the best?
00:17:14
bob
Yeah, it's, you know, i'd I try not to complain about it. Those March snowstorms when we're already edging and mulching, there they're not bad to do.
00:17:21
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
00:17:22
bob
They're good money makers, but the time switching back and forth is is not fun.
00:17:27
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:17:27
snowjobspodcast
Absolutely.
00:17:27
bob
yeah The early ones are the ones that get me. I heard you guys talk about that, but You know, as ready as you want to be for us, November's real early. You know, we, these last couple of years, we're not plowing until January.
00:17:36
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
00:17:39
bob
So when we get something in November, nobody's ready.
00:17:39
snowjobspodcast
Yep.
00:17:42
bob
It's scrambling and us included.
00:17:43
RICK JAMES
for
00:17:44
bob
It's not fun.
00:17:45
snowjobspodcast
I hear you.
00:17:45
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:17:46
snowjobspodcast
No, I hear you. ah You know what?
00:17:47
RICK JAMES
The scramble drill, the scramble drill, everybody loves.
00:17:49
snowjobspodcast
Yeah, absolutely.
00:17:50
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Then you go, and then you, then you go and push for a day.
00:17:50
snowjobspodcast
um You know what, though?
00:17:53
RICK JAMES
Like you said, and you go back to mowing two days later or whatever you're doing.
00:17:55
snowjobspodcast
No.
00:17:56
RICK JAMES
That's crazy.
00:17:56
snowjobspodcast
yeah Take the spreaders out of the trucks, put ah but all the stuff back in, go finish your business. yeah you know When we were we were down there for storks and we were driving a stork, what we definitely noticed was how many distribution centers and like max huge monstrous buildings are in that Lehigh Valley.
00:18:02
bob
Exactly.
00:18:15
RICK JAMES
Huge. Huge.
00:18:17
snowjobspodcast
so No wonder like you guys, ECF, Castle Rocks, like you're all right there. Like, I mean, there's enough work to go around. It's incredible how many monstrous one million square feet buildings we passed.
00:18:30
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:18:30
bob
They are going up every day, every day.
00:18:33
snowjobspodcast
yeah It's insane.
00:18:34
bob
It slowed down, I'd say in the past six, eight months this year, construction slowed down, but every time I go to a new area, I round a corner that I haven't been somewhere in a while and there's a million square foot building.
00:18:46
RICK JAMES
Peace.
00:18:46
bob
That was a cornfield six months ago. It's the rate they go up, you know the rate they get occupied, it's it's great.
00:18:48
snowjobspodcast
yeah
00:18:53
bob
And you like I said, I'm second generation. So where we where we have our shop, It was all cornfields around us. And we often say, Ed, my stepdad had the vision, it was kind of field of dreams.
00:19:05
bob
He's like, build it and they will come. Like he he saw it.
00:19:07
snowjobspodcast
Nice.
00:19:10
bob
And, you know, when I look out my window now, we're surrounded in our area by seven warehouses.
00:19:16
snowjobspodcast
Jesus.
00:19:16
bob
When we built, there was no one else here.
00:19:16
RICK JAMES
wow
00:19:17
bob
So it's it's incredible. I mean, we're a good distance from the ports. I think it just works out well that that the ships come in truck drivers who want to make a trip and go back to the port and go home for the night. It's it's a nice stop.
00:19:28
bob
and That's why there's kind of a gap between us out to central PA, which is it's starting to get filled in, but you get out to Harrisburg Carlisle. That's another major logistics hub, you know, about an hour and a half away from us.
00:19:39
snowjobspodcast
Hmm.
00:19:40
bob
And it just works with the ports, everything coming in.
00:19:40
RICK JAMES
Wow. Hmm.
00:19:43
bob
And, you know, I think, you know, even just Amazon, there's got to be seven, eight, nine, just, just in the Lehigh Valley. It's an, it's, it's amazing.
00:19:50
RICK JAMES
Wow.
00:19:50
snowjobspodcast
It's crazy. It's the transformation of Lehigh Valley. I used to go to Allentown quite a bit throughout the year, probably 15 years ago. And I hadn't been back until we were there for storks. and The transformation, like you said, it was all cornfields, it was all farms. And now it's like, holy crap, this is like a whole city now of just industrial, monstrous sites.
00:20:13
bob
it's It's incredible because no one city here is that large. There's Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton. So they call it the A-B-E area. You put the three together. But when you put those three cities together, it's the next next major economic center up and down the East Coast.
00:20:28
bob
So you got Boston, New York, Philadelphia, D.C.
00:20:29
snowjobspodcast
Interesting Wow, that's interesting
00:20:31
bob
You take all the the major, major cities. Lehigh Valley is the very next one in economic development. So it's been, you know, similar story.
00:20:37
RICK JAMES
Mm.
00:20:39
bob
When I moved back up here, I was living in D.C. I was an Audi mechanic down in D.C., came back to the family business and met my wife down in D.C. We were dating.
00:20:50
bob
She came up to visit and she's like, you are not getting me up here. You know, she's living in D.C. She's used to the city. And when I moved back up here 12 years ago or, you know, whatever it is, and I've been longing that 15 years ago, she looked around and she's like, no, it ain't happening, man.
00:21:04
bob
And Luckily, she she was going back to school, so it made sense. She came up and now she looks back and she saw it from day one. It was really this last decade decade or so, the transition happened, the transformation. And I don't think I would have kept her up here if it wasn't for that.
00:21:20
snowjobspodcast
Oh, it's incredible.
00:21:21
RICK JAMES
That's cool how do you How far do you guys expand out Bob like from your area
00:21:22
snowjobspodcast
It's definitely changed. Oh, yeah what else you got, Jay?
00:21:30
bob
Yeah, so we got some major highways that generally run east to west.
00:21:30
RICK JAMES
but
00:21:33
bob
They run a little bit from uh, you know, from Northeast to Southwest, but we'll go 45 minutes to an hour, East or West. So, you know, it's about an hour and a half, two hour stretch.
00:21:44
bob
We go right up to the Jersey border. Um, and then about halfway out to that Harrisburg area, there's Hamburg and stuff like that. So it's the distribution centers stick to those highways.
00:21:55
bob
We got 78 and 22 are the two major highways and we could just run back and forth through there.
00:22:00
snowjobspodcast
nice
00:22:01
RICK JAMES
Isn't 45 minutes out there, like you covered three States.
00:22:01
snowjobspodcast
Nice.
00:22:06
bob
Pennsylvania's massive, man. Pennsylvania's massive. Yeah, we're not we're not New England, so we're we're the Mid-Atlantic, but...
00:22:08
snowjobspodcast
Pennsylvania's big.
00:22:08
RICK JAMES
ah I'm just kidding. It's just, it's always funny when you had talked to guys out there, like, yeah, we drove, dude, dude, dude, dude.
00:22:12
bob
um
00:22:15
RICK JAMES
And I'm like, he went to that many places in that short of time. I'm like, that's not even halfway across our state.
00:22:20
snowjobspodcast
Oh, when you get into New England easily, you could be in four states in four hours in New England.
00:22:24
RICK JAMES
Yeah, that's crazy.
00:22:25
bob
Yeah, and if you go and then southeast of us, you know, down where fitler you Philadelphia, Pennsylvania meets Delaware in New Jersey, Maryland, you can be in four or five states in a matter of a half an hour.
00:22:35
bob
Yeah.
00:22:36
snowjobspodcast
Delaware, you can drive through in eight minutes. You can drive right through it.
00:22:38
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:22:38
bob
Yes. But yeah, it's it works with the with the highway system here.
00:22:40
RICK JAMES
ah
00:22:44
bob
You know, we travel, like I said, about an hour and a half total distance. Satellite salt bins, satellite brine tanks, And what we're doing, a lot of it's not route-based work.
00:22:54
bob
you know i'm I'm looking on my other screen here.
00:22:55
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:22:57
bob
I got our list of sites. For our self-performing sites, you know the smallest one we got is eight and a half acres. So we're we parking equipment.
00:23:05
snowjobspodcast
Sure.
00:23:06
bob
It's there. So it's we still have all our sidewalk teams come to our shop. We dispatch from here. But as far as equipment, it's all out there and all the materials they need, storage bins and everything. So once once we set up a little hub, you know it's we could pretty much go anywhere between the storage bins and We started putting the mobile offices and that way big storms.
00:23:26
bob
People just sleep right on site. They got a little space heater.
00:23:28
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
00:23:29
bob
And ah once, once people are there, it's their home away from home for a couple of days.
00:23:29
snowjobspodcast
Perfect.
00:23:34
snowjobspodcast
Yeah. And you know how it goes.
00:23:34
RICK JAMES
Yeah, you ain't getting them back padlocked on that door.
00:23:35
snowjobspodcast
You let them go home for a couple hours. You're never getting them back.
00:23:38
bob
Yeah. I know I'll i'll deliver i'll any food.
00:23:40
snowjobspodcast
ah
00:23:43
bob
I can get delivered whatever you need. Just please, please stay. That's it.
00:23:47
snowjobspodcast
Yep.
00:23:47
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:23:47
bob
That's the goal.
00:23:48
snowjobspodcast
Absolutely. And if I do let them go, I'm getting them a hotel room across the street so I can go knock on the door and get them back.
00:23:52
RICK JAMES
Yup.
00:23:54
bob
We made the mistake of getting the hotel and not checking and not having a kitchen.
00:23:58
snowjobspodcast
Oh.
00:23:59
bob
So they go there and there's there's a couple hotels we booked and there's no food so they get there they're trying to order room service trying to get some food real food in and there's nothing and i've.
00:23:59
RICK JAMES
Uh, yep,
00:24:08
bob
I made that mistake so we definitely have picked him ahead of time now.
00:24:11
snowjobspodcast
Live and you learn.
00:24:13
bob
yep
00:24:13
RICK JAMES
smart.
00:24:14
snowjobspodcast
So what is your market like as far as weather? Like with the Lehigh Valley, what what are you guys seeing as far as types of storms and and what's your annual snowfall?
00:24:24
bob
We, are I mean, I think talking to some of the snow companies, you know, we're in one of the highest variability areas, the, you know, their term, the standard deviation, whatever it's, you know, we had February 2021, where we had 47 inches in a month, followed by 20, if I can get my years right, 2023, 2223, we had a total of four inches, four and a half inches.
00:24:30
snowjobspodcast
Yep.
00:24:48
snowjobspodcast
Wow.
00:24:49
RICK JAMES
Well.
00:24:49
bob
So it it varies a lot. I mean, we're in that typical area of the heavy, wet stuff. Very rarely, I'd say last winter, we actually had some events that were light, powdery snow.
00:24:57
snowjobspodcast
Yup.
00:25:02
bob
um Started a snow and it is snow, but that's pretty unusual at this point here. It'll start as rain. It'll start as sleet or at least mix in in the middle. So yeah, we have some wet, heavy snow and it's you know We look at the forecast ahead of time, and I'm sure you guys get it too.
00:25:18
bob
Once someone knows you're in snow removal, what's the upcoming winter like?
00:25:22
RICK JAMES
Yeah, oh god every day Mm
00:25:22
bob
it just First of all, who knows?
00:25:22
snowjobspodcast
Oh yeah, absolutely.
00:25:27
bob
And second of all, it doesn't really matter, right?
00:25:29
RICK JAMES
-hmm
00:25:30
bob
like We have to be ready.
00:25:32
snowjobspodcast
Does not matter.
00:25:32
bob
So whether the whether the forecast is is light snow or the heaviest snowfall that you figure you'd get, it's we're preparing the same way. So it really is and really is so variable here.
00:25:44
bob
and I know it's not very and so very scientific, but we got to be due. we've We've been under, except for February 2021, we're going on three, four years of of below average to well below average snowfall.
00:25:50
snowjobspodcast
Oh, I think so.
00:25:58
snowjobspodcast
Yep.
00:25:59
bob
I've been hearing rumors that the forecast doesn't look good, but I frankly just don't care. I'll believe it when I see it and we we'll go from there. but
00:26:07
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:26:07
snowjobspodcast
I don't know. I i mean, Mark in ah the weather pros and true weather at the, at the SNS event, they weren't saying, I mean, from, at least from my area, they were saying average, they were saying average winter, but they were, they were saying same amount of snow in less storms, like meaning more big ones, which
00:26:23
bob
yeah and I'll take average at this point. average would be
00:26:26
snowjobspodcast
I'm fine.
00:26:26
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:26:27
snowjobspodcast
Absolutely.
00:26:27
RICK JAMES
No, they'll give you your go ahead.
00:26:28
bob
yeah we've
00:26:30
RICK JAMES
Go but ahead, Bob.
00:26:30
bob
what's it
00:26:30
RICK JAMES
Go ahead, Bob.
00:26:31
bob
yeah we've We've grown as far as square footage in acreage. We've grown a decent amount over the last four or five years. so i havenn't had We haven't had a real winter with the growth we've had, so it doesn't take as much anymore. and i'm just i'm I'm excited to see it, and eventually I'm going to say i really I need to.
00:26:50
bob
I need to see it sooner or later.
00:26:51
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
00:26:52
bob
we We've tried to be conservative with spending and everything, but sooner or later, it we got to have it.
00:26:52
snowjobspodcast
ah
00:26:58
bob
So ah sooner or later, it'll happen.
00:27:01
snowjobspodcast
Absolutely.
00:27:01
RICK JAMES
Yeah, you just gotta Just ask mark at true weather and he'll if you give him me your zip code. He'll he'll give you a solid forecast. So so That's a shot at your mark
00:27:08
bob
Yeah, yeah.
00:27:09
snowjobspodcast
Yes, he wants the zip codes.
00:27:13
snowjobspodcast
oh god that's funny
00:27:13
bob
I, yeah, no way. i I'm very careful not to give anyone my zip codes. McCungee's not actually the town we're in. This is just a cover because if someone would give what is able to get my zip codes, I think ah think we'd be done for.
00:27:22
snowjobspodcast
a
00:27:26
RICK JAMES
the
00:27:26
bob
it
00:27:26
snowjobspodcast
The zip codes. Oh, man, it's the the it's never going to get all.
00:27:28
RICK JAMES
ah That's never gonna get old.
00:27:31
snowjobspodcast
No, absolutely not.
00:27:32
RICK JAMES
the
00:27:33
snowjobspodcast
Oh, man. ah What else do we got, Jay? We hear it we didn't hear what what Bob, what what type of sites do you guys specialize in? I mean, I know you said eight acres and above, but like, do you guys do commercial or you do mostly industrial like a good mix?
00:27:47
snowjobspodcast
What are you doing?
00:27:48
bob
Yeah, it's, I would say two years ago, we were a one hundred percent industrial. We've gotten a little more mix in there, but it's still, it's still 90, 95% industrial. And I think it's a term I've stolen from your show.
00:28:01
bob
We're trying to get even a little bit more niche than that. It's not just industrial because we've had, we just let one of our biggest individual clients go because they're shutting down every time it snows and they don't want the service.
00:28:14
snowjobspodcast
ah Yep.
00:28:16
bob
that they were 1.4 million square feet between two buildings that shared shared a parking lot. um And they weren't they weren't requiring a level of service that the dedicated equipment was giving them.
00:28:27
snowjobspodcast
Mm hmm.
00:28:29
bob
So, industrial is a bread and butter, but we're really trying to narrow it down to that critical infrastructure.
Client Focus and Electric Equipment Exploration
00:28:35
snowjobspodcast
Sure.
00:28:36
bob
you know If it's industrial and they're gonna be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, They don't want to pay for the loaders sitting there all the time. And that's just the way we do it. So yeah, we're industrial, we're commercial, but we've tried to be even a little bit pickier than that.
00:28:53
bob
That it's got to be that critical infrastructure.
00:28:53
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
00:28:54
bob
Otherwise we're just not a good fit. They're going to be unhappy with our price and I'm going to be unhappy when they're trying to tell us to stay home when we get the first real storm in three years.
00:28:57
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:29:00
RICK JAMES
yep
00:29:02
bob
It just doesn't, it doesn't work that way.
00:29:05
snowjobspodcast
And just tooling a site like that, you know, just tooling it, that's going to cost you a tremendous investment to tool their site.
00:29:05
RICK JAMES
Yes, yeah,
00:29:11
snowjobspodcast
And if they're going home and closing up and they don't want to pay top dollar for it, then that's more of a strain on you. You got to tool it. You got to pay for that. So it's not a good fit.
00:29:20
bob
And then like I try to look back and um you know I must not be doing a good job of educating the client when we get that site. right I'm telling them what's there. And I've only owned the company. Like I said, I'm second generation, so I'm going on four years. So I'm still i'm still learning a lot when the buck stops with me, but I can do a better job up front. Luckily, our contract was good enough.
00:29:44
bob
I called some local people for advice. I i did call Josh KMS. I mean, we're competitors, but um you know we're friends. I asked the opinion and we looked at looked at my contract and I basically said, if you're not letting us come out tonight, you're in violation of contract and my equipment's gone by the end of the week. you know I'm not coming to bail you out after you get a foot of snow, you let it melt and refreeze and now you need it cleared. It just wasn't going to happen. so we ended up We ended up servicing the site.
00:30:11
bob
And then I gave him the offer that, Hey, you can have the fixed seasonal contract or we're moving on and we moved on. So, um, yeah, it's, it's tough.
00:30:17
RICK JAMES
Huh, good.
00:30:17
snowjobspodcast
Good for you.
00:30:20
bob
And you guys mentioned culture early on it's, it's a big deal for me. Um, and I talk about to our team a lot about what we do, how important it really is.
00:30:31
bob
Um, and I don't think I could ask of what ask from my guys. And then when I have a client. who's not treating us the way we need to be treated and keep them as a client.
00:30:42
bob
you know If I'm going to talk the talk, out it was a time for me to stand up and and walk the walk. and um That's what I told our team. I made sure to let them know that this client doesn't respect what you guys are doing.
00:30:53
bob
You're out all night, every night. They think we can just show up and clear 1.4 million square feet. you know They could find out themselves what it's like. and you know it's It's tough.
00:31:03
RICK JAMES
hill
00:31:03
snowjobspodcast
but
00:31:04
bob
you know i mean You guys know to to give up a Something like that is is scary and not fun, but it would only last for so long anyway. It was going to be a problem if if not this year again, it would be in the future.
00:31:13
snowjobspodcast
Yeah. Good for you. I think that's awesome.
00:31:15
bob
So yeah, that's where we're narrowing down to. Critical infrastructure and that industrial, yeah we just don't have enough trucks to do smaller stuff. It's all skids, compact loaders, full-size loaders.
00:31:24
snowjobspodcast
yeah
00:31:26
bob
we just We'd be bad at it if we tried to do anything else.
00:31:30
snowjobspodcast
good for you
00:31:30
RICK JAMES
All right.
00:31:31
snowjobspodcast
i think that's awesome
00:31:31
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Know your worth, know your worth and what you guys do.
00:31:33
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
00:31:35
RICK JAMES
That's, that's all you can do. So it's tough.
00:31:37
snowjobspodcast
Yeah, I think that's awesome.
00:31:37
RICK JAMES
Like you say, it's, it's tough to give up work that you had, but it's also smart to the way you did it. So it doesn't fit.
00:31:43
snowjobspodcast
Absolutely.
00:31:44
RICK JAMES
It doesn't fit.
00:31:45
bob
Yeah. and Like you guys said, when when you come through here, there's a new warehouse every week. So there's not a shortage there's not a shortage of work.
00:31:49
RICK JAMES
Right. Right.
00:31:50
snowjobspodcast
Oh, yeah.
00:31:51
bob
So we'll we'll just go find someone else.
00:31:53
snowjobspodcast
i think it's pretty I think it's pretty cool that as many of you big companies or bigger companies that are in Lehigh, you guys are all friends. Like you guys all like kind of work together, share information, help each other.
00:32:05
snowjobspodcast
I think that's awesome. Cause I don't think it's, I don't think it's the case everywhere across this country. I think there are still some spots where, you know, competitors are competitors and that's, they don't have any kind of relationship.
00:32:17
snowjobspodcast
But I think that is awesome that you guys are all bigger companies and you all get along and you all help each other.
00:32:22
bob
it
00:32:22
snowjobspodcast
So good for you.
00:32:23
bob
ah Yeah, we are lucky that there is enough there's enough work to go around and I think You know we in the snowmobile industry.
00:32:26
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
00:32:30
bob
There's not a huge barrier of entry But the industrial there's a little bit more right you got to have the big equipment and You got to have the insurance for these sites. There's a little bit more so it is a smaller group then you know then the say retail right you're doing retail you definitely got more competition and That probably are not as friendly and I'm not friends with everybody.
00:32:47
snowjobspodcast
Yup.
00:32:47
RICK JAMES
so
00:32:51
bob
I mean there are some groups You know, I think as The industry's progressed and and we've grown and changed the way we do things and try to stay on the cutting edge um I think there's some other companies that are doing it the old-school way where
00:32:53
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:33:09
bob
I don't know. i think we Frankly, I've rubbed some people the wrong way. I think with with being aggressive as we're growing um and I think trying to hold the industry to a higher standard as you guys are doing, you know we've got competitors trying to salt away two inches of snow and we're not in light powdery snow.
00:33:14
RICK JAMES
Oh, yeah.
00:33:24
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm Yeah,
00:33:24
bob
you know it just It can't be done anymore.
00:33:26
bob
So when we start doing things a different way and advertising that on how we're doing it, there's there's definitely there's almost two groups you see now.
00:33:35
snowjobspodcast
Oh yeah.
00:33:36
RICK JAMES
yeah, oh, yeah What's Like you see is not it's nice
00:33:36
bob
And that is what it is. You're not going to like everyone. Not everyone's going to like you. So I try to be friendly enough.
00:33:41
snowjobspodcast
I only got so many Christmas cards to go around.
00:33:42
bob
But yeah, it doesn't work with everybody.
00:33:47
RICK JAMES
sorry
00:33:47
snowjobspodcast
but
00:33:49
RICK JAMES
but Like you say, it's nice and you're, you got your bigger, the bigger guys like you guys out there, and but you, when you guys are competing, you know, you're kind of on the same page, you know, it's, you know, you're just, you're the same ballpark, I guess is what I'm trying to say for bid, bid wise. You're not doing the little guy just trying to sneak in there. I'm sure there is, but if I throw them out, if they're smart, and just.
00:34:10
bob
Yeah, yeah, there there definitely is. And I think the Lehigh Valley is unique where it's really stayed local. Like, especially on the landscaping side, we're facing more of the national competition. the You know, the big ones struggle in our area. Lehigh Valley, maybe because it's been small for so long, they like the local vendors. So when we've been here for 40 years, um and there's a lot of local people, that that's really helped. And I'm not sure what it is about here, but the group that We kind of speak of that we get along.
00:34:42
bob
Everyone's very educated with snow. I mean, we talked about getting along. Half the people we're speaking of was at SNS yesterday. You know, there's, you know, Chris Colitis with Keystone Snow.
00:34:50
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
00:34:52
bob
um you know In our area, I talk about our snow, Chris just went 100% liquids last year. like that is That is quite impressive.
00:35:00
snowjobspodcast
who Yeah.
00:35:00
bob
I don't know how he did it and he did it and did it well. Jonathan Wise from Winterstone was there.
00:35:04
RICK JAMES
Hmm.
00:35:05
bob
um Western Lehigh, who we're really close with, they're a huge metal plus dealer now. We've got a group of these educated snow fighters that it's it is nice because I'm not worried that my strong competitors are going to come in and low ball at $5,000, $4,000 an acre, or whatever it is.
00:35:23
bob
it's we know We know what it takes to do. We're going to do it right. So we're all in that general ballpark on pricing. And when we lose out, we're losing out to someone that we think will get a site back from in the future because it's not going to be done right.
00:35:31
snowjobspodcast
Sure.
00:35:38
snowjobspodcast
Gotcha.
00:35:39
RICK JAMES
All right.
00:35:39
snowjobspodcast
Cool. Yeah. That, that was the other guy, uh, that I didn't get to talk to the other day that I was hoping to meander around through the, through the groups. Uh, the winter stone, the guy from winter stone.
00:35:50
snowjobspodcast
Uh, I did, I did see him and I, yeah.
00:35:50
bob
Yeah, that's john that's Jonathan Wise.
00:35:50
RICK JAMES
Oh, yeah, Jonathan.
00:35:51
bob
Yeah, he's he's a good guy.
00:35:52
RICK JAMES
Yep. no
00:35:53
bob
hes hila He's very involved with Storks, the Snow Alliance and everything. they've Yeah, they're in that same area. But yeah, we we work together on some snow sites. that Good guy. Yeah, good company.
00:36:05
bob
Winterstone is only a couple of years old. He's done snow for a while, but he started the company just a few years ago. So good guy.
00:36:11
snowjobspodcast
Good for him. Yeah. He seems like a good guy.
00:36:12
RICK JAMES
Right.
00:36:13
snowjobspodcast
I've i've i've been around him talking to people.
00:36:14
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:36:16
snowjobspodcast
He sounds like ah he knows what he's talking about. It seems like a really good guy. Just like I said, again, it took us how many events Bob before we actually got 10 minutes to sit down on talks.
00:36:23
RICK JAMES
Right.
00:36:25
snowjobspodcast
is I didn't get to him the other day and I was, I was really, he was on my list, but that insurance guy took up too much time eating that guy up.
00:36:33
bob
ah Jonathan Wise also has a really sweet ah snowflake suit.
00:36:37
snowjobspodcast
Really?
00:36:37
bob
So yeah, it's I try to get him to wear it for every event.
00:36:38
RICK JAMES
Suit.
00:36:39
snowjobspodcast
and
00:36:40
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:36:41
bob
It's it's quite ah it's quite loud.
00:36:42
snowjobspodcast
Uh, that's awesome.
00:36:43
bob
So yeah, he wore it the first year ator at Stork Snow Lines, but not last year.
00:36:44
RICK JAMES
ah
00:36:45
snowjobspodcast
We definitely got to have them on.
00:36:48
bob
And yeah he got a lot of feedback about how disappointed people were not to see the suit again.
00:36:52
snowjobspodcast
Absolutely.
00:36:52
RICK JAMES
Ah, it's like my fur coat.
00:36:53
snowjobspodcast
Oh man.
00:36:54
bob
yeah
00:36:54
snowjobspodcast
i Well, you should wear that too.
00:36:54
RICK JAMES
It's like my blue fur coat. I got to wear every time it snows.
00:36:58
snowjobspodcast
You should wear that to the events. Honestly, the blue pimp coat.
00:37:01
RICK JAMES
No, fuck that thing is so hot. It's so hot.
00:37:03
snowjobspodcast
It's so hot and it sheds.
00:37:07
RICK JAMES
Should we go into some equipment?
00:37:08
snowjobspodcast
Oh man. Jay, what else you got?
00:37:13
snowjobspodcast
Oh, well, if we're going to go to the equipment, we got to announce that the Jeremy Lindstrom equipment segment finally has a sponsor.
00:37:16
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Yeah.
00:37:20
snowjobspodcast
All right. So the Jeremy Lindstrom equipment segment, which is Jeremy's favorite part of every show is now sponsored by DNS leasing.
00:37:26
RICK JAMES
Love it.
00:37:29
snowjobspodcast
All right, if you don't know who Dinesse is, Dinesse is the leasing branch of Arctic Snow and Ice. So if you need slightly used, still have the plastic on the seats, loaders, skids that are case and are still possibly under warranty for a really good price, check out Dinesse leasing. All right, guys, like I can speak personally from it.
00:37:49
snowjobspodcast
I would not have been able to make a transition from trucks to machines if it wasn't for Dinesse. Their prices allowed me to get into that that part of the market. Without them, it wasn't possible.
00:37:59
snowjobspodcast
So thank you, Dinesse Leasing, for coming on board and make sure you check them out for you know equipment needs because the case has been nothing but great for us. Jeremy, take us away, buddy.
00:38:07
RICK JAMES
That's, that's cool. All right, Bob. That's my favorite part here. Obviously, uh, tell everybody about all the equipment here on, I mean, pushers, loaders, skids, salters, let her rip.
00:38:17
bob
All right, so ah we made a big change this year. We just ah turned over a ton of our fleet. It got and it got pretty ah mismatched with a lot of different brands over the years. So when we started with the heavy equipment back in the earlier 2000s, we were 100% case construction. when When they switched models of skid steers, we had an issue. And my ah my stepdad didn't feel like he was supported by case.
00:38:45
bob
um So he switched over to Kubota skid steers and Kubota compact loaders. Right after that, we hit some pretty massive growth and cashflow was tough.
00:38:57
bob
just like yeah you You just talked about there, Steve, like leasing was the way to go and Hyundai was trying to grab a lot of market share in our area.
00:38:57
snowjobspodcast
Sure.
00:39:05
bob
So we actually went with Hyundai loaders and the leases were incredible. And very quickly, I really like the Hyundai loaders. When they came out with the 9 Series, we had 940s.
00:39:16
bob
We had guys running cat all the time. They hop in them. What I found for snow, they were real good. Some other things outside of snow, they were they were not as smooth to operate, but they they served us really well.
00:39:24
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
00:39:27
bob
um And now this year, talking with Case for almost two years, we're making the switch making the switch back to Case. So we sold every piece of Kubota we had.
00:39:39
bob
We sold our older case um and we just went with 280 skids.
00:39:46
snowjobspodcast
Yup.
00:39:46
bob
So we'll have eight of those.
00:39:48
RICK JAMES
Nice.
00:39:48
bob
We went to 321s. We'll be running 16 of those this year.
00:39:51
snowjobspodcast
Nice.
00:39:52
bob
And then what we're transitioning slower over is to the 621s for full-size loaders.
00:39:55
RICK JAMES
Hmm, yep.
00:39:57
bob
So we got five this year, um but we still have a decent amount of the Hyundai 940s that somewhere on lease, we got nine on lease that are coming off in the next two years.
00:40:08
bob
So those, those will come out of circulation replaced with six 21s. And then we own a couple of nine 40s outright that they've done as well. I'm not, not racing to get rid of those.
00:40:18
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
00:40:19
snowjobspodcast
So what Kubota...
00:40:19
bob
So we'll be running that. And then, um, one of our biggest clients is also Mac trucks and Mac trucks is owned by Volvo.
00:40:24
RICK JAMES
Oh.
00:40:24
snowjobspodcast
Okay.
00:40:26
bob
So for everything we do on a Mac truck site, we use a Volvo.
00:40:28
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:40:29
snowjobspodcast
Yo.
00:40:31
bob
So I know they were, uh, there was a Volvo dealer at SNS. That's not our Volvo dealer. Um, But so we're running we're running an L60, we're running five L45s, two L30s, and then we're still trying to finalize the last details, but we may be running two L25 electric compact loaders this winter.
00:40:50
RICK JAMES
Ooh, really?
00:40:50
snowjobspodcast
Really?
00:40:52
bob
it's Yeah, so we do MAC, their customer experience center.
00:40:55
RICK JAMES
Mm.
00:40:57
bob
Um, and we're just looking, they got to have a rapid charger. It's got to be 484 phase rapid chargers. So if we can get them, we we have to have access inside the building 24 seven.
00:41:08
bob
So if they can pull off the rapid chargers, we think we can do it. We have one L 45, we'll have one L 25, but we'll have to have two so we can circulate out and charge. Cause we expect they say they're four to six hour runtime.
00:41:22
bob
We're expecting three in the snow.
00:41:23
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
00:41:25
bob
So we'll just, one operator will rotate between two machines and um Volvo's really pushing the electric.
00:41:28
snowjobspodcast
Hmm.
00:41:31
bob
I got, I mentioned off mic, I got to go to Volvo days out in Shippensburg and their electric equipment is, it honestly changed my view of what a electric can do.
00:41:32
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:41:35
snowjobspodcast
Great.
00:41:40
bob
So it's, it's getting there. They've got Volvo L120. I don't even know how big that is. 60,000 pounds, fully electric. And I got to ride, I got to drive that thing and it was, it was quite impressive.
00:41:49
RICK JAMES
well Yeah.
00:41:53
snowjobspodcast
20,000 pounds is just a lithium-ion battery. but but ah That's awesome. I mean, keep us posted on how the electric stuff works out for you if you get it this winter, because that's that's huge.
00:42:04
RICK JAMES
I've seen those at schools.
00:42:04
bob
Yeah, you know, and it was actually my dealer was able to hook ah connect with ah storm equipment. So that that L25 that was at the Simon symposium running the storm vision, that was from who knows, I might be running that machine in this winter, but that was from my dealer.
00:42:18
RICK JAMES
Huh.
00:42:19
bob
So Tony down at Hoffman equipment hooked him up for the show. So it was, you know, with storm vision and electric loader, it's ah it's a it's pretty nice combo.
00:42:27
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:42:27
snowjobspodcast
Nice.
00:42:28
snowjobspodcast
You've had good experience with Hoffman.
00:42:30
bob
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah real good.
00:42:31
snowjobspodcast
That's it.
00:42:33
bob
Um, you know, they're the one that took me to Volvo days and uh Yep,
00:42:36
snowjobspodcast
Oh, that's right. They do run Volvo. They do handle Volvo too.
00:42:39
bob
yep
00:42:40
snowjobspodcast
Up by up by us, it's straight case.
00:42:40
bob
yep, so Gotcha Yep, so this one um on the Volvo side when I got to meet there are some big people at Volvo days We got to meet the president of Volvo construction of North America And he knew our guy and he basically said Tony you need a you need a loader Tony's the guy to go to so they were
00:42:42
snowjobspodcast
They don't have any Volvo up by us.
00:42:59
snowjobspodcast
Nice That's great.
00:43:00
bob
he He doesn't always have the answer, but he knows the people who get it for you.
00:43:03
RICK JAMES
Nice.
00:43:04
bob
you know and and Our conversation at S and&S was a lot about the dealer support. And you know with with the case equipment we're using, um we've got a local dealer, PowerCo, and yeah these guys will do anything for you.
00:43:16
bob
I talked to Nathan, our salesman, you know a couple of times a week, um great guy. And the Volvo, when when we left Volvo days, Tony looked at me dead in the eyes and said, I just want you to know,
00:43:29
bob
My job starts today. yeah You bought the equipment. That wasn't my job. My job starts now.
00:43:34
RICK JAMES
Well, yeah, that's great.
00:43:35
bob
And Tony's like me.
00:43:36
snowjobspodcast
Nice.
00:43:38
bob
He's kind of energetic, talks real quick. When he stopped, looked me in the eyes and slowed down, I could tell how serious he was. So we are lucky that we've got two two great dealers in support. And that was a big part of it, switching back to case also, um having power code down the street.
00:43:53
RICK JAMES
Hmm.
00:43:54
bob
you know we've got We've got their phone numbers at any night of the week, anytime, they'll be opening the parts room for us.
00:43:59
snowjobspodcast
That's awesome.
00:44:00
bob
They're they're good people.
00:44:02
RICK JAMES
That's great.
00:44:02
snowjobspodcast
Dealer support is the key.
00:44:03
RICK JAMES
It is.
00:44:03
snowjobspodcast
that's ah Man, that'll let you that'll let you sleep at night if you know you got you know the good dealers to back you up.
00:44:04
RICK JAMES
buts sort What's up?
00:44:07
bob
It won't let them sleep at night, but that's their problem.
00:44:09
RICK JAMES
We run a couple.
00:44:10
snowjobspodcast
Exactly.
00:44:11
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:44:11
snowjobspodcast
That's okay though. That's okay.
00:44:13
RICK JAMES
We run a couple of 60s and 70s, but what's an L 45? I don't think I've even seen the L 45. How big is that one?
00:44:19
bob
So ah ah an L45, it's kind of sized in between. I think it's around 22,000 pounds.
00:44:24
RICK JAMES
Okay. That's what I was kind of thinking.
00:44:25
snowjobspodcast
Is that like a 914?
00:44:26
bob
Yeah, a lot of the max stuff at the manufacturing plant, there's just not a ton of room. There's a lot of, you know, I'm looking at, let's see here, I think it's 38 acres, 39 acres, but there's so much going on there that, you know, we wanted we wanted some smaller machines just for the maneuverability there.
00:44:44
RICK JAMES
right
00:44:44
bob
So it's it's a nice size and the price the price point's a big difference from the L60s.
00:44:48
RICK JAMES
Right Yeah, yeah But that'll that full elect That full electric they're saying only three to four hours on it because God I went to a show in Minneapolis last year and it was there and like I was telling me Yeah, I get eight hours.
00:44:48
snowjobspodcast
Yeah, absolutely.
00:44:49
bob
It's a nice step down. Yeah.
00:44:52
snowjobspodcast
So you're a, you're a, sorry. ah yeah
00:45:01
RICK JAMES
I'm like no no way but
00:45:03
bob
Yeah, so I think that they they base advertised under heavy use four to six hours.
00:45:07
RICK JAMES
Okay. Okay.
00:45:08
bob
And then I just expect in freezing temperatures,
00:45:10
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:45:12
bob
And heavy use, I mean, snow is the heaviest use, right? You're never not pushing something.
00:45:14
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:45:15
bob
So they don't have a great answer. No one's used it for snow. So that's kind of why I'm excited about it.
00:45:21
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:45:22
bob
You know, it's on a Mac site.
00:45:22
snowjobspodcast
i was gonna yeah
00:45:24
bob
You know, they, they understand the risks of being one of the first ones, you know, going to electric in the snow, but um Volvo is very, very excited about the electric, you know, in Volvo Mac being under the same umbrella.
00:45:36
bob
um They're really smart about how they're doing it and and the setup there. And then we've got an L45 with um yeah hydraulic wing plow on it. So if anything goes wrong, we've got a big machine to come through and and make sure they're at least staying open while we're figuring things out.
00:45:44
snowjobspodcast
Mmm. I was gonna... Good.
00:45:50
RICK JAMES
but yeah, that's the goal.
00:45:51
snowjobspodcast
Yeah. I wonder how they get that rating for heavy use. Cause like you could have a rating for a loader. Most of what a loader does for heavy use is go up and down with the boom. You know, I don't know about pushing though, pushing all that weight forward with a pusher.
00:46:03
snowjobspodcast
That might be a different rating in hours. I don't know. It's going to be, like I said, keep us posted. That's awesome.
00:46:08
RICK JAMES
Yeah, makes sense.
00:46:09
bob
Yeah, yeah let's hope let's hope it happens. We're close. We were on a call with them yesterday. So we're near the final stages of seeing if we can pull this off. So I know my dealer's got them.
00:46:16
RICK JAMES
Mm
00:46:17
bob
It's just a matter of can we get them charged?
00:46:20
RICK JAMES
hmm.
00:46:20
snowjobspodcast
Nice.
00:46:21
bob
Yeah.
00:46:21
snowjobspodcast
Those are the three 21s that you picked up. Those are replacing what, like the Kubota R620s or R600s, whatever those are.
00:46:27
bob
ah Yeah, they were 640s.
00:46:30
snowjobspodcast
640s.
00:46:31
bob
you know and we we were skids We were all skid steers and full-size loaders, and then when we went to the compact loaders, we were already with Kubota.
00:46:32
snowjobspodcast
Night and day.
00:46:41
bob
The Kubota's are super reliable, but just for snow, 321s, 908s, they're just a different class machine.
00:46:49
snowjobspodcast
Yeah. Yeah. I was going to say, not even close, not even the same machine.
00:46:50
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
00:46:52
bob
yeah Yeah, I don't want to talk bad about the Kubota because they were good machines, but for but it's not apples to apples.
00:46:53
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:46:54
snowjobspodcast
No, no, no, no. They have their use.
00:46:58
bob
right and We got one 321 because we were running a hydraulic snowblower on the front and the Kubotas didn't have the hydraulic flow.
00:46:58
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:47:07
bob
We got that 321. I plowed an empty lot after a storm and I just thought I was going to struggle. and I quickly learned what a 321 does compared to a 640.
00:47:16
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
00:47:17
bob
That was the beginning of, all right, I got to make a deal here. How do we I picked up the phone probably two days later to Powerco and we said, what do we gotta do?
00:47:25
RICK JAMES
Nice.
00:47:25
bob
let Let's make this happen. we got ah we gotta We gotta make a change here.
00:47:29
snowjobspodcast
Yeah, they don't look like much to three 21s. They don't look like they should have the power they do, but they do. They definitely have it.
00:47:35
bob
Yeah, yeah, it made a big difference and Powerco outfitted all of ours that we're getting this year um with the Nokia and Snow tires.
00:47:41
RICK JAMES
Ooh, you're gonna love that.
00:47:43
bob
So they're gonna, yeah, yeah, every machine
00:47:44
snowjobspodcast
Nice.
00:47:48
bob
All the loaders were getting from power code they got no cans on them and then we actually for the skids we ah We have a bunch of the the wolf paws that from from snow off yeah, so we took those off all the machines we sold so I think for For the eight machines.
00:47:57
snowjobspodcast
Yeah, absolutely.
00:48:04
bob
I think we've got six sets already that will be putting on and that way whenever we do turn the machines over They got brand new heels. They won't even see the snow so they'll a little bit easier to sell and
00:48:09
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
00:48:10
RICK JAMES
Nice.
00:48:12
RICK JAMES
Yeah,
00:48:13
snowjobspodcast
Yeah, the wolf paws are phenomenal snow tires.
00:48:15
bob
Yeah, they when we got one set just to try him out and that operator after one storm said if you ever put me another skit, I quit.
00:48:16
RICK JAMES
stop.
00:48:22
RICK JAMES
has I say that all the time, don't I?
00:48:22
bob
Yeah.
00:48:23
snowjobspodcast
That's true.
00:48:26
RICK JAMES
If you put snow tires on something, you can't put the different operator in there or yeah.
00:48:26
bob
yeah
00:48:29
bob
Yeah.
00:48:30
snowjobspodcast
I make the argument all the time to people that if they're asking about skids no tires that you can't afford not to have them just for what they do for you on forget about pushing just the traction when you have an oh shit and you have to stop immediately and you can't do that with flotation tires that has paid for itself you know that whatever whatever cost you I think, what what are we paying now?
00:48:51
snowjobspodcast
$300, $400 a tire, maybe. So it's $1,200 to $1,600 a set. ah It's definitely under $200, though. that It's going to save you, because you definitely have, if you have a couple skids out there, you have those oh shit moments where you get too close to something, and you have to stop a turn, mid-turn, or something.
Snow Equipment and Techniques
00:49:09
snowjobspodcast
And they allow you to do it. They definitely stop you dead. I love the wolf claws.
00:49:12
bob
Yeah, yeah, whatever the tires cost, they save you in damage. And I don't know what you guys do when we wear through a set.
00:49:16
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
00:49:19
bob
I mean, I know, I know the manufacturer recommend this, we just put truck tires on.
00:49:23
RICK JAMES
Yeah, a lot of guys do that yep Oh, yeah Once they go they go a little faster, too
00:49:24
snowjobspodcast
Yeah, yep.
00:49:25
bob
Yep. Yeah, they they hold up just fine.
00:49:26
snowjobspodcast
Yeah, like they do.
00:49:28
bob
And what we found is if we're going to burn through three sets of tires, by not having to put skid steer tires back on the rims pay for themselves by bill to put truck tires on.
00:49:36
snowjobspodcast
Yes.
00:49:37
bob
So, you know, if you're going to keep the machine and go through a couple sets, it's Long-term it's a net zero for expense so it works.
00:49:43
snowjobspodcast
yeah Yeah, I was going to say that to you. It kind of sucks for me and Bob. I mean, it's not the same for Jeremy where he is, but for us not having frozen pavement anymore when we're pushing, those snow tires, are the reason they're so grippy, obviously, is because of the soft rubber compound. Well, when you're pushing with a you know a tier one plow that's getting every little bit of snow up, and then you try and turn with those things, they wear really quick on frozen pavement.
00:50:07
snowjobspodcast
So yeah, that's my only knock on those.
00:50:08
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:50:10
snowjobspodcast
They're awesome, but they you'll you'll be lucky to get three seasons out of them. I think two seasons is about all we could manage out of ours.
00:50:17
bob
Yeah, yeah, that seems that seems about right. They burn out quick, yeah.
00:50:20
snowjobspodcast
Well, when you have, yeah, it's all, on when you have unfrozen pavement, if you got frozen pavement, they seem to wear a lot less quick, but you know, on those storms, those nor'easters, when it's 36 degrees and you're out there pushing, you can like almost see the rubber coming off them.
00:50:34
snowjobspodcast
Holy crap. Oh man. Well, that's great. You'll love the Nokians. You'll absolutely love those if you've never had them before.
00:50:39
RICK JAMES
oh god ah
00:50:41
snowjobspodcast
Those things are phenomenal.
00:50:43
bob
Yeah, we started with them a couple of years ago, just on on some of the new Hyundai's we bought and we got our snow, our salt pile here. And, you know, we push it up, you know, with our loaders, we've got a pretty tall ceiling, we can stack high.
00:50:56
bob
And you go into that pile, you lose traction. We put those snow tires on and we just drove right up the pile until the counterweight hit the ground, scared the shit out of my mechanic.
00:50:59
RICK JAMES
Oh, God. Yep.
00:51:03
bob
But it right away, and you know, in August, we knew these tires were going to change the way we do things.
00:51:06
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
00:51:08
bob
And, um, Every machine from here on out once you and I was told that you know, and you hear it You don't really believe it and then you put them on and you kind of kick yourself.
00:51:13
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
00:51:17
bob
What have I been doing this whole time?
00:51:19
RICK JAMES
Yup.
00:51:19
snowjobspodcast
Yeah. Oh, it definitely you're exactly right. That's exactly what the heck I said when Jeremy made me get the first set because they are game changers.
00:51:27
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:51:27
bob
Yeah I'm in the metal plus mafia guys.
00:51:27
snowjobspodcast
Um, what are you, uh, what are you pushing in front of all these loaders and skids? What do you got on there?
00:51:34
snowjobspodcast
Okay.
00:51:34
RICK JAMES
ah Mafia.
00:51:34
bob
I'm in the No, so we uh
00:51:35
snowjobspodcast
All right. Nothing wrong with it. Nothing wrong with it.
00:51:38
bob
yeah you know, I was actually talking with Jordan Smith recently about Arctic and it's just not I don't see him in our area, first of all.
00:51:39
RICK JAMES
Great.
00:51:45
bob
So like, I think what's great about your show and and meeting other people is that like, the snow industry was so small for individuals, right? Like you just lived in your bubble, you don't realize what's out there.
00:51:54
snowjobspodcast
Yep.
00:51:56
bob
um But yeah, so we're we're big proponents of the hydraulic wing plow.
00:51:58
snowjobspodcast
Cool.
00:52:00
bob
So um every
00:52:01
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm
00:52:04
bob
Every 321 will have an 813 on the front of it. And then on the big machines ranging anywhere from a 1020 up until a 1226 van wing.
00:52:15
snowjobspodcast
Okay, cool.
00:52:16
bob
So we've got a couple live edge, just regular push boxes.
00:52:16
RICK JAMES
Nice Good
00:52:20
bob
But yeah, we're besides the skids, everything will have a metal plus on the front of it.
00:52:25
snowjobspodcast
Nice.
00:52:26
bob
Yeah.
00:52:27
snowjobspodcast
Nothing wrong with them.
00:52:28
RICK JAMES
No, we just give them a hard time because it's what we do.
00:52:28
snowjobspodcast
Nothing wrong with them. That definitely seems to be the way to go, like in the Lehigh Valley.
00:52:30
RICK JAMES
It's fun.
00:52:33
snowjobspodcast
You got Western Lehigh cells them, right? You got, you know, they have a relationship with them and everybody in the Lehigh Valley seems to have the metal pluses.
00:52:37
RICK JAMES
SNS.
00:52:41
snowjobspodcast
So yeah, I don't see any artics out there.
00:52:41
bob
Yeah, yeah, I mean it. Yeah, I just I just never have seen him and but it did come up in conversation that you know, I think it's my naivety to is that like, I probably if I'm going to go with a fixed box, you know, I think the Arctic's do a better job than just the live edge.
00:53:00
bob
that' That's kind of what I'm hearing. But yeah, I think just part of it, I ah didn't know the difference, you know, it was just where it's at.
00:53:03
snowjobspodcast
And I would say so. Yeah, ah good yeah we'll we'll figure it we'll figure it out for you.
00:53:06
bob
And I'm not even sure where I'd buy one in the area. So again, with with Western Lehigh around the corner.
00:53:10
RICK JAMES
I could offline somebody for you. I'll get you. I think Pickney's in his area, so.
00:53:18
bob
Yeah, i'm I'm open to it. I'm open to it. But ah you know what I'm really interested in is i hadn't I hadn't had enough time yet to see the snow power plow in person.
00:53:22
snowjobspodcast
That's great.
00:53:27
RICK JAMES
Oh, yeah.
00:53:28
snowjobspodcast
What'd you think?
00:53:28
bob
I've heard you guys talk about it. So I think it was i think Jeremy, you you were over there for a little bit at the end of the night at S and&S.
00:53:34
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
00:53:35
bob
I sat there for a while. And we still have we've got one truck without a plow on the front of it. and i think Um, it's a Mac medium duty as an MD seven. So there weren't, when we first got it, the plow hookup was a, was a challenge.
00:53:43
snowjobspodcast
go Okay.
00:53:47
bob
So we just never did it. Um, but I dunno, a snow, a snow power plow on the front of an MD seven might, might be the ticket. So, um, that might be the new one coming.
00:53:56
snowjobspodcast
A move.
00:53:56
RICK JAMES
Worth a shot. Worth a shot.
00:54:00
bob
Yeah.
00:54:00
snowjobspodcast
That's awesome.
00:54:01
bob
Yeah.
00:54:01
snowjobspodcast
Yeah. Yeah. That was, it was good to see Rick out there. It was good to see the plows. And that's what we heard that from a bunch of guys. Like they'd seen them, like, or they heard about them, but they'd never been able to put hands on them. Everybody was like, came away really impressed with that.
00:54:14
snowjobspodcast
So good.
00:54:15
bob
Yeah. And it's, it's funny.
00:54:15
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:54:16
bob
You look at it. It's like, why with everything that's out there, why have we waited so long? Like the technology is amazing and what he's done, but it just makes a lot of sense.
00:54:24
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:54:25
bob
Like, of course, like where, what have we been doing?
00:54:28
snowjobspodcast
Yep.
00:54:28
bob
So no, I'm, I'm excited to see it.
00:54:28
RICK JAMES
Mmhmm.
00:54:29
bob
I know, uh, I'm hearing a lot of people for the first time trying that plow. And, um, I think I'm, I've got it saved on my screen here. So I think I'll be making a call later this week to to see if, uh, what we can pull off.
00:54:40
snowjobspodcast
Nice, and good luck with it.
00:54:41
RICK JAMES
I mean, it's even just electrical. It's just simple on, you know, it's just simple. Not you don't have to tear the whole front of your truck apart.
00:54:47
snowjobspodcast
It is very simple.
00:54:47
RICK JAMES
Like do all the other, you know, it's, it's just that itself is easy, you know, like power and then record to your controller pretty much, you know, and you get to use your factory lights.
00:54:52
snowjobspodcast
Gotcha.
00:54:56
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
00:54:57
RICK JAMES
And so, yeah, I don't know.
00:55:00
snowjobspodcast
That I like, being able to use the factory lights.
00:55:00
bob
Yeah, just makes sense.
00:55:02
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
00:55:03
snowjobspodcast
that that I like that a lot.
00:55:05
bob
Yeah, I didn't even realize that. That's just another reason.
00:55:07
snowjobspodcast
Yeah, exactly.
00:55:07
RICK JAMES
Yeah, it's it's just it's just a power to the battery and then into your cab for the controller. That's that's it. That's very simple. so
00:55:15
snowjobspodcast
That's awesome.
00:55:15
bob
All right.
00:55:17
snowjobspodcast
What are you guys running for sidewalk stuff out there?
00:55:20
bob
Mostly Snow Raiders.
00:55:22
snowjobspodcast
Okay.
00:55:22
bob
So we've been with Snow Raiders. We still have some of the LT-rich orange ones. And I think we've replaced two engines.
00:55:26
snowjobspodcast
You know.
00:55:29
bob
and every big electrical connector. Besides that, they they've been bulletproof. so um ah One thing my mechanic did is he got the ah underground electrical boxes for like home electric when you have to like splice underground.
00:55:44
snowjobspodcast
Sure.
00:55:44
bob
and We put the major electrical connector in the back, we put it in that. so It's waterproof, we weather pack the connector, but then it's in a box that doesn't let any water in. and it's really It's really saved that because that harness, I think it goes to the voltage regulator or whatever it does.
00:55:53
snowjobspodcast
Nice.
00:55:57
bob
it ah that That gets corrosion. So he's fixed those problems. yeah a lot of ah yeah I think we're up to like 20 Snow Raiders.
00:56:04
snowjobspodcast
Okay.
00:56:06
bob
And then we have a couple of the Ventrac SSVs. Just for the be the ability to put the attach different attachments on the front when we don't need it all the time, but we get the big one and and weve we need a blower on the front.
00:56:13
snowjobspodcast
Sure.
00:56:20
bob
We've gone SSV over the over the Snow Raider mag just because some things we heard early with the Snow Raider mag. but As I'm trying to get brand consistent with our loaders, I may be doing the same.
00:56:32
bob
Seeing that Snow Raider mag in person, it seems like a pretty comparable machine and just be able to have one dealer.
00:56:36
snowjobspodcast
Mm hmm.
00:56:38
bob
We're looking at that, but lots of Snow Raiders. We still got some four-wheelers. You know, we've got some long straight walks at the four-wheelers. Nothing beats it.
00:56:46
snowjobspodcast
Yeah, this is Terrace.
00:56:47
bob
A couple of UTVs with some some V plows, but Snow Raiders are our bread and butter.
00:56:52
snowjobspodcast
Cool.
00:56:53
bob
that's That's what we're doing. And we spray a lot of brine for walks. Snow Raiders are the perfect setup for it.
00:56:58
snowjobspodcast
They are now, they were great.
00:56:58
RICK JAMES
Gotcha.
00:57:00
snowjobspodcast
they They definitely are a great little machine. Have you seen the new Scouts, the little the tiny ones?
00:57:04
bob
Yeah. Yeah. I think it makes sense. there's There's definitely a need for that as, you know, when when the Snow Reader first came out and, you know, before everything doubled in price, it was, I don't think the Scout was the scout was needed, um but now as things have gotten more expensive and, you know, it doesn't work for us.
00:57:08
snowjobspodcast
It does.
00:57:15
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:57:18
snowjobspodcast
Nope.
00:57:22
bob
We want the brine capability, but I think it makes a lot of sense for the market to have that equality machine at, you know, what's now an entry level price.
00:57:24
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:57:30
bob
ah Yeah, it makes sense.
00:57:32
RICK JAMES
yeahp
00:57:33
snowjobspodcast
Absolutely, absolutely.
00:57:34
bob
Yeah.
00:57:34
RICK JAMES
What are you, what are you running for? Salters and i so you said Brian and stuff. You're doing that and.
00:57:38
bob
Yeah. So, Brian, we're all VSI. um We've been with VSI for a while.
00:57:41
RICK JAMES
Okay.
00:57:44
bob
So, we've got a VSI brine maker, a couple thousand gallon sprayers, 750 gallon sprayer, couple 500 for supervisors, just you know follow up or ah or main drags.
00:57:54
snowjobspodcast
who
00:57:55
bob
um So, yeah, have VSI has been good.
00:57:56
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:57:58
bob
Salters, we are, I don't know if anyone else still does this, we have tailgate replacements. So not below the tailgate, but tailgate replacements on our dump trucks. So we raise the body up, salt slides the back and it's it's from a company out in Illinois called Benel.
00:58:06
RICK JAMES
Hmm.
00:58:07
snowjobspodcast
Okay.
00:58:12
snowjobspodcast
Hmm.
00:58:14
RICK JAMES
Okay.
00:58:14
snowjobspodcast
I've heard of them.
00:58:15
bob
Yeah.
00:58:15
snowjobspodcast
I've heard of them.
00:58:16
bob
Yeah. So there's actually like some family connection that we got hooked up with them a long time ago. And yeah, so Ed, my stepdad was just always a big believer in
00:58:23
snowjobspodcast
Cool.
00:58:27
RICK JAMES
Nope.
00:58:28
bob
How do you make the truck as light as you can so you can carry as much salt as possible?
00:58:31
snowjobspodcast
There you go. Nothing wrong with that.
00:58:33
bob
Yeah, so we run we run Ford 750s, decertified down to 26,000 pounds from the factory and then the tailgate replacements and we run all aluminum EV bodies.
00:58:44
bob
so you know they They check in right about 13,000 pounds um you know versus a steel body and a V-box and all that.
00:58:48
snowjobspodcast
Cool.
00:58:49
RICK JAMES
Nice.
00:58:52
snowjobspodcast
Oh yeah.
00:58:52
bob
It just keeps adding up.
00:58:53
snowjobspodcast
Yes, it does.
00:58:53
bob
so We do run some V-boxes, trucks that we may switch from from granular to brine. um They run more of a ah flex body from an EB where you could take the sides off and they'll have a Western V-box.
00:59:09
bob
But now I don't know what we'll do because we want to run all hydraulic. We have central hydraulics in all our truck and Western no longer makes their big one, whatever it is, five and a half or six yard hydraulic V-box anymore.
00:59:18
snowjobspodcast
Mm hmm.
00:59:20
bob
It's all it's all gas. and We need to be able to control the spinner and the auger separately. And with the gas, it's just it doesn't work. so But yeah, Western V-boxes, Western wide-out Excel plows if it's not going to be the snow-powered plow.
00:59:28
snowjobspodcast
I hear you.
00:59:34
bob
so But yeah, we're <unk>re a little different with the but the tailgate replacement spreaders, I think.
00:59:35
snowjobspodcast
Cool.
00:59:40
snowjobspodcast
Do they work?
00:59:41
bob
They work real well.
00:59:42
snowjobspodcast
There you go.
00:59:43
bob
yeah
00:59:43
snowjobspodcast
It's all that matters.
00:59:44
RICK JAMES
ye Nice.
00:59:45
bob
I'm telling you, they can throw salt from the front of a trailer to the against the building in a loading docks.
00:59:45
snowjobspodcast
Long as they work.
00:59:49
bob
They can throw them 45, 50 feet when you crank the crank up those hydraulics. So I love them.
00:59:53
snowjobspodcast
There you go. That's it. That's all that matters. If they work there, they're great. Um, what else you got? Jay and equipment.
01:00:01
RICK JAMES
Do you, so do you spike your Brian and stuff or you just run straight Brian?
01:00:01
snowjobspodcast
Anything else?
01:00:04
bob
yeah Yeah, so we we spike it with AMP, so the magnesium you know from EnviroTech.
01:00:07
RICK JAMES
Okay. yeah Yep.
01:00:08
snowjobspodcast
Okay.
01:00:10
RICK JAMES
Yep.
01:00:10
snowjobspodcast
Yep.
01:00:10
bob
Um, just who we've been since day one. And, um, we have, they have a distribution point right at Harrisburg. So about an hour and a half from us. So just get it by the tanker load. Um, we're still trying to figure out how, what's the best setup.
01:00:24
bob
We basically do a 10% in almost everything we do. We know it's good for walks.
01:00:28
snowjobspodcast
Yep.
01:00:30
bob
It's good for pavement. It may not be necessary for pavement all the time, but we're, we're still struggling with having enough capacity. we blend We blend the additive in in the storage tank, so we're not blending as we're filling.
01:00:42
RICK JAMES
And.
01:00:43
bob
So right now, we we hold 20,000 gallons at our brine making plant, which is our old shop, um and then 15,000 gallons out in the field.
01:00:43
snowjobspodcast
Yep.
01:00:43
RICK JAMES
and
01:00:51
bob
So we just as we pump out 1,000 gallons of brine, we mix in 100 gallons of AMP and and just do it right then and there so we know it's good.
01:00:59
snowjobspodcast
Cool.
01:01:00
bob
We haven't we haven't figured that out.
01:01:00
snowjobspodcast
No, sounds good.
01:01:01
bob
But yeah, AMP's been good to us. i mean It's not an issue for us. We've always been a calcium-based company over magnesium.
01:01:06
snowjobspodcast
Okay.
01:01:07
bob
um Running aluminum, magnesium and aluminum aren't friends.
01:01:08
RICK JAMES
help
01:01:11
bob
They corrode, but in the brine spraying, it hasn't been an issue.
01:01:11
snowjobspodcast
Yep. Yep.
01:01:14
bob
so but Any bagged material we get for sidewalks has always been calcium. so I know we've looked into we've looked into headwaters hot, and now EnviroTech does make a calcium additive, but We haven't dialed in our liquid direct to pavement well enough yet. I don't want to add another variable that we're trying to figure out. let's Let's figure it out. If we dial it in, then we can do better comparisons if we want to switch or not.
01:01:37
snowjobspodcast
I gotcha.
Brine Solutions and Salt Strategies
01:01:38
snowjobspodcast
Cool.
01:01:39
bob
yeah
01:01:39
snowjobspodcast
Sounds good. And you guys are you using straight granular or are you using treated?
01:01:42
bob
So we did switch to treated actually ah last year. So we still have some straight salt. um and again I think it was just something I wasn't aware of.
01:01:55
bob
I mean i knew it existed, but I never used it myself.
01:01:58
snowjobspodcast
Mm hmm.
01:02:00
bob
So I didn't see the added benefit. And then a couple of years ago, we had some real, real cold nights, ah sustained zero degrees, you know single digits, where our salt just wasn't doing the trick.
01:02:08
snowjobspodcast
Yep.
01:02:10
bob
we are We got some treated salt, some stuck around. And the next year, we used it just because, well, it's here. Let's use it on a normal storm.
01:02:18
snowjobspodcast
Sure.
01:02:19
bob
And my drivers came back. there's like What is this stuff? It works so so much better.
01:02:23
RICK JAMES
ah
01:02:23
snowjobspodcast
Okay.
01:02:25
bob
And ah so we've debated treating ourselves and it just became too much. So yeah, it's treated with calcium now. So it's, you know, whatever from Enviro, not from EnviroTech, sorry. EnviroTech, if we end up going to treating ourselves, but we love our salt supplier out of, they they own a port in Philadelphia.
01:02:42
RICK JAMES
Okay.
01:02:42
snowjobspodcast
Cool.
01:02:42
bob
So they've got they've got great access and they've got treated salt. So we get it yeah treated with calcium. It's a pretty blue color.
01:02:50
RICK JAMES
Nice.
01:02:51
snowjobspodcast
Very cool.
01:02:51
RICK JAMES
Smurf salt.
01:02:52
bob
But that yeah, that's what was just last year and just phasing out the old stuff to make Brian and everything out in the field then will be treated.
01:03:00
snowjobspodcast
Very cool. What else you got, Jay?
01:03:02
RICK JAMES
Using a weather service, Bob.
01:03:04
snowjobspodcast
Ooh.
01:03:05
bob
Yep, yeah, my ah we actually use a couple. We use two different ones.
01:03:09
snowjobspodcast
Okay.
01:03:10
bob
um You know we. We use a to support East Coast facilities. is Our friend we use you know true weather and mark.
01:03:18
snowjobspodcast
Yep.
01:03:20
bob
you know Mark is a neighbor of mine. you know I was down downs swimming at his pool not too long ago.
01:03:24
snowjobspodcast
He is.
01:03:24
bob
He's a great guy.
01:03:26
RICK JAMES
Hmm.
01:03:26
bob
ah We've been with WeatherWorks since the beginning, since we used a weather company. My nephew not my my ah cousin worked there.
01:03:31
RICK JAMES
Okay.
01:03:32
bob
so He doesn't work there anymore, but we were in with WeatherWorks very early on because my cousin was a meteorologist there.
01:03:35
snowjobspodcast
Sure.
01:03:37
bob
and you know they do They do it in very different ways.
01:03:39
snowjobspodcast
Mm hmm.
01:03:41
bob
yeah I think those two companies do things in different ways that I I'm an information guy i'll take all the information i can get in there's times where i feel like one service is giving me info kind of at this cadence which is helpful others doing a different way so.
01:03:50
RICK JAMES
Yep.
01:04:00
bob
yeah Sometimes i turn them both off because it's like look i don't know what's going on here i'll just i'll make my own decisions now but it's just kind of nice that i know ah i've got somebody either company reach out to and say what what the hell is going on here.
01:04:05
snowjobspodcast
Yep.
01:04:12
snowjobspodcast
Who's been more accurate?
01:04:14
bob
uh i don't know it's neither i think neither is probably the answer now yeah yeah no i just i just look at the certified snow totals and compare to see which one's higher
01:04:15
RICK JAMES
ah ra
01:04:17
snowjobspodcast
There we go.
01:04:17
RICK JAMES
No, that's the right answer.
01:04:18
snowjobspodcast
That's the perfect answer.
01:04:22
RICK JAMES
no
01:04:25
snowjobspodcast
There you go.
01:04:25
RICK JAMES
There you go. There you go.
01:04:27
snowjobspodcast
There you go.
Operational Challenges and Innovations
01:04:28
snowjobspodcast
How many guys do you have on the street during a storm?
01:04:28
RICK JAMES
the
01:04:32
snowjobspodcast
Do you guys put out?
01:04:32
bob
so on our books we're we're about 120 um so that's you know we're running
01:04:36
snowjobspodcast
Okay.
01:04:41
bob
We actually reduced the amount of equipment this year by by upgrading the fleet to bigger equipment with more, better implements on the front. We're going from 62 down into the lower 50.
01:04:51
bob
So we reduced the amount of equipment we're doing for the same acreage. um But between equipment, salt truck drivers, our sidewalk teams, we're around 120.
01:05:01
snowjobspodcast
sure
01:05:01
bob
And then probably not too far off that with subcontractors as well.
01:05:01
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:05:06
bob
So we do we do a bit of both. um you know, we just have some areas that doesn't make sense for us to put our equipment or just the size of buildings. So yeah, so I would say, you know, to handle, we do about 30 million square feet of pavement.
01:05:13
RICK JAMES
Oh,
01:05:18
bob
That's kind of what we look at.
01:05:18
snowjobspodcast
Oh wow.
01:05:19
bob
So 120 in our books and probably similar with with what subcontractors with boots on the ground.
01:05:19
RICK JAMES
nice.
01:05:26
snowjobspodcast
Very cool.
01:05:27
bob
Yeah. So I'm sure you can imagine it's mayhem when we're when we're dispatching 60 shovelers and all that.
01:05:32
snowjobspodcast
I can't even imagine.
01:05:33
bob
It's
01:05:34
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:05:35
snowjobspodcast
Can't even imagine.
01:05:36
bob
we got a guy here. So Steve, he, he does some HR stuff for us, not other stuff, but he, he hires, organizes and dispatch all of our sidewalk crews. So, and he's got a funny title, because guy came in for an interview, he's like, Hey, I'm looking for the director of sidewalks.
01:05:46
snowjobspodcast
wow highest paid guy in the company.
01:05:55
bob
So I'm like, Steve, are you calling yourself the director of sidewalks?
01:05:58
snowjobspodcast
ah
01:05:58
bob
And he denied it. And I'm like, what's next?
01:05:59
RICK JAMES
ah
01:06:00
bob
You're gonna be the director of pedestrian walkways. So he became our director of pedestrian walkways. So very fancy title and ah but yeah, he's really good at ease.
01:06:06
snowjobspodcast
Official title.
01:06:06
RICK JAMES
oh Blow it.
01:06:09
snowjobspodcast
Highest paid position.
01:06:11
bob
He's moved around a little bit. He's out in our shop. He puts a big table in front of them and nobody can enter past this table. So he's got his space and people are coming in checking in and he's he's got the truck layout. It's it's a You know, some events are better than others, but there's times I'm like, I don't know how you get 60 people.
01:06:28
bob
We're only 20 on our books full time, 40 seasonal people gets them in, organized where they're going and out the door. So, um, it's, it's quite the undertaking.
01:06:35
snowjobspodcast
It's phenomenal.
01:06:37
bob
And then for operators, they're reporting directly to site. We have eight, eight to nine area managers. So, um, they check in with their area manager, get their equipment.
01:06:49
bob
and go from there, that's a little bit easier. 50, 60 equipment operators are easier to handle than 50 to 60 sidewalk team members.
01:06:55
snowjobspodcast
Absolutely. Absolutely.
01:06:58
RICK JAMES
Yep.
01:06:58
snowjobspodcast
Oh, don't lose that, uh, pedestrian sidewalk coordinator.
01:06:58
bob
yeah
01:07:01
snowjobspodcast
That guy sounds like yeah you got to come up.
01:07:02
RICK JAMES
I like that. Put that on my card.
01:07:05
bob
steve's ago He's one of those guys that could do just about anything.
01:07:05
snowjobspodcast
with i
01:07:07
bob
And he wants to do a lot of different stuff. So he does all our site maps. He's real good with the with the yeah the software program to make our site maps.
01:07:12
snowjobspodcast
ah
01:07:16
bob
um Yeah, he he does he does a little bit of everything.
01:07:20
snowjobspodcast
That's awesome.
01:07:21
RICK JAMES
While you said site map or software, and do you run a software and everything then?
01:07:21
bob
Yeah.
01:07:21
snowjobspodcast
Well, she got Jay. Well,
01:07:25
snowjobspodcast
There you go, one.
01:07:27
bob
Yeah, so we're we've been with LMN since 2015.
01:07:31
RICK JAMES
Oh well.
01:07:31
snowjobspodcast
Okay, long time.
01:07:32
bob
We've seen that change from what it was early on, which we basically do time tracking some estimates to really the improvements they've made over the last couple of years. We found ourselves way behind. um yeah We were one of the earliest adopters, I feel like, to the software. And as it changed, we got so far behind. We actually brought Element back in to re-onboard us as a new as a new client, because it's so different from what it was. The way we had entered jobs, didn't talk with a lot of the job costing and stuff like that. So Element sent someone, flew him in from Canada, and he spent four days in our office.
01:08:08
bob
setting up all our landscape snow jobs back up to the back up to the new spec. um So yeah, so everybody clocks in, we supply tablets for every truck. we We're able to get 25 tablets for free through Verizon.
01:08:21
bob
and I think they were like, old Samsung, probably discontinued that they're like, if you take them and put them on the cellular network, you can have them.
01:08:26
RICK JAMES
galaxy, right?
01:08:26
snowjobspodcast
Probably.
01:08:27
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:08:29
bob
but Yep.
01:08:29
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:08:29
snowjobspodcast
Wow.
01:08:29
RICK JAMES
They did the same for us. Yeah. We got like a hundred on the galaxy. I think they're, I don't know, some off brand or something.
01:08:35
bob
ours Ours are so Samsung Galaxy A7 lights.
01:08:38
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:08:39
snowjobspodcast
Hmm.
01:08:39
bob
um
01:08:39
RICK JAMES
It was tough finding like, uh, we were trying to find good, no, not chargers, uh, like, uh, uh, like an outer box center thing for, you know, cause we, and then buying, room
01:08:42
snowjobspodcast
A charger.
01:08:49
snowjobspodcast
Oh, yeah, yeah.
01:08:49
bob
Yeah, we were able to find one that fits and it was in our like EMI safety green color.
01:08:51
snowjobspodcast
Oh, there you
01:08:54
bob
So they're all ah bright green and
01:08:55
RICK JAMES
Ah.
01:08:56
snowjobspodcast
go.
01:08:57
bob
You know, the little things that I like, I found a cabinet that can hold 20 of them and it has a power bank in the back. So the chargers plug in, it loops down right into it. And like that little organization is just like how my mind works.
01:09:08
bob
So they're all labeled when the cabinet gets locked up at the end of the night, it's labeled if it if a tablet should be there.
01:09:09
snowjobspodcast
That's perfect.
01:09:15
bob
If it's not there, whoever's locking up can see it's missing. They know what truck it goes to. So, you know, the little things in life make me happy.
01:09:23
snowjobspodcast
That's awesome.
01:09:23
RICK JAMES
I'm I remember we got all of ours. I had to, I like went through every, every brand loader and every kind of one of our subs had whatever brand they had and I was, I had to order Ram mounts for every one. So I was trying to figure out how to mount it.
01:09:34
RICK JAMES
And that was a chore and that was like expensive to order all those.
01:09:38
bob
The ram outs are quite expensive.
01:09:40
RICK JAMES
They're great.
01:09:40
bob
They're amazing.
01:09:41
RICK JAMES
They're great, but man, they're, they're expensive. They're, they work great, but yeah, they're, but I figured it all, and they're all nice and snug and I think I ordered like 150 of them. That was ridiculous.
01:09:51
snowjobspodcast
Cool.
01:09:52
bob
Yeah. No, it's a good setup.
01:09:53
snowjobspodcast
oh
01:09:54
bob
And it's, you know, depending, every load is a little bit different. Every truck's a little bit different. You know, we have the we have the ones for spraying, you know, we want the we want it mounted and easy accessible.
01:09:58
snowjobspodcast
Sure.
01:10:02
bob
and
01:10:03
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
01:10:03
bob
It bolts into the frame, you know, of the the seat frame, but it fits one type of Ford, but not another. And it's, yeah.
01:10:09
RICK JAMES
Yeah, you know.
01:10:11
bob
You know, all of a sudden you're like eight hours into this project and like, what am I doing? Are the tablets worth it?
01:10:16
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:10:17
bob
I'm eight hours and I've installed two tablets. Like I have a lot to do today, but all I did was install two tablets.
01:10:19
snowjobspodcast
ah
01:10:21
RICK JAMES
yeah
01:10:23
snowjobspodcast
Yeah. Who's paying for this? Who's paying for these hours right now? Oh man. All right. You know what? Let's take a quick break. We're going to do a couple of commercials, let Bob get a drink and we'll come back and we'll wrap it up with some five and five and a couple other questions. All right. Back in a couple of minutes.
01:11:41
snowjobspodcast
All right. We're back. Jeremy. How do you think it's going so far?
01:11:45
RICK JAMES
I like it. It's good. Bob's a good, great guy.
01:11:47
snowjobspodcast
We're just, we're just going to freestyle for a couple of seconds.
01:11:48
RICK JAMES
There he is. Yeah.
01:11:50
snowjobspodcast
but Bob is getting back into the studio here. So kick it back off. You good, Bob?
01:11:58
bob
ah Come back So we we are continuing to grow so as far as EMI itself we've You know, we made the stance the decision a couple years ago.
01:11:59
snowjobspodcast
All right. All right. So what do you think Jay five and five?
01:12:03
RICK JAMES
Yeah. ah Bob, where do you see your company going on the next five years?
01:12:04
snowjobspodcast
All right.
01:12:06
RICK JAMES
Where were you like to to see it at?
01:12:18
bob
We were at a pretty manageable size We fit in our shop nicely we had our square footage But we have a lot of really good people So we made the decision that as long as we can find good people who want to do the work and customers that want to pay you know for good service, we're going to continue to grow.
01:12:38
snowjobspodcast
Mm hmm.
01:12:39
bob
So that's not our end goal. It's not like our ah our guiding light, but we we're going to continue to get to get bigger if we can find these people. And um every year we look at who we got and it's you know we've got someone ready to move up and and manage a route here or there.
01:12:55
bob
so You know, the last five years has been a lot of growth. Um, and the next five years this year we've, we haven't been as aggressive. We've spent a lot just to kind of recalibrate our fleet, get us to where we want to be. Um, you know, everyone, you know, there's uncertainty, the economy we're kinda, we'll grow a little bit this year, but I think we've, we've spent a lot on internal, the growth may not be as external, but really, really putting ourselves in position that the next five years.
01:13:24
bob
with the growth of our area, we're gonna continue to go along with that.
01:13:28
snowjobspodcast
Good for you.
01:13:29
bob
I think we're we're poised to grow. And if we find that the service we wanna provide, there's not as many clients. you know We're not gonna take the work just to get bigger.
01:13:38
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm. That's great.
01:13:39
bob
we've
01:13:39
snowjobspodcast
I don't know. I don't think you're going to run out of clients that use service in that area. Jeez. They're putting them up every day.
01:13:44
bob
yeah my My only fear is we we have seen some occupancy rates go up.
01:13:45
snowjobspodcast
but Oh yeah.
01:13:50
bob
For the first time, you know we probably, over the last couple of years had one or two buildings that were unoccupied. the This year, I think we're going to have in our portfolio that we're doing, I think it's up to eight or nine.
01:14:01
bob
from So from last year from two or three up to eight or nine.
01:14:02
snowjobspodcast
Oh, wow.
01:14:04
bob
So a couple of them are new, they haven't got filled yet, but we're seeing at least short term that these vacancy rates are, you know, we haven't seen this since well before, you know, COVID.
01:14:14
bob
I mean, COVID was for our industry in the industrial, you know, everybody started buying from home or distribution centers, you know,
01:14:15
snowjobspodcast
Hmm. Sure.
01:14:22
bob
they flourished with you know lockdown and all that kind of stuff.
01:14:24
snowjobspodcast
Oh, yeah.
01:14:26
bob
So we' we're watching that. I think our customers are feeling it. They're getting pinched a little bit. So I think it was a good year for us to hold maybe a little bit and and kind of see where it's going.
01:14:36
RICK JAMES
Okay.
01:14:38
bob
But yeah, so next five years, we're going to continue to find good people, treat them right.
01:14:41
RICK JAMES
Okay.
Company Values and Community Building
01:14:47
bob
You know, I've I've done it all right. I mean, I know you guys off to talk about funny snow stories, you know, I was 16 years old shoveling with my mom, we were the only two shovelers in the company, right?
01:14:56
snowjobspodcast
No shit. but
01:14:57
bob
And I locked us out of ah I locked us out of the truck. I hit the manual lock button on the side of the truck, we go show we come back to the truck, we're locked out, there's my stepdad, and maybe one other person plowing, there's no one to come help us.
01:15:09
snowjobspodcast
ah
01:15:09
bob
So we're now done locked out of a truck. So like, um i've been there and done that done it all so like i know how difficult it is and how challenging it is and You know and also how rewarding when when it's done right it can be so we're we're really focused on On making sure if you know as we continue to grow it's for the right reasons um, and that's that's kind of our guiding light, you know our We say our reason for being um is to build relationships through trust integrity and compassion like that's what we do so um
01:15:31
snowjobspodcast
Good for you.
01:15:42
bob
You know, it's not to be the biggest, baddest, no company around.
01:15:42
snowjobspodcast
Good for you.
01:15:45
bob
And maybe that's a byproduct of what we're doing.
01:15:47
snowjobspodcast
There you go.
01:15:48
bob
Hopefully, you know, that's the angle. But it's like, yeah, it's how do we, you know, and I think that's why we've been successful is we got great people because we treat them well. And and, you know, with respect, and they want to do well by us, our clients are are taken care of.
01:16:00
snowjobspodcast
Very cool. So you said you've been, it's been your show now for four years. um What has been the biggest decision that you've made in those four years to get you guys to the point where you are right now?
01:16:12
snowjobspodcast
Like what's been the most, I don't know, the best choice you've made?
01:16:14
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
01:16:16
bob
Yeah, um I mean, probably the biggest choice I made, I'll just say the biggest, you know, with with the fleet this year, we've taken we've taken a big investment. um I'd say what has made the biggest impact, I think, is kind of what it just talked about being a ah people first company, you know, we, we doubled down on that we do some things, you know, we were kind of unique that in the landscape industry, we have health insurance.
01:16:34
snowjobspodcast
Mm hmm.
01:16:40
bob
um yeah That wasn't that common. I think it's 40% of people in our industry have health insurance.
01:16:41
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
01:16:45
bob
but We made the decision that if you've been with us for three years, we're going to cover 100% of your health insurance. like you're part of it You're part of the family now.
01:16:50
snowjobspodcast
Wow.
01:16:50
RICK JAMES
Oh, good feel.
01:16:52
bob
You've been with us for three years. this isn't yeah This isn't some stepping stone for you.
01:16:56
snowjobspodcast
Yeah, not a summer job.
01:16:56
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
01:16:57
snowjobspodcast
Yep.
01:16:58
bob
yeah so you know we've We've just doubled down on that. you know where Where can we look long-term with our people? um and There's times where it does hurt the bottom line. you know We cover insurance and If we got some people who you know, we have no snow and they're not working over the winter Even if they're not even if we're not covered 100 it's not getting deducted from a paycheck.
01:17:15
snowjobspodcast
Nope.
01:17:19
bob
We're paying it, right? So we we've doubled down on On just looking long term with our people every chance we get um And there's times it hurts, you know, just just hurts the bottom line, but I think long term um, it's it's the right decision and I think that's probably the biggest biggest choice I made was you know it will be It will be our people sticking around to make the difference.
01:17:47
bob
And and what it does now is that you know we've got a filter. It's not me making the call out there about who works and who doesn't work here.
01:17:55
snowjobspodcast
yeah
01:17:55
bob
you know We bring someone in and we yeah we talk a lot about core values and all those things. And it's important because that that sets the guidelines, but it's it's become You know bigger than that where we have our core values and a reason or reason for being in all those things but it just created a guideline to the way we behave and.
01:18:13
bob
You know i hear you guys talk about your companies and yeah know jeremy talk everyone's giving each other shit and give each other a hard time but it's because you guys probably all care about each other right it's it's different and.
01:18:16
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
01:18:21
snowjobspodcast
Yes, all out of love.
01:18:21
RICK JAMES
100%.
01:18:24
bob
you know We often say we're different because we care. We care about each other. We care about our vendors. We've put ourselves in a position that if we've got the money, we're paying our vendors within a week.
01:18:34
RICK JAMES
Mm hmm.
01:18:35
bob
you know If we've got the money and it's it's a subcontractor, they're getting paid they give us an invoice on Monday. you know Unless we're getting 50 inches in a month and we're short on cash too, like they're getting paid faster than we're getting paid every single time.
01:18:48
bob
you know and And you do things and
01:18:49
snowjobspodcast
Yeah.
01:18:50
bob
Um, you know, Jordan's on your podcast a lot and I heard him talk about like doing things without expecting anything in return.
01:18:56
snowjobspodcast
yeah
01:18:56
bob
That's the way we do it. And yes, you get stuff in return, but that's not what we're looking for. We're doing it. We're doing it because it's the right thing. And then people want to do right by you. And it's just a circle, you know, you know you do the right thing.
01:19:09
bob
People do the right thing for you. And I think it's something you guys are cultivating this industry as well. It's, it's standing up for what's right. And just a circle that feeds itself and spins faster. And, um, I think that's.
01:19:21
bob
That's my point, what I look at pretty much every day.
01:19:23
snowjobspodcast
I think you're spot on Bob.
01:19:25
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:19:25
snowjobspodcast
It's never a bad investment to do the right thing. It will always pay out for you in the end.
01:19:28
RICK JAMES
No.
01:19:30
snowjobspodcast
It may not always feel like it because a lot of times everybody's doing the right thing is getting kicked in the nuts repeatedly.
01:19:32
RICK JAMES
Yep.
01:19:36
snowjobspodcast
But in the end, you got to believe that the good guys are going to win. You know, I don't know.
01:19:39
RICK JAMES
Right.
01:19:40
bob
For sure, for sure.
01:19:41
RICK JAMES
That's the way it's supposed to be, right?
01:19:42
bob
and
01:19:43
snowjobspodcast
Yes, supposed to be. And we tell our guys all the time, don't don't get upset, don't get scared if guys are teasing you or breaking your chops about your whatever, your hat that you're wearing. Because one one of my guys wears a crazy cowboy hat. Every time he he he's on the sidewalk crew, and he wears a cowboy hat. The guys are merciless, but I said,
01:20:03
snowjobspodcast
You don't got to worry if they're breaking your balls worry when they're not if they're not talking to you at all That's when you worry because that means they don't like you So if they like you they're gonna spend the time to break your chops out of love like you've been accepted welcome yeah Yes Yes,
01:20:05
RICK JAMES
No. Yep.
01:20:16
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:20:18
bob
Yep.
01:20:19
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:20:19
bob
I tell you the same thing. If if I'm correcting you a lot or like coaching you along, that's a good thing. If you don't think you got any better and you don't hear from me, it's because we've given up. You know what I mean?
01:20:28
RICK JAMES
yeah
01:20:28
bob
like Yeah, yeah whether it's whether it's constructive criticism or just getting teased, that's that's always a good sign.
01:20:29
snowjobspodcast
exactly
01:20:29
RICK JAMES
That's a true story.
01:20:34
bob
Don't let it go radio silent. Then you then you got to worry.
01:20:37
RICK JAMES
oh
01:20:37
snowjobspodcast
Amen. Amen. What else you got, Jay? Anything else for Bob?
01:20:40
RICK JAMES
I don't, unless he wants to tell any more good stories. I mean, that's breaking hoses.
01:20:43
snowjobspodcast
Any more funny plowing stories, Bob?
01:20:45
bob
Ah. Oh, man. um I mean, theres there's so many, right?
01:20:49
snowjobspodcast
Breaking hoses isn't funny.
01:20:50
bob
Like, I don't, I don't plow as much as I used to. So like, one, it's intimidating, because I don't know, I hear Jeremy is the greatest greatest plower of all time. And, you know, my by trade, I'm not, you know, I'm not an operator.
01:20:58
RICK JAMES
Oh,
01:20:59
snowjobspodcast
wow but Said by him.
01:21:02
bob
um I always say I can operate anything, but I'm not an operator.
01:21:03
RICK JAMES
ah
01:21:06
bob
So I know what I need to do. But there's still times when our we switched from where our background, like I said, is commercial landscape maintenance. So My stepdad's theory was you get on a riding mower, you drive like this.
01:21:20
bob
So our skid steers weren't weren't the pilot control. It was the two-stick control.
01:21:24
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:21:24
snowjobspodcast
Uh, yup.
01:21:25
bob
When we switched to the pilot control, and I still can't back them up.
01:21:29
snowjobspodcast
Really?
01:21:30
bob
I get it wrong every time. I go the wrong way every time. So um I don't know how many funny stories I have, but sometimes when I get in a pilot control skid steer, it's just funny to see me operate for the first five minutes.
01:21:33
snowjobspodcast
wow
01:21:33
RICK JAMES
hu
01:21:41
snowjobspodcast
Oh man.
01:21:43
RICK JAMES
it's It's all mindset, Bob.
01:21:43
snowjobspodcast
You know, you can switch them.
01:21:45
RICK JAMES
It's all mindset. you just You just think you're the best, you're the best, right?
01:21:48
bob
Yeah, know that's it. that's
01:21:49
RICK JAMES
ah
01:21:50
snowjobspodcast
those new those new cases, you can you can switch it from the ISO to the H pattern so that you can be comfortable again.
01:21:55
bob
Yep.
01:21:56
snowjobspodcast
You just push a button.
01:21:56
bob
Yeah, yeah.
01:21:57
RICK JAMES
H patterns.
01:21:58
bob
Well, it's been three years now.
01:21:58
snowjobspodcast
There you go.
01:21:59
bob
I think I just can't run any of them now. I can't run either one.
01:22:02
snowjobspodcast
Oh, that's great.
01:22:05
RICK JAMES
ah
01:22:06
snowjobspodcast
That's awesome.
01:22:06
bob
no No, I mean, look, you guys, it's it's great what you guys are doing. I mean, I'm honored to be on here. I'm glad I got to meet you guys earlier and got to catch up a little bit. um But no, it's I think the best thing about your guys show is it's, it can be lonely in a snowstorm, right?
01:22:22
bob
It can be lonely running a snow business, whether you're owning a snow business, running a snow business, shoveling sidewalks or whatever. And, um, what's cool is that your show, you know, it's not just all of us, you know, I'm on LinkedIn a lot, but that's a very small segment and it's owners, it's managers.
01:22:37
snowjobspodcast
Yep.
01:22:40
snowjobspodcast
Mm hmm.
01:22:41
bob
It's like, and that's, that's fine for me. And that's a very small part of our industry though. Right. So like, What I think is cool is thinking about you guys in my guys years as they're shoveling as they're plowing, right? So it's like it it really brings us all together. And no, it's cool. I'm glad to be on here and I appreciate what you guys are doing.
01:22:58
snowjobspodcast
You know, somebody said the other day that actually rang true. I haven't even told Jeremy this. I was talking to a guy and he said, you know, what you guys are doing but with these episodes, you you bring education, you bring these guys on that know a lot about what they're doing. It's very helpful there. But.
01:23:13
snowjobspodcast
what you've done as far as made like you said our world's a little bigger we don't feel so alone because there are days where i've been having a bad day and friends i've made because of events i've gone to cuz i heard about it on the show will just call you know out of the blue just to talk shit or you know just to talk snow and it turns your whole day around.
01:23:34
snowjobspodcast
You know, just he says that relationship that I made, I would not have had without listening to the show and going to the events and stuff. So I thought that was really freaking cool. Cause you know, sometimes you feel like you're on a freaking island by yourself and it's, it's cool to make a community, uh, feel a little less, uh, lonely for people.
01:23:50
bob
Yeah, yeah, I mean most of my best friends now are in the snow industry It just kind of happens that way and it's it's good people I think the industry's full of good people so it's you know, we we spend a lot of time in it but I think it says something when you can meet so many people and
01:23:51
RICK JAMES
yeah
01:23:54
RICK JAMES
yeah
01:23:54
snowjobspodcast
but That's it.
01:23:54
RICK JAMES
so yeah
01:23:58
snowjobspodcast
It is.
01:24:04
bob
you know, nine out of 10, 99 out of 100, they're good people. So it's, you know, that you got to be a hard working person to be in this industry.
01:24:07
snowjobspodcast
Yes.
01:24:11
bob
And that, you know, that makes you closer to being a good person right off the bat, just just willing to do that kind of work and and what we're doing.
01:24:17
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:24:17
bob
So I agree.
01:24:18
snowjobspodcast
No, it's been great. Well, we we are very happy to have you on.
01:24:20
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
01:24:22
snowjobspodcast
I'm glad we finally got a chance to talk at an event. That was ah that was a win.
01:24:25
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
01:24:26
snowjobspodcast
I know you and Jeremy were on that panel at Storks together, and then I still didn't get to talk to you. I'm like, Jesus.
01:24:31
bob
I don't think I got to talk to Jeremy.
01:24:32
snowjobspodcast
like I know, you were just on the panel.
01:24:33
bob
We sat next to each other.
01:24:33
RICK JAMES
Yeah, we sat next to each other.
01:24:34
bob
We had the panel.
01:24:35
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:24:35
bob
I took i turned one way, turn around. We're both gone. and I don't even think I got to talk to Jeremy except on a panel.
01:24:38
snowjobspodcast
ah and
01:24:39
RICK JAMES
Yeah. All right.
01:24:42
snowjobspodcast
I know. i think those I think those networking days like contractor meetups in different areas, I think that's valuable.
01:24:47
RICK JAMES
100.
01:24:48
snowjobspodcast
Have a good spread of food and let guys just do their, let them dictate their day.
01:24:48
RICK JAMES
Yep.
01:24:52
snowjobspodcast
You know, who what they're going to do, who they're going to talk to.
01:24:53
RICK JAMES
Yep.
01:24:55
snowjobspodcast
I think that's cool. You know, maybe you make sure four or five bigger names that guys want to actually talk to are going to be there, but you can build the whole day out of that. Just having five or six conversations for a half an hour.
01:25:04
bob
yeah
01:25:07
snowjobspodcast
you're you're You're having a good day. Have a good food. A couple of ah ah beverages and you're good to go. But yeah, but absolutely gorgeous.
01:25:15
bob
I mean, we it worked out that we had perfect weather for it as well. it was yeah Yeah, it was it was great.
01:25:18
RICK JAMES
Oh, yeah. Yep.
01:25:21
snowjobspodcast
Gorgeous weather. But you know thanks for coming on with us. We really appreciate the time.
01:25:25
RICK JAMES
Yeah, definitely.
01:25:25
snowjobspodcast
and EMI sounds awesome. I love what I see on the board behind yeah you.
01:25:28
RICK JAMES
Yep, that's all.
01:25:28
snowjobspodcast
know i'm I'm looking at the EMI way.
01:25:29
bob
Oh, yeah.
01:25:30
RICK JAMES
That's great.
01:25:30
snowjobspodcast
It says people first and we do what we say we're going to do. No excuses. I can't mean i can't read the last one.
01:25:36
bob
The last one's fanatical attention to detail.
01:25:36
snowjobspodcast
What is that? bang there you go well
01:25:39
RICK JAMES
I love it.
01:25:40
bob
so it's You know it's what we say with the three things we do that none of our competitors do all three. Summer competitors might do two out of three but but not all three and that makes us different so yes over my shoulder.
01:25:52
bob
This is this is our director of pedestrian walkway he did this you do just about anything man he he does vinyl he does it all i told you.
01:25:56
snowjobspodcast
a
01:25:57
RICK JAMES
I love
01:25:59
snowjobspodcast
but Tell him that he might he might be a legend because that might be a new Snow Jobs Nation shirt.
01:26:01
RICK JAMES
it.
01:26:05
snowjobspodcast
Director of pedestrian walkways.
01:26:05
bob
ah okay so ah
01:26:07
snowjobspodcast
That might be...
01:26:08
RICK JAMES
I like that.
01:26:08
bob
Well, hey, he was on the sidewalk panel at the Stork Snow Alliance, and I made sure that they put in there Steve Royer, director of pedestrian walkways.
01:26:14
RICK JAMES
That's great.
01:26:16
bob
So, yeah.
01:26:17
snowjobspodcast
That is phenomenal.
01:26:18
RICK JAMES
oh I don't think so.
01:26:18
snowjobspodcast
Phenomenal. Yeah, he might go down legendary with a snoge his own Snow Jobs shirt. That's pretty funny.
01:26:22
bob
Awesome, awesome.
01:26:23
snowjobspodcast
ah Well, Jay, you got anything else for Bob? He's a busy guy.
01:26:27
RICK JAMES
Yeah, Bob busy and the great company of hearing more about it. Like I said, we were on that, we were on that panel, but we didn't really get to talk.
01:26:31
snowjobspodcast
Absolutely.
01:26:33
RICK JAMES
We just did our panel stuff, but yeah, nice catching up with them again.
01:26:38
snowjobspodcast
Absolutely. It was good to see you last week and thanks for the time. We really appreciate it and good luck to you this winter and everything going forward.
01:26:45
bob
Well, same to you guys.
01:26:45
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:26:45
bob
Thanks a lot.
01:26:46
RICK JAMES
Stay in touch. Stay in touch.
01:26:47
snowjobspodcast
Yep.
01:26:47
RICK JAMES
Obviously.
01:26:47
bob
We will. Yeah.
01:26:49
snowjobspodcast
All right, guys, well, that's going to do it then. We're going to wrap this episode of the Snow Jobs podcast. As always, thanks, Bob, for the time telling us all about EMI. It sounds incredible. You know, all those companies out there in Lehigh Valley seem to have the same, you know, core. They're trying to build good things and they're finding good people. So best of luck to you guys this winter. You know, i hope best of luck with the new case machines. I'm sure they'll do great for you. But as for everybody else, you guys have a good week. All right. Be safe out there.
01:27:16
snowjobspodcast
You know, take care of each other. Good luck with your bids. Keep pushing.