In The Dirt

Autonomous equipment operation has been widely used in Mining since the 2000's, whether on haul trucks or dozers, its become a popular business practice to help miners be better miners. Lately, autonomous technology has been deployed in the construction industry to help contractors/companies be safer, more efficient, and more productive in certain applications. Mack sits down with Bibhrajit Halder, founder & CEO of SafeAI, a company that developed an autonomous technology retrofittable to equipment both large and small. They talk all about how the autonomous technology works, how AI is integrated, how it is retrofitted to the machines, and where in the world this technology is being used currently to move dirt. Learn more about SafeAI on their website https://www.safeai.ai/ Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or visit the website to get some swag! https://earthmoversmedia.com/

The history of the Le Tourneau large wheel loader product is well known in the global mining industry, today the Le Tourneau product is now Komatsu's surface mining wheel loader product line. Mack sits down with Michael Fleet, product manager for Komatsu electric wheel loader (EWL) line to discuss everything large Komatsu/Le Tourneau wheel loaders! They cover how the product has evolved over last few decades, application for wheel loaders in mining, advantage of mechanical vs electric drive machines, technology on these new wheel loaders, and more! Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media and check out our website https://earthmoversmedia.com/ Learn more about Komatsu EWL product here https://www.komatsu.com/en/products/wheel-loaders/surface-mining-wheel-loaders/

Landfills are an important part of modern day society, and successfully managing a landfill comes down to optimizing equipment in the field and managing the flow of waste materials. Mack sits down with Shaun MacIntosh of Propeller to talk about how propeller is helping landfills with technology, from measuring compaction to maximize density (minimize airspace in waste materials), machine telematics to optimize your fleet, to site wide aerial surveys for measuring quantities for short term and long term planning. We cover everything you need to know about landfills and how technology is being utilized in that industry. Learn more about Propeller here https://www.propelleraero.com/ or find them on social media @propeller_aero Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or check out their website https://earthmoversmedia.com/

Starting with a 988B wheel loader loading out railcars with ballast, to multi million dollar civil and mining projects throughout Western Canada, the story of MacKay Contracting is one worth hearing about. Mack sits down with Rob MacKay, President & CEO, alongside Brandon Pighin, General Manager for MacKay to talk about how MacKay started, the projects they work on, managing people, and moving dirt throughout Western Canada. Learn more about MacKay on their website https://mackaycontracting.com/ or find them on social media @mackay_builds Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or check out the website https://earthmoversmedia.com/

Mack sits down with Steve, Mike, and Jeff from BelPacific Excavating & Shoring LP to talk all about deep excavation and shoring work in downtown Vancouver. Starting as a Limited Partnership, BelPacific has contributed to the Vancouver skyline working on projects such as Shangri-La tower, The ButterFly, and more. We discuss how BelPacific started, why deep excavation is needed for high rise projects, the machines BelPacific uses for deep excavations, and developing/training people at BelPacific. Learn more about BelPacific here https://www.belpacific.com/ or find them on social media @norlandlimited Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or email him at mack@earthmoversmedia.com https://earthmoversmedia.com/

The Cat D10 track type tractor has been a staple of the mining and heavy civil construction industries since introduction back in 1977, it is arguably one of the most iconic dozers on the market. Mack sits down with Dave Gleissner to talk all about this legendary tractor, from first prototype where the high drive sprocket made an appearance, through the N, R, and T series, to where the D10 is today including Cat's unveiling of the next gen D10 dozer. Learn more about the new D10 by watching Dave's walk around video here https://youtu.be/03-Ehruy3W0?si=UDjt9lHI6_hS9tDX Learn about the history of the D10 by watching the video here https://youtu.be/4symWkD96ks?si=RZGcWECZIrD3KnJh Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or email him at mack@earthmoversmedia.com

Big Komatsu dozers have been a staple in the mining and heavy civil construction industry for a long time, and their new dash 8 (-8) series D375 and D475 dozers are a testament to Komatsu listening to customer feedback. Mack sits down with Chad Perrault, technical specialist with SMS Equipment for D375/D475 dozers, to talk about what's new with the dash 8 series dozers, the new fingertip steering, customizing product to customer needs, and Komatsu's new D475 super dozer configuration being deployed in British Columbia! You can find SMS Equipment on social media @smsequipment and reach out to them with questions, or find Chad Perrault on LinkedIn if you have questions Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or send him an email mack@earthmoversmedia.com

Ever wondered what it takes to be a high reach demolition operator? Or how buildings are demolished? Mack sits down with two of Priestly Demolition's finest high reach operators, Matt Baker and Rob Morrison, to talk all about their careers in the demolition industry, how buildings are demolished, Priestly's new SK1600 high reach, and more! Find Priestly Demolition on social media @priestlydemolition on Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Matt Baker and Rob Morrison are also on Instagram/LinkIn. Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or send him an email mack@earthmoversmedia.com

From running equipment as an employee to buying 325 excavators and feller bunchers for land management projects throughout BC, I sit down with Matthew Antifay of Mattco Excavating to chat about his story becoming an owner operator. We dive into what it takes to become an owner operator, the ups and downs of owning heavy equipment, the pain 10 cent O-rings will cause you, and advice for others starting their business. Find Matt on social media (instagram) @mattco.excavating Find Mack on instagram @earthmovers_media, LinkedIn Mack Plovie, or email him mack@earthmoversmedia.com

Investing in your people with training is becoming an incredibly important component of the modern day construction company, and Wilco's in house training program is a fine example. Mack sits down with Doug, H.E.O Training Manager to talk all about Wilco's heavy equipment training program, why training is important, the results they are seeing, and more. Check out Wilco on social media by searching their name or visit their website https://wilco.ca/ Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or send him an email mack@earthmoversmedia.com

From getting out of school and starting as a driller helper/laborer to now being one of the managing partners of T&A Rock Works Inc, Sam is an absolute wealth of knowledge when it comes to the drill & blast industry. Sam sits down with Mack to talk about his story in the industry, drilling & blasting in urban (close proximity) settings, how T&A is investing in people to grow their business and retain great people, how to build a company culture that people aspire to be part of, and much more! Learn more about T&A Rock Works Inc on their website https://www.tarockworks.com/ or follow them on social media under T&A Rock Works name Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or visit their website https://earthmoversmedia.com/

This time In The Dirt, Mack sits down with Chad Kyllo of Acres Enterprises as well as Remo Scalzo and Stantton Pallister of SITECH Western Canada for a panel discussion about how Acres is using Trimble Technology in their business. We dive into the Acres story from their first piece of technology to where they are today as one of the market leaders in construction, what technology they are using, how SITECH and Finning have supported their journey, how technology is helping grow Acres business, topped off with advice for other contractors looking to adopt or add to their technology fleet. You can learn more about Acres Enterprises here https://acresenterprises.com/ or find them on social media Find out more about SITECH Western Canada here https://www.sitech-wc.ca/ or find them on social media You can find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or send him an email mack@earthmoversmedia.com

Whether you are training your existing workforce or the workforce of tomorrow, Cat Simulators are an effective way to train your equipment operators on all types of equipment without downing equipment on a jobsite to do so. Mack sits down with Jonathan of Cat Simulators to chat all about the types of simulators, what a new or experienced operator can gain from a typical training session, importance of equipment walk arounds, identifying and correcting bad operating habits, and how training with simulators helps improve retention of your people. If you have wondered about the benefits of simulators, this episode is for you! Visit https://catsimulators.com/ to learn more or find Jonathan Laberdia on LinkedIn Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or send him an email mack@earthmoversmedia.com

You asked, I answered? After people requested some Q&A podcast episodes, Mack answers questions submitted by followers on this episode. From underground scoop tram designs, how to get started in the industry, how he got started in photography, to a quick look at some Do's and Don'ts in equipment operating. Submit your questions to Mack on Instagram @earthmovers_media, LinkedIn @Mack Plovie, or email mack mack@earthmoversmedia.com and learn more on https://earthmoversmedia.com

Getting your career started in the industry, going to school for operating, seeking opportunities to run equipment, skillsets to adopt as an operator, placer mining, and how moving dirt in the Yukon is different. Mack sits down with Sam Inskip, heavy equipment operator from the Yukon, to talk about her career adventures after 10 years in the industry. You can find Sam on Instagram @simplyysams to follow along her adventures Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or their website https://earthmoversmedia.com

Komatsu has been a well known name in the mining world for decades, and their hydraulic shovels & excavators are a fine example of what their mining class equipment offers. Mack sits down with Bryce Short of Komatsu/SMS Equipment to talk everything Komatsu shovels, from PC2000 up to PC8000 in front shovel and backhoe configuration. They get into selecting the right shovel for an application, diesel vs. electric shovels, pass matching, and detailing the history of Komatsu shovels all the way back to the DEMAG days. Learn more about Komatsu hydraulic shovels & excavators here https://www.komatsu.com/industries/surface-mining/ Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or email him at mack@earthmoversmedia.com

Underground mining is part of the mining world you have never heard about, often out of sight, these mines produce the critical raw minerals civilization needs to sustain itself. And Technology is helping underground miners, mine better. I chat with Gary Smolik of Finning Canada on this episode to discuss the different technology solutions from Caterpillar for underground mining. From remote operated scoop trams to location sensing devices helping keep people safe in a mining environment, Gary and I talk everything technology for underground mining. Find Gary Smolik on LinkedIn, or reach out to your local Finning dealership https://www.finning.com/en_CA.html Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or check out their website https://earthmoversmedia.com/

As loggers retire, the industry is now facing the challenging task of recruiting and training the next generation to continue operating an industry that makes civilization as we know it, possible. I sit down with Ryer Becker, part of the research faculty in the Department of Forest, Rangeland, and Forest Sciences at The University of Idaho, to talk about their new degree program helping educate and train the next generation of people entering the logging industry. We talk about the significance of logging in our daily lives, the state of the industry with respect to workforce, and how the industry can work to reshape its image. Learn more about the degree program we talked about on the show here https://www.uidaho.edu/cnr/undergraduate-majors/bs-forestry Find Ryer Becker on LinkedIn and Instagram, or reach out to him here https://www.uidaho.edu/cnr/faculty/becker-ryer Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media and check out their website https://earthmoversmedia.com/

Mack and guest Kristina sit down to chat addressing the industry wide workforce issue in construction. While there isn't a list of answers to the industry wide problem, Mack and Kristina do their best to talk about some of the solutions out there currently. From how to attracting, retain, and train people, to initiatives Crew Collab has to help solve the issue, and talking about some of the stigmas the industry battles to break. Find Kristina McMillan on Instagram or LinkedIn, or visit Crew Collab's website to learn more https://crewcollab.org/ Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or visit the website https://earthmoversmedia.com/ to learn more

Ever been curious what it takes to design, build, and select the right dump body for large rigid frame haul trucks like Cat 793 or 797? Mack sits down with Kerry from GroundForce worldwide to talk all about Groundforce's dump body products for large rigid frame haul trucks. From design to end user application, Mack and Kerry cover everything about picking the right dump body for your application, wear part selection and placement, and optimizing haulage fleet with the right dump body whether it be mining or heavy civil construction. Learn more about GroundForce Worldwide by visiting their website https://gfworldwide.com/ Find Mack on social media @earthmovers_media or visit the website https://earthmoversmedia.com/