Emshay Enterprises Favours SDLG Over Auction Wheel Loaders

Emshay Enterprises is a family-owned construction aggregates business based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. Like many small businesses, overhead costs are the key to its profitability.

When the company needed a wheel loader to work its rock pit, it was presented with a choice: a used, auction-bought premium machine, or a brand new SDLG wheel loader. Emshay Enterprises went with the SDLG, and after almost two years on the job, the company is sure it made the right choice for its business.

Shayne Emmons, owner and president of the Emshay Enterprises, said its purchase of a SDLG LG959 was based on the unique needs of his company. He did not want to purchase a premium wheel loader with features that he did not need. Also, he said, the company’s track record with used auction machines left much to be desired.

“I used to go to auction sales and search for wheel loaders from the early 2000s, but once I put them to use, none of the machines lasted very long,” he explained. “With the SDLG LG959, I got a brand new machine with a warranty and support from Redhead Equipment, a dealer that I trust. Plus, the loader was priced very well – I was not paying for features that I didn’t need.”

Emshay is using the LG959 in its rock pit, and is only using the machine some 300 – 500 hours per year. Emmons said the wheel loader’s 4.0-cubic-yard bucket size has increased the company’s efficiency, feeding the company’s wash plant with up to 193 USt of rock and gravel in an hour, far more than the company was able to move with previous machines. The larger loads the company can move with the LG959 allow Emshay to keep the wash plant continuously running, removing silt from the construction aggregates, increasing the company’s yield.

The LG959 is also being used to load the final aggregate product into trucks for shipment. The increased bucket size also allows Emmons to load trucks with gravel in only four to six passes, where before, with a smaller bucket, it took up to eight passes. 

“I have buyers that load the aggregates themselves,” Emmons explained. “Quite a few have been very impressed with the LG959 and with my recommendation, are now considering purchasing one, too. I would definitely recommend the SDLG loader and I may even buy another for our company.”

Emmons also purchased a scale to add on to the LG959, allowing the company to weigh aggregates onboard the loader. With the scale, Emshay can weigh a load while the loader is moving it, and then dump the rock directly into the trailer, rather than unloading the aggregate onto a scale only to reload it for shipping.

“The onboard scale upgrade was useful and also very affordable,” Emmons said.

Emmons also likes how easy the LG959 is to use and maintain. Sometimes, Emshay’s customers use the SDLG loader to load rocks onto their own trucks, and Emmons has never had to instruct them on how to use the machine – they are able to figure out its user-friendly interface without additional training.

The LG959 has an operating weight of 38,250 pounds. It features a Tier 3 Deutz engine with 224 hp and 777 lb.ft of torque; ZF transmission and axles; wet disc brakes; a hydraulic quick coupler and 3rd function hydraulics; a modern fit and finish with high visibility; and an operator-friendly cab. It comes with a 12-month, 1,500-hour warranty.

“The warranty is great, it was one of the big factors in the purchase decision,” Emmons said.

Emshay Enterprises is a family-owned business that has been producing and selling aggregates for 15 years. The company operates two crushers, a wash plant, and a rip-rap plant to mine sand and gravel. It has a fleet of 10 trucks, as well as a crew of private truck operators that deliver to customers.

Redhead Equipment is a privately owned and operated heavy equipment dealership in Saskatchewan that has been serving the region for more than 65 years. Redhead has seven locations, making it one of the largest equipment dealers in Saskatchewan. The company sells new and used trucks and trailers, and construction, agriculture and forestry equipment.