CASE Construction Equipment dealer Diamond Equipment is currently supporting Team Rubicon, a veteran-led disaster response organization, in numerous operations throughout the state of Tennessee after a series of tornadoes and heavy storms moved through the region in March and April. Diamond has provided equipment to Team Rubicon’s heavy equipment cadre for debris removal and cleanup in two separate operations based in Cookeville and Chattanooga.

CASE has also supported Team Rubicon with equipment at another cleanup operation after a tornado swept through Louisiana in April.

Chapin, South Carolina is going through significant growth — as a suburb to the capital city of Columbia, and as an attractive destination for growing businesses and tech companies, the region is expanding to build home sites and commercial properties in previously undeveloped areas.

It’s a great opportunity for enterprising business owners like Kody Duke of Precision Landscaping. The evolving new home and commercial construction markets have helped push his business to new capabilities and heavier work. As many of the new developments in the area are moving to more secluded and varied terrain — and as more homeowners are placing value on outdoor living spaces — the demand for skilled hardscaping has increased significantly.

Wheel loaders today offer a number of options as it relates to powertrain components. While size, horsepower and bucket capacities drive the initial loader identification/purchase phase, the next level of consideration — where decisions are made about transmission, axle and differential options — has a significant effect on long-term performance, productivity and total cost of ownership.

Even in the demo phase, operating a loader that is not the right match of powertrain to application and ground conditions can sway a purchase decision one way or the other, only to surprise the machine’s owner when they get it into real world conditions. Worse yet: powertrain options not properly matched to the site can lead to excessive wear on tires and components, downtime, and lifetime maintenance costs much higher than they should be. It’s also worth noting that operators should be properly trained in machine operation as it relates to the powertrain options selected.

CASE Construction Equipment, and heavy equipment dealer Titan Machinery, donated the use of skid steers and compact track loaders for wildfire cleanup in Costilla County, Colorado as part of Operation Freedom Fire. The Spring Creek Fire spread to more than 100,000+ acres this summer — 70 Team Rubicon volunteers logged almost 4,000 service hours and saved the local community an estimated $115,000 in cleanup efforts.

“It’s been a particularly active wildfire season for Team Rubicon this year, and our dealers continue to step up to support the efforts and help these communities move back towards rebuilding,” says Michel Marchand, vice president — North America, CASE Construction Equipment. “The heavy equipment program with Team Rubicon continues to grow and evolve, and these efforts are invaluable to communities hit hard by disaster.”