History of the Versatile Skid Steer Loader

One of the most versatile machines on any construction or demolition project is the skid steer loader, a compact, rigid-framed, engine-powered machine with lift arms that can be fitted with a variety of different tools and attachments. 

The skid steer loader was invented in Rothsay, Minnesota in 1956 by a pair of local blacksmiths named Cyril and Louis Keller. A turkey farmer asked the two brothers to make a lightweight machine he could use to clean manure from his barns, and they came up with a three-wheeled vehicle that quickly became popular. The Melroe Manufacturing Company bought the manufacturing rights in 1958 and hired the Keller brothers to develop it further. By 1960, the single rear caster wheel had been replaced by a rear axle, and in 1962 the four-wheel skid steer loader was dubbed “Bobcat.”

Skid steers are ubiquitous on R. Baker & Son demolition projects, and one or more skid steers can usually be seen on any given job site. Skid steers are light, easily transported, and can be lifted via freight elevator or rigged by crane. They are highly maneuverable, using two joysticks to operate, and can turn within their own footprint, allowing them to operate in tight spaces.

There are dozens of attachment options available for the skid steer loader including buckets, augers, hammers, brooms, saws, forks, rippers, scrapers, backhoes and more. Multi-terrain counterparts to four-wheel versions are fitted with tracks. Operating capacities range from 800 lbs. to over two tons. On demolition and construction sites, skid steer loaders are used to move debris, gravel, snow, sand, cement, dirt, etc., and can lift and manage tools and materials such as rebar, pipe, conduit, tool boxes, and air compressors. Demolition attachments commonly include shears and hydraulic breakers for demolishing walls, floors and ceilings. Popular manufacturers include Bobcat, John Deere, Caterpillar, Gehl, Case, and more.

About R. Baker & Son All Industrial Services

R. Baker & Son All Industrial Services, a Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE), in business since 1935, is a premier specialized contractor operating in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, with over one hundred employees and an exemplary safety record (we have been directly involved in four sites that received VPP OSHA Safety Awards). R. Baker & Son is financially strong, with bonding capabilities of over $10 million. Capabilities include industrial and commercial demolition, rigging, machinery- and plant-moving, dismantling, decommissioning, plant and equipment relocation, interior demolition, selective demolition, warehousing, wrecking and razing, millwright, plant reconfigurations, heavy rigging, salvage, environmental services, remediation, decontamination, abatement, and investment and asset recovery.

R. Baker & Son - All Industrial Services
190 Boundary Road
Marlboro, NJ 07746

732-222-3553

https://rbaker.com/rigging-services.php

Qualified Rigging Contractor In Writing

Crane rigging is a specialized activity that requires years of experience, but unfortunately it is not uncommon for contractors that lack rigging expertise and proper training to safely take on rigging responsibilities. There are two main reasons for this: to save money on the budget, and a lack of understanding of exactly what is involved in a rigging project. 

Over our 86 years in business, R. Baker & Son has heard countless stories of equipment damaged during rigging by unqualified contractors. Common ones are racked and twisted air handlers, buckled chillers and cooling towers, and electrical gear supports that are twisted and can’t be set properly, and oftentimes the damage is not repairable. Most equipment manufacturers provide rigging instructions for specific units and require qualified riggers to set and anchor equipment that will support startup and warranty. 

More importantly, construction managers and general contractors should require subcontractors in writing to utilize qualified rigging professionals to ensure the safety of workers. Rigging problems and accidents can happen very quickly when it is performed by workers who lack training and experience. Making this a contractual requirement can prevent the vast majority of equipment damage and lost time and money and allows people to go home to their families safely at day’s end.

About R. Baker & Son All Industrial Services

R. Baker & Son All Industrial Services, a Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE), in business since 1935, is a premier specialized contractor operating in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, with over one hundred employees and an exemplary safety record (we have been directly involved in four sites that received VPP OSHA Safety Awards). R. Baker & Son is financially strong, with bonding capabilities of over $10 million. Capabilities include industrial and commercial demolition, rigging, machinery- and plant-moving, dismantling, decommissioning, plant and equipment relocation, interior demolition, selective demolition, warehousing, wrecking and razing, millwright, plant reconfigurations, heavy rigging, salvage, environmental services, remediation, decontamination, abatement, and investment and asset recovery.

R. Baker & Son - All Industrial Services
190 Boundary Road
Marlboro, NJ 07746

732-222-3553

https://rbaker.com/rigging-services.php

Demolition, Asset Recovery, and the Supply Chain

With high demand for used HVAC, process, and manufacturing equipment due to pandemic-related supply chain shortages, recovered assets from buildings undergoing renovation or demolition have grown significantly in value. In cases where equipment is not suitable for reuse, R. Baker & Son clients are harvesting individual parts from the equipment either for resale, or reuse by the client as spare parts or for equipment maintenance. 

For many years, equipment that was marked for removal during demolition, dismantling, or plant relocation was either recovered for reuse or resale or simply scrapped for the value of the copper, aluminum, and steel that were contained within. Now there is a new emphasis on harvesting individual parts and electrical equipment such as electrical substations, motor control centers, transformers, starters, control panels, boilers, pump skids, heat exchangers, etc. 

Companies that own large buildings or multiple facilities oftentimes have multiple pieces of identical or similar equipment, and pandemic-related parts shortages have many of them harvesting parts for their own critical spare parts and maintenance inventory before equipment is scrapped. Others are recovering parts for reconditioning and resale. This includes items such as starters, contactors, and VFDs that have risen in value because they are currently difficult to find due to shortages that are expected to continue until at least mid-to late-2022.

About R. Baker & Son All Industrial Services

R. Baker & Son All Industrial Services, a Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE), in business since 1935, is a premier specialized contractor operating in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, with over one hundred employees and an exemplary safety record (we have been directly involved in four sites that received VPP OSHA Safety Awards). R. Baker & Son is financially strong, with bonding capabilities of over $10 million. Capabilities include industrial and commercial demolition, rigging, machinery- and plant-moving, dismantling, decommissioning, plant and equipment relocation, interior demolition, selective demolition, warehousing, wrecking and razing, millwright, plant reconfigurations, heavy rigging, salvage, environmental services, remediation, decontamination, abatement, and investment and asset recovery.

R. Baker & Son - All Industrial Services
190 Boundary Road
Marlboro, NJ 07746

https://rbaker.com/investment.php