For this job, BridgePoint Civil has a fleet of 10 excavators, which includes this Hyundai HX220L.
Over the past two years, BridgePoint Civil, a turnkey site development company based in Goldsboro, N.C., has been putting its stamp on its service area, which spans from the Outer Banks West to Chapel Hill, N.C.
Recently, the company finished one of its more notable projects — The Maxwell Regional Agricultural & Convention Center in Goldsboro. BridgePoint Civil completed the turnkey site work package, which included asphalt, concrete and utilities.
Jeremy Smith, president of BridgePoint Civil, said that although the site was not ideal, his crews managed their $3 million site work scope successfully and that aided the contractor, TA Loving, in completing the $16 million project on schedule.
“I realized that if we didn't get the parking lot done before they started building, we were going to be in trouble because TA Loving wouldn't be able to get to the building due to the wet soil,” said Smith. “We had to get all of the utilities, storm drain pipes, sewer, water and stone put in; stabilize the site; and complete the first layer of asphalt paving before they starting working on the footings. We were able to do that in three months; that was special and a team effort. When TA Loving was ready to start the building construction, we had just finished putting the binder down, so they could work off of it.”
He also was proud to be involved in such an impactful project in the community.
“It is a big, healthy community here in Goldsboro, and this was a big community project,” said Smith. “We were fortunate to be a part of that. It's not far from me either; it's right down the road from where I grew up, so it's nice to be a part of a community project.”
To help BridgePoint Civil on this job, and others like it, Smith depends on a fleet of equipment that includes 10 excavators, two wheel loaders, three rollers and an asphalt roller, all manufactured by Hyundai. He appreciates the machines' strength, performance and efficiency, as well as the integrated technology. Another factor in his decision to purchase Hyundai machines is the service he receives from his dealer — Rob's Hydraulics.
“Those guys are great, and the Hyundai excavator is a great quality machine for a good price,” he said. “When you add Rob's Hydraulics on top of it, it puts Hyundai over the top. Just because you sell something doesn't mean you have great service. We've grown quickly, and we've needed flexibility and somebody to help us. Rob's Hydraulics met all of our needs, and they have been great to work with.”
Rob's Hydraulics has continued to come through for Smith on a number of occasions, including one of the company's early projects, a site concrete demo project on a local Walmart in Goldsboro.
“We were doing demolition and replacing the concrete,” said Smith. “Mike Casper, my salesman at Rob's, brought out an excavator for me to try. Something wasn't right on the machine, and he stayed there — I think it was midnight or 1:00 a.m. — to make sure everything was right with the excavator and the hammer. This was my first interaction with those guys. It was a small project, and a salesman staying until 1:00 in the morning to make sure we were okay showed me that they would go the extra mile.”
BridgePoint Civil
Although BridgePoint Civil has only been in operation for two years, Smith has been in the industry for quite some time. After starting a landscaping business in high school, he went to college for turf management, and later, he worked for a site work company for 11 years. It is during this time that he met his business partner, Shelley McPhatter, who runs BridgePoint General Contracting, BridgePoint Civil's sister company.
“We share a lot of the same visions and a lot of the same ethics and ideas about how a construction company should run,” he said. “We look after the customer and the people [we] work with, and we take a collaborative approach to construction. In this business, that can be different than what a lot of people are used to. A lot of construction jobs I see are painful sometimes. We try to make it a fun process as much as possible.”
Looking forward, Smith said that good people will be the key to his company's continued success.
“I think a lot of people have a misconception of growing businesses,” he said. “You have to grow people to grow your business. The people are your business. And, without good people, you won't amount to anything. So, you always have to remember that.”
Rob's Hydraulics
Rob's Hydraulics Inc. (RHI) has become one of the largest construction equipment dealers in eastern North Carolina. Started in 1997, its “built on service” attitude has made RHI one of the leaders in sales, service and rental of construction equipment in the nation. The company is a distributor of new and used heavy construction equipment, including excavators, wheel loaders track loaders, compaction equipment, foresting, mulching, sawmill and recycling equipment, boom loaders, zero swing excavators, skid steers, skid steer loaders, all wheel steer loaders and telehandlers.
RHI's product lines include: Hyundai, Yanmar, Kubota, Manitou, Mecalac, Precision Huskey, Fecon and Denis CIMAF.
For more information, visit robshydraulics.com.
Craig Mongeau
Craig Mongeau has been Construction Equipment Guide’s editor in chief for the past 21-plus years. He directly manages CEG’s Northeast and Southeast editions (which includes New England, Georgia and Alabama state supplements); Superintendent’s Profile; Crane Guide; Northeast and Southeast-based anniversary magazines; and special event publications. He also oversees CEG’s Midwest and Western Editions as well as all CEG website content.
A Hofstra University graduate, Craig began his publishing career as a staff writer for local Southeast Pennsylvania newspapers. He then became an associate editor and book editor of Springhouse Corporation, a Pennsylvania-based medical publishing house and then worked as a managing editor of Rockhill Communications, based in Bala Cynwyd, Pa., where he created and managed content for a national Voluntary Hospital Association website.
Originally from Pittsfield, Mass., Craig has lived in North Wales, Pa., for the past 27 years. He has been married to his wife, Hillary, whom he met in college, since 1998 and together, they have two daughters, Jolie and Aubrie.
Read more from Craig Mongeau here.
Today's top stories
