Keith Foltz of Foltz Land Management, a full service land management company, is currently hard at work clearing an 8-acre site to establish pasture and create strategic wildlife hunting and view sites across the property.
Keith Foltz of Foltz Land Management, a full service land management company, said that what sets his company apart is the comprehensive nature of FLM's capabilities and the exhaustive attention to detail that his company provides.
Foltz is currently hard at work on one such project, clearing an 8-acre site to establish pasture and create strategic wildlife hunting and view sites across the property. He said the client also is interested in putting in a solar panel farm on the property.
For this project and many others, the company uses its fleet of equipment, which includes two Case machines — a Case CX 210D excavator and the Case 1150M LGP dozer. Foltz said he purchased the machines from Hills Machinery to take on larger clearing projects.
“We thought we might be short changing ourselves if we got a smaller machine, putting ourselves out of the loop on slightly larger jobs; however, the tradeoff was spending more on a bigger machine. Hills Machinery and Case were great. They let us demo all the potential machines, including the Case CX 210D excavator.
“The process of buying the Case 1150M LGP dozer was very similar. We looked at buying a smaller machine, but when we demoed the 1150, we realized that it's not too small for larger jobs, and it's not too big for smaller jobs. You can still comfortably cut and grade on smaller parcels with a machine that size. It's very efficient and it moves very well for its size in small spaces.”
According to Foltz, one of the company's most interesting projects came along right after the purchase of the company's Case excavator. Foltz Land Management was on an eight-acre project in Piedmont, S.C., with mature oak and pine trees. He said the homeowners weren't interested in hauling off all the rock that was unearthed during the clearing phase, and requested that FLM bury the rock on the property.
“We ended up digging massive holes to push all the rock into. The exceptional efficiency and power of the Case 210D allowed us to finish the project on schedule, within budget,” said Foltz
Foltz has nothing but high praise for his new equipment and his dealer, Hills Machinery.
“We haven't had any problems with the machines, but if I have a question regarding operation — and I've had a few — I can always call Hills Machinery for guidance. Whether it's the service manager, a field tech, or my area salesman — they always answer the phone and always have good information, and if it's something they're not sure about, they will get the information and get back to me. We've had a really positive experience with them, and they've been really helpful. Really, it's been a great relationship so far.”
Foltz Land Management
Foltz Land Management is the product of a partnership between Keith and Kyle Foltz — brothers, entrepreneurs and first generation farmers.
“We were about 18 years old and started working for a local farmer, operating agricultural machines and some small grading equipment on the farm. The farm did a little bit of grading and clearing work on the side and we got more involved with that side of the business. We started operating different types of machinery and fell in love with the equipment, the work and the environment. We realized that operating heavy equipment, using machines to transform and create landscapes was something that we loved to do.”
From there, the brothers took on a variety of projects. Foltz said that one of the first projects they were on was a small lot in the central Clemson area.
“We had smaller equipment back then. It was a big challenge for us. We were very familiar with the work, but like any small business owner will tell you, taking that big step on your own is a nerve-wracking experience. We cleared about an acre, put in a driveway and dug a basement for our first project.”
Today, Foltz said that FLM typically gets work through referrals, word of mouth, social media and getting involved in the community. Both Keith and Kyle serve as volunteer firefighters.
Foltz said that the company's attention to detail is a major factor to its success.
“Our philosophy is that the best way to increase your business is to do better work. Your pricing is always a big factor, but I think the biggest thing that sets us apart is that our work is more detailed, more comprehensive, and it's just more in depth. For example, when we complete clearing projects, our goal is to create a ready-to-use space for the client. Unlike many companies that simply create a disaster zone and call it 'land clearing,' we carefully execute our projects taking into account the client's long-term goals, the specifics of their landscape, and how our work fits into a sustainable future for their property.”
For more information, visit www.foltzlandmanagement.com.
Hills Machinery
Hills Machinery opened its doors in 2007 to sell, rent and repair equipment. In 2010, Hills Machinery was appointed the new Case Construction dealer in North and South Carolina.
Hills Machinery has four locations in North Carolina and three in South Carolina.
For more information, visit www.hillsmachinery.com.
CEG
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