Necessity is the mother of invention — but value is often the determining factor when buying that invention. So for two Georgia-based contractors, getting a powerful “invention” at a great price has been a profitable blessing.
The staff of Tibbits Enterprises/JLT Enterprises Inc., based in Dallas, recently purchased a Daewoo Mega 400-V wheel loader and has put it to use at their wood recycling facility, which is located on the grounds of sister company Tibbco Inert Landfill Inc.
Being the first Daewoo machine introduced into Tibbits’ fleet, the M400-V had to prove itself to company owners and operators.
“The company looked at three other machines in the weight class [before deciding on the Daewoo],” explained Gene Jenkins, general manager of Tibbits Enterprises/JLT Enterprises. “The price was the main consideration in purchasing the machine and we found that this machine actually did a little better [than others in our fleet.]”
Tibbits/JLT Enterprises purchased the M400-V last spring from Joe Money Machinery, Ellenwood, GA. The company uses it for loading mulching and topsoil, to stock pile materials, and to load trailers, the grinder and the screener.
“I have been very impressed,” said Jeff Tibbits, company co-owner. (Jimmy Tibbits is the other owner.) “When checking pricing we decided to give Daewoo a shot since it was a little cheaper — and the machine ended up selling itself. We are very impressed with the transmission and the way it automatically gears down; the power it has is awesome.”
Tibbits explained that he and others in his company have “never seen anything like the fuel efficiency of this machine compared with other loaders.
“We can run this machine all day long continuously and it won’t even burn more than a quarter tank of fuel,” he said.
Tibbits added that his operators were ecstatic when they learned of the new machine about to be added to the fleet.
“When they delivered the machine, the guy who thought he was going to get it, got wind of the fact that the machine had come in. He went to look at the machine that evening,” he said. “The guy looked over the machine, locked the cab and took the keys home so in the morning no one else could get in but him.”
Tibbits said that his operator is so proud of the machine that he now pressure washes it and cleans the inside of the cab a number of times during the week, and he doesn’t allow any other operator to smoke inside the cab.
Tibbits added, “We’ve got another loader on site that he’s been in for the last year, but the Daewoo machine he constantly stays on now … . It makes me feel good that the guys take pride in the machines, which over the long run, will help keep them up and running.”
Also helping to maintain Tibbit’s new Mega 400-V is the staff at Joe Money Machinery.
“The sales rep [John Holmes] from Joe Money Machinery has continuously followed up with the machine to check on any service issues or to see if we have any other questions,” explained Jenkins. “In the future…, we certainly will look at Daewoo. As a matter of fact, we’re already talking to John about a 300 size-excavator.”
Tibbits agreed. “In the future, as we grow our projects, if we need more wheel loaders, I’ll go back with the Daewoo product and Joe Money Machinery…. We feel comfortable with Daewoo, not only because of the price, but also because of the availability with parts and the fact that they are local here in Georgia. We know that in the future, when we need more parts for the machine, they will be easily obtained.”
Tibbits added that there is one more thing that caught the eyes of company owners: the color.
“Jimmy also likes the machine because Daewoo is the exact same color orange as the company’s logo, which is prominent on our fleet of trucks,” he said.
Wayne Miller, owner of Talmo Contractors Inc., Talmo, GA, has enjoyed the most recent addition to his fleet as well: the Daewoo Solar 300 LCV crawler excavator with a 54-in. bucket thumb also purchased from Joe Money Machinery.
Miller has been using the excavator for clearing work north of Atlanta.
“It’s a very fast machine,” he explained. “The machine is doing everything we expected it to do and more.”
Currently, Miller’s crews are using the S300LCV to load articulated trucks with riprap — and it has also been used for mucking.
“The guys really love the machine. It’s real quick,” Miller said. “And it’s very operator friendly.”
For more information, call Joe Money Machinery at 404/366-4415 or visit www.dhiac.com.
Photo: Paul Ehlermann operates a Daewoo Mega 400-V wheel loader to stock pile mulched material at a wood-recycling site for Tibbco Inert Landfill Inc. in Dallas, GA.
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