Town road superintendents in western New York look forward to this event every spring. It’s the 20th Annual Municipal Equipment Show at the Dome Arena in Henrietta, NY.
“The idea was to get all the vendors and the superintendents together at one place for one whole day,” explained Show Organizer and Superintendent of Public Works for the Town of Webster Dave Galeazzo. “We road superintendents usually don’t have the time to talk to salespeople. This is a great way to see new equipment and learn about new ideas without having to rush back to the office or having to answer the phone.”
Galeazzo expected more then 1,200 people to pass through the doors of the arena before the day ended. By noon, more than 700 people already had enjoyed a free lunch in honor of the show’s 20th anniversary provided by Beal Street Cafe of Rochester. Sixty-five vendors were on hand with new equipment, displays, information, and sales personnel.
One vendor, T-W Truck Equippers Inc., of Rochester, featured a new concept in truck spreaders, The Flo ’N Dump, a multi-purpose body dump truck from Air-Flo of Prattsburg, NY. The Flo ’N Dump design allows the operator to spread materials while the dump body is down. This comes in handy when spreading ice on slick road surfaces or even spreading gravel, cold or hot-mix asphalt for road or shoulder repairs.
Another popular item is Air-Flo’s 550 MG truck spreader. The truck easily converts from a spreader to a conventional dump body.
“This is a great truck for a smaller municipality,” explained T-W’s Vice President Bernie Leonard. “This truck can be an ice spreader in the winter and a standard dump truck in the summer … but especially with the kinds of winters we’re having — snow one day and spring the next … with the flip of a switch, you’re ready to do any job.”
Kim Saylor, district manager of Monroe Tractor, Henrietta, said operator efficiency and comfort have come a long way in the equipment his company offers. For example, in the cabs of the new Case M Series loader/backhoes, there is more room for the operator, more glass for extra visibility and reduced sound levels.
“The better the comfort for the operator, the better the productivity level,” said Saylor.
Case’s new XT Series of skid steers also was on display. “The new XT Series is more compact with more horsepower and a sleeker design,” said Chris Felosky, a district manager of Monroe Tractor.
Monroe Tractor’s Bomag PW 180 also is a new design. The piece at the show was just purchased by the nearby Town of Greece. The compaction width of this machine can be increased by up to 4 ft. (1.2 m) just by steering it in a particular way.
Daryl Martin, of Jennings Tractor, in Fairport, brought a A220 Bobcat all-wheel steer loader to the show.
“These machines are very hot and popular with municipalities,” said Martin. Jennings Tractor is the only Bobcat dealer in western New York. It also specializes in New Holland farm equipment selling to clients all over New York State.
The Bobcat A220 features 2,200 lbs. (997 kg) of lift with changeable steering modes. The 73-hp (54.4 kW), four-cylinder, turbo-charged, oil-cooled Deutz diesel engine provides the power for the machine’s impressive push ability. The comfortable cab features state-of-the-art joystick controls as well as a smooth ride.
Also celebrating its 20th anniversary at the show was George & Swede Sales & Service, of Pavilion, NY. The company’s display featured a Hamm HD110 10-ton (.9 t) roller, a Hyundai 12,000-ton (10,800 t) mini-excavator and a Harder slide in sander and dump box spreader.
Swede Sales Territory Manager Greg Newell said his company enjoys coming to the show each year. “It’s a great show. Typically we don’t make any sales at the show, but the contacts you make lay the groundwork for future sales,” he said.
The Hamm HD110 features a 127-hp (94.6 kW) engine with a 66 to 69.5 in. (167 to 176.5 cm) rolling width. The Hyundai 55-3 mini-excavator has a Yanmar 4TNE-94 engine with a reach of nearly 20 ft. (6 m) and a digging depth of nearly 13 ft. (3.9 m).
Five Star Equipment, of Rochester, was celebrating too. This is the company’s first year at the show as a Hitachi excavator dealer. In addition, Territory Manager Aaron Gieseke said they had just sold a Vactor 2100 sewer cleaner to the Town of Henrietta.
Jerry Roberts, of Roberts Equipment, said he does more than 80 percent of his business with municipalities. With three offices across New York State in Tonawanda, Victor and Cazenovia, he said he supplies towns and villages with a variety of refuse, snow removal, and multi-use road work vehicles.
Roberts said his TVA Sweepster is a popular item. It is an economical solution for many municipalities. “You tow it behind a tractor and it does a fine job,” he said.
One vendor came all the way from Canada. Holder of North America, of Ontario, Canada, was displaying its new all-season, multi-purpose vehicle, the C 9700 H.
“The machine is really more than a mower,” said Owan Jones, of Holder of North America. “You can put any attachment on the front.”
The Holder C9700H features a Deutz diesel, 1011F turbo, 75-hp (55.9 kW) engine with hydrostatic drive and two mechanical-speed ranges. Its Power Take Off clutch is a wet multi-disc design that enables the operator to engage the PTO while under load. Its many attachments range from reach mowers, sweepers, and snow blowers to backhoes, forklifts and dump bodies.
Jones said, “We’ve had quite a few inquiries about it today.”
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