Category: Industry Updates

Efficiency, safety gains make compact equipment indispensable tools for land improvement professionals

In today’s market, contractors must maximize use of every tool in their fleet to stay ahead of the competition. “Gone are the days when a contractor will bring a piece of equipment onto a site to trench and then park it until it’s needed again,” says Greg Worley, market professional for Cat® mini hydraulic excavators. “Fleet management practices have evolved to where all machines are expected to be versatile and to keep working.”

Ten years ago, I got involved with LICA because I believed in what it stood for. Not as a title, not as a résumé builder, and not because I needed another commitment, as I already had plenty. I got involved because I grew up in this industry, and deep down I knew I owed it something back.

That year, I was asked to serve as Vice President of NJLICA. I didn’t take it lightly. I saw it as both an honor and a responsibility. And looking back now, I realize that was the moment my journey toward national leadership truly began, not because I knew where it would lead, but because I said yes to service.

Adam Faeth grew up on a family farm in Seneca County, Ohio, where working the land was simply part of everyday life. Long before he ever ran an excavator for a living, he was a kid who loved playing in the dirt and learning how things worked. That early connection never left him.

After graduating from New Riegel High School, Adam went to work for a local electrical company while continuing to help on the family farm. Like many contractors, his path into excavation didn’t begin with a formal business plan. It started with a backhoe, a few small side jobs, and a growing realization that there was an opportunity to build something of his own.