To help retain sediment on a construction jobsite, silt fences are installed as a temporary perimeter control. According to the EPA, a single 100-ft silt fence can hold 50 tons of sediment in place when effectively designed, installed and maintained.
Using the highest quality silt fencing to help make sure sediment on construction sites throughout New South Wales, Australia is controlled, Greenaway Sediment Control installs six miles of silt fence weekly.
The company started in 1997 when Paul Greenaway began a small part-time, one-man operation installing silt fencing. After winning a large contract for a three-mile fence installation around a golf course construction project, Greenaway needed to invest in new equipment. Using traditional methods of digging and installing fence by hand was unproductive and time consuming. He invested in a near-term solution: a silt fence plow with tractor. After a few projects, however, the equipment proved to be too costly and bulky for transporting, and having a truck and trailer on-site was too limiting for jobsite maneuverability. So, Greenaway purchased his first Ditch Witch machine, a SK650 mini skid steer with a plow and bucket attachment.
“At the time, this was a very large investment for our growing company, but we’ve never looked back,” said Paul Greenaway, owner and managing director, Greenaway Sediment Control. “Over the years, we’ve continued to add more Ditch Witch mini skid steers to our fleet.” Today the company has a fleet of five machines: one SK650 units and four SK755 units.
“Before making our purchase, we tested other competitive units but came back to the Ditch Witch unit every time,” added Greenaway. “The unit was much easier to maintain, an important factor in Australia due to the harsh environments we work in. We perform maintenance twice as often as manufacturer recommendations to keep equipment running efficiently through its useful life, so easy upkeep is imperative for our business.”
The Ditch Witch mini skid steers are all built with a construction-grade design for exceptional durability and longevity on a variety of jobsites. The low-maintenance track systems and belt-free design help minimize user maintenance and increase uptime.
“Our team also found the Ditch Witch machines easy to use,” said Greenaway. “By using the machines, our job turnaround is fast. With three machines on a job, we get two and a half miles of fencing installed in just one day.”
The versatility of the mini skid steers is also a key feature for the Greenaway team. If a small tree needs to be cleared, for example, the machines can easily do that, in addition to fencing installation. Currently, the company uses three attachments to meet all jobsite needs—a plow, auger and four-in-one bucket attachment.
“We also benefit from the compact size of the Ditch Witch machines, compared to the bulky silt fence plow we used in the past,” said Greenaway. In Australia, towing is limited to three tons. “With the compact, versatile machine, we can get from one jobsite to another without worrying about weight limits on the roads.”
With the help of the productive mini skid steer machines, Greenaway Sediment Control now buys 180 km of silt fencing at a time, whereas using traditional methods the company could only buy a 100-m roll at a time. What started as a one-man operation has grown to a team of experienced staff and fleet of installation units.
“Since purchasing our first mini skid steers, we’ve probably had close to 20,000 hours of operation on our Ditch Witch machines. We’ll continue using each mini skid steer through its entire useful life then replace with a new Ditch Witch unit,” said Greenaway.
For service and support needs, Greenaway Sediment Control works directly with the Ditch Witch of Australia dealership. “The dealership team is always fast with spare parts and any maintenance needs. We can rely on them for quick turnaround on any project,” added Greenaway. “We also have the opportunity to test new equipment and provide feedback, concerns or praise that are delivered to the larger Ditch Witch organization for future equipment design, launches and updates.”
For more information about Ditch Witch mini skid steers, visit https://www.ditchwitch.com/mini-skid-steer.
