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Extreme excavation

Winter 2012

The rugged topography that encompasses Juneau, Alaska (pop. 31,275), is a spectacular scenic panorama for the more than 1 million tourists who visit this exceptionally picturesque capital city via cruise ships every year. Shrouded by majestic, jagged mountains and dense rainforests, this sophisticated and vibrant city — built primarily on a landfill of tailings from a local mine that was once the world's largest producer of low-grade ore — is the only state capital in the nation not accessible by road.

For contractors like Bruce Griggs, who has managed SJS Excavation for the past 15 years — the excavation company founded by his father-in-law, Sid Smith, in 1978 — the gnarly, mountainous terrain is a challenging menace — for at least six months out of the year. Griggs, an accomplished downhill skier and entrepreneurial daredevil of sorts, credits his passion for skiing as the primary factor that prompted him to pursue a career in construction.

"It's because of being a ski bum that I got into the construction trade," Griggs says. "I worked my way through college doing construction, and found I loved the artistic side of dirt work. And since construction is a seasonal gig here, we work our tails off in the summer and then take winters off. That's when I head to the slopes."

Griggs had already attempted his own construction company when his father-in-law suggested he come work with him. The arrangement turned out to be a good one, joining Griggs and his wife, Mary Frances, together as an operational business team in addition to being longtime soul mates.

"I'm the most fortunate guy ever to be able to work with both my wife and father-in-law," Griggs says. "I have learned so much from him. He had one of the first excavators in town, is 77 years old, and still runs it and the Doosan excavators today. I've gotten more into speculative development lately and he has been right there to support us. I feel honored being able to carry on his great legacy."

Proving ground
Like most relationships that endure over time, the Doosan and SJS Excavation connection originated from a foundation based on trust. Griggs had established a long-founded business connection with Miller Construction Equipment — also a family-owned and operated business with Juneau roots — when Andrew Miller, general manager and Griggs' primary sales contact, approached him about giving a Doosan excavator a try.

For years, Miller Construction Equipment offered a number of equipment brands other than Doosan, so the construction-related interests in this close-knit community seized the opportunity to rib the Millers about adding another brand of equipment. Like Griggs and his father-in-law, the Millers had also established a solid reputation, so a lot of the ribbing really stemmed from curiosity about Doosan on the part of the locals.

"Miller Construction Equipment has been in business here for a long time," Griggs says. "They are reputable and know their customers, so everyone took notice when they starting selling the Doosan brand. Before that, I'd say Doosan had been viewed with some skepticism compared to other equipment we were more familiar with. But I knew the Miller family so well personally I felt they probably knew something the rest of us didn't. Turns out, they did. The Doosan line has sure held up."

Shortly after the DX line of excavators was introduced, Miller approached Griggs and encouraged him to check out one of the models. Griggs was in the middle of a very difficult 27-acre subdivision project that included the removal of more than 160,000 cubic yards of rock, so he took Miller up on the offer and rented the DX225LC model for a trial run.

"It was like, wow, way nice," Griggs says. "The DX225LC was so solid, and the cab and controls ... everything about it was awesome. I ran it for three days and knew I had to have one. That was four years ago, and today the machine has close to 5,000 hours on it and is still going strong. Quite impressive given that it's all either mud or rock up here."

Multiple operators — minimal concerns
In addition to equipment sales, Miller Construction Equipment is also a sizeable contractor. With a diverse collection of operators working several different jobs, individual models within their fleet are often subjected to multiple users — a situation that, over time, can take a toll on machines.

"Any contractor will tell you that it's preferable to have dedicated operators," Griggs says. "Unfortunately, this is more the exception than the rule. Equipment gets worked very hard here. It is continuously subjected to rock or mud, or both. When you see a piece of Miller equipment with more than 5,000 hours on it, without any breakdowns, having been worked as hard as it has by so many different operators, you know it's a good machine."

As a complement to the DX225LC he purchased more than four years ago, Griggs added a Doosan DX140LC to the SJS fleet this past year. Recognized for delivering excellent performance in the 12 to 14 metric ton size class, the DX140LC has an efficient engine and durable hydraulic system, highlighted by the Electronic Power Optimizing System (EPOS). The EPOS feature provides the option to adjust operating modes — Standard, Economy or Power — based on working conditions to optimize fuel consumption and operational performance. This mode is especially useful for heavy-duty jobs that require maximum torque and faster cycle times due to tough conditions and jobsite work requirements.

Comfort improves productivity
Of all the many features he appreciates about the Doosan excavation equipment they own, Griggs feels the benefits derived from operator comfort are all too often taken for granted. Both the DX140 and DX225 are equipped with a spacious cab designed for maximum visibility and optimal ergonomic comfort. In addition, the sound-suppressed cab keeps machine noise low, helping to reduce operator fatigue.

The reclining height- and weight-adjustable suspension seat (standard) includes a headrest and adjustable armrest that allow different operators to select the positions that are most comfortable. And easy-to-operate joystick controls make precise machine movements easy, while supplementary buttons are available for control of additional equipment.

"I don't know about other guys, but I am more than willing to admit that as an owner-operator, comfort is a big deal to me," Griggs says. "Comfort, a nice cab, easy-to-operate controls ... it's all important. We have the light package, air suspension seat, portable music player input, CD stereo system ... I guess you could say loaded, and still paid thousands less than I would have for a ‘plain Jane' model made by competitors. But while all the comfort is nice, ultimately the machine has to be reliable. We don't have a full-time mechanic, so minimal breakdowns are very important to us."

According to Griggs, the quotes he received from dealers offering competitive models with comparative specifications to the Doosan DX140LC "weren't even in the ballpark."

"I think a lot of people confuse price with value," Griggs says. "There's a predisposition that less expensive models equate to inferior quality and durability. I certainly haven't found that to be the case with Doosan. I've told all my fellow construction buddies that if they want to pay an extra year's worth of payments for a machine that's not as good, go right ahead. A couple of them who were thinking about buying a new machine came back to me, asking to check out my Doosan. Now, they're noticing."

It's a jungle out there
The majestic, rugged mountains that surround this charming capitol city are blanketed by vast rainforests, making road construction next to impossible and, where feasible, extremely costly. That, along with its remote location, restricts travel access from the outside into Juneau to airplane or water vessels only. So dense are the immense trees that even the most adventurous of hikers are discouraged from exploration. Griggs, however — whom locals have coined the "earth artist" — derives tremendous gratification from conquering the jungle, and delights in being the one responsible for making his customers' dreams come true.

"I have three different types of buckets for each excavator," Griggs explains. "Each bucket is designed to do different things. I remember one time — working on an extreme excavation — prepping the site for a lady's new dream home, switching out the buckets all the time. She had been watching intently, curiously, every time I changed buckets, to see what I would do next. Finally she came up to me and said, ‘you really are an excavation artist. Every time you change the bucket it's like you're changing a paint brush!'"

Griggs takes a great deal of pride in what he does, and feels fortunate having the opportunity to create the tranquil setting for the dream homes of so many ... not to mention, as an accomplished skier, getting to spend winters on the slopes nearby.

"I'm a very lucky guy," Griggs admits. "I get to do what I really enjoy doing - personally, recreationally and professionally. I live in a spectacular setting, surrounded by honest, hard-working people, and the opportunity to carry on the legacy of my father-in-law ... all while helping make the dreams of my customers come true. Now just how much better could it get?"