(L-R): Alex Bergeron, John Cleary and Jean Brgant with their new Volvo L20 Electric powered compact wheel loader.
Cleary Stone has had its eye on sustainability for a long time. The Richmond, Vt. -based business provides rock products from gravel to large slabs to customers who care about the earth, so it simply makes sense.
“We work primarily with landscapers that love the particular earth and enjoy making it more beautiful, ” said John Cleary, founder plus part owner.
So when Volvo Construction Equipment announced that electric compact machines were available to order, the Cleary team was immediately interested. They told their dealer contact, Chris Palmer at Wood’s CRW , that they wanted an electric machine, and he called them as soon as an L20 Electric compact steering wheel loader came in.
“He went above and beyond for us to get the machine, including working with the state on funding to help us buy it, ” stated Cleary.
The machine has been delivered in November, giving them the first fully electrical wheel loader in North America.
“We are so happy that the first electric CWL went in order to a company like Cleary Stone, who is passionate about being a good steward of the environment, ” said Stephen Roy, president of Region North America, Volvo CE. “The work they and their customers do is perfect for this machine. inch
From Humble Roots to Small Business Success
John Cleary, that is now 82, did stone function as the side job in his younger days simply because this interested him.
“People wanted the stone that I didn’t think was quite good enough to use, and it made me wonder: How much would they like the higher quality stone? inches he recalled.
So he made it their full-time gig. As the business grew, this individual got a Volvo EC210 mid-sized excavator and became hooked on the particular brand.
John’s grandson, Alex Bergeron, began riding along with your pet in the skid steer at age 3, and as the particular equipment got bigger, so did Alex’s interest in the business. He is right now part proprietor and will take over someday.
The family-owned and -operated company employs six people during its busiest times of the year.
Leading Electrical Evolution
In 2017, Cleary Stone purchased a conventional diesel version of the L20 compact wheel loader. They loved the size, maneuverability and versatility. So whenever an electrical version hit the market, the team had been excited.
“It felt like the no-brainer because we see the industry moving that will direction and want to be on the forefront of that, ” said Cleary.
Bergeron added that the quality from the machine itself is enough of a reason to make the switch.
“I’d say it runs smoother than the diesel powered, and I like how easy it is in order to change attachments, ” mentioned Bergeron. “Just this morning, We unloaded some pallets along with a fork attachment, then switched to a bucket plus loaded a few crushed rock into a customer’s truck. ”
The particular company already had several saws, the forklift and a Tesla running on electricity, so adding another outlet for charging the loader was simple and they were familiar with the particular charging process.
“I don’t use this for a constant eight hours, therefore an overnight charge is plenty, ” said Bergeron. “And if I did need it all day, a lunchtime charge might be just fine. ”
He also noted the instant power the electric device provides versus the slight delay felt on the conventional machine, as well as work modes that provide just the right power for each attachment.
Funding the Future
Working with their own electric company, Green Mountain Power, and Palmer in CRW, Cleary Stone was able to subsidize some of the particular purchase price associated with its new L20 Electric powered.
“The original amount these people wanted in order to give us was not huge, but once Chris demonstrated to them exactly how much power we’d utilize they increased their offer, ” stated Bergeron.
Wood’s CRW Corporation is a family-owned organization that started in Burlington in 1961.
Other local and condition jurisdictions provide incentives as well, and those interested in learning more are encouraged to learn more here.
As alternatively powered equipment grows inside availability plus popularity, Cleary Stone will be thrilled in order to be leading the way.
“There will be more and more options, and we are usually fortunate to be in the right place from the correct time, inch said Cleary.
“Our customers think it’s super cool too, inches added Bergeron. “We’re hopeful more of these kinds of machines are sold so the growth and development continue. We’d like to make those upgrades wherever we can. ”
Volvo CE is the industry leader in alternative power research and development among construction equipment manufacturers. They currently offer five compact electric machines (excavators and steering wheel loaders) with additional sizes and machines in advancement. The company also has the hydrogen fuel cell test lab within Sweden and is working to make that will technology a lot more scalable.