APE May 2020 | Page 20

EXPERT ADVICE Small pavers tend to be easier to op- erate, maintain and transport than full size pavers. “The key advantage to using a small paver is that small pavers are usually used on jobs that would’ve otherwise being done by hand,” stated Shane A. Sommers, sales consultant, with Hitek Equipment, Inc., Kenosha, Wis. “A small paver will provide a consistent lift which results in a better finish while do- ing it faster than a crew shoveling in the asphalt and raking it out could. That means a crew can do more in less time while also greatly reducing the amount of physical labor involved.” According to Sal Rizzo, president of Salsco, Inc., Cheshire, Conn., the key features of small asphalt pavers that make them so useful are their “size and simplicity. Plus, there are many jobs that the large machines cannot do, so the companies end up doing these jobs by hand. As everyone knows, labor is difficult to find, so having a small ma- chine is a very big advantage.” In today’s world, there can be a wide range of applications for use of a com- mercial-class, small-sized asphalt paver. “From any paving widths of really one- foot up to 15-feet or wider with bolt on extensions, these small machines can cover a lot of different job sizes, shapes, obstacles and height requirements that many commercial and residential work sites bring to contractors,” said Bryce L. Davis, general sales manager, North America, LeeBoy, Lincolnton, N.C. “What are the best types of projects for a small asphalt paver? Our most pop- ular size machine we offer can be used in any of the following applications, parking lots, roadways, utility cuts and repairs, patchwork, driveways and even on some of the biggest highway job sites now as a cleanup paver, where it can pave turn lanes, medians, edgework, shoulders, etc. This frees up the main- line paver to keep paving the highway and not stopping or slowing down its overall production pace.” Davis continued and described ROI advantages of small pavers, which ac- cording to him “has to include their job-site maneuverability for the con- tractors and that the machines are pur- posefully designed to be easy to operate and maintain. Our design has made it easier for the customer to use less overall labor in a paving operation, which can add up to a better ROI.” Versatility appears to be a common adjective used in describing the value of the small asphalt paver. “Versatility is key,” stated Nigel McK- ay, sales manager, Weiler Products, Knoxville, Iowa. “I like to say that best type of projects for our small paver are going to be whatever the project is at hand. “Paving alleyways with inverted crowns to allow drainage in large cities is an example of a typical application. We have also seen our pavers used for paving under car ports in tight applica- tions. These units can then be moved into large parking lot sites, city streets, shoulders on highways and interstates. For More Information On This Advertiser Please Visit www.CallAPE.com/e-inquiry www.callape.com [20] 1.800.210.5923