Road Machinery & Supplies Co. (RMS) was named a Top 5 Dealer by Genesis Attachments for 2020. RMS earned the honor in recognition for is sales performance and commitment to the Genesis line. Genesis pieces have been a valuable asset for customers in several industries. Recently, Tounier's Recycling turned to RMS and Genesis for a GTX 555R mobile shear at its scrap metal recycling yard in Independence, Iowa.  Click here to see how the shear helped boost production.

  Everyone is looking for a way to  maximize their workforce, boost accuracy, and increase production. If each of those things could be achieved with one decision, chances are most people would take the opportunity to do it. Gustafson Excavating of North Branch, Minn., accomplished all three goals when it added a Komatsu intelligent Machine Control D51PXi dozer with integrated GPS technology to its fleet four years ago. “The way we look at it, we have another couple guys out there with just the one dozer,” said Gustafson Excavating Vice President Derek Gustafson. “It saves us a lot of time, saves us a lot of money, and the accuracy is right there every time.” Click here to watch a video showing how the D51PXi dozer has helped Gustafson Excavating elevate its operation.

  Road Machinery & Supplies Co. welcomed customers from Iowa and Illinois back to the golf course in October with the return of the customer appreciation golf outing. After taking a year off due to COVID-19, more than 50 customers, manufacturer representatives, and RMS employees enjoyed a day at the Tournament Club of Iowa (TCI) in Polk City. “My favorite things about the event are planning it and getting all of the customers together in one group with RMS people,” said Territory Manager Bob Newman. “It’s always a really fun time.”   In addition to a round of golf, customers enjoyed lunch and dinner at TCI and competed in several hole competitions.   “It’s a good place to network with contractors and get to know who you’re working with,” said Mark Anthony of Jensen Construction Company. “You’re not under the gun. You’re able to socialize about different things rather than worry about equipment.”   “We’ve got more than 30 years of experience with ...

    When Dean Tournier and his son, Cody, were looking to boost efficiency at their Independence, Iowa, scrap yard, they didn’t realize they were about to break new ground on multiple levels. A year earlier, Genesis Attachments rep Matt Overdahl made a stop by the yard to talk about how a new shear attachment could boost productivity.   The Tourniers weren’t ready to make a purchase at that time, but they were intrigued. After some research and number-crunching, Cody called him back, ready to buy. The timing couldn’t have been more opportune for new Road Machinery & Supplies Co. Territory Manager Joel Werthmann.   “I had just moved to sales from my position as a PSSR,” recalled Werthmann. “Matt called me to let me know what the situation was. Cody let me know what they were looking for, and we got to work.”   The process ended with Tournier’s Recycling purchasing a new Genesis GXT 555R mobile shear and a Komatsu PC290LC excavato...

  Road Machinery & Supplies Co. (RMS) has been named the official Gradall Industries distributor for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. RMS will carry Gradall’s entire line of products in the territory. RMS was already to official distributor for Gradall products in Minnesota and the majority of Iowa, with the exception of 13 southwest Iowa counties. “We are very excited for the opportunity to bring more solutions to our customers in the Upper Peninsula,” said RMS Vice President, Sales and Marketing Andy Schwandt. “These lines allow us to offer more versatile equipment to end users in the mine scaling, metal mill maintenance, governmental, contractor, and municipal sectors. We look forward to the ability to better serve our existing customers and the chance to work with new ones.”

Jeff Little occupies the same seat his dad, Byron “Buz” Little, occupied for 23 years as Service Manager for the Duluth, Minn., branch. While he ended up in the same role as his father, the path there was very different.    “I had no desire to go into this industry when I was growing up,” said Jeff. “I always liked working on cars, but I didn’t see it as a career. Plus, I was married with a kid shortly after graduating high school, so I needed to get a job instead of going to college.”   Jeff turned to screw drivers and sawdust over wrenches and grease as he began his career building and installing kitchen cabinets. The plan was going well until the recession of 2008 wiped out most of that business. Even then, Jeff still wasn’t considering heavy equipment.   “I was 31 with a wife and three kids and needed a career, so I went back to automotive tech school,” he said.    While taking those auto classes, his dad began persuading him to consider R...

View complete photo gallery here   Watch video “Having fun in 2021” is the unofficial mantra of Road Machinery & Supplies Co. after the Covid-19 pandemic cancelled nearly every activity on the calendar in 2020. Events like the annual Minnesota customer appreciation golf event at Cragun’s Legacy Courses in Brainerd, Minn., carry a new level of excitement for everyone involved.   “I cannot believe how many customers thanked us for having the event, they were excited for it,” said Vice President Product Support and Southern Operations Joe Schmidtlein. “We talk to our customers every day but being able to set work aside and hang out with them in a relaxed setting like this is incredible.”   “We are very appreciative of our customers, and holding the outing is a great way for us to show that,” said Vice President Sales and Marketing Andy Schwandt. “Cancelling last year was a big loss, and we are grateful to be able to do this again and thank our customers.”  ...

Tyler Sherrill’s short time at Road Machinery & Supplies Co. has been anything but typical. He joined RMS in 2019 as a Territory Manager in Virginia, Minn., but just 10 months into the role, Sherrill was attending a motocross race when a bike flew off the track and collided with him.   “I suffered a traumatic brain injury and was in an induced coma for about a week,” recalled Tyler. “For the next five months I was doing physical therapy and undergoing surgeries. I didn’t know what was going on for a while, it was difficult. Through a lot of hard work, I was able to recover.”   The process back was a tedious one. In addition to re-learning how to do basic motor skills and undergoing physical therapy, Tyler still had to build his stamina as he was returning to work.   “I would have to take a nap during the day because I was so exhausted,” he noted. “I also had light sensitivity and other injuries that were still healing as well. It wasn’t easy.”   Through it all, T...

Helm Civil uses iMC technology to complete grinding project underwater No two jobsites are alike, but they usually have one thing in common: they are above water. That wasn’t the case for Helm Civil when it tackled a lock and dam rebuild for the Army Corps of Engineers on the Mississippi River in Rock Island, Ill. Lock and Dam 15 was built in 1931 on wood cribbing and wood piling. Over the years, consistent barge traffic caused the old foundation to fail on the lower guide wall that the barges use to come in and out of lock chamber. Helm Civil, an East-Moline, Ill.-based firm, won a best-value contract with the Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, to remove twelve 30-foot monoliths and install 63 drilled shafts. “The section we had to grind was 360 feet long and five feet tall,” noted Helm Civil Senior Project Manager Clint Zimmerman. “All of it was about seven to eight feet under water, which obviously posed a unique challenge.” To complete the job, Zimmerman had to get the ...

RMS’ First Controller Focused on Helping RMS Make Informed Decisions for Strategic Growth Ryan Ressler started at Road Machinery & Supplies Co. as Controller in June. While the move into the heavy equipment industry is new for him, he didn’t need any directions to his new employer on his first day. “My wife and I moved to Savage in 2016, and I drove past RMS every day. It was like two blocks from our house,” said Ressler. “Unfortunately, we moved (about 20 minutes away) to Carver, Minn., in March, so now I have a commute.” Aside from a familiar location, once Ressler began the interview process with RMS, he knew it would be a good fit. “In talking with (CFO) Troy Johnson and (CEO) Mike Sill II, it was clear that it is a very exciting time here at RMS with all the growth it was experiencing,” said Ressler. “Once I started meeting the people here, I knew this was where I wanted to be." “The size of the company was another factor. My previous employer was acquired by a large, pub...

Road Machinery & Supplies Co. is committed to providing industry leading service to its customers. In order to do that consistently and effectively, RMS has been making investments in its service departments with the addition of service techs across the company, improving training, and adding new state-of-the-art facilities, most recently in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. This latest step in this initiative was to upgrade trucks for service technicians as RMS added five new trucks in June with four more to come in 2021. “These new trucks are going to be a huge benefit to our service capabilities,” said General Service Manager Matt Tapper. “By upgrading these trucks, those service techs are a going to be better-suited to handle whatever they come across at a customer’s jobsite.” The trucks feature Peterbilt chassis on Stellar aluminum bodies. They also boast 12,000-pound cranes, Miller diesel welders, oil recovery systems, and LED strobes and lighting. “When a customer has a machine t...

Building a successful team starts with people that are not only dedicated to their craft, but also truly care about their customers. In short, it starts with people like RMS Rentals Shop Foreman Dave Oldenburg. “I really love troubleshooting and working on problems. Knowing that I helped a customer and seeing them come back again and again is what makes it all worthwhile for me,” said Dave. For 27 years, Dave has been honing his craft. His career began at Lull Industries in 1994 and worked his way from the assembly line to quality control and then to service. When Lull moved its operation out of the Twin Cities area, he started Highlift Equipment Company, Inc., with Jim Hoogervorst, Mark Tieben, and Dean Oseby. “We start in 2002 and focused on forklift repair, parts and service,” recalled Dave. “There was nobody in the metro area that really took care of the little guy, so we felt like there was an opportunity to do that and be successful.” And they were. For four years, the operation ...

Road Machinery & Supplies Co. (RMS) and Komatsu are celebrating monumental milestones in 2021. Road Machinery & Supplies Co. is celebrating its 95th anniversary of serving and supporting customers while Komatsu notches its 100th birthday. Together, RMS and Komatsu bring 195 years of combined experience to their customers. Michael M. Sill opened RMS in 1926 in Duluth, Minn., and focused on selling motor graders and supplies to municipalities. For the next 95 years RMS continued to grow and expand to meet its customers’ needs. Today, RMS has eight branches in Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, and Illinois in addition to affiliate companies throughout Minnesota and Texas, and serves customers in many heavy equipment industries. Komatsu got its start as founder Meitaro Takeuchi evaluated the waning lifespan of his copper mine near Komatsu City, Japan, and decided to form a manufacturing company to support the community. From there, Komatsu Ltd. grew from 120 employees in a small community...

At the Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association (MAPA) Quality Paving Training in Medina this April, BOMAG debuted its new BOMAP Connect software at the Medina Entertainment Center. The event served as a North American launch for the program. “The BOMAP Connect system has been in operation, but mainly in European countries. This was the first time BOMAG has presented it to a North American audience. It’s a very useful tool and we are excited for the advantages it holds for customers,” said Road Machinery & Supplies Co. (RMS) Marketing Manager Josh Sandin. “We were very excited to have the opportunity to team with BOMAG and MAPA to make this presentation happen.” BOMAP Connect allows users to track a myriad of performance data, including passes and compaction offers network control and documentation for an entire paving fleet, regardless of manufacturer. It automatically tracks a myriad of project data, including passes, machine position, and degree of compaction. The software also se...

Road Machinery & Supplies Co. (RMS) and RMS Rentals took part in the inaugural Minnesota Asphalt Pavement Association (MAPA) Quality Paving Training program in April at the Medina Entertainment Center in Medina, Minn. The three-day event was designed as a creative and interactive training program that blended classroom training and machine demonstration to help train new and younger paving employees. Nearly 100 people attended the event. As one of five Minneapolis-area equipment distributors that participated in the event, RMS and RMS Rentals showcased a nine-machine display that featured equipment from LeeBoy, BOMAG, Roadtec, Wacker Neuson, Broce, and Komatsu in addition to an indoor informational booth. “Events like this are great opportunities for us and our manufacturers to help with the greater good of the industry. The focus of the event was education, not sales. We were very happy to be a part of this program and have the opportunity to work with customers,” said RMS Marketi...

When Matt Baty started his career as a technician, he was typically surrounded by a staff of people in their 60s who were less-than-eager to help a young tech learn the ropes. It was a common situation that repeated itself at most of his early jobs. Today, Matt finds himself as the Cedar Rapids branch’s requisite elder – despite being just 46 – and he is doing what he can to avoid being the “cranky old guy.” “When I started in the industry, the older guys in the shops I worked in weren’t the most welcoming,” recalled Matt. “It wasn’t very fun. Now that I’m in that same position, I don’t want to be that way. A lot of the techs here are in their 20s, and I want to mentor them and help them enjoy this job. I don’t want them to feel like I did.” Matt’s position as Shop Foreman provides him ample opportunities to take on interesting projects and work with the technicians at the Cedar Rapids branch. “Working primarily in the shop, I get the chance to work on some of the bigger and the weirde...

Our very own Territory Manager Wade Stromgren was a featured guest on the Let the Sawdust Fly podcast. Wade joined host Pete Wood, logger from Canyon, Minn., to learn more about the history of forestry equipment. The conversation covers the first “hot saws,” continues through todays’ state-of-the-art machines and finishes with a look at what technology holds for the future of forestry equipment.   Listen to the full podcast here:   https://wdsm710.com/podcasts-let-the-sawdust-fly/  

Kim Grippe started with the Virginia Road Machinery & Supplies Co. branch in 1979 at the recommendation of one of her neighbors. Growing up on the Iron Range in Biwabik, Minn., the idea of working in heavy equipment wasn’t foreign to Kim, it was encouraging. “I always wanted to be in this kind of work,” Kim explained. “My dad and family all worked in the mines, so I wanted to be in that area. I had just finished technical school, so I applied and got the job.” Fresh out of school, Kim started at the Virginia branch as Service Clerk. The next 22 years saw Kim move around the branch, taking new jobs and picking up more responsibilities. Her role grew to include warranty work and eventually a position as the Parts Clerk. “I just always felt good working here,” noted Kim. “This area and the industries we serve are close-knit, and we look out for each other, and RMS really represents that approach.” Kim no doubt would have an uninterrupted 42-year run at RMS if it weren’t for the shutdo...

Road Machinery & Supplies Co. (RMS) has hired Tom Burrows to the position of PSSR Sales Manager. In this new position, Tom will manage RMS’ network of PSSRs and provide guidance and support to the team. Burrows brings 13 years of extensive experience in the ready-mix and mining industries, holding managerial roles in each. The Twin Cities native also served in the Navy for years and has a bachelor’s degree in construction management from the University of Minnesota, an MBA from Hamline University and a master’s certificate in mining from University of Leicester in England. “I am very excited for the opportunity to get started in this position,” said Burrows. “I have a passion for this industry and working with people. I think RMS has a tremendous reputation and I am proud to be a part of it.” The newly created PSSR Sales Manager position was designed to increase the efficiency of the PSSR network and aid in aftermarket parts sales. “This position will bring a focus and dedication t...

Today, new machine announcements focus on software and program upgrades as much as horsepower and fuel economy as manufacturers find new ways to incorporate technology. On top of that, devices that typically existed outside of the industry have been reimaged and engineered to focus on construction. As equipment evolves and software improves, so must you. Staying up to date with emerging technology requires a dedication to research. Mastering technology in order to put it in to application takes hours of practice. Without a dedicated Research & Development department, the task is impossible. So, what should you do? The answer is simple: Turn to the experts. Most distributors and manufacturers offer training and access to other services designed to help you utilize the technology to its maximum potential.  Up-To-Date Training When taking delivery of a new machine, ask if you can schedule a training session for your crew, especially if the machine comes with new technology. Most t...

RMS will be official distributor of KPI-JCI, Astec Mobile Screens and Telsmith Road Machinery & Supplies Co. (RMS) has announced an expansion of coverage area for its Astec-owned equipment lines into North Dakota and South Dakota. In North Dakota, RMS will represent mobile, portable, and stationary Astec lines including KPI/JCI, Astec Mobile Screens (AMS) and Telsmith. In South Dakota it will represent mobile KPI/JCI and AMS products in addition to Telsmith. “We are proud that Astec turned to us to cover this territory,” said Andy Schwandt, RMS Vice President, Sales and Marketing. “We have a great relationship with Astec, and this agreement is reflective of that. We are very excited to have the opportunity to provide sales and service solutions to our new customers in North Dakota and South Dakota.”

Lower labor costs. Faster results. Accurate data. Mastering these three things leads to profits. Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), outfitted with surveying software hold the key boosting efficiency and profitability. From monitoring stockpiles, to tracking jobsite progress, to inspecting infrastructure, drones offer you the ability to work better. Surveying Whether you’re an aggregate company measuring piles of various materials or a grading contractor monitoring progress on large project, drones deliver real-time data that can help you make decisions with confidence. Coupling an aerial perspective with advanced software allows you to accurately gather measurements and cache hundreds of data points in minutes. Removing the human element – with includes many factors, including the chance for errors – is also a massive boost to efficiency. Infrastructure  Inspecting roofs, bridges, and other hard-to-access structures is both complicated and dangerous… for a person. For a dr...