September 14, 2023

By Lane Kimble

MOUNT PLEASANT, Wis. — Contractors from across southeastern Wisconsin got the chance to test drive new tech this week, thanks to a WTBA Associate member.

Tuesday, Brooks Tractor’s Mount Pleasant location hosted a Demo Day with surveying and positioning company Topcon.  The open-ended event was an opportunity to see how GPS and LPS technology is now available in smaller machinery, such as skid steers and minis.

“This expands the technology side to some of your smaller contractors as well as your bigger ones and some of your specialty stuff.  From septic guys to digging basements to some of your bigger site work, it all ties together,” Brooks Tractor Positioning Specialist Ben Dart said.

Machine operators can monitor grade levels within the cab, turning what is often at least a two-person job into a one-man endeavor.  Topcon’s Joel Frost said it’s important to view the equipment not as a way to downsize your workforce but instead streamline where and how crews work.

“We’re going to make you more productive and put that person to work in another application, gonna make you more money,” Frost said.  “Rather than having a guy standing around holding a rod all day to give you elevation, (the operator) can now see what the elevation is in the cab and that (survey) guy can be off doing other things to make the company productive.”