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Ledwell Team

Ledwell Team
In In The News

Employees Support ArkLaTex 100 Club at Annual Sporting Clay Tournament

Pull for Heroes Tournament benefiting ArkLaTex 100 Club

The Ledwell team loves to rally around a good cause. One cause we support each year is the ArkLaTex 100 Club, a nonprofit organization that’s sole purpose is to benefit our local police and firefighters in Bowie and Miller Counties.

The goal of the Arklatex 100 Club is to raise funds for the dependents of our first responders lost in the line of duty.

The remaining funds will be used to purchase any unbudgeted but necessary life-saving equipment and additional training.

The club also provides local agencies grants for necessary life-saving equipment and training.

This includes a thermal imaging camera for the Pleasant Grove Volunteer Fire Department. A K9 officer for the Bowie County Sherrif and Texarkana, Texas Police Department.

In March, a team of employees participated in the ArkLaTex 100 Club’s annual Pull for Heroes Sporting Clay Tournament. Our team had fun participating and looks forward to the event again next year.

This fundraiser brings in $35,000+ annually – the one and only fundraising event the club has each year.

The funds raised from Pull for Heroes benefit multiple entities in Bowie and Miller Counties. As a result, grants are provided to purchase tactical/protective equipment, fund special training, and assist surviving dependents.

13 local entities in Bowie and Miller County benefitted from those funds. 

Learn more about this fantastic organization by following them on Facebook.

Pull for Heroes Tournament benefiting ArkLaTex 100 Club
Ledwell Team
In In The News

CARES Act Offers Significant Tax Savings for Small Businesses

The Ledwell Made Guarantee

There has never been a better time to buy Ledwell equipment! 2020 has been a tough year for many, but thanks to the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act), which was signed into law in March, you can deduct current year tax losses against income from a prior tax year and receive an immediate tax refund.

CARES Act offers tax savings on Ledwell equipmentWhat does that mean for you?

Suppose you had strong years leading up to 2020. In that case, you can potentially generate a refund from prior years’ taxes that creates working capital now.

The U.S. Government’s Section 179 write-off deduction allows small businesses to write off as much as $1.04 million in qualifying purchases of equipment financed or purchased and put into service between Jan. 1, 2020, and the end of the day on Dec. 31, 2020. Because of the CARES Act, for this year only, you can amend your tax returns up to 5 years back and get refunds on tax you paid in prior years if your deprecation allowance and losses are more than your profits.

That means you can take advantage of today’s lower corporate tax rates—21% in 2020 compared to 35% in 2015—to apply significant tax savings to your truck and trailer purchases.

Plus, bonus depreciation allows up to 100% depreciation on qualified new and used equipment—including any Ledwell equipment.

Don’t delay! You can purchase or finance equipment in 2020 and claim a deduction for these items’ costs under the existing bonus depreciation rules.

Any of the equipment we sell at Ledwell qualifies for this deduction. To order yours today, contact our sales team or browse our website.

Ledwell Team
In Construction, Government, In The News, Innovation, Rental, Transportation

Get Low With the Ledwell HydraTilt Truck

Ledwell custom hydraulic trail truck - HydraTilt Truck
Ledwell custom hydraulic trail truck - HydraTilt Truck

What do you get when you take a HydraTail Truck and add a unified hinge and hydraulic tilt deck? Ledwell’s groundbreaking, patent-pending HydraTilt Truck

“We saw an opportunity to create a more versatile truck. One that takes up less space on the street, accommodates low ground clearance equipment, has a shorter bed height, and has a deck that tilts high enough to unload containers.”

“We’ve had a lot of success in the rental industry with our HydraTail truck, but even those customers were having trouble with getting some of their lower ground clearance equipment over the tail and hinge easily,” said Ledwell engineer Gary Gathright.

The truck’s innovative design centers around what the Ledwell team calls a unified hinge.

“When you hinge the deck and tail off of the same piece, when they’re parallel with each other, there’s no step-down like you’d get with two hinges,” he said. “It’s an easier loading situation, and you can more easily slide things off, like a container or non-powered equipment.”

Gary said the HydraTilt Truck can be positioned to result in a loading configuration similar to the rollback, but it’s 5 3/4 inches lower in transport mode.

“That makes it easier on the drivers loading the equipment and creates a lower center of gravity, so you have a more stable platform when you’re driving,” he said. “And you can haul larger equipment.”

The HydraTilt Truck’s smaller loading and unloading space makes it an asset in urban areas.

“When you’re on a crowded downtown street, you want to take up as little room as possible as you load and unload,” Gary said. “It makes for a safer environment for the driver unloading the equipment, and it’s safer for the public in general because you’re not taking up multiple driveways or blocking the street.”

The Ledwell team ultimately designed the HydraTilt Truck to make customers’ lives easier.

“This is simply an extension of what we have done for nearly 75 years, which is to take feedback from our customers and create the equipment they need,” he said.

Learn more about the Ledwell HydraTilt Truck

Ledwell Team
In Employee Spotlight

Jim Greger, Information Technology Director

Ledwell Employee Spotlight for October 2020

When Jim Greger started as Ledwell’s Information Technology Director 15 years ago, the company had just one server supporting its IT infrastructure.

“Now, we have over 25 servers,” Jim said. “Ledwell has grown. It just multiplies.”

Jim Greger

Jim didn’t choose a career in IT—IT chose him. After high school, he earned an associate degree in engineering from Texarkana College, where he also pitched for the TC Bulldogs baseball team. Then, he went to work in engineering—in fact, he worked for Ledwell’s engineering department with Bob Nolte early in his career. Jim worked for several prominent corporations, including the Lone Star Army Ammunition plant and Rockwood International. He made the jump to IT while working for Smith-Blair.

“I started trying to automate processes that helped in rolling, bending, and cutting steel,” Jim said. “Once I got it to work, what normally took about four hours could be done in five minutes. After I started automating processes there, they wanted me to move into IT, and from that point, I stayed.”

Over 30 years later, Jim said he still enjoys IT work. And when he got the chance to return to Ledwell, he jumped on it.

“I love working here,” he said. “This is a family-oriented business. Working for corporations, they knew you by an employee number. Steve and Lesley know everybody, and they take the time to take an interest in their employees. That’s something you don’t get everywhere.”

Today, Jim has a team of four employees. When he started 15 years ago, he was the entire IT department. As for his typical workday? There isn’t one, he said. Workdays at Ledwell aren’t typical.

“I spend a lot of time managing the issues that come up on a daily basis, deciding which projects are a priority, coordinating with vendors, maintaining servers and network and phone system,” he said.

Jim has a son, daughter, and three grandsons. For the past ten years, he has pastored two non-denominational churches: one in Avery, Texas, and one in Dallas. Between Ledwell and pastoring, he doesn’t have much free time. When he does, Jim said he loves having the opportunity to travel with his wife, who has her own travel business.

For those who are starting their career at Ledwell, Jim has a few words of advice.

“One of the major things here is opportunity,” Jim said. “If somebody really wants to work hard and do their best, there are tremendous rewards. The heart of this company is the employees and their families. You can work here and just draw a salary if you wish, but we all have the opportunity to share in something bigger than just ourselves.”

Ledwell Team
In Government, In The News, Innovation, Material Handling, Waste

Choosing a Grapple: Which Rotobec Attachment is Best for You?

Ledwell Demolition Dump with Rotobec Grapple Attachment

If you’re in the market for a grapple truck or attachment, you can’t beat industry-leading Rotobec grapples. Rotobec launched its revolutionary rotating hydraulic system in the forestry industry. Later, the company expanded its product offerings to include recycling, waste handling, railroad maintenance, and construction and bulk material handling.

Which grapple will work best for you? Rotobec has a wide selection of grapples designed for specific industries and job applications.

Ledwell Demolition Dump with Rotobec Grapple Attachment

Forestry & Logging

Excavators, material handlers, and log loaders need tough grapples that can adapt to various situations. If you’re looking for something versatile, Rotobec’s Log Grapples, Combination Grapples, and Rotobec Power Attachments fit the bill. Rotobec’s Pulpwood Grapples and Butt’n Top Grapples load and unload trucks efficiently.

Industrial Jobs

Industrial grapples handle a variety of materials in any environment imaginable. Rotobec’s Clamshell Buckets are available in multiple sizes and configurations. The Demolition Power Attachment Grapple is built with thicker, stronger steel. Rotobec’s Pipe & Pole Handing Series Grapples safely handle utility poles and gas lines.

Waste Handling

Rotobec offers grapple attachments for each step of the waste handling and waste removal process, with specialized units for trash, compaction, sorting/demolition, and waste collection. Plus, they offer multi-purpose, and waste collection grapples that make roadside pickup and storm cleanup quicker and more efficient.

Scrap Metal

If it isn’t tough, you don’t want to use it for scrap metal. Rotobec is an industry leader in durable, tough, innovative products for scrap metal handling. Their Orange Peel Grapple has a fully guarded, hose-less cylinder design that reduces the risk of hydraulics damage. The Demolition RPA’s 360-degree rotation allows for more flexibility in motion than traditional dangle style rotation grapples.

Railway Operations

Need to move railroad ties? Look no further than Rotobec’s rail grapples. The Tie Bundle Grapple can handle 5-9 tie-wide bundles, and the Loose Tie Grapple helps collect and move ties without bringing shale along.

Storm Chasers

Hurricanes, tornadoes, severe storms, and floods can cause catastrophic damage and leave behind an immense amount of debris. Storm chasers need dump trucks outfitted with a versatile, multi-purpose loader and grapple combination that can handle a variety of materials, such as the Rotobec Elite 910 + Waste Collection Grapple.

Authorized Rotobec Dealer

Looking for a do-everything package? Pair a Rotobec loader and grapple with a Ledwell Dump Truck for a powerful machine that’ll get the job done.

As an authorized Rotobec dealer with the quickest turnaround times in the industry, we can build a truck to your specs and ship it out when you need it, where you need it. Learn more.

Contact us to discuss which Rotobec attachment will best meet your needs.

Ledwell Team
In Employee Spotlight

Jacob Sanchez

Ledwell Employee Spotlight for August 2020

Jacob Sanchez started his career at Ledwell 14 years ago, when he began working in the Trailer Shop. After gaining years of experience installing wood floors and connecting wiring in Ledwell’s HydraTail Trailers, Jacob moved to the Feedbody Shop. Now, he works on lighting and wiring installation for Feed Trailers.

Jacob said he values learning the best practice for each application.

“I try to learn something new each day to become more knowledgeable about feed operations,” he said.

Jacob’s foreman said he is a hard worker.

“He’s dependable, and I don’t have to worry about one thing with Jacob,” he said. “He’s the ideal employee.”

Jacob is happily married to his wife, MaAurora, for 37 years. In his spare time, Jacob said he enjoys spending quality time with his family and playing a soccer game or two.

Jacob said he never stops learning and growing with Ledwell and that the company has helped him reach his potential.

“I enjoy coming to work every day,” he said. “I hope to stay with Ledwell for many years to come!”

Ledwell Team
In In The News

Manufacturing Hands Free Door Opener to Minimize Risk

Ledwell employee packing Tread+Pull our latest innovation
Hands free door opener from Ledwell - Tread+Pull
Tread+Pull for sale from Ledwell

As a manufacturer, we have continued to work the past couple of months to keep our customers moving.

Employee safety remained top of mind during this time, as we’ve worked on practicing social distancing and limiting the number of surfaces our employees come in contact with.

Enter the Tread + Pull – a hands free door opener.

Sparked by an idea from Electronics Specialist Phillip Anderson, this hands-free door opener allows people to open most doors hands-free. Step on the metal bracket secured at the base of a door to pull it open using their feet only.

Designing and creating these door openers took a team effort. Multiple shops were involved in the process of manufacturing the Tread + Pull.

One shop cut the material while another shaped it into its unique shape. Our Machine Shop refined the edges to be smooth while the Graphics Department designed and printed the installation instructions and the decals for the Tread + Pull and door. Then, multiple people in our Shipping and Receiving warehouse packaged and shipped over a thousand around the country.

Our customers are top priority – that’s why we are making the Tread + Pull available for you to purchase. Prevent the spread of germs while staying fully operational with this simple product that fits most doors.

Contact our Parts Department to learn more about the Tread + Pull or to order for your facility.

Share your experience with the Tread + Pull over on our Facebook page. Be sure to use #ledwellmade.

Stay safe and healthy!

Ledwell Team
In Employee Spotlight

Everett Stockton

Ledwell Employee Spotlight - July 2020

Since 1999, we have been fortunate to have an amazing craftsman working with us. Everett Stockton was hired to work in our Paint Department. After about four years he transferred to the Truck Shop. His knowledge and skills have been a huge asset in building Water and Dump Trucks – This is why we have chosen him as this month’s Employee Spotlight.

Everett has two sons and two dogs an Australian Shepard and Pit Bull. In his spare time, Everett likes to play golf and fish. If you were to ask one of Everett’s coworkers to describe him in a few words, they would tell you that he’s friendly, hardworking, and dependable. Working together with his team is something he does on a regular basis. One of his favorite Ledwell projects over the last two decades was working on a double pump for a 6,000-gallon Water Tank. “It was challenging but I learned a lot from the experience,” Everett said.

When referring to his job, Everett used the word family several times. He enjoys his job and is thankful for the friendships he has made here at Ledwell over the years and hopes to retire in a few years. Thank you, Everett, for your dedication and service to Ledwell. We appreciate all you do!

Ledwell Team
In Employee Spotlight

Steve Fant

Ledwell June 2020 Employee Spotlight

Our June Employee Spotlight is a devoted employee at Ledwell Machinery, Steve Fant. He has been with Ledwell for almost 9 years as a small engine repairman for our machinery location. Steve is happily married to his wife Angie, and they have 4 children. He has 6 dogs that are considered part of the family. He loves to play pool in his spare time.

Steve can be described as patient, dedicated, and friendly. One of the most challenging obstacles Steve encounters with his day to day job is communication. Although, he has learned a great deal from the different perspectives of his colleagues.

One of Steve’s favorite things about working at Ledwell Machinery is he never gets bored. “There’s always plenty to do.” He takes pride in working with a company that is loyal and puts quality first. Steve has enjoyed being a part of the growth of Ledwell Machinery over the years. Watching everything develop into what it is now has been rewarding. From the customers to the product line – it has been a gift to experience. Thank you, Steve, for your dedication!

Ledwell Team
In Employee Spotlight

Hayden Hall

Employee Spotlight for Ledwell May 2020

Hayden Hall has been an employee at Ledwell for almost seven years. Since starting with Ledwell, Hayden has worked in the Tank Shop, Feedbody Shop, and Break and Shear. His talents in welding landed him a place in our Special Projects Department, building some of our unique products for customers.

After graduating from high school, he joined the United States Army and completed four years of active duty service. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time in the outdoors and building knives.

If asked, a friend might describe Hayden as hard-working, honest, and friendly. The most challenging part of Hayden’s day to day is keeping up with the demand here at Ledwell. He said, “I’ve learned over the years at Ledwell that if you continue to work hard each day, you will see the benefits of your hard labor unfold.”

Hayden is married, and they have two dogs. A pitbull-lab mix and a corgi-beagle mix. One of Hayden’s lifetime goals is to attend the Sigma 3 Survival School. This is an intensive training course to teach you how to survive in the wilderness with minimal tools available.

First and foremost, thank you for your service! We appreciate your hard work and dedication, Hayden.