Commence wrecking

Bobcat machines and attachments hold up well in harsh demolition applications

Members of the McPherson family: (back row, left to right) grandson Mitch, son Scott, son Craig, son Shannon and grandson Shannon Jr. Front row are Sara and Virgil. Not pictured is grandson Laramie.

In the competitive demolition business, a company that owns its own equipment has an advantage, especially on projects where the schedule is an important factor. That, says Scott McPherson, is one of the reasons the firm started by his parents 46 years ago has been so successful.

�These days, in our industry, you have to find every competitive advantage possible, whether it is bid work or negotiated,� he says. �Owning our equipment makes us more competitive. We are not dependent on renting machines or getting them from someone else. We can match the equipment to the job. That�s a big key to being productive and efficient.

"Plus, we arrive at the job with dependable equipment that doesn�t break down, even in a difficult work environment. We are not constantly trying to keep a machine running. As a company that is on the front-end of a schedule, we need to get in, do our job and get out so others can follow.�

Demolition lineup

Among the equipment that helps keep McPherson Wrecking, Inc. working efficiently are eight Bobcat^� skid-steer loaders and two compact excavators. The machines, purchased from White Star Machinery in Topeka, Kan., are able to handle a variety of on-site demolition duties because the company also owns about two dozen Bobcat attachments.

�We have been extremely pleased with our Bobcat equipment,� says McPherson, who manages project bidding for the Topeka-based company. �The machines have proven to be very durable in difficult working conditions. At the same time, Bobcat attachments are every bit as tough as the loaders and excavators.

Other Bobcat attachments include a Brushcat^� rotary cutter, drop hammer, planer, scraper, vibratory roller, pallet forks, excavator trenching buckets, three industrial grapples, four hydraulic breakers and eight additional loader buckets.

�Whether we are busting concrete with a breaker, tearing down a wall with a grapple or removing tile with a scraper, all of our Bobcat attachments stand up to the job. If they weren�t tough and durable, we wouldn�t keep buying them.�

Family works together

McPherson�s parents, Virgil and Sara, started the company in 1966 right after one of the costliest tornadoes in U.S. history tore through Topeka. They built the business into a leader in commercial, industrial and residential demolition in eastern Kansas. In addition to Scott, two other sons are active in the business. Shannon manages projects in the field while Craig manages the maintenance shop and the family�s 550-acre farm operation. Also, grandson Mitch works full-time in the business as an equipment operator and grandson Laramie works part-time.

�Much of our work is repeat business with government agencies, school districts and general contractors,� McPherson says. �Whether it is a total demolition project or selective, they know we bring reliability to the job. Our Bobcat equipment is an important part of what makes us successful.�

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