A new snow plow built by American Road Machinery Co. in Perry Township, should help Canton’s street department improve its efficiency when it comes to salt use and snow removal.
Edd Pritchard
CantonRep.com staff writer
Posted Feb. 9, 2015 at 12:43 PM
Updated Feb 9, 2015 at 3:14 PM
PERRY TWP.
A new truck has joined the fleet that battles snow and ice on Canton streets.
Street Department foreman Larry Emerick and crew supervisor Dave Ballard drove home the newest addition Monday morning from American Road Machinery’s new facility at 3026 Saratoga Ave. SW.
Plans are for the new truck to replace one purchased in 1996, said Mike Rorar, Canton public works superintendent. He would like to see the city replace one truck each year, but the new vehicle carries a price tag just under $130,000.
VERSATILE, EFFICIENT
In the past, Canton’s salt and plow trucks had only one use, clearing snow from streets. That’s not the case with the newest vehicle.
The 5-ton truck carries a V-box spreader that rides in the bed. Once spring arrives and the snow ends, the spreader and plow blade can be removed from the truck, letting crews use it on other jobs.
The truck also has equipment that tracks the amount of salt dispensed, routes the truck has traveled and the amount of time the plow blade is down and pushing snow.
All of the new technology makes the truck more efficient, Rorar said. “Right now it’s a guesstimate as to how much we’re putting out as far as salt goes,” he said.
Canton has 15 trucks equipped for snow removal. The newest were purchased in 2009, while the oldest date back to 1996. “These are trucks well past their prime,” Rorar said.
NEW LOCATION
American Road, which dates back to 1971, built and installed the special equipment on the truck. It starts with a truck chassis — in this case an International truck — then adds equipment to meet the customer’s order.
Will Ballas, business development manager for American Road, said snow removal trucks similar to the one built for Canton also are ready for shipment to East Cleveland and Edison, New Jersey.
American Road is in the process of moving operations from its original location in Minerva to the Saratoga Avenue SW site. The company needed a facility larger than the 22,000-square-foot building in Minerva. The Perry site — once home to Pel Technologies — offers 88,000 square feet and space to expand.
American Road has installed 5-ton cranes, a new plasma cutting table and other equipment. A new paint booth is under construction.
Parts fabrication still is being done in Minerva, but plans are to have all production moved to the new location by early March.
Assembly areas are in place for snow removal vehicles, oil field truck bed tanks and the TerrainPro line of landscaping trailers, with space designated for the company’s leaf vacuum units.
Originally Posted At: http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20150209/NEWS/150209294/
