Rental Solution:
Tackle tough hauling tasks
Electric-powered wheelbarrow makes tile removal much easier.
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“I looked at the electric wheelbarrow online and thought, ‘Yes, this is exactly what I need,’” says Jim Ashwill. He and his crew renovated a pool, using the electric wheelbarrow to move debris out of the area. |
Ashwill Flooring Removal Services Inc., located in Monticello, Minnesota, specializes in removing various floor materials including vinyl composition tile (VCT), carpet and ceramic tile. Jim Ashwill owns the business and is always looking for ways to enhance efficiency and do more with less.
Tasked with the job to remove approximately 8,600 square feet of ceramic tile—roughly 50,000 pounds of material—from a private college pool measuring 13.6 feet deep, Ashwill knew there were long days and heavy work ahead for him and his crew.
Removing material from a swimming pool is a tall order due to its deep body and steep slopes. One option would be to manually carry buckets, however, this is very inefficient and requires heavy labor.
Workers are required to walk down into the pool, then carry heavy loads back up the steep incline. Ashwill considered renting a stock chaser for the project, which is an electric-powered work vehicle designed to carry large loads.
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The Power Pusher E-750 electric wheelbarrow can haul up to 1,000 pounds at up to 4 mph. It can run for 5 miles between battery charges. |
While the stock chaser would be optimal to handle the large quantity of tile, it did not have the maneuverability needed to climb in and out of the pool as well as be accessible to the hard-to-reach corners.
Ashwill had recently heard about a new product, the Power Pusher electric wheelbarrow, from a neighboring construction contractor. After speaking with the contractor about his experience with the Power Pusher and doing some additional research online, Ashwill wanted to test the wheelbarrow for himself.
“I looked at the electric wheelbarrow online and thought, ‘Yes, this is exactly what I need,’” said Ashwill. “I called Ryan Blesi at Nu-Star Inc., and asked if I could have it yet today. Ryan brought it right over.”
Using a 23-foot ramp that stretched from the five-foot pool depth to the pool edge on the shallow end of the pool, the Power Pusher electric wheelbarrow easily climbed the
sharp incline.
“The ramp was really steep, and really slippery, but the electric wheelbarrow went up it smoothly with no problems at all,” said Ashwill.
In addition to carrying heavy loads, the electric wheelbarrow eliminated unnecessary ergonomic challenges and production halts associated with traditional wheelbarrow solutions.
It easily reaches compact spaces to assure all material is completely
removed. Offering a bucket capacity of 9 cubic feet and powered dump, users can haul large loads in one pass. Further, the wheelbarrow can run for a total of 5 miles on a single charge with its rechargeable battery, reducing downtime.
Excellent performance
“The Power Pusher electric wheelbarrow is a gold mine in terms of performance,” says Ashwill. “It really made this project easier and faster — it surpassed my expectations.”
While the electric wheelbarrow increased the crew’s productivity, it significantly reduced its labor needs by eliminating the pushing, pulling and lifting required with other material handling solutions.
Prior to receiving the electric wheelbarrow, Ashwill’s process included loading three 30-gallon buckets onto a flat bed and transporting them out to the dumpster, which required two people. After receiving the electric wheelbarrow, the same amount of material could be moved with one person and created less physical stress.
“Other wheelbarrows may be less expensive, but the Power Pusher model easily makes up for the cost in saved labor and efficiency,” says Ashwill. “I can confidently say I saved $4,000, at a minimum, in labor on this job alone.”
Since the completion of the pool tile removal, Ashwill has used the Power Pusher electric wheelbarrow for several projects, including removing 13,500 square feet of VCT tile in a school, 1,200 square feet of ceramic tile at a restaurant chain and 2,200 square feet of tile
at a retail store.
Ashwill also has several upcoming construction projects where he plans to use the Power Pusher electric wheelbarrow. “I can’t see any other comparable product performing better in this industry,” says Ashwill.
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