How Texas Contractors Are Using Advanced Equipment to Overcome Labor Shortages

The construction labor shortage in Texas has been persistent, but advanced heavy equipment is proving to mitigate its risks. When crews are short-staffed, contractors may have to stretch schedules, assign experienced operators across more tasks and look for ways to complete repetitive work with fewer people. That pressure has made productivity-focused equipment more valuable on jobsites across the state.

Prudent, tech-forward contractors are demonstrating that it's possible to achieve efficiency and productivity gains without overrelying on skilled talent. Learn about their success stories to emulate their best practices.

Moving Dirt Efficiently With GPS Machine Control

By combining satellite positioning with 3D design models, GPS machine control helps your operators follow planned grades. Depending on the system, it provides guidance or automates machine movements.

Hammett Excavation estimates that it increased production by 60% to 70% on a Dallas-area development. With machine control fitted to nearly its entire fleet, the company also reports potential time and cost savings of up to 25%, depending on the job.

For that approximately 200-lot development, uploaded models supplied the GPS-guided lines and cuts crews followed during moisture conditioning and eliminated the need for stakes.

Simplifying Pile Driving With Robots

While GPS guidance assists earthmoving operators, robotic systems can take on repetitive installation work. Blattner, a utility-scale engineering, procurement and construction contractor, adopted Built Robotics’ converted hydraulic excavators for solar construction, including planned deployments in Texas.

Equipped with vibratory pile-driving attachments, the machines work in pairs to position and drive steel supports for solar arrays. Onboard sensors guide their movements and detect nearby people, potentially reducing your crew’s exposure to demanding pile installation and uncertain ground conditions.

According to Built Robotics, around-the-clock operation has enabled its robots to accomplish 2.5 times as much in a week as traditional methods. Maintaining that pace requires refueling and replenishing the onboard pile supply. Blattner’s objectives also include consistent installation quality and faster project schedules.

Automating Excavation With Cameras and Lidar

For excavation work, affiliating with local unions can help you pursue experienced hires through a targeted recruiting route. Recruiting still means competing for available talent, though, which makes equipment autonomy another option to consider.

Champion Site Prep shifted to autonomous excavators, enabling it to manage about 100 projects annually with just 300 employees. The Central Texas earthworks contractor uses Bedrock’s retrofitted machines with cameras, lidar — a technology that measures distance using laser light — and onboard computing.

After starting with supervised autonomy, Champion reached a milestone when an excavator worked for hours without anyone in the cab. Its president and CEO describes the appeal of predictable machine costs alongside opportunities for experienced operators to move into supervisory roles. That approach could let you retain jobsite expertise while changing how operators spend their time.

Where Texas Contractors Can Buy Advanced Heavy Equipment

These three heavy equipment dealers demonstrate what construction professionals in Texas can expect when buying compact track loaders, bulldozers and mini excavators.

1. ASCO Equipment

Contractors go to ASCO to buy compact track loaders for Texas construction crews, as it’s a reliable source of advanced CASE and JCB models. It’s the oldest construction and material handling equipment dealership with an unbroken lineage of single-family ownership in West Texas.

Key Features

• Powerful compact track loader models: The CASE TV620B is among the most capable machines in ASCO’s selection, which moves up to 6,200 pounds, features adjustable electro-hydraulic controls, supports heavy-duty attachments and has a multifunction display.

• Machine control systems: This dealer can integrate machine control into new or existing equipment, provide operator training and offer after-sales support.

• ● Heavy equipment financing: Contractors can secure funding through ASCO’s partners, such as Sourcewell, and pay in 12 to 84 installments.

2. Kirby-Smith Machinery

Kirby-Smith Machinery supplies Komatsu dozers to construction fleet managers to modernize their aging earthmovers. The dealer’s digital tools extend from machine automation to remote support.

Key Features

• Intelligent Machine Control: For finish grading and topsoil removal, integrated automation may reduce the manual adjustments operators make.

• Smart Construction Remote: A GPS specialist can support several crews by transferring design files and viewing machine screens from the office.

• ● Fast Track technician training program: This option shortens the traditional two-year training period to 16 weeks, allowing you to have more Komatsu-certified maintenance specialists on staff.

3. HOLT CAT

HOLT CAT helps contractors across South, Central, North and West Texas procure capable mini excavators. It’s an authorized Cat equipment and engine dealer that serves 118 counties in the state.

Key Features

• Cat^® Grade Control: Available on select excavators, factory-integrated sensors, displays and onboard processing work together to support precision grading.

• Trimble^® Connected Site: HOLT CAT extends technology solutions for various applications, including construction software, site positioning and machine monitoring, through its sister company SITECH Tejas.

• ● VisionLink: By bringing together telematics insights and integrations with manufacturers’ devices and third-party software, this suite of tools brings more clarity to fleet management.

Mitigating the Impact of the Labor Shortage on Construction Operations

Scarce construction talent is a constraint that has motivated many contractors in Texas to innovate and fill the void the labor market can’t. Fleet modernization is a high-stakes endeavor, but the encouraging results reported by some contractors should inspire you to adopt advanced heavy equipment and stay competitive, regardless of the size and age of your workforce.