Heidrick Earthmoving And Birkey's
A Working Relationship Built On Trust

For or 18 years, Heidrick Earthmoving has been handling soil erosion control projects, digging ponds and excavating basements around Danville, Illinois. And for most of that time, owner Charles Heidrick has been counting on Case Construction Equipment to help get the job done.

“I just can't brag enough about my equipment,” he says. “Case really helps my productivity, because downtime is virtually zero. Additionally, the speed of the machines in terms of cycle times is a real boost to productivity.”

Heidrick currently owns five Case machines, all purchased from Birkey's Equipment: a CX210 tracked excavator, a CX36 compact excavator, an 1850K dozer, a 580SM backhoe and a track loader.

The midsize CX210 is his workhorse, putting in about 1,000 hours annually. Typically, he trades in an excavator every 5,000 hours; he is on his fourth Case excavator of that class.

“I always order the machines with air conditioning and a stereo,” adds Heidrick. “If the cab is comfortable, the operator will stay in there working, rather than being out taking a break. Air and a stereo make the eight hours more enjoyable.”

Heidrick does simple maintenance tasks on his machinery himself, and he finds access to maintenance points is quick and easy. Parts are always readily available from Birkey's when he needs them, as well.

For major service, he turns to Birkey's, and he is very satisfied with the dealership. “From the day the machine is sold until you're ready to trade it in, they are there for you. Birkey's and Case stand behind their products,” says Heidrick.

One of the most outstanding examples of Birkey's commitment to service occurred several years ago. Heidrick was working in a pond with his 9030B excavator when contaminants got into the final drive and severely damaged it. “Birkey's brought a replacement machine within six hours of the breakdown. I never lost a day of work. They fixed my excavator and never charged me a cent for it,” he recalls, even though the warranty was only 27 hours away from expiring. “I'm a small contractor, but Birkey's treats me like I'm as important to them as the next big guy,” he adds.

Heidrick has found that Birkey's rental department is a good resource for equipment he doesn't need regularly. “Being able to rent from Birkey's allows me to bid jobs I ordinarily wouldn't bid. It gives me flexibility in the type of jobs I do and allows me to diversify,” he notes. “I'd rather own, but if it's not feasible, it's good to be able to rent.”

About three-quarters of Heidrick's business involves erosion control, including projects funded under the Emergency Watershed Protection Program and Conservation Reserve Program. “We do a lot of rip-rap placement,” Heidrick says. The company also does erosion control work at local strip mines, and shoreline erosion control at lakes including Lake Vermilion. “I come from a farming background, so erosion control was a natural for me. It was a mainstay when I started my business,” Heidrick says.

At the Lakewood development near Danville, where an abandoned strip mine is being converted into a residential community, Heidrick Earthmoving is involved in clearing and site development work for lakeside homes. Many of the building lots are quite steep, and Heidrick comes in to lower the elevation—sometimes by as much as 20 feet—so homes can be built closer to the water.

Whatever the job, this hard-working contractor knows he can count on dependable Case Construction Equipment and Birkey's outstanding service to keep him ahead of the competition … every time.