INTERVIEW WITH GUNTERT & ZIMMERMAN

R.G. “Guntert & Zimmerman (G&Z) is a California based manufacturer of concrete slipform paving equipment. Founded in 1942, G&Z has been successfully designing and manufacturing specialized heavy construction machinery for the global market. G&Z has built its reputation by pioneering new equipment solutions that have substantially revolutionized global civil engineering. 

As a result of ongoing R&D efforts, the company is constantly developing new technology and upgrading their existing product line including a full range of slipform pavers, placer spreaders, material placers, mechanical dowel bar inserters (DBI) and texture cure machines, as well as trenchers and canal construction equipment.

As a customer oriented company, G&Z is continually searching for more efficient ways to meet customers’ expressed and latent needs on a timely manner. Their dedicated aftermarket team is highly experienced about the various domestic and international construction disciplines where G&Z equipment is used.

Today, G&Z’s 56 member global dealer network spans from North and South America to Europe, Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Africa. G&Z’s local partners in the countries are quite reliable and knowledgeable to provide top-notch service to end users.” 

Interview with Richard Graves, Sales Manager, North America at Guntert & Zimmerman

Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?

Richard Graves: Currently, our main engineering, designing, and manufacturing activities are concentrated around concrete slipform paving equipment. 

E.E: What’s the news about new products?

R.G: For the last 2 years our focus has been on upgrading all G&Z equipment power units to Tier 4F engines due to the EPA emission standards regulations. We have just finalized the power unit, hydraulics, and electrical upgrade of MP550 Material Placer and S400 Slipform Paver. Demand has been strong for G&Z’s mid-size paver models (S600 and S850), as well as highly productive MP550 Material Placer. Currently our engineering and design teams are finalizing a release and launch of a new equipment model, which we believe is what contractors have been needing for years.

E.E: What are the ranges of products?

R.G: Today, G&Z offers a full range of concrete slipform pavers for multiple applications such as ramps and interchange lanes, city, county and other secondary roads and streets, concrete overlays and inlays, shoulders, mainline highway paving, airport runways, taxiways and aprons, barrier walls, curb and gutter, and canal and reservoir lining. G&Z’s concrete paving equipment line also includes the support equipment such as mechanical Dowel Bar Inserters (DBI), Texture Cure Machines, Material Placers and Placer Spreaders to meet contractors’ present and future needs. Our slipform pavers ranged from S400, S600, S850QB, S850SL to S1500 are all multi-purpose and guarantee efficiency and time saving like no other in the industry.

At what stage is the market where you are currently active? – R.G. “One of the busiest markets for us is the US market which in general is mature, the contractors are very well educated and know what they need. The European construction market is mature as well, however concrete roads and airports are not as common as in the US. Asia-Pacific is a developing market, and we see some good signs in India and Indonesia.

E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?

R.G: Since fall of 2021, we have seen big spikes in domestic road and airport infrastructure projects mainly due to the infrastructure bill passed by the US government. The bill is driving a construction boom—bringing opportunities to global concrete slipform paving equipment industry, G&Z and its dealers. We also see technology trends within the slipforming market itself, such as, more and more contractors are switching to stringless technology to save money on surveying, stake driving, yield loss and string line set up, etc. Thanks to the G&Z NoLine Software all G&Z pavers are guided using either Leica, Trimble or Topcon 3D Stringless System making paving stringless easy. Easy and quick troubleshooting, reliable data tracking and collection requirements of contractors make G&Z’s EGON Telematics system more viable. G&Z continues delivering contractors smart but user-friendly paving equipment and we are actually glad to see the market’s positive responses to our innovative engineering solutions.

E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?

R.G: G&Z equipment are all offered with innovative solutions. G&Z exclusive AccuSteer Slew Drive Crawler Track Steering System, TeleEnds, JC Extenders, VariWidth, NoLine Stringless Paving System, EGON Telematics, Belly Pack Control Console and many more are contractors’ favorite time and cost saving features. At G&Z we are proud of the service delivered to the customers. Our 24/7 open customer support line, online diagnostics and troubleshooting tools are proved to be innovative and efficient over and over again.

E.E: What estimations do you have for 2022?

R.G: After Covid-19 and supply chain disruptions, overall construction equipment industry is recovering, and we already see some positive traits in that direction. G&Z expects growth in all markets and looking forward to work with contractors on challenging projects.