DICA to Debut New Ground Protection Solutions at Equip Expo 2024
DICA, an Iowa-based producer of outrigger and crane pads, will showcase its wide range of engineered ground protection mats and site access products at Equip Expo 2024 from Oct. 15-18 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
Above, EnviroMat’s modular design increases flexibility for solving a variety of site setup needs. Below, MaxiTrack provides temporary access for wheeled or tracked equipment weighing up to 130 tons. | |
“Ground protection and site access products offer significant benefits for landscape and hardscape contractors that help them cut costs, streamline operations, and improve safety,” said Kevin Koberg, sales director for DICA. “Engineered ground protection solutions also help to distribute the weight of the equipment and minimize soil compaction, rutting, and other forms of ground disturbance.”
New this year for DICA is MaxiTrack and EnviroMat.
MaxiTrack provides temporary access for wheeled or tracked equipment weighing up to 130 tons, while EnviroMat enables contractors to quickly create temporary access and vehicle roadways without the use of tools.
The 1 in. thick MaxiTrack mats measure 3 ft. x 6 ft. and weigh just 88 lbs., making them light enough to be placed by hand. A crew of four can install more than 1,000 sq ft in under an hour. According to DICA it is the only matting system in its class that overlaps and bolts together. When bolted together, the 4-inch overlapping flanges enable the individual mats to function as a single unit, limiting seepage, and providing a stable platform.
EnviroMat’s modular design increases flexibility for solving a variety of site setup needs. It is a lightweight, everyday, ground protection solution. The micro-traction design reduces slick surfaces and provides turf protection to preserve the ground’s integrity under heavy loads.
“Each mat has six handholds and weighs 10 lbs. less than DICA’s other similarly sized (4 foot by 8.5 foot) ground protection options, making it a practical, extremely user-friendly solution,” Koberg said. “EnviroMat mat can be used with wheeled and tracked equipment and has a load bearing capacity up to 100 tons.”
The DICA booth will also display the company’s unique linear roadway system, SlatTrax. The single or dual spool systems mount easily on skid steers and other loaders, rolling out 100 ft. of roadway in just 2 minutes. Koberg said this system minimizes manual labor and reduces the number of crew members needed to prepare a site.
Up to 100 feet of pallet-based DIY Trax with ratchet straps can be deployed or retrieved manually in 15 minutes or less. The compact, self-contained systems require less space for transport and storage. The standard pallet can be picked with forks to transfer the Trax to the work site. Steel grapple pallets are an option that allows crews to use grapples to move the system when forks are not available.
“Using engineered ground protection products eliminates the need for contractors to repeatedly purchase plywood sheets which become waterlogged, cracked, and splintered. DICA’s engineered ground protection and access mats are made from recycled material and offer a superior alternative that maintains functionality over its life span,” Koberg said.