A Gunther Construction Company crew with a Case 580 Super M backhoe on the Ohio Avenue reconstruction project in Galesburg

Today, Gunther continues to focus on heavy construction, including bridges, highways, asphalt paving, and site work. The company does about $30 million worth of work a year, mostly on city, state and county projects within a 60-mile radius of Galesburg, according to Lynn Leinbach, general superintendent. One of its largest projects recently took it back to its roots—Gunther worked on the renovation of Henderson Street, one of Galesburg’s main roads.

Because it does a wide range of projects, the company uses an array of equipment that is suited to different needs, including Case backhoes, track loaders and skid steer loaders. The company owns two 580 Super M backhoes which are used on road projects, to install water and storm sewers, and to patch asphalt. “When we get these street jobs, it seems like we never have enough backhoes,” Leinbach said. The Case Super Ms are particularly useful because both are equipped with Extendahoes “and that comes in real handy,” he added.

Another highly useful feature on the 580s is the 4-in-1 bucket. “We do a lot of asphalt milling, and the 4-in-1 buckets help when we’re doing cleanup,” Leinbach said, because the 4-in-1 easily converts to a clamshell-style bucket.

The Case 580 Super M has proven to be a versatile and durable asset at Gunther Construction Company

Gunther Construction purchased the 580s about five years ago and has been pleased with the machines. Estimating the company puts about 1,000 hours a year on the 580s, Leinbach said, “they’ve held up really well.

They’re easy to run, and the operators like them.” The performance is good, too, he noted, comparing the Case machines to a few other brands the company owns.

Case skid steers, including a 465 and a 90XT, have a place in the Gunther work fleet, too. “We use the skid steer loaders every day, especially in concrete work and for grading. The bigger one is just a few years old, we got it especially to use the milling attachment to grind the asphalt.”

Recently, Gunther Construction has been renting a Case 420CT compact track loader from Birkey’s Construction Equipment and has been very impressed with its performance on city street work. “It’s small enough and on tracks, so it can get in the areas between the sidewalks and the curbs. With the compact size and the tracks, the 420CT can get around anywhere we need it to. It also has a lot of power and the guys really like it,” Leinbach said. Crews used the 420CT for dirt work on the project, and Leinbach credits the machine with cutting the time required for the job in half.

The company began purchasing Case equipment when Birkey’s entered the Galesburg market, Leinbach noted. Overall, he has been impressed with the Case machinery he has worked with. “I think it has plenty of power. If you compare Case to other equipment, size to size, Case has the same amount of power as any of these machines,” he commented. “The Case equipment holds up well. So far we haven’t had to do anything but basic maintenance.”

Birkey’s has been a good dealership to work with, he added. Gunther has a close relationship with sales rep Gregg Kromphardt that dates back to before Birkey’s opened in Galesburg. “I could call Gregg this afternoon and tell him I need something, and he’d find it for me to have tomorrow,” Leinbach said. “Gregg has been really cooperative and good to work with. He keeps in contact and sees if we have any needs.”

Gunther has two full-time mechanics on staff, and they find Birkey’s is quick and reliable when it comes to parts availability, he added.

"Birkey's is quick and reliable when it comes to parts availability.” Lynn Leinbach; General Superintendent, Gunther Construction Company