Gradall started producing its famous excavator during the 1940's, during a time in which WWII had created a shortage of workers. This decline in the work force brought a huge demand for the delicate work of finishing and grading highway projects.
Ferwerda-Werba-Ferwerda was a Cleveland, Ohio based construction business which experienced this particular problem first hand. Ray and Koop Ferwerda were brothers who had moved from the Netherlands. They were partners in the business that had become amongst the major highway contractors within the state of Ohio. The Ferwerdas' set out to make an equipment which would save both their business and their livelihoods by making a model which would perform what had previously been physical slope work. This creation was to offset the gap left in the worksite when lots of men had joined the army.
The initial device these brothers created had 2 beams set on a rotating platform and was fixed directly onto the top of a truck. They used a telescopic cylinder to move the beams in and out. This allowed the attached blade at the end of the beams to push or pull dirt.
After a short time, the Ferwerda brothers improved on their first design. They created a triangular boom to produce more strength. After that, they added a tilt cylinder that allowed the boom to turn forty-five degrees in either direction. This new unit can be equipped with either a bucket or a blade and the attachment movement was made possible by placing a cylinder at the back of the boom. This design powered a long push rod and allowed much work to be done.
Not a long time later, many digging buckets became available on the market. These buckets came in 15 inch, 24 inch, 36 inch and 60 inch sizes. There was also a 47 inch heavy-duty pavement removal bucket which was offered as well.