Starting as an agricultural works business, Diamond D General Engineering has grown into a full-service construction contractor. Yet, despite this shift towards the mainstream, President, and Owner Spencer Defty doesn’t let his firm’s focus steer far from protecting the land that helped his company flourish in Woodland, California. 

Whether his team is working on an excavation, underground or demolition project, they take an environmentally friendly approach to getting the job done. This way of working, which Spencer calls “the Diamond D Difference”, helped the business tap into a niche service – grinding orchard waste. To get this work done efficiently and sustainably, they needed the right grinder. To find it, they turned to industrial equipment dealer Powerscreen of California for help.

A unique approach

Having established themselves within the agricultural sector, Spencer and his team understand that customers need their fields to be turned over quickly, so they don’t miss out on any productivity in the next crop year. The value they place on protecting customers’ crop income has helped them win several niche grinding projects. 

One of the most recent involved the clearing of a thousand-acre orchard in Yolo County, California. This involved removing and grinding almond trees and turning them into a product that could be put back into the soil. This disposal process isn’t just more environmentally friendly than burning end-of-life trees can also improve the quality of the ground ready for future crops. 

However, this job demanded alternative equipment to that used for standard composting work. As Jonathan Gilmour from Powerscreen of California, explains, “When grinding orchards, efficiency is crucial to the process. Our focal point for Diamond D was to maximize efficiency and decrease operating costs per acre. The CBI6800CT brings increased levels of efficiency in this application due to the 3.5-inch thick, 40-inch diameter drum rotor spinning at over 1400 RPM combined with over 4,000 inches of screening area, enabling operators to achieve maximum throughput. To get the level of efficiency and quality of product the Diamond D team required, we had to get the right machine, test it out, and customize it.”

An unmatched performance

During Diamond D’s testing process, Powerscreen recommended they demo the CBI Magnum Force 6800CT Horizontal Grinder. Specifically designed for processing wood and land clearing projects, this upgrade to the manufacturer’s trusted 6800BT design is built to be durable and efficient for these applications. 

With a 15% larger screening area compared to the older model, this wraps around the rotor by more than 190 degrees. This design means production rates can cover more than 2 acres of almond trees per hour. The heavy-duty construction, which includes a larger shaft, bearings, and an optional 1200 CAT C32 engine, meant this machine could easily power through tough end of life almond trees.

Combined with better fuel economy and a user-friendly interface, this grinder came out on top when tested against the models of other OEMs. “Our buying process was a long and arduous one,” Spencer explains. “But after some testing and demos with CBI and Powerscreen, we found that the CBI 6800CT was a higher production machine.” 

The benefits of this machine were further enhanced by customizing the equipment for this specific project. With an extended deck of five feet, the trees could be fed better into the grinder. Staff safety is one of Diamond D’s priorities, so a fire suppression system was also added to ensure the quick extinguishing of any sawdust fires.

“This type of work is outside of the norm for standard grinders,” Spencer explains, “But the Powerscreen and CBI team helped us overcome this They went as far as looking at software updates they could do to customize our settings for what we’re doing in the orchard business. They also helped us look at customizing in-feed wheels and tables to improve the quality of the product.”

A supportive partner

By having the right experts on hand, Powerscreen and CBI were able to help Diamond D clear their customer’s orchard and provide a high-quality product efficiently. Working closely together, the OEM and dealer were able to supply, test, and adjust equipment to help Spencer and his team deliver this niche service effectively. 

As Jonathan explains, “This was a challenging project, and it is a testimony to the hard work and skill of our team that we managed to pull it off successfully. We’re continuing to work with the Diamond D team to achieve continuous product improvement, help them deliver for their customers, and maintain their operational priorities of sustainability and safety.”

“I can say without a doubt that Powerscreen and CBI went the extra mile,” Spencer adds. “CBI sent factory techs out, Powerscreen had their sales and mechanical team standing by. If you’re in the market for this type of equipment, I’d highly recommend them both. They understand that the OEM and contractor relationship is so important and work hard to match the standards we provide for our customers.”