When J/K Excavation upgraded four of the machines in the crushing and screening spread with new Powerscreen machines supplied by Powerscreen of California, they had the unexpected benefit of being able to meet their production goals in less time. This allowed the team to reduce the amount of weekend work completed, allowing them to spend more time with their families.

Based in San Bernadino, California, a family business trading as J/K Excavation & Grading Company Inc. has built a solid reputation as one of Southern California’s leading providers of Commercial, Industrial, and Heavy Civil Construction services. Founded by Janine and Ken Williams Jr. over 30 years ago, offering a range of site preparation solutions, including excavations and grading since 1992, their focus on customer service and family values have seen the company go from strength to strength.

Since the birth of the company in 1992, the founders, Janine and Ken Williams have established themselves as major players in the site preparation industry. Taking on several high-level projects over the years, including Disneyland, the City of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, Orange County Fire Authority, Los Angeles Unified School District, and the City of Rialto. 

Now following in the legacy of Janine and Ken is their son Brian Williams, Vice President of the company. Brian will soon become President and driving force of the organization as Ken sets his eyes on much-deserved retirement within the coming years.

A solid foundation

J/K Excavation already plays a crucial role in the preparation of land for various construction projects throughout the 5 counties within the Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan area and 6 additional counties in the surrounding communities.

Ken Williams Jr, Founder and CEO of J/K Excavation, said, “Our site in Highland, California is key to our success. Its location, just below the Seven Oaks Dam, utilizes water runoff that flows through the mountain, down the valley, and into our site to enrich the soil and fill our basins to be distributed to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. At over 600-acre, the site is our largest and we currently run 4 Powerscreen machines that were purchased from Powerscreen of California, Nevada, & Hawaii”.

After experiencing success while renting the Powerscreen 1300 Maxtrak on another one of their sites, J/K decided to make the jump and purchase one for their Highland site. The deciding factor that set Powerscreen of California, Nevada, & Hawaii apart from competitors was Ken’s confidence in having access to the knowledge and support the team provided for all things crushing and screening. In addition to the purchase of the 1300 Maxtrak, the company upgraded its operation with the purchase of additional Powerscreen machines, including a Premiertrak 400X jaw crusher, Chieftain 2100X 2-deck inclined screen, and a CT80 mobile conveyor.

With these additions to their fleet, J/K Excavation can crush the natural bluestone at their Highland site into ¾ inch clean gravel and screen down to 6-millimeter sand to meet the needs of their clients. One of the final products is commonly used as the base layer for creating basins on various sites for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

Groundbreaking progress

Ken went on to say, “By adding these machines to our fleet, we were able to boost productivity by 40%, which meant our weekend operating hours were significantly decreased, allowing for our staff to enjoy more time off on the weekends.”

Due to the large scale of J/K Excavation’s operation requiring mass volumes of highly specified products, the Chieftain 2100X inclined screener was a perfect fit. Featuring an output potential of up to 600 US tph from a 20’ by 5’ screen box allowing for the processing of materials at a much faster rate and larger scale than their previous solution.

“The output that we have been able to achieve with the Powerscreen machines has been phenomenal. This, with the support we have received from Tom O’Malley and the team at Powerscreen of California has been nothing short of excellent. There are no complaints on our end.”, says Ken Williams Jr.

Their primary jaw crusher, the Premiertrak 400X is known for its output potential of up to 441 US tph with the use of its 3’6” x 2’3” crushing chamber. Capable of high reduction rations, this machine is crushing down the sites feed material into ¾ in aggregate, before feeding directly into the Chieftain 2100X 2-deck inclined screen, which is screening down to the 6-millimetre sill sand and #57 gravel necessary for their multitude of projects.

The initial machine set up at the start of the crushing and screening train at the Highland site is the Premiertrak 400X jaw crusher. Situated as the first in line for crushing down the resilient bluestone that requires resizing, the 400X is essential for their project demands. Packed with advanced features, the 400X boasts an innovative hydraulic release system, which clears blockages with ease, minimizing downtime. J/K produces nearly 5 million tons per year of material with the use of their Powerscreen set up.

Enhanced operational support

Tom O’Malley, Sales, Powerscreen of California, Nevada, & Hawaii, stated “J/K Excavation is an ever-growing company who we would love to continue to support in their success with the use of our machines. Our decades-long expertise compliments their crushing and screening needs.

Ken Williams Jr stated, “Our company has been incredibly fruitful post-purchasing the Powerscreen Chieftain 2100X, 1300 Maxtrak, Premiertrak 400X, and CT80. Powerscreen of California provides robust support that enhances our excavation and grading capabilities. With the use of these machines, we can deliver top-notch results on every project.”