Pettibone Crowns Telehandler Challenge Winner

Enlarge Image Len Mackowiak, left, won the grand prize Harley Davidson motorcycle.

February 12, 2009 – After proving his skills in Pettibone’s 2009 Telehandler Skills Challenge last week at World of Concrete, Len Mackowiak of Midwest Masonry in Mundelein, Ill., rode off with a new Harley Davidson Super Glide and the championship crown.

 

Baraga, Mich.-based Pettibone sponsored the event for the second straight year. A record number of operators participated in the three-day. Operators were able to choose from two Pettibone telehandler series machines: the Extendo fixed pivot or the Traverse transfer capable. After receiving a five-point walk-around on the machine, each operator inspected the machine and demonstrated all functions for the judges before starting the competition.

 

The first challenge operators faced dealt with depth perception. From a fixed location, competitors needed to extend the boom forward and retrieve three 2” x 6” boards placed on saw horses at various forward reaches in front of the machine. After loading all three boards onto the forks and fully retracting the boom, the operator had to again extend and replace the boards to their original locations.

 

Enlarge Image Contestants were required to lift boards from saw horses at various forward reaches.

The second challenge tested landing height perception. The operator maneuvered the machine down a narrow lane to the base of a Hydro-Mobile scaffolding system before raising the boom and extending. The operator was required to place the forks into a box resting on the top of the scaffolding. Once properly inserted, lights in the box illuminated to signal the task had been completed. Once the machine was returned to the starting location and the operator sounded the horn, the timing was complete. Judges recorded the time, adjusted for any penalties, and entered a final score.

 

The third day of competition saw the field narrowed to two finalists who competed for the grand prize of the motorcycle. Second place received a $500 Visa gift card. This year’s champion Len Mackowiak, with a time of 2 minutes, 53 seconds, beat second-place finisher Wayne Sheffield of HJK Masonry in Pasadena, Md., by a full 8 seconds.

 

Pettibone vice president Pete Haikio was on hand to congratulate the new champion and award the grand prize. "Pettibone is honored to sponsor such an event where operators can be recognized for excellence and dedication in their industry," said Haikio. "All the competitors deserve a round of applause."