How Illinois based earthmovers employ custom scrapers to clear tonnes of topsoil in days.

Witech and MTS

In September we visited Witech Excavating on a new 100 acre sub-division project on the edge of Shorewood, Illinois to see their fleet of MTS scrapers in action. Utilising quadtrack Caterpillar 3630 tractors with 23-28XL goosenecks as well as MT-28 and MT-30 straight-tongue scrapers produced by Iowa based US company Mobile Track Solutions, Witech were using the scrapers in a self loading capacity to move topsoil and stockpile at a separate location. In 2007 Mobile Track Solutions began research and development with CAT articulated dump trucks as power units for a machine called an E-Ject scraper. In 2009 MTS began manufacturing their first, own brand, towed pan scraper at their facility in Elkader where a few days before we had attended the Century of Caterpillar event.

Witech Company Inc.

In 1942 Boyd Witvoet and brother Gerritt Witvoet founded a small trucking company in the suburbs of Chicago to serve their hometown and a wider area of Northwest Indiana. After a few successful years, the brothers found a need to invest in some heavier equipment to load their trucks and excavate sites. By 1993 the company split in two with the grandson of Boyd Witvoet, Thomas Witvoet, running one of these breakaway businesses: Witvoet Trucking.

In 2001 Tom Witvoet left Witvoet Trucking to found a solely earthmoving business called Witech Company Inc. along with his then two partners Darren Prince and Jeff Krygsheld. Witech is still headed by Tom Vitvoet and now second generation owner Nick Frederick. During the recession in the US from 2007-2009 Witech completed a lot of work in the energy & oil markets. During this time the company was able to invest in larger earthmoving equipment which catapulted growth into larger earthmoving projects in the midwest. In the spring of 2016 Witech was awarded its first large earthmoving project in excess of 500,000+ CY in Joliet, IL. This project served as the foundation for continued growth on some of the largest earthmoving projects in the midwest.

The Shorewood Project

The Shorewood site is one of many in the Illinois area being worked by Witech. This site is at the topsoil scraping stage, with the scrapers being the dominant machine on site at this stage. Shorewood is the site of a huge 100-acre project, with plans for building 277 lots. Witech has 170,000 cubic yards of topsoil to strip and a further 165,000 cubic yards of structural fill to complete. The bulk earthmoving and self loading and dumping capabilities of the MTS scrapers are perfect for projects of this scale.

We spoke with Mike Frederick, Project Manager at Witech, about the Shorewood site and the specific equipment they are employing to get such a large-scale job done: Six 3630T scrapers with pans powered by CAT tractors on quad tracks featuring the 18.1 litre, 800hp C18 engine, offer a feeling of floating over the ground whilst carrying out a heavy work on rough terrian. Once the topsoil scraping is complete, they will be switching to a CAT 352 excavator, which will be supported by 4 CAT 740 haul trucks, two CAT D6 dozers and one CAT D8 dozer. As well as enough water trucks to suppress dust depending on conditions.

The History of MTS

Mobile Track Solutions are also based in Elkader, Iowa. Created from the jobsite demands of CJ Moyna & Sons, MTS was founded to deliver a more productive and cost-effective earthmoving solution. What began with the development of a construction-grade power unit and scraper has grown into a full line of tractors, scrapers, and implements. All new products are sold and serviced exclusively through a network of Caterpillar dealers.

MTS scrapers are offered in straight-tongue or gooseneck configurations, in three standard sizes: 28 yd, 33 yd, and 38 yd. Each is designed with guarding over the cylinders, and critical fluid lines are routed through the sidewalls rather than exposed. The XL scraper line, featuring a 2-tire design, reduces rolling resistance to keep tires turning and lowers the pull required from the power unit.

Beyond tractors and scrapers, MTS also builds disks, rollerblades, and sheepsfoot rollers. MTS disks assist with conditioning material. The rollerblade is a premier tool for smoothing haul roads or sealing jobsites. The pull-behind sheepsfoot roller delivers compaction comparable to a self-propelled unit at a fraction of the cost. All of these tools are designed to be pulled with the same agricultural tractor, lowering hourly operating costs.

A Relationship for the Ages

Witech and MTS have been working together since their respective beginnings. We spoke with Vice President of Witech, Nick Frederick, about how things got started between the two businesses: “They were making mobile tracks and were who we first used for scrapers. They were just really getting their start, getting going, and we were one of the first contractors in the Midwest to start utilising their machines. So, we liked them because they were a family business like ours… We were also a Caterpillar customer, and they were a caterpillar sponsored manufacturer, so their transmissions and engines and components of their scrapers are Caterpillar.”

Nick still values the family feel and customer attention provided by MTS, stating that: “very much still family leadership of the company. If you’ve got a question, they’ll pick up the phone and answer it and they’re always innovating.”

What’s next for Witech?

Nick told us that alongside the on-sale MTS machinery they have also been privileged to test, feedback on and play a pivotal role in R&D for several prototype MTS scrapers over the years. Next for Witech are projects on industrial developments, residential developments and data centres, but in the nearer future they are celebrating their 25th year in business in 2026 and are looking forward to many more successful years serving the Midwest as a top earthmoving organisation.

From Harry Hunter – Awesome Earthmovers Magazine Editor
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