Rokbak haulers: Alberta’s gravel game-changers

Boden Sand and Gravel and Road to Rail Construction Group, third-generation aggregate businesses in Alberta, value their Rokbak articulated haulers for simplicity, reliability, and a partnership built on trust.

Three Rokbak RA40 articulated dump trucks (ADTs) operate in the Edberg pit in Camrose County, Alberta. These trucks move thousands of tons of overburden, sand, and gravel every week for both companies.

Road to Rail bought its first RA40 in September 2022. The company's confidence in the brand led to the purchase of two more units in August 2023 - one for Road to Rail and one for Boden S&G.

Brandon Boden, the third-generation owner of Boden S&G, made a straightforward decision to invest in Rokbak. His company produces approximately 500,000 tons (US) of material a year, continuing a family legacy in the Central Alberta aggregate industry dating back to the 1950s.

Brandon emphasized: "In this business, uptime is everything. You need equipment that just works, plain and simple. The Rokbak haulers are no-nonsense trucks. They're robust, they're easy on fuel and they don't give us headaches. We run them hard, and they just keep going. That reliability is exactly what we need to keep our promises to our customers."

The three RA40 units have clocked over 3,000 hours each in their first three years. They have overcome every challenge with exceptional traction effort and rim pull, regardless of ground conditions and weather.

Operator Ryan Skjonsberg praised the trucks: "It's a straightforward and comfortable truck to operate all day. Everything is where you expect it to be. The visibility is great, and it feels stable and secure, even with a full 42-ton (US) load. You can just get in, turn the key, and have confidence it's going to get the job done."

Dealer Headwater Equipment played a crucial role in the companies' decision to purchase Rokbak haulers. Scott Letkeman, a Headwater Equipment salesman, explained: "We don't sell a customer a machine and walk away; we sell them a solution and stick with them. Brandon and his team knew us and trusted us. When we recommended the Rokbak, they knew it was because we believed it was the right fit for their operation."

Headwater's service manager Henk Coetzer coordinates support from the Edmonton branch to ensure timely response at the Edberg pit. He noted: "The beauty of the Rokbak design is its serviceability. Our technicians can access service points easily, which means routine maintenance is faster and troubleshooting is simpler."

Headwater sponsored a trip for the ownership group to visit the Rokbak factory in Motherwell, Scotland in May 2023. This visit strengthened the partnership.

Brandon recalled: "When you walk the factory floor in Scotland, you see the pride the team takes in building these trucks. It's a clean, professional, and people-focused environment. It reminded me a lot of our own company values."

Greg Gerbus, Rokbak regional sales manager for North America, emphasized: "We build haulers that are simple, hardworking, and reliable, because that's what contractors in places like Alberta need. But our real strength comes from having fantastic customers like Boden S&G and an incredible dealer partner like Headwater Equipment. They share our values."

At the Edberg pit, every load hauled represents another promise kept. This success stems from generations of hard work, strong partnerships, and reliable Scottish engineering.

More information is posted on www.Rokbak.com.