When Dervin Witmer founded Dig-it Excavating, a small, family-owned and operated company based in Cassopolis, Mich., he knew the way he marketed his business would be instrumental in achieving success. With a number of established excavating companies operating in the surrounding areas of Cassopolis, Witmer built up his company using a combination of online marketing tools, and Kenworth T880s to promote the business.

“I knew we had to do things differently to get our name out there to compete with the competition in the area,” Witmer recalled. “When we started the company 15 years ago, it was all about creating a brand that established professionalism and innovation – and used modern tools to help us achieve that. We developed a well-designed website, featuring videos that describe the services we provide and created social media accounts to further market the company and engage with customers. As soon as we were in a position to purchase equipment that we believed would support our marketing goals, we began adding Kenworth T880s.”

'Digging In' to Dig-it

Dig-it Excavating provides septic tank and excavating services in southwest Michigan. The company’s Kenworth T880 equipped with an 18-speed transmission and a 4,700-gallon Curry Supply vacuum tank, has been working non-stop to meet the needs of his customers.

“Since people are spending more time at home, septic tanks are filling up at a faster rate than usual. A few months ago, when there seemed to be a limited supply of toilet paper, we responded to a number of calls due to people flushing products that shouldn’t be flushed,” said Witmer, who noted that the company provides drivers with gloves, masks and disinfecting wipes for driver to use when they go out to meet with customers.

"Maintaining our health is key for us to get through this outbreak,” Witmer added. “Our drivers engage with customers more frequently when servicing septic tanks, so it’s important to keep our customers and drivers safe during the process.”

Growing Operations

For Dig-it Excavating, the company will soon be more prepared to handle the increase in business. The company is in the process of putting its newest truck – a Kenworth T880 equipped with a PACCAR MX-13 engine and a 4,500-gallon Curry Supply vacuum tank – into service. 

“Before the current market conditions, we were already in need of a second septic truck to keep up with increasing customer demands, so the timing of our newest T880 coming into service is perfect,” said Witmer.

On the excavating side of the business, the company utilizes a Kenworth T880 with a 10-yard dump body. The company uses its Kenworth dump truck to haul aggregate to and from jobsites. 

Making the Change   

Dig-it Excavating began adding Kenworth T880s to its fleet in 2015. Witmer said his drivers have noted the T880’s enhanced visibility and tight turning radius.

“Many of our jobsite locations require our drivers to navigate tight roads and back-in frequently. The T880’s maneuverability is top-notch and makes our drivers’ job a little easier when they’re servicing customers in areas that are difficult to get to,” he said.

According to Witmer, the company consistently posts pictures of its Kenworth T880s at work on the company’s website and on its social media pages. The company recently participated in the Kenworth Work Truck Month competition in March, which required participants to post pictures of their Kenworth vocational trucks using #KWWorkTruck. Dig-it Excavating won the contest, and received a 1/30 scale model Kenworth T880.

“We follow Kenworth closely on social media so when they announced the competition, we figured we’d participate, especially since we regularly post photos of our trucks,” said Witmer. “We take good care of our trucks and keep them clean. They are our biggest asset when it comes to promoting the business. People in the community have come to know us for the trucks we operate. Our drivers mention how they receive positive comments all the time when they’re out on the road.