FAE Stories - USA
Intensive mulching along the US East Coast
Using the PT550 tracked carrier to transform overgrown properties into development‑ready sites
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When a new product releases, it’s always an exciting time. When the product is as eye-catching as the PT550, the largest machine in FAE’s tracked carrier line, even more so.
FAE makes a point of working with the best people in the industry. With a groundbreaking machine like the PT550, it’s especially important to see it put to work by a customer who understands its capabilities and can leverage its full value for their business and community. For the PT550, that customer was WC Site Development.
The company, based in Kingsville, Maryland, is a land clearing company specializing in turnkey solutions. They transform wooded, overgrown properties into development‑ready sites, delivering comprehensive service from start to finish.
VP of Operations Chris Mahns spoke to us about the company and how it is putting the PT550 to use.
“WC Site started only about a year ago. I've been in construction for just about 34 years. My business partner and I were going back and forth about the next evolution in our businesses and what we wanted to do. We decided that the forestry industry was wide open on the East Coast, and we wanted to be the first to take on the region with these machines to show the industry what they can do. We looked at a number of different solutions, and FAE is one of the most impressive companies I’ve seen. I've never, in the 34 years I've been in the construction industry, dealt with a company that has bent over backwards to make sure that we have what we need the way that FAE has. Just about every little thing that they could do to try to make us more profitable and more productive, they've done without even blinking. I can tell you from the standpoint of this company, we'll never own anything other than FAE,” says Chris.
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With that foundation, WC Site Development started putting the PT550 to work, and the impact was immediate. Chris described a key benefit to the business.
“The industry has always been very labor heavy as far as clearing and site development go. With these larger mulchers, you're taking a lot of the liability out of what you would have with a seven-man crew. With this machine, you have one operator in a sealed and closed cab. You don't have people on the ground in the danger area, and it's actually a revolution in the industry, how these machines run,” explained Chris.
That revolution isn’t happening alone. Strong dealer support is another part of the equation, and Chris emphasized the role of their partner, James River Equipment, out of Winchester, Virginia.
“FAE is who put us in contact with James River Equipment. Mike Burdick, who is our salesman, is one of the managers there. We've had a great relationship with him. He has, just like FAE, bent over backwards to get us up and going. I can't speak highly enough about them. Everything that we've encountered, they've taken care of,” Chris explained.
Attention naturally turned to the machine itself. Chris shared his firsthand experience with the PT550.
“The predecessor, the 475, was a great machine. I'd actually seen a couple of them working. But, the PT550 is a monster. This was about five and a half acres, completely wooded. You couldn't even walk through it. And this was mulched down to ground level in two days. That wasn't even full working days. That was six hours one day, and another eight. The machine is a workhorse. It doesn't stop for anything,” Chris said.
The PT550 isn’t the only FAE machine shaping their operations. WC Site Development is also acquiring a BL4/SSL mulcher for their skid steer: another step in expanding their capabilities.
“The Sonic technology is incredible. We had tried some other brands just as a demo and the FAE with the Sonic technology is a game changer. That machine doesn't stop. It is probably 50% more productive than the competitive brands that we tried. And you pair that with the John Deere 335P or the Cat 275 and it is an animal,” he continued.
When asked why FAE stands above the rest, Chris summed it up simply.
“The productivity of the PT550 is unlike anything I've ever seen. Every little detail that they did putting this machine together is focused around operator comfort, operator awareness. This machine is like nothing else, and I've run just about every machine in the industry. I would take that machine over anything and put it up against anything else,” added Chris.
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Looking ahead, WC Site Development’s vision extends far beyond today’s projects. Chris shared what he and his business partner hope to build for the future.
“We plan on growing WC Site. We'd like to be a 10-to-15-million-a-year firm. The whole point in starting this company was for our second generation - my son, Wayne's daughter, and Wayne's son – to have something to take over, take pride in and build up as well. Wayne is third generation in the towing industry and they're an incredible monster on the East Coast. We want to do the same with this company,” Chris concluded.
With the first PT550 working on American soil, WC Site Development is demonstrating exactly what’s possible when cutting edge technology is in the right hands. Their early success with the machine reflects not only the PT550’s unmatched capability, but also the power of strong partnerships to push an entire industry forward. With an ambitious vision for growth and a commitment to building a legacy for the next generation, WC Site Development is setting the stage for a new era of land clearing excellence. And with FAE equipment at the heart of their fleet, there’s no limit to what they can achieve.
