Gradall started producing its well-known excavator during the 1940's, during a time in which World War II had created a shortage of laborers. This decrease in the work force brought a huge need for the delicate work of grading and finishing highway projects.
A Cleveland, Ohio construction company referred to as Ferwerda-Werba-Ferwerda faced this particular problem first hand. Two brothers, Koop and Ray Ferwerda had moved to the United States from the Netherlands. They were partners in the company that had become one of the major highway contractors within the state of Ohio. The Ferwerdas' started to build an equipment that will save both their business and their livelihoods by inventing a unit which will carry out what had before been manual slope work. This invention was to offset the gap left in the workplace when so many men had joined the military.
The brothers initially created an apparatus that had 2 beams set on a rotating platform, that was attached on top of a second-hand truck. They used a telescopic cylinder to be able to move the beams out and in. This enabled the attached blade at the end of the beams to pull or push dirt.
The Ferwerda brothers improved on their initial design by making a triangular boom to produce more strength. Then, they added a tilt cylinder which enabled the boom to rotate forty-five degrees in either direction. This new model can be equipped with either a blade or a bucket and the attachment movement was made possible by placing a cylinder at the rear of the boom. This design powered a long push rod and allowed much work to be completed.
Not a long time later, many digging buckets were introduced on the market. These buckets came in 15 inch, 24 inch, 36 inch and 60 inch sizes. There was additionally a 47 inch heavy-duty pavement removal bucket which was offered as well.