California regulators' forthcoming rules to reduce statewide off-road diesel emissions by 85% have many contractors worried that the need to replace millions of dollars of old, polluting equipment would put them out of business. Instead of waiting to find out, Mike Crawford, CEO of Santa Ana-based Sukut Construction Inc., is proving that contractors can profit from cleaner air.

Tudor Hampton Visible fumes spew from the scraper on the right, which has an original 1980 engine. The scraper on the left was repowered last year.

Crawford empowered the company's equipment managers to tap into public grant funds and spend millions of its own profit “repowering” vintage earthmoving machines with cleaner-burning engines. The team also engineered its own “field kits” that allow technicians to take machines out of production, re-power them in a few days, and put them back into service. The same process would take dealers weeks and significantly hamper project schedules. As a result, Crawford's firm has set a positive example for contractors around the country, by keeping a step ahead of regulators and helping to rid California of harmful emissions.