Odell Smith & Sons Leverages Komatsu IMC Technology and Linder Support for Precision Earthmoving in North Carolina

Odell Smith & Sons Inc. has spent decades building a reputation that comes from quality work and strong relationships.

“We started in plumbing and septic work, and over time, we moved deeper into utilities, grading and site development,” said owner-operator Ken Smith. “As the market changed, we knew we had to take on more of the overall project to stay competitive.”

Ken, who is the second generation of Smiths to run the company, joined the business in 1979, building on the foundation his father started in the early 1960s.

“I didn’t go to college because I already knew what I wanted to do,” Ken shared. “I grew up around equipment, and diesel fuel was just in my blood. We started with smaller work and smaller machines, and as the company grew, the work and the iron got bigger too.”

Today, Odell Smith & Sons focuses on subdivisions, commercial sites, utility installation and select government work across Harnett, Cumberland, Hoke and Moore counties, usually staying within about 100 miles of its offices in Spring Lake, N.C.

“A typical project for us starts with clearing and grading, then we move into roads, lot pads and utilities,” explained Vice President and Project Manager Alden Smith, who represents the third generation of the family business. “After that, we bring our fine grade crew back in, and get the site ready for curb, stone and asphalt. We sub out some of that finishing work, but we still manage it closely, so the final quality meets our standard.”

Currently, the company is moving about 3,000 to 3,500 yards of material a day at Caelin Farms, a 72-lot subdivision that covers 28 acres and requires approximately 60,000 yards of cut and fill. The project will also include a retention pond and the installation of sewer, storm and water infrastructure.

To complete its various projects, the company has 18 in-house employees and supplements them with subcontract labor as needed.

“We choose to grow with our people and hire when we find the right fit,” Alden remarked. “That’s important to us because we want to maintain the quality of the work and the culture of the company. We’ve been fortunate to find people who want to grow with us and take pride in what they build.”

Embracing technology

In addition to its staff, a major part of Odell Smith & Sons’ productivity comes from its equipment. The business runs about 30 machines total, with Komatsu excavators making up nearly all of its excavator lineup, and Komatsu dozers and wheel loaders handling key roles on grading and utility crews.

“We started buying Komatsu machines early on, and we kept coming back because we trusted the product,” Ken reflected. “Over the years, the equipment has proven itself, and the support behind it has stayed strong.”

On the utility side, Komatsu excavators such as the PC360LC, PC300LC and PC240LC have become core tools. According to Alden, the excavators deliver the speed, breakout force and reach needed for deep utility work, especially when crews are cutting 20- to 22-foot trenches.

“The excavators are efficient for the kind of utility work we do,” Alden commented. “With the longer stick and extra reach, we can make a more efficient stroke and avoid some of the extra benching or box stacking that slows production down.”

To handle more complex pond work, Odell Smith & Sons added a Komatsu PC290LCi-11 intelligent machine control (IMC) excavator, which gave crews the ability to maintain demanding tolerances and reduce the amount of follow-up grading required from dozers. The technology incorporated in Komatsu’s IMC machines also allows operators to work directly from digital plans in the cab, further improving productivity and precision.

“We’re really trying to put the plans in front of our operators instead of making them depend on constant staking and checking,” Alden said. “That’s been one of the biggest changes in the last five to 10 years. Komatsu’s integrated GPS technology helps us work smarter, hold tighter tolerances and keep jobs moving with fewer delays.”

Operator Thomas Frazer added, “I like being able to see exactly where I’m at on the screen of the PC290LCi-11. I can see the curb line, my depth and where I need to stop, so I’m not guessing.”

Odell Smith & Sons also recently acquired a Komatsu D51PXi-24 IMC dozer. Collin Howard, a foreman and operator, said it has quickly become a go-to machine because of its versatility.

“It has the power to cut through tough material, and it has the finesse to fine grade lots,” described Collin. “It can strip topsoil, cut roads, shape slopes, and then turn right around and do finish work on the same job.”

Collin also pointed to the dozer’s cab-forward design and visibility as important advantages.

“You can see all the way down to the cutting edge, and that changes a lot when you’re grading,” Collin noted. “You feel the blade sooner, you can react quicker, and you can work safer because you see more of what’s around you.”

Additionally, the company has been impressed by its Komatsu WA270 wheel loaders.

“The WA270 wheel loaders are strong machines, and they’re very comfortable to operate,” Ken said. “You don’t get all the rattling and noise you hear in some other equipment.”

Longstanding Komatsu support

Odell Smith & Sons’ equipment decisions are closely tied to its long relationship with Linder Industrial Machinery Company, which dates back to the late 1980s. Odell Smith & Sons first connected with Komatsu through Mitchell Distributing Company (which was acquired by Linder in 2003) and began building trust with the people behind the equipment.

“In this business, you have to trust who you are dealing with,” Ken emphasized. “That’s what kept us with Komatsu and carried over into our relationship with Linder.”

That support continues today through sales representative Owen Smith and product support representative (PSR) Brandon Ray.

“The support has been great across the board,” Alden declared. “Owen has always been available, and Brandon’s been right there too when we need help with a code or a question in the field. They always check in with us, and that goes a long way. We’re lucky to have those two.”

Odell Smith & Sons also values the chance to demo machines before making a purchase. That hands-on process helped the company compare multiple dozers side by side before selecting the Komatsu D51PXi-24 IMC dozer.

“Being able to operate something before you spend any money is a blessing, and Linder and Komatsu have always been really good about meeting our needs,” said Alden. “We demoed three dozers, and all three of us who ran the dozers came to the same conclusion. The Komatsu D51PXi-24 had the superior power, visibility and grade control. When we clicked on the automatics it was flawless. Everything was within five-hundredths. We just were extremely impressed with that, the efficiency of the machine, and how much material we could move within a day.”

Continued consistency

Looking ahead, Odell Smith & Sons expects steady work to continue in residential development, smaller commercial work, municipal projects and emerging multifamily construction. Even as the pipeline grows, the company says its priorities will remain the same.

“We want people to know us for quality and for the way we think through a job,” Alden stated. “My dad brings decades of experience, and I bring energy and technology, and that mix helps us value engineer projects without cutting corners. At the end of the day, we want to hand over a site we’re proud to put our name on.”

For Ken, that standard is still the simplest measure of success. The company wants to build jobs that last, represent its people well and strengthen the communities where it works.

“We don’t try to do a job as cheap as it can be done; we try to do it like it would be our own project,” Ken emphasized. “When you can drive through a neighborhood years later and still feel proud of what you built, that tells you everything you need to know.”