Gradall began producing its well-known excavator during the 1940's, during a time in which World War II had created a scarcity of laborers. This decline in the labor force brought a huge demand for the delicate work of finishing and grading highway projects.
Ferwerda-Werba-Ferwerda was a Cleveland, Ohio based construction company which experienced this particular dilemma first hand. Koop and Ray Ferwerda were brothers who had moved from the Netherlands. They were partners in the business which had become amongst the major highway contractors within the state of Ohio. The Ferwerdas' set out to build a machinery that will save both their company and their livelihoods by inventing a model that would perform what had previously been physical slope work. This creation was to offset the gap left in the worksite when lots of men had joined the military.
The first apparatus these brothers created had 2 beams set on a rotating platform and was connected directly onto the top of a truck. They utilized a telescopic cylinder to move the beams in and out. This allowed the attached blade at the end of the beams to push or pull dirt.
After a short time, the Ferwerda brothers improved on their first design. They created a triangular boom to produce more power. Then, they added a tilt cylinder that enabled the boom to rotate 45 degrees in either direction. This new unit can be outfitted with either a bucket or a blade 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 after, numerous digging buckets became available on the market. These buckets came in 15 inch, 24 inch, 36 inch and 60 inch sizes. There was also a 47 inch heavy-duty pavement removal bucket that was offered as well.