Dateline: March 7, 2002

Local machine heading for the lights of Vegas 

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

A new locally made Terex S-17E was shipped to Las Vegas, Nev., Monday afternoon to be shown in the Conexpo-Con/Agg. show later this month.

“This is the largest machinery show anywhere,” said general manager Darrell Leffew of Clarendon Manufacturing & Distributing Co., which builds the large earth scraper in connection with Scotland-based Terex. “Nearly every manufacturer in the free world will be there.”

The conference is held every three years and showcases the latest in equipment for construction, aggregates, and ready-mixed concrete industries, according to Construction Equipment magazine. More than 2,300 exhibitors will occupy nearly two million square feet of exhibition space. The show is expected to draw 135,000 visitors.

The S-17E elevating scraper is built for heavy construction jobs and can move up to 17 cubic yards of dirt. The scraper loaded this week is the sixth S-17E that Clarendon Manufacturing has built since the fall of 2000, and many more will be produced soon. Two other units will be shipped to Phoenix, Arizona, this week.

“Two weeks ago, we got an order for 17 units for this calendar year,” said Clarendon’s operations director Stan Leffew.

Clarendon Manufacturing is already looking to hire skilled welders and is considering plans to expand its physical plant. Stan Leffew said the company may soon put on a second shift in order to meet the demand of the new order.

“So far, everything we have built has already been sold or leased.”