Gradall started producing its famous excavator during the 1940's, during a time in which WWII had caused a shortage of workers. This decrease in the labor force brought a huge demand for the delicate work of finishing and grading highway projects.
A Cleveland, Ohio construction business referred to as Ferwerda-Werba-Ferwerda experienced this particular problem first hand. Two brothers, Ray and Koop Ferwerda had moved to the United States from the Netherlands. They were partners in the business which had become among the leading highway contractors in Ohio. The Ferwerdas' set out to build an equipment which will save their livelihoods and their business by inventing a unit that would carry out what had previously been physical slope work. This creation was to offset the gap left in the workplace when so many men had joined the military.
The brothers initially invented an apparatus which had 2 beams set on a rotating platform, that was connected on top of a used truck. They used a telescopic cylinder to move the beams out and in. This enabled the fixed blade at the end of the beams to pull or push dirt.
The Ferwerda brothers improved on their initial design by creating a triangular boom to create more power. Then, they added a tilt cylinder that enabled the boom to turn forty-five degrees in either direction. This new model could be equipped with either a blade or a bucket and the attachment movement was made possible by placing a cylinder at the back of the boom. This design powered a long push rod and allowed much work to be done.
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 additionally a 47 inch heavy-duty pavement removal bucket which was available too.