Digging Deeper
Reach Higher with New Buckets
Winch Work Simplified
ON DISPLAY AT UTILITY EXPO
Innovation in Action at 2025 Utility Expo
New products, design updates and emerging trends shaping the industry
By Maggie MacHale
Even with a soggy start, the 2025 Utility Expo, held Oct. 5-7 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky, featured more than 1,000 exhibitors who powered through the rain and showcased the latest in equipment, technology and tools for the utility and construction industries. These products underscored the industry’ s continued push for smarter, safer and more efficient equipment.
Digging Deeper
With an impressive outdoor exhibit, Ditch Witch showcased a new range of underground construction equipment and digital tools. Its Orange Intel telematics system provides realtime machine health, fuel usage, location and drilling data, helping operators monitor equipment and reduce downtime.
The JT21 horizontal directional drill delivers 21,000 pounds of pullback, 20,000 pounds of thrust and 2,250 foot-pounds of torque, with 40 % more downhole horsepower and 53 % faster carriage speed than its predecessor. The W8 hydrovac offers the power of larger models in a compact footprint, featuring an 8-inch dig tube, 800-gallon water tank and 8-cubic-yard spoils capacity for urban and residential work. The SK1000 stand-on skid steer pairs a 23.7-horsepower Yanmar turbo engine with a 1,000-pound operating capacity.
Subsite’ s UtiliView app also debuted, linking Esri mapping software with the UtiliGuard 2 RTK locator for survey-grade utility mapping and instant data transfer.
Reach Higher with New Buckets
PALFINGER unveiled two new bucket truck models, the PB 41 AT and PB 30 T, built and assembled in Oklahoma City. The PB 41 AT features a minimum 700-pound lifting capacity from any position, a 46-foot working height, single-hand proportional upper controls, hydraulic platform leveling, a 90-degree bucket rotator, adjustable boom wear pads, replaceable pin bushings and powder-coated components.
The PB 30 T provides a 35-foot working height, 350-pound platform capacity and 390-degree noncontinuous rotation. It includes a low 1-foot-4-inch bucket entry, speed-adjustable upper controls with start / stop functionality and rapid boom movements for faster positioning.
In addition to the new models, the company showcased the PB 38 AT P cable placer for fiber installation, the ETC MH 40 IH bucket truck for demanding insulated applications, the PAL Pro 43 mechanics truck with PSC 8029 service crane featuring real-time load moment indication and the PK 53002 SH knuckleboom crane for precise lifting and complex tasks.
Winch Work Simplified
Arrowhead Winch rolled out the BRADEN UCB12 utility winch bumper system, a front-mounted setup that integrates winch and capstan functions for multiple utility tasks. The UCB12 combines a 12,000-pound TR Series planetary hydraulic winch with a built-in capstan, enabling crews to pull lines, hoist equipment, set poles and handle underground cable tasks with less strain and more efficiency.
Its three-position manual clutch lets operators control the drum and capstan independently. The system features a heavy-duty steel bumper with a removable shell for easy maintenance, and optional bolt-on chassis installation simplifies fleet integration. Accessories such as cone racks, tow hooks, tie-downs and custom finishes expand versatility. Designed for cable pulling, hoisting, recovery, guy wire tensioning and vegetation management, the UCB12 combines multiple functions into one platform. The clutch handle sits within easy reach while the mechanism is protected inside the bumper, emphasizing usability and durability.
“ The UCB12 is more than a winch— it’ s a productivity tool designed for the real-world demands of utility crews,” said Paul Hiltenbeitel, director of sales at Arrowhead Winch.“ By combining pulling, hoisting and recovery functions in one rugged system, it not only makes crews more efficient but also extends the value of every truck in the fleet.”
6 l November-December 2025