Gradall began producing its well-known excavator during the 1940's, during a time wherein WWII had created a scarcity of workers. This decline in the labor force brought a huge need for the delicate work of grading and finishing highway projects.
A Cleveland, Ohio construction company 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 company that had become among the leading highway contractors within Ohio. The Ferwerdas' set out to make an equipment that will save their business and their livelihoods by making a unit that will carry out what had previously been manual slope work. This invention was to offset the gap left in the workplace when a lot of men had joined the army.
The first device these brothers invented had 2 beams set on a rotating platform and was connected directly onto the top of a truck. They used a telescopic cylinder to move the beams out and in. This allowed the connected blade at the end of the beams to push or pull dirt.
The Ferwerda brothers improved on their initial design by creating a triangular boom to create more strength. Next, they added a tilt cylinder which enabled the boom to rotate 45 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 finished.
Not a long time after, numerous digging buckets were introduced 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 also available.