Gradall started producing its famous excavator in the 1940's, during a time wherein WWII had caused a shortage of laborers. This decline in the work force brought a huge demand for the delicate work of grading and finishing highway projects.
A Cleveland, Ohio construction business known as Ferwerda-Werba-Ferwerda faced this specific problem first hand. Two brothers, Koop and Ray Ferwerda had moved to the United States from the Netherlands. They were partners in the business that had become amongst the major highway contractors in Ohio. The Ferwerdas' started to build a machine that would save their livelihoods and their business by making a unit that will perform what had previously been physical slope work. This creation was to offset the gap left in the workplace when a lot of men had joined the army.
The brothers first created an apparatus which had 2 beams set on a rotating platform, which was attached on top of a second-hand truck. They utilized a telescopic cylinder in order 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 strength. After that, they added a tilt cylinder which enabled the boom to turn forty-five degrees in either direction. This new unit could be outfitted with either a bucket or a blade 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.
Numerous digging buckets became available on the market not long later. These buckets in sizes ranging from 15 inch, 24 inch, 36 inch and 60 inch buckets. There was additionally a 47 inch heavy-duty pavement removal bucket which was offered as well.