Back in the 1800s, the Michell family established a farm on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. From this farming family came Willard Michell, who began specializing in custom tractor work with his son, Maurice. Together, the father-and-son team used their equipment and experience to serve farmers, homeowners, and businesses in their community. They soon earned a reputation for producing quality work and forging relationships built on integrity and trust.
Today, Michell Excavating continues that legacy. The company consists of Willard's grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as a team of dedicated employees, many of whom have been with the business for decades. They have experience customers can rely on, a passion for creating quality products, and a mission to contribute to the community.
The business has grown significantly since its early days. One tractor has become a large fleet of trucks, excavators, backhoes, and more, capable of handling commercial and civil works projects. Michell's offerings have also expanded to include soils and aggregates for Vancouver Island homeowners, landscapers, and contractors. The company also offers truck and equipment rentals, composts, soil amendments, mulches, and disposal services for concrete, asphalt, and green waste. Products can be supplied in bulk, and customers can also self-load smaller quantities.
In 2025, Michell Excavating saw increasing demand for soil amendments. Compost and mulch products remained popular, while volumes of incoming wood waste and green waste for recycling and repurposing continued to grow. To support this work, the company required a solution capable of processing these materials efficiently and helping produce the products customers were demanding.
Michell Excavating had previously worked with Foreman Equipment, headquartered in Chilliwack, British Columbia, on equipment purchases and rentals to support its soil and aggregate operations.
Foreman Equipment also operates a facility in Nanaimo, British Columbia, serving customers across Vancouver Island with solutions for screening, crushing, conveying, washing, and recycling applications. A third-generation family-owned business, Foreman Equipment has supported customers throughout Western Canada for more than 40 years through its sales, rental, parts, and service operations.
Jack Foreman, part of the Sales team at Foreman Equipment, recommended that Michell Excavating try an EvoQuip® Caiman 150 twin-shaft, slow-speed shredder. The machine offered a cost-effective solution for processing wood waste into a carbon-rich material with increased surface area and improved homogenization for the composting process.
Kyle Michell said, "It's ideal for what we are doing and is protected from the type of severe damage contaminants can cause in some high-speed grinders."
The machine was supplied with a CAT C4.4 engine, reversing fan, general waste shafts, overband magnet, and dust suppression kit. However, the Caiman 150 soon proved useful across a much broader range of applications, particularly after Michell Excavating installed a spare set of concrete-processing shafts purchased with the machine.
"We were already impressed with the compostable product we were making, the ease of use, and the simple control system," said Kyle Michell. "But as we started using it across more applications, it really became a Swiss Army knife for our operation. When we switched the shafts to process concrete and asphalt, we were blown away by the results. We can produce around 100 tph of 3-inch-minus material from incoming concrete, and the magnet removes the rebar cleanly."
The machine has since become an important tool in Michell Excavating's efforts to recycle and repurpose concrete and asphalt generated through its own projects, as well as material received at its facility.
Kyle added, "Now that we have had the unit for a year, we can see that the final product at the end of the composting process is perfect for our premium soil blends."
The EvoQuip Caiman 150 is designed for a range of applications, including construction and demolition waste, asphalt, skip waste, green waste, wood waste, and household waste. The machine's slow-speed shafts generate up to 80,000 Nm of torque per shaft, enabling it to process a variety of challenging materials. The ability to change shafts also allows operators to adapt the machine to different applications as requirements change.
For more information about Michell Excavating, visit www.michellexcavating.ca or to contact Foreman Equipment, visit www.foremanequipment.com.
For more information about the EvoQuip Caiman 150 and the EvoQuip product range, visit www.terex.com/evoquip or contact your local EvoQuip distributor.
