Gradall began making its well-known excavator in the 1940's, during a time in which World War II had created a shortage of laborers. This decline in the labor force brought a huge need for the delicate work of grading and finishing 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 amongst the leading highway contractors within the state of Ohio. The Ferwerdas' started to make a machine that will save both their company and their livelihoods by inventing a unit that will perform what had before been physical slope work. This invention was to offset the gap left in the workplace when so many men had joined the army.
The initial device these brothers invented had 2 beams set on a rotating platform and was fixed directly onto the top of a truck. They used a telescopic cylinder to be able to move the beams out and in. This allowed the connected blade at the end of the beams to pull or push dirt.
After a short time, the Ferwerda brothers improved on their first design. They made a triangular boom to create more strength. Next, they added a tilt cylinder which allowed the boom to turn forty-five degrees in either direction. This new unit 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 a lot of work to be done.
Numerous digging buckets were introduced to the market not long after. 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 that was also available.