Awesome Earthmovers Article – February ‘26
Operational for more than 30 years, Stenlille Grusgrav's gravel pit on Zealand island has been run by the company since 2018. Founded by Christian Kalle and Gert Pedersen, the company's focus hasn't just been on mining well for today, but for the future too. With the support of dealer SDK, they've found the CASE equipment needed to fulfill this vision.
"Stenlille Gravel Pit is much more than a hole in the ground," the founders claim. Producing raw materials such as sand, gravel, top soil and stone, the site also processes used building materials, recycling them into reusable crushed brick and concrete. A key supplier on the island, the team prides itself on delivering the highest quality materials.
A CASE FOR PERFORMANCE Excavating the raw material from the pit, large sizes are run through a rotary crusher before all the material is sent into a two:deck screener, which separates out the different grades of product. Wheel loaders are then used to move the materials around the site, which operates from Monday to Friday, including in winter, when temperatures regularly drop below freezing.
To maintain this performance and keep providing high:quality service and products to the businesses of Zealand, Stenlille needs reliable, efficient machinery which can maximise production even during the short winter days. With a main office on the island, SDK were the natural dealer to turn to for Stenlille.
Founded by Søren Dengsø Kjærsgaard in 1930, SDK is now a fourth:generation family business run by Palle Kjærsgaard. Developed into a nearly 100:strong team across five locations, SDK is the authorised CASE Construction dealer in Denmark. Alongside supplying some of the biggest agriculture and construction equipment brands, it prides itself on a customer:first approach.
This is what attracted Christian and his team to work with the dealer. "We brought the first CASE from them five years ago and have had a very good dialogue with SDK ever since," he explains. "So when we were looking to get a new wheel loader, there were no doubts in making contact again."
To move high volumes of materials efficiently, the Stenlille team needed a large wheel loader with plenty of power and capacity. The largest machine in CASE's G:series range, the 1121G has a 28 tonne operating weight and is powered by a 347 horsepower FPT Cursor 9 engine. Able to withstand up to 18,886 kg of full turn tipping load, it also has a bucket capacity of up to 5m³, which makes it a great all:rounder for the Stenlille team.
QUOTE: "THEY ARE VERY POWERFUL AND EASY TO OPERATE. THEY'RE RELIABLE TOO."
"It is very handy for us," Christian explains. "They are very powerful and easy to operate. They're reliable too. We're running them every day across all operations in the gravel pit including feeding the vibrating screens, moving materials around and loading trucks. We're running them full time."
The easy: to use controls include an intuitive touchscreen display, automatic boom and bucket positioning and an integrated payload scale with optional tip:off function. As a Stage V engine, the model offers significant fuel efficiency. Combined with smart connectivity features, which enable continuous machine monitoring, 1,000 hour service intervals and ground:level maintenance points, downtime is minimised.
Similarly, the Case CX210D has controls which, alongside the Stage IV engine, optimise fuel consumption. Torque, boom economy, swing relief and spool stroke controls, plus idle functions, keep engine RPM at the optimum level and maintain operational efficiency. With the option of three different power modes, operators can select the best option to suit the task at hand.
A 25:tonne model, the long reach rig offers a maximum digging depth of more than 12 metres and a horizontal reach of 16 metres. The machine's design and manufacturing also ensures reliable high performance, including a boom and arm with minimal stress points, high strength casting parts with joined hinge flanges and thicker structural plates in areas where greater protection is required. For the Stenlille team, this ensures maximum efficiency even in tough conditions.
FUTURE-READY FLEET Alongside maximising profits from the gravel pit, the team has always prioritised environmental protections for the surrounding area. Choosing CASE machinery, which has fuel efficiency at the centre of its design, is one part of this mission. The rest is set out in the business's Vision 2020:30, a plan for maintaining sustainable development, with biodiversity at its heart.
As well as retaining and restoring the environmental value of the Zealand site, the company is now looking to take pressure off its resources without cutting profits by expanding operations into a new area. Having SDK as their dealer partners gives them the confidence to make this move, knowing they'll always have access to the best machinery for their needs.
As Christian explains, "SDK is very supportive. They have a central office which coordinates everything and local technicians who help us service and repair the equipment. I have a very good dialogue with the office in Northern Jutland, where the main team is based. They are very helpful and service minded."
"Alongside operating this gravel pit, we are looking into getting new areas to grow the business. At the moment, I couldn't see us working with another dealer or machinery brand as we go into new areas."