Gradall began producing its well-known excavator during the 1940's, during a time in which World War II had created a scarcity of workers. This decrease in the work force brought a huge demand for the delicate work of finishing and grading highway projects.
Ferwerda-Werba-Ferwerda was a Cleveland, Ohio based construction business which faced this particular problem first hand. Koop and Ray Ferwerda were brothers who had moved from the Netherlands. They were partners in the firm which had become among the major highway contractors in Ohio. The Ferwerdas' started to make an equipment which will save their business and their livelihoods by inventing a model which will perform what had before been physical slope work. This creation was to offset the gap left in the worksite when a lot of men had joined the military.
The initial device these brothers created had 2 beams set on a rotating platform and was connected directly onto the top of a truck. They utilized 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.
After a short time, the Ferwerda brothers improved on their first design. They made a triangular boom to create more power. Next, they added a tilt cylinder which enabled the boom to rotate forty-five degrees in either direction. This new unit can 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 completed.
Numerous digging buckets were introduced to the market not long after. These buckets in sizes varying from 15 inch, 24 inch, 36 inch and 60 inch buckets. There was also a 47 inch heavy-duty pavement removal bucket which was also available.