When Donna LaFata describes A&D Equipment, she speaks not just as a president, but as someone who has lived and breathed excavation for more than 20 years.

"Our background is in excavating and site work," she said. "My husband's family started an excavating company over 50 years ago — it's a second-generation company. Over time, we looked for technologies to improve our own jobs, and there was a natural progression to start selling them. That's how A&D Equipment was born 13 years ago."

Headquartered in Guilford, Conn., A&D Equipment has become a trusted name in excavator attachments. The company specializes in products that make contractors' job sites more efficient, more profitable, and more self-contained, according to the company.

"We sell a variety of attachment lines — Rotastar, Steelwrist, Indeco, Werk-Brau and MB Crushers," LaFata said. "But our flagship is definitely the Rotastar screening bucket."

Built From the Job Site Up

A&D's story stands apart because it's built on real-world experience.

"We don't just sell these attachments — we use them," LaFata said. "We understand how they perform in the field, what saves time and what makes sense for a working contractor."

That approach has fueled A&D's success. The company's best-known product, the Rotastar screening bucket, offers portable, onsite screening that replaces traditional stationary plants.

"Screening plants often require two people to operate; they get gummed up and they involve trucking material back and forth," she said. "We replaced ours entirely with a giant Rotastar bucket that screens 125 tons per hour. It stages materials for our entire week's work."

For job sites, she said, the smaller Rotastar models are a game-changer.

"You can haul it on a pickup or a trailer with your machine. It screens bedding for pipe, recycles rocky or debris-laden material and makes beautiful fill right on site. It eliminates trucking, which saves time, money and energy."

Alongside the Rotastar, A&D also has been focusing heavily on MB crushing buckets —especially the compact MB-L140 model that fits skid steers and appeals to hardscapers.

"It's perfect for patio or driveway replacement," LaFata said. "You can crush old concrete or stone right there and reuse it for base. Between crushing, screening and tilt rotators, contractors can keep their work self-contained."

Return of ‘Dirt Tech'

That spirit of hands-on practicality is what inspired A&D's signature event, Dirt Tech, returning this year for its fourth edition on Dec. 4, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be held at SiteOne Landscape Supply, 899 Marshall Phelps Rd. in Windsor, Conn.

"We've done Dirt Tech three times before, but it's been a few years," LaFata said. "We finally secured a location that really lets us show what these machines can do. It's a 10-plus-acre site with trees and open space, so you can demo attachments in real conditions."

Unlike indoor expos or trade shows with limited demo areas, Dirt Tech allows manufacturers and contractors to push their equipment to its limits.

"You can actually cut trees, move material and test drive attachments in person," she said. "It's about seeing, feeling and touching the products — and talking to the people who know them best."

A&D Equipment partners with a trusted network of manufacturers and dealers to make the event happen.

"We've worked with this group of partners before. Everyone gets a large area to showcase their attachments and machinery. We all believe in giving contractors a real, hands-on experience."

Exhibitors, Featured Equipment

Among the companies appearing this year is Huddig, a Swedish manufacturer making its mark on the U.S. market.

"We met the Huddig team at the Equip Expo in Louisville," LaFata said. "It's an impressive machine — kind of a tractor loader backhoe on steroids. It's designed to handle multiple attachments, travel anywhere and even set power poles in hard-to-reach places."

Huddig will join the event alongside leading brands represented by A&D, including Rotastar, Steelwrist, Indeco United Ag, Lorusso Heavy Equipment and MB Crusher. Each brand will be running live demonstrations throughout the day, giving attendees a close-up look at how modern attachments can transform productivity.

The event also includes a dose of New England hospitality.

"We'll have coffee and pastries in the morning in a heated tent," LaFata said. "For lunch, we're bringing in the Big Green Pizza Truck — thin-crust, New England-style pizza. It's a great way to feed a couple hundred people fast and it's always a hit."

Registration isn't required but is encouraged to help organizers plan for parking and food. Visitors can pre-register at aanddequipment.com by following the link at the bottom of the homepage.

"It just helps us prepare," LaFata said. "We want everyone to have a smooth experience from start to finish."

Bringing Contractors Together

For A&D, Dirt Tech isn't just an event — it's a community gathering.

"We want to bring together local contractors, operators and crews who love what they do," LaFata said. "It's about learning what's out there, seeing what fits your fleet and connecting with other professionals who are passionate about their work."

As A&D continues to expand its reach across the United States — with exclusive national rights to the Rotastar line — the company remains grounded in the same values that launched it: practical innovation, family roots and respect for contractors.

"We started as contractors ourselves," LaFata said. "That's why everything we sell and everything we do comes down to one question — will this make your job easier, faster and better? If the answer is ‘yes,' it belongs at Dirt Tech." CEG