When Steve Westlund talks about running iron, he starts with his grandfather. That's where he first learned that every pass counts. In Minnesota, he worked alongside his grandfather to check grades with stakes. He learned the value of keeping a close eye on the material moved to reduce rework.

Despite the fact that excavators, dozers, wheel loaders and equipment technology have advanced, the family playbook still applies: do it right the first time and keep the machines moving.

Recently, Westlund discussed his latest addition to 40-plus machine fleet — a John Deere 850 X crawler dozer equipped with SmartGrade — with his trusted equipment experts at RDO while working on a 900-acre data center development job.

On modern sites — new construction pads, underground utility runs and municipal roadbeds — tolerances are tight and timelines are tighter.

Managing Two Biggest Cost Lines

Labor markets remain tight, and wages continue to climb. Fuel volatility adds pressure to every bid. Westlund's strategy is to protect both lines simultaneously: give good operators technology that multiplies their output and pair that tech with machines that cut idle time and gallons per hour.

"Other than wages, fuel is one of the biggest costs of doing business," Westlund said.

On sprawling jobs where dozers and loaders rack up hours fast, gallons per hour can make or break the estimate. That's why Westlund leaned into integrated grade control and a new generation of machines that squeeze more work from every drop.

On large earthmoving and finish projects, automatic blade control reduces rework and helps less‑experienced operators produce consistent results, while wireless file transfer keeps crews on the latest design without burning time shuttling USB sticks. John Deere's newest SmartGrade platform layers in auto‑load and carry, adjusting blade settings based on ground conditions to maintain steady production — another way to remove variability when the clock is running.

On the fuel side, Westlund compares data hour-by-hour across the fleet and has noted that Deere's latest X‑Tier models can run at lower RPM (revolutions per minute) while delivering the torque needed to push, rip and finish — resulting in fuel savings, increased operator comfort and noise reduction over a long day. That aligns with Deere's published design intent for the 850 X's E‑Drive system and cab refinements focused on efficiency and fatigue reduction.

"In today's fuel market, any machine that helps us burn fewer gallons to move the same dirt pays for itself faster," Westlund said. "That's how you keep bids competitive and still make money."

What Changes On Site

Traditional mast‑and‑cable grade control required added steps and failure points — install in the morning, remove at night, worry about damage or theft. External systems also made it harder to switch between 2D and 3D workflows as tasks changed.

With integrated SmartGrade, Westlund's operators climb in, load the design and go. No cables to set up and less downtime after a surprise afternoon spec change. Integrated 2D and 3D options, plus compatibility with lasers and total stations, let the crew choose what's most efficient for each task.

The difference shows up in pass count. Finish work that used to take "feel" and multiple checks can now be validated continuously in‑cab, so operators stop chasing the last tenth. Across a 900‑acre site, shaving even passes from the job translates into real fuel, time and wage savings. That's the SmartGrade technology benefit that's hardest to capture on a spec sheet but easiest to see on the balance sheet.

From One Machine to 40

Westlund's growth arc isn't complicated: do good work, reinvest in tools that expand capability and standardize on support partners who shorten the learning curve. The company's milestones tell the story:

• 1976: Richard "Dick" Westlund founds the company; builds a regional reputation with sewer/water and municipal projects.

• 2009: Steve restarts with a few old machines, landing floodway and ditch work for the Buffalo‑Red River Watershed District.

• 2011: Expansion into aggregate; opens Hawley pit with leased pits in Felton and Rollag.

Today, Westlund runs more than 40 machines across commercial, industrial and municipal work, including the region's first underground stormwater vault and multiple StormTech underground systems across the Fargo-Moorhead area — plus a 900‑acre site that demands disciplined production and precise grading.

On the big site, Westlund's fleet of Deere machines includes an 850 X dozer equipped with SmartGrade, alongside 824 X and 744 P wheel loaders and a 510 P excavator with 3D control. These machines form a production core that moves material efficiently from cut to fill, then shifts into finish mode without skipping a beat.

John Deere's recent P‑Tier enhancements — touchscreen displays, climate upgrades and SmartGrade options — help new operators get comfortable faster, while seasoned hands use the full 3D toolkit to finish to spec the first time.

Enter John Deere SmartGrade Plus Hybrid Electric Drive

Westlund's crews run John Deere SmartGrade across the fleet because the system is integrated into the machine — no external masts or cables to install, remove or repair. That integration matters during colder temperatures where it can be challenging to achieve accurate grades quickly.

SmartGrade supports 2D slope control, 2D laser, full 3D GPS and 3D total station workflows, making it adaptable to the day's task — cutting a subgrade, building a pond or finishing a pad. Those integrated options are core to John Deere's latest dozer platform, with EZGrade, SmartGrade‑ready 2D and full 3D SmartGrade available on P‑Tier and X‑Tier machines to shorten setup time and help operators reach grade in fewer passes.

"It takes the guesswork out. Every pass, our operators know exactly where they need to be — and we burn fewer gallons getting there," Westlund said.

Operators feel the difference in the seat: the blade reacts smoothly, the screen shows exactly where they stand against design and updates flow wirelessly so the field and office stay aligned. John Deere's recent platform updates added larger, more intuitive touchscreens and simplified plug‑and‑play compatibility for laser and total station, widening the toolset for complex sites.

Why 850 X Became Go‑To Finish Tool

When RDO Equipment Co. offered a demo of the new John Deere 850 X‑Tier dozer, Westlund and his operators noticed two things right away: the blade's precise placement and the machine felt quiet and composed, even under load. The core difference is the dual‑path electric drive — John Deere's E‑Drive powertrain that replaces traditional hydrostatic pumps/motors with a generator and electric motors at each final drive. The result is immediate torque, precise control over each track and fewer mechanical complexities in the driveline.

For contractors staring down today's fuel prices, drivetrain efficiency isn't a luxury — it's a line‑item lifeline. E‑Drive technology is engineered for better fuel economy and longer powertrain component life while sustaining strong pushing power; in practice, that translates into fewer gallons per yard moved and less heat/stress in the powertrain across long shifts.

The operator environment matters, and the X-Tier's windshield is approximately 14 percent larger and is paired with an advanced vision system for better situational awareness, while a tilting cab improves service access to E‑Drive components — good for uptime and lifecycle cost. Deere also backs critical E‑Drive components on qualifying 850 X units with 84 months/15,000 hours of coverage (electric drive component assurance), underscoring confidence in the platform.

On Westlund's jobs, those design choices show up as smoother cornering, confident full‑power turns and lower rpms — an easy machine for finish work where touch matters and production still counts.

"The control is phenomenal," Westlund said. "It reacts instantly, and we're getting more done with less fuel."

Training, Field Service Support from RDO

Technology only pays when it's deployed well. For Westlund, RDO Equipment Co. bridges that gap with machine setup, job‑based SmartGrade onboarding and ongoing assistance through RDO Connected Support. When designs change midday or a control nuance needs tuning, the team can remotely access the display, diagnose and coach operators so uptime stays high and production steady. That end‑to‑end support helped Westlund scale SmartGrade from a few machines to a fleet standard — and get value from day one on the 850 X demo that turned into a purchase decision.

Deere's backing of the electric drive component assurance on qualifying 850 X units, adds another layer of confidence to a drivetrain that's new to many dirt contractors, reassuring owners planning five‑ to seven‑year run horizons.

Since choosing to adding John Deere's 850 X crawler dozer to his fleet last year, Westlund has since opt for several other X tier machines from RDO to support the work he's gained through completing large site prep job sites.

Results Westlund Cares About

As Westlund continues to grow his multifaceted contracting business, he pays special attention to the machine and its warranty that will keep operators in seats, moving dirt without excess production hours.

"We want machines that keep operators comfortable and confident so they can do the job in less time," Westlund said. "That's what helps a small business grow and still take care of people."

• Fewer passes and less rework on finish grades thanks to integrated SmartGrade guidance and auto blade control.

• Fuel savings from E‑Drive efficiency and low‑rpm torque characteristics on the 850 X — critical in volatile fuel markets.

• Faster operator onboarding with larger, simpler SmartGrade displays and consistent in‑cab workflows.

• Lower ownership risk via extended E‑Drive Components Assurance for qualifying X-tier machines, offering 5‑year/15,000‑hour coverage.

What This Means for the Bottom Line

If you're weighing SmartGrade vs. traditional grading methods, the decision often hinges on how much of your work is finish‑sensitive and how much you can gain by removing variability from the operator seat. On a per‑machine basis, the math looks like fewer passes, fewer checks, fewer stakes and faster recovery when designs change. At the business level, it looks like competitive bids that still protect your wage and fuel lines, and a path to scale talent by giving every operator a smarter machine.

John Deere's 850 X brings a modern drivetrain to that equation, pairing electric‑drive controllability and efficiency with an operator‑first cab and SmartGrade integration. For P‑Tier and X‑Tier dozers, the published platform upgrades — EZGrade, larger displays, auto‑load and carry and plug‑and‑play laser/total station connectivity — round out a package aimed squarely at productivity and total cost of ownership.

For more information, visit rdoequipment.com/.

(Article reprinted with permission from RDO Equipment Co. Scott Weness is the regional sales manager of RDO Equipment Co.)