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The Compaction
EXPERTS
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Sakai, an international leader in the manufacture of compaction equipment, got its
start way back in 1918 – and is still run by the same family to this day. The Japanese
business’ original focus was on the manufacture and repair of diesel locomotives and
their engines, and the company evolved with the times, transitioning its focus to road
construction equipment as automobiles displaced rail travel.
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3. 4
Written by Claire Suttles
B
y the 1940s, Sakai’s new area of expertise was firmly set,
giving the team nearly three quarters of a century of
experience in compaction to date. “The specialization
is in compaction and has been for decades,” says Sakai America
Marketing and IT Manager Josh Steele.
Sakai moved into the American market in 1976. “They started
off with small offices in Delaware, but as things began to grow,
[demand] exceeded what they were able to import,” Mr. Steele
explains. The solution came in 2001, when Sakai America
opened a manufacturing facility just north of Atlanta in Adairs-
ville, Georgia. Now, the company produces over 4,000 vibra-
tory compactors a year worldwide and is considered to have
one of the most advanced product lines in the industry.
Compaction is a vital part of any construction process. “Com-
paction helps achieve density,” Mr. Steele explains. “It removes
air voids in the soil or asphalt. It creates a stable structure for
whatever you are building, whether that be a road, building, or
simply a grading and excavation project.”
Using the best compaction equipment is crucial to achieving
optimal results. “Ninety percent of failures in roadways are
related to compaction and workmanship,” Mr. Steele points
out, so ensuring that the process is carried out correctly is abso-
lutely essential. In response, the Sakai team has made it their
mission to produce the most effective and reliable rollers on
the market today. “The strategy has been to build a solid, inno-
vative product that is durable enough to withstand the condi-
tions that it is put out in,” Mr. Steele explains.
“The company produces over
4,000 vibratory compactors a year
worldwide.”
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“Keeping things simple while still staying on top of current
technology” has allowed Sakai America to strike a necessary
balance and create a product with the lowest total cost of own-
ership in the current market. “By keeping the design simple but
still building a durable, stable product, we are able to reduce
the amount of maintenance that’s done to the machine,” Mr.
Steele explains. “It allows less down time, greater utilization of
the product, and fewer hours spent maintaining.”
Sakai America’s laser focus on compaction has also been key to
its products’ success. “Most of our competitors have extended
their reach into other construction equipment such as excava-
tors, planers, and milling machines,” Mr. Steele points out. Sakai
America, on the other hand, only produces specialized com-
paction equipment. “It allows us to spend all of our engineer-
ing and research and development on compaction. Therefore
we are able to provide a more innovative product.”
For instance, the company has managed to produce rollers with
drums that can oscillate and vibrate. The combination makes
Sakai America stand out in the marketplace. “Most competitors’
[rollers] have one drum that oscillates and one drum that vibrates
– or you have to spend an arm and a leg to have it do both. But
[through] great engineering, we were able to have these drums
switch back and forth on-the-fly at a reasonable cost.”
A static roller depends on the machine’s weight to create the
force needed to compact materials, whereas a vibratory and
oscillating roller “introduce[s] dynamic forces” to produce
better results with less effort.” These dynamic forces are gen-
erated by rotating off-balanced weights connected to shafts
within a steel compacting drum. As the steel drum vibrates,
the rotation of the weighted shafts produce a centrifugal force
strong enough to lift and drop the drum as it moves through
the cycle. During oscillation, the rotation of the weighted shafts
creates a back and forth motion as it goes through the cycle.
“The Sakai team has made it their
mission to produce the most
effective and reliable rollers on the
market today.”

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These cycles repeat as the machine moves forward, compact-
ing the material beneath.
Thecompanyreportsthatvibratorydynamicforcetypicallyincreas-
es a roller’s compacting force up to six times the static weight of
the drum assembly. The process can be likened to “shaking up a
box of corn flakes,” wherein the vibrating motion rapidly moves
the material inside, reducing the air voids and increasing the
material contact points. As a result, vibratory and oscillating rollers
are able to better rearrange material for a denser fit.
Compaction is a highly technical process and the machine’s
speed, frequency, and amplitude variations must be strictly
controlled to produce the desired results. Intelligent Compac-
tion helps get it right, optimizing the compaction process as a
result. This advanced technology uses vibratory rollers equipped
with an onboard computer system, GPS based mapping, an inte-
grated measurement system, and feedback control. By integrat-
ing control systems, measurement, and documentation, these
machines enable real-time compaction monitoring, allowing
adjustments to be made as soon as they are needed.
Sakai America’s Compaction Information System (CIS) delivers
several key benefits. For starters, the Intelligent Compaction
technology ensures uniform coverage of the asphalt mat. It also
increases efficiency by reducing the number of passes required,
which in turn reduces fuel use and lowers the environmental
impact. Pre-mapping roller passes can determine weak spots
and project planning can be carried out prior to the job.
Intelligent Compaction’s ongoing monitoring creates a contin-
uous record of roller activity. The stiffness of the mat, the total
number of passes made, and the exact location of the roller
are all carefully identified and documented. Sakai America’s
CIS machines also keep track of the mat’s temperature using a
temperature gauge mounted on the front of the roller. A heavy
duty, weather resistant on-board display provides the operator
real time feedback. Upon completion of the job, data analysis
and documentation is available in both 2D and 3D formats.
“The team uses a selected range
of popular – and proven – diesel
engines specially designed for a
combination of power, fuel efficiency
and long-term reliability.”
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Intelligent Compaction is gaining attention from the govern-
ment as well as from industry. “One of the current focuses of
the federal highway administration is on intelligent compaction,”
Mr. Steele reports. “And, since its introduction, they have consid-
ered Sakai a leader in Intelligent Compaction because of the data
we are able to offer. That data has helped the Federal Highway
Administration mold their program into what it is today. Sakai is
leading the pack and helping move this thing forward.”
The company’s rollers also come with distinct mechanical
advantages. The team uses a selected range of popular – and
proven – diesel engines specially designed for a combination
of power, fuel efficiency and long-term reliability. And, each of
these engines complies with all current EPA carbon emission
regulations. In addition, Sakai America is the only roller manu-
facturer to offer three separate braking systems (including an
automotive foot brake) as a standard safety feature on each one
of its machines. To increase comfort and reduce wear and tear,
the company uses patented, custom designed shock isolators
to lower the transmission of vibrations to both the operator
and the machine’s critical components. An extremely heavy-
duty, articulating and oscillating center hitch design creates
superb chassis stability, ground contact and operator control.
Furthermore, every machine is encased in a thick, heavy duty
steel frame, allowing it to withstand the toughest conditions.
A back up pumping system automatically takes over if the
primary system fails, increasing reliability. Lastly, built-in win-
terization kits make cold weather preparation simple and easy.
With so many advantages, it is not surprising that Sakai Ameri-
ca’smachinesaregainingastrongfootholdintheindustry. And,
after the downturn a few years ago, the company’s increasing
success is good news for all. “We have slowly seen the market
stabilize,” Mr. Steele shares. “That’s been a good thing for us,
because we have been increasing the amount of production
and the amount of sales, but that is a better thing for the U.S.
economy because it means that things will slowly start to build
themselves back up.”
At Sakai America, business is already booming. “We are a
growing company and we are seeing increases in market share.
Our production has increased over the last few years tremen-
dously.” The company is planning on expanding its line of com-
paction products and is eager to continue leading the industry
in compaction technology. “We see more product innovation
in the future,” Mr. Steele predicts.
“Sakai America’s machines are
gaining a strong foothold in
the industry.”

5. Unit 210, 1310 Hollis Street, Halifax NS B3J 3P3, Canada | Phone: 1-888-477-2938 Ext. 206
Sakai America
90 International Parkway
Adairsville, GA 30103-2026
P: 800-323-0535
F: 770-877-9886
E: sales@sakaiamerica.com
www.sakaiamerica.com
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