INDUSTRIES

Meeks Grading: Building a Legacy with a Cat^® Mini Excavator

When James Meeks, owner and operator at Meeks Grading in Thomaston, Georgia, entered a sweepstakes at CONEXPO 2023 to win a new Cat^® mini excavator, he never expected he’d actually take home the prize. Still, he made it a point to stop by the Caterpillar booth and throw his hat in the ring.

“Well, my dad, he’s as competitive as he can be, and he loves to win something,” says Jim Meeks, James’ son and Vice President of Meeks Grading. “He said, ‘Don't forget, we've got to go by and register for this mini excavator.’ And that's all I heard for the whole week!”

So, when his Yancey Bros. Co. representative, Lee Benefield, gave him a call to tell him he’d won, he was both shocked and excited.

“They gave him a call at 10:00 on that morning, and we couldn't believe it,” Jim comments. “We still can't believe it. He's been ecstatic ever since.”

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Over 50 Years of Caterpillar

The addition of a Cat 301.8 Mini Excavator to their fleet marks over 50 years of owning and operating Cat equipment, dating all the way back to the first piece James ever bought in the ‘70s, a D4 dozer. Fast forward to today, and James, Jim and Jim’s son, Ray, are a family affair. They own a host of machines, including motor graders, compact track loaders, excavators and dozers. They do commercial grading work for everything from churches to storefronts. James is still operating and needs machines that can be versatile.

“You can take that mini excavator, and you can pick up rocks, you [can] dig ditches, you can pick up tires and put them on a tractor,” James notes. “I mean, there's a world of uses!”

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Versatility isn’t all James and his family need. Comfort is key, too. He’s found exactly that with their Cat 299 D3 Compact Track Loader.

“I can run it 10 hours a day,” says James. “And once you get in the air conditioning, the seat is better than my chair at home.”

“I don't get to run it as much as I want to because everyone else steals it and takes it away from me!” Jim adds.

When James isn’t working on the business, he also enjoys using his heavy equipment around the farm. He’s built everything from a sawmill to a man-made cave and is always ready to add another project to his list.

“I’d love to build me a blacksmith shop,” James laughs. “I got so much playing in the creeks and the rocks [to do]—whole place is just a playground. If I don't have a [compact track loader] to get, it gives me a chance to buy another one. It’s just something else to look forward to!”

Expert Support for the Experts

Through it all, Lee has been a great asset to James and his team. His knowledge and willingness to go above and beyond have been part of the reason the Meeks family has worked with him for so long.

“He's very friendly,” says James. “He’s a name-a-day person. He's easy to deal with, and he helps us any way he can.”

That partnership has served them well throughout the years, even as far back as Jim’s childhood spent helping his dad with the business.

“We would go to Atlanta just to get parts,” Jim comments. “At the time, it was about 80 miles [to Yancey Bros.]. They've had a great parts department.”

What Makes It All Worth It

That human side of the business is what keeps Meeks Grading going—and what makes their work so worthwhile.

“Being in this business, we have the ability to help a lot of people with what we have,” Jim says. “The other day a guy needed a horse buried. It’s just something you go do. And you don't do it for the money; you do it because it's just the right thing to do, you know? There’s a lot you can do with what we have, and we got a lot to be thankful for.”