25 Years Strong: How a Two-Man Grading Crew in Georgia Uses Volvo Equipment to Outperform the Big Guys

When you think about earthmoving in Georgia, you might picture a big crew with a full fleet. But in Chatsworth, a small town just southeast of Chattanooga, McGhee Grading & Excavating proves you don’t need a large team to make a big impact.

Run by brothers Justus and Shane McGhee, this two-man operation has been shaping land, digging lakes, and building foundations since 2000. For the McGhees, Volvo equipment and support from Ascendum Machinery are key to keeping projects on track, even in challenging conditions.

Meet McGhee Grading & Excavating: A Family-Built Business

The McGhee brothers grew up around construction. Their late father, J.C., ran a company called J&S Excavating in Gordon County, GA. From a young age, Justus was learning the ropes from the seat behind his dad. By his teenage years, he was already operating equipment on his own.

Shane joined the business in 2004 and has worked alongside his brother ever since, running machines, managing sites, and helping uphold the company’s reputation for high-quality, detail-focused work.

“Shane and I operate everything ourselves,” said Justus. “It’s like my name says, ‘Just us.’”

Between the two of them, they handle it all — excavation, grading, repairs, welding, and more. Their mechanical skills come from time spent working for a trucking company in the late ‘80s and ‘90s. There, they learned to repair diesel engines, brakes, and other systems, providing a foundation that still keeps their operation self-sufficient today.

Tackling a 635-Acre Project With Volvo Equipment and Seeing the Payoff

One of McGhee’s standout projects is a 635-acre site near Adairsville, GA, where they’ve been working for more than two years. The job included restoring a 75-year-old leaking lake and preparing land for a new home, and the Volvo A25G articulated truck made it possible.

“And I wouldn’t have been able to do the job without that Volvo articulated truck,” Justus said. “It was a game changer for me. If I had known about this machine years ago I would have bought one sooner because of how well it worked right after it rains. And in this part of the world where we get a lot of wet weather, that’s a huge thing. We hauled hundreds of loads of muck out of here with that Volvo.”

The A25G is one of several Volvo machines in their fleet. McGhee Grading & Excavating also runs:

• A Volvo EC160C and a newer EC160E excavator

• A Volvo SD70 smooth drum compactor

• A Volvo VHD tandem on-road dump truck

Each machine was sourced through Ascendum Machinery’s Buford and Chattanooga branches, where Justus works closely with sales rep Mitchell Gross and parts expert Mike Brown.

And the return on investment? Fuel savings, uptime, and all-day reliability.

“On my new EC160C, I’m getting almost 14 to 15 hours a day out of a single tank.”

With each Volvo machine added to their fleet, the McGhees have gained more productivity and fewer interruptions. That’s a must for a two-person team juggling multiple job sites.

Why McGhee Trusts Ascendum Machinery

As both operators and mechanics, the McGhees know their machines inside and out. They handle most repairs themselves, a skillset they built while working for a trucking company before launching their grading business.

“After our dad got sick in 1988, we went to work for a trucking company where we learned a lot about diesel engines, making repairs, welding, brakes and a lot of other stuff,” said Justus. “We did that for about 10 to 12 years before I started on my own in the grading business.”

When it comes to new equipment, they count on Ascendum for fast, dependable support.

“When I needed an artic truck and ordered this 2023 A25G, [Volvo] had just had one dropped off at the Savannah port. It arrived almost in the same week that I ordered it and came straight here. Since we got it, it has been a great machine and has just 517 hours on it.”

“Justus knows to call me,” said Mitchell Gross. “I’ll get somebody on it or get involved myself to make sure that we’re taking care of him on our end. We talk after hours sometimes; it doesn’t matter to me what time it is.”

Spreading the Word and the Work

Despite balancing several active projects at once, McGhee Grading & Excavating relies on word of mouth and a growing YouTube channel to showcase their work. Their videos have gained traction across the Southeast and even prompted calls from out-of-state prospects.

“Since I started that channel a couple of years ago, local people like watching it and seeing what we’re doing,” Justus said. “I’ve had people out of state who have seen it call to ask if we’d come to South Carolina or North Carolina for their jobs, but we really try to stay in this area of North Georgia because it costs so much to mobilize for a distant project — we try to keep our work within 40 miles of home.”

Built on Trust. Backed by Volvo. Supported by Ascendum.

Justus isn’t planning to retire any time soon, but when that day eventually comes, he hopes his son and Shane’s son will carry the business forward. For now, the McGhee brothers are focused on what they’ve always done best: delivering quality work, building long-term relationships, and treating every job like it has their name on it.

At Ascendum Machinery, we’re proud to support companies like McGhee Grading & Excavating as a Georgia Volvo Equipment Dealer. Small crews doing big work with pride, precision, and the right machines for the job. Whether you’re running with two operators or twenty, you deserve equipment and support that work as hard as you do.

Ready to find out how our Volvo equipment and dealer support can help your business thrive?

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This story was adapted from an article originally published in Construction Equipment Guide.