Gradall began making its well-known excavator during the 1940's, during a time wherein World War II had created a scarcity of laborers. This decrease in the labor force brought a huge demand for the delicate work of finishing and grading highway projects.
Ferwerda-Werba-Ferwerda was a Cleveland, Ohio based construction business which experienced this specific dilemma first hand. Ray and Koop Ferwerda were brothers who had relocated from the Netherlands. They were partners in the company which had become among the major highway contractors within the state of Ohio. The Ferwerdas' started to build an equipment which would save both their company and their livelihoods by making a model which will perform what had previously been physical slope work. This creation was to offset the gap left in the worksite when so many men had joined the army.
The brothers initially invented a device that had 2 beams set on a rotating platform, that was fixed on top of a second-hand truck. They used a telescopic cylinder to be able to move the beams in and out. This allowed the attached blade at the end of the beams to pull or push dirt.
The Ferwerda brothers improved on their initial design by making a triangular boom to produce more power. Then, they added a tilt cylinder which enabled the boom to turn forty-five degrees in either direction. This new model could be outfitted with either a bucket or a blade and the attachment movement was made possible by placing a cylinder at the rear of the boom. This design powered a long push rod and allowed much work to be finished.
Not a long time after, many digging buckets became available on the market. These buckets came in 15 inch, 24 inch, 36 inch and 60 inch sizes. There was additionally a 47 inch heavy-duty pavement removal bucket that was offered as well.