Construction equipment manufacturer Trimble has developed a line of drilling attachments compatible with Mincon skid steers and excavators to be used in solar construction. Mincon Solar Installation Drills and Pile Drivers are designed to pre-drill through rock, install ground screws and drive piles on solar construction projects. Trimble Groundworks is a purpose-built machine control solution that enables contractors to perform drilling and piling operations.

“Demand for solar is so high right now that engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies urgently need more installation capacity to meet the industry’s growing needs,” said Elliott Duck, VP of marketing for integrated systems at Mincon. “By equipping Mincon Drill Mast Attachments with Trimble Groundworks machine control, a machine operator can both pre-drill and install solar foundations without the need for someone on the ground checking for accuracy. This innovative workflow helps make solar installation contractors and EPCs more efficient and more scalable, reducing reliance on scarce labor resources.”

Trimble Groundworks is part of the Trimble Connected Site portfolio of solutions that provides workflow and process integration from the design phase through to the finished project. The integration of Trimble Business Center Software design capabilities in the office and Trimble Groundworks machine control is designed to increase the efficiency and productivity of drilling and piling operations. Trimble WorksManager Software also enables the syncing of data from office to field, to reduce site visits and provide a single source of truth.

“Trimble and Mincon are both industry leaders that share a common goal to deliver technology that significantly accelerates—and improves—the quality of solar farm installations,” said Kevin Garcia, general manager of civil specialty solutions at Trimble. “Our SITECH Northeast distributor initially brought the idea of a Trimble and Mincon collaboration to the table, and we saw right away what a great fit our solutions were for each other. We’re excited by the work that Mincon, Trimble and SITECH Northeast have done to get the Mincon solar drilling and piling products Trimble Ready for the benefit of solar contractors.”

News item from Trimble