LE SILLON
A John Deere Publicationowering Progress at Pleasants Construction | Pleasants Construction | John Deere
Winter/Spring 2026
Building Something Better
Maryland Construction Company Shapes a Brighter Tomorrow
4:45 MIN READ
On a mid-November day in the town of Poolesville, Maryland, it already feels like winter has arrived.
Students shuffle into the town's high school with an extra sense of urgency, their faces concealed by hats and scarves. A thick layer of clouds obscures the early morning sun. Strong gusts of wind add an extra bite to the cold.
Operator Julio Canales stands amid the blustery conditions with a seemingly unbreakable sense of calm.
"Today's going to be a great day," he says matter-of-factly, a cloud of breath hanging in the frigid air. "No matter the conditions, I enjoy getting things done. I have fun moving dirt."
For a man who enjoys the bustle of a busy workday, Canales certainly finds himself in the right place.
His employer, Pleasants Construction, Inc. of Clarksburg, Maryland, is among a group of contractors working feverishly to complete the renovation and expansion of Poolesville High School. Overall, the project will cost over $60 million and include an expansion of the gymnasium, theater, and parking lot. In short, it's a massive investment in the future of education for the residents of Poolesville, a bedroom community of roughly 5,000 people located about an hour's drive from Washington, D.C.
It's a reality that hits home for the crews bringing the vision to life.
"You feel a ton of pride being part of a project like this," says Jodie Taylor, field supervisor for Pleasants Construction. "This project isn't just about expanding the school — it's about raising the bar on education for a new generation of students."
POWER MEETS SPEED
For Taylor, there's a built-in sense of comfort each time he steps onto a jobsite. Even in an industry where things can change on a dime, he feels a sense of familiarity in the dirt.
"The first construction site I went to, I was seven years old. My grandpa took me," recalls Taylor. "I sat there and counted all the trucks coming in and out of the gate."
He started as an operator with Pleasants Construction and worked his way up to site supervisor.
"There's a lot that goes into it — making sure all of the subcontractors are doing their daily field reports, checking elevations and grades … overall, it's my job to make sure the job goes smoothly," Taylor says.
Canales is among the most trusted operators at Taylor's disposal, a veteran of the construction industry with more than a dozen years of experience under his belt.
A native of El Salvador, Canales has spent the last three years with Pleasants Construction. And for roughly the past year, he's had a chance to demo the John Deere 230 P-Tier Excavator, part of a new line of excavators that was both designed and built by Deere.
Today Canales is tasked with moving massive amounts of earth on the jobsite, work that must take place before crews can pave the expanded parking lot. By day's end, Canales must fill dozens of trucks with dirt that will be removed from the site. In other words, it's go time. And Canales leans heavily on his machine to keep things on schedule.
"There are times when you are in a rush, when there's a lot you need to get done." Canales says. "This is a machine that responds. It has the power we needed, and it is faster than other machines."
For Canales, that speed shows up in real production. When trucks stack up and schedules tighten, the 230 keeps pace. Its smooth hydraulics allow him to work in rhythm — digging, swinging, and loading — without hesitation.
"When you move your hands, the machine reacts right away," he says. "That's how you take production to a higher level."
"Sometimes you're focused on what you're doing in front of you. THE AVS SYSTEM helps you know what else is around."
Safety First
The flurry of activity taking place is a snapshot of the constant, nonstop work that must occur to keep the school project on schedule. Crews dart from one part of the jobsite to another. Trucks enter and exit. Noise from machines drowns out the voices of those working.
"It's hard when there is activity all around you," Canales says. "Sometimes there is a person or a machine in your blind spot. But in the 230, you have cameras all around you. You can see everything that's coming."
Visibility in the 230 P-Tier is supported by optional John Deere Advanced Vision and Object Detection systems. Four cameras provide a 360-degree surround view, helping operators see what's happening around the machine.
"There's a saying here," Canales says. "In this company, they tell you safety is first and production is second."
When paired with Object Detection, AVS adds audible and visual alerts as objects are detected at the rear and on the right and left sides of the machine. As the excavator tracks or swings, detection ranges adjust automatically to match movement.
On a busy jobsite, those extra seconds of awareness matter.
"Sometimes you're focused on what you're doing in front of you," Canales says. "The Advanced Vision System helps you know what else is around."
For Pleasants Construction, safety isn't just a box to check — it's foundational. "Anything that helps keep our people safe is worth it," says Taylor.
"You feel a ton of pride being part of a project like this."
Forging Ahead
For Pleasants Construction, it's hard to think of a single job that would seem too big to take on.
The company launched back in 1964 and has steadily grown in the six decades since. Today, the company's footprint extends across Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Pleasants Construction's Director of Fleet Maintenance Wesley Smith is responsible for equipment acquisitions as well as monitoring the company's expansive fleet, which includes excavators, wheel loaders, dozers, and more.
"Our fleet is pretty large," Smith says, a wide smile stretching across his face. "We've got over 3,000 pieces of equipment altogether. It's a lot to take care of."
Smith pauses briefly, letting the enormity of his task sink in.
"Uptime is everything," he says, nodding to drive home the point. "The less we have to mess with equipment, the better off we are."
That focus on uptime is supported by Pleasants Construction's relationship with its dealer, James River Equipment.
"Being close to our customers is so critical for us," says Dave Riley, account manager for James River Equipment. "And I'm not just talking about location. I'm talking about that close relationship that really brings a dealer and
customer together. Understanding their challenges. Understanding their goals. And knowing how to help them."
Standing near the edge of the jobsite, Riley watches as Canales loads another truck, the excavator moving with quiet confidence against the gray November sky.
"This is what it's all about," he says. "Helping customers get the job done safely, efficiently, and the right way."
As winter settles over Poolesville, the work continues — shaping ground that will soon support new classrooms, new spaces, and new opportunities. For the people behind the machines, there's pride in knowing their work will last
long after the final truck leaves the site.
"You work hard. You do it safely," Canales says, looking toward the school. "And at the end of the day, you know you built something that matters."
Pleasants Construction is serviced by James River Equipment, Frederick, Maryland.
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A John Deere 230 P-Tier Excavator sitting in a dirt lot preparing to get to work.
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A John Deere 230 P-Tier excavator is positioned on a mound, efficiently excavating the soil.
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