A Californian construction firm has become the first in the world to take delivery of a ‘game-changing’ machine.
Cox and Cox Construction, a full-service underground utility contractor licensed in California and Nevada, is the first company to operate a Bulldog trencher.
The compact, powerful and agile trencher has been designed by UK manufacturer Mastenbroek specifically for American utility contractors and is marketed on the West Coast by Ditch Witch West.
Mastenbroek designed the Bulldog for underground utility installation, particularly in areas where overhead electrical cables could cause or be destroyed by forest fires.
Cox and Cox Construction’s search for the Bulldog began in 2023 when the company’s president, Buddy Cox, identified the need to acquire a smaller, faster trencher to give him a competitive advantage when tendering undergrounding contracts. He discovered the Bulldog after speaking to Ditch Witch West, which was negotiating sales rights for Mastenbroek machines with its US sales agent, Port Industries.
Cox and Cox Construction took delivery of the first production Bulldog trencher late last year and began using it in January 2025 to install underground utility cables along 50 miles of narrow, winding roads near Lakehead in northern California.
“The Bulldog is a game-changer!” says Buddy. “It trenches so quickly and so cleanly. It’s fast, easy to mobilise, and produces an accurate trench, even on uneven, narrow roads. It is also so comfortable to operate. Our driver loves being in the cab. It’s large, and the controls are in exactly the right places. The conveyor system is the best on the market! We’re leaving a really clean surface, and we can cut at both ten and 18 inches, with the flexibility to change over very quickly. The Bulldog is certainly the fastest and best trencher in its class.”
The Bulldog, which is 10.9m (38 feet 7 inches) long and has a transport width of 2.5m (8 feet 2 inches), borrows much of Mastenbroek’s engineering prowess from the company’s 17/17 trencher, which is popular with European undergrounding contractors.
The Bulldog is powered by a US EPA Tier 4 final compliant Volvo 8-litre engine and a new diesel hydrostatic drive system developed by Mastenbroek to power the new heavier digging mechanism, which can comfortably achieve the 1.5m (five-foot) trench depth required by US cable-layers. The Bulldog also features an offset cutting head, which uses rotary carbide digging picks that offer smooth rotation and long lifespans.
The new digging mechanism also contributes to the Bulldog’s light weight, just 21,300kg (47,000lbs), which is some 6,800kg (15,000lbs) lighter than its nearest rival. Mastenbroek’s engineers have ensured Bulldog’s weight distribution is as even as possible, allowing its 248bhp to be directed efficiently into the trench for maximum productivity.
Eric Greene, General Manager California at Ditch Witch West, believes the Bulldog will be in great demand. “Utility contractors are in desperate need for something like the Bulldog. They have thousands of miles of undergrounding to deliver, and it’s hard going. Until now, there has not been a trencher that is robust, reliable, and capable of working at the speed needed. We think the Bulldog is going to be incredibly successful, and we’re super excited to have exclusivity along the West Coast where so much undergrounding work is being undertaken.”
Christopher Pett, Mastenbroek’s commercial director, is equally optimistic. “The Bulldog has been inspired by the unique challenges faced by North American contractors looking to install underground cables as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. We have a tradition of innovation and developing solutions that meet our customers’ needs, and the Bulldog continues that. We are delighted to see our first Bulldog working on a live job site and are confident this will be the first of many that Ditch Witch West sells to contractors delivering the thousands of miles of undergrounding needed along the West Coast!”
