DICA Launches Complete Engineered Ground Protection Line, Expanding the Company’s Stability Expertise Beyond Outrigger Pads

• DICA expands its engineered support solutions by launching three new ground protection mat systems: Ranger HD, Defender MD, and Titan mats, addressing various jobsite demands from temporary to heavy-duty applications.

• Ranger HD mats are lightweight, ergonomically designed for easy handling, and feature thermal expansion connectors for safer, rapid deployment on sensitive surfaces.

• Defender MD mats offer manual deployment with enhanced load transfer and traction options, supporting equipment up to 100 tons for medium-duty applications.

• Titan mats provide heavy-duty, long-term support with large surface area, integrated lifting points, and flexibility to accommodate challenging ground conditions and heavy equipment.

• All mats are available now and will be showcased at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026, emphasizing DICA's full-spectrum engineered ground support expertise.

New Ranger HD, Defender MD, and Titan mat systems deliver scalable, high-performance solutions. See them at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026, Booth #F42066.

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DICA, long recognized as the leader in engineered outrigger pads and crane support solutions, is expanding its ground support expertise into a new category with the launch of a full line of engineered ground protection and site access mats.

With the introduction of Ranger HD, Defender MD, and Titan mats, DICA now provides contractors with scalable, high-performance solutions designed to protect people, equipment, and worksites from the ground up. The new matting systems address the growing need for safer access, improved load distribution, and reliable surface protection across construction, utilities, infrastructure, and concrete pumping applications.

“Ground protection is no longer optional, it’s essential to ensure safe and efficient operations,” said Kris Koberg, CEO of DICA. “For decades, we’ve focused on engineered stability at the point of lift. This expansion applies that same engineering mindset to the surfaces crews drive on, work from, and depend on every day.”

Engineered for strength, durability, and simplified handling, each mat system is purpose-built to address specific jobsite demands, allowing contractors to select the right solution based on ground conditions, equipment weight, and project duration. Manufactured from engineered thermoplastics that resist moisture, fuels, oils, and jobsite contaminants, the mats are designed to perform reliably in extreme environments.

The addition of ground protection matting positions DICA as a full-spectrum provider of engineered support solutions, from underneath the outriggers to the entire jobsite. Below is an overview of each product.

Fast-Deploy Mats Designed for Temporary Installs

Ranger HD is a lightweight ground protection mat intended for temporary installations where surface protection and rapid deployment are priorities. It is ideal for protecting poured concrete, asphalt, lawns, and other sensitive surfaces from wheeled or tracked equipment such as skid steers, telehandlers, boom lifts, and support vehicles. Dual-sided tread patterns support both wheeled and tracked equipment, while multidirectional nubs maximize tire grip.

Ranger HD mats measure 95” x 47.25” with a half-inch core and weigh 80 lbs. Built-in handholds allow one- or two-person crews to reposition mats throughout the workday without machinery, reducing labor and setup time.

“Most ground protection mats treat handles as an afterthought. We didn’t,” said Koberg. “We applied the same ergonomic design principles used in our patented SafetyTech® Outrigger Pads with TuffGrip® handles to create a purpose-built handhold that reduces strain and improves control during lifting and placement.”

The integrated handholds are contoured to eliminate sharp corners and provide a more natural grip position, minimizing fatigue during repeated handling. In addition, surface handgrips allow crews to pull or slide mats into place without placing hands underneath the panel, reducing pinch-point exposure and improving overall jobsite safety.

Ranger HD’s precision-engineered connector slots address a common challenge with conventional mats: thermal expansion and contraction. Elongated connector slots with hot and cold indicators guide proper installation, allowing controlled movement without compromising connection integrity. 

“The system allows the panels to move naturally with temperature changes, while maintaining a tight, reliable connection. This helps prevent failure and reduces trip hazards, resulting in a smarter, more resilient connection system designed for real-world conditions,” said Koberg.

Depending on the application, crews can choose two-way “Dual” connectors for linear pathways and roadways or four-way “Quad” connectors for working pads, parking areas, and turning zones. Dual connectors prevent lateral movement or spinning, and Quad connectors are used to lock mats at intersections. Connectors are fastened to the underside of the mats with standard bolts and washers.

Manual-Deploy Mats That Scale for Heavy Equipment

The Defender MD system bridges the gap between lightweight ground protection and heavy-duty platforms. It provides increased stiffness and load-transferring capability while remaining fully manual-deployable. Overlapping flanges provide superior load transfer, supporting equipment up to 100 tons. When connected, the mats form a unified platform that prevents mud from seeping between panels. The gray color reduces heat and UV absorption during extended deployments, helping minimize movement caused by thermal expansion and contraction. 

The integrated connection system enables two-person crews to install approximately 90-pound mats without additional equipment. Each mat measures 75”x39.5,” and a four-person crew can install over 1,000 square feet per hour. 

Defender MD mats feature two tread patterns, allowing contractors to choose the traction system best suited to site conditions. They are commonly used with concrete pump trucks, boom trucks, rough-terrain cranes, and heavy material handling equipment to create access routes, working platforms, and stable laydown areas.

Heavy-Duty Equipment Support for Long-Term Projects

Built for the most demanding environments, Titan mats deliver long-term durability and performance for large equipment, extended deployments, and challenging ground conditions. They are built to support mobile and crawler cranes, concrete pump trucks, MEWPs, and other high-capacity equipment, providing stable temporary access for vehicles, pedestrians, and equipment.

Titan mats measure 6’7” x 13’4” with a 1.5-inch core, providing 88.9 square feet of usable surface area per mat. Each mat weighs only 700 lbs., and up to 65 mats can be loaded onto flatbed trucks, providing over 5,700 sf of matting per truckload. The solid core mats gently flex to follow ground contours while remaining tough, durable, and puncture resistant. The combination of stiffness and flexibility helps distribute loads and eliminate rutting across variable ground conditions. Gray coloring further reduces the effects of thermal expansion and contraction.

Integrated lifting and handling options include four steel-reinforced surface lifting and connecting points, four steel ferrule side lifting points, and four smooth surface grab points. Titan mats can be lifted with standard jobsite equipment, including forklifts, telehandlers, hooks, lifting adapters, and vacuum lifting systems. 

Typical applications include transmission and distribution work, civil construction, drilling operations, renewable energy sites, and the creation of temporary roads, staging areas, and work platforms. A dual-sided profile, one surface for tires and the other for steel tracks, accommodates a wide range of equipment types.

Availability at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026

DICA’s ground protection mats are in stock and shipping from the company’s headquarters in Urbandale, Iowa. The full lineup will be on display alongside DICA’s outrigger pads, crane pads, leveling solutions, and cribbing systems at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026, March 3–7, booth #F42066.