Tracks and Treads - Finning Canada

EQUIPMENT PROFILE: Mixcor Aggregates Inc.
LOOKING GOOD: Kevin Unger stands with the
“aging gracefully” 980G
They’re high-maintenance pieces of equipment.
It’s expensive to have them down.”
With 19 heavy equipment mechanics,
Caliber is able to undertake
running repairs and regular
maintenance on its own. “But
there’s times we need extra
help,” says Morgan. “Especially
with the computer these days.”
Morgan says his Finning
reps Garett Dick and Jim Beck
are assets. Morgan appreciates the way Dick
and Beck co-ordinate repair and service calls
within Caliber’s schedule. “They’re very willing
to work with us. There’s times when there’s
deadlines. They’ll set up a servicing time that
works best for us, sometimes after hours or on
weekends if it’s what we need.”
A new approach that Finning recently
launched is the “Work With Me” partnership.
WWM offers less support than the full “Do It
For Me” PM contract, but more support than
the DIY approach. Finning’s Haukedal says it’s
a balanced partnership that engages Finning
in higher-level PM services while keeping the
client involved in less critical or technically
challenging activities. As well, the warranty is
still in effect if there’s a complete, documented
service history.
“It’s about empowering the customer,”
explains Haukedal. “If they can do the basic
things, it’s win-win. They save a little bit by
Three ingredients to long-lasting
machines that hold their value:
skilled operators, solid vehicles
and preventive maintenance.
performing lower level services on their own,
but they still get us in on the more complex
work.” He admits that this new program goes
against the grain of what Finning is used to.
“We’re used to picking up the phone and saying
‘we’ll take care of you.’ But there’s been explosive
growth and we want to offer a choice.
We’ll do it all if the client wants – that won’t
change. But this is another alternative.”
Skilled operators. Solid vehicles. Preventive
maintenance. three ingredients to long-lasting
machines that hold their value. Whether
you’re happy to take the DIY route like Robert
Knoll, someone who wants the peace of mind
of a full PM service contract or you’re looking
for a WWM compromise between the two,
these are three ingredients that can add up to
long machine life and big profits.
A little care goes
a long way
• How can we make routine service
faster, safer and cleaner
• how can we eliminate dry starts and
reduce engine wear to ensure our
machines last as long as possible
• how can we put the fun back into
oil changes
A new system called QuickEvac TM
answers all these questions. Mounted
on the engine, QuickEvac TM combines
a dedicated onboard pump with quick
couplers to allow efficient oil changes
and pre-lubrication protection with every
start. Blaine Haukedal, Finning’s preventive
maintenance manager, highly recommends
the system. “I don’t know if I’d call
it fun,” he says, “but it is a really exciting
new technology. It just makes field techs’
lives easier.”
With the new system, any service technician
can perform an oil/filter change in
less than 20 minutes. The technology lets
the technician purge the old filters, evacuate
the engine oil and refill the engine all
from a single service point, then pumps it
directly into final waste containers or lube
trucks. A complete 250- or 500-hour service
including greasing, SOS sampling and
inspection can be completed in less than
an hour. And the system automatically fills
remote-mount filters and all oil passages
every time the engine starts.
The single service point means there
is no risk of injury or environmental contamination
from spills and no more crawling
under machines or climbing on top.
Haukedal says QuickEvac TM is perfect for
PM’s “Work With Me” clients. “It enables
them to do quick oil changes more effectively,
and we can do the big services.”
26 tracks & treads • Fall 2008 www.finning.ca