Everyday Heroes: Meet Finning's service ... - Finning Canada

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EverydayHeroesKeeping customers’ machinesmoving, no matter whereor when, has always beenFinning’s strong suitINTRODUCTION BY JEFF HOWARDinning’s dedication in the fieldstretches back to Con Gurney,the company’s first mechanic.Once, he fashioned a ball bearing from a logger’sboot to keep a tractor up and running.“Con was a one-man gang, travelling to wherevermachines needed attention,” said the lateBob Ley, former PR manager at Finning. “Inhis first year of married life, he was home only13 weekends.”“They personify Finning; mechanics firstof all but also salesmen, problem solvers andambassadors,” Ley said of Finning’s field mechanics.“They work all hours, in all weather,without the convenience of a shop.” Here’sa historical highlight reel from our everydayheroes.Con Gurney, Finning’sfirst mechanic, cuts a rug withthe boss’ wife, Marcia Finning (top),Bev Davis (above); Peter Clarke (right)John Snowball, Finning career 1968-1991“I rented a Land Rover to visit a customer,working in the mountainous Taseko Lake area.On the way, I arrived at a river with no bridge.I drove across but got hung up in the middle.I’d noticed a little D4 not too far from theriver, so I walked back to it, got it started andhauled the Land Rover out. I ended up stayingat that camp pretty well the whole summer.34 TRACKS & TREADS • Spring 2008 www.finning.ca
In those days, there were no phones. Butan engineer with the mining company hadone of those old style radio phones. We droveto the top of a mountain, he stood on thetruck and held the aerial, and I was able to callinto the Williams Lake branch to order parts.”Bev Davis, Finning career 1947-1988“Travel wasn’t easy. We often travelled bysteamship or had to hitch a ride on a fishingboat. You’d have a one-day job at a camp andbe stuck for 10 days waiting for the next boat.One time, I got so bored I asked the landladyif there was anything I could do. She said shehad some wood that needed splitting. I’venever split so much wood in my life.”Ed GreenEd Green, Finning career 1946- 1983“I once walked from Sandspit to CumshewaInlet (about 30 miles) on the Queen Charlottes.I’d been working at a logging campand didn’t want to wait 10 days for the boat topick me up, so I walked, carrying my toolbox.I had to take off my pants, shoes and socks tocross a few creeks and rivers.”Derwyn Dew, Finning career 1954-1996“At small logging camps, you took your ownsleeping bag, chopped firewood and stokedthe bunkhouse heater. On several occasions,I woke up with two inches of snow on mysleeping bag. Your lift tools consisted of acomealong and a couple of jacks and whateverequipment the customer had. It was yourGREAT SERVICE: Rain or shineown ingenuity and ability to improvise thatgot the job done.”Bart Finning, Finning career 1950s“A mining outfit in Tahsis had an older modelD8 2U. To make the repair, we had to pullthe tracks off and the sprockets – without liftingdevices. The company had an old dumptruck, so we borrowed a 12-by-12 piece oflumber and strapped it into the back of thetruck. After chaining the dump body down,we attached a chain hoist to the 12-by-12 andtore the machine apart that way.”Peter Clarke, Finning career 1945-1989“I was called on to rebuild two D311Es atHorsefly Lake, B.C. On completion, it wasnecessary to carry out a load test and safetyshut-down. The unit performed well and afterit shut down, I noticed the manager’s wifeheading my direction without a smile. Fondof the Monarchy, she’d been listening to thecoronation on the radio. At the time of shutdownthe Queen was about to be crowned.So was I.”Jim Kilner, Finning career 1947-1985“When I started with Finning, my Navy pensionpaid 75% of my wages and the companypaid 25% as part of a training-on-the-jobscheme. I think Finning succeeded because ofthe service support we provided and the followup we did with customers. Nobody justsold a tractor and walked away. You alwaysfollowed up, advising the customer when todo overhauls and repairs. You paid attentionto your customer.”Joe Adams, Finning career 1933-1967“I was asked to call on a customer near Vanderhoof,B.C., in the dead of winter. To get there,I went in stages by car, on horseback and evensnowshoes. When I eventually arrived, allthat the customer wanted was some literatureon Caterpillar tractors for his 12-year-old son!And once, to reach a logging camp alongthe Arrow Lakes, I took an old sternwheeler.I hadn’t visited this particular logging campbefore, the crew dropped a plank on to theshore and I disembarked. It was pitch darkand I had to pace the beach until dawn whenI could follow a tractor trail into camp.”www.finning.ca Spring 2008 • TRACKS & TREADS 35
Page 2: SAME ATTITUDESMALLER PACKAGEThey’
Page 6: News & ReviewsBY DAVID DICENZOPaint
Page 9 and 10: GROUNDBREAKERGareth SinePedal to th
Page 11: GROUNDBREAKERBy the NumbersHeight i
Page 14 and 15: We service what we sellIn 1928, Ear
Page 17 and 18: CAT POWER: A Cat 3406 engine powers
Page 19 and 20: SIXTIES SERVICE: Finning’s Jerry
Page 21 and 22: company was asked to take on the ad
Page 24 and 25: Giant spruce near Port Renfrew, B.C
Page 28 and 29: Lines Acrossthe NorthKenn and Rosel
Page 30 and 31: REMEMBER WHEN…Terrace, B.C. field
Page 32 and 33: Remember When…Cat equipment clean
Page 36 and 37: Green isGoldOne B.C. family is tear
Page 38 and 39: The sureway: An Edmonton constructi
Page 40: and Alberta was experiencing its fi
Page 43 and 44: Partners inProgressAn Edmonton comp
Page 45 and 46: operating methods. It’s helpful i
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Page 49 and 50: 1970s:D10 tractorCat spreads its wi
Page 51: 793 has a higher yield.” Moving m
Page 54 and 55: TEAM SPARWOOD: Clockwise from botto
Page 56 and 57: 56 tracks & treads • Spring 2008
Page 58 and 59: BigThoughtsIT’S ALL THAT: Kidco u
Page 60 and 61: REMEMBER WHEN…Field Service 1962b
Page 62 and 63: For a long time, Earl Finning’sde
Page 64 and 65: 12 DecadesStrongPeter AndrewA coupl
Page 67 and 68: A NiceStretchRon Macmillan’s gran
Page 69 and 70: REMEMBER WHEN…Service preventive
Page 71 and 72: Have anIce DayIn February and March
Page 73 and 74: impossible to complete the job on s
Page 75 and 76: LIMITED TIME ONLY - 75 TH ANNIVERSA

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