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

In 2006, Kidco completed its first supersizedproject, constructing a section of Calgary’sStoney Trail Northwest Ring Road forAlberta Infrastructure and Transportation(AIT). The $22-million project involved grading,storm sewer installation, paving,pond construction, landscaping, utilityinstallation and movement of 5.5 millioncubic metres of dirt. Kidco servedas general contractor and this was thebiggest job it had taken on for AIT.The bulk of the project consisted of heavyearthmoving, Kidco’s specialty, but therewere other tasks the company hadn’t donebefore. Managing a large number of subcontractorsadded to the already significantpaperwork and record-keeping required by agovernment client.Erickson, then-manager of operations,says he quickly realized he wouldn’t beable to manage the entire project himself.“We needed a team approach,” he explains.“We had to look for the right people frominside and outside of our organization tohandle different aspects of the job. With thechanges made, we were able to successfullycomplete the job.”“Ken and Ryan are innovative.They come up with the mostresourceful ways to move dirt.”The five-mile stretch of road took twoyears to complete. Erickson estimates he useda third of the company’s fleet for the job, includingmany of the large pieces of Cat ironthat make Kidco unique. Kidco’s fleet includesCat 657G scrapers, 385 excavators andD11 dozers, again more often seen in miningapplications than in the city.Renton began purchasing large Cats in1993, starting with 651 scrapers, as a way tomeet clients’ requirements. Paul Provencher,customer account manager at Finning’s Calgarybranch, has worked with Kidco for threeyears and says that the company is consistentlyon the cutting edge of earthmoving.“Ken and Ryan are innovative,” Provencherexplains. “They put their heads togetherand come up with the most resourcefulways to move dirt.”Provencher cites Kidco’s use of rigidframe trucks rather than articulatedtrucks. Most earthmoving companiesopt for articulated trucks because they’re designedfor softer underfoot conditions. Largerigid frame trucks typically used in miningrequire a solid haul road that takes timeto construct.For Kidco, the advantages of using rigidframe trucks outweigh the inconvenience ofcreating haul roads on sites. The trucks canmove more dirt per load and, with top speedsof 65 kilometres per hour, Kidco can reducecycle times. “It’s just another tool in the tool-Remember When…Logistical challengesStretching 53 feet long and towering 15feet off the ground, Kidco’s 24H dwarfsthe 30-foot long, 11-foot tall 14H motorgrader used in similar applications. Itssize has benefits: it can do in one passwhat smaller graders do in two. But italso presents some challenges.Moving equipment such as the 24Hfrom site to site isn’t easy. At Kidcothough, it’s part of a day’s work. Most ofthe company’s projects are located within200 kilometres of Calgary with occasionalprojects in Lethbridge and someas far away as British Columbia. Whereverthey go, they’ll take the big machineswith them if the job warrants. “We havethe right hauling equipment to makesure we can move them effectively,”Erickson explains. “Secure your permittingand away you go.”Ring around the city: As Calgary grows,so does the need for infrastructure experts,such as Kidcowww.finning.ca Spring 2008 • tracks & treads 59