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

REMEMBER WHEN…Field Service 1962box,” Erickson says of the rigid frame units.The company used to call on three orfour smaller graders to maintain haul roadscapable of withstanding the weight of therigid frame trucks. Eager to increase efficiency,Renton and Erickson began looking for abetter option. They found it in Cat’s largestgrader, the 24H, which joined Kidco’s fleet inJanuary 2007.It’s not every heavy equipment operatorwho can handle one of Finning’s monsterCats. Operators have to adjust to the size,horsepower and capabilities of large equipment.They must ensure they have a goodgrasp of the job’s scope to use the machineeffectively. At Kidco, operators start off onsmaller units, train on site, and move up tobigger things.Kidco is pleased with its giant grader.“We’ve found it handy,” Erickson says with agrin. “The faster we go, the better, so we have abig grader to make that road we travel on niceand flat.”When it comes to making haul roads, efficiencyis doubled with the 24H. That, saysErickson, is the main reason Kidco thinksbig. “We have big equipment and enough ofit to get the job done. That’s what our clientsbank on.”Kidco’s fleet is 90% Caterpillar, not byaccident. Years of experience with differenttypes of equipment led to the realization thatCat offered the reliability Kidco needed to effectivelyserve its clients. The company alsoappreciates the resale value of its Cat investment,as well as Finning’s support. “Finninghas been good along the way, helping usmaintain our equipment,” says Erickson.Kidco is Finning’s largest customer insouthern Alberta for parts, service and machinesales. Due to the large number of machinesit owns, calling Finning every timeone needed service was becoming a hassle.To remedy the situation, Finning made twofield mechanics available to Kidco sevendays a week, 12 hours a day throughout2007 to provide service and maintenance.Darryl DeVries, parts and service sales repat Finning, says the arrangement is effective.“Our technicians are on site at equipmentstart up in the mornings and throughout theday to provide service and maintenance,”he explains. “It’s been an excellent tool forKidco.”For Provencher, working with such an innovativecompany has been interesting. Afterall, it’s not often he’s asked to find miningequipment for a construction company. Heenjoys the challenge of locating the machinesKidco wants.Kidco expressed interest in a used 24Hseveral years before Finning was finally ableFEWER TRIPS: Also part of the fleetis this 775E, which holds more dirt,making for fewer passesto locate one. “They don’t come up for auctionvery often. The mines constantly rebuildthem so there aren’t very many used ones forsale in the world,” Provencher says.A machine was found in Salt Lake City,Utah. Since resale is rare, Provencher facedthe challenge of determining the value of the24H and getting it priced correctly. Erickson isaware of the lengths Finning has gone to helpthe unorthodox company achieve its goals.“We’ve sent Paul on some wild goose chasesto try to find us this and that,” he laughs.“That’s part of the reason we like Paul. He’lltry to make things happen.”Making things happen, regardless ofwhat other companies are doing, is thename of the game for Kidco. The companycontinues to develop innovative solutions tohelp its clients achieve goals, even if it has tomove heaven and earth to find the right ofequipment.60 TRACKS & TREADS • Spring 2008 www.finning.ca