Water: Logged Ply the River Company Secret - Finning Canada

Wave of the FutureMore of Finning’s newD7Es have been sold sinceSurmont Sand and Gravelbecame the fi rst Finningcustomer to purchasethe machine. The D7E, aunique machine with anelectric hybrid engine, isthe result of nearly twodecades of engine designand more than 100 patents.Four D7Es were recentlysold to Calgary's LyncorpInternational, with twodelivered in late 2010and two more deliveredat the start of this year.One D7E was also recentlysold to Northern Alberta'sSucker Creek Holdings,with another sale for thesame company currently inprogress.The machine, whichboasts superior performanceand a smaller environmentalfootprint, is also part ofFinning’s rental fl eet. “Whenthese tractors went out ontheir preliminary road showand customers got to usethem, there was quite a lotof excitement about them,”says Eric Shopland, rentaloperations manager withFinning’s heavy-equipmentrental fl eet. “They were wellreceived.”New LocationsA new Finning location is set to open in earlyApril in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., right around thesame time that construction is scheduled tobegin on a facility in Fort McKay, Alberta, nearFort McMurray.Finning has rented a site just outside ofTumbler Ridge since 2005. The trailers formakeshift offices and large tents for storeinventory were no longer enough. “There wascustomer demand and a strong business caseto upgrade that facility,” says Drew Godley,director of facilities and property.Finning worked with a developer, who hasbecome the building’s landlord, to collaborateon the new location’s design. Along withwarehouse space and a front office, a smallerstorage unit currently under construction willprovide even more space.The Fort McKay location was a natural choice.“The volume of business in the oil sands andthe amount of equipment that we have in thatregion has driven the need for increased shopspace in Fort McKay,” Godley says. The FortMcKay Finning location is scheduled to open inthe fourth quarter of 2012.Mutual InterestsFinning recently donated eight new engines to NorthernAlberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), part of a $3-millioncommitment between Finning and Caterpillar to NAIT’sIndustrial Heavy Equipment Technology (IHET) program.The 6.6-litre engines were donated last summer to replaceoutdated training engines, just in time for their usein the fall program.The IHET program is a two-year course divided intotheoretical and practical learning. Hands-on experienceon the equipment is very valuable for students learninghow to put the theory into practice.“Where these engines really come into play,” says DaveScott, manager of learning and development at Finning,“is when students actually get practical exposure to theequipment prior to getting out into the field and workingon the equipment.”“With the close proximity and close relationship wehave with NAIT, and the size of NAIT as a technical trainingprovider, the rationale behind this donation was theyhelp us and we help them to turn out quality apprentices,”says Scott.Of the $3-million donation to NAIT, Finning has committed$1-million worth of equipment, of which the enginesare part, along with another $1-million in cash, and$1-million from Caterpillar, all over a five-year term.www.finning.ca tracks & treads Spring 2011 7