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Smooth Operations & Longevity

By: Kaming

Smooth Operations & Longevity | Beitzel Corp Testimonial

The Added Value of Equipment Management Services from Cleveland Brothers

In 2008, when the economy crashed and the workload slowed, Beitzel Corporation idled many of its machines. They were restarted in 2011, but with one big difference. The regular oil samplings that had been performed pre-recession fell by the wayside.

So, when Head Shop Technician Grady Starliper joined the Maryland-based industrial contractor in 2013, he knew he had to resume the oil samplings and, with help from Cleveland Brothers and Caterpillar, capitalize on the full slate of equipment management services available to extend the life of his machines.

Customer Support Agreement Was a No-Brainer for Beitzel Corp.

Beitzel provides large-scale crane, electrical, engineering, fabrication and machining, excavation, and industrial construction services for aggregate production, manufacturing, mining, municipalities, and the oil and natural gas industry. When Starliper joined Beitzel after 26 years in the crane industry, he took over a comprehensive fleet including bulldozers, excavators, backhoes, and rock trucks. He manages the fleet with an eye on economic feasibility and getting maximum value from each piece.

“I’m the first guy in Beitzel history to have a bulldozer completely rebuilt by Cleveland Brothers,” he says.
That rebuild included a subscription to Caterpillar’s EZKits preventive maintenance services. Signing on and maintaining the contract to this day was “a no-brainer,” Starliper says. “You’re buying quality parts at a decent price from the OEM, Caterpillar. You can buy a cheaper kit somewhere, but why would you when you’re on a good warranty policy?”
EZKit Preventive Maintenance Kits
With EZKits, Caterpillar machine owners order all the parts needed for oil changes. Cleveland Brothers prepares the package according to specs, and it is shipped to the local parts drop the next day. The machine owner then has it ready for use, labeled with machine information, number, and service level.

A vital element of EZKits is the oil sampling and fluid analysis service, performed in Cleveland Brothers’ state-of-the-art lab in Harrisburg. Beitzel runs older machines for cost-effectiveness, and regular fluid checks promote smooth operations and long lives. The checks also keep machines in good shape for a second life if they undergo a certified rebuild – a more economical option than buying new. In the case of excavators, which Beitzel trades in every 10 years, regular maintenance and fluid checks assure better trade-in value.

“It’s like a crystal ball,” says Starliper. “You can see what’s going on before it happens. As soon as they get the results, they email me. I’m ahead of the game.”

Beitzel Corp - Jobsite with Cat Machines

Routine Inspections Saved Thousands of Dollars

The Beitzel contract also includes annual inspection of all Cat machines by Cleveland Brothers’ CSA (Customer Support Agreement) coordinators, for objective scrutiny that has caught issues before they become bigger problems. In one case, the inspection found a hydraulic pump on the verge of failure, catching a manageable repair before it became a $40,000 headache.

Starliper also takes advantage of Vision Link, the user interface for Caterpillar’s Product Link equipment-management software. Every morning, he finds the status of every machine at his fingertips, including machine hours, services and kits needed, and machine fault codes.

“I can go in and look at my whole fleet,” says Starliper. “I can open up individual machines, and it’ll tell me when it’s due for a service, and what service is going to be due. It’ll tell me how much fuel I burn, how much idle time, and how much work time it has. It’ll give me productivity of that machine for a week, a month, and a year.”

With a Cleveland Brothers preventive maintenance contract, Beitzel saves money and can budget equipment services more predictably. In fact, Starliper relied on the contract to take Beitzel’s maintenance budget from “out of hand” in 2013 and 2014, to a 38 percent savings from 2014 to 2016.

Cleveland Brothers’ service department in Somerset is “perfect,” and he couldn’t ask for better people Starliper says.

“I can rely on their knowledge and quick responses,” he says. “I walk in there, and it’s like I’m one of the family. We’ve all got to work together. If we don’t, it doesn’t work at all.”


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