Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/732903
chines until 2017 or later. IronDirect says its Chinese-built machines are designed to meet or exceed the durability and reliability of competitive machines. They've been made specifically for the North American market. The company's test and audit program includes multiple stages of inspections, and it issues what it's calling a "birth cer- tificate," detailing inspection points and specs. Support Responsive parts and service has been a stick- ing point for many of the Chinese brands trying to establish a foothold in North America. To answer this, IronDirect is using the "Service Your Way" model established at ICP. Customers can choose between three options: • Self-service, in which qualifying customers can perform warranty repairs at their own facilities, getting reim- bursed for labor and parts. • Selecting a preferred pre-autho- rized local dealer, which will in turn receive from IronDirect what's needed to service the equipment. • Using one of IronDirect's autho- rized service partners. Tech assists IronDirect is putting an emphasis on service through technology. Each IronDirect earthmoving ma- chine has several QR codes. Scan the code using IronDirect's Direct- Assist app, and you can gain access to the machine's birth certificate (in- cluding all component model and serial numbers), the original quality assurance report for that specific machine, key specs and a machine walk-around daily service video. Available for both iOS and An- droid devices, the DirectAssist app connects machine operators to IronDirect's technical service, parts specialists and engineers to com- municate one-on-one in real time to receive remote service assistance and information via voice, video and text chat. Users can also share photos, videos and documents, such as hydraulic schematics, wiring diagrams and service manuals. Resale While ICP's main thrust was to get Chinese-made machines to market and offer after- sales support, the Iron- Direct proposition goes deeper, and addresses another possible buyer objection: resale value. This is one of the many ways that parent Liquidity Services comes in. Each IronDirect ma- chine owner gets an Iron Edge membership, which gives discounted commission rates on machines sold through Liquidity Services' global buyer base. The company claims that using Iron Edge can increase a member's net recovery by up to 14 percent. Additional manufacturers drawn to ecommerce IronDirect is positioning itself as a way to solve distribution problems; not only for Chinese construction equipment makers, but also for smaller companies that often strug- gle to get the attention of dealers. In addition to Paladin and Berco, the company will offer Magni telehandlers and a Case IH tractor/ Miskin pull-behind scraper com- bination. The company has also announced intentions to bring in compact equipment, (including skid steers) and compactors, artics and rigid frame trucks, but offered no specific time frame. – Marcia Gruver Doyle October 2016 | EquipmentWorld.com 14 reporter | staff report Briefs (continued from page 13) using Cummins engines since the U.S. EPA rejected its heavy duty diesel emissions technology. Pavement preservation equipment manufacturer Crafco will buy a 100,000-square foot manufactur- ing facility and 50 acres in Naples, Texas. The company plans to manufacture its highway mainte- nance and preservation equipment at the plant, in addition to its specialty roofing and waterproof- ing products. Vancouver-based Caterpillar dealer Finning International saw a 22-percent drop in revenues from all operations during its second quarter. The world's largest Caterpillar dealer has operations in several countries, including Canada, Chile, Argentina, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Under a new alliance, Yanmar will sell Yahama Motor's Viking and Viking VI utility task vehicles in the United States under the Yanmar brand. Yanmar's agricultural dealer network will start selling the UTVs, manufactured in Yahama's facility in Georgia, this January. Compact Power, an equipment rental company operating out of more than 1,100 Home Depot locations, has added the follow- ing machines to its available fleet: the Genie GR-20 Runabout zero-turn-radius aerial lift, the Gehl 3640E skid steer, the Toro TX1000 Dingo loader and the Ausa TH2513 telehandler. CNH Industrial has named Carl Gustaf Goransson the construction brand president of Case Con- struction Equipment and New Holland, as well as president of CNH's construction equipment products segment. Goransson replaces Richard Tobin, CEO of CNH Industrial, who has been managing the company's construc- tion equipment segment during the interim. For more on each of these stories, go to equipmentworld.com. The DirectAssist app.