Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/91455
Contractor Connection ("Kiewit Moves Ahead" continued from page 20) "Our objective with telematics is to improve our utilization," said Winberg. "We think [utilization] is good, but we are hoping to make it better as we move forward." If the test case is any indication, Kiewit's resource load- ing, leveling and utilization will be substantially better with telematics. "Our ability to monitor idling time is greatly enhanced," said Winberg. "It makes our maintenance personnel much more efficient." Kiewit expects that the company will share machine health data with dealers, but not productivity data. "Our focus is on telematics to better utilize and maintain our equipment. We look to dealers to be there to support our efforts from a technical standpoint; to provide machine availability and reliability," said Winberg. The company has not experienced any push back from operators on telematics. "We think they understand this helps them, especially when they are having a problem with the machine's health," said Winberg. While demanding a sense of urgency from dealers today, in the long run Kiewit is hopeful its investment in telematics will help identify problems before they occur. "We want to focus on proactive maintenance so there are no break- downs," said Winberg. Dealer Relationships Kiewit views manufacturers and dealers working together as a team as their joint venture partners in equipment owner- ship and operations. Kiewit mechanics perform scheduled maintenance but in most cases rely on dealers for major repairs. In emergency situations Kiewit relies on its own staff to provide a preliminary diagnosis, and repair if they are able. "The very complicated emissions systems [on newer machines] require us to use the dealer more frequently," said Winberg. "If they have skilled technicians and they are avail- able to us when we need them, that is most important. That is the value added of the dealer's support network." Kiewit wants dealers to understand that on some projects an equipment breakdown might result in liqui- dated damages of $200,000-$300,000 per day. With so Kiewit takes pride in the variety of projects it undertakes. "No job is too large or too small, too complex or too chal- lenging for Kiewit." Its decentralized structure, combined with the resources of a multi-billion dollar organization has led to success in constructing everything from roads and dams to office buildings and power plants. For example: Transportation DFW Connector, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas Folsom Dam Bridge - Folsom, Calif. Water/Wastewater Bakersfield Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bakersfield, Calif. Bonneville Fish Bypass - North Bonneville, Wash. Heavy Civil Kearl Oil Sands Earthworks Services Project - Fort McMurray, Alberta East Toba & Montrose Hydroelectric Project - Toba Valley, British Columbia Power Sandy River Conduit Relocation - Portland, Ore. Harlem River Tunnel - Manhattan, N.Y. Oil Gas & Chemical 22,000 BPD - Commercial SAGD Plant - Phase II - Conklin, Alberta Mt. Vernon Ethanol Project - Mt. Vernon, Ind. Buildings University of Nebraska - Omaha Mammel Hall - Omaha, Neb. Arnett Hall - Boulder, Colo. Mining Dry Valley/No. Rasmussen Ridge Mines - Soda Springs, Idaho Cloudbreak – Australia Kiewit Projects many linear operations, one equipment failure impacts everything else. That's why dealer support is so critical. "We don't buy on price," said Winberg. "We buy the value of the package of product support. If you gave us an excavator for free but it's broken when we need it to run, it's probably not a good value." Dealers that stand out in Winberg's mind are those who respond with urgency; who make things happen under pres- sure, in high-velocity projects. At AED's Executive Forum, Winberg was reminded of how many friends he had made over the course of his 38 years in the industry. "It's important for dealers to get to know their customers," said Winberg. "It is important that the frontline people call on us to develop a working rela- tionship. It just really helps them understand our priorities and what makes us tick." "Our policy is to meet as frequently as needed with the Pictured left to right: Frank Manfredi, Tom Rhein, Neal Winberg, and Peter Blake. Neal Winberg was a panelist at AED Executive Forum, giving the contractor perspective on how and where used Tier-4 machinery will enter the global used market, and the potential scenarios for which North American fleet owners and dealers should prepare. 22 | www.cedmag.com | Construction Equipment Distribution | November 2012 management team of the dealer," said Winberg. "We want issues to be resolved quickly." Pre-job meetings ensure all the details are set up right on the front end so the job runs smoother. Rates are negotiated at the onset of a project so everyone understands what is expected. Winberg advises dealers to schedule time with custom- ers to find out what is going on with their projects. While most dealers manage to get the frequency of visits right, "those that don't come often enough, won't get the