39
NOVEMBER 2014
ACT
PRODUCT SUPPORT
INDUSTRY FOCUS
Life-cycle support
Gone are thedays of simpleparts and
maintenance support.We arenow in the
eraof life-cycle support. From the time a
crane is purchaseduntil it has seen its last
lift, crane companies arebeing asked to
provide valuable services and expertise.
Manitowochas embraced thisnew era
bydevelopingManitowocCraneCare
service. Their goal is toprovide total
life-cycle support,maximum equipment
utilization, optimal profitability and
overall owner value.
Manitowoc’sCraneSTAR telematics
program is an important aspect of their
service.GPS, on-crane computers and
cloud-based transfer systems allow
CraneCare staff tomonitor a crane’s
performance and identify service and
partsneeds as they arise.
Theneed for such ever-ready, on-call
support isn’t just about keeping a crane
running– it’s about keepingprojects
running, on-time andon-budget.A
down crane canholdup an entire
project, especiallywhendealingwith an
infrastructureor energyproject.
The first night Pennsylvania-based
Greiner Industriesworkedwith itsnew
GroveGMK6400on ahighwayproject,
aCraneCare expert, providedbydealer
partner StephensonEquipment, stayedon
sitewith the craneovernight for 12hours,
just in case expertiseor technical support
wasneeded.
“Therewas a$20,000 charge for each
hour ifwewent over the scheduled stop
time,” saidBenDaugherty, cranedivision
manager,Greiner. “So that kindof
support is priceless.”
Partnershipswithdealers such as
StephensonEquipment is one strategy
Manitowocuses to strengthen itsCrane
Care service. They employ adealer
network around theworld that is fully
trained and certified toworkwith its
cranes sonomatterwhere a customer is,
theywill have support in their region and
their time zone.
InLatinAmerica,ManitowocCrane
Care servicehas begundeployingCrane
Care service trucks loadedwithdiagnostic
and repair equipment that canquickly
travel to remote jobsites andprovide
maintenance support or other expertise.
“We are in amining region and it is
too time-consuming and expensive to
transport cranes to a shop,” said Jose
Miguel Figueroa, director of customer
support forManitowocCraneCare
service inChile. “This is a great benefit,
especially to thoseworking indemanding
mining conditions, becauseManitowoc
can arriveonsite tohelp replace apart or
solve a technical problem in a relatively
quick time.”
The proactive approach
Emergencies arebound tohappen, but
whatChrisRutter ofMilwaukee-based
Rutter’sAutomotive Servicepreaches is
prevention.
An experiencedmechanic, Rutter
foundedhis company inSeptember of
2001.Heworkedmostlyon consumer
automobiles, amongother things,when
hewas approachedby a friendwhowas
performing signwork around town and
had a fleet of trucks inneedof some
maintenance. Theproblemwas the trucks
in the fleetwerebuilt by fivedifferent
manufacturers andvariedby asmany as
20years in age. SoRutter didwhat anyone
woulddo.He took some classes, did some
internet research and agreed toworkon
the trucks.
Rutter’sAutomotivenow services all
sorts ofmobile truck cranes, including
Altec, Elliott andManitex to the tuneof
about 50 invoices amonth, not including
his automotive servicework.He travels
50-70miles to service vehicles, but
encourages his customers to come tohim
because it’smore cost-effective.
“If I have togoout andworkon
something and it’s 30Fbelowoutside, it’s
going to cost a lotmore than if youbring
it into the comfort and securityofmy
shop,” saidRutter.
Someof themost interesting repair
stories comeout of the coldweather.With
reference guides like the
OldFarmer’s
Almanac
claiming thiswinter couldbe
as bad if notworse than theprevious,
especially in theMidwest, Rutter is all for
stayingout of the cold.
“I’mnot an alarmist, but I’m shaking
the tree this year,” saidRutter. “Make
sure yourmaintenance is up todate so
youdon’t have to callmeout for those
expensive service calls. These companies
paidmeprettywell to comeout last year
so I’m trying topay it forward a littlebit.”
Rutter is beingproactiveby sending
mailers, calling and emailinghis clients
now, before temperatures drop.
“On thebackside is if I’mdoing
emergency repairwork, I don’t think
it’s fair tomy customers to just do that,”
he said. “Most of the time something
precipitated that repair,mostly
maintenance related. If I’mnot following
upmaking sure you’re gettingyour
money’sworth fromme then I’mnot
doingmy job.”
To emphasizehis point about cold
weather andmaintenance, Rutter quoted
BenFranklin’s famouswords: “Anounce
of prevention isworth apoundof cure.”
“Get your stuffmaintained. If you’renot
usingme thenget it done somewhere else
otherwise it’s going tobe a roughwinter
for everyone,” saidRutter.
■
A heavy transport truck is hoisted
up in an ALL service center for some
maintenancework.
R.J. Mrazik, Chris Rutter and Hank
Lownik of Milwaukee-based Rutter’s
Automotive Service in their yard.
