Sourcing viable solutions to costly business expenses is integral for success. When Hastings Deering and Civil Construction contractors, QH & M Birt, formed a relationship built on trust and efficiency, long-term and long distance solutions become a proven necessity that has since been activated on multiple projects.
For QH & M Birt, the remote locations of some project sites required forward planning and lengthy equipment downtime. On two such sites, Weipa and Groote Eylandt, productivity has increased dramatically and downtime significantly reduced with the introduction of specifically developed customer solution, an onsite Hastings Deering Mobile Hose Workshop.
Mr Dan Ware, Customer Support Manager – Hastings Deering, has delivered product support and solutions to QH & M Birt for near seven years when realising sustainable options would be a great advantage to assist problems experienced in remote project locations specifically. As a result, for the past three years QH & M Birt have thrived with less downtime specifically due to the solution of a fully Caterpillar˚ equipped onsite 20FT Mobile Hose container that is an assembly workshop. The hose and couplings product is used on all Caterpillar equipment and as a cost effective, quality aftermarket solution in other areas that is a proven business success.
Mr Codey Simpson, Workshop Supervisor at QH & M Birt is an advocate. He says, “The biggest benefits financially, are seen through preventative maintenance and reduced downtime. Production hours have increased dramatically since the mobilisation of our hose container and the inconvenience of breakdowns has been significantly reduced. Confidently I can say this is directly linked to ease, convenience and support from Hastings Deering Australia and the Hydraulic Hose Container. With time, the records show a substantial reduction in airfreight costs. “
Mr Ware adds, “Working in such remote areas, QH & M Birt were used to waiting for parts to come in. But we’re always looking for better ways and improved customer solutions that create less downtime, especially in isolated regions. Hastings Deering initiated the Mobile Hose Workshop solution that services multiple machines if not all, onsite.”
“We provide staff training with Cat˚ certification which is an up-skill to individuals, the employers and also means employees can easily change sites to assist elsewhere. Due to their remoteness, anything that QH & M Birt can self-service or do onsite helps to keep the equipment working productively with little if any, downtime.”
As the Weipa solution proved so successful within its first year, a Mobile Hose Workshop was added to the plans for the commencement of the Groote Eylandt project. Being an even more remote location, the solution was an immediate success.
Restocking of product is well supported, lead by the trained QH & M Birt staff. “The credit for this goes to the team we have on the ground and the system we have in place, with time it’s become transparent how much easier the job has become with the correct tools,” Mr Simpson says.
“Many times I’ve had some difficult questions, scenarios or issues and when I relay that information to Hastings Deering, it’s always a welcoming, trouble free voice that answers the phone, the reaction time is always impressive and the follow-up is great.
Mr Ware is quick to point out, that companies have previously disregarded Caterpillar Hose and couplings as a viable product, particularly for after-market use often choosing price over quality.
“Caterpillar hose and couplings is an extremely high quality product compared to the general market. Customers find a lower failure rate is experienced using Caterpillar hosing and coupling giving greater machine availability and in conjunction with an onsite solution, less downtime. These remote projects have gone from downtime of two to four days, to a couple of hours.
“Having the Hastings Deering Mobile Workshop solution, minor hose issues that would normally be let go or left for a little longer, now the clients can proactively sort it quickly and easily, which means the overall quality and maintenance of the fleet is improved, along with productivity through greater machine availability. QH & M Birt is using the Cat product on other machines and equipment; it’s being used for everything as an after-market product. We are competitive, comparable, and provide a high quality service and product.”
