Today’s construction equipment has changed and Giles & Ransome is committed to offering its customers the benefit of training. Training can increase employee satisfaction while increasing safety and productivity. Research and development have led to technological advancements in the design aspects of earthmoving equipment. Special attention goes toward finding ways to make machines more productive. Production studies are common on large earthmoving projects. Operator functions are being automated by computer-controlled hydraulic systems designed to lessen operator stress and increase productivity. These advancements have helped to change the way customers buy earthmoving equipment. Customers are no longer buying single pieces of equipment, but rather whole earthmoving systems. Another key change in the world of heavy equipment has come with increased safety emphasis. Insurance costs have been on the rise for a number of years and the upward trend shows no signs of slowing down. In addition, legal expenses that can stem from an accident can result in a very significant expense. Companies need to take steps to reduce the risks associated with heavy equipment. More advanced machines and safety awareness have created a working climate that puts great value on quality equipment operators. More than ever, the equipment operator is becoming the key to success for many construction firms. This has dramatically increased the importance of finding and retaining quality people. It also means that companies must be committed to keeping operators current on machine advancements. Everyone in the construction industry understands that equipment is an investment. Companies pay a great deal of money to have equipment that helps them get jobs done efficiently. So, why would a company make an equipment investment without making an investment in the person who will operate it? This always has been a concern. Every construction company fights to minimize equipment downtime. When machines are down, projects fall off schedule and lost revenues can quickly add up. How does a construction company keep equipment running, maintain a safe work environment, find and retain quality employees, while staying profitable? The answer to this question is simple: go to the source. Giles & Ransome Inc. has been the Caterpillar dealer for southeastern Pennsylvania, northern Delaware and southern New Jersey for more than 75 years. Throughout that time, Giles & Ransome has continually offered service and support to its customer base. As a Caterpillar dealer, Giles & Ransome has seen all the changes in heavy equipment. These changes also have forced the company to change the way that it does business. Service technicians are constantly receiving training to make sure they are up-to- date on current equipment models. Problems that were once repaired with wrenches and hammers are now found with laptop computers. Training has been the key to maintaining a service department that can adequately respond to customers’ needs. Training also has played a huge role in keeping sales and service personnel current on all the recent changes to Cat equipment. Giles & Ransome now offers the same opportunity to its customers. Caterpillar has been offering equipment training for a long time. It is usually conducted in Peoria, IL, or at Cat’s proving grounds in Tucson, AZ. Giles & Ransome now is able to offer its customers the opportunity to enroll their operators in the same training program close to home with Caterpillar Equipment Training (CET). The training ensures customers who have purchased equipment are realizing the full potential of their investment. There are three levels of equipment training available and each is customized to best meet a customer’s needs. Machine Orientation Training The first level is general Machine Orientation Training. It is designed for new operators or operators who are moving to a different piece of equipment than one which they are familiar. The training is usually a half-day or less and covers machine features and benefits. Also included in the training are the steps of a walk-around inspection. The walk-around inspection highlights key maintenance checkpoints to help operators spot and prevent possible problem areas. Machine Orientation Training is available on all Cat model families. Standards Based Non-Certified Program The second level is a Standards Based Non-Certified Program. This course is “machine specific” and is designed for operators who have limited knowledge of features and benefits associated with Cat equipment. It is a one-day course that is designed to allow operators to greatly increase their return on investment of Cat machines. The course focuses on one particular model with emphasis placed on safety features and how an operator can prevent maintenance problems through a detailed walk-around inspection. The course also covers machine-monitoring systems with the goal of helping the operator to realize the full potential of the equipment features. There is a limited amount of hands-on practice in the Non-Certified Program. Upon the completion of the course each participant receives a participation diploma. Non-Certified Training is available on all Cat model families. Standards Based Certified Operator Training The third level allows the operator to join a select group of top equipment operators in the world. Standards Based Certified Operator Training is a “product family” course designed for operators with a minimum of two years experience in the family in which they are seeking certification. Certified Training involves the completion of a two and a half-day course with a curriculum that was designed by Caterpillar and the University of Illinois. Course content places emphasis on operator safety and focuses on individual features that are model specific. At each step in the Certified Training, there is a “hands-on” training and individual feedback from the instructor, helping to ensure students reach their full potential. “The operator will be instructed on the various standard safety features on Cat equipment and on how to use the equipment in potentially difficult situations,” explained Tim DiIorio, training manager of Giles & Ransome. “The operator also will be instructed on all production enhancement and performance features that are commonly found on their machines, as well as the proper use of these enhancements. The ultimate goal is to have the operator fully utilize all the available machine features to increase production and create a safer work environment,” he said. George Schulz, certified dealer instructor (CDI) of Giles & Ransome Inc., teaches the program. Schulz has been with Giles & Ransome for more than 40 years. He started in the Giles & Ransome service department and was the first Sentinel service mechanic. Schulz spent 31 years working in the sales department as a product specialist and demonstrator operator. His newest venture is as the company’s first certified dealer instructor. Over the years, he has seen first hand the changes that have come with increased equipment technology. “When operators learn how to utilize their machines properly, they will increase production and help to complete jobs ahead of schedule. Using controls in the operator station properly will make operators more efficient and lower unit costs,” said Schulz. Students who perform with a high degree of machine efficiency and demonstrate proper safety techniques will receive certification recognition from Caterpillar and Giles & Ransome along with a diploma signifying their achievement. Giles & Ransome currently offers Certified Training on six product families: track-type tractors, wheel loaders, off-highway trucks, hydraulic excavators, articulated trucks, wheel loaders in waste transfer stations and motorgraders. CET now allows equipment buyers to make an investment in their operators that will pay huge dividends. The cost of the training is miniscule when compared to replacing an undercarriage on a large dozer or fixing a blown tire on an off-highway truck. Training will allow operators to see problems before they happen. The techniques learned will help to reduce fleet maintenance costs. In addition, operators will get more tons per cycle from a wheel loader or will be able to load one more truck an hour with an excavator. These are quantifiable benefits that will increase a company’s bottom line and its overall efficiency. There also are a number of implicit benefits that come with having a highly-trained operator work force. As an example, Giles & Ransome and Schultz completed Certified Training on Cat wheel loaders for Richard S. Burns & Company Inc. Burns operates a transfer station and container service in Northeast Philadelphia and has been in business for more than 25 years. Recently Burns wanted to make equipment updates and was looking at what the market had to offer. The company purchased two Cat 950G wheel loaders to add to its Cat 236 skid steer loader and two 312 hydraulic excavators. The new 950s came with a number of advancements, so Burns enrolled four of its loader operators in Caterpillar’s Certified Operator Training. Schulz conducted the training over three days in Burns’ yard using its machines. At the end of the training, William Vile, Keenan Fogel, Allen T. Burns, and Richard S. Burns II, all qualified as Cat Wheel Loader Certified Operators. “The training and investment in our employees made sense considering that we had made the investment to get the best equipment,” said Richard S. Burns II. “It [the training] keeps our work environment safe and helps to build a team feeling among the employees. It shows our commitment to them,” said Burns. He also complimented Schulz on “a great job.” Although Burns and his operators were experienced, there still were skills that the training helped them to develop. As a result of the successful training, Burns now interested in training for his hydraulic excavator operators. Giles & Ransome is offering training flexibility by coming to a job site or providing training at its Bensalem facility. The training department will work with both sales and service representatives. For more information, call 800/999-4CAT or visit www.ransome.com.This story also appears on Construction Equipment Guide.
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