tracks & treads winter 2013

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000TT-FinningCat-FP.indd 1 11/4/13 3:03:20 PM

Road to Recovery

A World of DifferenceG & J Parking Lot Maintenance takes philanthropy to the next level for an African town

Standard of AirTier 4 Final is around the corner but Cat and Finning are ahead of the game

Ground Zero Grading and FirstOnSite play a crucial role in flood remediation

WINTER 2013

A FINNING CANADA PUBLICATION PM #40020055www.finning.ca

T&T_Winter_13_p01-36.indd 37 2013-11-15 3:40 PM

T&T_Winter_13_p02-03.indd 2 11/14/13 2:20:22 PM

On the CoverGround Zero Grading is hard at work repairing infrastructure damaged in last summer's flood.

Winter 13Contents

14 A World of Difference A once-abandoned town in Africa is on its way to self-sustainability thanks to G & J Parking Lot Maintenance

18 Don’t Worry Tier 4 Final is around the corner but Finning and Caterpillar are well ahead of the game

20 Disaster Relief The Finning network and its customers do whatever it takes to help southern Alberta recover from the devastating floods

26 Stars On Ice Extreme climates and conditions are the norm for Pelly Construction

30 Meeting the Challenge Spencer Smirl prepares for his return from Antarctica

14

26

Columns & Departments4 Finning Focus

Unsung Heroes

5 Letter to the Editor

6 Groundbreaker Walk a Mile results; Finning’s new YouTube channel; Squamish Days recap; Mining community supports Canucks Autism Network

10 By the Numbers

11 Yesterday & Today Cat’s cabs are known for their comfort but there was a time when cabs were optional

12 Operators’ Tips When it comes to machine longevity, a responsible operator goes a long way

13 Managers’ Tips The best managers strike a balance between firm and friendly

17 Service Spotlight Finning’s technical training is consistent with the company’s rich service history

25 Safety First Tips to stay safe on the roads this winter

32 Portrait Meet Ryan Hrappstead

33 Bill’s Business Finning’s Fishmas Miracle

34 Count on Us20

30

www.finning.ca �Winter 2013

T&T_Winter_13_p02-03.indd 3 11/14/13 2:29:32 PM

by hilary anaka, finning editor

Don't let the huge equipment fool you, there's a soft spot throughout the industry. Just don't expect to hear anyone brag about it

From the outside looking in, the heavy equipment industry can appear quite gruff and tough. The big machines, the resilient people and the extreme en-vironments signal a strength and power that can be quite intimidating.

You can trust me on this one, because prior to join-ing Finning I worked for a children’s charity where the subject matter was far more touchy-feely. But as the saying goes, never judge a book – or an indus-try – by its cover. Every week I hear a compelling story of generosity and humanity in this industry that could give any charity a run for its money. And what I like most about each story is the humble nature of the unsung heroes.

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to sit down with John Gallimore, an Edmonton-based major account manager for Finning, and Peter Wall, owner of G&J Parking Lot Maintenance, one of John’s long-term customers. John wanted me to hear first-hand of the amazing sustainability project that Peter was involved with in Swaziland.

Speaking from the heart and with great passion, Peter told me about the plight of orphaned children in this southern Africa country. He shared stories of specific children he’d grown fond of, statistics on the country’s declining population and the sustainable community that Bulembu is slowly but surely turning into. Our 60-minute meeting quickly turned to 90 minutes and I was beyond inspired and wanted to share this story with others. Though it’s not the same as sitting across a table, Peter’s dedication comes through in the story on page 14.

Closer to home, we’ve recently heard from folks that were stranded on the highway when a member of the Finning family came to the rescue. While driv-ing on the Yellowhead highway between Edmonton and Lloydminster, a tire blew out on a car carrying Sharla and her young niece to a family Thanksgiving gathering. Dreading the long wait for a tow truck on

the long weekend, Sharla was thrilled to see a Cat Rental Store truck pull over and mechanic Tosh Dion hop out. He put on his personal protective equip-ment, placed reflective triangles behind his vehicle and quickly changed the tire. Sharla was back on the road in no time and emailed in to share her gratitude. Tosh’s speedy roadside assistance ensured Sharla and her niece were also able to visit a sick family member in the hospital.

If you know of an unsung hero working in the industry, I’d love to hear it. Please email me at [email protected].

Unsung Heroes

SWINGS AND SMILES: A town in Africa is on its way to self-sustainabilty thanks to a Finning customer.

www.finning.ca� Winter 2013tracks & treads

T&T_Winter_13_p04-05.indd 4 11/14/13 7:58:23 AM

FALL 2013 Volume 54, No. 4

PUBLISHER Ruth Kelly

[email protected]

FINNING EDITOR Hilary Anaka

[email protected]

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Joyce Byrne

[email protected]

DIRECTOR OF CUSTOM CONTENT Mifi Purvis

[email protected]

EDITOR Jordan Wilkins

[email protected]

EDITORIAL ADVISORS Jeff Howard,

Michelle Loewen

ART DIRECTOR Charles Burke

[email protected]

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Andrea deBoer

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR

Colin Spence

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Betty Feniak Smith

PRODUCTION TECHNICIANS Brent Felzien, Brandon Hoover

CIRCULATION COORDINATOR

Karen Reilly [email protected]

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE

Anita McGillis [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Robin Brunet, Caitlin Crawshaw, David DiCenzo, Keith Haddock, Robbie Jeffrey, Trica Radison, Lisa Ricciotti, Scott Rollans

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS

Michael Ng, Joey Podlubny, Eugene Uhuad, Chip Zdarski

Tracks & Treads is published to provide its readers with relevant business, technology, product and service

information in a lively and engaging manner.

Tracks & Treads is published for Finning Canada by

Venture Publishing Inc.10259-105 Street

Edmonton, Alberta T5J 1E3 Phone: 780-990-0839

Fax: 780-425-4921

Contents © 2013 by Finning Canada. No part of this publication should be reproduced without written permission.

www.finning.ca

Tell us what you thinkTracks & Treads would love to hear from you. Tell us what you think of the magazine’s stories, columns and look, so that we can improve it and make it a more interesting read.

Send your comments to editor-in-chief Hilary Anaka by email at [email protected] or the old-fashioned way to: Hilary Anaka, Tracks & Treads, Finning Canada, 16830 – 107 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5P 4C3

DEAR TRACKS & TREADS:I just thought I would write a response to last issue’s Finning Focus. I am the son-in-law of John Malinowski and also the head mechanic at the Bow Mark Construction Company in Okotoks. We are loyal Finning customers and I deal with a lot of the great people at the company. I want to let people know that when my wife and I lost our house to the flood this past summer, many of the Finning employees I deal with on a daily basis took the courtesy to call, made sure my family was safe and unharmed, and offered any help they could. My gratitude goes out to Eric Wallin, Tom Kampala, Sheldon Allan, and all the boys at the parts counter for thinking of us during that time of distress. Once again it is a great feeling knowing that Finning has a good group of people and I look forward to dealing with them for many years to come. Thank you for your time and for the Difference Makers article; it’s always great to see that people care.Yours Truly,Kelly BruneskiThe Bow Mark Constuction Co.

PM #40020055

Don't let the huge equipment fool you, there's a soft spot throughout the industry. Just don't expect to hear anyone brag about it

www.finning.ca 5Winter 2013


www.finning.ca6 Winter 2013tracks & treads

By David DiCenzo

For the last 56 years, Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival has been a staple summer event in the B.C. interior and Finning has been there every chop of the way. That’s why, when it was announced earlier this year that the 2013 edition of the event’s logger competitions would be televised on TSN for the first time ever, Finning was immediately selected as the 2013 Sponsor of the Year.

“We are the original sponsor,” explains Finning sales manager Steve Cook. “We’ve been with the event from day one. It’s part of Finning’s long tradition to support the communities where we do business and when it comes to the forestry industry, Squamish has always been a major hub.”

With TV crews came larger crowds, although Cook admits that the perfect weather over the August long weekend event also played a role in attracting some of the highest attendance numbers in the history of the festival. But the added exposure brought a small roadblock that Cook says was averted because of Finning’s long-lasting relationship with the event.

Traditionally when TSN films logging sports events, all contestants wear TSN shirts, but Bryan Couture, president of the Squamish Days Loggers Sports Association, was adamant that all contestants and volunteers wear T-shirts

Squamish Days

Ask OSQAR

with Finning’s logo right on their chest. And, to go one further, when TV crews wanted an interview about Finning’s association with the event, Couture did the entire interview while sitting on the steps of a Cat 568 forest machine.

“Bryan is great and I’ve gotten to know him quite well over the years,” says Cook. “The whole event was a real success and I think everyone was really proud with how it turned out.” Other than the loggers’ events, the Squamish Days Logger Sports Festival featured children’s activities, a parade, music and entertainment, wacky bed races, a pancake breakfast and a 10-kilometre run. For more information about the event visit squamishdays.ca.

There probably isn’t an industry on the planet filled with as many myths as the Alberta oil sands. One of the largest companies in that industry is looking to increase transparency and answer some frequently asked questions while clarifying the facts from the fiction. OSQAR (oil sands questions and response) is a blog powered by Suncor that’s dedicated to supporting constructive dialogue about the oil sands industry. In its weekly posts, OSQAR talks about the energy industry, environmental impact, tailings management and reclamation, water management and the social and economic implications of oil sands development. Each post has a corresponding comments section that allows readers to engage in meaningful conversation about the oil sands. To stay involved in the discussion while you’re on the go, OSQAR is available as a free app for smartphones and tablets. Ask OSQAR at osqar.suncor.com.

LOGGING TIME: Finning was the sponsor of the year for the 2013 Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival over the August long weekend.



An App for ThatThe traditional method of job hunting is often lengthy and laborious. But the 2013 catchphrase holds true here – “there’s an app for that.” And that app is making the task a little easier.

Earlier this summer, Caterpillar launched a technician recruiting app designed to advertise technician jobs throughout North America. Available for free on Apple and Android phones, the app is a convenient tool for young, savvy job hunters to get the jump on opportunities with Caterpillar. The company even unveiled the app at a spring meeting in Montreal in a fashion that would have made Steve Jobs himself envious.

“It’s awesome,” was the succinct assessment from Finning’s human resources business partner Darlene Johnson. “It’s very user friendly. You can sort by location, job type or dealership. We all agreed that it was going to be a great way to get exposure.”

As of early October, all the listings were for heavy equipment technician positions in the U.S., but Johnson expects Canadian content to be added soon. She also sees the incredible potential with this type of technology. Ultimately, candidates will be able to apply directly through the app. And it could be useful for any type of position in the industry, not just techni-cians. “This is how young people will seek jobs,” Johnson says. “Caterpillar is ahead of the game in terms of tracking young talent and we want to do the same.”

Brent Stuart is a fixture at the Finning operation in Houston, B.C. The 44-year-old outdoor enthusiast and father of two teens got his start with the company when he was just 19 after a manager hired him on the spot at a curling bonspiel.

Stuart began by helping in the shop but quickly requested an apprenticeship.

“The guys told the boss, ‘Put him in a truck,’” Stuart recalls. “’He’ll sink or swim.’ ”He’s been swimming ever since. Stuart is now a veteran field mechanic, who

hauls his tools out to remote locations, occasionally by helicopter, snowmobile or tugboat, to save the day for Northern customers in need. Stuart has actually once used a helicopter to prop up a machine that needed repair.

“Never a dull moment,” he says.So when Caterpillar sought a Canadian subject with an interesting job to

profile in a national recruitment video, the staff in Houston nominated their MVP. “This was huge,” says co-worker Lisa Makuk. She also says she wishes

there were two of Stuart, given the demand for his skills. “He took some ribbing for sure, but we’re happy for him because he’s so deserving.”

His initial reaction to hearing the news that he would be followed around by a film crew to document his life was vintage Stuart: “I’ve got no time for that.”

But the shy guy from Terrace, B.C. became comfortable in front of the camera and showed just what he does – troubleshooting in pressure situations and under tough conditions. He even admitted the chest was puffed out a bit in the aftermath.

“I’m an outdoor guy,” says Stuart. “This job is a perfect fit.”Check out Brent's YouTube video at youtube.com/watch?v=zw3QomGy4Es.

Reality Brent


www.finning.ca� Winter 2013tracks & treads

We’re a society that craves content, especially video. Finning’s customers are no different. So the Caterpillar dealer is responding to satisfy that ever-growing need. On September 13, the Finning Canada YouTube Channel was officially launched.

Ever Seen That Cat Video on YouTube?“The YouTube channel was created in response to our

customers’ requests,” says Michael Ducharme, Finning’s e-business product manager. “Our numbers showed us people were viewing the few videos we already had on Finning.ca over and over.”

Finning’s marketing team ran with the idea to get more content on YouTube, uploading videos about product overviews, Finning’s history and what it’s like to work in the industry. More content will follow, including product walk-arounds, industry-specific information pieces and even customer profiles.

Ducharme says that so far response has been phenomenal. The channel is easily accessible on Finning.ca and has resulted in a 300 per cent increase in viewership.

“Sites like Twitter and YouTube are working alongside the traditional communication channels,” says Ducharme, noting that the industry is embracing these opportunities. “People consume so much content on mobile devices and we're using these channels to get our customers and Cat fanatics the information they're looking for. It allows a dialogue. We are just getting started and we are working hard to keep the conversation going.”

Check it out at youtube.com/FinningCanada.

Cat Yellow and Finning PinkYule recognized the demand and, after

speaking with several members of the Finning family, decided to add a philan-thropic spin, complete with a pink ribbon, to the T-shirt. For every pink shirt sold from the heavydutygear.ca website during the two-week campaign in September, $5 was donated to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation in October for breast cancer awareness month. Demand was so high that Finning extended the campaign for an additional week where remaining shirts were completely sold out.

Yule expected the campaign would be popular, but even she was surprised by how much support it received. “I was blown away,” she says. “It was fantastic.” In total, 401 shirts were sold resulting in a $2,005 donation to the Foundation. In addition to the shirts, a few additional pink products were sold on heavydutygear.ca with a portion of proceeds going to support breast cancer reserarch. But, if you’ve got your heart set on a shirt, don’t fret because Yule says there are plans for another campaign next May.

It all started with a T-shirt. It wasn’t long after Joelle Yule, Finning’s inside sales manager, heard of the customized, pink Finning shirt making its rounds when she started receiving requests from people asking where they could purchase their own. Problem was, the shirt wasn’t actually part of Finning’s clothing line.

Proud in Pink: (From left) Kelly Berry, Alyse Heddlested, Rick McFall, Travis Galenzoski, Ghassan El Chayeb, and Glen Pereira from Finning’s Albian operation in the oil sands wear their pink shirts every Tuesday to show support for a team member recently diagnosed with breast cancer.



Fishing For Kids

Every year since 2006, Finning and other members of the mining community have paired with the Vancouver Canucks for a weekend fishing trip in support of the Canuck’s Autism Network (CAN). It should come as no surprise that the weekend always raises heavy-duty funds for the network with this summer’s event garnering a total of $1.1 million. “When the mining industry sets its focus on something, we can move mountains,” says Gordon Finlay, vice president of coal and metals with Finning. “And when the Canucks are on board for anything, there is always an entire community that comes with them.”

The weekend, which includes a fishing derby, a live and silent auction, and entertainment, all set against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean, is open for anyone who wants to pay the entrance fee. Finlay says that Finning is always involved and includes several customers in the festivities. Finning also donates items to both auctions, with all proceeds going to the CAN.

The funds raised for CAN at the Fishing for Kids Fundraising Tournament go towards delivering high-calibre and innovative sports, recreation, social and vocational programs to the children and families living with autism in B.C. Every year Ledcor selects a Champion Child to bring on the trip who gets to fish with members of the mining community and the Vancouver Canucks organization. Finlay says that meeting these children and their families is always a highlight of the event. “It’s always a fantastic weekend,” he says. “You get to enjoy a great time with a family and child who has been impacted by autism. It really is a great cause and I think that’s why it’s so easy to get support from everyone in the community.”

Mod Your MachineIs your customized Cat the envy of the fleet? Do you have a custom replica that others rave about? If so, Finning wants to see it. Send us photos of your customized machine and you’ll have a chance to see those pictures published in an upcoming issue of Tracks and Treads. If you’re feeling extra creative (and tech savvy) submit a video of your heavy duty ride and your prized machine just might pop up on Finning’s new YouTube channel. E-mail Hilary Anaka at [email protected] to submit photos or a video of your modified Cat.

Mile High

Al Madge, senior manager of credit and collections with Finning, took this year’s YWCA Walk a Mile in Her Shoes fundraiser to the next step. He missed the opportunity to participate last year, but he was around this year to squeeze into a pair of high heels for a walk on September 10 in Edmonton. Madge originally set a goal to raise $500 for the event but after surpassing it in just two days, he said that if he could raise $3,000, he’d do the entire walk in a dress. Madge’s grand total was $3,195, making him the fourth highest individual fundraiser. As a team, Finning once again took top prize raising $16,165 to help women and children escape domestic violence. For more information visit ywcaofedmonton.org.



40.6By the Numbers

15 The number of Finning instructors in each technical training group

Total number of apprentices

in Finning’s apprentice group

in 2012

Per cent of Canadian households that served turkey for the holidays last year

1,700

71,500372Training hours spent in Finning’s

core and product classes

Amount, in dollars, of disaster assistance provided to nine municipalities

Approximate number of Albertans still out of their homes after last summer’s flood

985Total kilometres of roads and bridges closed as a result of flood damage

3.9 millionNumber of whole turkeys consumed by Canadians last holiday season

150 million

1Alberta’s provincial

ranking for the highest average

charitable donation

Per cent of Canadians older

than 15 who volunteer for a charitable organization

27


Evolution: In the 1950s operating heavy machinery was quite the workout. Today’s Cat cabs are designed with operator comfort and safety in mind.

strong steel frame, serving the same function as the ROPS. Over the years, Caterpillar has added hundreds of design details with safety in mind. Most were a result of customer and operator feedback from the field. Gone are the days when boarding a crawler tractor or excavator involved a hazardous climb over slippery steel tracks. Today, strategically-placed steps, handrails and catwalks, and an uncluttered cab floor aid access. Modern design features mean maximum visibility and include sloping hoods, glare-reducing paint, and large windows often to the cab's floor level. Designs for hydraulic cylinders and lift arms have the operator’s line-of-sight in consideration, allowing a full view from the edge of the bucket or blade. The installation of cameras eliminates all blind spots. Each new machine boasts a cab with fewer decibels than its predecessor. The Caterpillar standard isolation-mounted cab utilizes the latest technology to provide the ultimate in sound and vibration reduction.

Computerization and joystick controls have brought a new world to equipment design. Young operators, familiar with video games controlled by joysticks, quickly adapt their pre-existing skills to heavy equipment. Main movements on crawler tractors, crawler loaders, excavators and other machines today are controlled simply by a pair of joystick levers; a steering wheel on a wheel loader is now obsolete. Joystick levers reduce hand and arm movement by around 80 per cent, increasing operator accuracy and reducing the chance of injury. This is a massive transformation from the mechanical control levers of early machines. A 1950s crawler loader like the Caterpillar 955 had a manual clutch-and-gear lever that controlled speed and direction; operators steered with separate clutch levers and brake pedals, and a pair of hand levers controlled bucket raise and tilt.

While the modern cab has just a couple of short levers for all main functions, there is still a wide range of tools; they’re just different than in the older models. Operators these days must know how to use the computer switches, keyboard and monitors that display by-the-minute machine status, grade information and built-in GPS and grading systems. While modern cabs are comfortable, there’s still a lot the operator must be aware of. Old-timers might rethink their position on how easy operators have it today if they were to climb inside a modern cab.

If you’ve spent any time around an old-time heavy equipment operator, you’ve probably heard the comments: “With these modern, climate-controlled cabs, computer technology, and joystick controls, these young guys have it so easy!” or “Back when I started they didn’t even have cabs, and those heavy mechanical levers sure gave you a good workout by the end of the shift.” It shows how much has changed in Cat equipment over the decades, specifically in operator comfort. Next to safety, manufacturers today regard operator comfort as the second most important selling point for new machines. Every new product launch highlights safety and ease-of-operation features. Owners require these features to attract good operators, who are in great demand, and operators expect to be comfortable for the duration of their eight-to-12-hour shift. Sitting in a modern Caterpillar cab is kind of like sitting in your favourite chair at home. Operators enjoy the support of the fully-adjustable, air-suspended Cat Comfort Series Seat. Climate control systems automatically adjust the

heat and air conditioning to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the day (no matter the weather) and will even defrost the cab’s windows when necessary.

It’s a far cry from the early days when cabs were a non-standard item on heavy equipment and rarely used. The only “climate control” operators had on cold days was rigging canvas shrouds around the engine, or affixing flexible piping to direct warm air to their seats. Sometimes they improvised a makeshift cab with pieces of scaffold tubing, plywood or canvas but it wasn't pretty.

These desperate efforts often reduced visibility to dangerous levels. Current ROPS (Roll-Over Protection Structure) laws have resulted in the strong steel frame over the operator. This was followed by the ROPS cab, a fully enclosed cab with

Cab Revolution There was a time when cabs were optional. Quite a contrast to today’s comfortable, climate-controlled operator stations


by keIth haddock

71,500

3.9 million

150 million

1


Tips

technique that can extend the life of a dozer’s undercarriage is to avoid reversing at high speeds, which has potential to inflict significant damage. With undercarriages typically running $30,000, you’ll want to squeeze from it as many hours as possible.

Ground engaging tools (GET), the edges on dozer blades and buckets, are the first line of defense between your machine and the surface you’re digging into, and their lives in the field are maximized by making smart, calculated decisions that can reduce fuel consumption and boost efficiency. Make an effort to inspect for structural damage, cracks, and missing tips or retainers, and make repairs and adjustments as soon as they’re required. This can increase the wear life by up to 50 per cent. Swap out the replaceable GET before you get into the base metals.

“Whenever you can, let gravity do the work instead of having your machine do it for you,” Nunn says. “You’ll have less wear and tear on the machine, and you’ll be more productive. Gravity always wins.” Don’t wear down the cutting edge by laying the blade too far forward, and be sure to avoid damaging the base by keeping the blade too far back.

Perhaps the most obvious recommendation Nunn gives is also the most important. “Follow the recommended service procedures,” he says. “Every new machine comes equipped with an OMM (operation maintenance manual) in the back pouch behind the operator’s seat. If you follow all of the recommended service intervals on that machine, you’re going to increase the longevity of it.” Whether it’s as simple as changing the breather on a fuel cap so the vacuum stays consistent in your fuel tank, responding to indicator lights in your cab, keeping the pressure in your tires, or blowing air through a transmission breather, it’s always easier to do it before, rather than after something has gone wrong.

The difference between hitting a milestone service mark and the walk of shame to the shop usually comes down to a responsible operator

By Robbie JeffRey

Long Way Down

imagine the last machine you operated bites the dust. Could you have done something to keep it going? Did it fulfill the potential its engineer had envisioned for it? Was it well into its twilight years even though it looked forever young? Did it have to go so soon?

“When it comes to longevity, the little things are what count,” says Brad Nunn, Finning application specialist in heavy construction and mining. Proper maintenance and a responsible operator is the difference between hitting the 3,000-hour service mark with a smile and a pat on the back or hanging your head and apologizing for the premature removal of the machine. Luckily, there are simple practices that an operator can undertake to ensure the longevity of their machine and to keep it in the field for well beyond its expected lifespan.

First things first: always make sure you have the right machine for the job. “If you go to play baseball, don’t bring a hockey stick,” explains Nunn. Don’t use a low ground pressure machine in high-impact conditions like heavy rock, for example, since this could damage the pads and undercarriage of the machine and result in expensive repairs and unneeded downtime. “If you don’t have the right machine,” says Nunn, “you’re inevitably going to put it through undue stress.”

To guarantee efficient work, think out your process in advance and pay attention to how the machine is responding to the task at hand. A good operator is always aware of the temperature of their machine. “Whether it be your powertrain system, core convertor to outlet temperature, or engine, make sure that you’re not running above the threshold,” advises Nunn. Plan your turns to avoid overworking your machine and damaging your tires with tight, high-speed maneuvers.

“Humans are creatures of habit,” Nunn continues. Take note of your routine. “One common mistake is to always work off one side of a dozer.” Instead of wearing it down proportionately, this causes one side of the machine to become obsolete long before the other. Another simple

operators

It’s always better to correct operating habits than to pay for a repair when something breaks before it should.



managers

time to relate to their employees on a personal level, whenever it’s appropriate. Leaders who are natural “enhancers” need to make sure they know when to push their

employees a little harder and raise expectations. “The best leaders know that if they’re gentle, compassionate, kind all of the time, nothing’s going to get done,” Dawson says.

In addition to considering the personalities of their employees, good leaders adapt their styles to specific situations which call for a “tougher” or “nicer” approach. The culture of a workplace and the generations of workers can also influence how leaders combine these two styles, says Acton.

In his experience, new managers are rarely taught about leadership before assuming a position of leadership. Acton urges mangers (both rookies and veterans) to experiment with different approaches and to seek guidance from other managers in their workplace. It’s also helpful to have conversations with employees to find out what each employee needs to succeed.

In addition to helping you better manage your team, a frank discussion can also improve your rapport. “The research suggests that those kinds of conversations with your staff allow them to feel understood and cared about,” says Acton.

There you go; if you tend to lean on the stern side, a simple conversation is all it takes to become more compassionate with your staff. And, if you need to toughen up a bit, analytical statistics or customer testimonials are great ways to start increasing the accountability amongst your staff, if that’s what’s needed. Just remember, keep some balance between the two and know what style works best for each employee.

By Caitlin Crawshaw

Naughty or Nice?A recent Harvard study shows that neither approach is enough to create significant employee engagement

there’s a reason the mean boss stereotype exists in pop culture: many of us have dealt with a tough manager with sky-high expectations and a prickly demeanour. Their foil is the nice-guy, who appears to care more about relationships than results, sometimes behaving more like a friend than an authority figure or leader.

But, a recent study published in the Harvard Business Review suggests that neither style is particularly effective when it comes to engaging employees. The study’s authors surveyed around 160,000 employees and 31,000 leaders at hundreds of companies worldwide to determine which leaders were most effective: tough leaders (defined by the authors as “drivers”) or nice leaders (defined as “enhancers”).

Focused on establishing high standards of excellence and continuous improvement, drivers engaged about 8.9 per cent of employees. Enhancers, who connect with the concerns of others, excel at offering honest feedback and act as role models, engaged only 6.7 per cent of their staff. But those leaders who could blend both styles engaged 68 per cent of their employees.

Calgary psychologist and executive coach Bob Acton says the study is consistent with a lot of literature on the subject but he takes it one step further. “Actually, it’s not either or,” he says. “The best leaders are neither enhancers or drivers.” Rather than sticking with a single leadership approach, a good manager can adapt to the needs of individual employees. After all, employees are individuals and everyone is motivated differently.

Karen Dawson, a Calgary-based executive coach and leadership development consultant, says that many people respond to a mix of both styles. “There is always going to be a few people who honestly say, ‘I need a leader to be nice. I can’t work for someone who isn’t nice.’ And there’s always going to be a few people who say, ‘I need someone who’s tough and without that, I don’t perform at my best,’ ” she says. However, she agrees that most people respond best to a combination of the two.

After all, “drivers” are people with vision, who care about customers, quality and their staff performing well. “A lot of us want to work with people like that – but we also don’t want to be bullied,” says Dawson. That’s why a leader who may lean towards this style needs to take

In addition to considering the personalities of their employees, good leaders adapt their styles to specific situations.



A WORLD Of DiffeRence

By Lisa Riccotti PhotograPhy By MichaeL NGone african town is closer to self-sustainability thanks to G & J Parking Lot Maintenance

ive years ago, Peter Wall introduced an innovative community support program to his construction paving company. The program has produced results any manager would envy. The president of Edmonton’s G & J Parking Lot Maintenance, Wall says it has benefitted his staff and

company, too, drastically reducing staff turnover, creating a more positive work environment and instilling personal growth among staff. But, while this program is intended to increase the quality of life of people involved, Wall says that any positive

Fwww.finning.ca14 Winter 2013tracks & treads

TIME FOR PLAY: During G & J Parking Lot Maintenance’s annual trip to Bulembu earlier this year, employees constructed the town’s first playground, donated by the City of Calgary..


A WORLD Of DiffeRence

impact to his own company is just a bonus; the real recipients of Wall’s efforts live half a world away in a once-abandoned African town called Bulembu in the Kingdom of Swaziland.

Today Bulembu is the focus of a world-wide initia-tive, Bulembu International, to transform the former ghost town back into a sustainable community. But Bulembu’s situation hasn’t always been as dire. In the mid-20th century, the local economy was fuelled by one of the world’s largest asbestos mines with its population reaching 10,000 people. Unfortunately, the mine started encountering heavy losses and, by 2001, was completely shut down. Almost all of the employment in the area left when the mine did, and Bulembu’s population plummeted to just under 50 residents. The closing of the mine couldn’t have come at a worse time as the region was also affected by an HIV epidemic, creating a nation-wide orphan crisis.

Despite the situation, there were those who never gave up hope for Bulembu. The town’s property was purchased by a non-profit organization (Bulembu Ministries Swaziland, which is supported by Bulembu International) in hopes of restoring the town to its former glory, and to instill hope in the nation’s orphaned generation. This resiliency was not lost on Wall during his trip to Africa several years ago when he first found out about Bulembu. Wall was visiting the continent in hopes of adding an international organization to his long history of support for “home” charities, which for him meant giving in his hometown, his home province and home country. Bulembu International stood out as a charitable structure unlike any he’d ever seen.

What he saw in the village during his 2008 visit was the opportunity for lasting change, not just temporary relief. “If you build a church in a developing coun-try, then go back two years later and it’s nothing but weeds, what good have you done?” Wall asks. “If you send food, but the day after you stop everyone goes hungry again, have you really helped? What’s happen-ing in Bulembu is different. It’s based on a business model of sustainability through enterprise.”

Wall explains the strategy that Bulembu International hopes will take the community to self-sufficiency by 2020 and generate enough revenue to provide total care and education for 750 orphans. The charity is helping to create new businesses, using the existing infrastructure of the old mining town as a base. It uses the profits from these new business ventures to fund everything needed to raise orphans from infancy to adulthood, such as food, health care from Bulembu’s onsite clinic and education in the town’s own school. The businesses also employ local people, which gives them the self-sufficiency that comes with an ongoing salary.

Most charities require ongoing donations in order to continue their good work, but Wall hopes to see the day when Bulembu will no longer need his involve-ment. “We set it up so eventually we can turn the

entire operation over to the Swazi people. When we walk away, everything should continue without us.” Bulembu now has a variety of business lines, all of which are profitable – a sawmill, a lodge, a dairy and bakery, bottled water and honey.

But back to the Bulembu-Edmonton connection. To Wall, true philanthropy is about being involved in the cause and is more than just writing cheques. He wants to instill this philosophy in his own employees in Edmonton, which is why for the last several years, he has allowed 12 to 20 each year to send to Bulembu and contribute to Bulembu International’s efforts.

“I thought it would be cool if employees could feel, see and taste what it’s like to be part of making a difference,” he says. “Often staff thinks the sole purpose of businesses is to line the pockets of the owners. I wanted them to realize the work they do here is about more than that. Profits are also used to do good and help the less fortunate, and we allow them the opportunity to personally participate in that process through Bulembu.”

Two weeks in Bulembu, Swaziland doesn’t show up as an option on most winter getaway brochures but G & J employees who go tend to return using terms like “unforgettable,” “once-in-a-lifetime” and even “life-changing.” Or, sometimes staff describe their stay as simply “indescribable,” like G & J Parking Lot Maintenance admin assistant Tricia Ryhorchuk, who had a hard time waiting to reach the five-year employment mark that earns G & J staff a Bulembu-bound flight. “I thought I knew what to expect after hearing so many stories from others who’d gone,” Tricia recalls. “But once I got there, it hit me that something bigger was happening, something I still find hard to put into words. You really have to go to get it.”

“If you send food, but the day after you stop everyone goes hungry again, have you really helped?” asks Peter Wall. “Bulembu is different. It’s based on sustainability through enterprise.”


A SPECIAL THANKS: For Peter Wall, president of G & J, Bulembu International is more than just a charity. Each year he sends employees to take part in rebuilding the town and is also an accommodating host when the Bulembu Children’s Choir visits Canada.


The Coldest Journey

that helping hands and a will to work are all that’s needed. G & J employees have done a lot of painting, giving a fresh look to houses, dining halls and kitch-ens and the health clinic. On another visit they helped create a much-needed stairway by cutting ledges in the steep hillside to give the children easier access to school classrooms.

There’s rarely an opportunity for G & J employees to use their specialized concrete, gravel, earth- moving and paving knowledge for the work they do in Bulembu. However, one year they finished their work project ahead of schedule and decided to tackle the pot-holed surfaces that the Swazis optimistically call roads.

“That took a bit of ingenuity,” Wall remembers. “We found some aggregate, some oil and improvised to create something like asphalt, then taught their work-ers how to fill in the holes.” Bulembu staff continue to use the technique and road maintenance is now part of a regular schedule.

Dorsey says the changes he’s seen over five years in Bulembu are remarkable. “The village has grown from very limited facilities in our first year there to full businesses that run a profit and have more employees than ever. Homes are renovated, there are real dining halls and centralized kitchens now and more schools. This year will see the first set of students graduate from high school and Bulembu International will now help fund their university education. The organization has enough funding to raise more orphans now and you see more kids everywhere. It’s been amazing for us to watch them grow up.”

As a philanthropist who’s also a savvy businessman, Wall likes to see measurable results as proof that his donation dollars aren’t being wasted. Bulembu is more than meeting his expectations. What began as a tenta-tive first step into international charity has become a total commitment and Wall has taken his efforts even further and is now a director for Bulembu Canada.

“I always tell my staff that I do this to change lives. I do it to change the lives of all those orphans of course, but what they don’t understand at first is that going to Bulembu will also change them. Ultimately I think what we do over there has more impact on us than them. Bulembu makes you a better person and our business has benefitted from that. It’s a huge advantage for a company. We go there thinking we’re helping the Swazi and we do, but sometimes I wonder who’s helping who.”

A typical sun-seeking tourist certainly may not “get” Bulembu’s appeal. Accommodations are adequate, but hardly lavish (no phones, TVs or Wi-Fi access in the shared rooms.) Wall knows the Bulembu experience isn’t for everyone and there’s never any pressure to make the trip. But he admits that employees who have made the excursion come back different people. Although creating a better company is not the reason that Wall is involved with Bulembu International, it does make G & J a better place. “Staff are friendlier and more cohesive,” says Wall. “They have a better outlook on life with more awareness of what’s important and what isn’t. They enjoy being here; we’re more of a family now because we share a common goal through this project.”

Operations manager James Dorsey has acted as group leader for all five of G & J’s employee work shifts to date and he agrees that the experience creates a special bond between participants. “The impact doesn’t dwindle away. We often compare notes and share stories and memories. Bulembu comes up in our conversations every day. It’s our company’s special niche.”

Dorsey was among the first employees selected for the company’s introduction to Bulembu in 2009. On that trip the group helped set up the town’s dairy, busting up the concrete floors of the managers’ clubhouse at the former mine to create milk-ing stalls, and converting the golf course into grazing grounds for the new herd of Jerseys. Most recently he and Ryhorchuk helped set up a retired playground donated by the City of Calgary. They arrived to face the giant puzzle of putting together hun-dreds of metal poles and parts. The children had never seen anything like it and the “grand opening” of the new play area was a memorable day for the G & J group.

“The kids just couldn’t wait to get on it,” says Ryhorchuk. “There was so much laughter and lots of giggles as they tried it out for the first time. And the happiness in their eyes … that’s why we volunteer for Bulembu.”

No special skills are required from volunteers, who come from around the world to contribute their time and energy. There’s so much to be done to restore the town


MAN POWER: In Edmonton, G & J employees have access to a fleet of Cat equipment, but work in Bulembu is done with limited machinery.

Bulembu International is a non-profit organization dedi-cated to restoring hope to the people of Swaziland, who currently have the highest HIV/AIDS infection rate in the world. The strategy is to return Bulembu to a self-sustain-ing community through enterprise and community care. For more information on the organization or to find out how you can help, visit bulembu.org.


Finning Canada has always held fast to the words proclaimed eight decades ago by its founder, Earl B. Finning, who said: “We service what we sell.” Back in 1933, Earl’s commitment to service set Finning apart from its competitors. The tradition continues today thanks in part to Finning Canada’s significant annual investment in technical training for its 1,900 mechanics. And to ensure there’s a steady stream of service technicians coming into the industry, Finning and Caterpillar also support various technical training institutions and programs throughout western Canada.

That’s because the science of service delivery continues to evolve. In Finning’s early days, tools were scarce and a lot of ingenuity was required – in one repair legend, a bearing was made out of a logger’s old boot. The machine ran until a proper part was available. Today’s toolbox is a wee bit more advanced – it includes digital pens for service reports, high-end laptops and an array of diagnostic programs.

“How do we measure the value of training at Finning?” asks Dave Scott, Finning’s director of technical training based in Edmonton. “It’s our lifeblood so we rely on our customers to let us know how we’re doing – through regular contact with our sales and service staff and through customer surveys. It’s the strong relationships with our customers and the needs of their businesses that help us continu-ally improve the service we offer.” He adds: “Through its commitment to research and development, Caterpillar is always on the leading edge, manufactur-ing new, more productive and complex equipment.” Keeping up with Caterpillar innovations means Scott and his Finning colleagues are continually adjusting the training programs they deliver.

Scott started his career with Finning as a journeyman mechanic 37 years ago. He’s a Castlegar, B.C. native who has worked on Cat machines throughout western Canada and the Arctic. Since 2009, he’s been leading the charge to arm both Finning’s own technicians and customers’ employees with the necessary tools and knowledge to service Caterpillar’s sophisticated fleet of machines.

Scott explains that Finning’s technical training focuses on three areas: apprenticeship programs, where new techs alternate between the classroom and the shop

From the beginning Finning’s standard of service excellence has always been the company’s lifebloodBy DaviD DiCenzo

Past, Present and Future

Spot light

floor, foundational courses for those who have completed their apprenticeship and advanced training on specific machine models.

Apprenticeship training, which feeds the requirement for future technicians, delivers a well-rounded, technical college educated individual with practical Caterpillar equipment experience, says Scott. Once a four-year apprenticeship is completed, Finning techs complete Finning-delivered courses in engines, hydraulics, power train, electrical and applied failure analysis. “These would be the graduate-level courses,” Scott says. “This extensive training regime equips our technicians with the skills necessary to expertly diagnose and repair our customers’ equipment,” says Scott, noting that so far in 2013 his technical training team has delivered 302 courses to 1,873 students.

Through its robust commitment to training, Finning sets the standard for the industry. The tradition began during the Second World War when two army officers set up an appointment with Earl Finning. They requested that Finning Tractor organize a training program for operator mechanics in the armed services. Earl agreed and for its efforts, the company was eventually given the Canadian Armed Services Award, the highest recognition available for a civilian organization.

Scott is proud to be part of this great tradition and he knows that it will con-tinue. “Training is a life journey,” he says. “I’m afraid the day of basic mechanical work is gone; our field is now very precise and highly technical. And that’s what we require to support the Caterpillar product of today and tomorrow.”

"It’s the strong relationships with our customers and the needs of their businesses that help us continually improve the service we offer."



he mention of Tier 4 Final to anyone associated with heavy equipment is usually a sobering experience. Concerns over the further

reduction in diesel exhaust emissions have been brew-ing since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) first detailed a 99.6 per cent reduction in diesel fuel sulfur content and similar reductions in particu-lates and nitrous oxide (NOx).

Although Tier 4 Final starts to take effect this coming January, Ryan Kisko, Finning’s Calgary-based manager of corporate projects and emissions compli-ance, has a simple message for Cat customers. “Don’t worry,” he says. “You still have to prepare for urea (an aqueous solution injected in the exhaust air stream that evaporates into ammonia and breaks down NOx), but other than that Cat has created an emissions solu-tion that the customer doesn’t have to manage.”

The EPA and its counterparts in Europe and Japan were motivated to create Tier 4 because diesel is the primary source of power for heavy duty equipment. The organizations first focused on setting emissions

regulations for the on-road market and then stepped up the pace of regulation for off-road diesel equipment applications.

While Tier 3 regulations required only a 40 per cent reduction in NOx compared to Tier 2, the current Tier 4 Interim (which was implemented in the U.S. in January of 2011 and in Canada the following year) required a 90 per cent reduction in particulate matter, plus a 50 per cent drop in NOx compared to Tier 3. Tier 4 Final, which will be fully implemented in all engine classes by 2015, will maintain particulate matter levels and require an additional 80 per cent reduction in NOx compared to Tier 4 Interim.

Achieving these percentages required an almost superhuman effort from engine manufacturers, and Caterpillar scrambled as an engine and an original equipment manufacturer to be ready for the Tier 4 Final emissions standard. But, as usual, Cat

is prepared for the new regulations and the company has been for some time. The C27 ACERT and C32 ACERT engines produced at the company’s 421,000-square-foot Griffin facility in Georgia (the global source for 3408, 3412, C27 and C32 engines as well as Caterpillar generator sets) were ready to meet Tier 4 Final standards by 2011 – even though at that point the regulations were still years away from taking effect.

The C27 and C32 models are a good example of Cat’s de-termination to make the transition between tiers as easy as possible for its custom-ers. Built upon Caterpillar’s Tier 2 platform, the engines have the same dimensions and hookup points as previous models, eliminating the need for major equipment redesigns. Only the addition of a few extra components that amounted to a couple of extra assembly steps is required to transition between tiers.

Built upon Caterpillar’s Tier 2 platform, the engines have the same dimensions and hookup

points as previous models, eliminating the need for major

equipment redesigns.

CAT FACTSCaterpillar offers some encouraging figures of its own, allaying Tier Fears.

• Proven performance: There are more than 40,000 EU Stage IIIB/Tier 4 Interim products in the field with more than 20 million hours since production. Many machines have already logged over 9,000 hours.

• Proven technology: There is less than 15 per cent new content in Tier 4 Final engines.

• System integration: It allows Cat to optimize power, fuel economy and emissions reduction.

• Automatic and transparent operation: It’s an emissions solution the customer doesn’t have to manage.

MASSIVE REDUCTIONEngines as powerful as those in a Cat 797 aren’t required to meet the Tier 4 final standards until 2015, but with the new standards on the horizon, it’s never too early to start looking at emission reduction. Suncor shares this mindset as the company is currently trying out the world’s first two 797 repower trucks at their oil sands operation. The repower trucks feature retrofitted single engines designed by Cat Emission Solutions and Cat Mining to replace the previous 797 tandem unit that consisted of two 12-cylinder engine blocks coupled to operate as a single engine. And, while the repowered 797s don’t completely meet the upcoming Tier 4 final standards, Justin Gilmour, an engine product specialist with Finning, says that they are a great first step for companies to take toward emission reduction.

“The repower engine can be dropped into the same frame and features a lot less moving parts and less stress than the previous engines,” he explains. “It also drastically cuts down the NOx and particulates expelled into the air and will help companies get an accurate look at how this technology works in their fleet. It gets them familiar ahead of time with the engine platform Cat has chosen to meet future regulations.”

Cat has created an emissions solution that the customer doesn’t have to manage By Robin bRUnET

Don't WorryT



That being said, this preparation didn’t come easy and Finning has been equally busy ensuring its service staff is up to speed on the technology.

“It’s been a large undertaking,” Kisko notes. “We’ve been aggressively training our service technicians and technical communicators (the experts that the techni-cians call when they get stumped). Right now we are preparing for in-depth Tier 4 Final training that will happen this January.”

Perfect timing, because that’s when engines in the 175 to 750 horsepower range must meet Tier 4 Final standards. Engines greater than 750 horsepower won’t fall under the standards until 2015, but Kisko points out that the 175-750 horsepower range encompasses a large percentage of Caterpillar machines, including graders, articulated trucks and medium-sized dozers such as the D6, D7, D8 and D9. It also includes a large number of medium wheel loaders like the 988 and 962, as well as excavators from the 324 to the 390, he says.

It should be noted that the EPA Flex transition program enabling manufacturers to use previous tier engines in new machines for a limited time remains intact. Launched in 2011, the Flex program will eventu-ally wind down in 2018.

And when it comes to operators, Caterpillar’s ap-proach to Tier 4 Final standards has been so compre-hensive that the only thing they need to be aware of is the introduction of urea as a chemical that reduces the combustion temperatures, which in turn lowers the creation of NOx emissions. “Previously, exhaust gas recirculation was used to lower the temperature and reduce NOx,” explains Kisko. “For Tier 4 Final, filters

Don't Worry

collect the soot and the addition of urea is injected into the exhaust stream to reduce NOx to desired levels. All operators need to remember is to fill their urea tank whenever they fill their diesel tank.”

In “extreme” weather conditions (-11̊ C – not very extreme for a Canadian winter) urea will eventually freeze, but Kisko stresses that under EPA guidelines operators will still be allowed to use their equipment while the Cat machine’s built-in technology thaws the chemical.

Also, operators should know that the ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel and the API CJ-4 lube oil used during Tier 4 Interim will still be the standard in Tier 4 Final.

Kisko offers some data on Tier 4 engines that might make the transition more desirable for even its harshest critics. “Tier 4 Interim had a fuel savings of approximately five per cent over Tier 3, and Tier 4 Final has an additional ap-proximate of five per cent total fluid savings, including diesel exhaust fluid, over Tier 4 Interim,” he says. “Our customers need to be thinking in terms of not only fuel consumption, but total fluid consumption, because in this regard Cat really outshines the rest.”

As Tier 4 Final approaches, Kisko reiterates his main message that customers have nothing to fear of the new standard. Cat has turned lemons into lemon-ade by using these regulations to design a better overall engine for customers. “From an operational standpoint the new engines, and in some cases the entire machines, are much more efficient,” he says. “It’s all good news.”

Engines rated 130-560 bkW (175-750 bhp)



LIFE PRESERVER: Last summer's flood was the costliest disaster in Canadian history, but without FirstOnSite and help from the Finning network, damage could have been even worse.



Finning customers and the Cat network do whatever it takes to help southern Alberta recover from a disastrous flood

Disaster RELIEF BY TRICIA RADISON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEY PODLUBNY

algary’s downtown a sea of brown water, homes disappearing into raging rivers, buildings in High River almost completely

submerged. An unexpected and devastating blow to individuals, businesses, communities and the prov-ince, the flooding in southern Alberta last June caused more than $1.7 billion of damage, creating the costliest insured natural disaster Canada has ever seen. But it also brought out the best in people and generated countless stories of dedication, collaboration and doing whatever was necessary to get things back to normal. This is one of those stories.

As those in southern Alberta nervously watched the rivers in their communities swell, unaware of what to do, people from FirstOnSite Restoration were already swinging into action.

“We were monitoring it and when we knew it was going to be a potentially catastrophic event, we started pre-planning, much like we do with a hurricane,” explains Billy Short II, vice-president of large loss op-erations at FirstOnSite. “We were trying to find lodging, setting up rental cars, doing everything we could so that when we hit the ground we were mobile and had somewhere to stay.”

A disaster restoration company with more than 40 locations across Canada and the U.S., FirstOnSite is there when nature turns violently ugly, cleaning up in the chaos left by hurricanes, tornados, floods and other events. Short is one of the go-to guys when something big hits, mobilizing the resources needed to take care of the company’s clients when the unthinkable hap-pens. As soon as an event is forecast, Short, who has led restoration responses to every major hurricane in the

U.S. in the last decade, and his team start pre-planning. Sometimes they have a week. Sometimes they only have a day.

FirstOnSite’s regional head office is in Calgary and it has numerous local commercial customers in its PREP (Priority Response Emergency Plan) program. Those in the PREP program, which includes major property owners, especially in the city’s downtown core; major retail chains; industrial and manufacturing companies; and larger franchises with multiple branches; have an existing relationship with FirstOnSite designed to help them prepare for disaster in order to get back to busi-ness as quickly as possible. When an event does occur, FirstOnSite is able to respond and help them fast. It’s critical to act quickly because every day a business is down it’s losing money. Statistics show that the longer a business is down, the less likely it is to re-open.

In a flood situation, the first priority is to get rid of the water, then the mud. Then areas are pressure cleaned before drying equipment is used to dry structures out. With such a massive flooded area to deal with in south-ern Alberta, FirstOnSite needed resources. One of the first calls the company made was to Mike Mol, a sales representative at The Cat Rental Store.

“They said to send them every pump and generator we had, and whatever else we could get our hands on,” recalls Mol.

Mol let his branch manager, Scott Bishop, know about FirstOnSite’s situation and the Finning Canada network was soon in high gear, sourcing pumps and generators from Finning power systems and other Cat Rental Stores across western Canada.

“We supplied them with as much gear as we could,

C

www.finning.ca Winter 2013 21


ROAD BLOCK: Ground Zero Grading needed equipment in a hurry to start work on rebuilding roads and bridges throughout southern Alberta.

everything from a two-inch pump all the way up to an eight-inch diesel, and from a 5.5- kilowatt generator up to a two-meg generator from Finning power systems,” says Mol.

The Finning network also arranged for fans, light towers, hoses, extension cords, forklifts, skid steers and other equipment FirstOnSite needed. And they didn’t stop there. With FirstOnSite needing everything from refrigerated trucks, office trailers and port-a-potties to fencing, disposal bins and fuel for generators, The Cat Rental Store took on the job of locating resources it couldn’t directly pro-vide, which was incredibly helpful to FirstOnSite.

“In a catastrophic event, the infrastructure is usually shot and just finding material becomes a real task. But we’re talking about business, and business interrup-tion, so time becomes even more important. For The Cat Rental Store to be able to find those resources and logistically get them to us was phenomenal,” Short says.

Many areas didn’t have power, so the Finning network also supplied distribution panels – extension cords on steroids, as Short says, with panels that have a number of electrical outlets. This allowed FirstOnSite to get the power from the generators to the equipment inside the buildings and homes where its people were working. Finning supplied around 50 distribution panels just for the Bob Snodgrass Recreation Complex in High River.

Finning also provided support by ensuring that oil changes and service work was done, keeping equipment running. Bishop explains that this wasn’t always easy, espe-cially in the first week when streets were still flooded.

“This was an opportunity for the Finning organization to support its community in a time of need,” says Bishop. “Finning and Cat Rental Store employees put in an

enormous number of hours to do what had to be done. Normally we’re a seven-to-five operation but for close to two weeks people were working round-the-clock.”

Mol estimates that between 200 and 300 pumps and generators were flown into Calgary to help the FirstOnSite team because in a situation as critical as this

one, exact numbers are always unknown. “You never think you have enough but you always get it done,” says Short, who had crews working tirelessly on the Scotiabank Saddledome, the Medicine Hat Arena, seniors’ centres, schools, condominiums, high rises and residential areas throughout Calgary, High River and Medicine Hat. “It allowed us to go to our customers and begin the process of mitigating their damages

immediately, as soon as we could gain access to an area.”The flooding was the most devastating natural disas-

ter Short has ever seen in Canada and months later the effects of the flood are still around. Jason Middlemiss sees the damage caused by the floodwaters almost every day, but he sees a different landscape than the sodden buildings in southern Alberta’s urban areas. President of Ground Zero Grading Inc. in Calgary, Middlemiss is working to restore the landscape in Kananaskis.

“Kananaskis was hit pretty hard. The snowcap melted and came down the hill with major force, causing massive erosion on the hills and roadways,” explains Middlemiss. “The asphalt was washed away, culverts

“They said to send every pump and generator we had, and whatever else we could get our hands on.” Mike Mol, sales representative at The Cat Rental Store



were plugged solid. In some areas, bridges were washed away. The destruction was devastating.” Such devasta-tion impacts those who enjoy hiking and other activi-ties in the area but also affects wildlife and fish habitat. Ground Zero Grading is helping to return the area to as close to its natural state as possible, but the work has to be done strategically and carefully so that it doesn’t cause further damage to trees, rock formations and oth-er aspects of nature that weren’t impacted by the flood. In addition, the work cannot impact wildlife, migration or fish spawning, and weather is always a factor. These unique challenges took Middlemiss to Finning.

“Because the area is so environmentally sensitive, we needed a variety of equipment, smaller compact track loaders for some locations, medium-to-large excavators for others. And Finning had the variety of equipment readily available,” says Middlemiss, who’s always liked Caterpillar because the equipment responds well and has great longevity.

In order to get the work in Kananaskis done within the various schedule constraints, Ground Zero Grading required equipment quickly. “He needed several pieces within seven days. That’s a very short timeline for new equipment purchase and delivery, but we were able to react very quickly and supply him with what he needed,” says Brad Jaman, equipment sales representative with Finning in Calgary.

Ground Zero sent its 299D compact track loader up



EMPLOYEES SHOW SPIRIT OF GENEROSITYFinning and Cat Rental Store employees stepped up to the plate during the flooding, and gave generously to help with ongoing relief efforts. Employees donated $20,000 and Finning Canada and the Caterpillar Foundation contrib-uted $150,000, for a total donation of $170,000 to the Calgary Foundation’s Flood Rebuilding Fund and the Red Cross.

“I am proud of our employees’ generosity as well as how they quickly came together to care for our customers and provide much needed aid in the after-math of the flood,” says Andy Fraser, president of Finning Canada.

The Red Cross assisted in meeting immediate needs of residents affected by the flood and the Flood Rebuilding Fund is in place to meet the long-term needs in Calgary, Canmore, High River and affected First Nation communities in southern Alberta.

to clean out culverts that were completely plugged with flood washout debris, hauling it out bucket by bucket. This will allow the natural watercourse to flow again, reducing the environmental impact. The Cat equipment still on site includes 329E and 336E excavators, D5K2, D6N and D6T dozers with low ground pressure for minimal impact in highly sensitive areas, and two 735B rock trucks.

And, each piece of equipment has its purpose in the mountainous terrain. For example, the D5K2 LGP dozer has an eight-way hydraulic angle blade and is used to work in small tight areas for trimming and re-grading. It allows Ground Zero to grade out near the tree line and ditches leaving a minimal environmental footprint. The D6N LGP dozer has been working in tight areas and on steep slopes while the D6T LGP is clearing vast amounts of washout material towards the larger excavators for removal.

Ground Zero Grading is committed to sustainability in all its work, which includes commercial excavation, water and sewer projects, infrastructure and reclama-tion. On typical jobs, however, operators don’t have the type of audience they have on this one.

“A lot of times the wildlife, whose habitat you’re try-ing to preserve, are standing right beside you watching what you are doing. Mountain sheep, grizzly bears, elk – they’re walking right by,” says Middlemiss.

The company also worked with another contractor to restore the horse racetrack and surrounding area at the Stampede grounds, an area of Calgary that was heavily affected by the flood. That work was done immediately

after the flooding and under a tight deadline that many thought impossible to meet. Along with the others on site, Middlemiss’ team worked long hours right up to open-ing day of the Calgary Stampede. One operator commented that the quiet, comfort-able cab of the D6 dozer helped to ease the stress that the entire city was under at that time.

Middlemiss has a long history with Finning and Caterpillar; one that extends beyond the eight years since Ground Zero Grading was incorporated. The product, he says, sells itself, but the support he gets, like quick action to get him the equipment he needed during the disaster, is what really makes a difference.

FirstOnSite, too, has a long history with Finning and Caterpillar, and once again service is one of the reasons. “We have a standard relationship with Caterpillar all over the place, and Finning is one of the biggest organizations in the Cat network,” says Short. “They always come through, even though there have been some pretty interest-ing demands on our part. For us, we’re not having conversations about what some-thing costs or if it can be done. I just need it, and they make it happen.”



By Tricia radison

Winter is upon us and with it comes the holidays and the hockey season as well as the perils of travers-ing ice- and snow-covered roads. Although accident rates actually tend to decrease in winter, most likely because people take more care when the roads are treacherous, and because it’s important to be pre-pared every time you head out. Whether you’re on the road at work, as many of Finning’s customers are, or heading home at the end of the day, following these best practices will help you ensure a safe journey.

Winterize your vehicle. “One of the first things to do is to make sure your vehicle is ready for winter,” says Ron Wilson, manager of operations for Fleet Safety Services and a licensed driving instructor with the Alberta Motor Association. That includes having the right tires and ones that are properly inflated. “If you are going to get traction out there you need proper inflation and good tread on your tires,” says Wilson.

But don’t stop at the tires. Make sure that every-thing is working – lights, battery, exhaust system, wipers – to help prevent a breakdown. Be sure to fill up with winter windshield washer fluid and check all your levels as well.

adjust your habits. The recommended following distance is three seconds, meaning the vehicle in front of you should pass a landmark three seconds before you do. But that’s when road conditions are ideal.

“When you’re driving on icy roads it can take up to 12 times longer to stop your vehicle,” warns Wilson. He recommends increasing your following distance to between four and six seconds. “As conditions deteriorate, increase that even more,” he adds.

Posted maximum speed limits also correlate with ideal road conditions. If the road is icy or snow-cov-ered, don’t try to drive as fast as the posted speed limit.

remember the basics. Wilson and his team work with Finning drivers through a light vehicle professional

Tackle the icy roads this winter with top safety tips

Get There in One Piece

driver improvement course that goes beyond basic driver education. The techniques they learn aren’t specific to winter driving but will certainly help them in the winter.

Similarly, the elements of good driving that we all learned in driver education can make a difference in the winter. These include keeping both hands on the wheel in the nine and three positions and looking well ahead so you can plan how to address any problems that might be happening up the slippery road.

Once you have established the vigilance you need for winter driving – when there is limited room for error behind the wheel – transfer that attentiveness to summer, when your relaxed habits are likelier to get you in trouble.

don’t be tempted to cruise on wet or slippery roads. “If you have cruise control set and the vehicle suddenly loses traction, the cruise control reads it as a loss of power and can make the vehicle accelerate, and you can lose control,” says Wilson. “And if you do skid, you won’t feel it as quickly as you would if you had your foot on the pedal.” Bottom line: during winter driving you want to control the vehicle as much as possible, which means eliminating the use of cruise control or other machine-operated features.

Take extra precautions in remote areas. If you’re heading out on isolated roads, plan ahead. Check the road reports and tell someone where you’re going so they can check on you if you don’t arrive. And, says Wilson, don’t go if there’s a storm. Nothing is so important that it can’t be delayed until you can get there safely.

ahead of The Pack: Remember to pack an emergency road kit. Keep this inside your vehicle and go through it each season to ensure you have all the proper items and they are in working condition. In winter, the kit should contain a shovel, candles, matches, flashlight, booster cables, gloves, toque and a blanket, but be sure to throw in some other items like a cell phone charger and batteries, too. Standard emergency kits can be purchased at any AMA Centre.


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story By Rick OveRwateR

Ice Land: One of Pelly’s largest projects was constructing an airstrip for the British government in Antarctica in the late 1980s. The crew could only work between the continent’s summer construction period between October and March.



home operations. Byram has always worked with and around Caterpillar equipment since the day he arrived in Yukon, but his loyalty was truly cemented in 1989. That was the year Byram put forward an audacious bid on a contract to build an airstrip for the British Antarctic Survey on the frozen continent. “I was looking through the B.C. Journal of Commerce one day, and I noticed this very small ad that the British government was looking for contractors with cold-weather experience to build a runway in Antarctica,” Byram recalls. “And I thought, oh man, that’s us!”

Pelly beat the odds (and several massive internation-al contenders) and was shortlisted, eventually being awarded the contract one year after applying. “That was when the real work began,” Byram says. The task was to drill and blast 300,000 cubic metres of granite to make rock fill, rip rap and crushed aggregate for the runway located at Rothera on Adelaide Island off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. Pelly was also contracted to install a hangar, large fuel storage tanks, and a water system for the future airport.

But according to Byram, one of the most difficult aspects was simply getting the crew and equipment

Pelly Construction hadn’t been in existence that long, but Finning helped out. Call it the Northern way

hen you carve out a living in the remote areas of Canada’s North, you learn to rely on those around

you – and to recognize that they in turn rely on you. In the Yukon, that pretty much sums up the relationship

between Pelly Construction and Finning.Wade Harrison, the branch manager at Finning’s Whitehorse location,

has been with the company for nearly 20 years. In this time, Harrison has developed a deep respect for Pelly’s founder, Keith Byram. “He’s an absolute perfect gentleman and businessman,” Harrison says simply. Like many people in the Yukon, Keith Byram came north to work but ended up staying. In the late 1960s and early 70s, he held a highway construc-tion job with the Government of Canada, but eventually decided to call it quits. “I liked the Yukon quite a bit, but I didn’t like working for the gov-ernment,” he laughs. Byram took a job with a local contractor, General Enterprises, and a year later was part of a group that bought the company out. For the next decade, he looked after General’s highway and mining projects.

In 1987, Byram sold his interest in the firm and formed a modest new operation of his own: Pelly Construction. “We were just going to run a small road-building company, but it grew pretty quickly,” observes Byram.

Pelly’s list of projects that shaped the North is long, but there’s one job in particular that stands out in the company’s rich history. It just happened to take place on the exact opposite side of the planet as Pelly’s

By SCott RollaNS

W



to the southern tip of the world and planning for the extended period away from home. All of Pelly’s equip-ment was shipped from Yukon to Alaska and then barged to Vancouver. There the equipment was joined by 110 containers loaded with spare parts, tires, the pre-fabricated hangar and 60-bedroom camp and rec-reation hall, and all the food and water needed for the self-contained two-year construction project. “We had to make a list of everything we needed for two years, even how many potatoes we wanted!” exclaims Byram.

From there, all of the equipment, supplies and materials were loaded on an ocean liner that was able to transport the fuel needed for the entire operation (approximately 1,250,000 liters) including enough ad-ditional fuel to get to and from the remote destination.

In total, 62 workers remained on-site over the course of two Antarctic summer construction seasons, between the months of October and March. Near the end of March the Twin Otter, a plane leased by Pelly, made the inaugural landing at the partially-completed runway to take crews home for the Antarctic winter.

“Finning was a very big help to us there,” Byram recalls. “Pelly Construction hadn’t been in existence that long, so we didn’t have a lot of spare cash. Finning worked with us to establish a list of spare parts that we might need over a two-year period, and they gave us those parts on the basis that we would pay for them as we used them. That exhibited a lot of trust, because if we had decided not to pay it would be a long trip for them to go and get them back.” More than two decades later, Byram still has gratitude in his voice.

“Keith is one of those customers who will remember something like that,” observes Harrison. “He and his whole organization truly understand the value that Finning brings. I have more respect for that man than anybody.”

Byram also knows that, when you really need to rely on your equipment, you can’t do better than Caterpillar (this is a lesson Finning’s Spencer Smirl also recently learned during his Antarctic adventure). He illustrates this with another story from Antarctica. After completing the runway, Pelly was contracted to design and build a wharf at the site. The wharf had to be fastened to the ocean floor with 53 millimetre steel tendons grouted into seven-metre deep holes. The steelwork of the wharf required a large amount of on-site fabrication, but in the months it would take for new equipment to arrive, Byram became resourceful.

“Essentially we wanted to do it with the equipment we already had there,” Byram says.

Although the company already had access to the equipment, there was no guarantee that this project would be a walk in the park.

“One day, we were excavating in the ocean at low tide, and the slope sloughed off,” he says. “We had a Cat 245 excavator that slipped down into the hole and

drowned itself.” Byram and his crew quickly assembled every piece of Cat equip-ment on hand, hooked up cables, and eventually pulled the 245 out of the water. “We were able to replace some of the electrical wiring, and within 12 hours we had that machine running again,” marvels Byram. “That was pretty spectacular.” To ensure a safe trip home for the machinery, which was transported on an ocean liner that rounded Cape Horn (some of the roughest waters on the planet), the crew welded the equipment to the ship’s deck in order to prevent any other Caterpillar machine from visiting the cold ocean depths.

But, Pelly’s project history hasn’t always had the flair for the dramatics that came with the Antarctic airstrip construction. In the company’s early years, Byram also established himself as the highwayman of the North. “Pelly has built hundreds of kilometres of highway since then, mainly in northwestern Canada – Yukon,

Northwest Territories, Alberta, British Columbia. And we’ve also had a few projects in Alaska.” In the last dec-ade, highway work has tapered off in the North and Pelly has shifted much of its focus onto mining. And, although Byram remains very much involved in the company, vice presidents Jess Jewell and Jennifer Byram are carrying an increasing amount of the management load (Byram

is also quick to praise his many other dedicated employees). But Pelly’s reliance on Finning and Caterpillar remains as strong as ever. “We have about 120 pieces of Cat equipment, including 48 Caterpillar rock trucks and the associated gear that goes with them,” Byram says. Pelly’s largest current project is Capstone’s copper/gold mine at Minto. To access the site by road, you must cross the Yukon River, something that’s impossible for about six weeks each year during spring breakup, and another six weeks during fall freeze-up. For those periods, Pelly must make do with what’s on site, plus the few items that can be flown in using Minto’s short airstrip. This requires an extra level of advance planning, plus some close collaboration with Finning, Byram says. “They work with us to draw up lists of what we’re likely to need during that period.” Something they got very familiar with during the airstrip project.

When an unforeseen problem does arise, Finning and Pelly work together to re-solve the situation as quickly as possible. “That’s the beauty of Pelly. They’re a Yukon company. They understand the challenges that arise working in this region.”

Although Harrison doesn’t anticipate any similarly hair-raising exploits in the future, he looks forward to working side by side with Pelly for years to come. “If eve-rybody I dealt with was like Keith Byram, oh my goodness, I’d feel guilty about even picking up my paycheque!”

Pelly beat the odds (and several massive international contenders) and won the contract to build a

British military airstrip in Antarctica.

Empowering your success

CALL YOUR LOCAL FINNING REPRESENTATIVE TODAY

FELL MORESKID LONGER

LOAD FASTER

WHEN PRODUCTIVITY MATTERS

WE’LL HELP YOU SEETHE FOREST FOR THE TREES

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NortherN reNaissaNce: Keith Byram, president of Pelly Construction, has a fleet of Cat equipment to take on any project on the extreme ends on the planet.



Empowering your success

CALL YOUR LOCAL FINNING REPRESENTATIVE TODAY

FELL MORESKID LONGER

LOAD FASTER

WHEN PRODUCTIVITY MATTERS

WE’LL HELP YOU SEETHE FOREST FOR THE TREES

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Meeting the Challenge

As the month of October comes to an end, so too does our adventure here on the ice. Since we started the two Cat D6Ns back in mid-September, we have had a very successful journey north, retracing our previous track that will eventu-ally see us to an air strip at a Belgian research facility. Initially after digging out and firing up both machines, we were engulfed in another spring storm. Temperatures fell to the mid -40°C and wind speeds approached 120 km/h, making it impossible to commence our trek north.

To prevent the re-freeze of the equipment we had to run the machines around the clock. In alternating shifts we monitored the machines very closely, day and night, looking for any signs of fluid leaks or system faults resulting from the four months spent in a snow-covered slumber at temperatures below -55°C. This continued for two weeks while we waited for the weather to wane. Finally the winds eased and vis-ibility improved. We began ploughing away the massive drifts that had accumulated over our four-month stay at winter camp and buried most of our equipment. After a couple of days, we had both trains ripped free from the icy grips of winter and pointed down the trail.

The distance between us and our final destination was now just a mere 150 kilo-metres. However, standing in our way within the first 30 kilometres of this trip were three very difficult crevasse fields that we would have to re-cross. One of the things

that had cost us so much time and fuel on our trip south many months ago was extensive bridging of the crevasses within these fields. This bridging required us to fill an open crevasse or, when our material was limited (working on blue ice it’s very difficult to get enough snow and ice to fill) we would have to re-route and build a humped bridge over the unbroken natural ice bridge. Now, after a winter of hardening beneath the extreme winds of the Antarctic, these bridges were a blessing. After a successful crossing of this dangerous terrain it was smooth sailing all the way back to the top of the mountains.

We have currently made camp at the top of the Gunnestadbreen pass through the Sor Rondane Mountain range. The scenery is stunning and the weather has vastly improved. In less than one month we have travelled a little more than 100 kilometres and descended nearly eight hundred metres in elevation. This slight change in location has provided some very

BY SPENCER SMIRL

Homeward Bound



noticeable changes. Most importantly, we’re breath-ing easier: literally. All winter, it was very difficult to perform simple chores around camp without losing your breath, so it’s nice to have that behind us. We are very lucky as night-time temperatures are only as low as -35°C and we have even seen daytime highs reach -18°C. Now that the wind has finally stopped, these tempera-tures feel tropical after a winter spent at around -60°C.

With less than six weeks left between us and our de-parture from this majestic continent, some conflicting emotions have begun to emerge. After what seemed like a never-ending winter, trapped in pure darkness and the frigid cold of wind chills approaching -90°C, the desire to return home was palpable. But, now that we are on our return voyage, the scenery and the serenity reminds us of how special this place is and we all realize just how rare of an experience we have been privileged to enjoy. I can only hope that one day I will have the opportunity to return.



Portrait: Ryan Hrappstead

Ryan Hrappstead’s high standard of excellence makes the journeyman mechanic a perfect fit at Finning’s Centre of Excellence in Red Deer. Hrappstead joined the team in July 2012 and works primarily on min-ing equipment overhauls, one of Finning’s largest service solutions. “When a machine reaches a cer-tain hour, it comes here, we tear it down, frame by frame, and look at every component,” Hrappstead explains. “Then we put it back together, add a fresh coat of paint and it’s like the customer has a brand new machine.”

Overhauls ensure customers get the most from their machines at a fraction of replacement cost. Hrappstead recog-nizes that customers want to minimize downtime so he’s cognizant of the time budgeted per each stage of the overhaul. “Everyone does a thorough job individually, but we have to work as a team to make sure the work is done at the right pace,” he says.

Hrappstead says he’s surrounded by a great group at the Centre of Excellence and he isn’t afraid to share ideas that could improve safety and efficiency. “Communication is a vital part of the job,” he says. “It’s important to keep everyone in the loop so they’re part of the team.”


photography by eugene uHuad


www.finning.ca

photography by eugene uhuad

33Winter 2013


Count on Us

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Have truck, will service … anywHereThey didn’t offer the most comfortable ride, but Finning’s first service trucks – four-wheel-drive Ford Power Wagons – did the job, delivering Finning’s skilled service technicians to remote worksites throughout B.C. The first unit began visiting customers in 1955 and it took only six months to double the fleet size. Parked in front of Finning Tractor and Equipment’s headquarters on Station Street in Vancouver in the spring of 1957, this brand new Power Wagon was destined for Dawson Creek, reports Finning retiree and resident historian Peter Clarke. “It was a start for mechanics to be able to carry a full load of service tools to complete the repairs, and to arrive on the job site quickly and ready to go.” Today, Finning Canada performs about 40 per cent of all machine repairs in the field thanks to a fleet of 630 fully-equipped field service trucks.


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tracks & treads winter 2013

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