Switching to Cat equipment and the update to the latest Next Gen solutions have been the biggest contributors to business success for NSW-based Alltracks Plant Hire.
That’s according to Managing Director Fazil Nazim, who says working with WesTrac and replacing 95 per cent of the company’s fleet with “yellow equipment” has led to the biggest boost in business opportunities since the company commenced operations in 2016.
“WesTrac were fantastic during the quoting and purchasing process. Cat Financial also gave us the backing we needed when there were plenty of others who were not so forthcoming to support us,” Fazil said.
Fazil was in discussions with the WesTrac team at the time the Cat Next Gen Excavator range was launched and decided it was a good opportunity to upgrade his fleet from alternative brands and position itself as the best plant hire solution provider in Australia.
According to Fazil, that goal has been made possible for Alltracks Plant Hire thanks to the extensive research and development that went into Caterpillar’s Next Generation excavators.
“There is a reason we keep going back to Caterpillar and WesTrac, and that is because we see results - increased productivity, great feedback from our customers and overall enjoyment,” he said.
“Our customers genuinely enjoy using Next Gen excavators because they’re comfortable to operate with responsive and programmable electronic controls.
“We now have over a dozen Cat Next Gen Excavators which has resulted in significant savings for us in terms of fuel consumption and servicing costs. The results speak for themselves!”
Since upgrading the fleet, the plant hire business has reported a 90 per cent reduction in machine down time and more than 30 per cent reduced fuel usage.
The big saving on fuel comes as no surprise to Fazil, who was guaranteed fuel efficiency when he purchased the machine thanks to the Cat Fuel Edge Program.
“It doesn’t matter what business you manage,” Fazil said. “Productivity and reliability are always key indicators for a successful business, which is why we have turned to WesTrac time and time again.”
That reliability is essential for Alltracks, which offers service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The company focuses on providing 100 per cent equipment compliance and reliability, which means technology and innovation are essential to maintaining the best quality fleet and equipment.
The advanced technology and innovation have resulted in Alltracks being able to say yes more often. With additional safety features and a new level of convenience and comfort, the Next Gen excavators are quickly becoming the machinery of choice.
“Our customers are absolutely amazed at the sophisticated yet easy-to-use technology that is available at your fingertips with each machine,” Fazil said.
“Some of our customers did a sample run and were completely blown away with the level of tech.
“They were calling it the Tesla of excavators – they didn’t know such machinery existed.”
Fazil says maintenance is vital to ensure equipment longevity and consistency. Its why Next Gen equipment comes installed with easily accessible external ports that allow you to quickly perform oil testing and part changes. With a FitFleet Customer Value Agreement (CVA) from WesTrac, which covers you for genuine oil and filter changes, the quality of services and repairs are never compromised.
“For me, the most impressive aspect when it comes to machine maintenance, is WesTrac’s fluid sampling services. It’s as simple as entering a sample’s details into Cat SOS, hitting print and sending it away for analysis; it’s such a time saver,” Fazil said.
“VisionLink makes it very easy to keep up-to-date with machinery servicing, on any device. It allows me to access real-time information, sent via a phone notification to alert us if there is a problem with a machine.”
Fazil said the convenience of having his equipment on a WesTrac FitFleet Plus CVA has allowed Alltracks Plant Hire to manage cash flow and ensure required parts are on hand when technicians go out to site, eliminating down time. FitFleet also provides opportune time-frames to plan for scheduled services, as well as having parts sent to the closest Alltracks branch to the machine.
“We get a call around 50 hours out from any scheduled service period, which makes it easier to arrange alternative machines and factor the services in around our customers’ demands,” Fazil said.
According to Fazil, Alltracks Plant Hire has also seen a significant drop in alert messages from VisionLink since upgrading to the Cat Next Gen Excavators.
He said the three most important features visible on VisionLink for Alltracks included:
The company also found it was a useful tool to educate and make operators self-aware of managing the machines themselves.
“Anyone within the company who has access to VisionLink is encouraged to use it,” Fazil said.
“I would strongly encourage other companies who aren’t already using VisionLink to do so because it ensures we never miss an opportunity to potentially raise an issue and chat to the operators instantly.”
“Real-time data from the machinery is also able to dictate whether the earth is worth excavating, sometimes without having to wait for a land surveyor to visit site.”
Fazil says the secret to success is simple at Alltracks - they refuse to lose.
This philosophy is about ensuring the best productivity tools are available for customers and their projects, which is where Cat Next Gen Excavators, equipment management technology and WesTrac’s expertise shine.
