A two-day equipment, technology and product support solutions event was held by Milton CAT at its Milford, Mass., location on May 8 and 9. The same event will be held in Batavia, N.Y., on June 5 and 6 and in Clifton Park, N.Y., on June 19 and 20.
According to Milford-based Milton CAT Equipment Sales Manager Steve Macridis, the event focused on the latest models of machines available from Caterpillar, but also "offered our guests real-life business solutions such as customized financing, very flexible acquisition options and Trimble positioning technology, one of the most exciting innovations we’ve seen."
Product Support Sales Manager Steve Washburn added, "When it comes to parts and service, we wanted to remind companies that our range of choices allows them to find the option that make the most sense, from used parts for an older piece of equipment and maintenance agreements for every machine and budget, to Quick E-Vac, the super-efficient oil change system."
Event organizers Eric Griffin and Ben Thirkield reported that attendance was very high, in spite of the fact that the guests are busy contractors who must think twice before leaving their job sites in the middle of the week.
"Close to 150 companies were in attendance over the two-day period with many companies bringing multiple individuals," Griffin said.
"We even had visitors from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont who drove several hours in order to make it," Thirkield said.
Griffin and Thirkield stated that they and their team spent some time establishing a schedule and laying down the diverse components so guests found it easy to look at everything and then, go back to whatever interested them most.
"We had a ’solutions tent’ with 16 booths; a large machine demonstration area; a space dedicated to a red tag sale and of course, a lunch tent, which also offered refuge when the rain became too heavy even for hardy New Englanders," Griffin said.
As they were arriving, guests stopped at a registration desk to get a badge and a safety vest. If you visited a minimum of 12 stations at the solutions tent and had your lanyard punched to prove it, you’d get a special Cat hat, and your name would be entered for a special door prize — four VIP tickets to the July 14 NASCAR race at the New Hampshire Speedway.
Did guests give any particular reason for wanting to participate in the event? Equipment Service Manager Ron Hardy and Allied Parts Manager Bill Smith were mingling with customers, and asked that question more than once. The answers from Ed Lubelczeyk from Gilbertville, Mass., and Randy Baldwin from Naples, Maine, were straightforward, and representative of many others — "I wanted to see what you have, what’s new from Cat and Milton CAT; I need to be ready." And, "Yes, it took me almost three hours to get here but it was worthwhile; I got what I wanted. And more."
Macridis said that the red tag area attracted a lot of attention with its specially-priced equipment and work tools, and so did the demonstration site, where customers got to see a number of earthmoving machines expertly maneuvered, performing typical tasks encountered at job sites. And, most importantly, then they climb in the seat and put them to the test themselves.
Griffin finished by saying that "The enthusiasm of the attendees was contagious" and Thirkield went on to add, "We can’t wait to get to Batavia and Clifton Park next month and share what we have to offer with contractors and businesses at those two events."
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