Dean Machinery Co. — a 53-year member of the Kansas City business community and recognized leader in Caterpillar equipment solutions — celebrated the opening of its new headquarters at 5701 E. 87th St. with an open house on Oct. 13.
The 25-acre campus features two major buildings that provide more than 180,000 sq. ft. of increased service bays, parts capacity and added state-of-the-art resources. With more than three times the space of the old headquarters, these buildings enable Dean Machinery Co. to continue expanding its ability to provide sales, rental, parts and service to diverse business segments, according to Lori Dean, president, Dean Machinery Co.
With a brand new, 25-acre headquarters campus and a unique market strategy that sets it apart from other equipment dealers, the future’s looking bright for Dean Machinery Co.
“Dean Machinery Co. has enjoyed considerable success through the years. Our new headquarters certainly indicates we’re still expanding to meet the growing demands of our customers,” Dean said.
After joining Dean Machinery in 1985, Dean worked in various positions of increasing responsibility before being promoted to president in 2005. She helped pioneer the company’s unique market strategy of establishing specialists who work exclusively with customers within the many business segments the dealership serves, including the construction, agricultural, power systems and transportation markets. These specialists provide personalized service and informed support that has proven to be a valued benefit to its customer base.
“A bridge-building contractor is going to have vastly different equipment and support needs than a truck fleet manager or a row-crop farmer,” Dean said. “We have staff in place with an in-depth knowledge of the industries we serve, ensuring the solutions we provide are an appropriate fit for each customer’s business requirements.”
Dean Machinery Co. has been an active member of the Kansas City community since 1955, when visionary entrepreneur and founder Lester Dean, Sr. purchased the local Caterpillar distributorship, Hobson Equipment Company, and renamed it Dean Machinery Co. At the time, he was the youngest dealer on Caterpillar’s roster. Dean started a number of companies in the Kansas City area over the years, but his Cat equipment business — providing sales, rental, parts and service to diverse business segments—always was a focal point. Today, Dean’s daughter and company president Lori Dean oversees more than 320 employees at Dean Machinery’s 11 regional locations serving 45 counties in eastern Kansas and western Missouri.
While the new headquarters demonstrates a continued long-term commitment to the Kansas City community, Dean Machinery Co. also has earned its standing in the area as a good corporate citizen. A total donation of $150,000 has been made to the company’s main charity, Operation Breakthrough, over the years. In 2007 alone, Dean Machinery employees gave many hours of their time and more than $41,000 to area charities, including the American Royal and Heart to Heart International. Other activities included blood drives for the Community Blood Center, a company softball tournament, with proceeds benefiting the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and packages sent to military personnel serving in Afghanistan.
“Our new facility and the commitment we’ve made to give back to our community clearly supports and communicates our intention to be a dynamic and contributing force in Kansas City and the surrounding region for many years to come,” Dean said. “This city has been good to us, and we’re excited to continue growing here.”
The main shop, which encompasses 27,000 sq. ft., can serve up to 18 large machines at once. It has an all-season climate management system with advanced contamination control to provide a consistent, maintained environment that supports quicker, longer lasting service repairs while providing a comfortable year-round working environment for service technicians. Also included is a 45,000-sq.-ft. warehouse for parts and inside component storage, providing significantly increased in-stock parts availability for more comprehensive support of customer needs. The main building also accommodates a 25,000-sq.-ft. specialization shop, which features an enclosed clean room for longer-lasting hydraulic repairs and improved response times, minimizing contamination issues. A second building behind the main shop houses the track press, welding and fabrication areas, the machine shop and more. An additional 10 acres located just west of the current campus provides room for future growth.
Dean Machinery Co. employs more than 320 people at 11 locations in Missouri and Kansas, including the Kansas City metropolitan area, Chillicothe, Sedalia, St. Joseph, Sunrise Beach, Mo., and Elwood, Kan. About 170 employees will move to the new headquarters. The 31st Street Dean Rental Store remains at its current location.
Since 1955, Dean Machinery Co. has provided complete Caterpillar equipment solutions — including sales of new equipment, rental equipment, parts and service — to the construction, agriculture, power systems and transportation markets. The company, which is part of Dean Operations family of companies, is headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., and serves customers in 45 counties in eastern Kansas and western Missouri. For more, call
For more information, call 816/753-5300 or visit www.deancat.com.
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