Jackie Heinricher, driver of the Cat IMSA racecar, entertains a young fan.
H.O. Penn hosted an Open House Event April 25, 2019, at its Bloomingburg, N.Y., facility.
The event offered operator challenges, demonstrations, simulators, test driving machinery, information tents, food, and a special guest: Jackie Heinricher, Cat's IMSA racecar driver with her #57 Acura for a meet and greet.
"The reason that these events are so well received is that there are varying degrees of engagement," said Martin Callahan, H.O. Penn's paving and technology products and corporate sales manager. "You have people doing a national operator challenge. You have people who are looking to explore technology to see how different machines with technology can improve their profitability and productivity. You have small contractors who are not completely engaged with technology but want to see what it can do for them."
H.O. Penn has 34 acres with a data model consisting of a super-elevated highway, a drainage pond and a pond with an aquatic bench and plenty of open space. This area allowed for various Caterpillar excavators, dozers and dump trucks to be tested out by attendees while H.O. Penn team members stood by to guide and to answer any questions.
SITECH Metro Northeast had an information tent with displays, demonstrations and knowledgeable representatives to give information and answer questions.
"We install and service the equipment and train our customers. We basically do anything that has to do with the technology on the machine," said Ed Levandoski, software and site positioning specialist of SITECH.
Using the Trimble Earthworks technology on equipment allows operators to see themselves on the screen. This touch screen, android-based technology offers three views: cross section, plan and 3D. New Caterpillar equipment can be purchased with this already installed or it can be installed by SITECH with a previous version still available for older models.
SITECH's RTK DJI drone was on display and Levandoski demonstrated its abilities in H.O. Penn's expansive testing area while explaining that the drone can, "Get a topo of every inch of the job down to a tenth of a foot."
Interactive activities held at the Open House kept guests busy testing their skills. Caterpillar had its simulator excavator in H.O. Penn's information tent for guests to try out. Guests also competed in an equipment operator challenge on a Caterpillar 308E2 CR mini-excavator, which involved picking up various sized balls and placing them in different containers. Chip Cayot, a machine operator in Monroe, N.Y., won the competition. By winning this local competition, Cayot is eligible to represent H.O. Penn at the Caterpillar national competition to be held this fall in Clayton, N.C.
H.O. Penn was founded in 1923 and currently has five locations in New York and one in Connecticut. The Bloomingburg, N.Y., site where the Open House was held is the newest of the company's locations and was opened in 2004. H.O. Penn offers service expertise in all Caterpillar products and carries a vast variety of machinery, parts and are able to meet customers rental and all equipment needs.
CEG
(L-R) are Bryan Nix, general manager of service, John Bellardino, vice president of product support, and Rob Cleveland, CEO of H.O. Penn.
Jackie Heinricher, driver of the Cat IMSA racecar, entertains a young fan.
A contestant tries his luck at the operator challenge.
Charlie Johnson, vice president of machine sales, congratulates Chip Cayot on winning the operator challenge.
H.O. Penn’s Product Support offerings were on full display with Jessica Canale and Dan Slate among those on hand to answer any questions.
Attendees watch as an operator tries out the Cat 323F hydraulic excavator in the testing field.
(L-R): Dale Eriksen, machine sales representative from Newington, Conn.; Corey Freed, operations manager of SITECH in Allentown, Pa.; and James Sherry of Lucyk Contracting in Mountain Dale, N.Y., in the testing field where attendees are able to try out several types of Cat machinery.
Mark Olsen (L) of MP Olson Excavation in Suffern, N.Y., and Brian Dietz of Bob Dietz & Son Inc. in New Paltz, N.Y., watch various equipment being tested in the demo area.
Dale Eriksen of H.O. Penn explains the features and benefits of the Cat D6T dozer.
A Cat excavator and dozer are demoed at H.O. Penn during the open house.
Taylor Kortright of Frank Kortright Excavating in Kerhonkson, N.Y., uses the Cat simulation excavator.
The Cat 305.5 mini-excavator draws a big crowd.
Customers enjoy a hearty meal provided by Smoke Haus of Fishkill, N.Y.
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