Precision Laser & Instrument Inc. started in 1990 as a repair facility and now supplies and services Trimble products to all of western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and is currently expanding into southern Ohio.
“We have come a long way from our humble beginnings in Alquippa, PA, and Trimble products are the reason,” said Chris Koesis, construction sales and support staff member of Precision Laser & Instrument. “What motivated us to get into this part of the business is that we saw the need for service from manufacturers from all over the country, and felt we had enough trust from customers to go on our own and sell Trimble.
“Our expansion to Ohio is the same result,” he added. “Many clients in the Ohio area are in need of this type of technology.”
Kirk Shadel is the company’s technology expert and oversees as many as 46 jobs at the same time.
“He will oversee these projects and give all the technical information, such as layout and machine control data, that is needed from start to finish,” said Rod Creese, partner and the construction/machine control manager at Precision Laser & Instrument.
Shadel is one of a staff of nine sales representatives and eight technicians who repair everything the company sells, from construction lasers to surveying and GPS equipment.
“All our employees are factory trained and can assist customers in the field,” said Creese. “We also have a system where the client can call in and get direct assistance, no matter what time of day or night.”
The advanced technology of the Trimble system also allows Precision Laser & Instrument to help contractors before they even need to place that call.
“This technology will help us find problems as contractors are working in the field,” said Creese. “Using equipment with GPS satellite technology, we can locate exact points on the job that can save them time and money and prevent them from doing things that in the past they would have only guessed.”
Some of the Trimble products provided by Precision Laser & Instrument include machine control; software for machine control, earthmoving, design, and estimating; rough grading, fine grading, and resurfacing projects; mapping GPS/GIS equipment; and surveying instruments that improve layout, accuracy and quality.
Trimble Survey Controller software runs from a real-time map display with touch-screen controls providing faster results than the use of topography or stakes. The software can be used in a variety of modes, displays and functions with easy transfer of data from the field to the office and vice-versa.
Trimble’s NetRS GPS system utilizes Internet Protocol (IP) to connect a network of surveying receivers and data for seamless access to information on and off the job site. The system takes the job from control to measurement to data preparation to stakeout through completion to improve workflow management and productivity.
“This technology can be completely tied into a user’s mobile phone, which is really an advantage,” said Rob Barth, partner and the geomatics and survey manager of Precision Laser & Instrument.
“You cannot just go to Home Depot to buy this kind of product,” he added. “We have come a long way to provide the best technology so that it would be advantageous to acquire these solutions from us.”
Precision Laser & Instrument doesn’t stop with service and supplies. The company offers technical training on all of its products, on the job site or in the office.
“Education for the customer on how to use technology makes it an advantage, reduces a job to one-half the time and avoids problematic areas that would cause downtime,” said Creese. Precision Laser & Instrument also calibrates all of its equipment before it leaves to insure its accuracy.
The company serves builders, contractors, surveyors/engineers with transits; automatic, electronic and precision levels; interior, exterior and pipe lasers; total stations; and all types of machine control for dozers, excavators, and other heavy equipment.
Precision Laser & Instrument’s 10,000-square-foot facility is located in Ambridge, PA (Pittsburgh), and, according to Creese, “is always being improved.” The company also has two new locations in Columbus and Dayton Ohio.
The company touts a service area that reaches all over the country. Including “…the United States, Puerto Rico and even work in Italy,” said Barth. “We do service for 80 other dealers in the United States.”
For more information, visit www.laserinst.com.
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