Pre-Built Machines Ready To Go

Jake Goetsch's pre-built Cat 304 was ready to go after being quickly modified to necessary civil specifications. Images: Prime Creative Media

When making a new equipment purchase, valuable time can be taken up getting machines fully set up for delivery. What if your Cat® dealer offered machinery that was already pre-built to contractors’ needs?

Jake Goetsch's pre-built Cat 304 was ready to go after being quickly modified to necessary civil specifications. Images: Prime Creative Media

For any business, time is a precious commodity, and the earthmoving sector is no exception.

When purchasing equipment, it’s essential that the machines get to the client and out to work as soon as possible, instead of spending months in the workshop having various components installed or waiting on supplies.

That’s why Cat® dealer Hastings Deering has made it a priority to have a range of pre-built equipment on hand, enhancing customer efficiencies by providing immediate, reliable, and high-performing equipment solutions, along with fast financing and delivery.

Earthmoving Equipment Magazine caught up with Hastings Deering sales representative for the Logan, Gold Coast and Scenic Rim region in Queensland, Robert (RJ) Lemon, to find out more about the business’ strategy and why it helps operational efficiency.

The most obvious benefit of pre-built inventory is of course that it provides immediate availability of equipment.

“Pre-built machines are ready for immediate deployment, eliminating the lengthy wait times often associated with custom-built equipment,” RJ said.

“This accelerated availability ensures that projects can commence without delays, allowing customers to meet tight deadlines and avoid costly downtime.”

Hastings Deering’s pre-built machinery specialist, Robert (RJ) Lemon.

Clients can also be assured of optimised performance in the machines, as Hastings Deering’s pre-built Cat machines are equipped with the latest technology and features designed to maximise productivity.

“They are thoroughly tested to ensure they operate at peak performance, reducing the likelihood of breakdowns and maintenance issues that can disrupt workflows,” RJ said.

With a range of Cat models ready to go to work immediately, businesses can streamline their operations and focus on core activities. These machines include skid steers, compact track loaders, excavators and small wheel loaders.

Their advanced features and capabilities enhance overall productivity, enabling faster project completion and higher output.

RJ said Hastings Deering’s extensive experience and expertise in the industry ensured their pre-built machines are designed and assembled to the highest standards.

“We have a range of different specs for our ready-to-work machines. You give us a call and we’ve got a machine for you,” he said.

By providing pre-built machines, Hastings Deering also helps customers avoid the additional costs associated with customising equipment.

“These ready-to-go machines offer a cost- effective solution that meets industry standards and customer needs, delivering high value without the extra expenses,” RJ said.

“Each pre-built machine undergoes rigorous quality control processes to ensure it meets the highest standards of reliability and durability.

“This assurance means customers can trust that their equipment will perform consistently, reducing the need for frequent repairs and replacements.”

And of course there’s the comprehensive support that Hastings Deering is renowned for.

“We offer extensive support and maintenance services for their pre-built machines, which includes everything from routine maintenance to emergency repairs, ensuring that equipment remains in optimal condition while minimising unexpected downtime,” RJ said.

RJ said he loves helping his customers, particularly as he has a passion for looking after the smaller businesses in the region.

“Getting the right equipment for their businesses and ideas: it’s everything in the back pocket to them and it’s their livelihoods,” he said.

“Making that right for the customers and making sure they can go off and explore new ventures and keep coming back for more machinery is a good thing to see.

“Having prebuilt machines on the ground and ready to go when they call is important. Time is money.

“In essence, we’ve got the prebuilt machines, we have the dealer support, we’ve got the parts availability.

“There’s never been a better time to buy a new Cat machine.”

Chris Kindt said the Cat 310 “lifts like you wouldn’t believe, while being easy to transport".

CHRIS KINDT Owner/operator, Specialized Civil

Specialized Civil is a plant hire and civil construction business in Queensland.

“The company began in 2013, primarily involved with civil works within the oil and gas industry, council and roadworks, infrastructure for national parks, and the like,” Chris said.

“Particular projects of note have involved infrastructure with the Ampol Lytton oil refinery and the Logan City Council.

“Being a small business and as an owner operator, I need to source, provide and operate the equipment required by clients.

“A big challenge is finding a machine that can do everything I want it to, while being comfortable and affordable. Having reliable and affordable service and breakdown assistance has been difficult in the past.

“Clients also expect me to keep up with current safety features and technology as it becomes available.

“We also need some features such as isolators, fire extinguishers, beacons, etc. A double locking tilt hitch is a mandatory item these days in the civil industry.

“Hastings Deering has supported me in working through challenges by supplying a machine ready to go with the specs required.

“When sourcing equipment, I look for quality, after-sales support, operator comfort, running costs, and price in that order. Hastings Deering ticked all the boxes.

“We chose the Cat 310 Next Gen excavator because it suited the larger scale projects we had.

“It’s got the reach of a 13-tonner but the fuel economy of an eight-tonner.

“And it can lift like you wouldn’t believe, while being easy to transport. I can move it around on a tandem trailer, so it really suits what we do.

“The comfortable cab was a big selling point for me. I’ve been doing this for 20 years, so comfort is a priority. There’s just nothing as comfortable.

“And I also do like the tech that’s been put into the cab, like the Joystick Travel mode and 8-inch touch screen. The high quality cameras let me see all around and helps with safety.

“So in short, the comfort, power and fuel economy of the Cat machine is unreal.

“The overall experience was good, and the easy purchase process was a standout.

“RJ came to my job site, we met, talked about how a new machine could improve my business and relationships with my customers.

“He organised a demo. I named my specs and implements and it was just easy. There was ease of communication and quick delivery.

“I actually looked at a different machine at the start and after going through things, this one really suited what I wanted the best.

“I just went through what it is that I do and the things that I needed.

“The machine was in stock. It was only a short wait just to to install and few additional extras.

“There were a couple of different packages and I picked the ready-to-work one because it had everything on it that I would have to put on anyway.

“Everything has been fitted by the dealer. It’s just a one-stop shop.

“When I need something I generally need it quickly. The helpful and flexible interaction meant less downtime for me. Having the pre-built machine ready to go just meant quicker delivery, so I could start a new project on time.

Chris Kindt (left) with RJ Lemon and the pre-built 310 excavator.

“The service has also been unreal. I even know when the machine is coming up for a service because the team are proactive with their communication.

“And as for parts, it’s easy. Not that I’ve needed much at all. But I have the confidence that if I do need it, it’s right there.

“Plus, my Hastings Deering Field Service rep lives down the road, so he can just come when it suits me.

“The first time I met him was when there was a small leak on the machine. These things happen and they came out immediately and fixed it on the spot.

“I couldn’t be happier with that. It’s how issues are dealt with that’s important for me as an owner. I have full faith that whatever problems happen, they’ll be fixed straight away and I’ll be on the road.”

RJ said Chris contacted him initially to trade out an older machine.

“I caught up with him to understand his requirements for this new machine,” he said.

“We looked at various models, we went through all the different machine sizes.

“We looked at technology, we looked at safety, we looked at all the configurations that he might need or would need going forward.

“We ended up picking the Cat 310 Next Gen excavator and that ended up being the perfect size for him.

“This excavator is all about performance and power.

“It’s got a long reach, it’s got power to push and it’s got a good digging capacity, and that’s exactly what Chris wanted.”

Darrel White gets a feel of the 301.7 CR, which is perfect for working in tight areas.

DARREL WHITE Owner/operator, All Whitey Profiling

All Whitey specialises in road profiling and earthmoving services.

“I’ve been my own boss for five years, and have been loving it. It was always my dream to become an owner/operator,” Darrel said.

“I love driving skid steers and I enjoy road profiling, so it was a win-win.

“I’d been in the industry for 12 years and wanted to venture out on my own and grow from strength to strength with the right machine.

“All Whitey Profiling services the asphalt, road profiling and earthmoving industries. We specialise in highway road works, street overlays, airports, construction jobs and various road maintenance projects.

“Some of our major tasks have included preform work on the Warrego Highway, the Centenary Highway and the Logan Highway, all under high demand and tight time restraints.

“In all those jobs, having a skid steer for daily road profiling activities is a must.

“Hastings Deering has made ordering the parts and machinery relatively easy to obtain 24/7, which is essential for us as we work nightshifts as well.

“The dealership has always had quality gear to help with minimal downtime and counter loss of productivity.

“Having high quality equipment that can perform to our demanding industry offers us peace of mind.

“Working with Hastings Deering has been a great experience, from the initial quoting to purchasing machinery, the backup support, and the finance.

“We recently bought our second Cat 246D3 skid steer, and after that a new Cat 301.7 CR excavator.

“With the current trends in earthmoving, we wanted the excavator to help us in tight areas, and remote access has been paramount for us moving forward.

“It’s versatile. It’s perfect for our needs for profiling. It’s just the perfect bit of equipment for what we do in the industry.

“I love the adjustable track. The tilt bucket. The comfortable cab. It can go places with tight accesses, leaves less of a footprint, makes the job easier.

“RJ gave me all the answers I needed to purchase the machine. Nothing was hidden, it was a straightforward, simple process.

Darrel White’s Cat 246D3 Skid Steer is perfect for his profiling projects: nimble, light, and manouevres well.

“The excavator complements the skid steer perfectly. The skid steer is great for profiling: it’s nimble, it’s light, it gets into tight places, it does the job. It’s strong.

“In fact, the first skid steer was faultless. It was a great machine, gave me very little downtime and it was a no-brainer to go back for another one. For my job scopes, it’s perfect.

“Hastings Deering gave us a great experience when it came to ordering the new equipment and having stock on hand, to deliver in a very quick turnaround, which has allowed us to book work in immediately to handle client demand.

“Everything’s up to spec, which can allow us to go on to a lot of jobsites with ease. And it saves time and money getting it right.

“They have a great parts and service section, and the customer support has gone above and beyond to produce a hassle-free purchase. They have a great finance team, making the process seamless.

“Maintenance is easy by being able to go to the store and pick up the parts. It’s just an easy transition.

“We have time restraints. We’re on tight deadlines and if any of our machinery goes down or we need a part, we need to do it quickly.

“If we need parts, we have to get them straight away to get us back up and running.

“And it’s just a matter of a phone call to the parts service department 24/7. It’s a winner.

“The communication we have had so far has been faultless.”

RJ Lemon (left) and Jake Goetsch look over Jake’s Cat 304 excavator, which “hit the sweet spot”.JAKE GOETSCH Owner/operator, 4IN1 Earthworx

As a small business owner, Jake Goetsch carries out all varieties of earthworks. “No job is too big or small,” he said.

“I’m based in in Kalbar, Queensland, but I reach out to Brisbane Gold Coast regions, and all of the Scenic Rim.

“I was interested in the industry since I was three! And it just started off there after school because my uncle owns an earthmoving business.

“So I started on the machines and then just gradually grew into running my own business for about six months now. I’m 23 years old.

“I had a second hand machine and wanted a brand new one.

“I’ve always heard good things about Hastings Deering and I’ve always liked Cat gear. The power, the cabs, the room. They’re comfortable to operate and smooth.

“I ended up buying a Cat 304 from Hastings Deering.

“I love the electric joysticks and the power. I can get into tighter spots with the big digger. It’s pretty handy.

“The safety and the comfort is really good in the 304. I like a nice big cab, it’s comfortable. And for safety, the cameras let you see all around the machine.

“My overall experience with Hastings Deering has been great. The service, their sales, the parts … everything’s just so quick. You call them up, they get onto it straight away.

“There’s no waiting for phone calls back or anything like that.

“I rang them up. I told them what I wanted. They got on it straight away and and ensured all the civil specs were sorted on the pre-built machine.

“And then they delivered it, and it was all good from there. There was no drama.

“The sales rep, RJ, knows his stuff and he’s really good. We’ve got a really good friendship now, and we talk nearly every day.”

RJ said Jake found what he wanted after a walkaround and a trial in the demo area in the Hastings Deering yard in Brisbane.

“He found out the Cat 304 four tonner was the right size. That was the sweet spot,” he said.

“So we had the machine available. While it was a prebuilt machine, Jake needed various civil specs right to get site access.

“As part of the install, we made sure that all those boxes were ticked before the machine went out. The extras were installed within two weeks to ensure Jake received his machine quickly.

“He can get the machine on and off his current truck with ease, and he can get it around the sites that he was working on.

“Jake appreciated the versatility that came with all the attachments, all the bucket sizes that he wanted, various hydraulic grabs and the like.”

Hastings Deering ensured that the Cat 304 was fitted with all the necessary civil specifications.

Jake also appreciated that there was no fuss with the finance.

“The finance team were also great to work with. They assisted to ensure a seamless purchase,” he said.

“It’s also good to know that obtaining parts is easy. If you’re in the middle of a site and you break down and you need a part straight away, Hastings Deering always has them on the shelf. They’re ready to go. We can get machines up and going straight away.

“I would recommend Hastings Deering to anyone. I’ve never had a problem with them.

“I really want to see a future in my company. Hopefully I will get a couple more machines, expand my business and maybe get a couple of people working for me.

“Throughout my whole life I’ve operated numerous different machines. But Cat machines are the best that I’ve found, with the smoothest power, and really good to operate.

“There has never been a doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t go with Cat equipment. I didn’t even shop around. I just knew what I wanted.

“And for that, I knew it was straight to Hastings Deering.”