Month: July 2014

“Customer First” is one of Altec’s strongest commitments. This is evident in the equipment we build, which provides our customers with the solutions they need to get the job done. Customers are at the forefront of every decision we make to offer the best possible products and services. This commitment was recently exemplified in a unique situation—to an even more unique customer.

After removing the boom, front tires and platform ladder for shipping purposes, a newly purchased AN650 was successfully delivered to the Alaskan North Slope’s most scenic village, Anaktuvuk Pass. With the help of Altec Service team members, Ron Steele and Shawn Hedleston, the 50-foot aerial device made it to the hands of the customer—all in “one piece”.

The Anaktuvuk Pass, a village of about 400 people, is located on a historic caribou migration route. The native Inupiat people, who still comprise 83 percent of the village’s population, nicknamed it “the place of the caribou droppings”. The Anaktuvuk Pass has two general stores, a post office and a small airplane landing strip. The village’s economy is largely based on subsistence farming of Caribou.

When Altec account manager Nick Zevenbergen made the call to Steele and Hedleston to ask for their help in the delivery, they gladly accepted the challenge. When the Borough purchased the AN650 earlier this year, they requested a July delivery deadline. In the Arctic Circle, traveling becomes difficult in late summer/early fall due to thick fog, inconsistent weather patterns and for the Anaktuvuk Pass villagers, the caribou. Between the months of August and September, thousands of caribou make their way through the pass. The small village stops day-to-day activity to hunt the year’s caribou bounty.

“When I originally spoke with Ron to ask for his help in completing the delivery, he suggested taking an extra pair of hands in case there are any setbacks,” says Zevenbergen. “I’m glad he made the recommendation.”

This is the third AN650 the North Slope Borough has purchased this year for overhead distribution work throughout the village. With the first arriving on a barge, the second delivered on a track unit called a rolligon and the third being taken apart and flown in on a cargo plane, each delivery was more unique and challenging than the last.

Steele and Hedleston began their “adventure” in Anchorage at the service bay of Chugach Electric, another Altec customer, who graciously allowed the use of a service bay and some equipment to remove the boom. After measuring the cargo plane dimensions, the group realized they would need to make further alterations before it would fit. To make it work, they had to also remove the platform ladder and the front tires.

Once the group had the truck packed and ready for takeoff, they took a small prop plane the extra 60 miles to Anaktuvuk Pass to await the truck’s arrival. After a two-day weather delay, the cargo plane in Anchorage departed for its final destination—Anaktuvuk Pass.

There are no hotels in the village, so the people were kind enough to lend the travelers a modular home until the cargo plane arrived. Meanwhile, they took in the sights, met some of the locals and ate…Hot Pockets.

“We were warned that the food situation was going to be pretty slim in the village,” says Steele. “Food shipments are very inconsistent due to weather, so they have to price their convenience items really high.”

At the local general store, Steele noted the price on a box of cereal was $7, while the price of one frozen Hot Pocket was $4. Caribou is their bread and butter in Anaktuvuk Pass. They thrive and depend on that food source more than a frozen item shipped in on a cargo plane.

“Thanks to the dedication of the service team, the North Slope Borough received the equipment they need to keep their village connected,” says Zevenbergen.

Altec is committed to providing our services and solutions to the most remote portions of the globe to the bustling big cities of the world. Whatever your location, situation or limitation, Altec does what it takes to ensure communities receive the equipment needed to succeed.

Your company is at the point when it’s time to add an aerial device to your fleet. If you have been assigned the not-so-simple task of deciding what that new addition will be, it’s very important to consider a few things before making an investment in a new truck. For the first-time buyer, or for a company relatively new to the industry, this guide will serve as a great starting point to help prepare you for your initial conversation with a sales person.

GETTING STARTED

Before any consideration is made, it is important to ask the question, “Who is the best person to make this decision?” Before you invest in a new or new-to-you piece of equipment, include the correct people in the decision making process. The best way to start writing the ideal set of specifications is to include the right people—not just the people who make the final financial decision.

DETERMINE YOUR NEEDS

Next, decide exactly what you need this machine to do to help make your job easier. Will this unit be used for building, electric utility, street or traffic light maintenance, tree trimming, or a combination of several duties? Are you already using a piece of equipment? If so, what more would you like this machine to help you accomplish. For example, a sign company may have a unit with proper working height and adequate storage space, but needs to have the ability to lift two operators in the air when working on a storefront sign.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

When determining your equipment needs, it’s important to consider the physical locations of the signs, storefronts, billboards and other areas where you will be working. When comparing specs, make sure the specified maximum working height of the unit meets the requirements for your work location. When your work site is not close to the truck, be aware that the working height will diminish the further away from the truck the boom has to travel to perform work. For example, if your highest job is 50 feet, but cannot be accessed directly underneath, you will need a unit rated greater than 50 feet maximum working height to reach that work if the truck is located several feet from the lateral position of the job site.

Type of Work

Does the type of work performed require any material handling capabilities? The amount of weight you need to lift will affect the available payload of the chassis. Several factors including platform and material handling capacity requirements will affect the chassis class you will need for sufficient stability.

A unit with sufficient side reach is important when you aren’t able to park your truck beneath the work site. For example, if your work requires traffic signal or billboard maintenance, you may not be able to stop four lanes of traffic to perform an hour-long repair.

Chassis Requirements

Something else to consider is the type of chassis best suited for your unit. Chassis selection can vary depending on several factors. For Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings (GVWRs) exceeding 26,000 pounds, a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) will be required. Keep in mind that for some companies, federal excise taxes can also be applied to chassis over 33,000 pounds.

Due to recent changes in federal emissions regulations, minimum chassis requirements have been affected. These changes may affect payload, material handling capabilities and some special unit specifications. Be aware, a configuration from a truck spec’d five or ten years ago may require an upgraded chassis type.

Also, the type of chassis you choose might affect the platform height. In general, small duty chassis frame heights are around 32-33 inches and medium duty chassis are closer to 40 inches. The difference in eight inches may not make a difference for you, but it is something to consider when trying to make your job as easy as possible.

 

Body Type

Once you have determined what type of unit is needed for the job, it is time to choose the correct service body. Altec offers steel, aluminum and fiberglass configurations to fit a variety of different applications including service, utility and forestry bodies. For many companies, the work truck also serves as the office space, material storage unit and company car. It is important to have adequate amount of space for storing all equipment and tools.

The body type begins with a list of customer requirements and the design is built from that—both on the internal and external portions of the body. For a company interested in increasing payload while saving on fuel costs, an aluminum or fiberglass body is something to consider. Aluminum is up to 45 percent lighter than steel with a greater resistance to corrosion. An added benefit is that aluminum retains its value and can be recycled. While aluminum bodies are more costly, they offer a nine percent fuel savings along with reduced tire suspension and brake maintenance.

FINISHING UP

If you aren’t ready to pull the trigger on a specific unit or are unsure if you want to make a long-term investment, Altec offers several options that could help make that decision easier. Altec NUECO keeps an up-to-date list of used units allowing the customer to filter a search with specific criteria. There are circumstances that make sense financially for the buyer to rent a unit rather than purchase new or used. For example, contract work often requires a quick start, which may not give enough time to purchase a new unit. Altec Global offers flexible rent to own programs that allow a portion of the customer’s rental investment to go toward the cost of the rented piece of equipment if they choose to purchase.

While there are several items to consider when creating specifications for a new truck, this list will help point you in the right direction. No matter what piece of equipment you decide to purchase, it is important to speak directly to an Altec sales representative when making your equipment decisions.

View Available Aerials  OR to learn more about what Altec has to offer, call 800-958-2555 or contact us online today.