March 2017 Vol. 72 No. 3
Business
March 2017 Business News
RDO Vermeer
RDO Vermeer, part of the RDO Equipment Co. network of heavy equipment dealerships, received five awards from Vermeer including top honors, the Pinnacle Dealer Award, which recognizes talents in sales and aftermarket support. Award criterion include dealer metrics, such as parts, service, market share and customer satisfaction.
“Every day, our Vermeer teams work hard to take care of our customers,” said Marshall Anderson, executive vice president of RDO Vermeer. “Being recognized by our manufacturing partner for doing that – and doing it so successfully – is incredibly rewarding for our teams.”
With 78 locations across the country, RDO Equipment Co. sells and supports agriculture, construction, environmental, positioning, surveying, and irrigation equipment from leading manufacturers.
ADS
Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. (ADS) has acquired the assets of Plastic Tubing Industries (PTI), a manufacturer of HDPE pipe and related accessories, for $9.5 million. ADS is a leading global manufacturer of water management products and solutions for commercial, residential, infrastructure and agricultural applications based in Hilliard, OH.
With the acquisition, ADS will increase its manufacturing footprint in Georgia and Texas, while adding production capacity to existing manufacturing facilities in Florida.
“We are very excited to announce the acquisition of the PTI assets,” said Joe Chlapaty, chairman and CEO. “PTI is a highly complementary business, carries a strong brand and has exceptional customer loyalty dating back more than 40 years.”
John Deere
In 2016, Deere & Company employees recorded nearly 158,000 volunteer hours – a 50 percent increase over the previous year – in service to community organizations worldwide.
Contributing to this achievement was the launch of “Serving Our Communities,” an initiative involving 5,300 employees at 40 Deere locations around the world volunteering 17,000 hours on projects to benefit their local cities and towns. Projects included packaging meals and collecting items for local foodbanks, planting gardens at local schools, packing backpacks with school supplies for at-risk children, building houses through Habitat for Humanity, and helping farmers in developing countries be more productive.
In total, Deere and its Foundation provided grants and contributions totaling more than $31 million in fiscal year 2016.
Hyundai
Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas launched a fully reimagined website, presenting detailed information on the company’s products, support services and dealers in a highly visual and intuitive design, viewable on computers, tablets or smart phones.
The new website covers both the company’s construction equipment and forklift businesses. Video content includes machines at work and testimonials from successful Hyundai customers and dealerships.
“It’s designed to be very mobile friendly and easy to navigate so that our customers can easily find the right Hyundai model to fit their needs,” said Corey Rogers, marketing manager, Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas.
877-509-2254, hceamericas.com
LAN
The city of Houston has selected planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam Inc. (LAN) to develop an all-pipes hydraulic model of its water system.
As a regional water provider, the city delivers surface water through a complex and dynamic transmission and distribution network that includes approximately 7,500 miles of interconnected pipes of various sizes and operating at different pressures. The model will help the city better plan a sustainable and efficient water system by identifying improvements, supporting operations and maintenance staff, and performing emergency shutdown analyses.
“The model will enable the city to address critical planning and operational issues with maximum effectiveness, optimize its capital improvement programs, and improve customer service,” said Melissa Mack, P.E., LAN’s senior associate and team leader.
LAN’s scope of services will include water system model building, model calibration, master planning, utility operation support and onsite staffing. The firm will also provide training for staff to operate and maintain the hydraulic model.
713.266.6900, lan-inc.com
Caterpillar
Caterpillar Inc. will move a limited group of senior executives and support functions to the Chicago area later this year.
“Since 2012, about two-thirds of Caterpillar’s sales and revenues have come from outside the United States. Locating our headquarters closer to a global transportation hub, such as Chicago, means we can meet with our global customers, dealers and employees more easily and frequently,” said Jim Umpleby, CEO.
“We value our deep roots in Central Illinois, and Peoria will continue to be our hometown,” he added. “The vast majority of our people will remain in this important region where we have many essential facilities and functions.”
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