Just for Openers (1969)

Gentlemen, we're delighted to have you with us. We're glad so many of you could attend this little meeting, and I can only say we want to do everything we can to make it worth your while and to let you know you're welcome. [Music] I'm sure you know in general what this session is all about. We're going to talk business, yours and ours, and we plan to stay on the track, stick to our subject. Your time is valuable and we don't want to waste it on anything that doesn't apply directly to our jobs. So to that extent, maybe this meeting will be a little bit different. New, daring, different, unforgettable in the variety of things you won't see such as gorgeous girls, pulse robbing action, [Music] exotic scenery, sidplitting comedy. I can say that >> gripping suspense. None of that. Nothing irrelevant. Just interesting stuff. All business. >> We're all in business together because whatever our individual jobs may be, they all involve Caterpillar and to motor equipment. So all of us, we as suppliers and you as users have a common objective to see that our equipment delivers all the performance it was built to deliver all the time. And it takes all of us together to reach that objective. If we do reach our objective, we all stand to gain. If you're an owner, getting full value from your equipment means lower costs and more profit. If you're a job superintendent or shop foreman, your return is greater production and the assurance of machine availability when it comes to a showdown. If you're a mechanic, your stake in this is ease of maintenance, minimum downtime, fewer repair headaches. As an operator, your interest is greater ease of operation, more comfort, and the kind of response you want at the controls. So whatever job or jobs you do, you have a personal stake in getting full value from every Caterpillar machine because that automatically makes your job easier, more secure, more profitable, and safer. Another thing it seems to me all of us here have in common. We're all professionals. Operator, owner, mechanic, superintendent, foreman. It doesn't matter which. The very fact you're here shows you have a professional attitude toward your work. You take pride in your job and how it's done. And we take the same professional pride at our job or we wouldn't be putting on this meeting. So, we all do share the same interest and attitudes in our work. We talk the same language and as professionals we all know this can be a rough business. [Music] [Applause] Our equipment has to work under all conditions. It has to be able to meet whatever demands this fastmoving, speeded up age of ours puts on it. [Music] But in spite of this, how can we make sure we get the utmost out of our CAT equipment day in day out, year after year? That's what we're here to talk about. How to hit that target. Now, of course, on the job reliability has to start with design, engineering, and manufacturer. the basic quality that's built into a machine. And that's what we have to offer. A better machine to begin with, built that way by Caterpillar. But that's not all. Something else just as important goes with that CAT machine or engine. It's what we call product support. The services, facilities, parts, technical assistance, knowhow, all the backup it takes to keep that machine on the job at peak efficiency. We have to furnish all that and we do. And why? Because no machine, no matter how well made, can perform right for very long without the support of adequate maintenance. Good maintenance is essential to reliability. It pays off in lower operating cost, higher productivity, and greater resale value at trade-in time. It prevents a good many of the troubles that go with our business. So, our responsibility as we see it is to pass along to you the best maintenance practices as recommended by Caterpillar and to keep you informed of improvements and advances as they're made. In other words, whatever help you need to make your maintenance programs, methods, and procedures more effective. Just between us, when an owner does get full production, full value from his cat equipment, he's pretty likely to make the money and get the jobs that will put him in the market for more new equipment. And when he buys, chances are he'll buy Caterpillar again, no matter how hard our competitors work on him. And let's admit, our competitors have some pretty good salesman. >> I consider myself a cracker jack salesman, but I can't sell international harvester equipment for beans. But of course, there's more to this whole area of maintenance than regular day-to-day programs. In this business, you never know what problems are going to arise. [Applause] [Music] I've always said those operators are no dummies, but now I don't know. >> The only thing sure is that any machine used hard enough to make a profit has to have replacement parts and occasional repairs. [Music] But it's our job to minimize the cost and time and money of parts replacements and repairs. So we want to keep you up to date on all the facts about Caterpillar made parts and how new developments can boost production or lower cost per hour. And on the subject of necessary repairs, we want you to know the alternatives open to you. whether to do it yourself or use our facilities. You should know about the capabilities of our shop and you should know about some other special services we offer. Custom track service, parts exchange service, engine rebuilding, and so on, as well as the new methods and diagnostic equipment we use to inspect your machines. And speaking of inspection, some of you may be interested in the idea of service contracts as a way of stabilizing costs and controlling machine availability. All these things are part of the whole broad subject of equipment maintenance. And I don't have to tell you there's a lot involved in it in this matter of making sure our equipment stays on the job and performs as it was designed and built to do. A lot involved. But there's a lot at stake, too, for all of us. Not the least of which is our jobs, which is what this meeting is all about. So again, gentlemen, we want to welcome you and uh as a special service for anyone who may have dozed off. And now let's throw some light on our subject. Well, gentlemen, they tell me it's time to wrap up this session, and that's what I'm back here to do. We certainly hope you found it worth your while, and that you'll decide to come back again. As you know, meetings like this are just part of a continuingformational program designed to be of service to you and your job. It's a program that's needed today more than ever before if we want to keep up with the new developments, new methods, new ideas that are coming at us all the time. And as I said at the beginning, this is a fastm moving industry we're in. So fast moving it's impossible to predict what developments are ahead in equipment, parts, accessories, bigger machines, maybe with new capabilities, more economy, longer life. Who knows? But we promise you this. Whatever is ahead, we'll do our level best to keep you informed because again, we're all in this business together. Our success depends on yours. So that's all. Thanks for coming. And aren't you glad we stuck to business instead of boring you with a lot of unnecessary un Oh, look at that foolishness. things that nobody cares about. Oh, here we go. [Music]