On-Site Mechanic

For scheduled maintenance and repairs, Industrial Lift has one of their mechanics on site at Hampton Roads for one shift per day. The cost for the mechanic during that time is paid by Industrial Lift as part of the contract. However, the cost of repairs made at times other than "normal business hours" is the responsibility of Norshipco. Joe Carr, United Rentals' mechanic, shepherds the Snorkel telescoping booms and is one of the reasons the contract is working so well. Carr is an experienced construction equipment mechanic. He works a standard eight-hour day shift at Hampton Roads; and along with four other mechanics, shares off-hour duty on a rotational basis. Norshipco uses the Snorkel booms three shifts a day, so in preventive maintenance alone there is plenty for Carr to do. Every 200 hours of boom operation, he changes filters, greases the machines, and checks the cables, limit switches, safety switches and all the operational controls. On a daily basis, he cleans the air filters. Carr also re-routed the air intakes on the machines by adding a section of marine hose so air is taken-in near the ground rather than the top of the machines. This way, the Deutz engines are breathing cleaner air. Unlike a building undergoing repairs, a ship in dry-dock cannot be used. With a building, a portion can be sectioned off, so it is still functional; not so with a ship. When a ship is being repaired, cargo isn't moving, passengers aren't enjoying a cruise, or in the case of military ships, defense readiness isn't being maintained. As a consequence, customers see turn-around as the number one priority, and jobs for repair are bid in days. For instance, if a company bids 44 days and a competitor bids 45, then the bid with the less time usually gets the job. If the job runs over the 44 days specified in the contract, there are severe penalties the successful bidder must pay. Because of this type of work environment, having the right equipment and keeping it running properly around the clock is of paramount importance. The three-part contract Norshipco has with United Rentals is the type of agreement Norshipco needs to remain competitive. Don Roach is vice-president, marketing at Snorkel, in St. Joseph, Mo.