Lumsden & Carroll Construction has purchased three Cat ®428F2 Backhoe Loaders in its first deal with Finning UK & Ireland.
Based in the north-east of England, and part of Lumsden & Carroll Engineering and ESH Group, Lumsden & Carroll Construction has, for the first time in 25 years, purchased a Cat machine. With a committed focus on machine quality and service capabilities, the team at Lumsden & Carroll commenced conversations with Finning regarding the Cat Backhoe Loaders.
John Ingram, Sales Representative for Finning UK & Ireland, North East, said: “It was great to see Lumsden & Carroll expressing an interest in the Cat Backhoe Loaders; as the operators on site had limited experience operating a Cat machine, we provided a demo Cat 432F2 and Cat 427F2 Backhoe Loader for two weeks. It was important that the team on site really got a feel for the machines.
“The feedback we received from the operators was extremely positive, with comments on the ‘obvious’ quality of the machine.”
Following the demos, Finning discussed options with Lumsden & Carroll and supplied three of the Cat 428F2 Backhoe Loaders, following preferred operator preferences such as the mechanical controls. The machine is powered by the efficient Cat C4.4 engine and accompanied by a seamless 6-speed auto-shift transmission with lock-up torque converter. The machine also includes ‘Deluxe Cab’ facilities, including air conditioning, heated air suspension, Bluetooth integrated radio and CD player, and an incredibly quiet operating environment.
As this was a big move for Lumsden & Carroll, Finning UK & Ireland invited the team to Caterpillar’s base in Desford to see their machines being built, and actually moving through the production line.
Phil Basset, Workshop Foreman at Lumsden & Carroll Construction, comments: “We had very specific requirements; we needed a machine that was of a high quality, that would run without issues and reduced down-time. All in all, a better built machine that is reliable. The Cat Backhoe Loaders definitely seem to be meeting our requirements.
“We’re very pleased with our new relationship with Cat; a very credible and premium brand in my opinion. However, it’s not just the quality of machine that we needed, it’s the service quality and overall capabilities that are a major factor with us. During our visit to Caterpillar at Desford, we spent four to five hours with the Service team and other members of the Cat and Finning team. Together, we built a package and agreement that was best suited to us.
“I believe the service capabilities from Finning was echoed when we had an issue with a coupler on one of the machines. The team were out to see us within 40 minutes and the problem was resolved straight away. Of course we’re bound to experience a few difficulties, it goes with the territory, but the response time and professionalism of the Finning team gives us a great deal of confidence and assurance. We will surely be looking to expand our Caterpillar fleet in the future.”