Manufacturer Relationships

Words: Steve Fechino

As a contractor, the last person I wanted to see in my office was a salesman or a sales representative. Now that I better understand being a manufacturer, I see it in a different light. As a contractor, you can control the purchasing of material, understand how it performs, and install it; that is what you can do. But when the part of your company you try to control, the labor, installs it improperly, the manufacturer may be one of the first phone calls made asking if this is a situation that can be repaired or replaced. Many of these situations can be eliminated because most manufacturers are more than glad to train your staff. Training can happen in several ways: it can be performed at the contractor’s office or job site when a crew of installers attends; it can happen at the manufacturer's office within their training facility with a comfortable, controlled environment, or it can occur at local events where food, presentations, drinks, and activities all create a pleasurable event for the training. Each one of these is expensive for the manufacturer and has the expectation of high attendance.

When you purchase products from a manufacturer, yes, it is a big company, but the creation of personal relationships makes the entire experience better regarding training, problem-solving, and the use of materials. When a manufacturer has an event, please try to support the event because you want them to support you when you need it. This training builds a strong relationship, something every contractor will need from a manufacturer at some point.

Shop Talk
As winter closes in fast (well, actually, it is 92 degrees today, but we all know what is coming), preparation is the key to comfort. Working in the cold or darkness of a late fall day is much harder than performing equipment service during the pleasant early fall. I thought I would share a few little tips that may be useful. If you drive or own diesel equipment, please empty the water separator and fuel bowl on the engine and replace them with clean, treated fuel. When you fill up, add the additive to your fuel, as this will prevent freeze-ups or gelling of fuel and keep you running smoothly when it becomes cold. Fuel filters are an easy item to put off replacing, but they are worth the effort. When a fuel filter gets dirty, it can shut you down. If you do not replace it now, please consider putting it into your service rotation.

If you need to start equipment that has sat idle in your shop for several months, fuel lines may need to be changed. The larger port on the two-cycle carburetor is the feed line that goes into the fuel tank, and the smaller port is the return vent; this may make the fuel line repair easier. If your equipment has sat for more than a few months, dump out the fuel in the tank and replace it with fresh fuel. Small amounts of water can accumulate in the tank and really hinder the performance of your equipment. If you must tune the two-cycle carburetor, the two adjustment screws are simple: the left screw controls the low speed and should be adjusted first, and the right screw is the high speed and is typically adjusted second. Minor adjustments may be needed, but this should get you really close. Two-cycle fuel has two options: you can purchase engineered fuel at $27 to $50 per gallon, or you can mix your own fuel for about $5 to $6 per gallon. I was a proponent of engineered fuel for a long time, but over the years, the equipment I was running began to bog and surge. Changing my fuel eliminated the surging and bogging, and it overall increased the performance of my equipment. If you mix your own gas using non-ethanol fuel and purchase a quality name-brand two-cycle oil from a distributor, it will be money saved and a noticeable performance improvement. I made this change and could not believe the positive results after a tank or two of fuel.

I hope you have an extra pair of boots in the truck, a Carhartt or a hoodie, and a pair of gloves. Jumper cables behind the seat are a worthy effort.

One over two, be safe, and do not complain about the time change. If you are in Indiana or Arizona, you are the lucky ones.

Manufacturer Relationships

About: Fechino Files

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