A conversation with Dan Peterson, vice president of technical development at AMSOIL INC.
Dan Peterson joined AMSOIL in 2007 and has been involved with new product development and formulation development for the past 25 years. Here are Dan’s thoughts on the construction industry and AMSOIL.
How’s business for AMSOIL? Is that indicative of the construction industry overall?
PETERSON: AMSOIL business continues to grow particularly in the area of small businesses supporting the construction industry. Our business is not really representative of the construction industry or economy as a whole because we focus on providing lowest total cost of ownership rather than low price lubricants. AMSOIL is committed to long-term efficiency and effectiveness of businesses in the construction industry, and although this means we don’t end up the low bidder for reverse auctions on the Internet, we are almost always the lowest cost of ownership for business owners and maintenance managers who really dig in and understand their vehicles.
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What has influenced AMSOIL and its product offerings?
PETERSON: AMSOIL has been molded by a vision of the founder to apply technology used in the aviation industry to improve performance, power, and protection in several different lubricant markets. This vision has been the driving force for much of what AMSOIL has offered over the past 40 years. Other influencers include the need for improved fuel efficiency via specialized lubricants and the development of more complex equipment with smaller sumps and higher operating temperatures, which place a great deal of stress on the lubricant. The biggest factor driving development on new products comes from needs outlined by consumers. Extended drain intervals has been one of the biggest drivers lately driven by more focus on improving the bottom line.
What is one facet of business that can make a positive difference in a contractor’s operations?
PETERSON: We know how difficult it is for business owners to manage jobs, find and keep good employees, and keep their equipment operating. The last thing any business owner needs to have is an unexpected maintenance issue in the middle of a job or to have a piece of equipment out for maintenance when you need it on the ground working in a different county that morning. We strive to keep equipment operating more through extended drain intervals and provide the extra layer of protection to minimize unexpected downtime. Putting off a $50,000 equipment purchase for 3-plus years or more doesn’t hurt either.
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How have the advances of technology impacted the construction industry? How does AMSOIL add benefit for the contractor?
PETERSON: Equipment in the construction industry is getting more compact, more complex, and it provides more benefits to contractors. The recent push to limit the emissions from construction equipment has also impacted operation and maintenance. This movement has generally placed more stress on lubricants and created problems like deposits in fuel injectors in high-pressure common rail systems. These diesel applications are little pressure cookers and the fuel breaks down and leaves deposits in these expensive injectors. Anyone who has had to put money into fuel system injector maintenance knows how expensive it can be to repair. There are alternatives and ways to keep this more complex equipment operating correctly for much longer avoiding these common problems and repairs.
What is your forward outlook for the construction industry? For AMSOIL?
PETERSON: We are very excited about the recovery in the construction industry and the future outlook. The business owners who survived over the past 5 years know that constant improvement in operating performance and customer service is critical. The ability to consistently work hard and earn each job has always been a major asset for successful business owners. With increasing complexity, knowledge of the changing equipment design is now an important part of the job, but with all the other things required to manage a business, it is almost impossible to understand all the trends and how to best operate equipment for maximum profitability. We believe the most successful construction businesses with be ones that partner with key technology and information suppliers to continually improve operating margins. Equipment and maintenance of these increasingly complex assets will require making suppliers a bigger part of the team in the future.
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For More Information:
For more information on AMSOIL and the products it provides, visit www.amsoil.com.
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Modern Contractor Solutions, September 2013
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