I’ve thrown around this figure for years, but when it comes to fleet excellence, it’s a key one to remember. According to research conducted by the Construction Financial Management Association, 80 percent of the average construction organization’s capital assets are in iron.
That’s right. The equipment manager bears the responsibility for ensuring the cost-effective management of an organization’s largest investment: its fleet of construction equipment.
This role remains an under-appreciated one in many construction organizations. Almost 10 years ago, we partnered with the Association of Equipment Management Professionals (AEMP) to put a stop to that and to raise up professionals that excel in meeting the unique challenges in performing this role. The Fleet Masters program acknowledged its first two fleets in 2004. In March, we recognized the thirteenth and fourteenth winners: Austin Bridge & Road and Insituform.
We'll tell their stories in our June issue.
The two gentlemen accepting the awards, representing their fleets, were Mike Munson of Austin, and Guy Gordon, CEM, of Insituform. They each are examples of what we would call the modern equipment executive.
I’ve known Guy for several years. He’s sharp and focused when it comes to fleet management, and he understands both side of the game: He’s mechanically proficient and financially savvy. Guy and his team have identified the key performance metrics that measure fleet efficiency. Over the past few years, they’ve targeted improvement in those benchmarks and attained marked growth in them.
My experience with Mike is far shorter, having just met him at the awards luncheon. But he, also, has a keen focus on excellence in fleet management. Last year, the equipment division produced a monster manual of fleet policies and procedures, titled The Austin Way, that documents the whats, hows and whys of fielding an effective fleet of equipment. In addition, Munson and his team have proactively addressed emissions management, earning the first Green Fleet certification from AEMP.
Spending time with Guy, Mike and other equipment pros during the Fleet Masters awards luncheon and the AEMP Annual Conference gives me great hope for the future of this profession.
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