Equipment's the Game

Yet we know that successful readers must also manage those machines. Effective equipment professionals not only know what's new in the market and how those machines compare to others like it, but they also treat the machine as an asset to be managed over the course of ownership.

Mike Vorster, David H. Burrows Professor of Construction Engineering and Management at Virginia Tech University, has spent years in the field and in study developing strategies for managing the assets of a construction-equipment fleet. In addition to his academic career, Vorster has taught fleet-management principles to practicing equipment professionals. His courses are narrow, extremely deep advanced-education programs focused on lifecycle management and the financial side of managing heavy-equipment assets.

As we head into 2004, we are excited to announce the premier installment of Vorster's monthly column, "Equipment Executive," on page 63. This month, he explains how separating owning costs from operating costs enables the manager to monitor and control each.

But that's only part of the excitement. Early next year, Construction Equipment is launching the Construction Equipment Institute, a three-day, in-depth training event for equipment managers, taught by Vorster. He's done this program for nearly 10 years, with several hundred managers participating. Stay tuned for the specifics, and keep the early part of March open.

Vorster's expertise provides opportunities for our readers—and others in their organizations—to learn how to be effective, successful equipment managers valued by their firms. We're excited to add his passion for asset management to our own enthusiasm for equipment.