The Generator Power Helped the Business Get Running Again

The first thing you notice when driving into Rockport, Texas is the scope of the damage. Pieces of countless lives are piled up outside homes in huge piles of debris. A large makeshift dump is a hub of activity, where material waste is separated from trees felled by the storm.

Rockport and the surrounding area was ground zero for the Category 4 storm, as Hurricane Harvey hit the coastal town of 10,000 at full force, with sustained winds of 130 mph.

In the wake of the devastating storm that knocked out power to the area for days, businesses scrambled to get back up and running.

“We were hit really hard—we had no power, no water, no gas to get started back up,” recalls Brian Brock, sales manager with Builder’s First Source (BFS), a lumberyard in Rockport. “We had to issue hand tickets and let people take what they needed and come back and pay us later. Initially, we had no way to process credit cards, and people didn’t have access to cash.”

The first day after the storm BFS tried running on several small portable generators, which proved to be an untenable situation. Finally, several days later, Holt Power Systems provided BFS with a 220 kW generator from San Antonio to help the lumberyard get going again.

“A lot of people in town had other brands of generators that were failing,” Brock says. “They weren’t failing initially—everything works good the first day—but over time we ran that Cat® rental generator for 15 to 20 hours a day, six days a week, and it never stopped.”

of

Brian Brock, sales manager with Builder’s First Source (BFS)

of

Builder’s First Source

of

“We had to issue hand tickets and let people take what they needed and come back and pay us later. Initially, we had no way to process credit cards, and people didn’t have access to cash.”

of

Builder’s First Source (BFS)

Builder’s First Source (BFS)
Builder’s First Source (BFS)
Builder’s First Source (BFS)
Builder’s First Source (BFS)

BFS couldn’t have done it without the timely support it received from Holt Power Systems. The wiring on the generator was unfamiliar to BFS personnel. With technical support provided over the phone, BFS was able to connect and run the generator set.

“I judge a company on how much ownership they take in a problem,” Brock says. “My Holt Cat contact in Corpus Christi owned the problem and got me in touch with the right people to get it up and running correctly.

“The technician and all those guys at Holt own their problems.” Brock says. “It’s like they own the company, which is huge to me—they really care. It was really a good thing because we were distraught. Most of our people didn’t have a place to live, and here they are helping us out and getting us the critical power we needed.”

GET THE LATEST STORIES AND TIPS FROM CATERPILLAR – SIGN UP FOR OUR E-NEWSLETTER

 

Featured Product

  • Mobile Generator Sets

    Mobile Generator Sets

    The lifeblood of your business is reliable electric power. Mobile generators ensure that you'll never be without it. Connect a unit to your building. Take one to a remote location. Connect multiple units in parallel. Our natural gas and diesel mobile generators were engineered for easy transporting and fast installation

    Learn More
Electric Power products

Any size or shape. In any regulatory environment. When you need power, Caterpillar is equal to the challenge. Our generators are used in a variety of applications.

View Electric Power products
electric power
electric power
3 Simple Steps to Take When
Planning for Temporary Power

Although critical, planning for power doesn’t need to be difficult. Here are three simple steps that will help you secure and maintain the rental power necessary to carry your facility successfully through a scheduled or emergency shutdown.

Learn More
Temporary Power
Temporary Power

Rental Power

Cat Rental Power delivers clean, reliable, fuel-efficient gensets whenever and wherever you need them. 

View Rental Page
Rental
Rental

CAT® DEALERS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

Your Cat dealer is committed to maximizing your success, helping you get the most out of your operations with site-level solutions, service and support.

CONNECT WITH YOUR DEALER TODAY
dealers
dealers