There’s nothing more exciting than ordering something new, but waiting to see your purchase can put a damper on your excitement – unless you get a sneak peek. That’s exactly what happened to Phil and Alice McClain of McClain Construction of Goff, Kansas, when they had the chance to see their latest purchase being built.
The McClains are proud new owners of a Ca® D6T dozer and recently visited facilities around Peoria, Illinois, to see what all went into making their machine – from where the iron is cut to where the last drop of paint is applied. Since their jobs primarily take place in agricultural settings, the McClains know how crucial it is to have tough machines to complete the tough jobs in unforgiving elements.
"We've considered other brands," said Phil McClain, "but we stick with Cat – they've treated us well, and Foley's (Foley Equipment – Cat Dealer) done a really good job of getting things done for us."
The D6T was their first choice when it came time for a new dozer not only because of its size, but also because of the quality of the machine. "They're built heavier… it's all about the quality of the machine," noted Alice.
Alice, known as the "Best Excavator Operator in Northeast Kansas," is very focused on quality, reliability and efficiency, as is everyone at McClain Construction, since the doors first opened in 1947.
While at East Peoria Building SS, Phil and Alice reminisced of a past attempt at buying a competitor's machine and only having it for a day before Alice said "send it back." Another time, a competitor's excavator needed repair and it took upwards of two weeks to get the replacement part.
"We like the parts availability of Cat. Foley can get parts for any of our equipment in a day or two – it use to take the other guys a week or two," explained Phil. The son of McClain Construction's founder, Phil began driving tractors on the farm around the age of ten. He was so young (and short) when he started operating heavy equipment that people thought the machines were operating themselves!
When Alice was asked what she'd say to someone considering buying Cat, she left it short and sweet: "I wouldn't buy anything but – it's heavier built."
