Sand and gravel customer stops by Caterpillar booth at CONEXPO-CON/AGG to talk fuel management

A sand and gravel customer based in the U.S. southwest has a quality sand product very much in demand in the oil and gas industry. The company has been able to expand production with the help of Cat® machines and technology.

Partnering with Caterpillar since early 2016 on a fuel management project, the company has seen significant cost savings by using VisionLink® and other telematics data to monitor the fleet and train operators.

“Not only are we idling less but we’re running the equipment more efficiently,” says Cat customer Zak Aragon. “Our 390 (hydraulic excavator) guys got training. Our haul guys got training on how to park the trucks and where to park the trucks.  So all that little stuff put together really helped us in the long run.”

“NOT ONLY ARE WE IDLING LESS BUT WE’RE RUNNING THE EQUIPMENT MORE EFFICIENTLY.”

Caterpillar employed a variety of technologies for a full production study with the sand and gravel company.  Cat Technology Expert Jason Hurdis says the results are evident on the job site and the company bottom line. “To date, we’ve reduced idle time 5%, which is huge,” says Hurdis. “They went from 23 machines to 38 on this particular site.  We’re lucky enough that they are 100% Cat (fleet). They like working with (Cat dealer) Holt. They like working with Caterpillar.  And the overall fuel savings to date has been roughly over $150,000.”

The company’s experience is another example of how Cat technology and expertise help our customers succeed.